On my adventure out to CA, (which has been fun, made it to CA in 3 days, and enjoyed it), I started with a Dunlop Roadsmart II with about 2200 miles on it.  Plenty of life to get to CA, I thought (and it was). 

But, after a 2nd consecutive higher mileage day, as I rode down into the bowl of Salt Lake City, I stopped at a rest area to doff my heated jacket liner.  The previous 10 or so miles were mountainous, and the speed limit was 75 or 80, so I was going 80 or 85, with about 70 lbs of luggage.

The part that concerned me was that when I stopped t the rest area. the squared-off center of the tire looked like the edges of a track tire, with rolled up rubber coating the cenert strip of the Roadsmart II, 36 psi

Today, when I had the tire replaced, the mech claimed that long runs (mine were all between 6-8 hundred) heats tires and quickens degradation.

Is this true?   Has anyone else experienced this?  Would I be better off taking a short break every 100 mikes or so to let the tire cool>|?

Is it still black magic to convert a google maps route:  https://goo.gl/maps/dwpeirgQjk52  to a file I can export to my Garmin?

I've been monkeying with it for about 90 minutes and my brain hurts.  I can always just use the phone for Navi, but it would be nice to have the additional features of the Garmnin while underway.

Fantastic intel, everyone.  Much thanks.

It makes sense to avoid the higher altitudes, so I'm inclined to take your suggestions, Brent.

Given that I intend to pack the miles on during what I assume will be the more boring, first half of the trip, and will likely follow the general route Brent suggested, I would love to hear about any fun and gorgeous 2 lane roads that I could substitute instead of the slab on the latter half of the trip.

Thanks again to everyone for the tips.

Ugh, and, thanks.  This is the sort of intel I was hoping for, as I can check the forecast before I go, and enroute, and adjust as necessary.  Thanks!

I'm planning to ride to Corning, CA for a training class, leaving Tues, April 19th.  I need to be in Corning, CA on Sunday, April 24th.  Corning is about 115 miles North of Sacramento, CA.

Because I have a hard deadline for arrival in Corning, my plan is to pile on a lot of miles the first 2 days, in hopes of having the time to take the fun, twisty routes as I approach the mountains.

I would love to hear suggestions on general routes, and on specific roads I should seek out along the way.  Google maps suggests 3 main options:

1) MN west across North Dakota, Across Montana to Bozeman, then cutting across the SouthWest corner of Idaho, then South through Nevada until Wells, where routes #1 and #2 converge.

2) MN to the SouthWestern corner of the state, across South Dakota, then through Wyoming toward Salt Lake City, then across the remainder of Utah, into Nevada, until Wells, where the routes converge.

3)South to Des Moines, then West to Omaha, West all the way across Nebraska, until the route converges with route option # 2 above, at Rawlins, Wyoming. The rest follows route #2 above.

Here is a link to the Google Maps routes I am referencing:  https://www.google.com/maps/dir/100+Melbourne+Avenue+Southeast,+Minneapolis,+MN+55414-3516,+USA/Corning,+CA+96021/@41.1038795,-105.2195826,5.5z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x52b32cda475cb875:0xd874aa2807cfeb7a!2m2!1d-93.2130466!2d44.9657731!1m5!1m1!1s0x8082f29c136ae2f5:0x103342cc7d25c3f3!2m2!1d-122.1791556!2d39.9276572

If that link is wonky, it is just the routes that pop up when I ask Google Maps to calculate a route from Mpls to Corning, CA.

It is about a 2,000 mile trip, according to GMaps, and I have given myself 6 days to get there, which should be more than enough time, especially if I try hard to make miles on the first 2 days. (I'm aware that this is just over a 2 day ride for some of you Iron Butt types).

Should I be concerned about getting snowed out of any routes through the mountains in late April?  If so, perhaps I would be wise to pick the southernmost route, in case I need to detour South around the mountains?

I would love suggestions on both the best of the 3 approaches listed above (routes 1, 2 or 3), as well as specific roads or sights I should see along the way.  Similarly, if none of the general routes suggested by Google are the best, please chime in with your suggestions.

Thanks so much in advance for sharing your wisdom.  I'm really looking forward to this ride (and the ride back home 1 month later).
Vespadaddy Dan

EDITS:
I'll be riding my FJ-09, loaded up with sidecases, trunk, and a tiny tank ring bag.  I have a heated jacket liner, and heated grips.

Interstate riding isn't my fave, but I have helmet speakers fed via bluetooth from my phone, so I should be good for 600-800 miles in a day, I hope.  I can doo 600 no problem if it is twisty, but the slab gets boring.

Reason for the ride: I'm taking a class at Rainbow Aviation to get certified as a light sport airplane maintenance mechanic.

Thanks for the welcome, guys.
Ray, I will for sure be up for some dirty rides.  What did you get?  I've got a street legal, plated TE450 Husky, but I like the 2 track jeep trails and single track much more than gravel roads.  Just LMK when you want to go.

Vander--The scooter (a Zooma Chinese skateboard with a motor and handlebars) runs well wide open, but likes to stall out and won't re-start without ether.  I haven't checked the plug yet though).  Riding it feels....oddly dangerous.

Tony--maybe you and Greg not Steve need to buy some dirty bikes and join Ray and I?

I bought 2 of those MSR bottles last year, and I stow them in a tail pack on my Husky.  And to think I used to make fun of the fuel range of SuperHawks.....