Hey guys thanks for all the nice words

To answer some of your questions....

ROUTE
LOOPYDOG ...My route was in the USA went something like this

.....(Solo) LA / Death V / Yosemite / Lassen NP / Crater L / Mt St Helens / Seattle / Spokane / Glacier NP / Lolo / Wallowa Mts / Sawtooth / Teton / Yellowstone / Bighorn / Estes Park / Moab / Cortez / Durango / Black Canyon NP / Aspen / Royal Gorge / Gunnison / Taos / Socorro / Jornada Del Meurte / Demming / Gila NP / Mexican Hat / Monument V / Page / Hurricane / Zion NP / Grand C Nth Rim / Hoover / Joshua Tree NP / LA

.....(Side trip - fly / car) to Sturgis rally / Rushmore / Crazy Horse / more Sturgis

.....Trans Am Trail (TAT) feeder (solo)... LA / Pheonix / Payson / Socorro / Oklahoma City / Little Rock / Selmer (TN)

.....TAT (with two others)... Selmer / Helena / Ozarks

.....Sante Fe trail detour solo... Springfield / Olathe / McPherson / Dodge / La Junta / Trinidad / Raton

.....TAT (with same two again)... Trinidad / La Veta / Salida / Doyelville / Lake City / Monticello / Moab / Green River (4 days with side trip solo to Skyline drive / Wasatch Plateau) / Salina / Kanosh / Baker / Eureka / Battle Mountain / Mc Dermitt / Lakeview / Crescent / Grants Pass / Port Orford

.....Solo again... Port O / Arcata / Klamath Mts / Redding / Lassen / Fort Bragg / San Fran / Sonora Pass / Fallon / Austin / Tonopah / Beatty / Death V / LA

.....Side trip (fly / car) Niagara / Sandusky for some rollercoasters then LA and home.

INSURANCE / COMMUNICATIONS
I didn't take any breakdown insurance and I did most of the riding on my own. However and this is a big one, I strongly strongly advocate the use of a personal locator unit if you do any solo riding. I my case I used a SPOT2 and my better half back in NZ became my support crew. Every day she was able to see where I was and respond if anything ever happened (i.e ring the local police / state troopers etc.) I set it up with several messages that could be activated with single button pushes and each is accompanied by GPS LAT and LONG coords and are publically viewable on a website...
1 - I'm all OK
2 - I've got a problem nothing serious and am fixing it (then I'll push No 1 again when back on track)
3 - I've had an incident, I'm ok but I need some assistance - i.e. bike damage and can't ride.
4 - I need medical assistance
5 - Send out international rescue - life and death situation
It's important to keep this unit on you personally within easy reach incase of a spill where you separate from the bike and are stuck.
I am reasonable mechanically competent and reckon I can fix most things - beyond that I'll first see if locally I can get help then I'll use the SPOT as above.

Don't bank on your mobile phone working as many places don't have coverage. AT&T has the best service through the USA and I recommend you get one with them when you arrive in the USA.

I met a guy out there doing a similar trip and he recommended joining the AMA for breakdown cover and I would seriously consider this if you have any doubts about this matter.

Finally the bike choice was a significant factor - a near new Tenere is a reliable unit and looked after will give miles and miles of trouble free service. Take some spares though...
Clutch cable; inner tubes; tyre patches; brake / clutch levers and gear shift pedal and some engine oil. Most everything else doesn't matter if it breaks and you will be able to ride to some help. Also the USAers are more than helpfull and often stop to see if you need assistance - especially so in the remote areas.

TYRES
TENERE DOUG.... You're not wrong about the tyres. I thought the Dunlop K750 tyres (OE on KLR650 and cheap as chips in the USA) I put on would be good for the rough stuff - WRONG. They were OK in all dry conditions except sand (useless) and mud (see picture). Rider ability might had a part to play as well though!! There is no way I would tackle the TAT on anything other than full knobbies DOT rated (D606 / T63 / MT21) and the Dunlops are the most readily available of these three (often held in stock in dealers)

TENERE CHOICE
MAXWELL....To tour Europe if you want to do a combination of dirt and tarseal then IMHO the TENERE is one of the best bikes for you if not the best - what more can I say - an AWESOME machine.

WEIGHT LOSS
BART....Unfortunately I didn't loose any weight - damn. However the bike lost a fair bit in the exhaust area, but gained some with the centre stand and bashplate. Overall, probably not much of a change. Practically, when loaded I was at my limit to pick her up on my own after a spill - and this is IMHO one of the most sginificant factors in bike choice for a dual sport trip - if you can't right her after a fall on your own without giving yourself a hernia or putting your back out - stay off the dirt - simple as that.

Hey LOOPYDOG - just read your post again.

I've got to say that I was apprehensive about doing a trip on my own in a foreign land.

HOWEVER.... after a couple of days riding I realised how unjustified this apprehension was. When riding on my own I talked to more locals then I ever did when riding in a group and they were all brilliant and made me feel welcome every time. Never met a bad one in the whole trip.

I got bought lunch twice, had recommendations of good roads to ride almost everyone I met, and had no end of "Hey buddy - where did you get that cool machine from - I want one" conversations at traffic lights , fuel stops and bike shops, and even had a babe compliment the bike with a knowing look (I still had my helmet on - otherwise she would have run a mile I reckon).

So take the plunge, prepare and plan and get out there and enjoy.

Mucho thanx, Tuscan! Great pics and good info on yer mods and such! I'd like to see them faces of the "hardcore" bikers down in Sturgis, when you showed up with the Tenere......probably had a ball, did you? I agree, it's a great bike and perfect for such a trip!
Greetz, Hans.

Dallas - Unfortunately I had to fly to sturgis due to logistics of the TAT, but I reckon they wouldn't have known what the Ten was..."Hey buddy thts a mity fine lurkin motorcicle - yur not from round here then??" etc.etc.etc.

A couple of Sturgis pics for you.....

Hopefully not required.....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05171.jpg

I love Harley riders....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05169.jpg

Tatoo shirts....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05165.jpg

60yr old lady taking the piss.....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05162.jpg

US diplomatic service was well represented...
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05150.jpg

Yes Di is NOT wearing a shirt - she just got up in a hurry....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05132.jpg

Tricky engineering - awesome....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05124.jpg

The best 'economy' hard luggage and trailer yet....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05115.jpg

Thanks ever-so-much for all the information and suggestions. It all made sense and that route looks awesome. I'm going to spend some time looking at it properly and carefully now. Your positive comments give confidence though and, hey, that's what we mean by 'adventure' isn't it?
Thanks man.

Pleasure mate - let me know if I can be of any more assistance?

Some more photos to whet your appetite.....

Endless riding in early evening - sweet...
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC04610.jpg

Waiting for passing storm to pass (lightning make you a bit vulnerable out in the open)....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC04769.jpg

Couldn't find Bugs Bunny or Roadrunner.....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05208.jpg

Miles of riding above 9000ft (Wasatch Plateau) - superb.....
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05700.jpg

Pinned in 5th from horizon - got the heart thumping (West from Crystal Peak Utah)........
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05761.jpg

Practice this......
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...DSC05856-1.jpg

and this......

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC05928.jpg

Have fun

really great shots
 

You didn't seem to have much stuff with you. Just the saddle bag, tank bag, and small back pack?

Roughly how many days between a change of clothes???

Wootenboy.....thanks for the compliments.

I travelled ultra light figuring I wasn't going to attend any black tie dinners any time soon.....

I have this thing about keeping weight to a minimum and packed gear came under the knife to keep things at absolute bare bones level.

Pair of shades, wide brimmed sun hat, three moisture wicking / quick dry polo shirts, three pairs of jocks and 5 pairs of socks, polar fleece, pair of shorts, pair of thongs / flip flops, MX boots, neck warmer, riding jacket, riding pants, gloves and waterproofs - end of story. What else do you need? If you forget something - Walmarts have everything and are everywhere.

One shirt would last 3 - 4 days, then swop for the 2nd one keeping the 3rd for evening wear after a shower every day somewhere. Washed clothes overnight in motels after 2nd shirt was dead. Socks changed every 2 days or so. Change of jocks is my business!!!!! Never had any complaints and wasn't a health hazard to anyone or barred from any establishments, so must have worked.

Backpack contained 3litre water bladder (essential for those 125deg days in Pheonix), sun hat, spare clear safety glasses in case of visor damage, waterproofs and snacks for the day.

Tank bag contained maps, mobile phone, first aid kit, electrical accessories and chargers, camera, ready access items (tyre pressure guage, LED torch, pens etc.).

Spare documents, money, passport etc in waterproof bag under seat.

Tools & spares were all in the tool bag on the back or under the seat and the rest was in the Giant Loop bag or tent bag. Tyre irons, valve tools and bike pump became ready access tools at the end due to the frequency I was getting punctures (19,000 miles not a sausage then bang.... 6 within two weeks??? and one in a brand new D606 - I nearly cried).

The Giant Loop bag I can't speak highly enough about - held everything, water resistant, mounts / dismounts in no time, has unbreakable mounting straps made of titanium or something just as strong, doesn't break your leg / ankle when the bike lands on top of you, and provides protection to the bike in the event of a spill - and best of all is virtually indestructably made of some form of Kryptonite material - A1++++++.

Hope this answers

as the song says
 

Remember, you can wear your underwear 4 times without washing: forwards,
backwards, inside out forwards, inside out backwards.

So there was also a sleeping bag and some cooking gear for the camping stage hiden away as well?

Amazing, I went away for only three and half weeks and I would of had 3 or 4 times that volume. Admittedly I carried 70% of my food from day one (don't ask why), only on a xt660r so I also had 12 Litres of fuel and 12 litres of water, I didn't have a tent, just a cotton canvas swag complete with 50mm mattress. I only had four pub/motel stays one of those was unplanned (Broken Hill they really shouldn't be allowed to put a pub next to the the laundromat particularly when the wash dry cycle take 2 hours and the bar maid has a nice smile).

The only thing can honestly say I took and never touched was a book.

If you had 3 - 4 times that amount of gear - I'm baffled as to what it all was??? Did you enjoy your trip - at the end that's all that matters. Lots of gear or no gear, modern bike or old bike - as long as you had a ball who cares. I hope it was a success for you.

For me I was pretty anal about weight as you might have picked up by now and this is how I did it....

In the Giant Loop bag was a sleeping bag, inflatable mattress, inflatable pillow, plastic bowl, cooking pot with propane stove inside and utensils etc, plus the bags for clothes / shoes, the bike spares, tyre irons and pump, bike lock chain, crossword book and novel. (Most of the camping gear had been refined from years of hiking in the back country, where weight and volume is at an absolute premium).

In the tent bag was the 2 man tent(!!), ground sheet, emergency survival bag, 12V camp light (modified car inspection lamp), rope, pegs etc.

As it turned out, I only camped a handful of times as motels could be found almost as cheap as tent pitches and you get TV, shower and a comfortable bed - no contest really. For the TAT section of the trip we planned not to camp as we expected to be properly knackered at the end of each days off-road riding and not wanting the hassle of tenting - it's what happens when you get old - civilisation beckons.

I always ate out (you meet more people that way) so never needed to cook although I had the necessary gear to do so if required.

After one week on the road I unpacked all my gear in a motel and posted back to New Zealand anything not used or surplus to requirements - souveniers, excess clothing, maps and documentation not to be needed again etc. I did this three times on the trip and was absolutely ruthless about carrying unnecessary items. Seemed to work well for me and the trip was a success - after all I came to ride the Tenere in a far off land and wanted as little as possible to detract from that objective.