I ride a Road King and find it incredibly comfortable for long rides. And in the great state of Washington, there are so many great long rides available! I also stop every 2-3 hours to stretch/fuel. I'm not interested in breaking any records, just completing the ride within time and getting home safely. We all have our own goals when doing a cert ride.
The best "trick' I use for the cert rides is to remind myself each time to put the kick stand down when I stop, especially at the end of the ride when you are exhausted and your brain isn't as sharp as it was when you left. I say it OUT LOUD, even though it is second nature. Likely sounds stupid to a lot of people, but on a heavy cruiser, a little bit tipped is often all the way tipped. That's not how to end a ride.
As a fellow Seattle area resident, be very mindful of when you are returning home. Get the WADOT app and make sure the roads aren't congested. Even at 10:00 pm, the Tacoma Curves can be in gridlock or Snoqualmie pass is backed up for miles. Also, I use the Windy App to negotiate the Columbia Gorge winds to see how bad they will be.
The best "trick' I use for the cert rides is to remind myself each time to put the kick stand down when I stop, especially at the end of the ride when you are exhausted and your brain isn't as sharp as it was when you left. I say it OUT LOUD, even though it is second nature. Likely sounds stupid to a lot of people, but on a heavy cruiser, a little bit tipped is often all the way tipped. That's not how to end a ride.
As a fellow Seattle area resident, be very mindful of when you are returning home. Get the WADOT app and make sure the roads aren't congested. Even at 10:00 pm, the Tacoma Curves can be in gridlock or Snoqualmie pass is backed up for miles. Also, I use the Windy App to negotiate the Columbia Gorge winds to see how bad they will be.