United States

Best Trips for Motorcyclists

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Motorcyclists live for hitting the open road. Whether your ride takes you to the mountains or the coast, or you don’t have a specific destination in mind, every motorcycle ride is an adventure. There are literally thousands of miles of highways and byways in the United States, with each offering its own unique take on the bike adventure.

All County Insurance has worked with motorcyclists for many years by providing great insurance policies at some of the best rates in the business. Here is a list of our favorite roads for motorcycle trips…there’s something for every motorcycle enthusiast here!

Our favorites include:

  1. Pacific Coast Highway: this is a classic road trip that is perfect for long-distance motorcycle tourists. Spanning over 1650 miles along the West Coast of the United States, the Pacific Coast Highway offers incredible views of the coast and passes through charming towns from California to Washington.

  2. Appalachian Trails tour: Although not a specific road, the Appalachian Mountains are a fantastic place to ride any time of year. The mountain range runs from Georgia to Maine, and one of the most popular motorcycle tours in this region is the fabled Skyline Drive within the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Autumn travelers will be treated to a stunning display of fall foliage. Appalachian Trail tours visit many quaint towns in out of the way places, making it a journey of discovery.

  3. Texas River Road: Crave some desert beauty? This touring route should do the trick. Found in Texas, Texas FM 170 starts in Presidio near the Mexican border and travels east of Terlingua near the Rio Grande. It passes through breathtaking country along the way.

  4. Mississippi River Tour: riders start in Minnesota and travel south along the Mighty Mississippi until they reach the Big Easy in New Orleans, Louisiana. The route covers about 2500 miles and is great for those who love long-distance touring. This historic ride doesn’t follow a single road, giving motorcyclists the opportunity to add on destinations as they desire.

  5. Overseas Highway: Considered an All-American Road, the Overseas Highway spans the chain of small islands that dot Florida’s southern tip. Travel from just south of Miami through Key Largo, Marathon, and Big Pine Key before arriving at the U.S.’s southernmost point of Key West. If you love the water, this is the ride for you!

These are only a few of many options for motorcyclists. For short one-day tours to long-distance rides that take weeks, the open road offers so much for motorcycle enthusiasts. Motorcycles provide a great opportunity to learn more about our country as the roads pass through charming towns and incredible scenery along the way. It offers so much more freedom than traveling in a car, where you can’t feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. So, if you’re ready to take advantage of the country around you, study a map of your area and get ready to ride!

For an awesome motorcycle insurance policy, be sure to visit All County Insurance’s website.

Merchant Account For Springtime Travel

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Between the summer and winter high seasons, you can enjoy mild temperatures along with lower rates and fewer crowds. If you’re in the travel industry helping others discover hidden gems both at home and abroad, consider turning to eMerchantBroker for a travel merchant account. EMB is voted the #1 high risk payment processor in the US and is one of Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies of 2016. EMB is rated A+ by the BBB and A by Card Payment Options.

Below you can find a list of the top spring escapes known for their seasonal deals and festivals.

  1. Grand Canyon in the United States

People usually visit this Arizona wonder in the summer. Skip this summer vacation tradition. Be aware, you can find discounts on airfare and lodging.

  1. Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capital

Enjoy mild temperatures in the spring and see how thousands of cherry trees burst into bloom along the tidal basin. Visit Washington, D.C. during the amazing National Cherry Blossom Festival.

  1. U.S. Virgin Islands (a group of Caribbean islands and islets)

In April, you can enjoy tasty food, festive parades and ornate costumes during Carnival, the island-wide party, which is one of the best in the Caribbean. Airfare and hotel rates see a significant drop during this period.

  1. Amsterdam, the Capital of the Netherlands

In March, enjoy tulips at the annual Keukenhof flower festival. In April, outdoor parties take place in honor of King’s Day.

  1. Paris, the Capital of France

The city slowly awakens from its winter sleep. Paris’ fresh spring weather and its gardens in bloom make for the perfect scene to indulge in the finest outdoor pleasures.

  1. Rio de Janeiro, the 2nd Most Populous Municipality in Brazil

Enjoy pleasant weather, hike through Tijuca National Park and stroll Santa Teresa’s charming cobblestone streets.

  1. San Diego in the United States

Admire San Diego’s main attractions at their best. Enjoy the city’s blooms on display at the annual Coronado Flower Show, one of the largest flower shows on the West Coast.

  1. Vancouver in Canada

The city is brought back to life. Enjoy spring in Stanley Park. Score the best deals on hotel rooms before the peak summer season.

  1. Charleston in the United States

Admire the city’s cobblestone walks, moss-covered trees, and pleasant temperatures. The low country fare is widely served.

  1. London, the Capital of England and the United Kingdom

Enjoy the mild temperatures in London. Admire outdoor attractions such as Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Visit London in early spring to avoid tourist crowds.

  1. Cape Town in South Africa

Spring is an ideal time to visit Cape Town. Admire Robben Island’s rich heritage and Table Mountain. Spend wonderful time on Clifton Beach.

  1. Bali, an Indonesian Island

Enjoy warm daytime temperatures, hiking, water sports and the beach.

  1. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, United States

Visit the magic of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Enjoy this great experience in the spring. Create memories for a lifetime.

  1. Jackson Hole in the United States

Both skiers and hikers can spend a wonderful time here in the spring. Enjoy warm temperatures and admire the abundance of wildlife in April and May.

  1. Athens, the Capital of Greece

Spring is one of the best times to visit Athens. Enjoy bright and sunny days. The mild temperatures are perfect for sightseeing, and crowds are thinner.

Open a reliable and low-cost travel merchant account with a reputable merchant account provider like eMerchantBroker. EMB can help you start and grow your business successfully.

The Facts About Electric Cars

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With so much misinformation uttered about electric cars and so many claims and counter-claims put forth about their environmental friendliness, it’s important that if you want to enter the market for an electric car, you have all the information and all the facts. It’s a fast growing market in developed nations, with thousands of plug-in and all-electric vehicles sold in the United States alone every single month. And there are compelling reasons why electric cars are proving so popular, given their value both to the individual driver and to the wider environment.

Efficient Transportation

As the number of makes and models of electric cars keeps on rising, it is becoming increasingly clear that vehicles powered on electricity are widely perceived as the future. Sales are rocketing and there are many good reasons why this is the case, with consumer demand racing higher and higher, and the interest put into electric cars by manufacturers consistently high. Most fundamentally, electric vehicles have the enormous benefit of being a highly efficient mode of transport, with as much as 80 per cent of the battery’s energy transferred directly to the power of the car. In traditional gas-powered vehicles the figure is dramatically lower, lingering at around 14 to 26 per cent. Furthermore electric cars emit no exhaust pollutants when they are running on electricity, making them far cleaner for the environment than petrol-powered vehicles.

Cost Savings

While electric cars are notoriously more expensive than their petrol-fuelled counterparts, this is becoming less and less the case. The battery is of course one of the most expensive parts of an electric vehicle, however technological advances have seen the cost of the battery decline at a significant rate. A 100-mile range electric battery has decreased in cost by over 60% in the United States in the last five years, and with more research going into this field that trend looks set to continue. However what many consumers who feel hindered by the price tag on an electric car often forget is that electric vehicles are not all that expensive to maintain, meaning they will be able to save money over the life of the car. Even the brake pads last longer in electric cars as they use regenerative braking to decelerate, converting energy used to reduce the car’s speed into power which is stored in the battery. The cost of electricity is moreover far less damaging to the pocket in the long run than the cost of gasoline, making for even bigger savings. Most electric vehicle owners also take steps to reduce their costs, such as charging their cars overnight at home when the electricity costs are lower.