geared up bike

Henery's bike
Originally uploaded by spiderkakes

I've been looking around flickr for some ideas on how to outfit my bike for the big cross country loop this summer.
Flickr user 'Spiderkakes' posted this photo. I think I have my template.

I already have the saddle bags but I need that big trunk bag to carry my tent and extras. Right below the trunk bag you can see a chrome rack on the rear fender. I really like that. It'll serve to hold the trunk but it also looks really good without the trunk in a retro kind of way. It reminds me of the look of the bikes from the 40's and 50's.

Somewhere in Japan

I just had to post this picture by flickr user tx_corey.

The Road

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This summer I’m going on a solo motorcycle road trip from one side of America to the other and back again. I’m starting in our nation's capitol and heading due west to San Francisco. From there I turn right to Seattle then hang another right bound for DC.

My guidelines are:

• sleep under the stars as much as possible.


• stay off the major interstates as much as possible.


• take the picture whenever it presents itself.


• capture and post as much of this adventure as possible via pictures, twitter, gps position.


• Take it all in.

I want to make the most of this trip.

For the 4th bullet I’m going to build a website where I can post pictures and video from the road so everyone can see what I see. I’ll also post my geo-position in real-time or near real time as well as my twitter updates.

Should I get an iPhone and use Google Latitudes for the positioning?

Do I need to schlub a laptop with me?

What’s the best one-man tent for this?

For the last guideline bullet, what are the must-see attactions along my route? By must-see I mean everything from awesome pancakes to national treasures.

Please give me your insight and advice via comments, email, or twitter.

Thanks!

-Mike

***UPDATE***

I learned via IM that I must see Pike's Market and Jimmy Hendix's grave in Seattle. Will do!