On the equator-ward side of the subtropical ridge, general easterly winds prevail. On the pole-ward side of the subtropical ridge, westerly winds prevail, thus steering the tropical cyclone back to the east. These westerly winds are the same ones that typically bring extra-tropical cyclones, with their cold and warm fronts, from west to east. Hurricanes can travel for thousands of miles. They are strongest over water and weaken over land.
Hurricanes often change direction.
Some of them loop. In fact Hurricane Roxanne looped around in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for over a week in October, 1995. Each region has responsibility for naming the tropical cyclones in its region. For example, the United States is a member of WMO Regional Area IV, which includes Canada, Mexico, and all of the countries of Central America and the Caribbean. Several years ago we got together and came up with six lists of names that we recycle.