Camp/ride trip across USA - Dangerous?

So I'm planning a 4,000 mile round trip camping / riding vacation for late May this year and I'm going on my own. In talking about this to a friend last night, he had serious cautions to not go on such a trip because of "the crazies out there". Getting robbed, dealing with general weirdos at campsites, those sorts of things. I'm going from the Midwest to the West coast where I'd stay at a friend's for a couple days, then come back, and planning on camping at state and national parks along the way. Tent, camping stove, all that jazz.

Have those of you who have done these sorts of trips had these sorts of issues before? What should I know is likely to happen or I should be concerned with in this department? The friend suggested trying to find someone to ride with me but I really like the idea of going alone from the standpoint of being able to do whatever I want whenever I want but I do recognize there is greater risk there. I don't plan on carrying a gun or anything like that even though that's been suggested by someone else, will probably pack a good camping knife and maybe some pepper spray.

Thanks for all feedback, I'm starting to be a little concerned, maybe over nothing or maybe I really need some wisdom on this.

I wouldn't be worried at all, that is if you take basic, common sense cautions like not roller skating in a buffalo herd or yelling fire and then putting out someone's campfire when they're cooking!

You'll have a blast and love the flexibility that going alone brings. You'll also wish you had someone to talk to sometimes.

I would kill to be able to take such a trip. I think as long as you use a little common sense you'll be fine.

If by "riding" you mean hopping freight trains then you will probably be raped and murdered (possibly not in that order) by hobos. I saw it on Nightline once so it has to be true.

I would LOVE to hop on a R 1200 GS Adventure with just a credit card and a backpack and disappear for a loop of the country. I can't see how it could be any more dangerous than any other trip.

You'll be totally maimed and murdered on your first night out. Best to stay indoors - maybe google it or watch a documentary of someone else actually doing stuff /sarcasm

Go see the country up close and personal. It'll be a cool adventure.

Then Came Pres

Have fun. It sounds like a great trip. The "crazies" have always been here, it is just that now everyone in the country knows what happened 4 minutes ago in Lower Who Flung Dung Nowhere and it seems like the world is falling apart.

A friend of mine retraced the "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" route a few years ago, and wrote a fascinating book about it. He ran into lots of characters along the way, some you might call crazy, but it sure makes for a compelling read:

http://www.zenandnow.org/

I know a guy who did an even bigger trip, he only ran into the house of one crazy in Alaska (had signs at the end of his driveway with all kinds of crazy gibberish and a passing cop warned him to stay away).

Same guy turned out to be a bit unbalanced himself, but that's a long story I'd rather not get into.

Someone on here did a whole trip thread about his mostly dirt road trip across the country on a dual purpose bike. I don't remember who but it was an excellent write-up. I had no luck searching for the discussion. Maybe someone here with better memory can find it.

Should probably also post this question on advrider forums, long road trips is all they do.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

I kind of want to search ADV before posing this, something tells me they've been asked before, and I wanted to get a different sort of group's opinion on this thing since I think the answer is going to be 90% "GO ALREADY" since, you know... long trips is all they do.

My brother pedaled his way from Seattle to Nantucket in 1992. I joined him from Flint to Boston. We heard the stories of doom from people that enjoy watching TV news and scare shows(Cops, America's Most Wanted, etc.). The only scary things were cars and dogs. We did meet some fine people and interesting characters.

In reply to pilotbraden:

The guy in question from last night told a story about leaving his campsite in New Mexico many years ago for about half a day and coming back to it being, well, gone. Everything taken. And then something about weirdos coming out when they see a camp fire going and how he had a friend with and otherwise he wasn't so sure if it would have turned out okay. I dunno. I wanted to get other opinions, something wider based to form a plan on. I'll be traveling on my VFR but I imagine the pedal thing isn't that different when you stop at night.

In reply to pres589:

I would be cautious about leaving gear unattended in a spot that is easy to drive to. We set up camp and would swim, shower, relax, eat and sleep. We never went and left our gear in a desolate area. Most places we stopped we would introduce ourselves to the people camped near us. Usually they were elderly busybodies, that thought we were the "crazies", that watched our gear like hawks while we were away from our tents. One night outside Waterloo Ontario a very drunk gent tripped over my bicycle and fell down a bluff. That was as close as I came to being attacked by a human.

If you're at a camp site on a sport bike, and smell like someone wearing unwashed leathers for a few weeks in a row, most will think that you're the crazy one.

Mitchell wrote: If you're at a camp site on a sport bike, and smell like someone wearing unwashed leathers for a few weeks in a row, most will think that you're the crazy one.

+1. The best way not to be eaten by zombies is to pretend to be one.

As an added safety measure - always have a plan to kill everyone you meet, know the exit strategy and if you are a really sound sleeper - booby trap the site with noisy stuff so you don't wake up right in the middle of a Brown bear trying to see if your insides are as delicious as that snickers you left in the saddle bags :)

One of my dreams is to do a cross country drive with my car of choice. I'd go camping, motels, or crash at friends/ relatives place. I'd also avoid places where the TGUK guys went... lol

pres589 wrote: I don't plan on carrying a gun or anything like that even though that's been suggested by someone else, will probably pack a good camping knife and maybe some pepper spray.

so you're going to shank a grizzly? make sure you're wearing your GoPro, 'cuz i wanna see that E36 M3 on youtube.

In reply to AngryCorvair:

Yes. I'm going to wear a camera and tangle with bears and make sure you get the video before anyone else.

Just so I know, are you suggesting I don't bring some sort of knife on a multi-state camping run across the country? The knife and the pepper spray aren't for the same purposes in my mental image of this thing...

Edit: p.s. I'll make sure to get audio of this so right before I kick that first bear I find square in the junk you can hear me yell "AND THIS IS FOR ANGRY".

I did it back in1990. Loved it. Although, mine was out of the back of a CRX. Stayed in hotles evey once in a while when the weather sucked....

Do it.

I'm planning on a similar ride on a small bike, as soon as I get a small bike. I'm thinking really small, like a 150cc or smaller Vespa. 2 stroke would be what I really want.

I'm not worried about crazy people. Like Mitchell and GPS said, I'd be the crazy guy. I am worried about animal attacks, though.

mapper wrote: Someone on here did a whole trip thread about his mostly dirt road trip across the country on a dual purpose bike. I don't remember who but it was an excellent write-up. I had no luck searching for the discussion. Maybe someone here with better memory can find it.

His user name is Skierd. Links to his adventure. The Advrider one is more comprehensive.

GRM thread

advrider thread

Do it!!!! Ignore those who try to make you fear the unknown. They're Bob Costas!

pres589 wrote: ... I'm going to wear a camera and tangle with bears ...

That is the berkeleying spirit!