Wild Hogs
Seen the film? Now ride this American Road Trip with a new adventure around every turn. On this 15-day scenic guided tour you will ride two of America’s most famous roads – Route 61 (The Blues Highway) and Route 66. Music will ring in your ears as we start in New Orleans, ride through the Mississippi Delta, birthplace of the blues, visit Elvis’s Graceland, cross the Arkansas mountains and ride the best section of Route 66. We will also visit Madrid, NM, the film location of the film “Wild Hogs” and finish our tour in Las Vegas – the Sin City.
15 days approx. 2,350 miles.
2020 tour dates: 2 – 16 June
(Note: The 2020 tour will run from Las Vegas to New Orleans so the itinerary below will be reversed)
Day 1 – Arrive New Orleans
Relax and enjoy an evening of music on Bourbon Street.
Day 2 – Free day in New Orleans
Free day to explore New Orleans and the mighty Mississippi. Bourbon Street and the French Quarter are the places to go! You may also wish to take a VIP tour, a steam boat ride on the Mississippi or see the alligators on the Swamp Tour. You will pick up your bike in the afternoon.
Day 3 – New Orleans to Vicksburg
Heading north we pick to the Blues Highway – Route 61. We ride through the Homochitto National Forest before joining the historic Natchez Trace Parkway. We end the day in Vicksburg, site of one of the most important battles of the civil war.
Day 4 – Vicksburg to Memphis
Continuing north, Old Man River (the Mississippi) is our partner for the day. We follow the levees of this mighty river through the towns of the Mississippi Delta, stopping off at Muddy Water’s house and the famous blues crossroads. We end the day in Memphis where you can spend the evening in and around Beale Street enjoying the live music.
Day 5 – Free Day in Memphis
A free day to visit Gracelands, home of Elvis Presley, and the city of Memphis. You can also visit Sun Studios, where Elvis began his music career, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music or the Cotton Museum to learn about the history of the cotton industry in Memphis, and see how slave labour and sharecropping propelled it to become the backbone of the local economy. And you get to have a second night on Beale Street!
Day 6 – Memphis to Hot Springs, Arkansas
Today we cross the Mississippi and head west into the state of Arkansas and to the Arkansas river. Open prairies and a relaxing day’s ride after the fun and bustle of Memphis.
Day 7 – Hot Springs to Fayetteville
The Ozark national Forest provides a beautiful backdrop to today’s ride. The scenery is simply stunning as we ride what has been voted the best motorcycling road in the USA.
Day 8 – Fayetteville to Oklahoma City
Today we continue our journey westwards. Saying goodbye to Arkansas we head into the State of Oklahoma to stay the night in Oklahoma City. The beautiful riverside walk and bars and restaurants of Bricktown make for a great night out.
Day 9 – Oklahoma City to Amarillo
Today we pick up Route 66. After coffee at Lucille’s we visit the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. This is one of the best museums along the route and has fascinating interactive exhibits. There are several eating places to choose from in Elk city where we stop for lunch. We’ll ‘Drop In’ at the oil town of Shamrock and the most iconic of all Conoco gas stations. We’ll then show you the way to Amarillo! Get ready for a steak “Texas Style”, like a 4 1/2 pounder! A visit to the Big Texan steakhouse will surely stretch your digestive system to its limits!
Day 10 – Amarillo to Sante Fe
Today we make our way into the heart of the Western United States and one of her most beautiful cities, Santa Fe, New Mexico. This quaint mountain town is nestled high in the Sangre de Cristo, or Blood of Christ, mountain range, which are thought to have been names for the deep red hues of the mountains during some sunrises and sunsets. Santa Fe is rich in Spanish and Native American history and culture, a unique blend that is reflected in the local art, architecture and cuisine. You can’t spend more than just a few minutes walking the narrow streets of Santa Fe before you fall in love with this city and her people.
Day 11 – Free day in Sante Fe
Today is a free day in Santa Fe. Relax in the hotel spa, enjoy the many fine art galleries, or just explore the heart of Santa Fe. The local Native Americans are offering their superior craftsmanship products throughout the market square, & their handmade jewellery is particularly good. Don’t forget to try the Green Chilli Stew that has become a favourite of locals and visitors alike. The gastronomic selections increase here in Santa Fe. If you have been waiting for a fine culinary break Santa Fe offers it. If you feel like a ride today we can organize a day trip into the fresh mountain air of northern Arizona and southern Colorado. The trip north to Taos is stunning. The scenery changes as one heads north, & it’s hard to miss the great northern Arizona grandeur. One could spend a week here exploring the corner regions.
Day 12 – Sante Fe to Gallup
Wild Hog or Del Fuego? The choice is yours as we ride into intriguing Madrid this morning, the setting for the comedy film ‘Wild Hogs’. Be sure to call in at ‘Maggies’ for your souvenir T-shirt! Lunch is a real treat at the Route 66 Diner One in Albuquerque. New Mexico describes itself as ‘The Land of Enchantment’, and our riding today will confirm this. Look out for the beautiful and simplistic adobe architecture you’ll see along the way.
Day 13 Gallup to Williams
It seems that our ride is just getting better and better each day. Soon we’ll cross into the Petrified Forest National Park and painted desert, with miles of petrified logs, rocks, and artefacts. By lunchtime you’ll be ‘Standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona’ as made famous by The Eagles in their song ‘Take it Easy’.
Day 14 – Williams to Las Vegas
Today we head west through the mountains to the quaint town of Oatman where mules are left free to roam the streets. Here you can get a real flavour of what the mining towns of the old west were like and you can take a jump into that past by visiting Oatman’s various shops and saloons. We then leave Route 66 to head north to Las Vegas, our final destination. See a show, have a flutter, or just enjoy the atmosphere of this crazy town where each hotel on the famous Strip vies for your attention by being more outrageous than the last.
Day 15 – Depart for home
Time to say goodbye, but hopefully with memories you can cherish forever: an incredible ride along the famous Blues Highway and Route 66. Thank you for joining us, we’ll miss you, and we hope we can arrange for another adventure with you in the future.
2020 Prices – Wild Hogs USA guided motorcycle tours:
Per person | 2020 | ||
---|---|---|---|
2 people, 1 bike, 1 room | £3595 | ||
2 people, 2 bikes, 1 room | £4770 | ||
1 person, 1 bike, 1 room | £5865 |
Prices are per person and include the following:-14 nights hotel accommodation (breakfast included at most Hotels), 12 days Motorcycle rental including sales & environmental taxes, mesh riding jacket per person, VIP PLUS theft & damage waivers, oil and fuel, support vehicle (carries all luggage), National Park Passes, friendly tour guides!
Supplementary Liability Insurance is also available at £18 per day.
If you are riding in hot temperatures, you may wish to consider our Mesh and Hyperkewl products.
Flights are not included (we are able to book flights for you if you wish)
A deposit of £300 per bike is required if you reserve your place more than 24 weeks before the tour starts. 50% of the tour price is to be paid 24 weeks before the tour starts and the balance is paid 12 weeks before our Wild Hogs USA guided motorcycle tours starts.
We hold a pre-tour meeting around 6 – 8 weeks before departure where we give a detailed talk on what to expect on your guided tour, information on riding in the USA, what to wear and bring, and we provide you with an information pack. The meeting also give you the opportunity to ask questions, meet fellow riders, and revs up your excitement for our Wild Hogs USA guided motorcycle tours!
Please note that HVT reserve the right to route the tour to suit weather conditions or other issues that may affect the chosen route. All mileages are approximate.