Hog Wild Dad Time: How To Achieve The Perfect Motorcycle Road Trip

Being a dad is one of the best jobs there is, but occasionally we all need a little alone time to rest and recharge our batteries. Of course, the way that you spend this time will depend on what you love to do, and for many of us, that means hopping on the back of our hogs and hitting the open road to explore. An activity that you can get more detail on in the post below.

Allow yourself some dad only time

Before you can hit the highway and look for adventure, you need to be able to recognize and grant yourself some ‘me time’ when it’s needed. Of course, this isn’t something that is always easy when you are a dad because you have responsibilities over and above just your own well being and happiness.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that to be the best father possible, you can really benefit from the occasional break, as long as you’re SO can look after the kids, and you have time off from work that is? In fact, if this is the case, then a few nights exploring or riding a long-desired route is something that can boost not only your mood but your resilience for when things get tough as well.  

Plan your route

The first thing you need to do when organizing a motorcycle road trip is to plan the route that you will take. The reason being that this will dictate many of the other details including the type of bike you will use when in the year you travel, and even the overnight accommodation that you pick.

 

 

Happily, there is a vast array of option when it comes to road trips in the US with route 66 running from Chicago to Santa Monica being one of the most popular. Of course the Peak to Peak Highway in Colorado, as well as the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and Tennessee, which you can read more about at maps.roadtrippers.com are also particularly well liked by bikers too. Mainly due to the amazing views and exciting roads to be ridden there.

Now, when we say plan your route, it means more than just working out when you start, and end point will be. In fact, you need to consider other aspects of your journey as well including the sites and attractions you will stop at to get the most of your experience as well.

Luckily, to help you work out which ones are on your route and choose a selection to see you can use sites like thrillist.com that detail many of the world- famous roadside attractions that the US has to offer.

Finally, when it comes to planning your trip don’t forget that you will need to work out where you will end up spending the night too. Of course, many bikers choose to take campaigning gear and stay at campgrounds during their trip, while others prefer to go for roadside motels instead.

Just bear in mind that you will need a warm, dry place to lay your head each night if you are to get the most of our the next day in the saddle. Therefore,  you will need to plan the legs of your trip accordingly. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a location when night falls, without the accommodation that you require.

Choose your steed

Once you have the details of your trip hashed out, it’s time to choose the bike that you will use on your adventure. Of course, there a multitude of decisions to be made here, including whether you will use a bike that you already own or one that you will buy especially for the trip, while some folks even lease motorcycles for their journey.

Now, if you choose a bike that you already own, it’s crucial that you perform a full service and check things like the oil level, the tires, and electrics before you set out.

Alternatively, if you are looking to purchase a hog on which to travel your route its can be helpful to search sites like CleanHarleys.com where you can find a used cycle that will fit your budget. Such sites can even ship your bike to your home or trip starting location with ease, making planning your road trip much less hassle.

Of course, if you hire a  motorcycle, it should be checked before you get it, but it doesn’t hurt to brush up on motorcycle maintenance and learn what to check and look out for when you are on the road either. After all, safety is crucial when you are a dad and have a family relying on you back home.

Get kitted up

Once you have your bike sorted, it’s time to make sure that you have everything you need regarding kit for your journey. Of course, this means a helmet, as well as gloves, and if you are going to be driving in colder climates, a biker jacket and trousers as well.

 

 

Happily, most bikes have space to carry a bag, so this means you can also include some essential such as puncture repair kit, a mobile phone, and power pack, as well as some basic first aid supplies like the ones detailed at ridermagazine.com  too.

Document your adventures

Finally, when it comes to your motorcycle road trip, you will want to make sure that you document your adventures and travels, as then you can share them with your family when you get home.

One way of doing this is to install a dash cam or even a GoPro on your helmet. The latter being something you can learn how to mount properly at gopro-gimbal.com. Such actions allowing you to record some of the more spectacular vistas that you come across, while also giving those at home a real insight into what road tripping is like.

Alternatively, taking plenty of pictures, or even blogging about your experience can be a great way to share your experience with loved ones including your kids. After all, if you want to encourage them to come with you on your road trips when they are older, it’s always smart to get them enthused young by showing them just how fun your adventures on the back of a hog can be!

Gifting Like A Pro – Tech To Love

Every kid is different. Some will want to stay inside all the day playing games, other will love to play with Hot Wheels, and others are climbing trees and making tree forts. They will make mistakes as they grow up and will fill your heart with pride from time to time. Some moments you will want to give them a firm telling off, other times you will want to pull your own hair out. But you know, a childhood is to be cherished at the same time. Here are three ways to help your kid cherish their youth more with some gifting ideas.

If your kid is a gamer, consider getting him or her something that fits in that world. For example, gaming gear such as RGB keyboards, headsets, mice and even mouse mats have taken a high flight the last few years. Sure, the RGB element is completely useless, but kids seems to really like it. As with many things there is a sliding scale on the price category side. You can get cheap gaming gear from Amazon that will do what it says on the tin. You can go all the way up to premium brands such as Razer that will give your kid ‘bragging’ rights. It’s really down to what fits the budget. And if budget allows, you can even go as far as getting a VR setup. Even on a budget you can simply gift credit for whatever gaming platform there are own, i.e. Microsoft store credit for Xbox gamers, PSN credit for PlayStation gamers or steam credit for PC gamers.

Photo by Wilco Van Meppelen on Unsplash

 

If your kid is a less a gamer, but is completely into his or her vehicles, such as trains, planes and cars, consider getting a train set or a radio control (RC) vehicle. It’s a great way to connect to their interests and let it flourish by helping them imagine owning and driving one of these vehicles in real life one day. You will be surprised how good RC vehicles are nowadays, especially in terms of speed, control and battery life. You can find some of the best RC gear here. Start them with small, less powerful RC vehicles and work your way up to 4WD drift cars. Your kid might want to switch it up and go for planes and helicopters. Make sure you find to proper space to fly those RC vehicles though, a wide open field will do.

If your kid is truly an outdoorsy person, consider getting him or her an own tent, pro sleeping bag and backpack. All of the big outdoors brands will have a children’s range that will offer high quality outdoors equipment. It’s a great way for kids to learn the value of owning something and taking care of it. Deploying a tent properly but also packing it up the right way gets more value if they understand that it is their own tent. The idea they need to pack and carry their own essentials in their own backpack is a great way to teach self-sufficiency. Also care for their equipment such as hiking boots will instil lessons that will last a lifetime.

 

Sporty Gift Ideas For Active Kids

I’m sure your kids are just like mine – always full of so much energy! Sometimes it might not make sense where they have gotten all this energy from! So, I’m sure you will spend quite a lot of your time thinking of how you can keep them entertained while also trying to use up as much of that high energy as possible. Well, there is one way you could do this – you just need to get them into sports! Once they find a sport that they love, they will be constantly active and will have a way to burn off all that excess steam.

A great way for you to get your kids into sport is to gift them one or two sporty presents when it’s their birthday or Christmas. Here are some great gift ideas to give you a better idea of the things you could get for them.

Their First Golf Club Set

Lots of dads are into golf. If you are too, then you might want to encourage your child to take up this great hobby by getting them their very first set of golf clubs for their birthday. If you take a look on a site like Rock Bottom Golf to see if you can find any great deals on golf club sets. If you aren’t too sure how your child will take to this sport, you might want to start off by buying them just a putter or driver so they can try to get to grips with the basics before seeing if they want to progress.

A Goal For The Garden

Are your kids really into soccer? Quite a few are as it’s so easy to get into – all you need is a soccer ball! If your kids love kicking a ball around in the backyard, you might want to think about treating them to a goal as well. They can then take it in turns to be the goalie and a striker, and can see who can score the most goals. Goals like this come in all different sizes so I’m sure you’ll be able to find one that fits into your garden.

Their Team’s Strip

Whether your child is into basketball, baseball, or soccer, I’m sure that they will already have their favorite team. This is who they will support through thick and thin! If you know who their favorite team is, you could buy them their own official jersey or complete strip. If you want to be sure to put a smile on your child’s face, you could even get their favorite player’s name put onto the back of the jersey or t-shirt. Then they can pretend to be their hero when they are playing the sport for themselves!

Tickets For A Big Game

Another great gift idea for sporty kids could be tickets to a big sporting game or event. This could be a league final or a championship match. No matter what kind of game or match you take them to, though, I’m sure they will have the time of their lives and will really enjoy soaking up the whole atmosphere. You’ll also be able to enjoy a large hot dog or a platter of nachos with them as well. They’ll certainly love the whole big-game experience!

A Trampoline

If your kids haven’t really decided which sport is going to be theirs just yet, you can still motivate them to be active. One great way to do this is to gift them an outdoor trampoline that can go in your garden. Whenever they have any pent-up energy to burn off, they’ll be able to bounce around on the trampoline for a while. You never know, this could inspire a passion for gymnastics!

 

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Some Training Sessions

Does your child tell you that they want to be a big sportstar when they are older? They won’t be able to hit the big time if they aren’t any good at their sport, so it’s they’ll need to start practicing and training. One way to motivate them to start training is to buy them some training sessions with a coach. This will give them a chance to hone their skills and improve in their favorite sport. They might even get scouted by a pro coach and could end up on a professional team when they are older. That will certainly be a dream come true for them!

Hopefully, one of these cool ideas sounds like the perfect sporty gift for your active child!

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Fun Activities to Boost Your Kids’ Knowledge

When you think about it, a lot of the stuff you do together with your kids can increase their understanding of the world. They’re absorbing knowledge all the time, after all, and using every little detail to understand things a bit better and grow up to be clever little people – but some activities may be more beneficial for them than others.

 

 

It’s kind of like comparing an hour in front of the television to an hour outside on a hike; while both of these can make your kid a bit smarter, the latter will definitely stick better and be a more pleasant experience for them to remember later on.

If you’d like to figure out some new things to do together with your kid, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Here is a handful of fun stuff to do together so that you can both learn and grow as a family.

First: Find a team sport to boost their socialisation skills

It may be needless to say, but one of the first things you should do is to sign your kid up for a team sport. They will get so much important socialisation done, learn to work as a team within the rules, and may even gain a competitive edge later in life.

For now, of course, it’s all about having fun and playing with the other kids – but this is also extremely important for your child’s development.

You can have a look at this article for some benefits around children and team sport, by the way, and keep in mind that you can help them to enjoy the sport a bit more too. Spend the weekends outside together, building bonds and playing; it’s the kind of stuff they will remember forever, after all.

Next: Let technology teach them

Sure, it sounds a bit like what every lazy teacher would say before they out on a video for the pupils to watch for a hour or so – but using tech to teach is, in fact, not that bad of an idea. The trick is to introduce them to something innovative and fun which goes beyond the regular YouTube videos they’re usually watching after dinner.

You can have a look at this Hypervsn Hologram, for example, for some proper bonding time with your kid which they will remember and appreciate.

This is the kind of stuff that is fun for both parents and children, though, so you have an opportunity of getting excited about something together and bonding over something you both enjoy. If you have this as well as a sport you both like, you’ve paved the way for an excellent relationship as your children grow up.

Introduce them to an instrument

Some of the best hobbies you can hand over to your children are, of course, the ones you also enjoy. If you’ve played an instrument in the past or if you’re currently playing one, this is an excellent opportunity for you to teach them some of what you know.

Playing music and being creative is, after all, great for children as well as their brain’s development. Consider treating them to some music lessons too, by the way, but don’t pressure them into something if they don’t enjoy it.