There are all kinds of bikers. Some are hard-core who ride in January. Others are soft-core who ride to and from the local bike night each Wednesday so everyone can sit around and look at all their chrome. There are also many in between. Personally I've never been one for the Harley required rules, including the uniform of black boots, Harley jeans, T-shirt from a Harley dealer and a rebel flag bandana.

I'm not big on rallies or bike nights, and I don't ride in the snow, so I guess I'm one of the 'tweeners. That is the great thing about riding -- you make the rules and use your bike the way you want. However, one thing we all hear is the call to ride. As expressed to me many times since my last column, there are many people who hear the call for a weeklong ride but aren't sure how to get started. Here is how I do it, and I hope it helps get you motivated.

In July 2008, I embarked on a 1,600-mile ride through West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. I was joined by the love of my life, my Harley Dyna Wide Glide, and my girlfriend, Becky. Riding through this part of the country gave me a new understanding of this land, and doing it on my Harley set my captured soul free.

Riding to destinations that no one knew, on roads that few ever see was something everyone who loves the open road should do. By the response I received from that article, many people would "love to do that" but ...

Well, time to stop the "buts" and put your butt in the saddle. How? Where? When? It's easier than you think, and here is some insight into how you can finally stop thinking this is going to be the year and actually make it the year you head out.

The first thing I do is decide on a point of interest that will be our goal destination. Once that is decided you can fill in around it with framework. Try harleydavidson.com or mapquest to look for other potential stops. You can also scan the Internet for road suggestions. My best advice: Look for out-of-the-way state routes and NO interstates.

The key here is to make all stops potential stops, as the beauty of our trip is to "not make good time" and to wake up each morning not exactly sure where we are going. It is amazing how many times you can view a map and change your mind as to where you want to head the next day. Until you do it, you will have no idea how liberating it is to not have your vacation ruined by having to see Mickey or making the early dinner reservation or the vaunted, "making good time."

The next task is to decide some general protocols. Ours include:

1) Little to no interstates.

2) No GPS.

3) If it doesn't fit on the bike, you don't need it.

4) Never make a reservation.

5) No bar stops if the bar has no front windows.

6) Accept that you can be completely lost and not lost, all at the same time.

7) Be especially aware of Subarus, Buicks and minivans.

8) Never say we have to cover XXX miles today.

9) Passenger pays when we stay at expensive hotels.

10) Hot tubs at hotels are your friend.

Making sure your bike is ready is an obvious step in the process. I always wait until it's fairly close to departure date before I take my bike to the shop. I usually need tires or brakes and the typical fluid changes. I then put the windshield and saddlebags on.

I fight having an "old man bike," so I leave these items off the bike for most of the year, but for the trip, they are necessary. I highly recommend motorcycle luggage and not a duffle bag from the local sporting goods store.

Rest assured you don't need items from the overpriced Harley dealer of your choice, but there are certain items the dealer has that are better. Rain gear and my helmet are two of the few items I paid for from the dealer. Ask yourself, "Do my underwear really need to say Harley-Davidson on them and cost $15? Nope."

That brings me to the next step -- what to pack. This may sound easy, but with such limited space you have to be judicious. Always make sure rain gear is accessible and always ask yourself, "Do I need that?"

If your passenger dreams of roadside souvenir stands full of craptacular items, make sure you leave room to store the junk. Don't just think about your riding attire but also what you will need for any planned activities: swim trunks, comfortable shoes, etc. Don't pack outfits that make a fashion statement -- pick things you need for warmth, protection and comfort.

So, you have your destination, your rules of the road and your gear. Now you just need the guts to make the decision. It's really this simple: Is it worth your week of vacation to see things you've never seen on the back of your bike? Remember, that is the trip, not where you end up. If you feel the need to keep up with the Joneses and brag about your trip to Italy or Aruba each year, then this trip isn't for you. War, W.Va., and Asheville, N.C., aren't really tourist hot spots that make the other cubicle dwellers go "WOW!"

If, on the other hand, you get it -- the open road, no place to go and only this great country to be seen -- you will get the tremendous reward of memories you can't forget, created from a visit to a place you never knew existed. I promise you that.

Ride and write

Welcome to Pittsburgh Rides, our regular feature on motorcycling. Here we bring you the latest in rides, trends and events, but we need your input. We're looking for voices from the local biking community willing to share (in roughly 500 words) your experiences on the road and what you think is hot on wheels.

• Send your story or pitch to Weekend editor Scott Mervis at smervis@post-gazette.com.

• What and where do you ride? What's your favorite biker song, book, event or gear? Do you wear a helmut? Send the answers to our Burning Questions to the same address and include your name and neighborhood.