It's just a motorcycle ride, right?
I've certainly not spent my last dime for this trip yet, and likely it will be weeks following the trip where I'll still be spending money related to it, like on printing millions of unbelievably awesome photos. I'm thinking of making one more sort of grand purchase and wondering if I'm even sane.
Here's a bird's eye view of what all's involved:
- $500 for my half of a racing suit for the salt
- $2200 (approx) for motorcycle repairs, pre-trip
- $150 for USFRA membership and World of Speed entry fee
- $700 for clothing and gear (you should see the friggin' pants that were almost half the bill)
- $65 for a water backpack for the desert
- $35 for a mini camera tripod to capture nifty shots proving I was where I said I'm going
- $900 for 18 nights of hotel stays
- $350 (approx) in gas, and I think that's a conservative estimate
- $360 (approx) for food
- $400 for my half of the truck rental for our Bonneville support vehicle
This brings us to a current grand total of $5,660 and apparently no sense. I don't have a job that can pay for a trip like this in even a year's worth of paychecks. Sure, if you take out the repairs the price drops way off, and some of the other stuff will be used countless times thereafter, but it's still a hell of a Mastercard bill...and I want a video camera now. I have a hole in my head, surely, but how many times do you go race at Bonneville for the first time?
I've had to look into financing options on this whole deal to make it happen. I'll probably also have to sell some stuff, which is probably a really good thing in and of itself. In addition, I imagine I'll be looking at opportunities to noticeably increase my yearly earnings - a side-effect I didn't expect.
Speaking of unexpected side effects, this trip has caused me to get my bite adjusted at the dentist (still sensitive), get my plates taken care of on the "new" van (dealership slacked off on getting me the paperwork), calling my agent about some insurance questions, cleaning up my house (well, a little anyway), and get my first-ever car payment mailed off in a ridiculously timely manner. Oh, and it also helped me learn how to put a hold on my mail.
This collateral progress is really crazy stuff, kids. And here I thought it was just about a motorcycle ride.
Labels: Bonneville motorcycle trip
posted by biggearhead @ 2:42 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
woah.. thats a lot of $$ for a motorcycle trip. I remember one of my first trips .. 5 days in and around northern california and Oregon. That was on a shoestring budget and I think it cost me about $110 excluding gas. I camped all four nights (partly to save $ and partly cuz I was young and excited to camp) and one night I ended up in a really remote campsite with coyotes around.. all to save a buck :) It was fun lookin back on those days.
JAB,
It was a lot to swallow, I'll give you that. The $2200 in bike repairs was originally thought to be about $1000 for a clutch and that's it. Our refrain very early in the planning, however, became "If you don't want to spend the money, don't go." It was part mission, part vacation, and it turned out to be quite the success!
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