Behind the Bars on my motorcycle

BBFO 2012 - Day 4

2012-01-30T16:53:00.000-06:00

The temperature this morning was at least 10 degrees warmer in Campwood compared to Alpine yesterday. I opted not to put on so much cold gear and figured I'd be fine with just my Gerbing gear as a liner under my Olympia 1-pc suite. I wasn't even going to plug in. So after enjoying breakfast across the street with everyone, we packed our bikes and I left with the group heading north.

We left Campwood via FM 337. As it was still early we kept the pace moderate just in case there were any deer out for a morning stroll. After we passed through Leakey I decided to move up 1 position behind the leader to better enjoy the pace through the twisties. In Medina we turned North onto Hwy 16 toward Kerrville. I absolutely love this road as it has lots of tight curves where the GS just rocks!

Once in Kerrville the group of 5 bikes gathered back up and we continued north to Fredericksburg. The only problem with Hwy 16 between Kerrville and Fredericksburg is that it's a 2 lane road. So when you get stuck behind a slow moving truck you are sort of stuck there until they turn or you get into town. We were far enough back in the line of vehicles we really didn't have a choice but to sit back and enjoy the scenery at a speed of 55mph. Once we arrived in Fredericksburg we turned east onto Hwy 290 and headed out of town with a fuel stop at the Shell at the corner of FM1623.

I opted to plug in my electrics at this point. The temperature had stayed around 50 degrees which made it a little cold when riding down the road at 70 mph. Once back on the road I was nice and cozy with just a little bit of juice flowing into my Gerbings. The ride on 290 over to Austin was uneventful although the closer we got to town, the more I had to contend with traffic. In Austin we headed south on Hwy 71 to Bastrop. There I waived goodbye to 3 riders of the group. The 2 of us who were left stayed on 71 heading south toward Columbus.

At LaGrange, Jeff pointed his old airhead toward the gas station and we waived good bye to each other. I was now back to riding solo, just me and my thoughts and the occasional car on the road. I picked up I-10E at Columbus and "slabbed it" over to Sealy where I took Hwy 36 just as I had done on Friday morning. Getting home via Hwy 36 isn't the quickest way but it avoids miles of suburbia and soccer moms so it's worth an extra few miles.

When I rolled up into my driveway I was glad to be home but I was a little sad to see the end of the trip. Over the course of the 4 days I added 1607 miles to the odometer which now reads 98,011. I'm really happy with the seat adjustments I made a few weeks ago. I don't get the same pain from pressure points that I used to get. I still get some back pain but I expect that to diminish over the next month as my workouts at the gym strengthen those muscles.

I had 3 technical difficulties on this trip. First was the broken right hand mirror. It didn't happen on the trip but 2 days before when I was moving the bike around in the garage. I just didn't find out about the problem until I left the driveway and it fell off. Oooops! The second issue was a carry over from my last trip. I'm having all sorts of problems with the XM radio audio from my Garmin going through the J&M CB. I think it's some broken solder joints inside the J&M so I'll have to take that apart to investigate. And there's the fact that I need to replace the Zumo integrator module for the J&M which is going to run me about $400. Yikes! The last problem happened on Saturday morning at breakfast. I broke the key of my Givi topcase. Luckily it broke inside the lock so I was able to stick the nub of the key into the lock and turn it. I've got spare keys so it won't take long to disassemble the lock and get the broken key out.

I've got 59 days until I ride in the April Fools 30 hour rally on March 31 and 191 days until the Butt Lite 6IX. The GS needs some attention before I make my next LD ride but overall it's doing well and should serve me nicely as my rally bike for this year after I add the auxiliary fuel cell to raise my fuel volume to 11.5 gallons.

BBFO 2012 - Day 3

2012-01-29T20:53:00.001-06:00

This morning we enjoyed breakfast at Magoo's again. We started a little earlier as everyone seemed to be ready before 8am yesterday. My breakfast was a breakfast taco with 2 eggs, bacon and cheese. Definitely a hearty meal to start the day.

The plan today was to head east and end up in the Hill Country for the night in Campwood, Texas. We left Alpine via Hwy 90. The first stop was in Sanderson to allow people to fill up. Then it was on to Langtry to visit the Judge Roy Bean museum. We then continued east to Comstock for lunch and another fill up for some of the bikes. I had not filled up the bike all morning long and I didn't plan to until we got to Rocksprings. This is one of the benefits of having the GS Adventure tank on a regular GS. After lunch at the grill next door to the gas pumps we headed north on FM 163. We stopped in Juno at the deserted resort to kick tires and tell lies for a few minutes. Then continued on up the road to Hwy 189. Hwy 189 ended at US 277 where we turned south to go down to Hwy 55. From there it was an easy ride into Rocksprings where I topped off the tank at the Shell station.

Most of the riders wanted to head on to the motel in Campwood which was about 25 miles down the road. I wasn't quite ready to call it a day just yet so another rider and I went north on 377 to Hwy 41 East over to FM 335. When I turned south on 335 I found a wonderfully fresh paved road to enjoy. We set a modest pace and enjoyed the sweepers of 335. Before I knew it we had chewed up the 20+ miles of pavement and found ourselves just a few miles outside of Campwood on Hwy 377.

We rolled into town and pulled into the parking lot to see the other guys just getting into their rooms. Apparently they stayed at the gas stop longer than I expected. Because we certainly weren't going that fast on our little detour down FM 335. I checked into my room and unloaded the bike. Another wonderful day of riding had come to an end. I traveled 333 miles today over an 8 hour period. It was a very relaxed pace today and allowed me lots of time to think about changes I wanted to do to my bike in it's preparations for the big mileage days to come later this year and next.

Tomorrow evening I'll be at home and this year's BBFO trip will be over. Weather has been absolutely wondeful on this trip with lows in the high 20's and highs in the low 70's. Perfect for a winter trip in Texas.

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BBFO 2012 - Day 2

2012-01-28T20:46:00.001-06:00

Today started off at McGoo's for breakfast. It was convenient and close to the hotel. Service was good and reasonably quick for a party of our size.

Then we headed down to Study Butte to allow a few riders to top off their tanks before riding the river road (FM 170). I followed Chuck and Mike at a modestly spirited pace. Most of the group stopped off at the fort just outside Presidio but I kept going.

I topped off my fuel tank in Presidio and continued on FM 170, I want to go to Candeleria which is as the north end of the road. The ride was pleasant although not as exciting as the stretch from Study Butte to Presidio. When I got to the end of the road, I looked around, wondered why anyone would live out there and then turned around. In Ruidosa I decided to head towards Marfa via a gravel country road called Pinto Canyon Road. It was a 20 mile stretch of rough gravel with some great scenic views. I wouldn't recommend it on a touring bike but for moderate dual sports it's definitely something you should check out. Of course if you think your Goldwing is a dual sport by all means go check it out.

When I finally reached pavement again I found myself on FM 2810 which I followed into Marfa. There I picked up Hwy 17 toward Ft. Davis. About 4 miles south of Ft. Davis there's a road going toward Valentine, I think it's FM 166. It's part of the Ft. Davis loop. I turned on it and followed it around for 75 miles to get into Ft. Davis. Just remember to always take the road to the right and follow the signs toward Fort Davis. The first mileage sign to Ft. Davis is about 25 miles into the loop. The ride was scenic and there was snow on the ground as I got into the Ft. Davis mountains near the observatory. Some other riders told me there was actually snow on the roadway at the observatory but I didn't ride up to check it out.

Once back in Ft. Davis it was a short 23 mile ride down Hwy 118 into Alpine. I filled up the gas tank near the hotel and then parked the bike for the day. I rode about 350 miles today and got to see all the sites that I wanted to see. The gravel road was an extra treat.

Tomorrow we are heading back to the Hill Country. I was sort of looking forward to visiting Big Bend National Park but knew I was going to sacrifice my time in the park in the interest of the others so I'll come back and ride that another time. We'll either stay in Camp Wood or Rockspring tomorrow night and then ride home on Monday.

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BBFO 2012 - Day 1

2012-01-27T21:20:00.000-06:00

Happy new year. It's been several months since I posted anything on this blog. I've been riding my motorcycle but haven't taken any real trips since the summer.

Last month I did get some exciting news related to my enjoyment of motorcycling. I have been picked to complete in the 2013 Iron Butt Rally. So now the preparation begins. I'm entered in the April Fools 30hr rally to be held at the end of March and then the Butt Lite 6 day rally in August. I'd like to get a new K1600GT as my rally bike but for now it's not in the budget. Hopefully that will change as the year progresses.

Now how about the current trip I'm on? I left my driveway at 9:30 and was finally on the road by 9:45 after filling up the gas tank. It was a quick ride down Hwy 59 and then over to Hwy 36 via Spur 10. Traffic was almost non-existent so I was able to move down the road easily.

In Sealy I turned onto I-10 West and remained on the super slab until I got past Ft. Stockton. I made 2 gas stops along the way, the first was in Kerville. Since it was around lunch time I stayed there a little longer and enjoyed part of a Cliff bar. Total stop time was 10 minutes. The next stop was in Ozona and it was just a quick gas and go. I was back on the road in 3 minutes. With a full tank of gas, I knew I could take advantage of the higher posted speed limits out west so I cranked up the throttle.

Once past Ft. Stockton I took exit 248 south onto Hwy 67 down to Hwy 90 and then into Alpine where the motel is. After stopping to top off my tank for tomorrow I arrived at the motel by 5:30. So it was 8 hours drive way to drive way and 560 miles.

Tomorrow we'll be heading down to ride the river road (FM 170) and other roads as time permits.

Rallies 2011 – wrap up

2011-08-12T11:16:00.001-05:00

Life is getting back to normal once again. We are falling back into a routine and our cats are happy we’ve sprung them from their ‘prison’.

The trip was 24 days, we spent 21 nights in hotel rooms and 2 nights with friends. We enjoyed 3 free nights at hotels thanks to reward programs from Super 8 and Choice hotels. The GPS shows 5,724 miles traveled. The route took us through 19 states; LA, MS, AL, GA, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, DE, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, ME, VT, NC.

We only had one problem with the bikes and that occurred on the final day of the trip just 120 miles from the house when a relay failed on Reagan’s auxiliary electrical system. As a result of the relay’s constant on-off cycling it appears her SkyFi3 XM radio receiver has suffered catastrophic failure and will need to be replaced.

There were only a few occasions where we were “unplugged” and they were usually temporary. Together we improved our abilities to work from the road. I tell people as long as I have an Internet connection I can work from anywhere in the world. That is usually true, of course, wanting to work is sometimes a different story. :)

We are considering a SS2000 in September so that I can check off Ohio and Michigan and complete my US map. The trip will depend on work schedules and temperatures. We’ll have to wait and see.

This has been a great summer and once again we got to enjoy parts of the US that we hadn’t been to before.

UPDATE: Sometimes taking something apart can fix the problem and not just make it worse. Honestly, that’s what I thought years ago when as a child I would take things apart. Of course, getting them back together was a whole other story. Today though it worked. I removed the back cover of the SkyFi3 and pulled out the battery. Then reinserted it and tried to turn it on, nothing. I plugged in a USB cord since it had a slot and the screen started to flash as it lit up and shut off. I then removed the usb cord and to my surprise the unit started to power on but then shut off. Thinking the battery was dead, I went outside, repaired the relay problem and plugged the SkyFi3 into it’s cradle. Presto!!! It booted up and locked onto an XM station.

So really the only bike related problem of the trip was a $5 relay. It actually took more time to remove the plastic access panel than it did to hook up the new relay. Reagan’s satellite radio is fixed. Hoooray!

Rallies 2011 – Day 24

2011-08-07T12:11:00.001-05:00

Today’s route was simple, I-12W to I-10W into Houston, then we would be home.

We got an early start and the bikes were rolling by 5am. Not much to say about riding across Louisiana. We made our first gas stop after only 120 miles into the ride. Reagan was not getting very good mileage out of the Shell gas from Slidell. We stopped a second time for gas just after crossing into Texas at a place called Crawdads.

The second stop took a little longer because I needed to tend to an electrical issue Reagan was experiencing. The auxiliary relay that powers the accessory fuse block I installed was failing. The quick and easy solution was to bypass the relay all together. If the trip had continued past today I would have stopped at an auto parts store and picked up a new relay and replaced it when we got to the hotel. As it was, I just unplugged the connection once we made it home.

I’m glad we got an early start because the sun did too. By the time we got into Texas it was getting warm. We rolled into the Houston area around 10am and by 10:40am I was in my driveway with the bike turned off. Reagan arrived a few minutes later since she stopped at the nearby Exxon to fill up her tank and get a final receipt.

Today’s trip was a quick 376 miles in 5 hours and 46 minutes. The average speed was 65mph, we didn’t spend much time at the gas stops, even on the 2nd one where I bypassed the relay.

I’m going to finish unpacking, put stuff away, and take care of things that need attention after our absence for 3 weeks. Tomorrow I’ll write up a summary post for the trip. The short and sweet summary, “It was a great trip!!!!!”

Rallies 2011 – Day 23

2011-08-06T20:18:00.001-05:00

Today is only the second day of the trip that we had to set an alarm clock. We were up at 4:25 this morning and across the street at the gas station by 5. After filling the tanks we headed south on I-75.

The whole route today was about making time and getting closer to home before the heat set in. We sailed through Chattanooga’s construction with ease and soon found ourselves on I-59S. The GPS took us on I-495 around Birmingham and then we crossed the rest of Alabama on I-20W/I-59S. In Meridian, MS. we stayed on I-59 down toward Louisiana. Then it was a quick ride on I-12W into Slidell, La. where our hotel was. We stopped at the gas station before going to the hotel. It was 11:30 when we turned off the bikes in the Comfort Inn parking lot.

Obviously we had arrived very early and the hotel was just checking out 2 bus loads of teenage boys who had stayed the night before. The staff was helpful and got us into a room by 1pm. The wait in the lobby was certainly better than the heat outside. Actually the entire ride was comfortable temperature-wise until about the last 30 minutes. Then it started getting warm. Dealing with the traffic and heat around the gas station was about the worst part of the ride today.

We travelled 480 miles in 7 1/2 hours. Because of the time change we gained an hour of travel time which helped to keep us in the cooler temps a little longer. Tomorrow is just 377 miles (2 gas stops) so we’re going to get another early start. I expect we’ll be home before noon.

SPOT Followers: It looks like SPOT ran out of batteries this morning. I don’t feel like changing the batteries tonight so it may not be online tomorrow.

Rallies 2011 – Day 22

2011-08-05T19:36:00.001-05:00

Today was our last working day on the trip, as such we worked in the room until 10:30 before packing up the bikes and departing. The Microtel Inn & Suites in Robbinsville has a decent breakfast although not the caliber of a Hampton Inn. With work complete we headed up Hwy 129 toward Deals Gap. We road the “Dragon” northbound first and the turned around to ride it southbound. There was heavy law enforcement today, likely due to the recent fatality of a sportbike vs. semi. From what I was able to gather, the sportbike was in the wrong by crossing the line, the semi truck driver is being charged and the sportbike rider is dead.

We stopped at the Deals Gap Resort for stickers, patches and a meal. Then we decided to ride HellBender (Hwy 28) around to 143 and head back into Robbinsville. There was a gas stop in Robbinsville to top off Reagan’s tank and we stayed there longer to cool off as the temperature was rising after lunch.

At this point, it was time to point the bikes toward home, but not without one last scenic detour. We left the area via the Cherohala Skyway and for a while, escaped the high temperatures. When we reached Telico Plains we turned north on 68 then west on 39. In Etowah we took another break to get out of the heat and cool off. Then it was south on 411 to 64 west which took us to Cleveland, TN. We took the Hwy 60 bypass south to I-75. Then it was a short run on the superslab down to Chattanooga. After being on back roads for so many days I actually had to push myself to get the bike up to 70mph again.

We arrived at the Comfort Inn and checked in. We were done for the day. We travelled 187 miles today.

After showers and a little break we headed across the street to the City Cafe located in the Best Western Inn. It was one of only two choices we had within walking distance. The other was Waffle House and that really wasn’t a choice. OMG!!! The City Cafe at exit 7 of I-75 is a top notch restaurant. Their food is great, their menu is extensive and the prices are fantastic. If I’m on I-75 in the future I will definitely stay at a hotel within walking distance of the City Cafe. It was one of the biggest surprises of the trip.

Tomorrow we plan to make Slidell, La. Heat is of course a concern so we are starting early and plan to keep our stops short. If all goes as planned we’ll get to the hotel between noon and 1. If they won’t let us check in early I’ll just kick back in their lobby and wait. Two hot, sweaty, smelly motorcycle rider should be motivation enough to allow us to check in early. :)

Rallies 2011 – Day 21

2011-08-04T18:58:00.001-05:00

This morning I was slow to get moving, I didn’t sleep very well. I think it had something to do with all the beer although I didn’t feel sick. Breakfast was ‘light’, as in a bowl of Rice Crispies. But it was a breakfast none the less. We finished our work this morning just before 10:30, loaded the bikes and headed out.

The first order of business was to go get some gas. There was a Wal-Mart just down the hill so I decided to fill up there. Bad idea, their gas is lousy and we could tell it throughout the day. With our tanks topped off we went back by the hotel and headed down 226A a.k.a “Diamondback”. It was definitely a twisty road. It started off slow but 4 miles into it things got really technical. Maybe it’s because I started the day tired but I found myself worn out before I reached the bottom of the mountain. I originally planned to turn around and go back up it but when we got down to 226, we took that back up the mountain to the BRP.

The ride south on the BRP started out nicely with a clear road ahead. As we got closer to Ashville more and more traffic started showing up. We stopped in Ashville for some snacks and Reagan topped off her tank to get some better gas.

After the gas stop, I wanted to eat lunch at the highest elevation overlook which was at mile post 431. We were still in the 380s and it was already after 1pm. Breakfast was a distant memory. I finally stopped a few miles short of my goal at an overlook with a picnic table. The view wasn’t great but the cool breeze made it nice none the less. We cut lunch a little short when rain drops started coming down.

When we got to mile post 431 we were rain free so we pulled into the overlook and sat there for a little while just taking in the scenery. Then it was time to head down the mountain and finish the BRP. It turned out that we had more miles left than I expected.

When we rolled into Cherokee, TN. The air was significantly warmer than we were accustomed to for the past 4 days. We kept moving, got to 74, then 28, then 143 into Robbinsville. We rolled into town a little after 4pm. Checked into our hotel, received a free upgrade to a suite and unloaded our bikes. Dinner was had at a local diner up the hill from the hotel.

Today’s trip was 200 miles long and kept us on the road for 5 1/2 hours.

Tomorrow morning we’ll go ride the Dragon, get Reagan a patch and depending on how we sleep tonight we might do HellBender, then head to the Cherohala Skyway and start our ride home.

It’s been fun to play for the last 3 weeks. But as the trip is winding down I have to say I’m looking forward to my routine and diet at home. At least until we knock out a SaddleSore 2000 in September so I can tag Ohio and Michigan thus completing my map to the right and allowing me to retire my well worn AST jacket.

UPDATE: Reagan’s been keeping track of the wildlife seen on the BRP. Her totals are: 3 does, 2 fawns, 2 turkeys, 2 wood chucks, a suicidal squirrel and a field mouse. Today she made a huge dent in the butterfly population, they may now be considered an endangered species (ha ha ha).

Rallies 2011 – Day 20

2011-08-03T23:55:00.000-05:00

This morning we enjoyed a great breakfast and then worked for a little while. Reagan finished her work first and I decided it was time to go play so I stopped working a short while later. We left the hotel just after 10:30 and headed south on I-81 to Hwy 8 which would return us to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We stopped in Floyd, Va. for fuel and some food to eat along the way. A few miles later we reached the BRP and headed south. Traffic was very light and I joked that it wasn’t called the Blue Ridge Parkway but rather the Brian & Reagan Parkway. Travel was easy and full of twists and turns.

Around mile post 229 we reached the detour which Reagan had found out about by reading the nps.gov site. The detour took us away from our route and into warmer temps. Cars unable to go the speed limit were the biggest stress factor along the detour. But with patience we made it to the end of the detour and found ourselves once again on the BRP with an open road in front of us.

We stopped for lunch at one of the overlooks and enjoyed a light meal, V-8 juice, snack mix, beef jerky. Yum! This worked well as we were able to enjoy the wilderness while eating something light.

With lunch finished we resumed the ride south with about 80 miles left for the day. The further south we rode the higher the elevation got. We were going into the mountains. We stopped at a visitor center and purchased a few of the “decreasing radius” items they had for sale. Then it was back on the road.

We exited the BRP at mile post 331 and turned onto 226A to find the Skyline Village Inn. When we pulled up I was a little concerned but once I went in and started talking to Joe I felt really good about the place. We parked the bikes around back under a special covered area exclusively for motorcycles and then carried our stuff.

Today we road 203 miles in 5.5 hours. It was a great day of riding.

Normally that’s where the blog entry would end. But after we got into the room and changed into street clothes we headed downstairs to check out the food and drink situation. Reagan found the gem store on the first floor and acquired a beautiful emerald along with lots of other things, I bought a sticker. Then we headed into the restaurant. Again, my first impression was “what have I gotten us into?” But once we got our beers and placed our order then Mike, the owner, showed up and started telling us about the history of the place. The original owner was a moonshiner and built the hotel from his earnings as a ‘shiner’. Then we found out that Wednesday night is “Beer Club” night. Around 6:30 locals showed up and we were included in their weekly meeting. Mike has a passion for bringing craft beers to his store, he’s got so many unique beers I haven’t seen before. His selection rivals Specs liquor. We enjoyed tasting some different beers and then played a trivia game with some really odd questions. The evening was a blast!!! It was the most fun we’ve had in the evening during the whole trip.

If you want a great, warm and friendly atmosphere, show up at the Skyline Village Inn on a Wednesday and stay for the night. Get down to the first floor restaurant around 6 and enjoy the evening with fun people. And leave your apprehensions behind, the hotel has a unique character with all the wood working and masonry work. Reagan and I want to come back and stay for several days to enjoy the area.

Rallies 2011 – Day 19

2011-08-02T20:00:00.001-05:00

Today we started our ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. The higher speed limit made the turns more interesting. We stopped at the northern visitor center to get a stamp, sticker and patch. We managed to leave the center just before a large group of Harley riders pulled out.

Unlike yesterday, we didn’t stop much at the overlooks. I was wrapped up in all the twisties. We stopped for lunch at Peaks of Otter Lake. There were no Otters to be found. But we did find a regular National Parks restaurant serving normal nps food. Certainly not as enjoyable as yesterday’s lunch.

After we finished our meal and checked out the gift shop, we resumed our travels south. Once again we passed the large Harley group who had stopped at the general store across the street. Reagan wanted to stop at an overlook which had shade and a view so a few miles down the road I found an overlook that fit the bill. We stopped, took off our helmets and just sat on the curb looking out to the horizon. It was peaceful.

A short time later we resumed our ride south. The temperature was rising and our elevation seemed to be falling. The curves weren’t as fun and the scenery turned to that of local houses and farms. We pulled over to resolve a satellite radio issue and once we returned to the BRP we found ourselves behind 3 Harley riders who could barely keep the speed limit in the occasional curves but had no problem rolling on hard in the straight aways. I kept thinking they would turn off at an overlook. I had that thought all the way to mile post 159 where we exited and headed northeast to Christiansburg, Va.

After a 27 mile ride from the BRP to our hotel we were done. Tonight’s Quality Inn has juice, milk, coffee & tea 24 hours a day, breakfast from 6 to 10am and cookies from 5 to 10pm. Of course we enjoyed some milk and cookies.

Today’s route covered 193 miles which we did in 6 hours. Stopping for lunch really slowed us down. Tomorrow I’m hoping to take a lunch with us, something light. That way we can stop at a shaded overlook and enjoy the scenery for awhile. And then continue on to mile post 331 where the Skyline Village Inn is located. It promises to be an exciting stay tomorrow night. When I asked about gas, the proprietor said not to worry, they are one 1 1/2 from gas and it’s down hill so you can coast to the gas station. I’ll make sure to top off Reagan’s tank in Floyd, Va. before we get back on the BRP.

Rallies 2011 – Day 18

2011-08-01T17:56:00.001-05:00

After 2 weeks on the road we’ve really hit our stride. Things work like a well oiled machine every morning now. Since today is a work day that meant we worked until 10:30ET this morning. This works out well and allows us to travel an extra week this summer. Next year this routine will allow us to travel even longer. And since we won’t be on the east coast we should be able to finish our work earlier (1 hour per timezone going west).

We’ve started staying at Quality Inns again on this trip just like we did last year. And again I’ve discovered that Quality Inns are really a great value. They are only a few dollars more than a Super 8 but the breakfast is Hot and nearly rivals the Hampton Inn. We’re definitely going to be staying at more Quality Inns during this trip.

With work done, we loaded up the bikes and headed to the Skyline Drive. We entered the park and stopped at the first visitor center to get the passport stamps, buy a patch for Reagan and learn a little bit about the park. Then we continued south through the park. It seemed like we had the road to ourselves. Only occasionally did we find a vehicle traveling in our direction. A brief stop at one of the lookouts usually resolved that situation.

We stopped for lunch at the Skyland center. The view from the dining room was great! The food was better than normal for national park food and the prices were extremely reasonable. As we were getting off the bikes, Reagan had a close encounter with a deer. They were within 5 feet of each other at one point and the doe wasn’t the least bit scared. NO, Reagan did not try to pet the deer… After lunch when we returned to the bikes we found a pair of deer just a little deeper in the woods with a little fawn being the closest. The deer didn’t spook when she started her bike either. On the way out of the area we saw a turkey run across the road.

After lunch we had a little more than half the park to ride through so we picked up the pace a little bit and headed south. The ride was very pleasant and relaxing. I found myself slowing at most of the lookouts like a bonafied tourist. In many cases, seeing the lookout from back on the road before the turn off gave a greater image than pulling off to look down in the valley.

Before I knew it we were at the end of the park and turning into Waynesborro. As we road into town we found a BBQ joint next to the Sunoco. We’ll get a picture tomorrow on our way back out. It was a little too far from the hotel so we won’t be dining there tonight.

Checking into the hotel was a real treat. Saturday night Reagan was in charge of booking rooms and picked the Quality Inn rooms. This was another fantastic choice on her part. She discovered we had a free night’s stay from last year’s promotion. So she opted to use it for tonight’s room. However because we had previously booked a room for July 31st the web site thought the second room, in another town was also for the same night. When we tried to correct the mistake the site would not let us. When I tried to call in to customer service I got an unsure commitment that the reservation was changed. Yesterday I called the hotel and got the reservation changed to tonight.

When I showed up to check in though I was still unsure about whether we actually had a room. As luck would have it the lady at the front desk was the same lady I spoke to on the phone yesterday. She said she had a room for me but there was a slight problem. “Oh boy”, I thought, “here comes the fact that I lost the free room.” She said, “We have you a room but we don’t have a key to your room.” She went on to explain that their computer system was messed up as result of an update earlier in the day which had disabled their ability to create room keys. We could still get into the room via a master key which had to be used by a hotel employee only. Because of this “inconvenience” and because we are Choice Rewards members they decided to refund our points used for the room AND…. wait for it…. give us the room for FREE!!!! How cool is that! This has been a great day on so many levels.

Needless to say, we’ve already got another Quality Inn stay booked for tomorrow night. And I’ll start looking for Wednesday night’s room before I go to sleep tonight.

Today was a fantastic day of riding. We covered a short 113 miles in 5.5 hours. It wasn’t about the quantity of miles but the quality. Tomorrow we start the Blue Ridge parkway and stay in Christiansburg.

Rallies 2011 – Day 17

2011-07-31T16:31:00.001-05:00

This morning we wanted to get on the road early as we knew we had a long day ahead of us running down I-81S. As a last minute thing before we left I checked the Garmin for food along the route with “BBQ” in the name. I found one stop in each of the 4 states we would be passing through; Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. We managed to get on the road by 8am after having breakfast at the hotel. Today had my first waffle of the trip.

Riding the superslab isn’t usually exciting but the scenery along I-81 in New York state is very nice, and the temperatures stayed in the 70’s. In fact it was very comfortable until we got down into Pennsylvania and our altitude got lower. That’s when the heat started building.

Our first BBQ joint was at the southern end of PA in a little town called, Greencastle. When we rolled into town something big was going on in the center of town and they had the streets blocked off forcing people to follow detours that weren’t really intended for that amount of traffic. Finally after circling the entire town and coming in from the south we reached Bentley’s Old Mill Bakery & BBQ. The place met the objective of having “BBQ” in the name for the Smoke Chasin 2011 ride. They were closed for some local event and the hand written sign said they would be open “later”. Two things make me unlikely to ever try to go back to that place; 1. no bbq smoke smell outside (even if they were closed for business, the pit should have been smoking meats for Monday) 2. The place looked brand spanking new and lacked any authentic BBQ attitude about it. I’m really stuck on the lack of good smelling smoke…. UPDATE: Reagan did some investigating online and determined they have closed the place and it’s up for sale. That certainly explains the lack of smoke.

So we punched up the 2nd joint which was just down the road a few miles in Maryland. A short ride down I-81 and another drive through town took us to a shopping center in Hagerstown, MD. There we found Hempen Hill Bbq Bar & Grill which as luck would have it is closed on Sundays. OK, those of you who know me…. if I ever actually decide to open a BBQ joint, you have my permission to give me a “whoopin” if I don’t open on Sundays. I mean come on! BBQ joints should be open on the weekends, no excuses. Close down on Monday and Tuesdays if you want time off.

The rules of the Smoke Chase don’t require us to actually any Q so we got our pictures and moved on. The 3rd stop was a long shot in my mind. It didn’t show up on my Garmin and I had found it via google. So we headed down to Martinsburg, WV in search of JF Texas Brisket BBQ. The address led us to a little business center in the middle of no where. I guess they had gone out of business because there was no JF’s BBQ to be found. I should have checked it out a little more carefully online since it wasn’t in my Garmin. Oh well…

We returned to I-81S and went down the road a few exits until we found a Subway just across the Virginia state line. That gave us a chance to get out of the 100 degree heat and enjoy a late lunch. We opted to skip the BBQ in Virginia as we’ll be in the state for another 2 days and should be able to find a place along the way. We completed the last 45 miles of the day’s ride and found our hotel in Front Royal, Va. We are just a mile or so from the beginning of Skyline drive.

Today we travelled 440 miles and were on the road for 8 hours. This was certainly the hottest travel day we’ve had so far. Tomorrow we’ll be riding the Skyline drive in it’s entirety. The whole route is 111 miles and is supposed to take 3.5 hours plus stops along the way. It’s a work day so we’ll later but I expect to be in Waynesborro tomorrow afternoon in time for a nap.

Rallies 2011 – Day 16

2011-07-30T17:34:00.001-05:00

This morning the sky cleared and the air was crisp when we checked out of our hotel room. We took a leisurely ride up to the Mohawk Casino where the rally closing ceremonies were. There was lots of beautiful scenery along the way and the roads were free of traffic most of the time. We arrived at the casino 74 miles later. I was impressed with the organization of the casino staff to direct us to our designated area.

After the ceremonies were over we left the casino and headed west on Hwy 37 along the inland seaway. We them caught I-81S down to Pulaski, NY. We planned the afternoon ride to be short just in case the ceremonies went long. As it turned out the 144 miles were done easily and we were checked into our hotel by 5pm.

Total mileage today was 218 miles.

Tomorrow we are pushing down to Front Royal, VA which puts us at the top of Skyline Drive. We’ll ride it on Monday down to Waynesborro on Monday. Tuesday we’ll start riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Rallies 2011 – Day 15

2011-07-29T18:37:00.001-05:00

Today was all about the poker run. We got a late start due to some work issues.

We had great weather until the last few miles. The rain finally caught us as we rode back into Lake Placid and went to the Lake Placid Pub & Grill for our final chip. We enjoyed a great late lunch before returning to the hotel.

Tomorrow we head up to the Mohawk Casino to turn in our chips and see what sort of poker hand we get. The 3 best hands win prizes.

Enjoying New York state locally brewed beer from our hotel room tonight.

Rallies 2011 – Day 14

2011-07-28T19:31:00.001-05:00

Attention followers of my SPOT tracker: I forgot to turn it on today. ooops!

We had such a great internet connection that we stayed at the hotel this morning until 11am. There was also a heavy fog in the area which didn’t start to burn off until after 9:30. The Cabott Inn in Lancaster will not be a place I return to. The town is nice and there are a few other places to stay in town, pick one of those. Stay away from the Cabott Inn, enough said.

We headed west out of Lancaster on Hwy 2. We followed that over to St. Johnsbury where the Garmin took us on a detour around the town via interstate. Then it was west again on Hwy 2 to Montpilier, VT. We hopped on I-89N to Burlington. I checked the GPS and there was a place in town with BBQ in the name so we stopped in at Big Fatty’s BBQ for some pork spare ribs and pulled pork. That’s mighty good eating there. While we were eating, there were a group of college kids cheering on their friend who was trying the monster challenge. It’s 4lbs of food for $20 and you have 1 hour to eat it all and keep it down. Then it’s free. What you get is a 1lb bun, 2lbs of pulled pork and 1lb of french fries. The kid talked a good game while he was waiting for the order but 10 minutes into the challenge he abandoned the idea of eating it all in 15 minutes.

We left the bbq joint and followed the GPS to the Charlotte/Essex ferry. For $12 we were able to cut out about 1 hour of travel time and enjoy a fun ride across Lake Champlain. It was Reagan’s first ferry ride on the scooter. It went fine. While on the ferry we met a fellow rally attendee who was from Maine. He had all sorts of LED lights and stuff to make his Spyder glow at night. It was a good visit across the lake.

Once off the ferry we were in New York state and riding back roads. We stopped along the way for gas. Riding back roads in this part of the country I equate to riding in Yellow Stone national park. There’s lots of scenery and always someone in front of you going slower than the speed limit. The roads are in fair condition and there are some occasional curves to enjoy if you find yourself alone and unobstructed.

We rolled into Lake Placid and found our hotel with ease. Checking in was just a matter of patience. There were a few people in line ahead of us and the front desk clerk seemed to have a singe track mind. When it was our turn, she checked us in and pointed us to our room.

After unloading the bikes we head down the road to Tail 0’ the Pup BBQ where the rally registration was. We walked around looking at all the other spyders. Some folks have put a lot of effort into customizing their rides. I couldn’t believe all the led lights and painted stuff on the bikes. The few that did have auxiliary lighting installed didn’t seem to have them set up for actual night driving. And I only saw 1 license plate backer claiming to be an Iron Butt member. I happen to know she’s from Texas ;)

After browsing the bikes we sat down to eat some BBQ and check off our 3rd joint and our 3rd state for the Smoke Chasin ride that Reagan talked about last night. I wasn’t all the hungry and really didn’t want any more pork today, so I ordered the Texas BBQ Brisket and 2 sides. What I got looked like it was cooked in an oven and had been pulled, not sliced or chopped. There was no smoke flavor to speak of either. I tried the meat by itself and then with their sauce. DON’T USE THE SAUCE. It positively did not go with the beef. I think it was a poorly concocted ketchup/vinegar combination. The potato salad was bland. The baked beans though were top notch. Reagan ordered “Poo Tin” which is waffle fries with brown gravy and shredded cheese on top. Together we cleaned her plate. More than 1/2 of the brisket went back untouched.

I kept seeing these shirts saying “It’s the wood that makes it so good.” When I asked our waitress she said she couldn’t tell me what they cooked on. I was thinking there was no wood at all for a giant oven. So I went up and asked to see the pit. I lucked out because the pit master was standing right next to the person I asked. He was a little shocked I was asking to see the pit but then took me around back. They are running 3 large vertical electric pits. When he opened the doors to his rib smoker I instantly recognized the hickory smoke. When I asked what else he had in the smoke besides Hickory he recognized that I wasn’t just a chump wanting to do BBQ. He confessed they blend Apple and Hickory together. After the ribs stay on smoke for a pre-determined time (sorry I’m not saying how long) then he takes them off, puts them into large uncovered pans with a little apple juice in the bottom to make them “fall off the bone tender”.

The guy is passionate about his Q. He’s proud of his pits and he’s working to get some larger ones so he can cook even more BBQ. My first impression was to say “Pass the place by.” But he’s got the passion and he certainly knew what he was doing. I think he just missed the mark on the Brisket. The Texas AG’s office might just want to prosecute them for poorly representing Texas Brisket. The table next to us had the ribs and they didn’t quite look like they were “fall off the bone tender”. I think he might jut be rushing his cook times to keep up with demand. He needs to slow down and cook things a little longer. And fix that BBQ sauce.

Of the 2 places we went to today, I’d definitely recommend Big Fatty’s BBQ in Burlington, VT. If your up to it take him up on his $20 monster challenge.

Tomorrow we get to ride around the area and see the scenery while participating in a poker run. This will be the first poker run Reagan and I have ever done. The route looks simple but of course I’m going to program the locations into my GPS, I wouldn’t be me otherwise. I’ll make sure to turn on SPOT tomorrow.

Rallies 2011 – Day 13

2011-07-27T19:59:00.001-05:00

Today we travelled from Bar Harbor, Me. to Lancaster, NH via Bangor, Me and and Augusta, Me. We only have about 72 miles of Interstate in the day’s route. The rest was on secondary roads through rural Maine and New Hampshire.

Today’s route was 233 miles long and we spent 6 hours traveling. I’ll let Reagan tell you about some of the things we saw and did along the way…

Along the way on this trip we are participating in Chasin’ Smoke 2011 which is a charity event that raises money for Eddie’s Road. We are working on 15 BBQ joints in 15 states. So far, 1 BBQ joint in Maine. – Maine-ly Meat BBQ in Bar Harbor. We had some pulled pork and sampled their baked beans. – Brian had to inspect their pit as well. All were deemed worthy.

The roads today were country roads with a good bit of traffic. The scenery more than made up for the delays. Thankfully no moose were observed along the route.

Today’s question is: What is “Chicken Pie”? We passed 2 places that had Chicken Pie (one is a church down the road that is having a social on Sunday). Our wait staff at dinner wasn’t sure either. We have concluded that it must be a pot pie of some sort.

Did Brian mention how great his lobster was last night, or how foggy it was in Bar Harbor? – The fog burned off by mid morning and we could actually see across the harbor. We took some time this morning to capitalize on the advantages of being an hour ahead of home and got some more work done. No whale watching, but I did get the aforementioned patch on our way out of town.

Tonight’s hotel is great! We have a room with a view and I can’t wait to get up in the morning to see the sun rise behind the mountains outside. Hopefully, my anticipation doesn’t exceed the outcome.

I had a brief problem with my helmet today, but other than that, bikes and gear are performing perfectly. Mid 70’s today. Great riding weather. For those of you in Texas reading this, please have the hot weather gone by the time we return. You wouldn’t want me to melt would you? :)

Tomorrow, it’s on to Lake Placid for the Spyders in the Adirondacks rally for me. We have become so accustomed to the BMW MOA rally schedule that this will be a definite eye opener for both of us.

Rallies 2011 – Day 12

2011-07-26T21:27:00.001-05:00

This morning we did something a little different. We stayed at the hotel and performed work related stuff until about 10:30. Reagan’s work is time sensitive and needed to be done by 8:30EDT while my work really does best if I start after 9AMEDT. So we compromised by staying at the hotel and getting a later start. The solution worked out well.

We hit the road around 10:20 and headed up I-95. When we got into New Hampshire we took a little detour on US 1 to swing by Max BMW to see if we could find Reagan some new gloves as her current gloves were now being held together with electrical tape. The sales lady was super helpful and found Reagan some gloves that fit. In fact they even had gloves a 1/2 size smaller which were too small. I was shocked, it’s rare that a shop has Reagan’s glove size but I’ve never seen a place that had even smaller glovers. Of course they were BMW gloves. So my impression of what the Germans think everyone in the world is like must be 6 1/2’ tall men with long legs and petite women with tiny hands who also have long legs. BMW engineers are just now starting to make bikes with lower suspension for us mere mortals.

As we were leaving the shop we noticed a bike outside with a Texas license plate. Almost instantly Reagan recognized the bike as belonging to Ardys, an 87 year old lady who is riding through all 48 states to sample their BBQ. Sounds like a perfectly good riding reason to me. And at 87 that’s awesome! Reagan went back inside while I checked on some things with my bike. When I went back inside they were chatting about all sorts of things and Reagan was helping her get a new set of gloves as well. We visited for a little while, Reagan was really excited about this chance encounter.

We left the dealership and proceeded north on US 1. I just followed it until I found a sign pointing me back to I-95N. We got back on the interstate at the Maine state line and proceeded up the road until we reached Brunswick. We did take one other detour from the planned route. When we got up to Portland we stayed on I-95 to exit 52 instead of taking exit 44 onto I-295. Signs indicated major construction delays on I-295 and I didn’t really want to sit in traffic.

When we got to Brunswick we followed the signs to US-1 east/north. We followed that road over to the coast and then north. We went by an old castle which belonged to one of our friend’s grandfather. Due to the street and traffic we were able to stop and take pictures. But just the thought of her running around in that castle as a little girl cracks me up. It was a cool place indeed.

Along the way we stopped for a light lunch where I enjoyed lobster stew (bisque is more like it) and Reagan had some crab cakes. It was a fun place called the Sea Basket. Definitely a place where the locals ate. A few miles down the road as we rolled into a little town there were 2 food stands near the water with very long lines of people waiting to place their orders, dining was on picnic tables outside. It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to the school bus in Hyder, Alaska where I enjoyed some incredibly fresh seafood back in 2009.

Traffic along US 1 can be slow at times and it seemed we were never alone. But the ride was nice and the temperature was amazing, it never got above 78 degrees and most of the time in Maine it was in the low 70s steadily falling into the upper 60s.

We turned south on US 3 to head down to Bar Harbor and road into town just before 6pm. It was a great day of traveling at a leisurely pace.

Total mileage today, 254 miles. Total travel time was 7.5 hours putting our average speed at 34 mph. It definitely wasn’t a high speed day. Of course stopping at Max BMW accounts for 1 hour of the time but that was a fun, unexpected stop.

Cellular service is almost non-existent. Every call I tried to make kept getting dropped so I just turned off my phone. The internet at the hotel isn’t much better. Email works because it’s not critical to have a responsive connection but the bandwidth is minuscule and latency is extremely high so it’s not possible for me to do any server work. I’m hoping it’s just all the other guests getting on facebook and such and that it will improve in the morning. Otherwise we’ll be hitting the road early to try and find a wifi hotspot in Bangor or Augusta on our way over to Lancaster, NH.

Rallies 2011 – Day 11

2011-07-25T17:56:00.001-05:00

This morning we wanted to get an early start, so we set the alarm clock and got out of bed when it went off. By 7:10EDT we were on our way. The first part of the route was up I-95. Around 8:30 I started looking for a Panera Bread so we could stop for an hour or so and take care of some work related things. I never did find the Panera Bread but I did find an MGM Grand hotel and casino along highway 2. We proceeded down the road to a Subway which didn’t have any electrical outlets, we ended up in a Dunkin Donuts using my trusty Sprint Overdrive connection. We were really pushing the limits of that poor 3G connection.

Our stop lasted about 2 hours and then we proceeded south on CT-2 until we met up with I-95 again. We headed into Rhode Island and turned east on RI-102 and followed it over to Newport. Our friends from last night had recommended that we go to Newport, ride along Ocean Avenue and check out the “Old Money” mansions in the area. Well… Newport has to be one of the worst tourist traps ever! There are people crawling all over the place and traffic is insane. If it hadn’t been for the advice of our friends to check out Ocean Avenue I would have turned north and gotten the heck out of Dodge. We did make it all the way around Ocean Ave. and then cut back over to the visitor center to learn more about the tours. Navigating through the little city with it’s one way streets and rough roads exhausted me. By the time we made it back to the visitor center I was done. We found Reagan a patch and then got back on the bikes.

I pulled up tonight’s hotel in my “Favorites” in the GPS and let it do the routing. Thirty minutes later we were out of the area and back to freeways. We followed highway 24 north to I-93N which took us through Boston. Sure there was traffic through Boston but we were rewarded with a ride through the tunnel which goes under much of the city, then a beautiful suspension bridge followed by a “Double Decker” bridge. Boston is a pretty cool town freeway-wise.

On the way out of Boston we caught US-1N over to Danvers, Ma. We checked in without any problems and unloaded the bikes. Shortly after we were inside, the skies opened up and the rain started coming down. The temperature has dropped at least 10 degrees and the rain continues to come down.

For all of my readers in the hotter part of the US, we enjoyed comfortable temperatures in the 70’s today. We’ve finally reached the cool weather I’ve been expecting since coming to the Northeast.

Today we traveled 256 miles in 9 hours.

Tomorrow we are heading to Bar Harbor, ME. Right now the Garmin has us going up to Bangor and then cutting down. I may drop off the Interstate at Augusta and take 3 east. If I’m really feeling adventurous I might follow US-1 out of Brunswick. Right now I’m a little traffic adverse from the Newport experience of the day so I think I’ll load these 2 other choices and decide along the way…

Iron Butt fans: After I left Newport, I decided if a Rallymaster wanted a nice challenging bonus in Rhode Island, they could pick something in Newport. Just getting in and out of the town is a time challenge in itself. Then getting around to reach a well placed bonus could easily gobble up time and make routing a real challenge. Just a thought…..

Rallies 2011 – Day 10

2011-07-24T21:36:00.001-05:00

I’m getting behind on my blogging….

The BMW rally was great! We met lots of new people and saw some folks from previous rallies. It was fun. I’m already looking forward to next year’s rally in Missouri.

Today we left the hotel by 7am and easily made our way east across Pennsylvania and around Philadelphia. While riding across PA, Reagan noticed that we could purchase EZ Passes at one of the service centers. Sure enough they are sold through vending machine-like units. So we are riding around with EZ passes and whizzing through the toll booths with ease. We jumped on I-95 south into Wilmington, Delaware and then headed north on the New Jersey turnpike. With the EZ Pass we made our way north on the turnpike. We stopped at a service center south of NYC while still in New Jersey and decided to reroute a little to really avoid New York City. We followed the Garden State Parkway up and around to 287-east and crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was a cake walk, traffic was light. In no time at all we found ourselves on I-95N and near our hotel. It was almost an hour before check-in so I decided to take a little detour to go down into old Greenwich and look around. The homes were beautiful but the flora was phenomenal. We couldn’t believe all the colorful plants we saw in people’s yards.

After a little scouting around we checked into our hotel and cleaned up. Then it was time to go see some friends just up the way a few miles. Bill cooked up some great ribs and his wife rounded out the meal with all the fixin’s. I was quite surprised to taste such good BBQ up this way. We swapped some cooking ideas, so I’m going to have to come back and see how his brisket tastes! The sun went down and we called it a night.

Today, we had braced ourselves for some tough traffic and I had added 2 hours to the travel time. As it turned out it was an easy ride traveling 336 miles in 7 hours. Considering the last 45 minutes were driving around Old Greenwich that’s really a nice travel time, especially for a day that was supposed to be plagued with traffic.

* the pink section of the route was what I had originally planned. As it turned out, going up the Garden State Parkway didn’t add any extra time to the trip.

Tomorrow we are going to Danvers, MA via New Port, RI. Our friends told us we have to ride around Ocean Avenue to see some amazing old money homes. It should be fun. Tuesday night we’ll be staying in Bar Harbor, ME. I have a free night from one of my rewards programs so we’ll be enjoying a room on the bay. Wednesday night we’ll be in Lancaster, NH at a resort hotel. I found the place by accident but it looks like a neat little town. And Thursday we’ll roll into Lake Placid for the meet & greet of the Spyder Rally. It’s definitely going to be fun exploring New England this week.

Rallies 2011 – Day 5

2011-07-19T21:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was great! We enjoyed time with our friends whom we had not seen in many, many years. They were incredible hosts and I discovered I have yet another friend who has more hi-tech gadgets than me. I’m really falling behind the times in technology. We went to see part of the Hershey exhibits and then we headed over to Gettysburg. I was thankful we had an automobile and a fanatical tour guide for the trip. Dave made it a great experience with his incredible depth of knowledge on the subject.

Today we said goodbye to our friends and headed out of town. I’d like to tell you it was a cake walk getting out of town but some how I got myself so lost and frustrated. We finally had to stop at a Panera Bread in Camp Hill to catch our bearings. It turned out we were on the very road we needed to be on to go where we wanted. We made our way down to I-76 which is a turnpike. Then we headed west for 91 miles passing through 2 tunnels. We exited in Bedford and got on US 30W. That took us out to where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. We visited the crash site and looked at the temporary memorial that is in place. Currently construction is under way to make a permanent memorial with the first phase of work to be completed by September 11th of this year. When everything is finished it will be a beautiful tribute to the heroes of that flight.

I was really impressed by the fact that gift shops and novelty shops had not popped up in the area. There really wasn’t much of anything nearby. I might be a little sensitive to this after walking around Gettysburg and seeing the shops selling everything from baseball paraphernalia to medieval weapons to witchcraft supplies. What any of that had to do with a battle in 1865 is beyond me, it just seemed to be about people making a buck off the tourist crowd. The Flight 93 Memorial isn’t like that at all, it’s a respectful place honoring the ordinary people on a flight that made an extraordinary sacrifice for others.

After leaving the memorial we continued west on US-30 until we caught 219N. That took us up to US-22 East which then took us to I-99N. When we reached the end of the road, we got onto I-80E toward Bloomsburg. We arrived just before 6pm. It was a longer day than we had expected due to routing challenges and stuff but it was a great day.

We’ll be at the BMW MOA Rally through Sunday morning and then we are departing for BBQ ribs at a friend’s house in Connecticut. Don’t expect much in the way of reports until Sunday evening. Have a great week!

Today’s mileage was 341 miles in 9 hours 32 minutes.

Rallies 2011 – Day 3

2011-07-17T19:30:00.001-05:00

Today our route from Abingdon was pretty simple, head north to I-81 until we get to Harrisburg, PA. About 30 minutes on the road I realized we would arrive too early so I took a detour at Marion, Va and went east on Hwy 16. We found a great twisty road into the mountains. Then we picked up Hwy 58 north. We eventually found ourselves on I-77 west which returned us to I-81N about 30 minutes north of where we exited the interstate earlier. It was a great detour.

Riding through Virginia I found driving to be stressful. Traffic tended to run in large packs. We were either in a pack running 10+mph or driving below the posted speed limit. Virginia isn’t my favorite state to ride in, at least not on the interstate. The back roads are great though!

Today we travelled 466 miles over 8 hours 19 minutes. It was a great day. We arrived at our friends’ place without issue. We’ll be here until Tuesday when we leave for the rally.

Rallies 2011 – Day 2

2011-07-16T18:38:00.001-05:00

Today we headed up to Abingdon, Virginia. The route was simple, I-59 up to I-20 east, then on up to Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. We continued to follow I-59 north. In Chatanooga we encountered construction which delayed us some. But once on the other side of town traffic flowed again and we caught I-75 north. Outside of Knoxville we joined I-40 east and followed that until the I-81 split to the north. As we merged onto I-81 I realized we would be on this road all the way up to Pennsylvania. We arrived in Abingdon without incident. Total mileage today was 620 miles, travel time was 10 hours 52 minutes from hotel to hotel.

The weather was great today, it was cloudy most of the way up with only the occasional patch of sunshine or rain. At one point in Tennessee I saw some really dark clouds with rain coming down ahead of us so I stopped and put on my frogg togg pants. 5 miles later we were riding out of the rain. I left them on since we only had a few hours left and I really didn’t want my boots to get wet on the inside again. The boots had actually dried out from yesterday. Temperatures were awesome, for the most part we in the 70’s all the way up. A few areas it was in the 80’s and during the traffic jam I think it actually got into the 90’s with the sunshine. Reagan and I are considering starting out tomorrow morning wearing our cold weather under jackets. It’s going to be in the 60’s at the start. I haven’t ridden in 60 degree temps since February!

No gear issues today. I had my sleeves zipped up most of the day and the rain was never really strong enough to penetrate the zippers.

UPDATE: For dinner we went across the street to a restaurant called Tuscon Italian Grill. Try the Douby rolls, they are to die for. And be sure to order the alfredo sauce.

Rallies 2011 – Day 1

2011-07-15T21:05:00.001-05:00

Greetings! It’s been a year since I last posted. It certainly hasn’t been a year since I was last on a motorcycle. Frankly, my little weekend trips like the annual Big Bend Freeze Out or riding to Fredericksburg just hasn’t inspired me to record the events. Maybe it’s because those are short trips but none the less they deserve to be recorded.

As the title of this post indicates it’s time again to attend rallies. This year we are attending two, first the BMW MOA rally in Bloomsburg, PA and then a CanAm Spyder rally in Lake Placid, NY. But first, we have to get up to the north eastern part of the US. And that’s what we started on today.

The plan was simple, as in years past, we wanted to get out of town quickly and stack on some miles to get to parts of the country we don’t normally get to see. That meant the super-slab and today that meant I-10. We left the house at 7am, the route took us to downtown Houston where we picked up I-10 heading east. We were running 10 miles over the speed limit and doing our best not to get run over. We stopped for gas just outside of Winnie, TX.

We continued east on I-10 into Louisiana. We stopped again for gas in Lafayette. In Grosse Tete we found a BBQ joint for lunch. When we walked inside I realized this was more like a grill. Today’s special was a fried catfish or fried shrimp basket. I opted for the fried shrimp. It was a decent meal, I have no idea what their BBQ was like. For anyone who wants to check out their actually BBQ, it’s just north of the Shell/Subway station so take the Grosse Tete exit in Louisiana and turn north.

After lunch we resumed our eastern trek until we reached I-55 where Garmin decided we should head north. This turned out to be a divergence from my originally planned route of I-10 to I-59. We went up to McComb, MS where we stopped for gas. Then headed east on Hwy 98 into Hattisburg, MS. We found the Super 8 and checked in without any issues.

Once the bikes were unloaded I tried to get onto the Internet. No luck. I called the support number for the WiFi service. I found out they had the WiFi down for maintenance over the weekend and expected it to be back up around the first part of the week. Really????? Thankfully my Sprint Overdrive was able to pull a 4G connection. It was a real surprise to see 4G service up here, this isn’t a large market where you’d expect 4G service just yet. I was very thankful.

Today’s route certainly wasn’t complex and it wasn’t uncomfortably hot either. We road through rain all the way through Louisiana and had cloud cover in Texas. It wasn’t until we reached Mississippi that we saw the sun. Here’s our route.

I need to talk about some riding gear issues….

I’ve been wearing an Olympia AST jacket for several years. I’m still wearing the same jacket I wore to Alaska back in 2009. Unfortunately, since I sent it in to have the zippers repaired the jacket just hasn’t been water proof like it used to be. And today proved that it may be time to retire the jacket. At first I stayed dry as we got into the light drizzle of rain. But when the rain started to intensify I felt the moisture creeping in through the zippers. Of course wearing mesh pants didn’t help but my upper torso got soaked because the jacket failed me. I still intend to wear this jacket into every state in the US (except Hawaii). After this trip I’ll only have Michigan left, I think I’ll have to make an iron butt ride to Michigan and back in September, and then retire the jacket. I have a brand new Olympia AST jacket in the closet just waiting for the old one to be retired.

Another gear failure issue I had today was with my HJC IS-MAX BT helmet. It seems to leak around the top seal of the face shield. When I was in the really heavy rain, I had enough water coming inside the helmet that it was pooling at the bottom of the shield. I had to keep opening the shield to let the water out. A new helmet is definitely in my future but it will have to wait. I’m not going to hassle with wiring up a new helmet while I’m on the road. A Schuberth C3 seems like a good possibility.

Tomorrow night we’ll be in Virginia and Sunday night we will catch up with some old college friends in Pennsylvania. This summer we are going to be on the road for 24 days. This is going to be a great vacation!

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 15

2010-07-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

This was our last day, by the end of the day we'd be home. It was sort of a sad time when you realize the end of an odyssey is quickly approaching. But none the less, we had some fun places to go so I got out of bed and got ready to go. The breakfast at Best Western is a little higher class than the offerings in Tucumcari so I opted to eat breakfast before we left. Reagan wasn't as impressed with the fare but she knew apple pie was on the horizon.

We left the hotel just after 8:15, gassed up and headed north out of town on Hwy 16 toward the Willow City loop. Once on the loop, I let Reagan lead so she'd get to see more wildlife. Being in the second position I still saw a lot of wildlife and one large 8 point buck still in velvet. He was really amazing to look at, I even stopped briefly to get a better look but didn't have my camera to take a picture.

We continued around the loop at a very leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery and wildlife. It was fun to imagine living in such a place. And I noticed they seem to have power, phones and cable TV so it wouldn't be too rough to live out there. Finally the loop the ended and we were back at Hwy 16 so we headed to our next stop, Luckenbach.

When we arrived in Luckenbach it was still early and the motorcycle parking area was empty. So we parked the bikes, acquired a patch for Reagan and enjoyed some water and coffee while sitting under the trees. Since we had arrived so early there weren't any local musicians playing yet. But we did have fun checking out some of the great license plates posted around the stage.

After leaving Luckenbach, we headed back into Fredericksburg to pick up Hwy 16 south toward Kerrville. We were heading down to Medina for some Apple pie before leaving the area. About 20 miles north of Kerrville it started raining on us and I really considered re-routing us toward home since Hwy 16 just isn't as fun in the rain. But it seemed like it was going to pass so we rode on through Kerrville. The rain did pass, until we got south of town. It's probably the slowest I've ever ridden that stretch of road between Kerrville and Medina but I still managed to have fun. And we even found some property for sale along the way. I don't know anything about it, other than there was a for sale sign on the gate.

As we rolled into Medina the rain was done (figures) and parking at the Apple store was easy to find. We had apple pie and apple ice cream. Reagan bought some apple strudel coffee and then we left. We now had to get home.

The plan was to take Hwy 16 over to 1604 around San Antonio. We stopped for gas in Helotes and I briefly considered just dropping down to Hwy 90 and going through town. But the GPS was adamant about going around San Antonio to the north. Next time I'm going through town. The mess on 1604 at the I-35 interchange was ridiculous. But after we made it to I-10 things seemed to settle down.

We took the Kingsbury exit and jumped down to Hwy 90A and took that home. The final gas stop of the day was in Eagle Lake at the Buc-ees. As always, people wanted to talk to Reagan about her bike. Meanwhile I was left to my own devices. It's probably for the best, since my mic had broken I probably would have talked a poor fella's ear off if he had asked me about my bike. Reagan had a little problem with the gas valve on her pump so she got to wear cologne d'gasoline for the rest of the trip home.

We arrived home at 5:30pm. We had travelled 5,400 miles over the course of 15 days. It was a great trip. The fact that Reagan wasn't ready to come home made it an especially good trip. Hopefully next summer we can stay out longer, there are definitely many other rallies we could attend along the way.

Technical challenges on this trip included:
- J&M wiring on my bike on the first morning, just used the co-rider cable instead. Need to pin it out and find out where the short/break is.
- Reagan's GPS lost itself a few days into the trip. I suspect the antenna wires are broken inside. Unfortunately the extended warranty expired on June 5th. So a new GPS is on her wish list, I don't she'll be happy with my Zumo 550 hand-me-down.
- My JRC gloves turned out to be too small. They are great gloves, but I realized after about 2000 miles that the thumb was just a little too short and started causing pain.
- My J&M 8pin helmet connector assembly failed. This problem had been randomly present on prior trips but it finally exacerbated it to the point that I ended up also breaking the microphone wire. I have to either fix the solder connections or purchase a replacement for $35.
- Reagan's lost rear reflector. Even after getting new hardware in Vernal, UT she lost the assembly the next day. So we're going to fabricate something to replace it.
- Reagan's antenna mount. Besides loosing an antenna on the way up, the weight of the antenna assembly seems to have cracked her rear fender struts so I'm going to have to relocate the antenna assembly to another location and repair the struts. Most likely I'll attached the antenna to the top case mount like I've done with mine. Repairing the struts will just take a little TIG welding and paint.
- And of course, my transmission seal leak. That was more of a needless stress factor than anything. After a few days of worrying, I realized the leak wasn't severe and enjoyed the rest of the trip. But it's going to the dealership immediately.

More trips to come!!!

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 14

2010-07-22T20:35:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Fredericksburg, TX. Ooops, I'm supposed to start the blog in chronological order and end it with where we are. OK, let's see if I can try this again....

Last night I didn't get a very good night's sleep. I went to bed too early and then woke up around 11pm due to pesky text alerts from one of my clients. Trying to get back to sleep was a hopeless battle and I couldn't get the smell of curry out of my head since our pillows must have been filled with the stuff.

Finally the alarm went off, just as I had actually gotten to sleep. After a slight struggle I got out bed and began the morning routine. While getting everything ready I went over to the breakfast room to get some hot tea. Nope, nothing. My choices were coffee, sweet rolls and cereal. But what do you expect for a $37 room (with tax). So we rode over to Kix on 66 and had a good breakfast.

By 7:10 we were on the bikes and heading for the gas station. Then it was east on I-40 for a few miles before taking Hwy 469 south out of San Jon. As we turned south we had a strong head wind so I knew we'd probably be stopping sooner than later for gas. But what the hey, we were only going to Abilene and our ETA was almost 2 hours before check-in.

In Grady, NM. we headed east on a 209 which then turned south. We were running parallel to the state line. In Clovis we finally picked up Hwy 60E toward Texas. As we crossed the state line we took our usual state welcome sign photo (which is actually just east of the city Parmer, Tx). Then we continued on our way, happy in the fact that we had returned to our normal timezone and our home state. Once in Texas we were heading southeast on US 70.

We stopped in Shallowater for gas. I had a slight problem with the automatic shutoff valve on the pump, so it's hard to say how much went in the tank versus what went all of the ground. Let's just say there was enough gas spilled all over the bike that I decided to push it away from the pump and let it set for 10 minutes before starting it up. I could just see the bike going up in flames, sure it's covered under insurance and of course then I wouldn't have to worry about the leaking transmission seal. But dang, I'd have to start over on my farkles and I might have been injured. I don't look good with singed eye brows.

During this stop Reagan asked me what there was to do in Abilene. Nothing I suppose. Then she sprung the idea of riding on to Fredericksburg instead. It was just an extra 200 miles. I think I've created a monster while helping her with her Iron Butt ride. So I checked the reservation in Abilene, checked availability in Fredericksburg. Then suggested we see how things were going when we got closer to Abilene since it was on the way. So we continued on Hwy 70, taking the 289 loop around Lubbock to Hwy 84 south.

When we got to I-20, we headed east for a short distance before stopping at a truck stop to fuel up. Reagan was feeling good as was I, so she cancelled the Abilene reservation and set up the Fredericksburg room. Meanwhile I was fiddling with my helmet audio as I had developed a short in the right speaker path. I thought I had the problem fixed so we headed back out onto I-40E. A few miles later we were heading south on Hwy 70 in order to cut over to Hwy 83 south of Abilene. This was going to save us about 15 minutes as apposed to going over to Abilene and then turning south.

In Eden we stopped for gas and to give me another chance to fiddle with my audio problem. By now it had progressed to the point that my microphone also failed to work. I realized this was something I wasn't going to fix while on the road. At least not since my soldering iron got broken last summer when it was shipped home from Alaska. So with full tanks of gas and only 100 miles to go, we headed east on Hwy 87 toward Fredericksburg, Traffic seemed to be slowing us some but we were still running at least a few miles per hour above the posted speed limit most of the time.

We rolled into the Best Western in Fredericksburg at 5:30, just like we'd planned earlier in the day. It was a good ride and we both felt good although a litthe warm. We'd managed to enjoy temps in the 70s until Texas, and we even stayed in the 80's until we got south of I-20. Then temps creaped up in to the 90's.

All in all we travelled 511 miles in 9.5 hours. It was a great day's ride and we ended in a fun town with a great dinner at Auslander's. Tomorrow we are heading home but I plan to ride out to the Willow City Loop, then swing by Lukenback before taking Reagan south through Kerrville over to Medina for Apple pie. Then it's a straight ride home and a great wrap up to a fantastic vacation.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 13

2010-07-21T19:21:00.001-05:00

I woke up before the alarm clock this morning but waited for the alarm to sound before getting out of bed. It was a routine morning, until I tried to get some hot tea. They had the breakfast area locked up, no access at all. And there wasn't even a coffee maker in the room to heat up water. But we persevered and packed the bikes, then got our tea and a light snack to get us down the road.

We pulled out of the parking lot by 6:45 and headed east on 160 into town. We didn't get far before I saw a Subway that was just opening, so we stopped in to try their breakfast menu. The chain is still getting their act together regarding breakfast, such as they aren't open early on the weekends. But the breakfast sandwiches are very good. By 7:30 we had finished our breakfast and back on the bikes.

We rode another mile or so into town and then turned south on Hwy 84. We crossed the state line and took the obligatory state welcome sign photo. So long Colorado, Hello New Mexico. 84 turned into 64 and we continued through Chama. In Tierra Amirilla, where we stayed on Hwy 84.

In Hernandez, we took a short little detour to get over to Hwy 68 and headed north for a short ways. Then we turned off onto 75. This turned out to be a fantastic find. It was a rural curvy road following through a quaint valley. The temperature was in the low eighties and the curves seemed unending yet calm. We passed through a few small villages and had to skip a road the GPS wanted to take us on as it was closed.

We picked up Hwy 518 south and continued our travels along a great countryside. The curves seemed to be getting better. As we rode into Mora, we stopped for gas as we had traveled almost 200 miles since filling up the tanks. I managed to get 50mpg on the BMW and Reagan got 40mpg on the Spyder. It always seems that when I get up into the mountains, my mileage increases.

After the gas stop, I wasn't expecting anything special along the route. But we found some more curves. When we got to Las Vegas (New Mexico) we had to get through town and around some construction and then picked up Hwy 104 toward Tucumcari. We'd been on this road 2 years ago, and I knew it was just going to be hot, long and straight. Well, it was hot and you could see the road for miles ahead. But along the way there were stretches of little curves to keep you awake. It was nicer than I remembered.

We rolled into Tucumcari around 1:30 local time. Then a turn down the historic route 66 where we found our hotel. It was an older Travel Lodge, but the room was clean and food was within walking distance. We'd arrived eary enough to get in a nap before dinner. After our nap, we took a walk down the road to a trinket shop, it seems Tucumcari is really struggling. Several of the mom & pop motels were closed. It's clear the town needs to do something to pull travelers off of I-40 if they want to keep this old historic section of town alive.

We travelled 333 miles in 6.75 hours today. The pace was easy but spirited in the twisties. Tomorrow we're heading to Abilene, and then home on Friday.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 12

2010-07-20T20:15:00.001-05:00

This morning, we were awoken by the sounds of the alarm clock again. We loaded the bikes and rode down to the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant for breakfast. It was 6:15 when we walked inside. Breakfast was good and by 7am we were walking out to the bikes.

Son of a Biscuit!!! Just as I was about to get on the bike I noticed some oil on the ground. Upon further investigation I found my transmission was low on oil and that was the source of the oil leak. It was too early to call any dealerships and the closest one was in Grand Junction so we found a Napa, purchased some 75W-140 synthetic and topped off the transmission. I figured I'd just ride the bike to Grand Junction and have the BMW shop look at the problem.

With a full transmission and a quick gas up, we headed out of town on US 40 to Dinosaur, Wyoming. Then south on Hwy 64. Once in Rangely, we turned south onto Hwy 139. It got hot quick but as we got up into the mountains it cooled off again. After getting through the pass though, the temperature rose again. We headed east on I-70 into Grand Junction.

We followed the GPS to the Honda/BMW dealership only to find they had sold the BMW dealership 2 years ago. With the new dealership info, we headed across town to Grand Junction Harley Davidson/bmw. I talked to the service writer, and then the BMW mechanic and it was determined that if I kept an eye on the oil level I could probably get it home without too many problems. Other wise it was going to be a few days for them to get the seal and do the work. So we bought a shirt and visited with the BMW guys, who were tucked away in a little cubby hole at the opposite end of the dealership. If you are in Grand Junction and want a BMW you have to work to get to the sales floor and to see the bikes.

With the help of the GPS, I got around town and started heading south on Hwy 50 as the route originally planned. By now the temperature was approaching 100 degrees again. And we had a long ways to go. We stopped for gas but the place was a dive so we kept going until we found a nicer place to stop for a break. After drinking some viatamin water I went out and checked the transmission, it was full and the leak had stopped. So it might be a venting issue, since the Grand Junction mechanic told me that if the transmission vent was improperly installed it would cause this sort of leak.

We continued down Hwy 50 to Delta, where the road turned into 550. As we got to Ridgeway, it was clear we were heading into a mountain pass and that it was going to be very wet up ahead. So we stopped to let Reagan put on some rain gear while I covered up my tank bag. Then we continued into the pass and watched the thermometer drop and the rain came down. The pace was slow because of traffic and the rain, but we managed to get through the pass without incident and ride into Durango.

We picked up 162 east toward Pagosa Springs. Along the way, we passed up a Spyder gang. There were 3 of them and they all had silver Spyders like Reagan. I considered just following behind them for a while, but as we approached them coming down a hill, I didn't feel like rolling off the throttle lock so we blew by them as if they was parked on the side of the road.

We arrived 10.5 hours after leaving the hotel this morning. Total mileage for the day, 375 miles. The transmission issue cost us time, and it looks like the whole problem may be related to a mistake made at the factory or by my dealership last fall. When I get it home, I'll figure out where the mistake occurred. Eitherway this is a BMW warranty issue. Tomorrow we are heading to Tucumcari, NM. We are exhausted, and sleep should come early tonight.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 11

2010-07-19T21:58:00.001-05:00

This morning we awoke to the sound of an alarm clock. While it's not my preferred method of waking up we wanted to get an early start so we could minimize the time spent in the heat. We packed up the bikes, ate a quick breakfast downstairs and left the parking lot by 6:30 am. A quick stop by the nearby Chevron for gas and then we were heading out of town.

The first part of the route was on I-80 east toward Pocatello, then we headed south on I-15. When we turned east on US 30 we stopped at the Flyin' J in McCammon, Idaho for gas and a break. Then it was back on the road. We followed US 30 east and south to I-80 and stopped at Little America, Wyoming for gas and a break. We'd gone 184 miles since the Flyin' J and Reagan still had 1.5 gallons left in her tank. It was nice to see such great mileage out of both bikes. After sitting in the shade on a patch of cool, green grass we mounted the bikes and headed east on I-80 to Grand River.

At Grand River we headed south on 530 toward the Flaming Gorge. We'd ridden this road last year but it was such a great route into Vernal that we decided to do it again. As we headed south I could see dark rain clouds over the pass that I knew we were going to go over. The only question was how wet we'd get.

When we reached the Utah state line, the road changed to Hwy 43 into Manilla. We then headed south on Hwy 44 and started climbing into the mountains. This was the part of the route that I was looking forward to. There were plenty of twisties with ascending and descending corners. I was very happy. Along the way the clouds started to spit on us but nothing worth putting on rain gear or even zipping up. By the time we got to the south side of the pass where there are 10 great switchbacks we were getting into traffic. I did manage to get around some traffic and enjoy 2 or 3 tight switchbacks before getting behind a long 10 or 12 vehicle traffic jam going down the road.

Once we got back down to the flat land, the semis picked up their speed and we all got into town without much excitement. Reagan and I detoured by the True Value hardware store to get some parts for her tail light and then headed over to the Econolodge. Check in was a snap, we had parking right outside our door and the room was nice. Oh and it was $45 less than the Best Western next door. Econolodge is becoming my new favorite inexpensive hotel.

Since we got to the hotel just after 3, I was able to get a nap in this afternoon. Then we watched a little TV before walking down to the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant just down the street. Dinner was great and service was good.

Today we travelled 459 miles in 8.5 hours, enjoyed a nice break under the shade of a tree and found some fun twisties. Tomorrow we are heading down through Durango to stay in Pagosa Springs, only a few miles of the route are on interstate the rest is backroads. Tomorrow the plan is the same, up early, leave early, beat the heat.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 10

2010-07-18T22:29:00.001-05:00

On the road again....

The Rally ended last night and this year we did not win any door prizes or grand prizes. But I did find a few more farkles for the GS. Both were in the lighting department and both utilize LEDs so I can reduce my alternator load while hopefully increasing my conspicuity and night time visibility.

We got up this morning, packed up the bikes, visited with some folks and left the Best Western by 7:30am local time. The plan was simple, follow hwy 26 east to I-84 and then follow it to Twin Falls, Idaho. And the plan worked fine, mostly.

Riding along Hwy 26 was great as there were several sections of twisties along the way. As we passed through one "town" we saw several BMWs parked outside a little cafe so we decided to turn around and eat breakfast there. What a great choice, they served Peanut Butter French Toast. Just think a peanut butter sandwich made with hot slices of french toast. It was delicious.

We continued our route along Hwy 26 stopping for gas 2x while still in Oregon. At one stop out in the country, they didn't really care about the Oregon law regarding gas pump attendants so we had to opperate the pumps ourselves. I was worried that I wasn't up to the task but managed to fill up both bikes without injury to myself, the gas station or anything else near by.

Along the way, we stopped at a gas station for some water and a break to get out of the sun. While there we talked with a fella from Florida who has been riding for a long time. He was telling us a story about an old run down hotel across from a gas station out by Big Bend National Park and I asked, are you talking about Sanderson? And indeed he was. It was quite fun to sit around and trade stories for a while.

When we started our ride, temps were down in the 60's and fell to 55 through some of the twisties. But by the time we reached I-84 it was pushing 100 degrees. So once on I-84 we just toughed it out until we were about 80 miles west of Twin Falls. There we stopped for gas and some fluids. While at the stop we talked with a few other riders. One rider had gotten a $500 speeding ticket in Oregon, I believe his speed was 87 in a 65. Ouch! He had a co-rider from Paris, France. She we nice and it was neat to get a foreigner's perspective of touring the US. But since the temps weren't falling and we still had 80 miles to go it was time to get a move on.

Slowly but surely the mile markers increased as we were patiently waiting for exit 173. That meant we had reached Twin Falls and only had a few miles of riding left to get into town and check in at the Super 8. Just after 6, we made it there and got checked in.

Total mileage today was 429 miles over 9.5 hours. Plus we lost an hour as we passed into the Mountain time zone. The heat was our biggest problem today, at one point my ambient temp guage read 109. That's pretty darn hot, even if it is a "dry" heat. Tomorrow we are supposed to go to Vernal, Utah where we have reservations. The plan is to get up earlier and get on the road quicker. Doing so, should help to get us off the road earlier and thus out of the heat sooner. We'll see how it goes.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 7

2010-07-15T23:59:00.000-05:00

Today was our first actual rally day. I didn't feel well this morning so it was difficult to get going. But I got my work done and finally got out of the room around 9:30. It turns out our motel was just a few blocks from the rally site. No wonder there weren't any rooms available for this weekend.

So we rode over to Rally, completed registration, dropped off all our raffle tickets and turned in our IBA paperwork. Reagan is now an official IBA member and has the license plate plaque to prove it. Then it was time to figure out what all we wanted to see. As there weren't any seminars I wanted to see I headed over to the BMW demo ride tent to sign up for a F800ST demo ride at 1 and then went over to the ERC range to help out since one of the instructors had been teaching the class 2x a day for 3 days. I figured I could help him out for an hour or 2 and get familiar with the range for my class tomorrow.

The class was great but it ran long and I missed my 1pm demo ride. Luckily I was able to get the same bike for the 3pm slot so I had some time to kill. I met up with Reagan and she showed me all the vendors she found and things of interest. We met a great lady from Denver who carries all the Olympia gear so we may be riding through Denver on the way home to get Reagan an AST jacket. I got a chance to meet the owners of Micatech cases and we discussed my taillight addition. Then met the folks at Roadgear and talked about my Coconut socks. And finally purchased a set of matching locks for our Givi cases. So now Reagan and I will have the same key for our cases.

It was time for the demo ride so I went over and waited for the rider orientation. Then it was time to meet the ride leader, go over a few more basics and off we went. In our group there were 5 S1000RR bikes, a K1300S, the F800ST that I was riding and a R1200GS in the rear. Obviously they positioned the bikes fastest to slowest. What they couldn't really do ahead of time is position the riders fastest to slowest. As luck would have it, the guy in front of me wasn't as comfortable with the brisk pace so I found myself really holding back in corners. The pace was brisk enough that I was able to see the 800 reach the ton mark easily. It was odd to be on a high revving bike after being on the GS for 3 years. I think the 800ST would meet my desires for a second bike that has track capabilities while still being something I could ride to the Hill Country for a weekend trip. After seeing the S1000RR in action and learning more about it, I want to take it for a test ride to see the amazing sport bike for myself. It might be great for the track but I wonder if it's too much for the ride out to the Hill Country.

After the demo ride we caught a seminar on the design of the S1000RR and then another seminar on a Japanese tour. I think Reagan was into the Japan tour until it became obvious this touring company didn't really have their stuff together. Since Japan is a country that really isn't into tourism, it appears they still need to iron out some kinks in their tour service. It seems a little too much "do-it-yourself" for a 12 day tour that's going to cost around $6K or $7K per person.

Once the tour seminar was over we walked back to the bikes, geared up and rode the 20 miles to Prineville where we are staying for the weekend. The ride was short and scenic, the Best Western turned out to be a real treasure find, and we met a nice guy who really was interested in Reagan's bike as he did electrical customization work for those who aren't handy with wiring. Upon his recommendation we walked down to a nice little steak house and had a fantastic dinner. Tomorrow I'm going to roast on the range in the afternoon, and I hope to get a demo ride on the 1000RR in the morning. Other than that I don't know what tomorrow holds.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 6

2010-07-14T23:59:00.000-05:00

We made it to Redmond, Oregon. It only took 17 hours and 1061 miles but we arrived before the sunset. More info after some food.........

[Later]
Ok, so this morning we woke up at 4am MDT and started getting ready. The plan was to be across the street by 5am, get our receipts and go. And that's exactly what we did and then we were on the road heading west. We were going to be on I-94/I-90 for over 700 miles.

Our first stop was 141 miles later in Billings. Who the heck turned on the freezer! When the ride started I thought I was a little cold but by the time we stopped I was genuinely uncomfortable and Reagan was far worse. So we gassed up and made some wardrobe changes. Reagan needed some time to warm up so I took the opportunity to get a sausage, egg and cheese bagel. Yum!!! Once Reagan got warmed up and layered up she was ready to go so I led us out and back onto the interstate. Total stop time was 28 minutes.

OMG!!! Who turned on the wind machine? When we got on the other side of Billings the wind started blowing like a hurricane or something. The good (and bad) part was that it was pretty much a head wind so it didn't blow us around too much. But it killed gas mileage for that leg so we made the second stop 20 miles sooner than planned and the only gas station was in town and not directly on the Interstate. While trying to drive into town we got caught in construction where they had the street down to one lane. Grrrr.... I'm sitting there watching the clock tick away while we aren't moving. When we do finally get to the gas station, there's a problem at the pumps so we have to go into pay. Finally we get back on the road, in just 22 minutes. Oh, the unplanned town? Livingston, Montanna. Apparently cities named Livingston just aren't my favorite as they usually give me problems.

So we are back on the road, and the wind seems to have died down. Temps are still cool but manageable. During the 3rd stretch things just seemed to work well. We didn't have mother nature fighting us, we didn't have bad construction delays and traffic wasn't even an issue. We were getting really good mileage so we decided to press on to Deer Lodge which was our original planned stop. We went 149 miles on this stretch and Reagan still had a little gas to spare. The stop was quick as I helped with the bikes while she ran in for a bio break. The pumps worked, the receipts printed, everything was great. We were out of there in 10 minutes. Woooohoooo! That is until my receipt book flew out of my tank bag and went flying across the highway. I immediately knew what happened and quickly stopped the bike on the side of the road and turned around. While Reagan was a little farther back, she too went to retrieve the notepad. Luckily I always clip my receipts to a page and then click all of the pages to the front cover so all the receipts were still there and I only lost some blank pages and spare paper clips. This little mistake turned our 10 minute stop into a 16 minute one.

The next stop was 137 miles later in Superior. Not much to this stop, it was a quick in and out without any incident. It was however the last stop in Montana. Our next stop wouldn't be until Washington. Stop time was less than 15 minutes with both of us getting a bio break.

Riding through western Montana and northern Idaho was a blast. We had lots of wide sweepers going uphill and down. And the best part was the speed limit remained 75 with just yellow caution signs recommending slower speeds. Bah!!! We don't need any caution signs. It's probably the most fun I've had on an interstate anywhere to date.

When we got into Washington things changed. The speed limit dropped to 55 and we had to ride through Spokane. I don't care for that town. People like to sit on the left lane and poke along. We did stop for gas on the west side of town without incident. I ended up getting a vitamin water while I was there and we visited with a local who really wanted to sell us his mom's old BMW. Total stop time was less than 15 minutes, we had this stop thing down to a science.

Riding along I-90 in Washington was a real bore compared to the mountainous area of Idaho. But we trudged along as the temperatures started to rise. Previously in Montana and Idaho we had enjoyed 70's and lower. But now temps were climbing into the 80s. It was getting hot and dry. In Ritzville we finally left I-90 and headed south on 395. This was a real booster in moral because we knew we were done with the biggest stretch of the ride. Of course that meant we had the lesser roads to contend with as well.

The next gas stop was in Pasco, Washington after 126 miles. The stop was normal and really not memorable. We stopped, gassed, hit the bathrooms and went. It was a typical sub 15 minute stop.

After the stop was interestig though, as we had to go through the middle of Pasco. Stop light after stop light. The Zumo failed in the "Fastest Time" department because we could have taken a loop around if I had caught this routing blunder. Time wise it didn't impact us too much but it was tiring. We headed out of town on I-84 south to the state line.

At the state line I looped around and took a picture of the Washington state sign since we weren't able to get it on the way in. Then I snapped the boring green welcome to Oregon sign. This little dance around the bridges cost me a few minutes but then I caught back up with Reagan who was waiting up ahead for me.

I-84 ran into I-82 which we took west, straight into the sun in the afternoon. Oh joy! The ride on 84 was nice while it was along the river but it was still hot as temps near 90 degrees. And the speed, 65 miles per hour. Boring.....

Finally we reached Biggs Junction and our turn onto 97 which would take us into Redmond. Since we were passing a gas station we stopped a few miles earlier than Wasco, Or. Good thing to as Wasco wasn't completely on Hwy 97. The stop was easy and we both took a bio break. We had 122 miles left to go and it was all going to be on a two lane road through the country side.

I led us out then Reagan took the lead. The speed limit was 55 but that was really more of a suggestion than anything. We zipped along passing vehicles when the road permitted. There are lots of semis on that road and it wouldn't have been my preferred route to finish such a ride but it worked out OK.

We rolled into Redmond, stopped at the Chevron to get our final receipt and get off the clock. Reagan had ridden her first SS1000 in fine form. We then went to the hotel and checked in, unloaded the bikes and went next door for a late dinner.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 5

2010-07-13T19:16:00.001-05:00

This morning we got a late start because we didn't have so far to go. So we slept late, ate breakfast at Peggy's Place and then shipped some things from the Keystone Post Office. While at the post office we met a gentleman from Canada who works at the Can Am Spyder factory and he pointed out the part that he's responsible for building. That was sort of a cool way to start the morning. Reagan found out, there's a 50 percent chance that he actually worked on her bike. Cool.

We left Keystone on US 16 toward Deadwood. Then picked up 385 north toward Deadwood. The scenery was great, temperatures were cool and traffic was minimal most of the time. When we arrived in Deadwood we parked in the city parking garage and walked around the tourist section of town. Reagan wanted to show me where Wild Bill Hikcok was shot. Unfortunately the bar was closed for renovations so we couldn't go in. Although the sign said closed for renovations, it looked more like they had just closed and never reopened. But time will tell.

I was sort of turned off with Deadwood as it seemed all there were along the street were places selling bad motorcycle leather and junky western paraphernalia. And lots of casinos. We went inside a museum/casino to get some iced tea and see what was in the museum. There were lots of old cars and bikes from movies, plus various props, costumes and guitars signed by various artists. After a while, I decided to play a slot machine and stuck a dollar bill in and pressed the button to bet 3 credits. I didn't win but this strange button in the middle kept lighting up. I was unable to get my last credit to play or to get it back. So I just gave up and played another machine while Reagan was playing the slot machine ajacent to it.

Well a little old lady came walking by and asked if anyone was playing the slot machine I had just vacated. I told her I had been and that it was messed up because I couldn't get my last credit out. She told me it wasn't messed up and that she'd split the winnings with me 50/50. It turned out I had won a video bonus round at the top and was supposed to shoot some bottles with that button that kept lighting up. Thank goodness she knew what she was doing because she won 110 coins with that bonus round and then promptly cashed out the machine, handing me 55 quarters.

I played a few more rounds on other machines but then decided to cash in my luck. The cashier gave me $20 but before we could get out of there Reagan and I spent a few more dollars on the penny slots. Even so we walked out of there ahead. Even after the $8 it cost to park the 2 bikes we still had a few dollars left after the visit to Deadwood.

We left town via US 85 north and followed that all the way to Bowman, North Dakota. About 40 miles north of Belle Fourche, SD we stopped to gas up and get a bite to eat for lunch. This store was actually a small 6.5 acres town known as Crows Butte, SD. It's for sale if you are interested, I think the asking price was $248,000. You get a gas station with 1 pump (diesel and unleaded), 6.5 acres, some RV camping area, and the store has a little kitchen on the back. You'd truly be out in the boonies.

After lunch we continued on toward Bowman. We encountered some construction and had to wait on the pilot truck. Then we resumed our ride into North Dakota. We stopped in Bowman for a bio break and some more fuel. From here it was only 120 miles or so into Miles City so I knew we'd be ok even if we didn't see anymore gas stops. Which we didn't.

We headed west on US 12 from Bowman to Miles City. There was road construction along the way and again we got stopped due to a Pilot Truck but the line started moving just as we arrived so we didn't really have to wait on the Pilot truck. After the construction we had to pass some vehicles and then it was clear sailing into Miles City.

Thanks to the GPS, finding the hotel was a snap. We're staying at the Econolodge tonight just off of I-94. There's a 24 hours Exxon across the street and a family restaurant in the parking lot. There's even free guest laundry machines so we are taking care of laundry as I type. One other thing that makes this place a great stop is the friendly service. The young girl is friendly and helpful.

Today we travelled 316 miles with an elapsed time of 7 hours 48 minutes. We didn't even get on the road until 8:45 this morning but the temperature never seemed to get above 85. The only time I found it uncomfortable was when we were riding along in the second construction zone. At speeds of 10mph, with the bright sun blasting down on my black boots, I thought it was going to roast my left foot. But once we got back to regular cruising speeds it was nice and cool.

Tomorrow night we'll be in Redmond, Oregon. Reagan's plan is to leave the gas station by 5am. If all goes according to Reagan's plan, we'll be at the Super 8 by 8pm (10pm CDT). We are gaining an hour of day light thanks to the time shift, so the whole ride should happen in daylight with the exception of a few minutes in the morning. We will see.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 4

2010-07-12T20:48:00.001-05:00

Today we weren't traveling anywhere, it was a rest day and a chance to explore the area around Mt. Rushmore. We didn't get out of the parking lot until after 8:30 and then it was just a short ride up to Mt. Rushmore to explore the monument.

This was my second visit to the monument and I wanted to see all of the things I didn't see before. We walked the trail, visited the museum and the sculptors studio. The only difficulty we had was with the crowds. They just got in the way.

Next Reagan led me down to Wind Cave National Park with a slight detour to the town of Custer when she made a wrong turn. So we missed the Needles Highway. But we made it to Wind Cave and took the Fairground Tour. I was totally impressed with the cave.

After the cave tour, we realized we didn't have time to make the train tour back in Keystone so we took a leisurely ride back up to 16A and rode Iron Mountain road to get back to Keystone. Again, crowds of cars got in my way. Reagan and I have come to the conclusion that June through August are months in which you should stay away from National Park areas.

Today we only traveled 97 miles over an 8 hour period. I found some fun curves on 16A and a lot of people all over the roads. Hopefully Reagan and I will be able to enjoy National Parks in the off-season more often.

Tomorrow was are heading up to Miles City, MT. According to Garmin it's only going to be 312 miles so we're going to get a later start and we're stopping in Deadwood to see where Wild Bill (Or some Old west celebrity) was killed.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 3

2010-07-11T22:30:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Keystone, South Dakota just a few miles from Mt. Rushmore. We'll be staying here for a day to see the sights around the area and then continue on to Miles City Tuesday morning. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This morning I was awake before 5 so I got up and got ready. The plan was to take advantage of the free breakfast since they were supposed to have biscuits and gravy at 6am, then hit the road because I was worried about the distance versus time since we wouldn't be on interstate and I didn't realize we'd gain an hour crossing time zones. We were leaving town by 6:30 with a beautiful sunrise to the east. The sun was hidden behind a patch of clouds but the rest of the sky was clear so you could see a great startburst like pattern. We headed north on US 183.

When we got to I-80 we stopped at the truck stop to get Reagan a new antenna. This time I picked up a 3' fiberglass unit that was lighter than the 2' or 4' firesticks. While I installed the antenna Reagan was visiting with a local who found the Spyder to be interesting. Shocker! With the new antenna installed it was time to resume our travels up 183.

In Ansley we picked up Hwy 2 north, we stopped in Dunning for fuel at the local Sinclair. It definitely wasn't a state of the art gas station. It had the old analog dials on the pump and strangely Super Premium was cheaper than plain unleaded. I opted for the plain unleaded though thinking it was probably newer than the Super. After Reagan completed a riding gear correction, we resumed our travels. The temperature to this point was in the lower 70's and the sky was clear blue.

In Thedford we turned north onto US 83. When we reached Hwy 20 we turned left and continued north into Valentine where we stopped for a bio break. I picked the Shell/McDonalds figuring they'd have clean restrooms. What I hadn't planned on was the crazy number of people all over the place. As normal, somebody was interested in Reagan's Spyder. This time it was a lady from Beaumont, TX. My this is a small world.

After the break we took Hwy 83 north out of town heading for the South Dakota border. We stopped at the border for a state sign photo and then we were on indian reservation land. Oh how I hate reservation land. Speed limits usually suck, gas stations are spotty and service at them is usually slow. Well, a few miles onto the reservation we passed a gas station and I decided to stop since I wasn't sure when and where we'd find the next station while riding through reservation land. That was a good thing too, as we didn't find another station within 60 miles which would have really pushed the Spyder's range. Of course the station didn't have pay at the pump and the attendant was too stupid to turn on 2 pumps for 1 person. So much for a quick gas-n-go.

With full tanks we resumed our travels up 83 to White River where we headed west on 44 and then back into more reservation land. At least there weren't any reservation law enforcement present so we made decent time.

Finally off reservation lands we reached Hwy 377 and turned left into the very small town of Interior which apparently only comes alive for the Sturgis rally. There were several bars/grills and none of them looked like they had been open since last year's rally. It was after 12:00 and we were sort of hungry so we pressed on looking for a place to eat or a scenic overlook to stop at and share some snacks that we had on the bikes.

Although we had turned left onto 377 we were still on Hwy 44 and it took us through a small part of the Bad Lands National Park. I actually found a few curves, wow! At this point we knew were close to Rapid City and there was also a pretty nasty weather system up ahead. It wasn't a matter of if it was going to rain but rather when it was going to rain. Just as we rolled into Rapid City it started to spit on us. Reagan stopped for gas while I scouted for a place to eat and get out of the impending rain. We found a pub/grill next door to the gas station where we stayed for the next 2 hours waiting for 3pm so we could check into our hotel in Keystone.

As 3pm neared and it was obvious that the rain wasn't leaving, we geared up in our rain gear and headed over to Keystone. Traffic was moderate for a touristy place and we found our hotel without incident. Check in was easy and we even managed a parking place right outside our front door.

After getting everything inside, we opted to walk down to the Borglum Museum to learn a little bit more about Mt. Rushmore. By the time we were done I realized I really needed a nap so we walked back over to the hotel for a short nap. And after a decent nap, Reagan suggested we go over to Peggy's Place for some pie since neither of us were really hungry for a full dinner. Our waitress was from Texas and said she spent winters down in Victoria because it was too cold to stay up here.

After a nap and pie, I was ready to go see the metropolis of Keystone so we walked on into town. Lock up your wallets folks, for a town of only 311 they work really hard to separate you from your money with all sorts of touristy junk. But the walk was free and good for us. BTW: I'm wearing my new Tour Master Solutions boots and they are great for walking around as well as riding.

Like any good day, this day is ending with a cold beer while sitting outside with beautiful scenery. WiFi sucks at the Travel Lodge, but my Sprint Overdrive hotspot is here to save the day. Today we road 430 miles over 9 hours and 48 minutes. Considering the 2 hour stop in Rapid City, we made incredible time through reservation land.

Tomorrow Reagan is the tour guide for the area and she's asking me for my input. So I'd better wrap up this blog post.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 2

2010-07-10T17:49:00.001-05:00

Neither of us had a good night's sleep so we were up early this morning and pulling out of the hotel parking lot by 6. There was a Waffle House across the street and since there was a dense fog advisory in effect we decided to grab some breakfast before getting on the road. Breakfast was entertaining thanks to the cook behind the counter.

After breakfast we stopped by the Wal-Mart to get some WD-40 and waterproofing spray. It seems with all the rain yesterday one of my side case locks wouldn't accept the key completely. After a quick spray though, everything was good. So we pulled out of the parking lot and headed north and I-35 through Oklahoma City on up to Wichita, Kansas. Then we picked up I-135 to Salina. Along the way we stopped for fuel and Reagan realized the screw to her backrest had come out and fallen off. So we stopped in Salina to pickup a screw and get something to drink. Upon leaving the parking lot, Reagan hit a pot hole and her $50 rear reflector/license plate light cover broke off again. If I hadn't seen it myself I would never have believed it. I picked up the cover and tossed it in the top case and then left town. It looks like I can save the reflector with a little creativity.

After Salina, we took US-81 north. About 25 miles later I started checking for gas up ahead and didn't see anything coming up along the route. But a few miles off the route was Minneapolis and a quaint little gas station. So quaint in fact that it didn't even have pay at the pump but they did turn on the pumps without requiring us to go inside first. With full tanks it was time to get back on route.

We turned left onto US 24 west and stopped in Beloitt for a bio break and then decided to detour through town to find something to eat. We found a local hamburger joint where I had a Taco Tater and Reagan had a quarter pounder with cheese.

Then we resumed our route west to US 281 N then on up to US 36 W. Everything was going as planned until I saw the construction sign saying that US-183 was closed at the Nebraska border. It seems it wouldn't be a trip this year if we didn't get sent down some construction detour. At least this one didn't get up lost. So we went up Hwy 8 to Franklin, NE and then west on US 136.

When we rolled into Alma, NE we decided to stop for gas and a quick break. While stopped we visited with some other motorcyclists headed up to the Mt. Rushmore area. Then we all got on our motorcycles and got underway. The ride up 183 was a short one and it was easy to find the Super 8 as we rode into town.

In total we rode 463 miles today. Total time from start to finish was 9 hours. It was nice to get away from the interstate finally. Tomorrow we are heading to Keystone, SD and none of it is interstate.

Oh, two things I left out. We went through Cawker City, supposedly the home of the largest ball of twine. Well either a monster cat unraveled the ball or they need to get some better signs as we never found the ball of twine. Second, when we stopped in Alma for gas we discovered Reagan's antenna had broken off. Ooops! Apparently the rear of Reagan's bike is a dangerous area.

BMW Rally 2010 - Day 1

2010-07-09T20:01:00.001-05:00

It's finally time for this year's big summer trip. This year I won't be on the road for 35 days straight but I will be riding for 2 weeks with my sweetie pie and her Spyder. Last weekend I managed to work on the bikes and get everything ready to go. Yesterday evening I finally started packing.

This morning the plan was to leave at 7am. I personally had my doubts as we never seem to leave on time. But this morning we were ready to leave at 6:45. Just before we pulled out of the driveway, we checked the radios and found that my mic wasn't working. After some frustration and testing I figured out that my cable was messed up but that my co-rider cable was still in good shape. So the challenge was to quickly reroute the working cable to the rider position. This sort of a situation is a great example of why I don't mind spending the extra $30 for the J&M CB with the 2up option instead of the cheaper solo option.

As I began removing the side cases to disassemble the rear of the bike, I discovered that I had left my clothes in the house so this problem turned out to be a blessing for me as I would have gotten into Oklahoma before realizing I had left my clothes behind. After about 45 minutes I was buttoning up the rear of the bike and quickly eating a sausage McMuffin that Reagan had bought for me while I was working. We were finally ready to go, it was 7:45 as we left the house. This time with all of my luggage. A quick stop by the Exxon to fuel up and then we headed toward Houston on 59N.

The sky looked good and traffic was mild for 8am, so we took the beltway around town to I-45N. Then it was north to Dallas. Our first stop for gas was Woody's Smokehouse in Centerville. Exit 164 for anyone who doesn't know. As usual, Reagan became the Spyder ambassador as people wanted to ask her about her bike. A quick bio break, a phone call and we were ready to go again.

The weather continued to look good all the way through Dallas. For anyone who thinks traffic in Houston is horrible, they have never driven on I35 in Dallas. And if they have and still think Houston is worse, they are just delutional. I had several drivers just come over into my lane without any concern for me. In one case I was stuck splitting lanes as I had a large truck to my left. I'm starting to think a shotgun mount might be a good idea, kind of a Mad Max sort of thing.

We stopped north of Denton for gas and planned to eat at the Cracker Barrel, yet there was a long wait so we made some adjustments for the rain that was starting to fall and then continued north. The rain wasn't bad, merely enough to make the roads wet. We stopped in Ganesville at the Cracker Barrel (note: Take exit 501 not exit 500 as the billboards claim). By the time we were finished with lunch the rain was just a sprinkle.

As we crossed into Oklahoma the rain really started to come down so we pulled into the rest stop to allow Reagan the chance to put on her Frog Togg top. We opted not to put on the pants as we figured we'd just drive through it. Note to self, if you are going to put on the top, put on the pants. I also discovered that my waterproofing has worn off of my Olympia jacket since last winter, so I'm going to look for an Academy tomorrow and spray it down tomorrow night if I don't run into any rain late in the day tomorrow.

Just south of Ardmore, OK. we came upon some road construction that pushed us down to 1 lane. Then to make matters worse there was a wreck at the other end of the zone. Apparently Oklahoma doesn't have a steer-it, clear-it concept. There was a dually pickup truck that looked like it rear ended another truck and the dually was just left there in the roadway. With a Fire truck, State trooper and multiple construction trucks all standing around staring at the truck. OMG, push the dang thing out of the way and get traffic moving. Instead they had traffic backed up in both directions for miles. There must be some sort of cosmic karma thing about me getting stuck in the rain on an interstate in a construction zone because of a wreck. This sort of thing happened to me a few years ago in Georgia while I was trying to out run a tropical storm from Florida.

Just after 4pm we arrived in Norman, OK. at the Super 8. Fortunately I had made a reservation earlier in the week, apparently there's a tour bus or something that has taken up all the other rooms. We parked the bikes and unloaded. Then kicked back and relaxed for a little bit before going across the street to the Golden Corral for dinner.

Getting from Sugar Land to Norman, OK wasn't a difficult task. We took the interstate the whole way becase we want to get as far north as quickly as we can. This will give us 2 days to play around in South Dakota in the Mount Rushmore area. Today we covered 450 miles in 8 hours and 12 minutes. Gas stops were quick, only the lunch stop hurt our time. When Reagan does her SS1000 on Wednesday the plan is to not stop for lunch but just take a short break for an energy bar instead.

This is day 1 of 16. So far we are off to a pretty good start. Tomorrow night is Holdrege, NE.

CIW 2010 - Day 10

2010-05-25T17:38:00.001-05:00

Home at last, home at last....

This morning we wanted to get started at the crack of dawn so we could enjoy as much of the cool air as possible. We were packed and on the road by 6:15. This was the earliest departure of the entire trip. Over the winter, I got lazy on my start times. Now that we are into the summer heat, departure times need to be earlier.

Since we were on Hwy 59 I didn't even look at the GPS and headed south. Once under way I told the GPS to take us to Wild West in Katy and it promptly told me to turn around and run up to I-20 and over to 259. I ignored the GPS and continued down Hwy 59 toward Carthage. The air was crisp and cool, it was a great time to be riding.

In Carthage I took the loop around to the west and caught 317 over to Mt. Enterprise and Hwy 259. That saved me about 10 miles as opposed to continuing down 59. In Nacogdoches I caught up with Hwy 59 again and continued south to Diboll where we made our only gas stop for the day. It was the quickest of the entire trip as Reagan and I both wanted to get to Shepherd so we could have breakfast at Happy Days Diner. This has become one of our favorite stops along 59 this year.

When we left breakfast we also left the cooler air. It was above 80 degrees as we left the diner. There's not much to say about the ride after breakfast. When we got to Beltway 8 we took it to get over to Katy a little quicker. We arrived at Wild West around 10:30, purchased Reagan's extended warranty plus some other parts we needed for the bikes, and sat on a few bikes. When we finally left it was almost 11:30 and Reagan was ready to be home so we hustled on down the grand parkway to the house.

Total mileage today was 261 miles and it took us a little under 6 hours including the stop of breakfast and a little over an hour at Wild West. Starting early made the trip easier. Since Summer is here, that will definitely be the norm for the rest of the summer.

Total mileage for the trip was 2,858 miles over a 10 day period. We got to stop at several neat spots along the way. As always, we've just scratched the surface of some places and plan to return for further exploration in the future. Going to Memphis now may be a costly endeavour because I don't think it'll be same without staying at the Peabody hotel. And Reagan mentioned something about having a birthday party at the Peabody, I wonder how much an arm and a leg go for these days.

This trip sort of kicked off our summer. We've got another big trip planned for July and there's likely to be an overnighter in June in preparation for Reagan's SS1000 during the July trip. This trip gave Reagan some ideas for tweaking her bike to better fit her riding style and she found out riding without a hydration pack is definitely no fun. Check back soon to see where I'm off to next.

CIW 2010 - Day 9

2010-05-24T18:23:00.003-05:00

This morning we awoke before the alarm clock and were ready to leave by 7:15. We rode downtown for breakfast at the Branson Cafe with John and Lydia. I think this is the first cafe across the US to actually get my fried eggs cooked like I like them. Awesome!

By 8:30 we had said our good byes and were on the bikes heading out of town. The GPS said we'd be home by 7pm but that wasn't the destination. We planned to stop in Marshall, TX for the evening although I didn't make any reservations just in case we needed to stop sooner. So we headed down US 65 south and were surprised with some great twisites along the way, although traffic made it a little difficult to always enjoy.

At our first stop I mounted Reagan's hydration pack on top of her tank bag so she could keep herself hydrated. This seemed to help things by the next stop. The challenge however was that 50 miles later she needed a bio break.

Eventually we made it to Little Rock, picked up I-430 around to I-30 and continued toward Texarkanna. We stopped at a truck stop for gas and a bio break, but decided to look elsewhere for food as the place was a little on the lower end of sanitation standards. About 50 miles later we found a Travel America truck stop with a nice cafe. We spent about 50 minutes there eating and cooling off. We didn't fuel up since we had just fueled up 50 miles before.

When we got to Texarkana, we followed the detour to 59 south and kept going. Finally in Jefferson we made our last gas stop for the day. With full tanks and a bio break completed, we finished the ride through Marshall until we found the Super 8 on the south side of town.

Today's ride seem to run better with the hydration pak in easy reach for Reagan. Mileage for the day was 385 miles in 7 hours 50 minutes. That's a 49mph average, but I think we lost time today while figuring out the mount of the hydration pack and when we had to disassemble it to reload the bladder. At the end of the day, Reagan was certainly hot and tired but she wasn't nearly as dehydrated so we're making progress.

Tomorrow we'll be home after a short 233 mile trip. The plan is to get a very early start so we can hopefully get home before it gets so hot.

UPDATE: For dinner tonight we walked next door to a little building with the generic diner sign out side. We decided it must be open because the sign was lit. What a pleasant surprise this meal turned out to be. We met the new owner, he had just completed the sale today at 2pm. He was still trying to figure out where everything was and how to get things out together. But his enthusiasm was great. Next week he'll actually order his own food (as opposed to cooking the previous owner's inventory) and he'll be able to change the menu to make it his own. He told us he paid cash for the place and still has a little left over to remodel although he doesn't have enough to completely gut the place and start over. So at least in the beginning this place is going to feel like an old waffle house but I think he's going to make the place pretty special. So if you are heading to Marshall, check out the non-descript diner on the east side of 59 South between the Econo-lodge and the Super 8. Be sure to tell him you heard about his place from the internet. You'll likely be rewarded with a huge grin from ear to ear. And if he hasn't changed the menu too much, order the Fiesta Cheese sticks. They are very unique.

CIW 2010 - Day 8

2010-05-23T22:59:00.001-05:00

Today we are going to Branson to meet up with our friends John and Lydia who have a place there. The goal was to get there after 4pm so we didn't hustle as much as we should have to get on the road. Reagan had a breakfast shake and I took advantage of the free continental breakfast before we left.

By 8am we were on the road and leaving the hotel. This departure was really later than we should have left because the temperature was already rising. It was over 80 degrees as we left. The route was simple, I-80 back over to I-39 and then south to I-55 south.

We weren't on the road very long until the heat started to plague Reagan. Unfortunately before the trip began we hadn't sorted out where she was going to keep her hydration pack and she found she didn't like wearing it on her back because it was hot. So as the temperature rose she found herself getting more and more dehydrated. Our stops started getting longer and it was obvious that she wasn't going to make it to Branson without some changes.

So we got some water in her, got her cooled off, and then covered her in water from head to toe. Then we rode 50 miles and took another break. This time she looked better and felt a little better but the effects of dehydration had already occured. We repeated the process and got back on the road. Unfortunately I pressed a little too far on the next stop and she really needed to visit the bathroom by the time we arrived. We took extra time on the stop as it was lunch time and I wanted to make sure she cooled off and got some fluids in her. Then it was time to get back on the road. We still had over 150 miles left on I-55.

By now, we had a system that was working to keep Reagan riding. So we continued toward Branson on I-55 until we got to Springfield where we turned south onto US 65. From that point we only had 50 miles to complete for the day. When we got into Branson, the GPS led us through downtown Branson before we got to our destination.

It was decided that we would order some Italiam delivery so we went across the street to the supermarket for some beer. Then we went to their place and called it quits for the day. Final mileage was 488 miles in 9 hours 55 minutes. That's an average trip speed of 49mph which is low for interstate travel but pretty good considering the heat got to Reagan and it was her biggest mileage day to date on the Spyder.

CIW 2010 - Day 7

2010-05-22T21:56:00.002-05:00

Today the seminar ended around 5pm. It was a good seminar and I learned a few things about brain science that I didn't know before. It'll definitely change the way I do things in the classroom.

So with my business completed we hopped on the bikes and got out of town as quickly as possible. The route was I-94W to I-894 but some how I missed the 894 exit and we had to make a detour down South Moorland Drive instead. That took a few extra minutes but then we were able get on I-43S and resume the route as planned.

Eventually we reached I-39S and took that out of Wisconsin and into Illinois to our final destination for the evening, Peru, Il. We are staying at the Super 8, no surprise there. But when I made the reservation last night I failed to notice the web site switched me from non-smoking to smoking during the registration process. Oh well, just have to pay closer attention to that detail in the future.

We are doing laundry tonight as most of our riding clothes are dirty and there were no facilities for such an activity at the Hilton.

Just a note to riders in south east Wisconsin.... if you are a delusional Harley rider who thinks you don't have to be friendly to other motorcyclists... stay the hell out of the rest of the world. Honestly, HD riders up there won't wave at anybody and it's contagious to other brands as a result. If you can't celebrate the fact that other motorcycles (regardless of brand) are on the road with you then you've missed the fact of just how miniscule our numbers are (Less than 2% of vehicles on the road). We had to get into Illinois before riders started waiving again. That's just plain silly. Waiving is just good karma.

We only rode 163 miles in just under 3 hours today. But since we didn't get started until 5pm that worked out as planned. Tomorrow we are heading to Branson to meet up with John and Lydia. Monday we'll start the push toward home, either making it on Monday evening or Tuesday.

CIW 2010 - Day 5

2010-05-20T20:20:00.001-05:00

The final morning of the trip up and we got out of the hotel without much effort. Since we didn't have to be to the factory until 1pm we didn't rush so much and left the motel by 8:30 having already consumed a free continental breakfast.

The plan was simple, mostly interstate all the way up, and other than crossing the Mississippi on I-80 we weren't supposed to have any more interaction with the great river. Well that didn't work out so well. After leaving the motel and getting on I-74 we immediately saw signs saying I-80E was closed at the river bridge. Silly me, I continued on until I reached the bridge and then followed the detour signs all the way back down into Bettendorf almost to where we started. There we crossed the river on I-74 and continued until we found John Deere Rd. just before 280. In hind sight it would have been quicker to take 280 north to 80W and then catch I-88 but I was following the GPS which told me to go up John Deere Rd which eventually became I-88 as it crossed I-80.

From that point on we were on the originally planned route of interstate. We stopped for gas along I-88 near Ronald Reagan's birthplace. Just like every other stop on this trip, people had to ask about Reagan's bike. No one really cared about my old beat up BMW. It's just as well I guess.

From I-88 we took I-43 to Milwaukee. I was really bored with the ride, so Reagan was doing most of the leading with me in the rear handling navigation. When we got to town we went up to the Pilgrim Rd Power Plant Operations facility and took a tour. Folks up here don't know how to give a tour like they do in Kansas City. None the less, Reagan and I enjoyed seeing how the motors were made and assembled.

After the tour we got back on the bikes and headed downtown to the Hilton were the convention is. As usual, the attendee parking is on the street and highly disorganized. It's going to cost me $48 to park the bikes for two nights. At least the internet is free and seems to be of decent quality. We got a nice corner room on the 11th floor with a view of the city which means I probably won't need an alarm clock in the morning to wake up.

Here's a personal observation, I don't know if it's because we are on the east side of the Mississippi or because we are so far north or if it's because motorcyclists are afraid to take their hands off the handgrips but people up here don't wave. That's fine if they want to be rude, just so long as they keep their rude butts up here.

Today's ride covered 264 miles over a 6 hour 43 minute period from motel to hotel. That's not bad considering I got a factory tour and some customer crisis work in there as well. I'll be in the convention tomorrow so no ride report. Saturday we are leaving after the convention to save a few bucks on the room, especially with parking being $24/day. Sunday is the big day as we plan to put in 600 miles to get closer to home. Then Monday we'll find some back roads and possibly make it home. So check back here Saturday night for the next installment of the ride.

CIW 2010 - Day 4

2010-05-19T22:29:00.002-05:00

This morning the alarm went off at 6:30 but I was already awake so it didn't much matter. This had to be the loudest motel I've stayed at while on the road. I think I know what it's like to sleep under an overpass now. Needless to say, I won't be returning to this motel again.

We skipped the free continental breakfast and went next door to the Waffle House. Service was fast and the food was predictable. We finished breakfast and left the motel 10 minutes before 8. We didn't know what to expect with St. Louis traffic so we wanted to allow for plenty of time to get over to the arch. Traffic was a breeze and we arrived at the arch by 8:15.

We walked over to the north entrance and waited with 3 twenty-somethings that had gotten there before us. We made small talk and got to know one another as we passed the time and when the doors opened we ended up riding up to the top of the arch together. Afterwards, Reagan and I wandered around until 10:30 so we could watch the Louis and Clark Expedition movie before we left. It was very informative.

Once we'd seen everything there was to see, we returned to the bikes and left. Getting on I-70 this time was much easier since I now understood how the traffic flows in the area. We headed west on I-70 out of town until we got to hwy 79 and turned north. We followed this road up past Clarkville. We stopped in Louisianna, Mo for a snack by the river then we continued on Hwy 79 until we came to our first adventure of the day near Ashburn.

There was a sign saying the road was closed. The general detour was to take us over to Hwy 61 via Rte B and far away from the river. Luckily while we were taking a picture of the road closed sign, the mail lady pulled up and started talking to Reagan. She told her of the local detour which entailed a gravel road around the block. After last year's adventure on the Dalton Hwy of course I was game for a gravel road if Reagan was up for it. So we took the gravel road and found some fantastic scenery along the way. And we were rewarded on the other side with the best twisties of the entire trip. Hwy 79 north of Ashburn is definitely worth the ride.

When we got to Hanibal we picked up Hwy 61 and followed it north through Alexandria where we crossed over to Illinois and took hwy 96 north. I remembered this section of roadway from last year's trip and knew it would knock Reagan's socks off. And it did. We were riding right next to the river, in several places a wrong turn could have easily put the Spyder into Ol' Miss.

When we got to Dallas City, Il we encountered our second major road detour. This time I was content to follow the "through Truck" route until we determined we must have missed a sign. So we ended up on another gravel road for several miles, only this time the scenery wasn't as pretty and we were gettting tired. When we got back to Il 96 we took a break for a little bit and then continued on to Burlington, Ia where we made the final gas stop for the day.

After Burlington we followed Hwy 99 north until it met up with Hwy 61 again. From that point it was just a matter of riding until we got to Davenport and our motel. We were tired and we were away from the river so the scenery was just that of farm land. At that point it was just mileage that needed to be completed. So that's what we did.

We rolled into the motel parking lot around 7:15 and checked into the room without much hassle. Then it was time to change clothes and go in search of something to eat. We decided a little walking would do us good and there were lots of restaurants about a mile away so we headed off in that direction. Our first choice was a Japanese Steakhouse where they cooked hibachi style. It was a little pricey but I was getting tired and hungry so we decided to give it a try. After they seated us however they seemed to ignore us and never came to get our drink orders so we left. There were 2 mexican restaurants across the street so we dined at the closest one and had a nice meal.

From the time we left the motel in St. Louis until we reached our Davenport motel was 11 hours 28 minutes. During that time we traveled 356 miles with a few miles being on gravel. We found some great twisites and only had one mechanical issue. Reagan lost one of her highway pegs, ooops! The day was long, and I'm glad to be getting ready for bed, but it was a fun day for sure.

Tomorrow we have about 220 miles to get to the factory tour in Milwaukee between 1 and 3pm. We are taking the Interstate so we can be sure to get there by 1 and be able to run a leisurely pace along the way.

CIW 2010 - Day 3

2010-05-18T21:20:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Reagan, Happy Birthday to you!

Today was Reagan's birthday, that's why we stayed in the Peabody last night. I have to say for a high end luxury hotel this place was great. Besides the normal taxes and fees there weren't any other unexpected charges on the bill. Even the internet was free, that's uncommon in more expensive hotels. I wish we had more time to enjoy the hotel and the Memphis area but it was only a stop over for the night. So we packed up and headed out. We managed to get on the bikes and get rolling by 8:45 which surprised me since we got a late start and had the hassle of getting over to the bikes.

We left town along the river front which took us right up onto I-40. Then we took Hwy 300 north onto Hwy 51. Just as the day before, the plan was to get out of town and find a nice little country cafe for breakfast. Well after an hour of riding the best we could find was a place called Breakfast Cove which seemed like a Tennessee version of Waffle House. Service was marginal, the food was ok, and the prices were a little expensive.

After breakfast we adjusted our riding gear for the cooler temps and continued north on 51. In Dyersburgs we headed west on I-155 to get over to Missouri and take I-55 north for a few miles. When we stopped for gas, we decided to just head up I-55 and skip our ride along the river so we could get to the Gateway Arch in time to take the Tram ride to the top.

About 30 minutes south of St. Louis we stopped at Cracker Barrel for a late lunch as we planned to skip dinner tonight. According to the GPS, before the stop we were to arrive at the Arch by 2:30. After the stop however, the GPS showed our arrival to be just after 4pm. Ooops! I knew we were in trouble when we had to break out the Sprint Wifi hotspot so Reagan could take care of a client.

We did make it to the Arch just after 4 and parked in the parking garage at $6 per bike. We walked over to the arch and entered. When I went to the ticket counter I discovered that they had already sold out all the remaining rides on the Tram for the day. Oooops! So we bought tickets to see the movie on how the arch was built and we'll return tomorrow to ride the tram and maybe catch the other movie about Louis and Clarke.

After seeing today's movie, we got back on the bikes and headed to the northwest side of St. Louis by the airport where our motel was. I had booked the room on this side of town as we are continuing the route leaving St. Louis from this area. Oh well, best laid plans and such... Last year when I stayed in St. Louis I wasn't very pleased with the Super 8 because it wasn't close to any restaraunts and it was in a questionable part of town. But the rooms were clean and the property reasonably new. So this year I found another Super 8 on the same side of town. Well... this one is closer to a few restaurants and it's not in the hood, but the propery isn't in such great shape. The 2nd floor is missing carpet in the hallways. But the new carpet is rolled up in the lobby awaiting installation this week. So they are improving the place. I might give this place one more try the next time I come through town.

Today we traveled 326 miles over 9 hours 52 minutes. That included the 1 and a half hour stop at Cracker Barrel plus the visit to the Arch. With temperatures in the 60s and 70s all day long it was an easy ride. I wish I could bottle up these days and save them for rides in July and August when you are happy if it's 80 degrees when you start at the butt-crack of dawn.

Tomorrow we are back tracking to the Arch and it doesn't open until 9 so we definitely won't be getting a really early start. But we will be at the Arch before 9 to get the first Tram ride and to save $2/bike on parking with the early bird special. Look out Davenport, IA we are coming to your town tomorrow night.

CIW 2010 - Day 2

2010-05-17T17:50:00.000-05:00

This morning around 3:30 am we awoke to wind gusts up to 60mph. I was sort of wishing I had taken the hotel proprietor up on her offer of letting us park the bikes underneath the carport. But since my bike was covered I figured there wasn't much I could do without getting wet so I went back to sleep.

We were on the road by 8am as planned and started looking for food since there was nothing nearby the motel. The route started on US 165 heading toward Monroe. As we motored down the road I kept wondering if we would ever find a place to eat. All we found were fast food joints in strip centers. But we pressed on. Finally as we rolled into Columbia Heights we came upon Frances' Family Restaurant. Breakfast was affordable, the food was tasty and the service was friendly and fast. I even got to meet Miss Frances. She was tickled that we stopped at her restaurant this morning. If you are heading up 165, it's worth stopping to eat there. Good food, good value, good service, that's everything I want when I eat.

So with full stomachs we resumed our travels. The goal was to make Memphis before 5 so we could see the ducks at the Peabody. When we reached Bastrop we headed north onto 425 and then continued on 165. In Montrose we took business 82 east to get back to the river. In Greenville we turned onto Hwy 1. This kept us closer to the river. This section of highway was part of the Mississippi Great River Road. Finally in Friar Point we headed East on 61 which eventually turned North.

In Tunica we stopped at Sonic for some cherry lime-aids and chilly cheese tots. Since we were so close to Memphis and time was on our side we filled up in Tunica so we wouldn't have to worry about it in the morning. Then it was on into Mempis via 61. Be prepared for lots of stop and go coming into Memphis via 61 as there are so many lights along the way. A short ride on I-55 and then we took the Riverside exit and rode along the river until we got to Union Avenue and then found the Peabody.

Just like any old high end hotel in a downtown area, parking was difficult. But we got unloaded and checked in, then moved the bokes to the hotel parking area. Next time we'll come in on 2nd Avenue so we can at least pull into the area where the valet pickup/drop off is. Even with the parking challenges, we managed to get changed into street clothes, go to the hotel bar for a beer and see the ducks march back to the elevator from their day time duck fountain in the lobby.

We are heading out to Beale street to listen to some Blues and eat some BBQ. Since Rendevous is closed on Sunday and Monday, we'll have to find another place to eat. I doubt we're going to have any problems.

CIW 2010 - Day 1

2010-05-16T21:12:00.000-05:00

May is here and this year I'm supposed to attend the Harley Davidson Riders Edge Continuous Workshop (a.ka. CIW) being held in Milwaukee, WI. The home of all things HD. Whoopee!
It's a road trip though and the last time I attended the CIW in 2008 I completed my BBG1500, SS2000 and road the Tail of the Dragon on the way home. So while the workshop may be necessary for my instructor certification, the trip to and from is necessary for my mental well being.

Willie Nelson's song "On the road again" was the furthest thing from my mind today as we traveled down the road. What was going through my mind however was the disorganized client who is trying to move data centers without much real planning, another project that I'm struggling with to make profitable, and the exhaustion from catering last night's wedding reception of a friend's daughter. None the less we left town today.

The goal was to leave by noon, well by 1pm we finally hit the road. It's just par for the course now it seems, no matter how hard we try something always comes up and we are late getting on the road. None the less, we got on the road finally and headed up 59. The plan was to take 59 to Livingston and the go east on 190 through Woodville. We stopped in Woodville for gas and a break, leaving so late in the day meant we were riding in the hottest part of the day but since we had so much to do this morning we didn't have a choice. After the break we continued east on 190 to Jasper where we picked up 63 east When we crossed the Sabine river into Louisianna 63 turned into Hwy 8 and we followed it all the way to Leesville.

As we passed through Leesville, I kept an eye out for a red Suzuki Savage that used to be Reagan's. I didn't really expect to see it but it would have been funny if I had. In Leesville we picked up hwy 28 and continued east to Alexandria. We headed north on 165 and circumnavigated the metropolis of Alexandria. The GPS was telling me we were getting closer and closer to the motel so I started watching for open restaraunts in case there weren't any near the motel.

When we arrived at the Max Motel I was glad I had paid attention to my eating choices along the way. Because the closest thing to the motel was a Chevron station and a church. In the lobby there was a menu for the Magnolia Cafe but it turns out they are only open for Lunch and only during the week. Shucks, if my cooking was that good I might just open a restaraunt too, then again it might one of those places that "daddy" opened to give his kid some sort of a job. Who knows, I doubt I'll find out on this trip.

The motel is clean and the folks are friendly. We unpacked the bikes, sat down for a few minutes and then headed back down the road to Ball for mexican food. Reagan had the idea to order Fajitas and that was a superb decision. Afterwards we rode back up the road to the motel, cleaned up windshields and covered bikes. Then I started working on my computer and trying to get the Windows OS to read the Linux partition so I could get a file off. That didn't work but rebooting a few times got everything copied to where I needed.

There's going to be 5 days of traveling on the way up and just 2 and a half on the way home. So the site seeing will be happening this week. Tomorrow we are going to Memphis to stay at the Peabody, eat at Rendevous and walk down Bealle street. It's sort of part of Reagan's birthday celebration since Tuesday is her birthday. For her birthday we'll be going to St. Louis to see the Gateway arch.

I'm carrying my new GoPro HD camera with me and if I can get everything working, I should be able to put together a little video montage of our trip. Unfortunately I don't have a remote start/stop button for it, so I have to start it when we stop for a break and let it run until the next break. I think when/if I find myself in some fun twisties I'll stop and turn it on. At least I hope I remember to.

Oh, and our stats for the day? 272 miles over a 5 hour 24 minute period. According to the GPS we left the driveway at 12:46 but I know I sat in the parking lot of Academy for a few muintes before we actually got on the road. Tomorrow's route is 336 miles and estimated to take 7 hours. We are continuing up 165 to Monroe and then working our way over to the Mississipppi river. Then we are going to follow it up to Memphis while trying to stay close to the riverbank along the way. We'll see what happens. But the ducks walk at 5 and we have to be there for that per Reagan.

Arkansas Diamond Hunting - Day 4

2010-03-15T20:25:00.001-05:00

Today was the trip home. Like all trips I always hate the last day because I know at the end of the day I'll be home sleeping in my own bed and the ride is over. At least that's the plan.

We got a late start to breakfast because they didn't open until 7am although the sign on the door said they opened at 6am. They finally opened and we had breakfast. I tried the chocolate gravy which turned out pretty good.

After breakfast we geared up and headed out on 27 S. In Nashville, we picked up 278 and followed that over to I-30. Then it was down to Texarkana via the super slab. They are doing some major construction at the 59 and I-30 intersection. After several u-turns following the detour signs we found ourselves on 59 south heading toward Marshall. We stopped for gas and then resumed our travels. After Marshall we hopped onto I-20 to get over to Hwy 43 down to Henderson. Then it was 259 down to Nacogdoches.

As we approached Nacogdoches, we said our farewells to John and Lydia and split off so we could go through town and see Reagan's old apartment from college. Then we had lunch at Butcher Boys BBQ shack, I can't believe they were out of brisket. Really???

Once lunch was had, we went down to Lufkin to visit my grandmother for a little bit and then get on home. We topped off the tanks before leaving Lufkin and then Reagan took the lead. Everything was going along just fine until we were coming into Dibol. That's when the belt came lose and Reagan had to coast into the gas station. I was happy to see she was OK, so I started checking out the belt situation. Everything was fine until I got to the front sprocket. What front sprocket? It was missing.

I decided to run back up to Lufkin where there was a Can Am dealership. They had a trailer and went down to pick up the Spyder. I picked up Reagan and we rode back to the dealership to swap some things around. Before we left we me "Hair Smith" from Two Wheel Texans and talked to him about BMWs, rallies and his vision of a GS style Spyder.

We geared up and headed home, leaving her Spyder in the care of Lufkin power sports. Hopefully it'll get fixed soon. The ride home was uneventful.

The total for the day was 409 miles over a 10 hour 20 minute period. The trip was great, it met my standing rules of "No one goes to jail and no one goes to the hospital". In light of the visits to dealerships in the past 2 years I may have to add another part to my saying, "No one goes to jail, no one goes to the hospital, and no bikes left behind".

Another trip is in blog.

Arkansas Diamond Hunting - Day 3

2010-03-14T22:07:00.000-05:00

Last night was the time change so we lost an hour of sleep. As a result we decided to meet a little later for breakfast. At 9am we were walking across the street to Buddy's. I ordered the chocolate gravy but they were out of cocoa so I had to settle for plain gravy. It was OK but nothing special. The philly steak omelet was really good though.

After breakfast we all sort of broke up. Reagan had some office work to do, John and Lydia decided to hang out at the hotel and exercise the rocking chairs while I headed to Mt. Nebo. So I grabbed a few things from the room and headed out. The route to Mt. Nebo was simple, take Hwy 27 up to Nebo and then 155 up to the state park. Along the way I detoured down a gravel road to check out some acerage for sale. Never found the actual property for sale but enjoyed some great landscape down the 5 miles or so of gravel road that I travelled.

Once I completed my exercusion then it was back on Hwy 27 heading toward Mt. Nebo. As the road got more twisty my riding pace increased. When I got just outside of Nebo, the GPS took me down a backroad and I completely avoided the town on my way up to the park. The switchbacks going up to Mt. Nebo are some of the steepest I've ever seen anywhere. Make sure your bike is in a low gear and keep it under power or you just might find yourself falling over on the first right hander that's almost straight up.

When I got to the top, I followed the road until it ran out and then I got off the bike for a little bit to look around. It's a great scenic overlook and very peaceful. People don't seem to stay there very long. They just sort of pull up, look around and leave. It was almost as much fun to people watch as it was to view the scenery. Finally the chill of the wind started to bother me though and I decided it was time to leave.

Before departing I tried to reverse the route that John had sent me as the way up, which included going through hot Springs Village. Well somewhere in the conversion, the GPS got confusioned and tried to route me up to Alaska. Nope! That wouldn't work. So I browsed the map and figured I could take 155 down into Nebo, catch Hwy 7 south and then let the GPS route me back over to Murfreesboro when I got close to Hot Springs.

The ride down 7 was great when I didn't have cars, trucks and campers in front of me. Some quick passes usually took care of the slow moving traffic and I managed to straighten out a few of the twisties along that stretch of road. Definitely not a route I'd like to take with a group of riders as most passing situations were very quick with limited opportunities. Hwy 27 provided an equal number of twisties with far less traffic and law enforcement so that's the better route up to Nebo if you are coming from Murfreesboro.

I stopped in Hot Springs Village to fill up and then continued along my way. I was hoping to find a BBQ joint close to Hot Springs since I'd seen so many yesterday when riding into town. When I thought I was close to Hot Springs, I pulled up my Favorites and told the GPS to take me to the Queen of Diamonds hotel. Well it promptly told me to turn right on the next road which was another one of those rural neighborhood type roads. The farther down it I rode the rougher the road became. Finally the pavement disappeared all together and I was riding on a gravel road. Well I wasn't going to turn around so I pressed on hoping the road wouldn't get any worse. Luckily it finally turned back into pavement about 10 miles later and then I found myself pulling out onto Mountain Pine road and heading toward Hot Springs. So much for a shortcut I guess. In reviewing John's route I realized I would have needed to have to told the GPS to take me home, before I got to Hot Springs Village.

None the less, once on Mountain Pine Road I was again on his route and found myself on 270 and then exiting for Hwy 70 toward Glenwood. There was a BBQ joint right there at 270 and 70 but they were closed so I didn't get BBQ. I was less than an hour from the Hotel and it was after 3 so I just resigned myself to grabbing a snack when I got into town. The ride along US 70 was uneventful. In Glenwood it changed to Hwy 27 again and I knew I was only about 30 minutes away.

About 5 miles outside of town I saw the very distinctive head lights of a Spyder coming toward me and then I saw a pink jacket so I knew it was Reagan. I turned around and followed her back to the gravel road that I had explored earlier in the day. I figured she had gotten my text message and done some research. Nope, she just wanted to see for herself so we took off down the road. We explored all 3 possible routes and each time we were blocked by water crossings. The last of which wasn't too bad so I went ahead and checked the other side but found nothing. So we turned around and head toward town.

When we got to town we stopped at the Exxon so I could get a snack and Reagan decided to fill up. That's when I noticed her antenna had gotten damaged. Apparently she caught a tree or something while turning the Spyder around. Well, I headed back to the hotel with my coke and peanuts while Reagan went over to Sonic for a Cherry Limeade. I think Reagan will be investing in a cup holder soon, enough said.

Today's ride was great. I don't always get to venture out on my own when I'm traveling with a group so this was a change of pace. I was able to crank up the pace today and test out the Roadtec Z6 tires. Besides the front end still feeling "twitchy" I like the overall grip and think these tires may work out OK if the mileage improves. Otherwise, I'll go back to my tried and true Tourances that seem to do a little better on those gravel roads I kept finding myself on today.

I traveled 282 miles today over a 7 hour 14 minute period. Besides the stop at Mt. Nebo I really didn't stop anywhere along the way for any period of time. The treks down the gravel roads chewed up a lot of time, the first time down the property for sale road took 45 minutes by myself. The second time with Reagan we explored the various forks and that took an hour. Plus the 30 minutes I spent on a gravel road due to the GPS shortcut. That added up to quite a bit of time on gravel today and the tires performed well.

Tomorrow we are heading home, with plans to check out Reagan's old apartment building Nacogdoches and visit my grandmother in Lufkin along the way. So we will be getting an earleir start. Breakfast is at 6:30 and we'll be on the road by 7:30. We didn't find any diamonds this weekend but we did have fun and we have another place to come back to in our future travels.

Arkansas Diamond Hunting - Day 2

2010-03-13T20:37:00.000-06:00

This morning we woke up to a beautiful, sunny day. I made some comment about the sun while trying to find my sun glasses, the result of which must have hurt the Sun's feelings because it left us a little later in the day. Breakfast was taken care of with Buddy's Ranch House cafe across the street. For Reagan and I it was only $10. I don't remember when we both ate breakfast for just $10.

By the time we finished with Breakfast, got the bikes ready and got our gear on it was almost 10am. The first stop of the day was just two miles down the road at the Crater of Diamonds State Park. We went into the gift shop, read some displays and then tried our had at prospecting for a bit. Well let's just say I'm not going to have to worry about selling a huge diamond when I get back home. We didn't find any diamonds but we did find some neat rocks and had a good time doing it. Just before noon, we decided to head toward Hot Springs for lunch and maybe check out the National Park while we were there.

We took 27N out of Murfreesboro which runs into US 70 and that took us into Hot Springs. Once in town we found our way to Bath House road and found a parking lot to park the bikes. You can forget about parking your motorcycle where you can keep an eye on it. This is more a city environment with limited parking and plenty of walking. We ate lunch at a cute little place called the Colonial Pancake House were John and I tried their Colonial Sausage Cheeseburger. This was a lose patty of pan sauage, topped with a fried egg and pepper jack cheese. And it was really good, if I eat there again that's what I'll order. It was tasty and unique.

After lunch we walked down Bath House row and toured the visitor center/bath house museum. It was interesting and got me to wondering what museums 100 years from now will be saying about us today. I imagine they'll be talking about how slow and laid back our lives were....

When we finished the tour we realized it was getting late and we had an hour's ride back to Murfreesboro so we started heading back. By the time we got out of town it was 5:30 and the sun was setting. We hustled back the way we came on US 70 and then Hwy 27 into town. Once back at the motel we unloaded the bikes and then had an after-riding drink before dinner.

We walked across the street to Buddy's Ranch House cafe and ordered Hamburger Steak for dinner. All 4 of us basically ordered the same thing. It was our tribute meal to Fred. Afterwards we ordered various deserts including Bread Pudding, Ice Cream, Apple Cobler ala mode and brownie delight. Then it was back across the street for a night cap before calling it a day.

All in all, it was a great day. We only covered 121 miles today, but it took us 8 hours and 21 minutes to do it. Much of the day was actually spent off the bikes, digging, searching, walking, reading or watching a movie. But it was a fun day with a different twist. I do need to find a better boot for trips like this though. My current riding boots aren't good for lots of walking.

Tomorrow doesn't have anything planned. Reagan needs to get some work done that she couldn't do on Friday and John and Lydia are content to stay around the hotel and test out the rocking chairs. I think there are some twisties that need straightening so I may take off for Mt. Nebo or I may not. It just depends on the weather and my mood. Another option would be to go back to the diamond field in search of that big monster diamond. Tonight is the time change and we are eating breakfast a little later so I'll just have to see what time it is when I finish breakfast, then I'll figure out what I'm doing.

Arkansas Diamond Hunting - Day1

2010-03-12T21:14:00.001-06:00

Since last summer, John and I haven't been able to take a trip with girls so that's what we are doing. The trip has been in planning for a few months, making sure the dates were OK, that we could find a place to stay, and so forth. A lot of planning for a 4 day trip.

Last weekend I started getting the bikes ready. Now that Reagan has her own scooter I have the privilege of prepping 2 bikes before a trip. And it was determined that she probably needed a rear tire. Wild West didn't sound too confident with the tire change since they didn't have the tire in stock and didn't know how much the work would cost since they hadn't changed a tire on a Spyder before. So I decided to do it myself. OK, the tire change itself was reasonably easy, balancing it was only marginally harder as I had to get a longer steel rod from Lowes. The challenge was in getting the belt tension set and aligned. I bought a tension gauge from Napa and later discovered they had sold me the wrong one but I had damaged the gauge so I couldn't return it. I ended up using the "twist the belt 90 degrees" method of measurement. Then when I went to torque the rear axle nut I discovered my torque wrench didn't go to the desired 96ft/lb setting. I tried it without the torque wrench and just couldn't seem to get the belt to reliabily line up. After purchasing a torque wrench that went to 150ft/lbs I was able to quickly and easily align the belt in a matter of minutes. During the tire change fiasco I broke her CB antenna so had to replace that. And there was also a new windshield to install which was quick and easy, once we got the right size for her.

My bike also needed some work as my back tire had worn the tread smooth in the center. So I didn't want to risk getting up to Arkansas and then needing to find a rear tire. This time I'm trying a set of Metzler Roadtec Z6 sport touring tires to see if I can get better than my 9 ~ 11K miles with the tourances. The tire changes went pretty smooth with the exception of breaking the tire pressure monitor strap for the rear wheel. Since I didn't have a 17" hose clamp available, I just put the tire on without the monitor. When I get the new clamp, I'll break the tire down and reinstall it.

This morning finally arrived and we were scrambling to pack as that chore had been ignored all week due to work and bike prep. To top things off my stomach was very upset from last night's trip to BJ's Brewhouse where I had embibed in a few of their in-house stouts. Honestly, it wasn't a hang over, their beer just messes me up. Everytime I drink even one I feel horrible the next day. Hopefully this time I'll remember not to drink their in-house brews from now on. So we get things packed and get out the door by 7am. Great, we were supposed to be at Avalon by 7am to meet John and Lydia. Well I eventually get there and we have a nice leisurely breakfast.

By 8:30 we are on the bikes and leaving the Exxon at Dairy Ashford. The plan was to ride the 59 HOV lane into town, then follow 59 on up to Nacogdoches. That's what we did with a gas stop along the way in Dibol at the new Chevron on the south side of town. Once we got to the north side of Nacogdoches we took 259 north to Henderson where we took Hwy 43 toward Marshall. We ate lunch in downtown Marshall at Central Perks. It was probably the best grilled chicken salad I've had in a long time although I was nervous most of the time due to the abundant amount of antique stuff they had for sale. Luckily Reagan refrained from expanding her collection of antique items and we left only $20 lighter than when we had arrived.

Upon leaving Marshall we headed north on Hwy 59. We stopped in Jefferson to get gas for Reagan and then took 49 out of town to find some twisties. We took FM 248 to Bivins, and then 43 into Atlanta, TX where we met back up with Hwy 59 which took us into Texarkana. Now, for those readers who aren't familiar with John's navigation, he does not like the interstate highway system. It's a route of last resort as in, all other paved roads have been blown up or flooded and the only possible way to get somewhere is via the interstate. So when got to Texarkana we rode through town instead of taking the interstate loop around town. It probably only added 5 or 10 minutes to the ride though and it put us on Hwy 67 which parrallels I-30 for a spell.

When we got to Fulton we turned north onto Hwy 355 which is a nice 2 lane road with plenty of sweepers and the occasional 30mph sharp curve thrown in for a change. This led us into Mineral Springs where we picked up Hwy 27 and went through Nashville, AR toward Murfreesboro and the Queen of Diamonds Inn which would be our hotel for the weekend.

Overall we travelled 371 miles over 8 hours 51 minutes. The pace was anything but rapid, most of the time we were doing 5 under the speed limit. Even with the strong head wind I managed to get 40+ mpg at today's speed. Normal driving seems to yields numbers closer to 35mpg for me. This was a fun switch.

Reagan likes her new windshield and is happy with her handle bar risers (Good since I cut off the original bars). But like any motorcycle enthusiast, she's got a few more things that need tweaking. A top case for additional luggage capacity and definitely a Russell Day Long seat with a back rest. Maybe if we get the order in on Tuesday, she'll get her seat before we leave for Milwaukee in May. Definitely before we leave for the BMW rally in July.

Tomorrow I think we are going to hunt for diamonds in the field. Maybe we'll find a really big one that someone will pay us lots for. Then I could get everything Reagan wants for her bike plus a few other perks for it like the new Garmin Zumo 665 GPS. That better be one big rock!

BBFO'10 - Day 5

2010-02-02T17:28:00.001-06:00

No matter how long the trip is, it's always sort of a downer on the last day of the trip. This morning was no exception. When I woke up I knew that tomorrow I wouldn't be starting my day on the bike. While I was loading my bike, I realized that tomorrow I wouldn't be getting the day's clothes out of compression bags. And at breakfast I realized I wouldn't be eating with the same group of people tomorrow morning.

Now there was one great thing about this morning. My bike started with just the power of it's own battery. There was no need for a jump from another motorcycle. Hoooray!!! It's amazing what a 15 to 20 degrees rise in the temperature can do for my bike. None the less, I'm ordering an Odyssey battery for the bike today. Doing a google search on "r1200gs odyssey battery" shows a pictorial of someone fitting one of those into the GS. It should be fun.

We stayed at the Sorrels Inn in Rocksprings last night and there was a restaurant on the premises so that's where we had dinner last night and breakfast this morning. This mom & pop restaurant was like most places west of San Antonio, the meals for a table don't come out all at once. They come out in the order the cook does them. And today my bacon, egg and cheese sandwich was the last thing out, well except my hash browns which the cook had forgotten all together.

After breakfast we finished loading the bikes and took off. The plan was to ride down Hwy 55 to Uvalde, then follow Hwy 90 through San Antonio. And that's what we did. It was foggy until we got down to Uvalde and then just overcast and damp the rest of the day. We stopped at the same rest area that we stopped at on Friday, then it was back on the bikes through San Antonio. Our one and only gas stop of the day was in Seguin. When it was time to go, Randy, Dan and Doug weren't quite ready so they said they would catch up with us. So Fred, John and I took off on I-10 heading east.

When we got to FM 2438 we turned south to get down to Hwy 90 Alternate and then continued east. A few miles down the road Fred came on the radio saying something was wrong with his mirror and that he was going to pull over and tighten it up. Then he told John and I to keep going and he would catch up. Well I kept going and John stopped. That's the last I saw of the group for the day.

I continued on down the road to Eagle Lake. Just past town, there was an accident that had traffic blocked in both directions so I back tracked and took 3013 south toward Wharton. Then I turned left onto FM 1161 toward Hungerford to cut off a few miles. Then it was the home stretch up Hwy 59 into Sugar Land. From the time I left Eagle Lake until I got home it was raining and in the low 60's. So the trip started and ended the same way, in the rain and warm for this time of the year.

Total mileage for today was 357 miles ridden over 8 hours time. The whole trip had an accumulated total of 1,814 miles. Problems with the GS included the weak battery and the throttle lock not working correctly. But one thing that worked very well on this trip was the readjusted seat from RDL. This is the first long trip I've used it on since they redid it this fall and I have to say I'm very pleased with the changes.

Right now there aren't any big trips planned until May, but that doesn't mean Reagan and I won't try to sneak away to the hill country or something this spring.

BBFO'10 - Day 4

2010-02-01T20:06:00.001-06:00

OMG! The morning came way too early for me. Last night I stayed up too late and drank too much. What was I thinking. Well, if alcohol kills brain cells I should be smarter today as I'm sure I killed off a few weak ones.

As fast as I could, I tried to get packed up and ready to leave. I was working on the premise of a 7:45 departure but the gang had moved things up to 7:30. It was obvious that I was hurting so they waited for me to get my act together. With Dick giving me a jump start again this morning, and with me hustling as fast as I could we managed to leave a little after 7:30 and rode down to Marfa for breakfast.

The cool area helped me feel better but I was still really exhausted. We filled up in Marfa and then went over to Alice's Cafe where Doug and Fred had eaten on their "Out West" trip back in October. Wanting to get back on my diet I had a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of water.

After breakfast we headed east on Hwy 90 with the sun in our eyes. Just before we got to Marathon Fred asked if anyone wanted to stop and stretch their legs. Me me me!!! They stopped at the wall and I headed on up to the Shell station to use the restroom and get some fluids in me to help with my exhaustion. I drank some vitamin water and opened the peppermints I had purchased. Then it was back on the bike and back on the road.

I ended up following behind Dick and the farther we went the more exhausted I got. I knew it was going to be a rough day and I needed sleep. When we pulled into the gas station in Sanderson I asked Fred where the motel was in Rocksprings and then headed off on the fastest and more direct route I could find. The Zumo routed me along Hwy 90 to 277 just west of Del Rio and then onto 377 for the last 45 miles.

Leaving the group gave me a burst of energy as I was able to raise the pace a little and I wasn't staring at the back end of another bike. I had things like searching for deer, keeping my speed steady and such to keep my mind busy. After a while though, even that wasn't enough so I popped another peppermint. The temperature dropped into the 40s just east of Sanderson so stopping to take a quick power nap was out of the question.

When I got to Del Rio I was starting to feel the exhaustion, but with only an hour to go I knew I could make it. When I turned onto 377 though I realized the last 45 miles was going to be toughest. I was worn out and this was a 2 lane road prime for a deer vs motorcycle encounter. I slowed the pace a little to help with reaction time. Along the way I pulled over to eat a cliff bar and drink some water. As I stopped I saw deer across the fence looking at me. That was as close of an encounter as I wanted.

I finally made it into Rocksprings without any incidents and found the motel as Fred had described. The proprietor was an elderly fellow who was very helpful and checked me into my room. I was 2pm when I got into my room so I figured I had 2 hours to get some much needed rest. And just like clock work, at 4pm the guys came riding in and my nap was over. But that was the rest I needed.

The day's mileage was 322 miles in 6 and a half hours. The pace was definitely one of the faster days of the trip. I wish I had been able to stay with the group but I knew if I did I wouldn't have been able to make it to the motel. Maybe next time I'll get to explore the road north out of Comstock.

Oh, and next time I'm not staying up until the wee hours of the morning visiting and drinking. 10pm will be my cut off time from now on. Period!

BBFO'10 - Day 3

2010-01-31T23:59:00.000-06:00

This morning we had breakfast down the street at the Chuck Wagon. The group was a little smaller as some had decided to sleep in, so the waitress was able to handle getting food out reasonably quick.

After breakfast, people started breaking into various groups headed in various directions. Chuck decided that he wanted to split the ride home into 2 days so he was leaving. Doug, John, Fred and Dan wanted to check out the fort so they stuck around town. Gary, Tony, Ben, Dick, Andy and myself wanted to go ride the river road so we headed to Presidio to run it west to east.

I ended up ride leader so I tried to keep the pace just a little bit above the 75mph speed limit but not so far above as to worry about any law enforcement problems. We stopped in Marfa to top off the tanks and then continued down to Presidio. When we rolled into town we stopped off for a motel site survey. The Riatta Inn just north of town looks to be a newly built single story motel with a nice parking lot, friendly staff and clean rooms. The rate was less than $75/night for 2 people. They have wifi if you get one of the rooms closest to the office. It looks like next year we'll be staying in Presidio one night to allow folks to completely explore the park or wear out the river road if they like.

After the motel stop, we headed through town onto FM170. I told Andy to take the lead once we got on the river road because I didn't think I would be riding at his pace. Sure enough he passed me once we got out of town and Ben followed. They were definitely faster than me but they never really got out of site. The GS was sticking to the road and I was really having a good time. When we got to the look out point, everyone stopped to let the group gather back up. Gary and Tony were in the rear and they weren't very far behind.

With everyone together, we talked about what we wanted to do next. Gary and Tony wanted to go eat in the park at the Chisos Basin so we decided that's what we'd do. Of course, there was still some river road left over to Stude Butte so we geared up and took off with Andy and Ben in the lead. This time though, they never really got away from me. I hung with them the whole time and felt totally comfortable with the pace.

We stopped in Stude Butte for gas and then headed into the park. We got to the basin restaraunt by 1 and enjoyed a great lunch. Order the Texas Beef Chilli if you go to the park. It's not spicey unless you chop up the roasted jalepeno included on the plate. During lunch we talked about what to do next and Ben suggested going to Boquillas Canyon which is on the east side of the park. It was about 25 miles from the basin so we paid our bills and headed east.

Once we got to the canyon parking area I realized most of the group wouldn't be going to see the canyon as it required a hike up and over a hill. So Ben and I took off up the trail with Gary in tow while the others hung out watching the bikes. Gary decided he was done when he got to the top of the hill and turned around. Ben and I got all the way down to the river and walked up into the canyon until it got difficult to walk on the large river stones. I was getting nervous as there was a singing mexican across the river and once we passed him I saw a mexican pop up out of the weeds on our side of the river and then the singing mexican came across in a canoe. This was shaping up to be a bad situation.

Ben took some pictures of the canyon and we turned around. As we did there were more people walking toward the canyon so I relaxed and figured there were too many people for the mexicans to cause any problems. We hiked back up the trail and regrouped with the gang. It was 3:30 by the time we were done and with only 2 and half hours of day light left we started planning how to get back to Ft. Davis.

It was decided we'd go all the way across the park to Stude Butte as it was the shortest distance through the park, plus it would get the western travel done while the sun was still up and out of our eyes. Dick took the lead and picked the pace up above the 45mph limit. Since we had left the park rangers at the canyon and since it was Sunday we figured patrols would be light. Well, that didn't turn out to be true. Dick encountered another park ranger on the west side while he was going 60 but the ranger didn't seem to want to stop us and just kept going. I guess he knew we were leaving the park and maybe he realized we were racing against the sunset. Whatever the reason, we kept moving but did slow the pace a little.

In Stude Butte we stopped for gas and then it was back on the road running up 118 toward Alpine. I was in the lead at first until Andy just couldn't take it and he cranked up the speed and took off. I didn't feel like going over 80mph in a 75mph posted area. So I just let him go and no one else wanted to follow. We encountered 2 sheriff deputies with their radar on. I just knew Andy was pulled over but it wasn't the case. We finally caught up with Andy at the Border Patrol check point where he said he'd only been waiting for 3 minutes. He took the lead into Alpine and then on up to Ft. Davis. The last stretch from Alpine to Ft. Davis was the slowest I'd ever seen Andy ride. We were actually going under the posted speed limit as he was searching for any deer that wanted to jump out in front of us.

We pulled into the parking lot of the motel around 5:30. It had been a great day of riding with some spirited sections along the way. The day's mileage was 361 miles over an 11 hour period. Once everybody put up their bikes and changed into more comfortable attire there were adult beverages to be consumed. And since I had gone hiking I figured a sip or two wouldn't hurt much. Well I drained my flask and then started working on a bottle of crown. So much for my sip or two.....

BBFO'10 - Day 2

2010-01-30T21:43:00.001-06:00

Great news! Chuck rolled into the motel last night at 9:30pm. It was dark, cold and he was tired, but he made it. We walked across the street to get him some food from the deli. Then a little more visiting and we both crashed out.

This morning we were all up before the 6am alarm clock. I packed up the bike and visited while we waited for 7:30 to come. As it got close to time we all started our motorcycles. Well almost all of us. I tried cranking and cranking but the bike just wouldn't get started before the battery gave out. So then I started looking for jumper cables and Doug came to the rescue. Dan was the nearest with a running bike so he graciously pulled his access panel and we started my bike up without any problems. Folks were heading to the cafe and Gary told me if I wasn't there in 15 he wasn't coming back to check on me. Since it was so cold I figured I'd let the bike idle for 10 minutes or so to let the engine get really warm. I rode down to breakfast without incident and nervously ate breakfast. When I turned the key back on the temperature gauge hadn't moved a bit and it fired on the first try. I knew I'd be good for the day. Tomorrow might be another story but for the rest of the day I could enjoy my ride.

There's a saying among our group that when Fred gets up to put on his jacket you'd better get your gear on and be ready to ride. Well, I came up on the short end of the stick this morning after breakfast because he pulled out of town while I was still getting dressed. At least I had the bike running so I wasn't too worried and figured I'd eventually catch up with him. Chuck and Dan hung back with me and when we started cranking up the speed to catch them, Chuck was doing all he could to ring some speed out of that Vulcan 800. We did finally catch up with them before we got to Marathon where Fred stopped to let some of the bikes top off their tanks. Again I was the last one out because I ran inside for the restroom. It just wasn't shaping up to be my day. Chuck hung with the group so I was able to twist the throttle and catch up in a few miles.

We had turned onto 385 south in Marathon, and then turned left onto FM2627 to go to the Black Gap canyon. When we turned onto the road I saw a sign for the Hallie Stillwell Hall of Fame Museum. I thought it was odd to have a hall of fame museum out here so I keyed up the mic and asked if anyone knew who Hallie Stillwell was and why she had a Hall of Fame museum out here. Well Fred didn't let me down. He told us the Stillwells were a well known ranching family out in the area and they had been there a long time. Fred had met "Old Lady" Stillwell before she passed away. And told us that she served one mean burrito that had him and the bathroom on intimate terms for a week. (OK, those of you who know Fred realize he didn't say it quite that nicely.)

We stopped at the Stillwell Museum / Campground / General Store and then proceed down the road until it dead ended at the river. The group had spread out along the 20 mile stretch and by the time everyone had gotten down there a fella on his Harley pulled up and started visiting with us. It turned out he lived just up the hill and provided security for the wildlife management area. He invited us up to his landing strip for a better view of the area. It was a great view and I hope my Sony camera does it justice. The guy lived out there alone and I think he enjoyed the company as much as we enjoyed the view. But like all things when traveling with a large group, those of us who road up to the strip had to cut it short and get back down to the group.

The ride back out to US385 seemed to go quicker. Then we turned south and headed to Big Bend National Park. Now I'm no fan of traveling the 26 miles on the eastern side of the park and today I ended up as the caboose. But with just a little extra touch of throttle the ride seemed pleasant and I was pulling into Panther Junction about 30 minutes later. We took a short break, I'm sure for the guys in the front it seemed like they had been there 30 or 40 minutes already. Then it was time to ride west through the park and stop at Stude Butte for gas and some food. We decided not to stop for lunch at the Chisos Basin since we had at least 17 bikes and the restaraunt isn't the zippiest service in the area to begin with. But you don't ride in the park for the food anyway, it's the scenery that makes a 45mph speed limit bearable.

We rolled into Study Butte and stopped as planned. At first I wasn't going to eat but then decided that maybe a salad would be a good thing. I asked the waitress for a salad with grilled chicken. And she fixed me up with a great salad. It was huge but good. The Ft Bend riders decided to head up to Ft. Davis and call it quits for the day. That would end the day around 300 miles and get us off the road at 4:30 or so. Just before we got to Alpine the guys had pulled off for a break to wait for Chuck and I who were bringing up the rear. When I pulled over I announced that I need to spend some time in a bathroom (No I didn't say it that nicely either) and then I took out in a spirited manner. There's some great twisties on that 10 miles stretch of 118 going into Alpine.

My initial plan was to push for Ft. Davis where the motel was but, I saw the golden arches when I got to Alpine so I figured that would be acceptable. 10 or 15 minutes later I was back on my bike and heard the guys on the radio. I pulled some money out of a near by ATM and then stopped at AutoZone to get some parts to work on my throttle lock issue. Then I hussled toward Ft. Davis trying to catch Chuck who was bringing up the rear. It turned out that I didn't catch him until he stop at the Exxon gas station in Ft. Davis. I guess I spent more time than I thought at Autozone.

We checked into the motel and then unpacked. Tony let me borrow his Battery Tender Jr to see if it can keep the battery charged up over night. I'm hoping it'll crank in the morning without incident. Then while everyone was sitting around imbibing adult beverages I worked on my throttle lock. I had a washer that was just a little too large and needed to be filed down. That seemed to take longer then planned but I got it done while the sun was still up. Then I made a hot cup of tea and joined the conversations.

Some of the parts of the ride weren't at quite the spirited pace that I like to ride when I'm out here. But other parts were great and spirited. Then there was the bumpy start to the day that made wonder if I was even going to stay out here this weekend or give up. I came to my senses quickly enough though. All in all, it was a great day today and I had fun. We rode 309 miles over the course of 9 hours. No one went to the hospital and no one went to jail. This was a good day in my book.

I think the nearly 800 miles Chuck put in over the course of the past 2 days has worn his butt out. He's talking about leaving tomorrow and splitting up the ride home over 2 days. But he came and he road more miles on the Vulcan in a weekend then he's done since he bought the bike.

BBFO'10 - Day 1

2010-01-29T21:33:00.001-06:00

Don't let the title fool you, this won't be an epic month long journey, only a 5 day trip. But considering the time of the year and the little things wrong with my bike that's probably a good thing. More about bike issues later.

This weekend is the annual Big Bend Freeze Out, aka the BBFO. Fred says he's been coming out to the area for at least 24 years. When he's feeling nostalgic he'll talk about what it used to be like out here and how much it's grown up over the years. To listen to him talk the River Road (FM170) wasn't much more than a dirt road back in the day. Now it's a fun, twisty 2 lane with the occasional patch of gravel in the corner. This will be my third year coming out here, I've been looking forward to this trip for months.

Just like any night before a trip, I had a very fitful night's sleep. I had set my alarm clock for 4:15 with plans to leave by 5am. Well, at 1:15 I woke up ready to leave because in my dream I had over slept. The next 3 hours were an excercise in futility but I figured it was best to try and rest as much as I could. When the alarm finally went off I sprung out of bed and got dressed. Everything was packed on the bike so there was no reason I shouldn't have been able leave on time. That is except I sat down in front of my computer, oops! The next thing I know it's 5am and I still have to move Reagan's bike out of the way, gear up and go. I kissed Reagan good bye and ran out to the garage. By 5:15 I was on the bike and pulling out of the drive way.

It seemed like I hit every light along 90A and 99 leaving the Sugar Land area. Plus it was raining so visibility wasn't great in the dark. On more than one occasion I ended up behind slow drivers taking up both lanes of the road. I wasn't so annoyed at the slow drivers as I was with myself because I hadn't filled up the night before and I didn't want to be the reason the group got a late start. I finally made it to Brookshire a few minutes before 6am and filled up my tank. I had passed Andy along the way so I knew we had at least one more rider to wait for. He was at the pump before I finished filling up.

At 6:03am, in the dark and with a light rain, 6 of us donned our rain gear and mounted our motorcycles. The first leg of trip was 60 miles to Schulenburg for breakfast at Franks. Since I hadn't been at a Sunday breakfast many weeks earlier I was assigned to be the ride leader. So I set the pace and tried not to run into anything in the dark. When I left my house it was around 65 degrees, when we were still 30 miles away from Franks it had fallen into the upper 40's. I was OK, but not exceptionally warm. As planned we got to Franks about 7am and they were open for business.

Breakfast was good and service was quick. While we ate the rain let up and the skys seem to clear a little but the temperature was falling. Everyone decided to put on their electrics and change out some layers. Then it was back on the bikes and down the road. The next stop would be the Bucky's gas station in Lulling as Tony needed gas sooner than the planned stop in Seguin. The rain had all but stopped for this leg of the trip and the sun was coming up although it was hidden behind the dense cloud cover. At least we were able to see the road as the wind knocked us around.

We arrived in Lulling and pulled off of I-10. For those who have never been to a Bucky's, it's a mega-gas station for automobiles. They don't cater to semis like truck stops do. The nice part about stopping at a Bucky's is there are plenty of pumps and the restrooms are very clean. So everybody was able to get to a pump and fill up pretty quickly. Gary and I finished first and moved our bikes out of the way. We walked under some cover 10 feet or so away from the bikes and then when it appeared no one needed to go inside for any reason we began to get ready to leave. This is where the first comedy routine of the day occured. Appearantly when Gary got off his bike he put his key in his right pants pocket, or so he thought. When he couldn't find his keys several of us began searching all through out his bike and around it on the ground but there were no keys. He checked his pockets and his rain suit several times without luck. Finally Doug started to pat him down like a police officer would do a criminal and Doug found the keys in the bottom of the right leg of Gary's Frog Toggs. It was entertaining to watch, I wish I had thought to pull out my phone and take a movie.

So with keys found and bikes running we pulled out of Lulling and resumed out westward trip on I-10. The wind knocked us around but the sky was clearing and the roads were drying. When we were still a few miles east of San Antonio we saw a rainbow to the north east. The sky was getting bluer and bluer by the mile.

In San Antonio we picked up 90 and continued west toward Sanderson. We stopped at the rest stop a few miles west of Hondo. As with most state rest stops, this one had WiFi so I pulled out my netbook and checked on the other group who had left the day before. They were a few hours ahead of us but the plan was to meet up with them at the Pecos river. From the rest area, our next stop would be Brackettville for the final fuel stop and to grab stuff to eat at the Pecos river over look.

It always seems to amaze me when I ride through towns in West Texas. It seems like people out here haven't seen motorcycles before. I wonder what sort of reaction Reagan's Spyder would get. I mean when I'm riding through town and people are staring at me it sort of makes me nervous. But I digress, our ride to this point was pretty uneventful. We got through Del Rio with only 1 wrong turn and that wasn't really a wrong turn so much as it was a delayed turn. We rolled into Bracketteville and stopped at the Valero for gas and snacks.

As guys would fill up their bikes they would move them out of the way. By the time I finished and moved away from the pump, Gary was already taking off his gear to make some adjustments. he was trying to put on some suspenders and had himself all tangled up. It was quite a site to see, finally it was Doug to the rescue (again). I had gotten a report from Fred and the other group that it was too windy for them to stay at the Pecos river so they were heading up the road to Langtry. Then the question was what did everyone want to do for lunch? The decision was made to eat next door at the Crazy Chicken Grill.

Now the Crazy Chicken Grill isn't some high class fancy smancy joint like you might find in a metropolis. No this was a country grill built on to the side of a gas station. The waitress/clerk took your order and just over her shoulder was the fry cook with a large flat skillet top and a deep fryer. The waitress talked me into the fajita special instead of the taco salad. Diet? What diet? I don't need no stinking diet....

Well the food came out slowly at first but everyone finally got what they ordered. The conversation went from the president's speech to alternative energy sources to the silliness of making ethanol. It was quite and interesting lunch. Oh, and the food was decent.

With everyone fed and the bikes filled, we hopped back on 90 heading west toward Langtry. The wind seemed to have increased it's intensity for that last stretch and I was feeling it. Along the way, Gary comes on the radio asking if something fell off his bike. Then I hear Doug confirming that indeed something had and he was picking it up. "Dougie" to the rescue! Andy and Dan come on up to where I'm stopped and tell me we are to go on and that Gary, Doug and Tony will catch up. So we take off and a few minutes later I hear Gary talking on the radio and a few minutes after that we are all back together at the Pecos river bridge where they are still doing construction a year later. After a breif wait at an automated traffic light for a one lane bridge, we resume our travels.

We took the turn off for Langtry and pulled up to the Judge Roy Bean Museum. One of these days when I have time I'd like to come back out and check it out, but today was not that time. But there was time for a bio break and then our small group of 6 became a larger group of 9 with Fred in the lead.

I hung toward the back and just watched the country side as the miles rolled on. With the exception of passing one orange Schieder semi it really wasn't an eventful ride. We pulled into Sanderson just after 4pm and checked into the Outback Oasis Motel, then went across the street to the gas station to fill up. The day's ride had come to an end, for my group it was a 433 mile, 10 hour 44 minute trip together.

As time passed in the late afternoon more and more of this year's group showed up. I got to see people I'd met from past rides and met some new folks too. But the one person that was missing was my buddy from Ft. Worth.

A quick blurb about Chuck, my buddy from Ft. Worth. He called me this morning at 8:45am to say he was just leaving. And then he called me at 4:20pm saying he was in Brady, TX and the GPS told him he had another 4 hours to go but he didn't believe it. Huh??? It took almost 8 hours to go from Ft. Worth to Brady? I'm no routing genius but that's about 200 miles and should've only taken 4 hours, maybe 5 with long breaks. But it had taken him almost 8hrs and the GPS was saying he still had 4 hours to reach Sanderson. As I write this it's 5 hours since he called from Brady and there's no sign of him around here. Chuck is a big boy and hopefully has the common sense to pull over for the night and find a place to stay. As it is he's riding at night, in the cold, without electrics, in deer country. Any 2 of these ingredients can spell disaster, all 4 are definitely not good. I'm hoping to have a funny update for you on Chuck's adventure in tomorrow post.

Well the guys have contacted the cafe owner down the street and she's agreed to open tomorrow morning at 7:30 for breakfast so it's side stands up at 7:30. Fortunately it's only 3 blocks down the road. But since I didn't get much sleep last night and because I'm tired from today's ride I think it prudent to get some sleep now.

Oh and one more thing. The wifi internet at the Outback Oasis Motel is squirrelly. At first it worked fine when we got here. Then there were problems on the eastern side of the property. Now there's problems on the western side of the property. I don't know what they've got here but it's definitely not very good if it can't handle a few netbooks at one time. Thank goodness I have my sprint card, or this post wouldn't get published tonight.

AK '09 - Post Trip Wrap Up

2010-01-23T14:22:00.002-06:00

OK, so I have to apologize to those folks who were following the blog as I meant to finish this trip write up back in November. Why November you ask when Reagan and I arrived home in July. Simple really, I didn't get my bike back until November 4th. Yep, I was without my beloved ride for 4 months. And then with work, motorcyle teaching, deer season, Nascar and a little surgery I found myself all the way into December with a bike sitting in the garage that still needed to be rewired following the brutal disassembly performed in the Fairbanks BMW parking lot back in July. Not to mention I had to fix a few things damaged by Fairbanks BMW when they crated my bike up.

So what happened to the bike, what was the final prognosis? In the end I got a new transmission out of the deal but it wasn't all that easy. First the the bike didn't get to Wild West BMW in Katy, TX until August 28th. Yep, it took almost 2 months to get it home, folks in Alaska don't seem to get in a hurry to do anything. Sort of like Mexico, only colder. The dealership was nice enough to help me un-crate it and gave me some space to reassemble things as I needed to repair the fuel connector that was broken in our parking lot work. Once everything was put back together Dan, the service manager, put some gas in the tank and we fired it up. When I let the clutch out in neutral Dan grimaced and I knew it was bad. He said their tech had just recently completed the training to rebuild R1200 transmissions and he'd get the parts ordered. In the days that followed I sent him the warranty info and he got the repair approved by the company.

It took a few weeks for the parts to arrive and then more time for them to complete the work. Then in the first week of October I got the news that the work had been completed but the noise was still there. It was more than just some bad bearings. It took a few weeks for them to measure all the parts and discuss the problem with BMW North America before it was decided that a new transmission would have to be installed since some of the damaged parts were not available from BMW. So Dan got the approval from the warranty company and the transmission was ordered. Finally on November 4th, I got the word that the bike had passed it's post repair inspection and I could come get it. As I was leaving town later that day, I rushed over there with John's help and picked up the bike. Dan wasn't in the office so it was unknown how much of the $5,550 bill I actually needed to pay. They let me take the bike on the promise that I would square things up with Dan. The ride home was wonderful, I had my motorcycle back finally.

It wasn't until December that Dan got back to me on a final cost for the repair work they had done. As it turns out, the warranty company (MPP Company, Inc. aka Pinnacle Protection Plans) refused to pay for the initial repair attempt but did pay for the transmission replacement. Their lack of honor in the deal was so bad, that supposedly the dealership has stopped selling their warranty plans and won't try to rebuild any more R1200 transmissions. I paid for some of the parts and Dan said he would recoup the rest of the costs by parting out the old transmission, it was an amicable deal for both of us. I'm hoping this will be the last warranty claim I have on the bike until I get a new one in 2012. I've certainly saved money with the purchase of this extended warranty, and I don't want to see if Dan is willing to take on another warranty claim with Pinnacle.

So, now that you've read about the repair saga I can finally give you the numbers about the trip.

Total Mileage: 13,183 miles
BMW Mileage: 8,083 miles
Spyder Mileage: 5,098 miles
Tires used on the BMW: 2 front, and 2 rears
Tires used on the Spyder: Still on the original set, 10,000+ on the odometer
Days on the Road: 36
Cost of Fuel: I don't want to know
Cost of Rooms: Who cares! I was on the road for over a month.

Since returning, Reagan has really enjoyed her Spyder. By the time we returned home there was no doubt that she would be keeping it. She's taken several day trips on it and we even road up to see my parents on Christmas Eve. Boy! was that a cold ride home. The Spyder is now a part of the normal vehicle choice even, since Reagan changed jobs, she's now able to ride it to work when she wants to. She even let's me ride it now and again, but that may just be so I'll put gas in it. ;)

Talk is already under way for another trip back to Alaska in 2012. The group will have some different faces and a few of the same. The key difference will be the time spent. As part of the trip, I want to take 29 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes travelling from Key West, FL. to Dead Horse, AK. so I can say I did it twice and the second time I was able to see a lot along the way. Shucks, I might even turn it into a Four Corners ride on the way up but I'll have to see how it goes. I'm putting together the paper work today to get my UCC ride certified. I'm not concerned about the time, as far as I'm concerned it took 12 days to get there. But I'd like to get the certificate saying I completed the ride.

There's no Iron Butt rides planned for this year. I'm focused on my work so we can stash some cash hopefully. I do have some fun rides coming up like next weekend's BBFO (Big Bend Freeze Out) and this summer Reagan and I are hoping to attend the BMW Rally in Oregon. And then there's the Harley Davidson CIW instructors workshop in May. So there will definitely be more trips to read about in 2010 but I'm afraid the next month plus long trip won't be for a year or two. I'm working on it though, especially now that Reagan has her on bike.

AK '09 - Day 36

2009-07-26T20:58:00.000-05:00

The last day of the trip and I over slept. Last night I had forgot to turn my phone service on instead of just powering up the pda portion of the phone. Actually I had gone the past 4 days without cell service and started liking it. Luckily mother-nature kicked in and I woke up at 5:30 and noticed the time. I scrambled out of bed to get a shower while Reagan rushed to pack. Somehow we managed to get everything packed, loaded and walked down to breakfast at 6:05. She was right, I did like the fluffy bed at the Hampton Inn.

Reagan wanted to take the first shift as rider so I hopped on back and we headed out of town on Hwy 62 south. It was early in the morning and the sun was just starting to rise so John kept the pace slow to watch for deer. And deer we saw, too. We even saw a confused calf that was trying to figure out how to get back to the other side of the fence.

One thing about today, it was hot when we started. The wind was blowing and it was already 77 degrees. So much for the cool, refreshing days I had experienced only days before. So we continued down 62 to Hamilton where we stopped for a restroom break. It was a good chance to stretch my legs too. John and I figured the next stop would be just south of Abilene to fuel up and pick up a lost mug of Fred's.

As we rode into Abilene, John's GPS went on the fritz and we had to do a u-turn. In doing so we go separated so Reagan and I resumed the route as it showed on the Zumo. After we passed the airport on Hwy 36 south we started looking for a gas station 7 miles down the road. There was no gas station to be found so we didn't stop. Unfortuntately we didn't have much gas left and we began to wonder if we'd make it to Cross Plains or not. We pushed on, and luckily we made it with 0.8 gallons of gas left. Jphn and Lydia had caught up to us a few miles south of Abilene.

With a full tank of gas and restroom breaks taken, I took the rider seat for a while. The route was simple, from Abilene we were taking Hwy 36 south to Rosenberg. The road was straight and the scenery boring compared the wonders I'd seen over the past month. Plus with the high temperatures it was just a ride to get done.

We stopped along the way for a restroom break and then finally stopped in Cameron for lunch and fuel at the Shell station on the south side of town. There was a BBQ joint attached to it and they actually served pretty decent 'Q. It's not ride worthy like Snow's in Lexington but it's not bad for a person who has been away from Texas BBQ for a month.

Reagan took the rider's seat after lunch so I sat on the back and listen to the Nascar race. By now it was 104 degrees outside. We had 2 hours of riding left and it was just a matter of toughing it out. The seat was truely a pain in my butt, but we were almost home.

In Bellville, John stopped at the Shell to get some fluids and I took the chance to hit the restroom. I didn't realize I had been drinking so much water. But later Reagan informed me that I had drank almost all of the 3 liter camelback on the back of the bike. Ooops, if I had known I would have bought more water at the Shell.

I took over for the last stretch to the house as Reagan was hot and wanted to share the driving duties with me. She had pretty much driven more than half the day already. So I hopped in the rider seat and we took off on 36. I'm not for sure if we got bad gas in Cameron or if there's a tuning issue with the lower altitude but I noticed a slight sputter after leaving Bellville. I plan to run some premium through it and talk to the dealership to see if there's any computer changes that are necessary.

So we trudged down Hwy 36 until we got to the Spur 10 and took that over to Hwy 59. Then it was north a short ways before exiting for the house and finally pulling into our driveway again. It took 2 bikes, and 36 days but I had traveled over 13,000 miles of the country with very little back tracking on the same roads.

After figuring out how to fit the Spyder in the garage (will have to clean out more to fit the GS in there too) we unpacked and got our showers. It was nice to pick clothes out of my dresser instead of a bag, and it was nice to take a shower in my own bathroom.

We went to dinner at Gringos and found ourselves in the bar as there was space available and we wanted cold beer. Well the beer wasn't cold enough but the bartender was helpful. After we ordered it sort of started getting crowded with people of african ethnicity and self entitlement issues. Reagan and I both came to the same conclusion, neither one of us like Houston any more. It's too darn crowded and we're talking about the suburbs. Jobs are keeping us here for now but that won't be forever.

In the next few days, after the flood of whailing and requests from my clients subside, I plan to write a recap about what stuff I took, what worked, what didn't, what I will do different next time (yes I'm going back to Prudhoe bay) and general numbers about the trip. At some point in the next month or so I'll also post the resolution of the GS transmission failure and it's outcome. Since Reagan and I are already planning a Big Bend trip in October I'm hoping to have it back before then so I can put things back together. Otherwise, I'm going to really have an iron butt after riding that little Savage out there and back.

It's good to be home, even if it's hot and crowded, my bed, my computer and all my junk is here. I'm home!

AK '09 - Day 35

2009-07-25T19:55:00.000-05:00

The last full day on the road, tomorrow night I'll be sleeping in my own bed. But I'm getting ahead of myself, I need to talk about today.

Since we had 518 miles to go, we decided to get an early start. The plan was to leave by 6am, we were pulling out of the gas station at 6:01. Not bad.

I took the first shift as rider because I was concerned about deer. We left town on Hwy 50 and then turned south onto Hwy 69. The road had plenty of twists and turns in it as we worked our way between mountains. It was also very comfortable as the temperature was in the mid 50s.

We stopped in Westcliffe for breakfast, and although it was 7am no one seemed to be open. Luckily we found a little bakery that was open and enjoyed a great breakfast of baked goods. While eating outside we talked to a few folks and it became apparent that we had chosen the right place to stop as the place was beginning to get busier the longer we stayed.

Reagan took over as the rider after breakfast and we headed out of town on Hwy 69 after making a quick pit stop at the gas station. The temperature was rising, after breakfast we were already into the 70's I knew it was only going to get hotter as we went south. The ride was uneventful except for the Antelope and Bucks that we saw along the road side. The farther south we went the fewer mountains we saw.

At Walsen we hopped on I-25 continuing our journey south. We crossed the New Mexico state line with Reagan in the rider's seat. Then in Raton we took Hwy 64 east and left the interstate behind. We stopped in Clayton at the DQ and had an early lunch. Warning, if you order the crispy chicken wraps for $1.49 be sure to get 2 or 3. One is just a snack.

After lunch I took the rider's seat as we continued on 64. We crossed into Texas at Texline and I was finally back in my home state after 35 days. Woohoo! But then I realized I was in the panhandle area where the roads are straight, the wind is steady and the air smells of feed lots.

We trudged down the road until we got to Vega where we stopped for gas. Then we picked up I-40 east through Amarillo. Then south on 287 toward Childress. In Amarillo it was 100 degrees and when we finally stopped for a break at the rest area 30 miles west of Childress it was 104 degrees.

After a rest room break, bottled water break and soaking up some A/C we headed back out to the bikes. With 30 miles to go we pressed on. The temperature rose to 105 before we rolled into town. The Hampton was easy to spot, we pulled in and found some shade while the girls checked us in.

After unloading the bikes and having a drink, we walked across the street to a Mexican restaurant. It turns out the county just went wet and most places haven't gotten their liquor licenses yet. So there were no cervezas with dinner, but the food was ok and service wasn't bad. Afterwards we returned to our rooms and had another drink while we planned our next trip which is going to be out to Big Bend. Hopefully my GS will be ready by then, otherwise I might be on the little Savage while Reagan is her Spyder.

Today we went 518 miles in 10 hours. Tomorrow is going to be a little farther and there's a chance of rain in Houston. At least 97 degrees for a high doesn't sound as bad as 105. At the end of the day, I will be home and not having to worry about packing up the bike on Monday. That's what I'm looking forward to, but I will miss the adventure of travel that I have enjoyed for more than a month. I have to start figuring out how to do this more often.

AK '09 - Day 34

2009-07-24T21:27:00.001-05:00

Last night I slept good and it was the alarm clock that woke me up. By now I'm on my normal morning routine. We were ready to go by 6:30. We went to the front office to check out the continental breakfast. There were no eggs for John so we went down the street to the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant where we had dinner the night before. Breakfast was good. By 7:30 we were ready to leave town.

We stopped for gas on the way out of town and then we left via US 40. Reagan took the rider seat so she could check off Utah and Colorado on her riding map. Temperatures were in the 70s and I knew they were going to rise as we continued south. The cool mornings were now a thing of the past.

We crossed into Colorado and turned south onto Hwy 64 at Dinosaur. The road got a little twisty and made things fun. Just before 10am CDT we pulled over so Reagan could get on a conference call. Unfortunately there was no cell service available so she kept the driver's seat and we continued on down the road. No conference call for her today.

At Meeker, we headed south on Hwy 13. We decided to stop in Rifle for fuel and a mid-morning snack. After getting fuel we went over to the Back Country cafe. Since it was 10:25 local time we could have had breakfast or lunch but I wasn't really that hungry. I had some hot tea and an apple pie a la mode. Yummmm! We met the owner who had made a 28 day motorcycle trip himself. He told us of his trip and how he ended up buying a house in Oregon. On the way out of the restaurant he asked us if we wanted to buy a ranch. It went right along with the story he told us. Before we got our gear on, he was out in the street talking to us some more and gave us some suggestions on our way down to Salida.

It was my turn to be the rider as we left town on I-70 east. We followed the Colorado River along I-70 for many miles. The view was fantastic.

We eventually turned onto Hwy 24 and I took the lead as we were getting into the twisities. Reagan and I got hung up behind a pickup truck for part of the way, until we could finally pass him. We stopped at the Pizza Hut in Leadville for lunch. Unfortunately when I went to the restroom, I found that someone had vomitted in the sink. That was enough for me to decide the place probably wasn't the wisest choice to eat. We went downtown and ate at a nice little cafe before continuing on toward Salida.

We turned onto Hwy 291 for the last 10 miles into Salida. It seemed like we came in the back way or something because we were driving through residential areas but eventually we got on the main drag and found the Super 8. We had arrived early enough to take a nap, the first one of the trip.

After a nap, and a drink, we walked over to the Country Bounty for dinner. Their menu was vast and their food was good. Then it was time to retire to the rooms and have a night cap.

Tomorrow we are planning to leave at 6am. We have 500 miles to cover in order to reach Childress, TX. This will be the longest day with the girls so far. But we have reservations at the Hampton Inn so there's something to look forward to.

BTW: I was successful in uploading my first YouTube video. It's of Reagan riding on Beartooth Highway after we stopped at Top of the World for lunch and gas.

AK '09 - Day 33

2009-07-23T21:43:00.001-05:00

Last night I didn't get to bed until almost midnight and I was up at 5am. I thought it was going to be a long day without much sleep. I did a little work as the internet connection had improved since last night and then we packed the bikes. By 6:30 we were heading out of the parking lot going south on Hwy 33.

Reagan took the rider's seat so I was chief photographer for our bike. Fortunately overnight they had swept the gravel road so travel was much easier and quicker. We stopped for gas in Victor, Idaho and then it seemed like we were across the state line going over the Teton Pass again. Reagan handled the pass with ease. Look out Valentino Rossi.

We rolled through Wilson and Jackson without finding a place for breakfast. We turned south onto US 26 and then US 189. Still nothing for breakfast, I thought our goose had been cooked. Finally in the middle of nowhere we found the Branding Iron cafe just south of Bondurant, WY. The waitress was wonderful and the food was good. We left there an hour and a quarter later with very full stomachs.

The route continued south on 189 with Reagan driving. We headed east on 191 toward Pinedale where we stopped at a Napa Auto Parts. John needed some coolant because he was a little low, thus causing his over-heating problem from the day before. While we were there we talked to local boys who told us about life in Pinedale and quizzed us about the Spyder. They actually leave the keys in their boats and recreational vehicles. It's a different life than in Texas, that's for sure.

We continued on 191 to Rocksprings where we stopped at the Flyin' J for fuel and food. Since I was still stuffed from breakfast I just had a bowl of fruit and several glasses of iced tea. With 200 miles on the trip odometer for the day, Reagan opted to let me drive the last leg of the trip.

We hopped on I-80 west over to 530 south. We were following the west side of the Flaming Gorge Recreational Area. At first it was just some mountains and large hills. Then we turned south on 44 in Manila and we actually entered into the rec area. We found the beauty of the gorge, and we found some great twisties too. There are some fun switchbacks going up and there are some fun switchbacks coming down. Don't forget to take time to see the views at the scenic lookouts.

We picked up 191 going south again and rode through a phospate mining operation. And we found more twisties. The only problem was the large truck that was going less than 10mph but once we got around him it was fun again.

Finally we rolled into Vernal, UT and checked into the Best Western Dinosaur. It's a great place with nice rooms and a maintenance guy who is really into motorcycles. He hooked us up on ice for the beer and told us where to eat dinner that was within walking distance.

After we unloaded the bikes, Reagan and I headed to Walgreens and Radio Shack for some stuff. It was a very pleasant experience to be in a town with familiar stores and friendly people. Maybe this could be our summer home :)

Upon our return, we had a few drinks and then walked to dinner. Service was good and the house special was a great value, it was a Fred dinner. Afterwards, we waddled back to the hotel and sat around outside the room. Another great day on the road, with great friends.

Tomorrow we're heading to Colorado, then it's Childress, TX on Saturday and home on Sunday. The trip is winding down. The good part though is we are adding places to see on future trips and now future trips involve Reagan on her Spyder. This has really been a great trip.

BTW: I am trying to upload some videos of Reagan on the Spyder to YouTube but I've been bandwidth starved or I'm doing something wrong. If I don't get it done on the road, I'll definitely get it done when I get home.

AK '09 - Day 32

2009-07-22T23:01:00.001-05:00

Waking up at the Old Faithful Inn was a treat. When I looked out my window it appeared as though the ground was on fire with all of the steam rising from the geysers, springs and pools. The temperature had dropped after dark so it was really comfortable sleeping with just a fan.

We got up at 6 and went down to breakfast at 6:30. They offered a buffet and regular menu items. The buffet had French Toast but not much of anything else I wanted so I opted to just order French Toast with bacon and 2 fried eggs. Afterwards, we went back to our rooms to pack.

At 8:15 we met down at the bikes and got everything loaded up. Then we needed to run over to the visitor center for a stamp, and the gift shop for a t-shirt. Once that was done we went back to the bikes and got on the road. It was 9am when we pulled out of the parking lot.

We went up to Grand Prism spring to check it out. Unfortunately the cool morning air and the boiling water didn't make for a good combination. I think a warm breezy day would give you a better view of the spring. But it was amazing to watch as the steam rose in different colors.

We got back on the bikes to head out of the park via the south entrance. We had to back track a ways but eventually left the park. When we did, we found the mother of all construction delays which hung us up for 44 minutes. Welcome to Grand Teton National Park.

When we finally got through the construction we went down the road and stopped at the Jackson Lake Lodge for lunch. We had been told there was an amazing view in the restaurant and the food was great. The view was wonderful and the food was good. Portions were definitely plentiful.

We continued south through the park stopping at 2 other visitor centers to get passport stamps. The route we took basically kept us in the valley of the park. So it was hot, and since we were sort of limited on time we couldn't explore some of the higher elevation roads which would have taken us into the Tetons and back to my childhood memories. After leaving Yellowstone it was really just a travel day on slow roads with a few stops for stamps.

When we got to Jackson, WY we headed west on Hwy 22, the Teton Pass, as the name indicates we went over the mountains. The road was fun but heavily congested so it was just another road for much of it. I did manage to find a few curves devoid of traffic though.

22 took us into Idaho and onto Hwy 33 North toward Tetonia. We ran into more construction, this time they were spraying oil and spreading gravel. What a mess! Reagan and I were being pelted by gravel from the front wheels of the Spyder. But eventually we rode into Tetonia and found our motel. Check-in was easy, Reagan secured some ice, and I headed to do laundry in the RV park.

Dinner was questionable at first. The clerk recommended the only place in town but you never know what they consider to be "actually good food". After doing laundry we headed over to the North End Bar & Grill and had a surprisingly good dinner. There was only one waitress for the entire place but the food was good. If it would have been next door to the motel that would have been even better, but the short drive 3 or 4 blocks wasn't a problem.

Reagan didn't do much of the driving today. She took the seat between 2 visitor centers in the park, then gave it back to me as we were crossing Teton Pass and she wasn't up to trying something like that. Or so she said, I think she was just being nice and let me have the fun twisties of the pass. She's the best!

Tomorrow we have a longer day, 338 miles. That's longer because we've been riding around in parks. I expect the temperature to get warmer over the next 4 days too. I've gotten spoiled of low to mid 70's and that's going to quickly disappear. Today we climbed into the 80's. By Saturday we'll probably be happy to start out in the high 70s.

AK '09 - Day 31

2009-07-21T23:17:00.000-05:00

Note: I'm blogging from a bench in front of Old Faithful. It's a rough life but someone has to do it.

Today was going to be a long day in the park so we got an early start. We were all down at the bikes by 6:45 and at the Town Cafe by 7 with the bikes gassed up. Breakfast was good, we had the same waitress as before.

WAIT! There was some activity on the geyser. Nope.... just a primer I guess.

We finished breakfast and got on the bikes by 7:45. I got to be rider for the first part of the day. Reagan would take over after lunch, since it's her bike I was OK with that. We went through the gate and entered the park. The gate attendant actually examined my id and card carefully. Thank goodness my signature was close enough for her evaluation.

We passed through Mammoth Hot Springs....

HOLD ON THE GEYSER.... nope another false alarm....

so we stopped at the hot springs and walked around for a while. I really should have packed my range boots but I was trying to be weight conscious when packing for the trip. Next time, I'm bringing the hiking boots. So after we walked around the terraces, we realized we could ride to the top so we turned around and went back down.

HOLD ON THE GEYSER... nope another false alarm....

We rode up to the top only to find they had the main terrace loop road closed for maintenance. Really??? Don't they know the Walters are in the park? So we walked down a pathway and I got my first whiff of sulphur. Finally I was in Yellowstone.

We got back on the bikes and continued over to Norris Basin. The land looked like it was on fire. We pulled into park.

HOLD ON THE GEYSER... REALLY......

"It looks a lot smaller", was what I heard from a young lady in the crowd. Hmmmm, she apparently has some larger standards. It was pretty cool to watch. Hot water came blasting out of the ground for no reason. Cool!

So back to Norris Basin. We parked and walked into the basin. There was a bookstore where we got our passports stamped and then we walked along the trail for a ways. We saw Steamboat Geyser and a few other thermal features before returning to the bikes.

We resumed our ride through the park on the Grand Loop. We eventually stopped for a passport stamp and lunch in Canyon Village. Service was a little disappointing, maybe it was just that the waiter was from New York but he didn't really seem to care about his job or his customers. After lunch Reagan took over the rider duties and I assumed the co-rider seat.

We headed for Inspiration point, what a view. Then we looped back through the Canyon Village to head to Artist Paint Point. There are several other views of the canyon and the amazing falls but those will have to wait for another trip.

On that note, Reagan is really enjoying the rider's seat of her Spyder and there is already talk about future trips on the Spyder. The plan is to ride solo on our respective bikes and then use the Spyder for park touring. Not a bad plan. She certainly seems excited about her new ride.

So after the Yellowstone Canyon we headed over to Mud Volcano. There were so many bison along the way it just got ridiculous. They are as prevalant as cattle are in Texas. I even started calling them cows. Really I don't care to see another Bison. The Mud Volcano was cool as was the Dragons Breath spring. We were getting tired and the day was getting late so opted not to take the long walk around to see the other thermal features in the area.

The next stop was the Fisherman's Bridge visitor center for a passport stamp. We didn't stop at the Fisherman's bridge but the water was amazingly clear. Maybe next time we'll stop for a look.

The final planned stop of the day was at the west thumb basin to check out the thermal features and snag a passport stamp. Well we missed the visitor center by 10 minutes and decided to take the 1/4 mile loop to see some of the features. I found it interesting that some pools were crystal clear with amazing color while others were cloudy.

Reagan continued in the rider's seat all the way to Old Faithful. We stopped at the Continental Divide to snap a picture along the way. While there we ran into a blue and black Spyder. She left before I could snap a picture of the custom paint. It was a nice looking bike though.

We stopped for gas and then rolled up to the Old Faithful Inn to check in. Welcome to tourist hell. But if you are prepared it's a good thing. Check-in was relatively painless as Reagan had booked the rooms. John and Lydia were in an original room which meant they had a shared bathroom but an amazing view of Old Faithful. We were in the newer section which meant we had a bathroom but no great view.

As mentioned above, we saw the 8:01 eruption of Old Faithful. It was a few minutes late. Hot water blasting into the air is pretty cool to watch. Afterwards we walked around to find the visitor center which was closed. We had dinner reservations at 9:15 so I spent the free time writing this blog.

Tomorrow is a travel day, we are leaving the park but heading through the Tetons on our way to the hotel in Idaho. John mentioned something about the road into Idaho going over the Tetons and Reagan chimed in that I could take that part of the driving. But she's been doing so well she might change her mind once we get on the road. We'll see.

AK '09 - Day 30

2009-07-20T21:48:00.000-05:00

This morning we slept in and didn't get started until 8 o'clock. Lydia had already gone down to the the lobby to discover that they didn't really have a good breakfast. But she did snag several packets of hot cocoa for our hot cocoa and Crown drinks. We decided to go down town to a cafe for breakfast. Reagan took the driver seat.

Breakfast was good, service was fair. Afterwards we mounted the bikes and I took the rider position as Reagan wanted to get some pictures. The plan was to go to Mammoth Hot Springs and then go east across the top of the Grand Loop to Tower Junction. The first sign of a challenge was when we had to wait in a line to get into the park.

When we got to Tower Junction I needed a bathroom break, then we headed north to Cook City. We ran into road construction along the way which resulted in a 20 minute break. Then we continued along on US 212 to Top of the World. We didn't stop but kept going to the scenic outlook which allowed us to see Beartooth pass before transcending it. Pictures were taken and then it was time to go down the pass. It was decided I'd go first to set the pace.

I pulled out of the overlook behind an SUV and took the first chance to pass them. I wanted to see what the Spyder would do and really pushed it. No matter what I did with the Spyder, it would stick to the road like we were on rails. I was the limiting factor in the corners, not the Spyder. The engine had lots of torque when I wanted to roll on and plenty of compression when I needed some engine breaking. It was great!

When I got to the bottom I found a pull out spot and turned around to wait for John and Lydia. They caught up just a few seconds after we turned around. Then we did the pass again, only this time we were climbing when entering the curves and the pace seemed a lot quicker. When I got to the top I found another pull out and waited. John and Lydia got hung up behind a SUV. Once I saw them, I pulled back out and continued along Beartoothe Highway toward Top of the World where we planned to get gas and lunch.

Reagan and I stopped off at the western summit to get an elevation photo, with a little effort we have a photo of the GPS reporting 11,000 feet on the pass. Woohoo! We continued heading toward Top of the World to catch up with John and Lydia since they passed us while we were getting our photo.

I pulled up to the gas pump and filled up. Then we found out there wasn't an actual restaurant there but they did have a gift shop/copnvenience store so we found crackers, cheese and salami. We went outside, sat down in some chairs and enjoyed a nice lunch with a great view.

After lunch, we geared up and proceeded to leave. Reagan decided she was going to be the rider for a while so I took the co-rider spot. The first thing she had to contend with was a little construction but that didn't slow her down a bit. She managed the construction just as easily as she managed the curves. She was finding her groove with this bike.

Meanwhile I was on the back snapping pictures and taking video. Here she is riding the Beartooth Highway. There's a video, but I can't seem to get it uploaded to YouTube.

We entered into the park again and speeds slowed down due to traffic. The decision was made to go to Tower Falls. We checked out the falls and then Reagan resumed the rider position. I figured I couldn't say much since she let me ride Beartooth pass in both directions and it is her bike. I did get to see some great scenery along the 90 miles of being a co-rider today and even managed to snap several photos along the way.

When we got back into Gardiner, we unmounted and went to the rooms. After a few toties, we walked across the street to a burger joint and enjoyed some really large burgers. I ate so much I was really uncomfortable. Afterwards, I walked to the liquor store to get some Crown and Moose Drool. Then we went back to the room for a little planning of tomorrow before calling it quits.

Reagan is rocking as the rider. I feel really comfortable in the co-rider position and it's nice to be able to swap out with her. Seeing the park on 3 wheels alleviates a few challenges on 2 wheels while still giving us the thrill of being on a motorcycle. I'm not ready to give up my GS, but it's a great way to see National Parks.

Tomorrow night I won't have internet as we are staying at the Old Faithful lodge. It's a small price to pay for getting to see Old Faithful late at night. I hope.

AK '09 - Day 29

2009-07-19T22:48:00.000-05:00

This morning we were supposed to be at the bikes at 7am. What was I thinking? We only had 175 miles to go and even with stops we getting there before noon. For some reason my brain wasn't working, it didn't dawn on me what time we'd get there. John suggested we try out the free breakfast since they had omelets and other breakfast items.

After breakfast we checked out and went to the bikes. It was 7:45 as we pulled out of the parking lot. Due to a GPS user-interface issue, we had a little issue getting out of town. Eventually we got out town on Hwy 287. In the sky there were lots of dark clouds and it looked as though we might get into some rain.

Some how we managed to avoid the rain for the most part as we snaked through the valleys between mountains. Eventually 287 took us to I-90 where we headed east. About 80 miles into the ride, my rear was bugging me so we stopped for a break. Afterwards we resumed our travels until we got to Hwy 89 in Livingston.

We headed south on 89 for the last 50 miles. Since it looked as though we were going to get into town before noon, Reagan and I talked about going into the park to get the park information packet and maybe checkout a visitor center. About 15 miles outside of town the rain briefly caught us as we rode through a mild sprinkle. Reagan noticed the oncoming traffic didn't have their wipers on so it was safe to assume the rain wouldn't last for long and it didn't.

The Super 8 was on the main road into town so it was easy to find. I went in to inquire about check-in time. The clerk said it wasn't until 4pm. We had 4 hours to kill and the rain looked like it was heading right for us. We left the hotel, fueled up, and went looking for a pharmacy. No luck on the pharmacy but since we were at the north gate to Yellowstone we went in to get the park information.

Once inside, we decided to head on into the park to Mammoth Visitor Center. I was hoping there would be a movie or 2 we could watch and pass the time. As luck would have it, the rain caught us before we got to the visitor center. Reagan and I were mostly dry on our top halves but the bottom halves got soaked thanks to the mesh pants. John and Lydia got soaked top and bottom with their mesh gear. We all thought we could beat the rain to the visitor center and we lost.

The visitor center was packed with people since it was raining and it was a free park fee weekend. But we did manage to get into the theatre and watched 2 movies about the park. They weren't the best movies I've seen on this trip, but I did get a little out of them and it helped to pass the time. Fortunately, the air conditioning wasn't doing too well or we might have been uncomfortable in our wet gear.

After the movies, we went outside to find the sky had cleared and the sun was out. We spread out our gear on the bikes and went across the street to the dining hall where we had a great lunch. In fact the service was probably some of the best service of the whole trip.

When we came out of lunch, mother nature had something different in mind. The sky had filled with dark clouds again and the sprinkles had returned. Since it was after 3 we headed back to town, being sure to stop at the 45th parallel for a photo op. John found a pharmacy so we stop so Reagan could get some things. John and Lydia went on to the convenience store for some Moose Drool, while I waited outside. The rain was coming.

With Reagan back on the bike, I hustled through town the 1/2 mile to the hotel. I went in hoping to check in early and the clerk was fine with it. In fact he probably would have let us check in an hour or 2 earlier. As we were checking in, the rain finally came. The girls went to the rooms, while John and I moved the bikes. It wasn't a hard rain but enough that you didn't want to stand out in it for long. Once we got the bikes unpacked it seemed like the rain stopped.

We sat around drinking some afternoon totties and enjoying some Moose Drool. Our totty of choice was hot cocoa and crown. Tip, skimp on the water, and be generous with the Crown. After some time we walked down to a pizza place claiming to be the best pizza in the west. It can keep it's claim, but what really surprised us was the incredible wait staff. While we were their they had several large parties come in and it didn't slow them down. Pretty much every table was full and service remained good.

As luck would have it, when we walked out of the restaurant it was starting to rain again. This was starting to become a theme. We tried to walk back and sought shelter in a nearby building. Finally the rain stopped and we walked to the hotel.

Tomorrow we go to Beartooth pass, and explore some of the northern part of the park. We are planning to start our day a little later, we are meeting downstairs at 8am to try their free breakfast.

AK '09 - Day 28

2009-07-18T21:44:00.000-05:00

Today was a new day because we had the girls, and Reagan and I needed to pack some things in John's trailer. So we were all up early and standing around the bikes at 6:30. It seemed like it took 2 seconds to pack up the trailer and we were done. Breakfast next door didn't start until 7 so we sat around in the hotel lobby drinking tea and coffee.

At 7 o'clock we went over to breakfast. The waitress wasn't used to working the morning service so she didn't really know the menu and almost didn't serve me hot tea. Lydia didn't get her bacon until the meal was almost over. In the grand scheme of service though it wasn't a bad meal, it just wasn't great service.

Afterwards we went back to the motel, checked out, and left the parking lot with lots of people standing outside looking at the bikes. The Spyder seems to be a magnet for questions from bikers and non-bikers alike. We filled up across the street and then headed out of town.

We took US 2 north toward Glacier National Park. As we rolled through Columbia Falls we noticed a few quaint motels that are probably worth staying at next time. They are about the same distance from the Glacier International air port and the town looks a lot more friendly. There might even be better places to eat.

Entering the park was a snap as this was a free weekend. We pulled into the visitor center to look for information, snap a few pictures and look for stickers. No stickers but we did get an idea about the road we were about to ride. So after talking to a few other riders about possible future improvements that Can Am can make to the Spyder we mounted up and took off on the Road to the Sun.

Going up the road was beautiful. At first we were riding along the lake and temps remained in the low 60s. Past the lake we stopped to look at a beautiful water fall.

After taking a few photos we continued on our way. The road began to climb as it snaked along the edge of the mountains. There were magnificent waterfalls and views. We saw mountain sheep and tourists trying taking pictures of them. But as we climbed in elevation, so did the temperatures climb. It was 71 degrees when we got to the Logan visitor center.

Glacier NP doesn't really have any large glaciers like I've seen at other parks. But the views are beautiful and the ride is worthwhile. After visiting the visitor center we headed out of the park going west. We stopped at the St. Mary Vistor Center, watched the videos, looked through the telescope at an Osprey nest. Then we left the park and stopped at a lodge for lunch and some shopping where I found some stickers.

We followed Hwy 89 south. We stopped for fuel in Browning and a quick break. After the stop we resumed our ride on 89.

About 10 miles later, Reagan keyed up the mike and told me she wanted to be the rider instead of the passenger. We pulled over and swapped positions. She took the lead and did an outstanding job at setting the pace. As any good rider should do, she started out nice and slow going into the corners. As her confidence grew so did the speeds. Before long she was ripping through corners at speeds above posted limits.

We rode through a few small towns without issue. I would read the GPS over her shoulder and John would call directions over the CB. There were no problems navigating through the towns.

Just before we got to I-15, Reagan pulled off the road to switch places with me. I was thankful for the change in seating. The pillion seat is OK but the footrests are pretty short. I've already seen some extensions that other owners have made, I think I'll be making a set when we get home.

The first part of I-15 had plenty of twisties and a zesty 75mph speed limit. Once out of the mountains and on the flat straight road it seemed as if there wouldn't be any further excitement. That was until the deer decided to cross the highway in front of John and Lydia. It looked like the deer was going to stay in the median but at the last minute she sprung out in front of them. John managed to dramatically slow the trike without hitting the deer. It was definitely an andrenaline pumping event for all.

After that, I was scanning for deer even more than before. Fortunately we rolled into Helena without any further excitement. We checked into our hotel and unpacked. Then after a post-ride totty, we walked next door for food and spirits. They served Moose Drool beer which is a brown ale. It's definitely a beer to drink if you like darker beers. When dinner was over we went back to the rooms and retired for the evening.

Tomorrow we have a short day of riding, only 175 miles. We are going to Gardiner which will act as our base camp for 2 days while we explore Bear tooth pass and the northern part of Yellowstone. Hopefully Reagan will be nice enough to let me drive across Bear tooth at least in one direction.

AK '09 - Day 27

2009-07-17T22:19:00.001-05:00

The girls arrived today. Hooray!

Today was a rest day, a chance to clean up the bikes, rest and await the arrival of the girls. As it always seems to happens, I woke up around 4am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. So I completed some work that a client needed. Around 5:30 I decided I needed to get some sleep so I turned off the laptop and went to sleep.

A little after 8, John's phone started ringing while he was in the shower. That was enough to get me to waking up. A short time later I got out of bed, took a shower and got dressed. Then we went in search of breakfast.

There was a restaurant/casino at a nearby hotel so we tried it. I'm pretty sure the place is going out of business and they just don't realize it, or new owners have taken over and they are slow to revive the property. None the less, they were serving breakfast so we thought we'd give it a try. The waitress was new and hadn't figured out the art of multi-tasking but she had a good attitude and the menu looked good. Breakfast turned out to be good.

After breakfast we went to Wal-Mart for some bolts and a pink ribbon. On the way back we stopped at the car wash to clean up the bikes. I wanted to present Reagan with a clean bike when she arrived. I sprayed, I scrubbed, I wiped, I sprayed some more. It took about $9 to get the bike cleaned up. I even found an Armour All pad for $1 so I did the tires and control arms. Then it was back to the hotel to move into our separate rooms.

The staff was very helpful and allowed us to leave our stuff in last night's room until the new rooms were available. Then we had the choice of rooms so we took 2 rooms on the first floor near the lobby.

After moving into the new room, I took care of a reservation issue in Gardiner. I made some calls and then took a nap. It was a rest day after all.

At 3pm the alarm clock went off so I got up. It was time to go to the liquor store. A short walk down the street and we had our bottles. I went back to the room to work on the pink bow I planned to make for Reagan's bike. With scissors borrowed from the front desk I managed to make something that looked like a bow. Then I took it outside to put on the bike. It turned out pretty good.

The last thing to do was to call a cab to take us to the airport. The front desk gave me 2 numbers. Both went to voicemail but I left my name and number for the second one as they sounded like a professional operation. After 30 minutes there was no callback and it was after 4pm. We were running out of time. I got a third number from Columbia Falls and when I called the guy he had an attitude so I just said to heck with it. We'd pick the girls up on the bikes. So we took off for the airport.

We arrived about 10 minutes before the flight landed. Finally after 4 weeks I was reunited with my sweet and supportive wife. I was very happy to see her again. Skype helps but it's nice to see a person for real. We walked out of the airport and there was the bike, with the bow. Reagan was very surprised, she was expecting the bike but not the bow. He he he he. I surprised her :)

We went back to the hotel and then went down to a steakhouse for a nice dinner. Well, I've decided Kalispell doesn't have a nice restaurant anywhere in town. They claimed to be a steakhouse but they only had 3 steaks on the menu and one of them was a sandwich. It was really just a burger joint with a casino. The place was a disappointment but we were with our wives and that made things better.

After dinner we rode back to the hotel. Reagan wanted to take the Spyder for a spin around the parking lot so I gave her a quick orientation of the controls and then it was hers. She started it up, backed up then rode around the parking lot before parking it for the night. I think she liked it.

Tomorrow we are heading to Glacier National Park and staying in Helena. Then it's over to Gardiner so we can ride Bear Tooth Pass, then we are heading into Yellowstone for 2 days. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good pictures now that I have the throttle lock, and Reagan brought her camera too.

AK '09 - Day 26

2009-07-16T21:41:00.001-05:00

One more day until the girls get here and today was the day we returned to the US. Hooray!!!!

I had some work to do so when I woke up, I turned on the laptop and started working. An hour and a half later I was done so I hustled to get dressed and packed so we could get our day started. We stopped for gas and food before leaving town, then headed south on 93 around 9am. Even so we were going to be in Kalispell by 12:30.

93 took us south to Hwy 3 where we headed east. Then picked up 93 south again. That took us to the border and we crossed without issue. They were interested why a person from Texas had a bike with Alaska plates. It was a good story to tell.

We got into Kalispell around 1:30 and decided to stop for lunch since it was probably too early to check in. We ate at famous Dave's BBQ which wasn't bad for a chain BBQ joint. They had sweet iced tea so I was in heaven. I had 3 glasses before getting filled up.

We got over to the hotel around 3:00 and checked in. When I got there my packages were waiting for me. So I carried them to the room and then unloaded the bike. Since we'll be here for 2 nights I took a few extra things off the bike.

Once it cooled off a little we went outside and installed the highway pegs and throttle lock. The pegs took about 1.5 hours and the throttle lock took 10 minutes. The 2" extensions may be a little too short for Reagan but I can fabricate some 3 or 4 inch extensions for her. They are just 1/4 inch plate with 1/2 inch holes drilled.

Tomorrow we are going to clean up the bikes, move into new rooms and pick up the girls. It'll be a great day to relax and get a little work done.

NOTE: I've neglected uploading pictures lately. That's being taken care of tonight. Here's the link

AK '09 - Day 25

2009-07-15T23:19:00.001-05:00

The trip is taking a little different dynamic now that it's just John and I. The pace is more relaxed and we leave when we leave. We agree on a time to leave but it's more of a suggestion than any thing.

This morning we were both up before 6am, working on our laptops. After showers and packing we were on the bikes by 7. There was a gas station next door so we went over there to top off. As luck would have it my American Express didn't want to work so I had to deal with that. Luckily the attendant was very understanding and I left after paying for the gas with my Visa.

John took us into the huge town of Valemount and almost immediately we found a restaurant for breakfast. Once our orders were placed I called American Express to resolve their issue. I informed the lady I spoke with that this was the second time they shut my card down on this trip and that I had a new slogan for them to use in Canada, "American Express, LEAVE home with out, it's useless". She was very apologetic for the continued inconvenience, thanked me for being a customer and said she noted the account so I would not have any more problems. I'll bet I have to call at least once more before I get home. Amex really isn't the traveller's card any more. Mastercard seems to be the best card to carry, at least when going to the northern parts of North America.

After breakfast we headed north back to Hwy 16 which went to Jasper. There was no reason to go into Jasper so we took 93 south into Jasper National Park. Remember when you ride in National Parks the speed limit is slower, and this park was no different. Plus we had to face idiotic RV'ers towing trailers they had no business towing and hogging the left lane in passing lane areas. Really, there should be a different licensing program for RV'ers.

After an hour and half we made it down to the Ice Fields visitor center and pulled in. At first glance it appeared there was a road leading up onto the glacier. We both thought it would be too cool to have the bikes on the glacier. We inquired at the information counter and discovered that we had to take the bus tour to get on the glacier and that our bikes would not be allowed. Bummer. I had already decided that I wanted to do the bus tour if it didn't cost as much as a small car (or a new Spyder) and when I found out is was only $49/person I knew I had to do it. So I went over to the ticket counter and bought us both tickets. We were going to stand on the glacier.

(The terrabus, with 4 foot tall tires)

A short while later and 1 transfer from a regular tour bus to a Terra Bus, and we were on the glacier, walking around, taking pictures, and John was even tasting the glacier melt water. It was really amazing, we were standing on almost 1000 feet of ice below our feet. Standing on all that ice was a little cold, especially with the steady wind. Our guide told us that it snowed 365 days a year on the Ice Fields and that's what kept the glacier going. It was an incredible place to be, and we were lucky to have great weather.

(sitting down on the glacier)

After the ride back down, we decided to get away from all the tourists and continue our southward track to the gas stop 30 miles down the road. The stop included $1.349/Liter CAN full service gas without service, overpriced cafeteria style prepackaged food, and an encounter with a traveller we had met in Fairbanks. Good stop but a little expenisive.

Once we were done with the stop we rolled on down Hwy 93 toward Banf. At one point I regretted packing up my liner because it was getting a little cold as we climbed in elevation. The chilli was making me sleepy too. If I had seen a park bench I probably would have stopped for a nap.

We turned off for Radium Hot Springs and found some great twisties. John was riding his peaceful pace and I decided it was best not to pass him since I didn't know where the hotel was. The ride going into Radium was invigerating and scenic. The hotel turned out to be a great find. Dinner was had just down the street at a German restaurant.

All in all today was a great day with 300 miles of riding. Tomorrow will be a shorter day with only 216 miles planned on the GPS. We are going to leave a little later so I can get some work done before we leave. Since we are now in Mountain time I'm only 1 hour behind home, which make life a little easier.

Tomorrow night I'll be back in the USA and hopefully far enough south to see a sun set. It's the little things in life that you look forward to.

AK '09 - Day 24

2009-07-14T19:52:00.001-05:00

Today's route was from Burns Lake, BC to Valemount, BC along Hwy 16. Not much of an adventure but a big day none the less.

Things started out this morning around 5:30 when Jerry started talking through the window to tell us he was leaving. He had decided to head for Calgary today and wanted to get an early start. By the time John crawled out of bed he was long gone. So we went ahead and got up and got ready to leave too. The weather didn't want to cooperate with us as it was raining while we were packing the bikes.

About 6:45 the remaining four of us pulled onto Hwy 16 heading for Prince George. Since it was raining we decided to get 50 miles or so down the road before eating breakfast. It was lighter in the direction we were heading, we hoped we could ride out of the rain and that's what we did.

We stopped in Fraser Lake for breakfast at Tony's Restaurant. Tony is the cook and after fixing a great breakfast he came out to talk with us about our collection of motorcycles. He was fascinated with Dick's Stallion. He didn't believe us when we told him it had heat and air conditioning.

After breakfast I went next door to fill up because I didn't think I could make it to Prince George. As I was filling up the rain was just starting to sprinkle. Apparently it was chasing us as we went east. It didn't take long though and we got away from the rain and enjoyed a very beautiful sunny day.

We stopped in Prince George at the Chevron to fill up and say our good byes. Fred and Dick were heading south into Idaho, while John and I were continuing east toward Jasper National Park. My group of fellow riders was dwindling.

After the stop, John and I resumed our travels on Hwy 16 east. We stopped around 2pm in McBride for lunch and met a few riders at the liquor store. They were also heading to Valemount for the night, but staying in the Best Western. One of them had a bright, new, shiny Olympia jacket like mine. After seeing it, I'm even more encouraged to fix my jacket instead of getting a new one. It's sort of a badge of honor, just how much I've worn it. It's really just getting broken in with around 60,000 miles. I'll bet I can keep it together for another 40,000 or so.

After lunch we continued our travels on Hwy 16 until we got to Hwy 5 where we went south to Valemont. This town is like most small Canadian towns along the highway in that it's tucked off to the side but a few hotels and gas stations have built up along side the road. We found our hotel and checked in without trouble. I have a hard time believing their real room rate is $189/night, at least not while they are remodeling. John had negotiated a better rate over the phone and they didn't try to change it on us. After taxes we had the room for $139CAN.

Once I got the bike unloaded and checked out the internet it was time to take care of laundry. Since I didn't do it in Hyder, I was down to my last day of clothes tomorrow so it seemed like a good time to get it done.

Total mileage today was 330 miles. It's the longest ride we've got for quite a few days to come. Tomorrow we're going into Jasper National Park and working our way south. Thursday evening we will be in Kalispell, MT awaiting the girls who will arrive on Friday. The extra day in Kalispell should give me a little time to install some things that I'm having shipped in along with getting the Spyder cleaned up for Reagan.

So how about the Spyder? It's really a fun machine. The acceleration for passing vehicles is amazingly quick. No downshifting needed. Probably the best way to describe it is as a 3 wheeled Corvette, or maybe a 3 wheeled Mustang. It has plenty of get up and go for a 990cc machine. Ergonomics still bother me a little because I can't fully stretch out my legs but the highway pegs should take care of that. The handle bars are a little low but managable, Reagan may want to get risers. I suspect the windshield will get replaced once she sees the poor wind protection of the current one. The Spyder is a really fun ride, and with a little tweaking I think it's going to make a fun touring ride for her as well.

AK '09 - Day 23

2009-07-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

I awoke this morning to a gorgeous view of the mountain. The clouds had come in and covered the peak of the mountain so it felt like we had a blanket overhead. I wanted to get a picture of the Bus where I had dinner last night so after packing the bike I road down there to snap a picture.

For anyone who kept a count of the drinks from yesterday. I felt great when I woke up. It must have been the high quality Alaskan beer.

We ate at the Glacier Inn and then headed through customs. They didn't want to delay us so the questions were very brief and the agents were courteous. Then we went on down the road back tracking up 37 to 37a. With the low hanging clouds it wasn't as beautiful as it was the day before but it was still nice to see some of the water falls and take a look at Bear glacier.

37a took us down to 16 where we headed east. The farther we went, the more traffic we encountered and the more civilization we riding into. Finally we stopped in Smithers for gas and lunch at Tim Horton's. I can now say I've eaten at Tim Hortons and I don't plan to do it again. Maybe it's just the fact that they don't take any credit accept mastercard, but I wasn't impressed.

From Smithers to Burns Lake is only 80 miles so we mounted up again and road the final stretch. Other than the rain we had to ride through it was an uneventful ride into town. We pulled into a motel next to a restaurant and got some rooms. It was early enough I almost took a nap but decided not in hopes that I would get to sleep earlier.

Another great day of riding. Tomorrow we are going to be splitting from Dick and Fred, but it puts us one day closer to the girls.

AK '09 - Day 22

2009-07-12T23:57:00.000-05:00

Today I was bound and determined that I was not going to be on the bike before 7am. It took some effort but I managed to almost make it. We were on the road by 6:57.

The planned route was 37 down to Hyder, Alaska. Since we left early we were going to eat along the way. The only problem with that plan was that on Sundays there really isn't anything open early in the morning. We did manage to find a great little Fred Motel/Restaurant in Istuk called the Iskut Motor Inn and Restaurant. We walked in and one of the owners told us the regular cook wasn't working but he could cook the basic stuff like eggs and toast. Just nothing fancy like french toast. Breakfast turned out to be really good. We visited with the owner and learned a lot about the area and his operation. His motel is the only one in the area with private showers, wi-fi and TVs in the room. Last summer he was closed to the public since a mining operation rented the whole place for the weekend. If you want to stay at this place it's probably best to call ahead when planning, 250-234-3141. The rates started at $60/night.

We resumed our ride and found some really great road surfaces south of the motel. Speeds picked up a little but so did the scenery. We sort of spread out and everyone stopped whenever they wanted to take a photo. This worked out well and I can't wait to see all the pictures. The ride down was so scenic, it's definitely a great ride.

We stopped to see Bear glacier and I was a little disappointed as tt was smaller than I expected. It was cool to see the water falls nearby though. I changed over to the mesh pants because it was getting a little warm. Then we continued into Hyder.

Woohoo!!! I made it to Hyder. Once I arrived I had an agenda. I started talking to the locals to find out where the big glacier was and they said it was up the road 21 miles. Since all the roads in Hyder are dirt, I was a little reluctant to go on the Spyder but I really wanted to see the glacier. So I took off and kept it slow. No one else wanted to ride on a dirt road for that distance.

It took about 45 minutes to get up to the overlook where I could see the entire glacier. Wow! It was huge. I was hoping to get to a point where I could touch the glacier but this wasn't possible. Maybe I'll find a route down to it the next time. I visited with some fellow motorcyclists and then decided to head back down the road. I stopped at the ranger station to get my park passport stamped and then headed into Stewart, BC to top off the tank.

I went back to the Sealaska and parked the bike. The next plan was to get Hyeder-ized. I checked with the guys and found they had already been to the bar and were done. So I went to the bar by myself and told the bartender I needed to get hyderized. She poored the shot and signed the card once I took the shot. Then I had 2 Coors Lights while visiting with 2 motorcyclists who were heading north.

After the shot and the beer, I was hungry so I wrangled up the guys. Jerry, John and I went to the Bus for seafood. Fred doesn't eat seafood so he and Dick went over to the Glacier Inn. I ordered the Dungeoness crab and an Alaskan Summer brew. The beer was good but the crab was great! I don't think it could get any fresher. I was still a little hungry so I tried to order some shrimp scampi but Diane (the owner/cook) said she was all out of shrimp. So we paid our bills and headed back to the hotel. But I wasn't done, I still wanted to try the Alaskan Amber brew so John and I went to the bar. After ordering the Amber, I found out there was also White and Oatmeal Stout brews. So I ordered the Stout and John ordered the White. The stout was great. The white was a heffevisen and the bartender served it with lemon. John remembered to keep the bottles for the pool hall.

Some time during the drinking Dick came down to get a better internet connection and sat with us. John settled up with the bartender and left to get some sleep. I still wanted to try the White so I ordered it while Dick worked on the computer. While talking to the bartender, I found out that she was from California and had a boyfriend from Hyder so she moved up here a year and a half ago. Her potential future mother-in-law is Diane over at the Bus. It is a very small town.

Well after trying all of the Alaskan beers they had, I decided to call it quits and go up to the room. Jerry and I ended up talking for a couple of hours until I finally wound down. What a great time in Hyder. I've gotta go back.

AK '09 - Day 21

2009-07-11T22:42:00.001-05:00

WARNING: I'm in a mood.

I am begining to hate western Canada. I'm tired of places wanting to charge me for iced tea refills, for goodness sake $2.50 should buy more than one glass of tea. I'm tired of crappy internet service. I'm tired of the people working in hospitality who are too dang stupid to remember more than 2 words when taking an order. I think I see why Canadians are known to be poor tippers, if I grew up with crummy service like this I wouldn't tip either. If you are from Canada, I'm sorry but your country isn't doing much to impress me right now.

So what about the ride? We were supposed to start at 6:30 but everyone was on the bikes a little after 6 so we were on the road at 6:10. The plan was to ride down the road until we found a place to eat breakfast. There's not much between Teslin and Watson Lake on the Alcan. But after an hour and a half of riding we found a little road side motel/gas station/restaurant that was open so we pulled in. You ordered at the kitchen and they cooked orders one at a time but they good and hearty. It was self serve on the tea and coffee, which was a good thing as I was sort of cold since it was in the low 50s for the first part of the morning.

Just west of Watson Lake we stopped at the Junction 37 gas station for a fill up. The Spyder doesn't have the range of the GS so I start worrying about gas after 150 miles. At 200 miles I'm probably going to be pushing. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank and gets about 32.5 to 35mpg. The gas station was a treat, they had a sign on the door that said they didn't take Amex or Discover, they didn't accept checks, they didn't exchange US currency. So basically they were saying pay us in cash or Visa/MC or don't stop. Gotta love these friendly Canadains.

After the fill up we turned south onto 37 and left the Alcan. We were on a new road again. This road was about on par with a Texas farm to market road. Chip seal in some spots, hard packed dirty in others with a lot of gravel along the way. We went through one section where they had a sign identifying it as a Canadian roadway project. The road didn't really seem to be under construction through that stretch. It just seemed to be in complete chaos. Once we got past the sign, however it improved considerably.

We stopped at one rest stop to take a break. The mosquitos were bad enough that we didn't stay long. I was happy for the stop though, as it allowed me to stretch my legs for a bit.

As we got closer to Dease Lake we saw lots of beautiful scenery. There were georgous views of the Dease River along the road. It's amazing how clear the water is up here.

Finally we arrived in Dease Lake and stopped for gas. By that point my right hip was killing me. The spyder is fun but it's a little too cramped for my legs and it causes some real discomfort toward the end of a 300 mile day.

We stopped at the gas station to fill up and get some liquor. We were too early to check into the motel so we went next door to the restaurant, Mama Z's. It was decorated to be an upscale place and the menu tried to reflect that a little but in the end it wasn't really much more than a road house cafe. No free tea refills, grrrrr...

After lunch it was after 3 o'clock so we could check into our rooms. It went like any other check in and then we pulled the bikes around to the side and started to unload. Having just finished a late lunch it was too early to go eat dinner so we all passed the time on the internet and such. At first the Net was ok but as the day progressed it got worse.

Tomorrow we are riding down to Hyder and have reservations at the Sea Alaska Inn. This place is somewhat of an icon in the long distance and adventure riding groups. It's also very close to the bar so we can safely get "Hyder-ized" without worrying about the bikes. The road isn't going to be any better than today so it'll be slow going but it should be fun.

AK '09 - Day 20

2009-07-10T23:16:00.001-05:00

We were heading south today. We've reached the peak of the trip and now it's time to start moving back toward home. Not immediately but we need to point ourselves in the general direction.

We were up and packed before the restaurant opened. We had breakfast in Destruction Bay. I had to send my egg back because it wasn't cooked as ordered, over hard is really simple, burn it! The second egg was great and the cinnamon roll was yummy. I managed to do a little work during breakfast while everyone visited.

The route was simple, we were travelling approximately 300 miles down the Alcan from Destruction Bay to Teslin. We stopped for lunch at the McDonalds in Whitehorse because Fred needed some oil for the bike and there was a Wal-Mart and Tire Canada right next to each other. I found a CanAm dealership nearby but didn't stop to see if there were any must have accessories. After lunch and a fill up we continued south. The pace was slow except the occassional vehicle passing moments, the spyder likes to accelerate. We were making such good time that we had plenty of time at the rest stops.

We got to our motel south of Teslin, Dawson Peaks Lodge, just after 4pm. I unloaded the bike and completed some computer work that needed to be done. Then it was time for dinner at the lodge. The waitress.... well she really should find another line of work. She couldn't remember an order long enough to write it down correctly. We did manage to get our food and $22CAN later I walked out having eating a bacon, cheeseburger with potatoes and 2 coors light. Gotta love Canada. Eeh!

We won't be staying here for breakfast, instead we are going to get on the road between 6:30 and 7 and eat down the way.

Jerry just walked out of the bathroom saying they turned off the water. What sort of place is this? No air conditioning, no fans, piss poor room ventilation, misquitos big enough to carry off the new bike and now there's no running water? Oh what an adventure.

AK '09 - Day 19

2009-07-09T22:52:00.001-05:00

I woke up before the alarm clock today. It was a good night's sleep. I think it was the fan that made sleep so good and easy.

We were supposed to be on the bikes by 7am but we were all ready to go before then. I took the lead today and didn't see much of the guys in the rear view mirror. That little Spyder can boogie.

The first part of the morning was wet but once we crossed the border the sky seemed to clear and the sun started to shine. Unfortunately there was too much smoke from the brush fires in Alaska.

The route was simple, we went from Delta Junction to Destruction Bay. We stopped in Tok for breakfast. Unfortunately that was a little late for breakfast so we didn't have lunch. By the time we made it to Destruction Bay I was pretty hungry.

Tomorrow we are supposed to head to Teslin, but we may ride farther depending on the room situation.

So what about the Spyder. It hauls butt! It sticks to the road really well, you just have to have faith. The distance between the seat and the foot pegs is a little short so my hips cramp up quickly. There's no throttle lock yet, so the wrist gets a little sore after a while. And the handle bars are a little long to reach. All of these things are fixable, but I want to let Reagan check out the bike before we start adding the goodies. It really is a fun machine. And of course, it needs some paint for Reagan.

AK '09 - Day 18

2009-07-08T23:37:00.001-05:00

Back on the road again!

It was too dang hot to sleep last night. Without a fan I couldn't get the room comfortable enough to sleep in. I probably managed to get a few hours of sleep though. I rose early and got my shower then watched a little hulu. I took care some of business stuff and packed up. By 9am I was checked out of the room and headed to the Can Am dealership.

I took care of some paperwork and the Spyder was mine. The salesman went down to the DMV office to transfer the title while we started working on the GS. The plan was to strip the GS and then start putting everything on the Spyder. John and Jerry started working on the rear end while I started working on the front end. Eventually I got every off, even the gas tank. At first I was just going to pull apart the stuff I needed for the Spyder but then it just made sense to go ahead and pull all the wires so it doesn't have to be done when it gets to Wild West in a month.

After everything was off and we put the bike back together, then we moved the Can Am up onto pavement and started taking it apart. I took all the plastics off on the righthand side and the rear. Jerry started working on the antenna for the CB, John started to work on the J&M Radio mount and I starte working on the GPS mount. I'm pretty sure I had the easier item to mount. Jerry left for some hardware and then John realized he needed some parts for the radio. Finally Jerry returned and we sent him out again. Meanwhile I started working on running the cabling.

Finally the radio was mounted, the antenna was mounted and the gps was done. Jerry soldered up the cigarrette plug and we had to do a little troubleshooting since the dealership didn't bother to troubleshoot their work. It turned out they didn't plug a fuse into the accessory spot. Once we added the fuse we had power and everything worked.

The only thing left to do was button things up and install the tank bag and the tank paniers. It took a little effort to get the tank bag positioned correctly so it didn't interferre with the seat or the steering. Finally the bike was ready to roll.

I settled up with the dealership and for $1,390 my GS will get to Texas in about 4 weeks. Then the fun begins. I'll have to fix a broken gas tank connector, add some fuel and connect the battery. Then it'll be ready for Wild West to tear apart and fix the transmission. It's probably going to be 2 months before I'm riding it again. That's sad.

So we left the BMW shop and went to Wendy's for a late lunch. Then we pulled out of town and went down Highway 2 toward Delta Junction. It was only a hundred miles but it gave me some real time in the saddle with the new ride. It's different, steering works different. But it accelerates like crazy. It's a fun bike. The seat isn't very comfortable and it needs bar risers to put the rider in a more upright position. But the bike is FUN.

Tomorrow we are headed to Destruction Bay for the night. A grilled cinamon bun for breakfast will be great! I already know the road is gonna be crappy tomorrow because it's lots of construction but with the trike it shouldn't be a problem.

AK '09 - Day 17

2009-07-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

What a wild day. I've had disappointment, excitement, frustration and more. I'll start at the beginning.

I awoke around 6:30 after a decent night's sleep. No A/C made it a little warm but I slept fine none the less. I discovered I could log onto history.com and stream Ice Road truckers on the computer just like turning on the TV. So that's what I fell asleep to and it did the trick just fine.

After I awoke I watched a few episodes of Kings on Hulu then showered and ate breakfast. I was trying to give the shop a few hours to look at the bike and call me. Well they didn't open until 9 and by 10 I was really ready to go up there. Finally I got up there just after 11am.

When I arrived there were lots of people in the service area all trying to get service. One fellow, his name was Rich, who I met on Sunday evening at the Super 8 had gone to the Arctic Circle after hearing me talk about the road. On the way back his bike's transmission failed to run in 4th or 5th gear. No it was not a BMW but a Sporty. I overheard the service manager tell him that they didn't have the staff to tear transmissions apart and rebuild them. Crap! I new that's what my transmission needed. Why didn't he tell me that yesterday. Grrrr.

The mechanic hadn't ridden my bike when I got there but the mechanic and my bike were no where to be found so we figured he was out test riding it. A little bit later Scooter called me from Trails End to say he had checked out the bike. I told him I was in the service department so he came on up and we talked. He's a pretty cool guy from Waco, TX and seemed to be pretty genuine. He told me he simply didn't have the time or man power in the shop to tear down my transmission until the winter and doing so would take weeks even if he could. So my choices were to ride the bike until the tranny locked up or ship it home. I was sick to my stomach. I called Reagan to give her the bad news and being the wonderfully supportive wife she mentioned if there was a GS on the showroom floor that I could always buy it and ride it home then sell one of them. That was tempting but a stock GS for 6,000 miles just didn't seem like something I wanted. So I was going to get the quote on the shipping and Reagan would help me with the flight home.

Since it was going to take the rest of the afternoon and maybe tomorrow morning before I knew what the shipping cost would be I decided to leave and possibly go get drunk waiting on the guys to come into town. Of on a whim I went across the street to the Can-Am dealership to see if they had any Spyders. As luck would have it they had an '08 demo unit with 2,100 miles in silver. It had a larger windshield and the passenger backrest. And it was priced to sell. At first I blew off the salesman but then I got to thinking that in it's stock form it could probably work for the rest of the trip. Maybe...

I left the dealership and called Reagan while I was in the car. She seemed genuinely excited about the prospect although it wasn't the automatic version. She was going to check on the prices while I went back to look at the storage trunk and talk the salesman again. While I was talking with Rodney, Reagan messaged me with prices and it was clear I was getting a fair deal. I told him I needed to be able to get through Canada and back into the US on my way home without issue and he agreed to investigate how to go about doing that. Then he told me he would call me back by 4pm with an answer. This was the sort of can-do attitude I was missing in Alaska.

Just after leaving the dealership I got a call from Fred saying they were in town and having lunch at a taco place. I drove over and had lunch with them while talking about the state of the GS and the possible new acquisition. Afterwards we ran to the grocery store for alcohol and tried to check them into the dive they were going to stay at. I should have taken pictures, it was pretty bad. Things didn't go so well and the clerk tried to rip Fred off with an extra room charge. I'm sorry $129 for a double was ludicrous. You could get a Super 8 room for that and that's what they did in the end.

Just about 4 o'clock I got the call from Rodney saying he had things figured out. So I went over to test ride it and complete the sale. After the ride I knew I didn't have much bargaining power since I was grinning from ear to ear but I casually asked if he could install a power outlet on the bike before I got it. He said he could if I'd pick it up in the morning. So we did the paperwork and he knocked off a few hundred dollars and included the installation of the outlet to boot. I felt like it was a good deal over all. It turned out he was from Wisconsin and even after 10 years it still bugged him that people in Alaska didn't have a Can Do attitude when it came to things getting done.

I went back to the Super 8 to visit with the guys and go to dinner. The Denny's next to the Super 8 in Fairbanks.... STAY AWAY!!! Piss poor service and that was with the manager waiting on us. After dinner we went back to Fred's room for some libations and a little route planning. It was decided that John and Jerry will stay behind to help me pull some things off the GS and mount them on the Spyder so I have GPS and comms. Fred and Dick will ride down the road to Delta Junction and secure some rooms. Then we'll ride down tomorrow evening when we are done with the bike and have the GS crated up.

So by Thurday morning when I wake up we'll be right on schedule just as if this whole debacle had never occured. Except I'll be on 3 wheels instead of 2 and I won't have my comfortable Russel Day Long seat. But I'll be riding again and Reagan is getting a new bike out of the deal. In trip presents, I think this just might beat the Rolex she got when we went to Germany. At least in size it will.

It's not bright yellow as I would have liked but the black and silver combination should lend itself nicely to some pink accents. Maybe some ralley stripes down the middle or something. One thing for sure, there is a massive aftermarket for this thing. It's almost as bad as a Harley.

AK '09 - Day 16

2009-07-06T23:40:00.001-05:00

Today I was up early with a headache, so I took the bike to the car wash to get a layer of dirt off. $11 dollars later I had a semblance of a normally dirty bike. It was clean enough to work on but not too clean. Then it was back to the hotel for breakfast. I was really surprised to see the pitiful "Super Start" breakfast at this Super 8. It was as bad as the hotel in St. Petersburg. I got some oatmeal and 2 little muffins and went to the room.

I wanted to get to the dealership before they opened so I could hopefully get them to look at it today. A rider rode up on a Harley that had a high idle. The place was still closed and this guy was in a bad mood. Then a tech walked out, asked if it was carberated and grabbed a screw driver. A few minutes later he had the bike loping along like a Harley is supposed to. I thought this was a good sign. Then Jerry, the guy, walked over and surveyed the line of folks waiting. He went inside and got everyone to open a little early and got us taken care of. I thought this was a good sign.

Since my problem was big, they shuffled me to the back so they could get the tiny problems written up and out of the way. While waiting I discovered Jerry was transitioning from Service Manager to Finance Manager due to some medical issues and that his replacement Demetrius wasn't very qualified at his new job just yet. This was the first bad sign.

Finally, Demetrius wrote me up and took my key. I asked how far it was to the airport and if it was in walking distance. Demetrius started telling me how to get there when Jerry stepped in and said he would be happy to take me over there as it was too far to walk. Another great sign for Jerry, bad sign for Demetrius. I asked when I might get a diagnosis and when they wanted me back to remove the wiring work I had done. Demetrius said he would call me this afternoon so I left with Jerry and went to the airport for a rental car.

With rental car acquired, the next step was to get out of the Super 8 and into some more affordable housing so I called up the university and took advantage of their summer guest housing. It turned out to be $36/night since I was staying for at least a week. For that rate I can put up with the community bathrooms, no A/C, and no TV. It does include a fast Internet connection so I was happy. I found out later that I needed a parking pass which costs $15 a week but I'm still ahead of the game. Heck, the rental car cost me more than my lodging for the same period.

I checked into my new digs and started catching up on picture uploads. Pictures have been posted through today. As it got closer to 5pm I decided to go pop-in on the dealership to see how things were going. Just before I got there I realized I didn't have the keys to my bike so I couldn't get into my top case which I needed to do. So I called instead and Demetrius told me he was so busy today and short staffed that he didn't even get a tech to ride the bike. That didn't set well with me but instead of blowing up at him, I just explained that I'm sitting in his city alone, spending money that I had worked hard to save to make this trip and see parts of the country I haven't seen before. Not to sit in a room waiting on people to fix a bike that they are too busy to worry about. He was genuinely apologetic and promised that he would have it test ridden in the morning so they could start diagnosing the problem. That's all I can hope for now. He's really my only option for saving the trip, otherwise I end up contacting a shipping company and have the bike shipped home so it can be fixed locally. That too will take time so I'm hopeful I've made the better decision.

Since I was almost to the dealership when I called I stopped in at the Fred Meyer instead. This is equivalent to a Wal-Mart, Rice Epicruian, Circuit City, Home Depot all rolled into one. OMG! It was huge and there were so many people. I got some bottle water, bagels and peanut butter for breakfast along with some snacks. I figured I'd eat breakfast in the room each morning and then I only had to figure out lunch and dinner. The total grocery bill for 6 days of breakfast plus water and snacks was $19. $3 a day for 1 meal will work. If I can find the microwave and kitchen I'll pick up some soup and crackers and that will take care of another daily meal. There just isn't much in the way of decent dining establishments here and I don't see any reason to waste money when I can save a few bucks while sitting around waiting for the bike. I make check out the Alaskan Salmon Bake one evening though, that looked interesting.

Hopefully, they'll do as promised and the bike will get looked at tomorrow morning. Then the tear down process can begin and I can do my part. That should free up Wednesday and Thursday for site seeing. I'd like to drive down to Denali and maybe run back down to the little town where Northern Exposure was filmed. If I'm really lucky and it's just a bearing then they can get it back together by Friday so I could rewire things and leave on Saturday. That would be great. I'll cross my fingers.

Well, I guess I'd better catch up on my Internet shows some more, I've got a few of them in my Hulu queue.

AK '09 - Day 15

2009-07-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

I didn't get much sleep last night. The sun doesn't set above the arctic circle and the shades in the room weren't very good at blocking out the sun. I awoke at one point in the night to look outside and it didn't look any different than when I had arrived. My alarm clock was set for 7:30 but I was up before then. I took some time to work on my blog and upload some pictures. I'm still behind on the pictures but should be able to catch up in the coming days.

My mind was preoccupied with one thing, getting back down the Dalton Highway. The transmission was obviously failing and it was unclear if I would actually make it back to Fairbanks or if I'd be stranded on the side of the road. Then there was that horrible gravel and the slick mud to worry about. There was a lot on my mind and nothing looked good at breakfast. I had some oatmeal and bacon. Then I took some banana nut bread for the road, I figured it could be a snack when I started getting hungry from the small breakfast.

Fred called to give me a recommendation from his mechanic buddy so I went in search of some special grease. The idea was that the extra thick grease would help to hold the bearing together. I checked 2 different mechanic shops and neither had what I was looking for so I went to Napa and told them what my problem was. They sold me a small tube of grease and said it would probably get me to Fairbanks if the bearing wasn't too far gone. They took my money and wished me luck.

In my focus to get the bike back I forgot to stop by the gift shop and to mail a post card home. At least I got a picture of me and my bike in Deadhorse. Even with my slow start I was back on the Dalton by 8am and hoping for the best. The first 10 miles didn't seem so bad, the gravel seemed thinner and there were even hard packed sections. Then I got to the deep gravel, but it didn't seem so bad either. Apparently getting some rest made the road seem a little easier.

Around 50 miles out, I reached the hard packed surface again where I could relax a little. As I went south I would come up on sections of the road that had been watered the previous afternoon or evening which helped to keep the dust down. And since it had time to soak in things weren't slick at all.

I reached my first road construction just south of Ice Cut and it was on an uphill section. They had watered it down really well and started dumping gravel for the grader to spread. I moved as far over to the right as I could and just crawled up the hill in 2nd gear trying to keep the throttle steady and not strain the transmission any more than necessary. One of the crew made a comment about the motorcycle probably not liking this work. I quickly came on the radio and said that indeed I didn't like the work but they were doing a fine job of it none the less.

That was really the only nasty wet construction I faced the whole day. I got stopped for some construction north of Atigun Pass where they were spraying oil and dropping gravel. The section I was riding on had already been packed down so it wasn't bad, it was just annoying to sit there and wait for 10 minutes because the pilot truck was at the other end goofing off.

Because of the construction hold up, I ended up with an 18 wheeler behind me going toward Atigun Pass. I put some distance between us as I went up the pass but I knew he would be on my tail coming back down so I pulled over and took a break. The transmission was getting a little noisier but it was still working. I ate some of the banana nut bread and looked over a ledge to see a small creek caused by the snow melt. It was sort of calming to just listen to the running water. Then it was back on the bike to get down the other side.

The south side of the pass is 2 miles long and pretty steep. I kept it slower than I normally would and tried to use the rear brake occasionaly to keep the transmission loaded. When the transmission was loaded in a forward manner the noise went away, but when I put slack in the driveline or introduced engine braking the noise was very pronounced. My reasoning was that if I heard the noise I was accelerating the demise of the bearing so the goal was to minimize the noise.

On the south side of the pass the road got better. The gravel was less and there was more stretches of a sandy hard packed surface. The challenge was to keep my speed steady and smooth. I could easily go 60mph on such a surface but I wanted to keep the rpms at 3,000 or less. Again, I figured lower rpms meant longer bearing life. Even with the reduced speed I ended up passing a fellow rider on an older GS R80. The guy seemed totally in control but comfortable to take it at a slower pace.

Finally I arrived at ColdFoot. I only had 172 miles of the highway left. I went in the store to get the pump turned on and visited with a fellow rider on a Honda dirt bike that he had made street legal for doing dual sport rides. He was contemplating whether or not he would go up to Deadhorse or not. He wasn't impressed with the $200/night rooms in ColdFoot. I suggested he could try Wiseman just up the road or that he could make Deadhorse in 6 hours or so from the conditions that I had experienced. But I told him that up to ColdFoot the road was really pristine compared to what he would find north. After filling up the bike and getting my receipt, the R80 GS rider had arrived. Apparently he gave a similar report and the Honda rider decided he'd just head back south. The GS rider was a British gentleman. We talked about the challenges of traveling the road alone and he told me about a guy who had wrecked on Friday and had to be evacuated by air. Ouch! He also had a tip over when pulling off to take a break. His handlebars got turned in the gravel and down he went. No harm to him but it broke his windshield. Bummer.

Time was ticking so I got back on the bike and asked it to hold together just a little bit longer. The GPS had a mileage count down to the next turn which happened to be the end of the Dalton. I kept doing math in my head to figure out just how long it would be until I was off the road. I was also trying to figure out what it would cost to get a tow and how close I was to the 100 mile tow with AAA. The Honda rider and I passed each other along the way as we each took our respective breaks. It was sort of reassuring to know there was another rider out there that I could waive down if things went wrong.

Once I got passed the Artic Circle I was certain the transmission would just give up. The road had progressively gone from long straight flats to rolling hills. It sounded like I was really stressing the tranmission every time I would go down a hill. Before I knew it I was down to the Yukon River and crossing the bridge. Just before the Yukon I crossed paths with 2 Harleys wearing half helmets and wife beater shirts. I felt sorry for them because the first time a big truck blew by them they were going to learn the benefit of propper gear. It was late enough in the day that I figured they were just going up to the Artic Circle.

South of the Yukon I was back on some decent pavement but with the rolling hills I had to work to keep the speeds in check. And then it was the last 20 miles which is small gravel. I passed the Honda rider as he was loading his bike into the back of his truck. That's how he managed to pack so light on that bike.

Just before I got off the road, I passed 2 riders on Beemers. One of them was happily riding along in a T shirt and ball cap with his helmet strapped to the back of the bike. I couldn't believe someone could be so foolish. Forget about falling down or crashing, it's those big flying rocks that can put a hurt on you.

Finally I began the mile long descent to the beginning of the Dalton. I knew the end was in sight. When I reached Highway 2 I pulled off the road to rejoice over my accomplishment. I had gone up and come back down the Dalton Highway without dropping the bike or having an accident. And now if I needed to call for a tow it would be free. I took some pictures of the road signs, dusted off my tail lights and headed toward Fairbanks. I had 80 miles to go and my only concern was whether the rear wheel might lock up if the transmission decided to croak.

I arrived in Fairbanks and went straight to the BMW shop to see what time they opened. Secretly I was hoping they might still be open but they weren't. I looked at a nearby motel for $69/night but decided better of it. As a rule, I won't stay in a motel near a strip club and there was one just around the corner from the motel. So, although it was next to the dealership I passed. If there had been a place to eat and if they had Internet I might have reconsidered though.

I checked into the Super 8 and visited with some riders out in the parking lot. Seeing a motorcycle that was totally covered in mud it was pretty evident where I had been. There were all sorts of questions about road conditions and such. I told them all they would be fine going to the Artic Circle and even up to Cold Foot but they needed to realize their bikes could still get missed up with flying rocks and all the dirt. Go slow and be careful was my advice.

I called Reagan and then Fred and John. I was really happy to be off the road and 'home' so to speak. The past 2 days seemed like a really big adventure. The bike was still running and the transmission hadn't really worsened much since getting off the Dalton.

It took me 11 and a half hours to go from Deadhorse to Fairbanks (500 miles). If I didn't have the transmission worries I probably could have saved an hour or so but maybe not as I could have enjoyed the road a little better. Going from Tok to Deadhorse the day before took 17 and a half hours (700 miles). Going up I took a slower pace because the road was an unknown, coming back it was easier because I knew what to expect. I think I want to break up the ride into 4 days the next time I go up to Deadhorse to get that sticker I forgot.

In the morning I will take the bike over to a car wash before I go to the dealership. I really wasn't planning on spending a week in Fairbanks so I'll have to wait and see what the dealership comes up with. If I'm able to get on the road by late Tuesday (7/14) or early Wednesday then I should be able to salvage the portition of the trip with Reagan. Otherwise this vavaction, which has been in planning for the past year, will be a disaster.

Obviously there won't be any daily ride reports for the next several days but I'll still try to make some entries. I think I might go down to Denali National Park and check out the bus ride tour. It's an easy day trip and it's not like I have much else to do. I'm going to have to do something about lodging too as the Super 8 is costing me $141/night and I could be here for a week or more.

And I'm not ready to sell my bike for another brand just yet either. The GS has a feature set that just fits me. The shaft drive, heated grips, great torque and dual sport nature are things that I like. It's my do anything bike. I just thave to work out these kinks so I can take a long trip without interruption.

Time for some rest

AK '09 - Day 14

2009-07-04T23:45:00.000-05:00

Today was the day, I would finally complete the Ultimate Coast to Coast ride. Since it was going to be a long 700 mile day I set the alarm clock for 3:30 but thanks to my anticipation and Dick's alarm on the Stallion I was awake at 2:45. After laying in bed for a few minutes I decided to get up and leave. I was on the road by 3:37 local time with a send off from John and Fred.

My plan was to fill up in Fairbanks and then again in Cold Foot. I thought I remembered reading about a truckstop just before the Dalton that was a good place to get the latest road conditions. When I got into Fairbanks, Hwy 2 basically took me around the outskirts of town and the only gas station I found wasn't accepting credit cards so I didn't stop. When I got to Fox I found a 24hr unattended pay at the pump station so I filled up and kept going. A little farther up the road I found the Hilltop gas station and cafe so I pulled in for breakfast. There weren't any truckers to query about the road so I just ate my breakfast and continued up the road.

By 9am I reached the Dalton Highway. I pulled over to get a picture of the sign and then air down my tires. Then I was finally on the Dalton highway heading for Deadhorse. I was hoping to be in Coldfoot by 12 and Deadhorse by 5. Well I didn't make it to Coldfoot until 12:30 because I stopped at the Artic Circle for a photo and a break. I visited with 2 riders at Cold Foot, they were coming down from Deadhorse. They mentioned 2 problems, the wet roads because the water trucks, and the deep gravel stretch near Deadhorse.

Well I found the slippery mud caused by the maintenance crews. That stuff is slick. And I found the deep gravel, it was the last 50 miles of roadway going into Deadhorse. The best I could do was 35mph so it took me an hour and a half to get through it.

Atigun pass was a little disappointing to me, as I really expected a dramatic climate change when I cross it. Nope, it was 67 degrees at the top of the pass and no snow on the ground of course. I think it was when I got to Atigun Pass that I noticed a bad sound coming from the clutch and transmission. When the bike is in Neutral and I let out the clutch I hear a gravel like sound. Not really a grinding, more like a clattering coming from the front of the transmission area where the clutch is. The same noise is noticeable if I'm in the lower gears and close the throttle with the clutch out. Since I was closer to Deadhorse than Fairbanks I decided to risk it and ride on. If the bike died in Deadhorse I figured I could get it loaded on a flatbed back to Fairbanks.

The transmission noise didn't worsen and I made it into Deadhorse at 7pm. I got my final gas receipt and checked in at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel. After unloading the bike, I called Reagan to let her know I made it and then hussled down to the cafeteria for dinner before they stopped serving at 8pm.

The day was really long, I spent 10 hours on the Dalton and 5 hours getting there. In hind sight it probably would have been better to have launched from Fairbanks, but I completed the ride and kept the rubber side down so it's not so bad. I'm not looking forward to the first 50 miles of the ride tomorrow as it's back through the deep gravel but at least I know how far it is so I'll know just how long I'll be on it. Plus the wind should be at my back which might make things a little easier.

Hopefully the transmission will hold up and get me back to Fairbanks without issue. Riding back tomorrow I may also be able to pay more attention to the scenery and enjoy some of it. Then I can give a more detailed description of the ride on the Dalton. Right now at least it's just a blur.

AK '09 - Day 13

2009-07-03T23:19:00.000-05:00

It's amazing the difference a day can make. This morning I woke up even before the alarm went off despite getting to bed at midnight. It was a new day and it would be a special day. I'd be riding into the 49th state of the union. Just mentioning riding to Alaska around fellow motorcyclists brings looks of envy. And today I would be doing it instead of talking about it.

Since the cafe didn't open until 6 I had a little time on my side. The alarm went off at 5 and we all started getting up. I jumped back on the computer to see what the aftermath of the previous day was. Fortunately it was very little. Then I dressed and started carrying stuff out before breakfast. The cafe opened just at 6 and we were the first ones in, right behind the waitress. Breakfast was good and service was pleasant. Afterwards we paid our bills and checked out of the motel.

Despite my best efforts I was the slow one today. It seemed every time we would be ready to go I was the last one on the bike, the last one to start the bike and the last one to put it in gear. That feeling makes you feel like you are constantly trying to catch up during the day. None the less, it was a really great day.

So after filling up the bikes, we get on the Alaska Highway at 6:45am. Keep in mind it's day light at least 20 hours a day up here and the dark hours are really just dim hours. The day's destination was Tok, Alaska, total distance 384 miles. We stopped along the road for a few "nature" breaks. We even stopped for a photo of a bald eagle sitting in the top of a tree. My camera just didn't have a good enough optical lens but I think John got the picture I wanted.

When we got to Kluane Lake we were stopped for road construction. They were rebuilding a bridge and had traffic down to 1 lane with a pilot truck. While waiting around for our turn, Fred was asking people about the Fried Cinamon rolls in Destruction Bay. No one knew anything about these precious gems, not even the locals. Finally it was our turn and we all took off. Except for Dick. His Stallion was jammed into gear and he couldn't take off. So while we were being led away by the pilot truck, he was stuck trying to get his bike into gear. He eventually solved the problem and came around during the next cycle. Meantime we were waiting at a scenic view, trying to decide if he was coming. Finally he showed up and we took off. The imediate destination was Destruction Bay and a fried cinamon roll.

Most of the road to Destruction Bay was gravel, many spots the gravel was packed but in some spots it wasn't. We pull into Destruction Bay and decide to go ahead and fuel up to be on the safe side. The clowns behind the register were difficult to deal with. You had to pre-pay, you couldn't use the pump of the guy before you, and don't you dare put down your card for both you and one of your friends. It was really difficult for them to comprehend. And worse, they didn't know anything about a Fried Cinamon Roll.

Luckily we had cellular service so once everyone got their gas, Fred was on the phone with Gary to find out where the heck the cinamon roll was. We had found the place, so Fred went in to investigate while we were outside talking to other riders who had stopped. One rider had come up to Alaska in 1973 on a single cylinder Yamaha and was coming up this time with his son. That was pretty cool.

Fred found the sought after cinamon rolls but they weren't fried, they were grilled. And they didn't quite live up to the reputation we had heard from a few other close riding buddies but they will warrant a stop on the way home. There were 2 unexpected perks to the restaurant in Destruction Bay. First they had real brewed iced tea. And second they had free Wi-Fi for guests. It was entertaining to see us all with our laptops out, working on the Internet while eating our cinamon rolls and drinking our tea. Finally, Fred pointed out that we had to keep moving if we wanted to reach Tok. So we packed up the netbooks and got on the bikes. Again, I was the last one ready to go.

I almost forgot. Earlier in the morning we stopped at a gas station for a break, and when we did I had cell service. So while Fred was booking our room for tonight and their room for the following 2 nights I called Prudhoe Bay Inn and booked my room for july 4th. Done! I'll be celebrating July 4th plus my Ultimate Coast to Coast ride in Deadhorse, Alaska. Sweet! I'm sure the pain of the $150/night room will quickly diminsh as I reflact back on this trip.

So after Destruction Bay, the road really worsened. There was more unattended construction where they had just laid gravel over oil and let the traffic compact it. That's fine, unless you are on a motorcycle. There were some patches where the gravel was really lose and thick. In total we probably rode on more than 50 miles of gravel over the 384 mile trip. I was quite happy I had changed over to knobbies last night.

When we got to Alaska we pulled over for the "Welcome to Alaska" sign and then headed to Customs. We all crossed without issue, although I was a little disappointed they didn't have a large station considering the focal point of that road for commerce.

After the border crossing we stopped at the Border Crossing Lodge for fuel. No one except me wanted to chance it. I knew I had plenty of fuel. While we were there we had some lunch. It was refreshing to see waitresses from Oklahoma waiting on us. They were college girls from OSU up for the summer. They were friendly, polite and quick to get the food out. A big difference from the Canadian wait staff we'd been enduring. Thank goodness we were on US soil again.

After lunch we visited with a few riders heading south and then mounted up. Again I was dragging behind because I wanted to use the restroom but some fool was in there composing the next great work of literary art or something. I got tired of waiting after 5 minutes so I told Fred I'd just catch up with them. Then I took off and as luck would have it there was a visitor center to a national refuge just up the road a few miles. So I visited the restroom and then got my park passport stamped too. Great!

I resumed my route toward Tok, content that I probably wouldn't catch them until I got to the motel. I stopped at a few scenic overlooks and just enjoyed the ride. Finally I ended up catching the guys at a scenic overlook and we rode into Tok together. Once we got checked in I headed out for fuel so I wouldn't have to worry about it in the morning.

Tomorrow is my big day. I resume my solo trip toward Deadhorse and if all goes well I'll be there tomorrow night. If the weather works against me I don't know where I'll end up, but I'm going to Deadhorse. There won't be any internet in Deadhorse so I won't be able to post an entry tomorrow night but I'll definitely write one before I go to bed and then upload it on Sunday when I get back to Fairbanks.

Happy 4th of July! Hopefully from the top of the world.

AK '09 - Day 12

2009-07-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

It was going to be a long day for the group so we wanted to get an early start. I sort of think we got a little bit too early of a start but that is what happens when everyone is an early riser. I stayed up late last night doing the blog so 4:30 or whatever time it was came entirely too early.

We were on the bikes and rolling by 5:41am local time. We had filled up with gas yesterday upon arriving at the lodge so we didn't have to worry about gas. We thought we could ride up to Cold River Lodge for breakfast just 20 minutes up the road. Are you kidding? It was just after 6 when we arrived, no one was even up. So we kept riding until we got to Watson Lake. By that time places were open and we could get a good breakfast. We ate at the Belvedere and breakfast was good. Afterwards we rode down the street to check out the Sign Post Forrest. Too bad I didn't think to bring a sign.

Because of our extremely early departure we were really traveling too fast to check in at Whitehorse so we had to slow things down. We stopped a few times for scenery and we stopped in Teslin at the grocery store for a break. Then we continued up the road to Whitehorse.

We decided to stay at the Best Western by the airport. The clerk was exceptionally nice and helped to accommodate our bedding needs. We actually got the room with 3 beds (2 doubles and a pull out sofa) for less than the 2 doubles that Fred and Dick stayed in. That's where the positive aspects of the property ended. Since John could drink today I wanted to buy a round of beers so we went to the lounge. Right off the bat the bar tender had an attitude and actually served 2 tables that sat down after us before taking our drink orders. I walked up to the bar to help her out which went unnoticed. I asked for a styrofoam cup and heard the excuse about some customers that needed to catch an airplane. OK, that's fine. We had our beers and I was going to buy a second round, still no cup so I went to the bar (trying to be helpful) and tried to order another round. Fred didn't much care for the crap they were trying to serve as Canadian beer and asked if I could get him a Miller. I asked the bartender about the cup and jokingly said that my friend might get so desperate as to spit in the ketchup bottle. She sharply snapped back at me that if he did that we would be thrown out immediately. I looked at her and said I was joking but she didn't seem to care. OK, I don't need to try and force people to take my money so I told her to close my tab because my money was no good her. She did and gave me some b.s. about all of these customers in here trying to catch a plane. Well how about the customers staying in the hotel?

We went across the hall and had a decent dinner, although the waitress was seriously over worked and needed some help. My salsbury steak was good and she brought me fixings for my baked potatoe so I was sastified. I tipped her well, unlike the bartender who got zilch.

Today I also changed my tires in preparation for the Prudhoe Bay run. That was a sight, John and Jerry came out to watch and assist as needed. Other patrons of the hotel wanted to ask questions and make suggestions. Unfortunately in my distraction and haste to unmount the rear tire I dinged my rim a little but also tore a bit of the tire bead. I'm going to inspect it again tomorrow but I don't think it actually did any critical damage. If I do find cord damage though I will have to find another rear tire to get me home. That won't be cheap I'm sure. Hopefully I can at least get back to the lower 48. Nothing about the rear tire went well but I finally got it mounted and balanced (mostly) and reinstalled. The front tire went a little easier because I remembered to use lube on the demount. Spooning the tire on was really a snap. Getting the bead to seat was a challenge because I forgot to put some lube in the rim's well (distracted). Once I added a little to it though, the bead seated with less than 15 pounds of pressure. Easy-peasy. The front tire balanced in less than 5 minutes and then I put things back together and cleaned up. It probably took me 2 hours and I may have cost myself a rear tire but I can say I changed my own tires on the ride. With the help of friends of course.

After the tire change, after a drink, after dinner and after skype'ing with Reagan I finally looked at my email. OMG! 750 messages. There was an outage with one of my customers due to their data center hosting company. It's obvious that company can't seem to keep their stuff working and my customer is going to have to find a new site. That's going to mean more expenses for him but I'm sorry, he's got to have a stable network if he wants to offer the types of services he's offering. As typical my client isn't very verbose in his emails so I couldn't completely figure out what happened until I did a lot of searching. Power outage and at least one server didn't come back up. Since it was up by the time I saw the messages this evening I suspect he finally turned it on.

It's 11:30 here now and I have to be up at 5am. It's not quite as hot as it was an hour ago but this room is still an oven. At least the staff has gone inside so I don't have to listen to them talk about things and smoke just outside my window.

Sorry for any typos in today's post but I've just written it and pressed "Publish". Tomorrow will be the last post until I get back from Prudhoe Bay I expect. But I should have lots to say about Prudhoe Bay.

AK '09 - Day 11

2009-07-01T23:01:00.000-05:00

Our stay at the Shepherd Inn was a pleasant one. The staff was friendly and the room was comfortable. It's been nice to find hotels with 3 beds in a room. I really sort of expected to be sleeping on a roll away by now. I was up before the alarm and started working on the computer. There was email to check and weather reports to read. It looked like it was going to be a wet day warming up as we went north. Breakfast was large, really large. There was something they called a bannock, which was a monster biscuit that was like a thick pancake but made of biscuit dough. Afterwards we finished packing and got on the bikes.

Just before 7am local time we were back on the Alaskan Highway, heading north. The goal was Watson Lake but no one really believed we'd make it since that was 538 miles and this group didn't do big mileage days anymore. Retired folk like to move at a more sedate pace and "smell the roses". Not too far up the road we saw a moose on the side of the road but before I could get a photo he high tailed it into the woods. Our first stop was at Pink Mountain for some hot coco and a bathroom break. It was just 67 miles up the road but with the cold temps and the rain it was a welcomed stop for all. Jerry was pretty much ready to turn around and head home but then again, that would mean that he'd have to ride through more of the rain and at least there was the possibility of sun shine ahead.

After hot chocolate, socks for Fred, and a sticker for the bike we headed back out on the road. I went ahead and added the electric liner at this point but kept my Aerostich liner as well. The combination was great. I really didn't need the electric on much but I stayed warm and dry. I feel like I've finally found my wet weather combination for the top half. The pants are working OK but I need to shorten a velcro tag and I need to do something about the boots. They absorb a little too much moisture even with the mink oil. I think a coating of "Water Proofer" might just do the trick but finding some on the trip may prove to be a challenge. Maybe in Alaska.

So we got back on the road heading north and it was more the the same. A two lane road with a lot of land cleared on both sides of the road. I believe this was to make sure the wildlife didn't just pop out onto the road and get hit.

About 100 miles down the road we stopped at a road side pull out to take a break and visit mother nature. We managed to snap a pictuire of the real Alaskan Highway.

[INSERT ROAD SIDE PIC OF FIRE ROAD]

Actually this was an old logging road but if there hadn't been a big wash out between us and the road we would have run the bikes up the road a little ways to get some good pictures. It's probably best the wash out was there, I think it was pretty muddy at the time.

With the break done and only 167 miles on the trip odometer it was pretty clear we weren't making Watson Lake for the evening. At this point we just wanted to make Ft. Nelson to fill up and then find a place for lunch so we could discuss the stopping spot for the night.

When we got to Ft. Nelson they were preparing for a Canada Day parade and the whole town was a buzz. We found a gas station on the north side of town and filled up, then quickly scooted out of town before we got caught up in the celebration. On the way out of town there was a warning sign saying there were no services for 212 km. So much for lunch. Fred thought the sign was talking about gas so we pressed on since we had full tanks of gas. When we got to Steamboat where he had stopped many years earlier it was closed. Apparently when the sign said no services it meant NO services. So we pressed on waiting for the next spot which was supposed to only be 1 1/2 hours north of Ft. Nelson.

The trip really seemed to begin when we left Ft. Nelson. We went from a nice 2 lane road to a narrower 2 land road that wasn't as well kept. We also entered into the Northern Rockies. The sides of the roads weren't cut back as well and there was more wildlife to be seen. Along with construction. We got stopped 2 times by road crews doing construction with pilot cars to guide traffic from one end to the other. One stretch of construction had loose, moist sand/gravel and it made it fun as the bike would slip slide around on the road. A steady throttle was key.

The scenery also changed. We were climbing into the Rockies and finally saw our first snow capped mountains along with some high altitude lakes filled with snow melt. Dick volunteered to take a dip in Lake Summit but could never find an appropriate parking spot along the side of the road. I tried to help but every place had a problem. Maybe next time.

We took lots of pictures today. Some of the time I took the pictures while going down the road and other times we just pulled off the road to take pictures. I doubt I was able to capture the real beauty of the area but I hopefully captured a sample.

Finally we made it to Toad River where we stopped for lunch. It was after 2pm so it really wasn't the best time to be eating a heavy lunch but finding something light up here is difficult. A few guys had burges, I had grilled cheese and fries. Probably should have just had the Grilled Cheese. After lunch it seemed like everyone just wanted to make it to Laird Hot Springs which was 50 miles or so up the road by my calculations. So we headed north again.

The last stretch of the day was filled with a lot of gravel road and a lot of wild life. I saw bison, bears, moutain sheep and caribou. The landscape had changed a little too, we seemed to be in a less vegetative area with more rocks. But the water in the lake next to the road was a beautiful emerald green and very clear. Dick declined taking a swim in this lake saying it wasn't at a high enough altitude and I declined taking a swim because I remembered that it's hard to get my gloves on when my hands are wet :)

We finally rolled into the Laird Hot Springs Lodge at 4:45pm. Fred went in to see if rooms were available, by the time I got inside I heard they did not have a large enough room for us. So they were calling up the road to make a reservation for us. I headed outside to talk to a couple of motorcyclists we had seen along the road during the day. They had made a reservation and we talked about going up the road to the next stop to get a room. They went inside, talked to the inn keeper, gave up one of their rooms and we ended up with a place to stay. How cool is that ? All 5 of us would stay in the same room for the night thanks to Fred's air mattress. It made for a tight space but doable. The room rate was $154 for 4, their single in $124 so it's definitely not a cheap place although there is no A/C or Wi-Fi but you do have the hot springs across the street in the park.

Dinner was had down stairs in the restaurant and to be honest I really wasn't in the mood to eat. There was talk about changing the whole trip which effectively forced me to abandon the guys much sooner than I had planned. So i was in a funk about that. I had a $3.50 side salad with water and called it dinner. That was really fine.

After dinner I wanted to get out of the room and find a place of solitude to write the blog. I found Jerry outside and talked to him awhile about the day's ride. I realized sitting outside wasn't going to be an option as the mosquitos were pretty bad. So I went back inside and noticed an ethernet cable in the common room, so I grabbed my laptop and headed there. Unfortunately the cable was not connected (probably because others had tried what I was doing) so I just started typing this blog. A little time later an older couple that I had talked to earlier came down and were talking about me so when the gentleman finished telling his wife my story I introduced myself and completed the rest of the adventure. Of course the idea of riding to Prudhoe Bay by myself intrigued her so we talked about that for a while and then about their trip to Dawson City and what they had planned for their route back to Ontarrio. They were farmers and really nice folks. Eventually Jim, one of the motorcyclists I met earlier, came down and joined in the conversation. We talked about politics, work ethics, unions, cars, engines, tractors, and more. Jerry came down at some point hoping to get me into the room since he was on the air mattress in front of the door. We finally called it quits about 9 o'clock and said good night to our new found friends.

That's the part of travelling that I've missed since meeting up with the group. I'm pretty sure there's a way to find a balance and I'm going to work on that. As far as leaving the group earlier than expected. The latest plan is to go to Whitehorse tomorrow and Tok on Friday. From there they will take the southern route to see Valdez while I head to Fairbanks and on up to Deadhorse. The change in their route sort of screws me out of seeing part of Alaska but I knew that was a possibility when I decided to do the UCC ride as part of this trip. Depending on what they decide after I leave them, I may likely do some of my own exploring after the Haul Road and catch them before they leave Alaska. Since Tok is only 200 miles from Fairbanks it seems to be the logical place to part. I might stay in Fairbanks or press on to Wiseman and stay there for the night. Then make Prudhoe the next day and turn around and stay in Wiseman or Fairbanks. There is also Coldfoot as an option. Lots of choices I suddenly get to think about.

Internet: No internet at the lodge so I had to type up this blog and save it in Scribefire. If you are reading it, obviously I got access somewhere along the way. Read on forward to find out when I got Internet again.

EDIT: I was finally able to post this entry from Whitehorse, YK on July 2nd.

AK '09 - Day 10

2009-06-30T19:49:00.001-05:00

Last night was probably the best night's sleep I've had yet. The phone alarm went off at 5:31 CDT which was only 4:31 local time. I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. When the real alarm went off at 6am we all got up and started getting ready. By 6:20 we were ready to go to breakfast.

Fred, Dick and John went next door to the Husky restaurant while Jerry and I enjoyed the free continental breakfast. Who could pass up english muffins, toaster waffles and juice. Jerry snagged a muffin for later in the day.

By 8 o'clock we were finally ready to go. We went across the street and filled up, then headed out of town on Hwy 43. The plan was to make today a short day, to do laundry and get some rest. We stopped in Hythe to do laundry because it was early in the day and no one was at the laundry mat. After an hour or so we were done and back on the road.

When we got to Dawson City we stopped for the customary Alcan highway start photo. Then we rode around until we found a coffee shop called Hug A Mug. We got in out of the rain and took some time to plan our destination. We looked through the MilePost and found the Shepherds Inn at mile post 72. We made a call and liked the rate for 2 and 3 beds so we made the reservation.

After a little more coffee and conversation, we decided to head out on the road. We stopped along the road to check out a stretch of the old Alcan hiway with a wooden curved bridge. Then continued along the road until it met up with the current hiway.

We got to the inn at 2:30 and checked in. There was only one gas pump so we all filled up before calling it a day. We all unloaded our bikes and relaxed. Total mileage for the day was 156 miles. Most of the time was spent riding in the rain, fortunately my gear worked great. I didn't have a single leak. Things worked well.

Tomorrow we are going to try to go to Watson Lake but there are several options before we get there. So maybe it'll be a 600 miles or maybe it'll be shorter. We'll see what happens.

AK '09 - Day 9

2009-06-29T22:56:00.001-05:00

Since I am now west of my time zone I don't have any trouble waking up early. This morning I was up at 4:30 but laid in bed for an hour. Then I checked email and packed things up. I was in the lobby at 6:31 for breakfast and missed the cereal station that also had the oatmeal. Oh well, maybe next time.

I was on the bike and on the road by 7:00. A few miles up the road on 16 I found a gas station so I filled up the tank. Unfortunately the pumps didn't accept American Express so I had to go in after filling up. It's sort of nice to be able to fill up and then walk in. It seems to be a much more trusting environment in Canada. With the tank full it was time to ride.

I had planned to get to Grand Prairie between 4:30 and 5 local time so I'd be ahead of the guys. I wanted to make sure the hotel we were supposed to be meeting at had Internet connectivity. Along the way it dawned on me that if I could find an internet connection I could track John via his spot. Then it would be possible to adjust my arrival to catch them along the road. The route was simple. Leave Saskatoon on 16, once through Edmonton I'd take 43 toward Grand Prairie. The guys would reach 43 at Mayerthorpe.

Since I had a pretty good head wind much of the day I wasn't getting really good mileage so it didn't seem likely that I could make it all the way to Edmonton on a single tank of gas. I ended up stopping in Vegerville because the GPS showed a Shell station there. As I rode through the town it dawned on me that this town is like any other rural town in North America. Good hard working folks who still wave at people. After I filled up the bike I decided to go inside and get some juice and a snack. The cliff bars were starting to get boring. While looking at the peanuts, a fellow with a very thick french accent struck up a conversation with me about my trip and my bike.

He had an R1200RT which I saw as I was riding out of town. Nice. We talked about when he flew his bike to Iceland for a month long trip with his 5 year daughter. And then he told me he had given up his job in Quebec as an engineer to come out to Vegerville to work as an electrician. The money was a whole lot better plus he got $60K of it tax free. He said he was making $284K by working here. I can't believe the things people tell me. While I was talking to him I pulled out the laptop just see if I could find the name of the town where the day's routes would intersect. While looking at MapSource the wi-fi indicator popped up saying there was connectivity so I tried it and it worked. I pulled up the Spot page for John and saw they were indeed on the road and making reasonable time. So I ended my conversation with my new friend and headed out of town. He was even nice enough to give me an easy but quick short cut out of town and back onto Hwy 16.

As I got to Edmonton, the sky began to darken. And I encountered a trash truck going down the road with his trash bin on fire. The smoke was so bad at least 3 different cars almost got into bad wrecks. I just wanted to get by the truck as quickly as possible so I didn't get wrapped up in a wreck. Then there was the hot oil (tar) truck that I got stuck behind in traffic. And finally the lack of a bypass, Hwy 16, which is a real hiway in Canada, goes right through town with stop lights and all. Unbelievable. So my impression of Edmonton is that it is a smelly, dirty, congested town. Definitely not a place I want to visit again.

Once I turned onto 43, there was a since of anticipation and excitement. The solo part of the ride was coming to an end but the real adventure into Canada and Alaska was just beginning. And I was going to get to enjoy it with friends. So I pressed on until Whitecourt where I stopped at a Super8 to get Internet access. I had to talk the clerk into giving me the access code as they had had problems with someone using their Wi-Fi from the parking lot and committing crimes. Once I logged on I found John aprroximately 30 minutes behind me. So I went to the gas station to fill up and then waited. I began to think I had missed them so I went back to the motel parking lot and checked. The tracker showed them very close to Whitecourt and the update time was 15 minutes earlier so I packed up the laptop and headed back to the hiway. Just as I got to the light see them rolling through the intersection to I make a right turn and falling in line. I have caught them.

We ride for several miles and then stop for a short break at a roadside pullout. Then it's back on the road for the final 100 miles. At first it wasn't bad but the last 60 miles had a really strong headwind, plus a rough road, plus it just being the end of the day. It seemed to take forever. Finally we rolled into town, there was a mix up on getting to the motel but we made it. Then there some comotion during check-in but even that was overcome.

Total mileage for the trip today was 610 miles. It was neat to see the landscape change so drastically. I started in the flat lands with long straight roads. And I finished with steep hills and the occassional wide sweeper. As we move further northwest it can only get better. Tomorrow we'll go to Dawson Creek, do laundry and take photos at the start of the Alcan. Whether we stay in Dawson Creek or we rolled forward is up in the air. But it's sounding like we'll make it a short day tomorrow and stay in Dawson Creek. If we had only gotten there this past weekend we could have been in town for D2D.

It's 9:49 local time and it's very bright outside. Once I put away this computer though I don't think I'm going to have a problem getting to sleep.

AK '09 - Day 8

2009-06-28T20:07:00.001-05:00

The alarm didn't go off but I woke up a few minutes before 5 without it. I wanted to leave by 6 so I hustled into the shower, packed everything up, loaded the bike and went to check out. Although breakfast wasn't supposed to be served until 7 they already had it out for the truckers. The Super 8 on I-29 in Fargo really appreciate their truck driving customers. If I'm headed through Fargo again it'll be the place to stay but next time I'll get a non-smoking room and pay extra if I have to. My clothes reak.

I grabbed some non-sweet donuts, an english muffin and some juice. Then completed the check out process. With everything done all that was left was to get on the bike and ride. I figured I'd find gas along the way out of town.

The fuel gauge readjusted and indicated I wasn't about to run out of gas as I had thought when rolling into town. I finally stopped for fuel an hour later in Valley City, ND. Tip about getting gas in Valley City, although the sign says there are 3 exits, take the first one when heading west. The other 2 loop back to the first one where the gas stations are. I called Reagan to say good morning while I was filling up the tank. The receipt printer didn't work so I had to walk inside and wait for the half baked cashier to print a receipt. The dude would have been entertaining if I hadn't been eager to keep rolling.

The route was pretty simple, head west on I-94 to Bismarc, go north on US 83 to Minot, then north on US 52 all the way to Portal, ND where I crossed the border without hassle. I didn't realize it was open season on Teal but apparently it was. I wonder if I have to claim the brown teal I killed on I-94 since it was in Montana. I mean what does Texas care :) I'm sticking to my story, I was riding down the rode when the teal flew straight into the right jug. At 80mph that proved fatal.

The immigration officer asked me if I had enough money to be in their country. I looked at him a little odd and he asked if I had enough to enjoy my vacation. I told him I had an American Express card plus cash in the bank. That seemed to satisfy him. But then he wanted to know where I worked, so I gave him the company name and hoped he didn't ask what I did. The customs guy wasn't interested in anything but my yellow slip as he was in the middle of a story so he took the slip and said thank you.

I was officially in Canada. Woo hoo! My "Ride the World" sticker has a little validity finally. US 52 becomes Canada 39 so I followed it to Regina where I picked up 11 into Saskatoon. 100 kmph seemed really slow but I discovered just like in the US, people drive at least 10 over so I just made sure there was always a faster car in front of me. The biggest challenge today was that so much of the ride was straight, flat and BORING.... There was one thrilling moment when I looked over and saw 2 deer grazing in a field near the road. No one else seemed concerned but I certainly didn't want to end my trip by hunting deer with the BMW.

I arrived in Saskatoon at 5:15 but it was actually 4:15 since they don't observe the day light savings thing. Check in was easy and the clerk was very friendly. As requested I got a first floor room opening to the parking lot. I have a door on the inside plus one to the parking lot. How cool is that? It certainly made unloading the bike a breeze. The room may be the most expensive on the trip to date, but if I didn't know any better I'd think I was staying in a Marriot.

I cleaned up, checked my email and headed out. This motel couldn't have been in a better location. There was an ATM across the street so I could get some Canadian cash and there was a restraraunt down the street. I almost went to the Tim Horton's but the motel clerk said it was like Starbucks so I may try it for Breakfast in the morning if the Super8 breakfast is the same old same old. I ended up at Dave's Family Restaraunt which was next door to Dave's Lizard Lounge. The restaraunt was closed so I went to the bar. They called it family food but I think it's probably more like bar food. None the less, the waitress warmed up to me after I told her I was from Texas. Then there was the owner, Ken. He's a hoot. If his gig as a restaraunt owner goes south he should go on the road as a comedian. He told me he's the real owner but it used to be called David's but it had changed by a previous owner. So he changed it back and added "& Ken" really small. It's a local joke. He's a funny guy.

So what about the food. It was good bar food and the Rickards Red was good. Between the amazing room at Super 8 and the entertainment of the bar I think Saskatoon is a fun stop along the way. But things in Canada cost more so be prepared. Remember the immigration agent wants to make sure you have enough money :)

Tomorrow I catch up with my "support crew". That's what I'm calling them since there's 3 trailers between the 4 riders. If one of them had a camcorder it'd be an easy sale to tell the locals we were filming a show for a the Discovery channel. The independent portion of the trip is coming to an end but the adventure is hardly over. I have renewed confidence in future long term trips but then again I also like traveling with others.