Planning Your Ride

Getting Ideas. Look over the list of rides already taken to get ideas of where you would like to go. You'll also be given a list of websites to use for getting suggestions. And, you can always ask other riders for their favorite rides.

Decide where you want to go. Is it a beautiful natural site like Crystal Cave, Bushkill Falls, Hawk Mountain, etc.? Or, is it just a nice ride like along the Delaware River, Hawk Crest, Covered Bridges of Bucks County, Covered Bridges of the Lehigh Valley, etc.? How about an amusement park or entertainment area like Knobels, etc.? Or is it just an enjoyable place to visit like Barnegat Lighthouse? How about someplace you've been in a car and really enjoyed? Wherever you choose will be fine, as long as you plan it right. Remember to make sure that motorcycles are welcome, and see if you have to make special arrangements for groups.

Plan it on paper first. Once you've decided on a destination, write down the basic directions. Then, get more detailed directions on MapQuest, Microsoft Roads & Trails, AAA, or some other map site that you like. One rider should plan the ride to the destination, and the other rider should plan the way back to the Grange. Your starting and ending points are the Grange (5901 Easton Road, Plumsteadville, PA 18949). Remember that you have to turn right out of the Grange. Most map programs show the most direct route, which is usually major highways. Manipulate the site to use back roads. Sometimes you have to go from town to town to narrow down roads and mileages.

Print the basic route from your map program. Print out the route with approximate miles.

Use our car for the initial ride. You and your partner should take the ride in your car first, starting at the Grange. One should drive and mark the mileage, and the other should write it down on the Trip Form. When you leave the Grange, set your odometer to zero. If your partner can't go with you, ask a friend or spouse to go with you or take a tape recorder. While driving the route, pay attention to accumulative miles, gas stations, and places to eat. We usually try to gas up every 100 miles. If it is especially hot, you might want to pull over so that people can get some water. So try to plan accordingly. Mark down the mileage at every turn and gas stop. Just keep using the accumulative miles on your odometer. We usually have lunch at our destination, but we can do it before or after. After lunch we start home. When planning, try to come back on different roads.

Make the necessary adjustments to your directions. Make any necessary corrections to your directions, and prepare a rough draft of the directions for you and your partner. When doing this, you should also subtract the miles so that you have the miles spent on each road followed by the cumulative miles. To do this, fill in the total miles on the Trip Form first, and subtract that number from the one above it to get the miles for that road. Then you'll be ready to do it on your bike when Spring arrives!

Ride the route on your motorcycle. Take the ride with your partner on your motorcycles. Some roads that are easy by car are not that easy on a motorcycle. Taking the ride on your bike will give you a rider's perspective. Pay attention to areas that are difficult to maneuver around/through on your bike and try to eliminate them. Remember, you may have 15 or 20 riders behind you and you'll want them to be able to get through the ride easily. You and your partner should discuss any changes to the directions that either of you feel are necessary.

Make final adjustments to your directions.

Email the directions to the Ride Coordinator.After making all of the adjustments, email the directions to the Ride Coordinator.

Rides must be open to all WRR members. Plan a ride that all of our riders can take. Make sure you take size of gas tanks and riders' ability into consideration when planning your ride.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you are having difficulty planning the ride, call the Ride Coordinator.

Basic Guidelines for All Rides

1. All rides must turn right onto Route 611 North from the Grange.
2. All rides must have a gas stop every 90 to 100 miles.
3. Ride planners are responsible for coordinating the ride to the destination and back to the Grange. Anyone leaving the group is on his/her own.
4. All ride planners must indicate the total mileage of the ride and the approximate total time (there and back).
5. Directions should include street names and route numbers.
6. Directions should also include the length of time on each road or highway. (For example, if we are going on I-95 and getting off at the Cottman Avenue exit, indicate how many miles we will be on I-95.)
7. Ride planners should include a place to have lunch. If you are going to a scenic place without a restaurant, let everyone know to bring a lunch.
8. Directions should include landmarks whenever possible.
9. Ride planners should indicate if there is highway riding, brides, tolls, gravel, etc.
10. Ride planners should indicate the highest speed we will be traveling.
11. Ride planners should indicate fuel, meal, rest or lodging stops.
12. Rides should be a minimum of 3 hours round-trip.
13. Submit your destination ideas to the Ride Coordinator as early as possible to avoid duplicate destinations. You will receive a list of rides that the group has already taken from the Ride Coordinator. Completed directions should be submitted to the Ride Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the ride.
14. At least one of the ride planners has to lead the group. WRR tries to pair an experienced rider with an inexperienced rider to facilitate the planning. If the inexperienced planner does not want to lead or sweep, that is fine. We will assign an experienced rider to these positions. However, the experienced planner should be in the very front of the group.
15. Both planners should attend the ride and stay for the completion of the ride.
16. Ride planners must actually travel the route by car and/or motorcycle before the actual ride date.
17. Destinations should include a place for motorcycle parking. Dirt roads can be a problem after rain. A gravel parking lot is acceptable, but not preferable.