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Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip – Part 2: Iowa

Susan Weston / December 6, 2024 / Leave a Comment

Welcome to Part 2 of our 18-day cross-country motorcycle trip on a Honda Goldwing from Annapolis, Maryland, to Seattle, Washington. The trip took place at the end of August. If you want to start at the beginning, see Part 1.

We reached Iowa on day four and quickly realized “Iowa Nice” was real. Expect to spend an extra 5 minutes at any gas station or rest stop. Be prepared for a lot of corn and wind. We were constantly fighting the wind through the Midwest.

Start: Annapolis, Maryland
End: Seattle, Washington
When: End of August
Miles: 3,451
Total Days on the road: 18
Number of States: 12
Motorcycle: Honda Goldwing (Rental)

Cross Country Motorcycle Trip Google Map

Day 4: Champaign, IL to Davenport, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4.5 hours

We detoured to Davenport, IA, for one reason: I wanted to see Iowa 80, the World’s Biggest Truckstop. You could skip Davenport altogether to save some time, but how do you do a cross-country motorcycle trip and not stop?

We skipped I-74 and rode up US-150 toward Bloomington, IL. We stopped at Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz’s Grave and Statue. I love quirky roadside attractions. The statue was in an actual cemetery. Riding a motorcycle up to and through a graveyard felt strange, but we were not the first with the way the groundskeepers didn’t give us a sideways glance.

After Bloomington, we finally moved away from the interstate. We continued on US-150 up to Peoria, IL, got on IL-29 and started following the Illinois River. We stopped for lunch at the Moon Tower Bar in Chillicothe, IL. Cliff gets credit for this random find. It is your typical biker bar but sitting on the Illinois River. The view is impressive, the food is good, and the beer is cheap. It was a perfect lunch spot on our trip. We continued along Route 29 as long as we could before we headed west to Davenport, IA.

We had to drive through downtown Davenport to our hotel, the Baymont by Wyndham, but it placed us only a few miles from tomorrow’s stop at Iowa 80. The bright blue building was down a dead-end side street, and the area appeared rundown but was clean. No one bothered the bike, plus we could see it from our room.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Moon Tower Bar (Chillicothe, IL) https://www.themoontowerbar.com/
Baymont (Days Inn) by Wyndham (Davenport, IA)
Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz’s Grave and Statue (Bloomington, IL)

Day 5: Davenport, IA, to Winterset, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 4 hours

We started the day at the World’s Biggest Truckstop: Iowa 80. We didn’t realize it, but we spent 3 hours there, so be prepared. Make sure to check out the Truck Museum. We exited Iowa 80 onto US-61 S and headed toward Columbus Junction, IA, before heading west on IA-92 to Winterset, IA. We stopped at the Swinging Bridge Park to get out of the sun. It was a perfect way to stretch the legs and is very shaded, but they do not have bathrooms but have picnic tables if you want to bring lunch.

We stopped in Winterset, IA, and stayed at the Cobblestone Inn and Suites. It was a small hotel that felt family-run. There was a small bar with complimentary breakfast, and they had laundry. Plus, since we had a first-floor room, we could park the motorcycle right near the room. Although the hotel was on IA-92, it was a short walk from Winterset’s downtown area to get food.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Iowa 80 Truckstop (Walcott, IA)
Swinging Bridge Park (Columbus Junction, IA)
Cobblestone Inn and Suites (Winterset, IA)

Day 6 and 7: Winterset, IA to Le Mars, IA

Miles: 200
Ride Time (Not including stops): 3.5 hours

We wove our way northwest to Le Mars, IA, where we planned to stay for two nights. We stopped at the Templeton Distillery. Even though Cliff couldn’t enjoy the whiskey, the area was beautiful and a nice place to stretch our legs. We stopped in Carroll, IA, for lunch, then took US-71 to Sac City, IA.

Sac City, IA, is a small town with quirky stops, making it a great place to stretch your legs. We passed a vintage gas station collection and pulled over a few miles up the road at the World’s Biggest Popcorn Ball. There is a small park behind it where you can walk around, plus it is right across from a gas station.

We stayed in Le Mar’s for two nights. I highly recommend planning a few 2-day stops on the trip. You might not think you need it, but riding all day, especially in the wind, can be tiring after a while. Le Mars is a small town in Iowa that happens to be the Ice Cream Capital of the world. We stayed at the Inn on Central. The six guest rooms are above an art studio and have private parking behind the hotel. It has a kitchenette with a fridge and a grocery store next door if you are sick of restaurant food. It was also an opportunity to do some much-needed laundry. Check out Iowa BBQ Company for fantastic BBQ. Then, get a beer at Wise I Brewing. Check out their food truck schedule. A food truck served tasty Thai food the day we were there.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Wasted Grain (Carroll, IA)
Vintage Gas Station and Sign Memorabilia (Sac City, IA) – 620 E Main St, Sac City, IA 50583
World’s Largest Popcorn Ball (Sac City, IA)
Templeton Distillery (Templeton, IA)
Inn on Central (Le Mars, IA)
Iowa BBQ Company (Le Mars, IA)
Wise I Brewing (Le Mars, IA)

World’s Biggest Popcorn Ball, Sac City, IA

Start at the beginning with Part 1. Remember to check out our Google Map for our exact route and stops.

Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip – Part 2: Iowa Read More »

Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip – Part 1: Maryland to Illinois

Susan Weston / December 6, 2024 / Leave a Comment

My boyfriend and I spent the end of August riding a Honda Goldwing from the East to the West Coast of the US. We flew into Annapolis, MD, to pick up our rented Honda Goldwing from EagleRider. We were able to do a one-way rental and dropped the bike in Seattle, WA, 18 days later. Doing a cross-country motorcycle trip was on my boyfriend’s bucket list. I love new adventures so I decided we should do this trip for my 40th birthday.

Start: Annapolis, Maryland
End: Seattle, Washington
When: End of August
Miles: 3,451
Total Days on the road: 18
Number of States: 12
Motorcycle: Honda Goldwing (Rental)

Logistics

We have gotten many questions about our route and the logistics of planning a big trip. We recommend getting a comfy bike made for travel. After much research, we found that the best option was a one-way rental. EagleRider is known for Harley-Davidson Rentals, but they also rent other brands. They were great to deal with, and I highly recommend them. It wasn’t cheap but worth riding in comfort for almost three weeks.

We planned the route ahead of time. We tried to stick to 200 miles/day and wanted to avoid the interstate as much as possible. I booked our accommodations ahead of time because some of the small towns had limited options, but they could all be canceled if plans changed. We also had a few extra days before we had to fly home in case we hit the weather or encountered any other issues. Spoiler: We did.

Check out our Google Map for our exact route and all of our stops.

Day 1: Baltimore, MD to Davis, WV

Miles: 195
Ride Time (Not including stops): 5 hours

We stayed in Gambrills, MD, 5 minutes from EagleRider the night before.

After picking up the bike, we wanted to visit downtown DC and see some tourist sights. Don’t do it. If you want to explore DC, fly in a few days early. We were fighting traffic in the heat while still getting used to the bike. Avoid any major city if you can, or at least try to avoid rush hour.

Finally, we left the city, got on VA-7 W and headed through Virginia wine country. The roads through this area are curvy, and the scenery is beautiful. We stopped and took a break at a local winery. Even if you’re not drinking, the quiet and the food are worth the stop. The perfect riding roads continued into West Virginia.

We ended up in the small town of Davis, WV. We celebrated day one at Stumptown Ales, the local brewery.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham (Gambrills, MD)
EagleRider (Crofton, MD)
Valerie Hill Winery (Stephens City, VA)
Stumptown Ales (Davis, WV)
Alpine Lodge Sawmill Restaurant and Motel (Davis, WV)

Breakfast at the TipTop Cafe — Breakfast at TipTop, Thomas, WV

Day 2: Davis, WV to Dayton, OH

Miles: 311
Ride Time (Not including stops): 6.5 hours

Although the goal was only to do 200 miles/day, we had a deadline to meet my friends on my birthday in Sturgis, SD. Because of this, we had a few long days. It didn’t downpour but light rain off and on. We got lucky; this was the only day of the trip we needed to use rain gear. It was a long, cold day as a passenger, but Cliff had a blast on the curvy roads through the West Virginia hills.

We stopped at TipTop coffee shop for breakfast before getting on the road. It was nice to have a warm meal before starting the long day. Cliff was looking forward to getting on a motorcycle every morning, but I was excited to stop at all the quirky roadside attractions: the first stop, the World’s Biggest Pumpkin Water Tower. My crazy list of roadside attractions became an essential aspect of the trip. It broke up long days and allowed us to stretch our legs.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
TipTop (Thomas, WV)
Sake (Dayton, OH) (Hibachi)
World’s Biggest Pumpkin Water Tower (Circleville, OH)

Day 3: Dayton, WV to Champaign, IL

Miles: 250
Ride Time (Not including stops): 5.5 hours

This was another long day, 250 miles and 5.5 hours of ride time. It was still enjoyable. We officially left the mountain and entered corn country. Cliff is from Illinois, and I am from the East Coast, so we weren’t excited about the beginning of the trip, which led us to book some long days to get to the second half of the country. Shockingly, though, we ended up enjoying the ride through this area. I guess the moral is don’t have any premonitions about your trip. I recommend stopping at the Grindstone Public House for lunch. It was one of my favorite restaurants on the trip.

Where to Eat/Sleep/Stop:
Grindstone Public House (Noblesville, IN)

Check out Part 2, where we continue our adventure riding across the country, as we go through Iowa, and check out our tips if you decide to do your own trip.

Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip – Part 1: Maryland to Illinois Read More »

Guide to the Yacht Week Croatia Itinerary

Susan Weston / October 21, 2023 / Leave a Comment

What is Yacht Week Croatia?

Yacht Week is a week-long sailing adventure around the Croatian Islands on your own Catamaran. It is basically college spring break with an itinerary of partying all day and night. Our boat was the oldest ranging from our late 20s to 52 (Damn Damon), but I had assumed it would all be college kids, and it wasn’t. Most boats were in their 20’s and early 30’s. Despite our ages, our boat was the party boat, and we ended up with quite the reputation.

Our Itinerary During Yacht Week Croatia

*Schedule subject to change.

Itinerary Day 1 – Trogir

Day 1 was frustrating. We were all super excited. We had already checked out of our hotels and had all our luggage with us, but we had to wait until almost 5 p.m. for the skipper and host to prepare the boat. We spent breakfast and lunch at the same restaurant (poor servers). Then we went to the pier and sat there waiting and waiting and waiting. It was a buzz kill for sure, but it all worked out. Just be prepared.

Shout out to our skipper, Simon and host, Mia! They were the best and were 100% the reason we had such a good time.

Itinerary Day 1 was spent waiting Yacht Week Croatia — Waiting for our boat to be ready

It’s important to know which marina your boat will leave from when planning your accommodations. We departed from ACL Marina Trogir, which is located farther away from Split but closer to the airport, so it worked out well for us. The pre-party on Day 1 was held at Padres, a bar located in Trogir. Since we were staying in Trogir, we could easily walk to the bar instead of taking a water taxi like other Yacht Week boats. Just a heads up – your catamaran will not leave the dock until Day 2.

Cover Charges During Yacht Week

Carpe Diem, Padres, Hula Hula, Club 585 and Fort George are private Yacht Week events. Other events are for the general public, but your Yacht Week bracelet grants free entry.

Group at Way Point Hvar drinking coffee Itinerary Day 2 — Marina Palmizana has Ice Coffee

Group at Carpe Diem Hvar Yacht Week Croatia — Carpe Diem Beach Hvar

Itinerary Day 2 – Hvar

We sailed to the ACL Marina Palmizana near Hvar. It is a small, secluded island with a beach, a coffee shop, and showers. In the evening, we took a water taxi to the beach club Carpe Diem, located on its island of Stipanska, for the Siren’s Call party. It was sad to see that many people didn’t follow the theme. Don’t be those people. After that, we took a boat taxi into Hvar and went to Kiva Bar. Hvar is a beautiful city with small alleys filled with bars and restaurants. Although Kiva was fun, it was packed with people.

Laundry During Yacht Week Croatia

The ACL Marina Palmizana has laundry facilities. It is a perfect time to do laundry because you will spend two nights here.

Itinerary Day 3 – Hvar

Today is usually day 5 on the itinerary, but it was changed due to the weather. Normally, it is a much-needed recharge day. We spent the day hanging out with all the other Yacht Weekers on our boats, as there wasn’t much to do on the small island. In the evening, we went into Hvar again. Our host recommended hiking 15 minutes to the fort for sunset, but it looked high, and we were lazy. There was a Yacht Week party at Hula Hula. It’s just a short walk from the water taxi drop-off.

Itinerary Day 2 Yacht Week Croatia — Yacht Week Catamaran at the ACL Marina Palmizana

Yacht Week Drinking Tip: Roadies

Get some roadies for your walk to Hula Hula. We didn’t, and our new friends from London gave me a warm beer. I was appreciative, but why is it only Americans who like super cold drinks?

Advice for Hula Hula, Hvar

Getting a drink at Hula Hula was impossible, but we walked another 2 minutes and found a bar on the right-hand side with no line and a better view. I even met a guy from my hometown, which is very small. It is a small world.

At dinner, I decided to practice my Croatian language skills. I learned that “živjeli” means “cheers” in Croatian. I thought I was pronouncing the word perfectly, but the waitress and my table mates did not agree. The waitress spent 5 minutes at our table trying to help me before shaking her head and giving up. Nonetheless, I will never forget the word; I even got it tattooed on my back in Croatian Script.

A few minutes walk past Hula Hula is another bar and this view.

Water Taxis

We bought round-trip tickets for our water taxi, but when we went to head home, we were told the taxi we had tickets for only came every hour. It was strange. They all looked the same. The man who claimed that “he wasn’t our taxi” allowed me to board anyway, so who knows. It was a rough ride. I ended up sitting on the floor of the tiny boat between all the passengers. At least I was protected from getting wet. Just make sure the boat is going back to the right marina.

Where to Eat: Silk (Ul. Sveti Marak 14, 21450, Hvar, Croatia) Serving Pan-Asian Fresh Street Food. Our host recommended it.

Itinerary Day 4 – Bol

On day 4 of the itinerary, we sailed to Bol. Our skipper was the lead, so we tied up along the waterfront while other boats had to anchor in the marina and take a tender. We walked 15 minutes along the beach to the Auro Beach Bar. The bar is at the island’s tip and was very windy, so beware. There is a little train that drives back and forth if you are feeling hungover. At night, everyone headed to Club 585. I won’t name names, but someone forgot I was in the bathroom on the boat and left without me. I’m blaming the alcohol.

Where to Eat: Taverna Riva (Frane radića 5, 21420 Bol, Croatia) – Located on the waterfront across from our catamaran. Beautiful view and delicious Mediterranean food.

Group at Taverna Riva eating dinner — Taverna Riva

Itinerary Day 5 – Sailing

Today was Regatta Day, which we thought would be a big event, but it turned out to be a simple sailing trip. We sailed together to our destination, where we anchored for the Tunnel Raft Party. Our group dressed in a Mario Cart theme for the Regatta but then changed into regular beach clothes.

The Tunnel Raft Party was a blast. All the boats were tied together in two long lines. A DJ played music from a boat in the middle, and everyone floated on their rafts and walked from boat to boat, enjoying the party. Again, we were lucky to have the lead skipper, so he ensured we were right next to the DJ. We transformed our boat into a Vegas Club with a VIP section guarded by a Velvet Rope. Damon and Johnny acted as bouncers, and anyone who passed by had to get a “Welcome to the Shit Show” tattoo. There was a rumor that our boat was the “Only Fans” boat, but that’s another story.

Catamaran's Yacht Week Regatta — Tunnel Raft DJ

Itinerary Day 6 – Vis

Half of the group went on a day trip to a cave, while I decided to stay behind and find a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. At this point, I still had no idea where I was going after Yacht Week. I had no plans for the eight days until my flight back to the US. We had one last dinner with our skipper and host and went to Fort George for the final party.

Where to Eat: Villa Rustica (Mijurovac ul. 16, 21480, Vis, Croatia) – Most of the Yacht Weekers went to Fort George for dinner before the party, but our host recommended this restaurant for traditional Croatian food. It was delicious and within walking distance from our boat.

Itinerary Day 6
Yacht Week Confession Booth — Confession Booth on the Final Night of Yacht Week at Fort George

Itinerary Day 7 – Back to Marina

Sadly, we had to sail back to the marina. We stopped and had one more opportunity to swim before packing and cleaning.

And that is what the itinerary looks like on Yacht Week in Croatia. Would I go again? Absolutely. Have you already booked your trip? Check out the Top 11 Tips to Know Before Yacht Week Croatia.

Guide to the Yacht Week Croatia Itinerary Read More »