Motorcycle Touring Preparation - 2-UpTouring

Comfort

Dress the part.
Because this ride was during the heat of summer we picked mesh jackets and pants for our passengers to provide protection while keeping them cool. And instead of our usual full-face helmets we opted for flip-ups for their convenience; after all, we'd be sipping drinks and discussing the ride at stops. The current modulars are almost as quiet as full-face units and offer the comfort of a helmet without sacrificing (too much) safety.

Rig your ride.
A decent passenger seat and backrest help. In anticipation of my wife joining me on trips I traded in my solo-seat cruiser a couple of years ago for its touring counterpart, with a comfy back seat and a rear trunk with integrated passenger back and armrests. For her it's like our La-Z-Boy at home!

Check Mother Nature.
While that usually means packing rain gear, preparing for heat is equally important. Mesh gear can keep you cool, but the extra airflow evaporates perspiration, which can dehydrate you. My wife kept a fanny pack around her waist complete with water bottle and drinking tube so she could easily sip while en route. The pack also kept necessities like sunglasses and lip balm accessible while riding.

Responsibilities
Passenger or not, some things are always the pilot's responsibility. One of these is to be smooth. This means smooth acceleration, braking and turning. Keep helmet-bumping to a minimum. Be sure to pack the bike to keep the CG (center of gravity) as low as possible with the passenger and all that extra gear. You'll likely be riding with almost twice your normal load, so also check and adjust your bike's preload for the extra weight.

We're Off!
With the equipment procured and passenger education complete we headed out. Following the Columbia River as it turns north, we quickly found ourselves in the Yakima Valley. This is fruit country: The roads here are lined with apple, peach, apricot and assorted other fruit orchards. Every few miles there were roadside stands offering up these sweet, juicy treats. The weather was hot, so stops at these oases were welcome. Nothing beats biting into a fresh, juicy peach on a sweltering summer day!

By late afternoon we rolled into Winthrop. We had aimed for no more than five hours a day in the saddle but had already exceeded that getting to town (mostly through 100-degree heat). The gals were real troopers; even though they were exhausted, we heard no complaints. Our small hotel in the heart of downtown had a total of six rooms overlooking Main Street with a cantina downstairs. After checking in we spent the afternoon exploring the town, knocking down cold drinks and sampling the local cuisine.

The next morning some of our party took off on a day ride into North Cascades National Park. Others, still tired from the previous day's ride, opted to take the short run up to Sun Mountain Lodge for a nice breakfast and leisurely stroll around the grounds (with fantastic views of the Cascade Mountains). Having a base destination with options to continue riding or just relax worked well; we were all rejuvenated and ready to pile on the miles when we pulled out of Winthrop.

For the return leg we rode up to the east flank of Mount St. Helens and the National Volcanic Monument. This infrequently visited side of the mountain is the farthest away from major highways and population centers. Interesting destinations like this helped break up the day and satisfy those who didn't find miles in the saddle to be the prime reward for the trip.

When we got back we tiptoed anxiously around our wives, finally getting up the nerve to ask them, "So what'd you think? Want to go again?" To our great joy (and relief) the answer was "Yes!" The planning and preparation had paid off; everyone had a great time, was safe and comfortable, and most importantly, we all wanted to do it again. Doesn't get any better than that.