It's been hard to find time online, awake, able to update, but I have tried to jot notes periodically, so here's part one of the update:
Monday – Salem OR to Twin Falls, ID
Monday back in the saddle again, after spending the weekend with my sister and her family in Salem. The route was 20 east. It goes all the way to Cape Cod, but I won’t get that far. (another option was to go up the slab (5) to Portland then pick up the interstate there for the trek east. Recommended for the Columbia river gorge stretch, but way out of the way, and that’s less than 50 miles anyway, so passed. The 2 lane route would take me over the mountains in Oregon – passing Detroit lake, hoodoo – where the sister’s family has a cabin – and then Burns, Bend, etc. The road follows the route of the Oregon trail, I was travelling it backwards, of course. Periodically there were markers explaining this ford or that stopping point, etc. Most striking to me, though, was the section in the mountains where some 90k acres burned some years back. Amazing how barren it looks.
It was pretty cold in the mountains, glad for my overpants, the jacket I’d borrowed, the glove liners I’d bought. Then down off the mountain, the rest of Oregon – eastern – and the part of Idaho I rode – through boise and about 100 miles beyond – were arid, hot, dry. More desert. Ugh. Didn’t get as far as I might have liked as a result, maybe 600 miles in the day. Landed at another KOA, which was just fine. No local beer, but they had Jack & Coke premixed in a bottle. Who knew. Yum.
Tuesday – Twin Falls, ID to Yellowstone
From twin falls it was mostly slab for the first half of the trip to the park, then 2 lane for the second. About 200 miles to the west entrance. I opted to skip the craters of the moon route which would have been more 2 lane, but also more slow going through dry nothing. I’ve had enough desert by choice.
It was really cold for much of the morning. I had breakfast at a truck stop right near the campground to try and fuel up, but it didn’t really help. I kept stopping to add layers. Wasn’t till about halfway that I had the right combination and was riding comfortably. My fault. Should have just started right.
West Yellowstone, the town at the entrance, is just one big tourist magnet. Full of little shops selling tshirts and the like, plus a few outfitters thrown in for those doing it more rough. I passed.
Got into the park and rode the loop southward. I know old faithful is soo touristy, but I figured I had to do it too. The crowd was, alas, probably more impressive than the geyser. Ok, saw that. Took the route that LA’s friend recommended from there. Aound the lake, beautiful, past the canyon/falls, ditto, and then north. No bear sightings, but a pelican guarding the river, and then lots of bison. I only have a couple of pictures, hard to do it alone on the bike, but there were plenty. Stopped traffic a couple of times, even.
As a result of the bison, all my stops to take in the views, the off and on rain and very dark skies, and impending nightfall, I decided not to leave the park in a rush, tense over the rain, etc., but rather camp here for the night and push on the last 50 miles or so in the morning. It’s supposed to be beautiful, and I want to enjoy it. When am I coming back, after all.
Fortunately, a ranger had pity and though the campsite was marked full, said I could stay in the area reserved for hikers and bikers. Ok, they mean cyclists, but he was being kind. (just before the campsite was xxx pass, up twisties into the moutain and then a 7 mile descent, which might have been fun had the ground not been wet from the rians earlier. I was going really slowly. Great views, hopefully some decent pix, but that’s when I decided to camp if I could.
Down the hill from the campsite is a general store, where I ran back after setting up, to get some dinner. Highlight was a bottle of moose drool beer from Montana. Quite good actually, though of course I just bought it because it’s local and has such a funky name.
In the section of the campsite I’m in are two guys from china who flew to seattle and have been travelling here – and plan to go much beyond – on bicycle. Very interesting to talk to them. About their journey, mine, their bikes, mine, etc. at least one of them plans to continue all the way to maine, riding through October. Amazing. Also a guy who came here to backpack for a week, but unfortunately turned his ankle quite badly the first day, so he’s cut that short. At least he has plenty of gear, and like me, the rangers let him use this section due to the circumstances (he drove in from where he’d left his car_
Oh, and lots of bear warnings here. Stash your food in the metal lockers provided. Even your water bottles, toothpaste, etc. I’m kind of hoping I’ll see one – from a safe distance of course – in the morning.
Tomorrow’s route will take me out the northeast part of the park, up I think 212 which is supposed to be a beautiful road, then pick up the highway and head east. Whether I can pick 20 back up I don’t know. How close to rushmore/Sturgis etc I’ll get I don’t know. No reception here so I can’t use my iPhone, and my Garmin has so little charge I don’t want to try that.
Ok that’s it for the night. The fire I made is dead – had to do the boy scout thing now that I’m not in a no burn area like I was so much of the trip, and in a primitive campsite to boot. Computer is dying too, and I’ve got to get some sleep anyway. I need to make lots of miles tomorrow. It’s Wednesday already, and I have to be home by Sunday. I figure I’ve got at least 2200 miles to go.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Week 2 -- Los Angeles to Oregon, July 24 - 31
To add to that trip journal, but who knows when I’ll have time (or frankly, where I even left off). So maybe the thing to do is work backwards.
Saturday, 7/30/11
Not much this day. Went in the morning as scheduled to salem Honda/bmw to get new rear pads installed, pick up an oil filter. Really nice guys, reasonable prices, in and out in no time so good. Their theory is that the rapid wear is due to the bad scoring of the rear rotor, which is probably correct. Will have to replace it when I get home.
Picked up an oil filter while I was there, and back at the house did an oil change. Only around 2k miles since the last, but figured this would be the last chance for a DIY change till I get home, so might as well.
Friday, 7/29. A short riding day, mostly family.
Started the day where I’d ended the previous, with Sam at the Stove Camp, in Cottage Grove, OR.
Not really relevant to the ride, but this is a really cool place. Sam is my nephew, out of college a couple of years now (aerospace engineering degree) who somehow got hooked up with these folks who are working on developing efficient and clean burning and inexpensive and simple stoves that could be used in developing nations, saving fuel, economical for the users, and better for their health and the overall environment. The week I arrived coincidentally they were doing a ‘stove camp’ where people from all over who are interested in the work can develop their own ideas, share insights, etc. Friday was the end, so they were all presenting their results, observations, where they’re going next, and it was a really interesting morning. From solar to use of different fuels to different designs. Like I said to someone, they could be growing dope there, it was that kind of feel to the place, but instead they’re doing real science. They were carefully monitoring CO outputs, Particulate Matter outputs, heat production, etc. and presenting to each other with all sorts of charts and data sets. You could tell these were serious folks.
Ok. After that sam wanted to go surfing to I went up to salem. Rode a bit on the 99 which parallels the interstate, then sam had suggested I do the rest of the 80 or so mile trip on the interstate so I did.
Something or other county between Cottage Grove and Salem is the Grass Seed capital of America. Who’d have known. But what you see then in farmland is just these huge fields of grass. Not long like for hay, just grass.
Got to salem, found the LA’s place, and just hung out.
Thursday, 7/28 From north of SF to Oregon
This was a day to just wander the northern California wine country and the redwood forests and get my way somewhere towards LA. Since the campground to LA’s house was 600 miles I knew it very unlikely I’d get all the way there, not if I wanted to do anything but ride nonstop, so I’d crash someplace along the way.
Route for starters was the 101, which runs some inland and then picks up the coast. I’d driven the PCH and didn’t really want a long slow ride, so I opted to skip that.
It was cold in the am, so instead of riding and then stopping for coffee/breakfast, I decided to start that way. Skipped the denny’s and went to a local joint, which seemed a pretty good idea. Prices were absurd, it made me miss Norm’s in LA, but oh well. It was such a local hangout. Everyone was coming in, chatting, moving table to table, various generations. Some interesting comments on the bike, travelling, but not much. Only got bad when the guys in the booth beind me, and a couple of their friends who’d stopped to chat, started in with the jewish jokes. I can’t remember how it started, some comment, and then one joke to another as they were competing for the ‘funniest?’ made me want to just pack in and go, so I did.
The riding was easy and very nice. You can get off the 101 at countless places and ride through vineyards, which was cool. Too bad I couldn’t buy or taste, so I skipped the tours, still pretty and a change from other stuff I’d ridden thru.
Then thru the redwoods, which of course was spectacular. Have to keep remembering them when I say I have big trees on my property. Yeah right.
As I emerged from the forest and to the coast, it got much cooler. Glad again I’ve got that liner for the jacket, I needed it. Nice to get a last stretch of coastal riding though. At one point when the road cut in a bit, as we were crossing a river (kalimah? Something like that, right around Humboldt bay) there were all these cars stopped right on the bridge, others stopped before and after and people were walking over, etc. I was pretty wiped by that time, my midafternoon fade, so I thought I’d park and walk down and see what’s up. Well the view was really nice, but that’s not why the commotion. There was a whale in the river. Well, I couldn’t get its picture, but that was certainly cool. I’ll have to try and see if the news crew I saw there got a good pic and I can steal their image. Photo of the CHP car is because of the poor officer inside on his loudspeaker pleading for people to move their cars, not stand in the middle of the bridge etc. I felt sorry for him.
Oh, speaking of CHP, I got stopped for speeding for the first time on the trip today. He only gave me a warning, no souvenir ticket. Probably a good thing.
From the northern end of 101 in California over-rode the garmin and decided to take 199 to Grant’s Pass to I-5 up towards Salem. I was getting tired and wanted to get my twisties out of the way earlier, and finish the day on easy slab. Good choice. The 199 was a really nice ride. Starts through some amazing redwood sections, then winds thru and over what ever mountains for the next 25/30 miles or so, then through the valleys and out towards the interstate. About 80 miles in all., in the middle of which you cross into Oregon. Bye-bye California.
When I stopped for gas just before the interstate my rear wheel locked on exiting, made me check and sure enough no material left on my back pad. Hope to find a shop in salem where I can get it fixed.
Ok, so I went through that 199, and decided day’s end would be at Sam’s, a bit south of LA. Maybe 500 miles or so in the day, plenty given my little side visits and stops. Jumped on the interstate and ran up pretty quickly to his town. I was tired by this point, no doubt, so not as fast as I might have, rather caution given the many construction zones along the way etc.
Got to sam’s town ok, got lost despite getting directions from three folks along the way, but eventually made it. A miniature couch in a (fill in the blank, he’s just a young man, after all) trailer never felt so good. There were people camping there but I just didn’t feel like setting up the tent. Couch will do.
Wednesday, July 27, leaving LA, heading north
So much as I was enjoying hanging out in LA, it is finally time to get back on the road. Plan for the day is to head north, hopefully ending someplace above San Francisco, so the trip to the Bentsons in Oregon would be a manageable two days. My college room mate had said he’s about halfway between LA and SF so I thought I might take a break and visit him, if we could work it out.
I decided not to travel the PCH, which I’ve done already and knew would just take a whole lot longer, and instead take the 101 all the way north. Looking at the map it looked like a good route to go all the way up California. Mike said he lives just off the 101, which means he’s on the way.
It was a nice ride, nothing major along the way, went a few times on what they called 101 business so I could check out towns along the route for a change of pace. Burned lots of time stopping, trying to connect with Mike, which in fact never worked out. Turns out he was on the golf course, as is his daily routine.
That put me behind schedule, and a major traffic jam before SF just made it worse. I was hoping to get through SF before dark, and be able to find a campsite above the city and get settled. Well, that traffic jam made that impossible, so I asked Garmin for the nearest KOA. The location they gave seemed odd, but I followed, and it turns out was totally wrong. Was right in the middle of SF, not a KOA but rather some senior housing facility. That wasted lots of time. After realizing that I asked for the next which was about 30 miles north of the city. Got totally turned around trying to find the Golden Gate which would continue my route on the 101 to where the campsite is. It was really cold too, and foggy. And dark by this time. Ok, I’ll just push on. Garmin was working, but I was afraid it might die, being at the end of a long day and the limit of the battery life. But eventually it got me there, I got checked in to the site in Petaluma, and it was fine.
First real test of the Motofizz bag, getting unloaded and camp set up. Millions of times easier than what I’d been using, already proving its value. So glad I got it.
Something like $45 for the KOA was steepest I’d paid, but a lot cheaper than motels around there, so worth it. Actually it’s a really nice one. Paved roads, not gravel, for the first time. Yay. A real pool (not that I used it, it was cold, remember.) They have organized bus tours of the city, wine country in the area, but I didn’t take advantage. I’ve been to SF before, so didn’t want to spend the day there.
Thurs 21 July – Wed 27 July, Los Angeles.
After pushing across the country, spending days wandering national parks and other open spaces, it was nice to be in the city. I quickly decided to alter the plan to recharge there for a brief couple of days and go to Yosemite, I’ll have to do that another trip. I got the oil changed at BMW Hollywood, mostly just hung out, exploring the various beaches; once in Venice, once to Santa Monica, once to Malibu.
The riding highlight of the visit was when we rode to something called the Rock Store. It’s a popular destination, check the web. No celebs there despite the advertised possibility, but to get there we went up the PCH to Malibu, then out one canyon road, and back another to the city. So it was nice riding, and a nice destination. Lots of bikes there, of all types, mostly local folks but clearly a comfortable friendly place.
Not much else to report on the LA visit here.
Saturday, 7/30/11
Not much this day. Went in the morning as scheduled to salem Honda/bmw to get new rear pads installed, pick up an oil filter. Really nice guys, reasonable prices, in and out in no time so good. Their theory is that the rapid wear is due to the bad scoring of the rear rotor, which is probably correct. Will have to replace it when I get home.
Picked up an oil filter while I was there, and back at the house did an oil change. Only around 2k miles since the last, but figured this would be the last chance for a DIY change till I get home, so might as well.
Friday, 7/29. A short riding day, mostly family.
Started the day where I’d ended the previous, with Sam at the Stove Camp, in Cottage Grove, OR.
Not really relevant to the ride, but this is a really cool place. Sam is my nephew, out of college a couple of years now (aerospace engineering degree) who somehow got hooked up with these folks who are working on developing efficient and clean burning and inexpensive and simple stoves that could be used in developing nations, saving fuel, economical for the users, and better for their health and the overall environment. The week I arrived coincidentally they were doing a ‘stove camp’ where people from all over who are interested in the work can develop their own ideas, share insights, etc. Friday was the end, so they were all presenting their results, observations, where they’re going next, and it was a really interesting morning. From solar to use of different fuels to different designs. Like I said to someone, they could be growing dope there, it was that kind of feel to the place, but instead they’re doing real science. They were carefully monitoring CO outputs, Particulate Matter outputs, heat production, etc. and presenting to each other with all sorts of charts and data sets. You could tell these were serious folks.
Ok. After that sam wanted to go surfing to I went up to salem. Rode a bit on the 99 which parallels the interstate, then sam had suggested I do the rest of the 80 or so mile trip on the interstate so I did.
Something or other county between Cottage Grove and Salem is the Grass Seed capital of America. Who’d have known. But what you see then in farmland is just these huge fields of grass. Not long like for hay, just grass.
Got to salem, found the LA’s place, and just hung out.
Thursday, 7/28 From north of SF to Oregon
This was a day to just wander the northern California wine country and the redwood forests and get my way somewhere towards LA. Since the campground to LA’s house was 600 miles I knew it very unlikely I’d get all the way there, not if I wanted to do anything but ride nonstop, so I’d crash someplace along the way.
Route for starters was the 101, which runs some inland and then picks up the coast. I’d driven the PCH and didn’t really want a long slow ride, so I opted to skip that.
It was cold in the am, so instead of riding and then stopping for coffee/breakfast, I decided to start that way. Skipped the denny’s and went to a local joint, which seemed a pretty good idea. Prices were absurd, it made me miss Norm’s in LA, but oh well. It was such a local hangout. Everyone was coming in, chatting, moving table to table, various generations. Some interesting comments on the bike, travelling, but not much. Only got bad when the guys in the booth beind me, and a couple of their friends who’d stopped to chat, started in with the jewish jokes. I can’t remember how it started, some comment, and then one joke to another as they were competing for the ‘funniest?’ made me want to just pack in and go, so I did.
The riding was easy and very nice. You can get off the 101 at countless places and ride through vineyards, which was cool. Too bad I couldn’t buy or taste, so I skipped the tours, still pretty and a change from other stuff I’d ridden thru.
Then thru the redwoods, which of course was spectacular. Have to keep remembering them when I say I have big trees on my property. Yeah right.
As I emerged from the forest and to the coast, it got much cooler. Glad again I’ve got that liner for the jacket, I needed it. Nice to get a last stretch of coastal riding though. At one point when the road cut in a bit, as we were crossing a river (kalimah? Something like that, right around Humboldt bay) there were all these cars stopped right on the bridge, others stopped before and after and people were walking over, etc. I was pretty wiped by that time, my midafternoon fade, so I thought I’d park and walk down and see what’s up. Well the view was really nice, but that’s not why the commotion. There was a whale in the river. Well, I couldn’t get its picture, but that was certainly cool. I’ll have to try and see if the news crew I saw there got a good pic and I can steal their image. Photo of the CHP car is because of the poor officer inside on his loudspeaker pleading for people to move their cars, not stand in the middle of the bridge etc. I felt sorry for him.
Oh, speaking of CHP, I got stopped for speeding for the first time on the trip today. He only gave me a warning, no souvenir ticket. Probably a good thing.
From the northern end of 101 in California over-rode the garmin and decided to take 199 to Grant’s Pass to I-5 up towards Salem. I was getting tired and wanted to get my twisties out of the way earlier, and finish the day on easy slab. Good choice. The 199 was a really nice ride. Starts through some amazing redwood sections, then winds thru and over what ever mountains for the next 25/30 miles or so, then through the valleys and out towards the interstate. About 80 miles in all., in the middle of which you cross into Oregon. Bye-bye California.
When I stopped for gas just before the interstate my rear wheel locked on exiting, made me check and sure enough no material left on my back pad. Hope to find a shop in salem where I can get it fixed.
Ok, so I went through that 199, and decided day’s end would be at Sam’s, a bit south of LA. Maybe 500 miles or so in the day, plenty given my little side visits and stops. Jumped on the interstate and ran up pretty quickly to his town. I was tired by this point, no doubt, so not as fast as I might have, rather caution given the many construction zones along the way etc.
Got to sam’s town ok, got lost despite getting directions from three folks along the way, but eventually made it. A miniature couch in a (fill in the blank, he’s just a young man, after all) trailer never felt so good. There were people camping there but I just didn’t feel like setting up the tent. Couch will do.
Wednesday, July 27, leaving LA, heading north
So much as I was enjoying hanging out in LA, it is finally time to get back on the road. Plan for the day is to head north, hopefully ending someplace above San Francisco, so the trip to the Bentsons in Oregon would be a manageable two days. My college room mate had said he’s about halfway between LA and SF so I thought I might take a break and visit him, if we could work it out.
I decided not to travel the PCH, which I’ve done already and knew would just take a whole lot longer, and instead take the 101 all the way north. Looking at the map it looked like a good route to go all the way up California. Mike said he lives just off the 101, which means he’s on the way.
It was a nice ride, nothing major along the way, went a few times on what they called 101 business so I could check out towns along the route for a change of pace. Burned lots of time stopping, trying to connect with Mike, which in fact never worked out. Turns out he was on the golf course, as is his daily routine.
That put me behind schedule, and a major traffic jam before SF just made it worse. I was hoping to get through SF before dark, and be able to find a campsite above the city and get settled. Well, that traffic jam made that impossible, so I asked Garmin for the nearest KOA. The location they gave seemed odd, but I followed, and it turns out was totally wrong. Was right in the middle of SF, not a KOA but rather some senior housing facility. That wasted lots of time. After realizing that I asked for the next which was about 30 miles north of the city. Got totally turned around trying to find the Golden Gate which would continue my route on the 101 to where the campsite is. It was really cold too, and foggy. And dark by this time. Ok, I’ll just push on. Garmin was working, but I was afraid it might die, being at the end of a long day and the limit of the battery life. But eventually it got me there, I got checked in to the site in Petaluma, and it was fine.
First real test of the Motofizz bag, getting unloaded and camp set up. Millions of times easier than what I’d been using, already proving its value. So glad I got it.
Something like $45 for the KOA was steepest I’d paid, but a lot cheaper than motels around there, so worth it. Actually it’s a really nice one. Paved roads, not gravel, for the first time. Yay. A real pool (not that I used it, it was cold, remember.) They have organized bus tours of the city, wine country in the area, but I didn’t take advantage. I’ve been to SF before, so didn’t want to spend the day there.
Thurs 21 July – Wed 27 July, Los Angeles.
After pushing across the country, spending days wandering national parks and other open spaces, it was nice to be in the city. I quickly decided to alter the plan to recharge there for a brief couple of days and go to Yosemite, I’ll have to do that another trip. I got the oil changed at BMW Hollywood, mostly just hung out, exploring the various beaches; once in Venice, once to Santa Monica, once to Malibu.
The riding highlight of the visit was when we rode to something called the Rock Store. It’s a popular destination, check the web. No celebs there despite the advertised possibility, but to get there we went up the PCH to Malibu, then out one canyon road, and back another to the city. So it was nice riding, and a nice destination. Lots of bikes there, of all types, mostly local folks but clearly a comfortable friendly place.
Not much else to report on the LA visit here.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Friday, day 8 - Los Angeles, CA
Ok, I admit it, after pushing so many days on the road, I'm rather enjoying being settled in the city, with clean sheets on a nice cushy couch. Had no idea when I got here how long this LA stop would be, looks like it'll be a couple of days. for anyone looking for ride report, then, there really is none here. this is a stationary day. well, for the bike anyway.
Friday morning I woke to get an oil change on the bike. There's a dealer in Hollywood (Honda of Hollywood is the offical name, though in the anonymous book they're listed as BMW of Hollywood, that's not on their signs or anything) not far from where I'm staying, so it was a pretty easy thing. I've never had a dealer do anything this simple on the bike, but even though I did bring my filter wrench and the other required tools, it just didn't seem right making a mess here, dealing with buying and getting rid of a drip tray, etc. So, off I went. Unlike Bob's in my area, the dealer here is a multi-line dealership, selling and servicing not only BMW's but also Honda's, Suzuki, not sure what else. Meaning, they were very busy even when I arrived at opening. But, the service staff was most kind -- gave me the first available tech to do the change, since I'd come from so far away. Even so that meant that I was hanging out there for a while, which wasn't a terrible thing. Spent the time chatting with a couple of other guys who had brought their bikes in for service. About the trip, their bikes, zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance (neither was a DIY type of guy. One seemed to have no inclination ever to be, the other did, but didn't know how to go about gaining the knowledge and comfort with doing even the simplest tasks.) Oh, and did I mention, one also had an R12c. He was in getting the tail-light, signal stalk mess we all seem to have fixed. Has a naked ivory model, looks good except for the lights issue. Originally an AZ bike, which explains it, though has chrome issues even worse than mine. (btw, not a chromeheads.org member, but i gave the site info and maybe he'll register). interestingly, it turned out all three of us were from Long Island, which seemed another odd coincidence given where we sat.
Note to Bob's -- after they finish servicing your bike, they give it a nice wash! After so many miles on the dusty roads, my bike sure looks good again. As importantly, when the poked around to check it out, saw nothing else needing attention at this point, which is reassuring.
ok, after the service, I rode out to another part of town to have lunch with a colleague from work. Nice chance to experience traffic on LA freeways again, oh joy.
Moving on. My friend had told me when I arrived she had plans with some folks for a hike around malibu over the weekend, which I thought would be a nice way to stretch the legs and get some exercise after all that time on the bike. I guess I momentarily forgot who I was dealing with. One crazy endurance runner, and as it turns out, a bunch from her running group. So, this hike of their turned out to be about 15 miles including some really steep up & downs - google something called the bulldog, which we ascended. and, just to make it interesting, we left around 8pm after a quick dinner (bagel crust pizza in venice. interesting concept. if they only had better mozzarella, it would have been really yummy, even so was very good. but I digress) let me say that again, we left around 8pm. which means it was around 2:30 am when we finished back at the car. oh, one bonus for me was that the park we were hiking in was once owned by one of the studios, and was in fact where the exterior scenes of MASH were filmed. So if you want to see what we were hiking, look at the opening credits, when there's that ridgeline, we hiked up to, across, and down it, basically) They left an ambulance and truck and some other bits from the show on site for the tourists, which i appreciated. in the near dark we were in already by the time we got there I don't think the pix i tried to take will come thru, but we'll see when i try to load later. i haven't done much or any real hiking for many years, and even at my most active phase in college never did something like this. (but for them, it's training for 24 hr or longer races where they have to run on trails at night). the good thin is that my body seems to have endured without major pain. then again, the pair who were leading, and could clearly have pushed much harder and faster, were being kind and taking it easy the whole way, for which my body and I are most grateful) after that, so around 330 am, we stopped at an all night place called Norm's (wonder if uncle norman ever ate there when he was living here. it seemed to date from at least that far back). steak & eggs & pancakes and hash browns for me, hit the spot. back to the apt after, a quick shower and into the embrace of my sheets and couch for some well-deserved sleep.
Friday morning I woke to get an oil change on the bike. There's a dealer in Hollywood (Honda of Hollywood is the offical name, though in the anonymous book they're listed as BMW of Hollywood, that's not on their signs or anything) not far from where I'm staying, so it was a pretty easy thing. I've never had a dealer do anything this simple on the bike, but even though I did bring my filter wrench and the other required tools, it just didn't seem right making a mess here, dealing with buying and getting rid of a drip tray, etc. So, off I went. Unlike Bob's in my area, the dealer here is a multi-line dealership, selling and servicing not only BMW's but also Honda's, Suzuki, not sure what else. Meaning, they were very busy even when I arrived at opening. But, the service staff was most kind -- gave me the first available tech to do the change, since I'd come from so far away. Even so that meant that I was hanging out there for a while, which wasn't a terrible thing. Spent the time chatting with a couple of other guys who had brought their bikes in for service. About the trip, their bikes, zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance (neither was a DIY type of guy. One seemed to have no inclination ever to be, the other did, but didn't know how to go about gaining the knowledge and comfort with doing even the simplest tasks.) Oh, and did I mention, one also had an R12c. He was in getting the tail-light, signal stalk mess we all seem to have fixed. Has a naked ivory model, looks good except for the lights issue. Originally an AZ bike, which explains it, though has chrome issues even worse than mine. (btw, not a chromeheads.org member, but i gave the site info and maybe he'll register). interestingly, it turned out all three of us were from Long Island, which seemed another odd coincidence given where we sat.
Note to Bob's -- after they finish servicing your bike, they give it a nice wash! After so many miles on the dusty roads, my bike sure looks good again. As importantly, when the poked around to check it out, saw nothing else needing attention at this point, which is reassuring.
ok, after the service, I rode out to another part of town to have lunch with a colleague from work. Nice chance to experience traffic on LA freeways again, oh joy.
Moving on. My friend had told me when I arrived she had plans with some folks for a hike around malibu over the weekend, which I thought would be a nice way to stretch the legs and get some exercise after all that time on the bike. I guess I momentarily forgot who I was dealing with. One crazy endurance runner, and as it turns out, a bunch from her running group. So, this hike of their turned out to be about 15 miles including some really steep up & downs - google something called the bulldog, which we ascended. and, just to make it interesting, we left around 8pm after a quick dinner (bagel crust pizza in venice. interesting concept. if they only had better mozzarella, it would have been really yummy, even so was very good. but I digress) let me say that again, we left around 8pm. which means it was around 2:30 am when we finished back at the car. oh, one bonus for me was that the park we were hiking in was once owned by one of the studios, and was in fact where the exterior scenes of MASH were filmed. So if you want to see what we were hiking, look at the opening credits, when there's that ridgeline, we hiked up to, across, and down it, basically) They left an ambulance and truck and some other bits from the show on site for the tourists, which i appreciated. in the near dark we were in already by the time we got there I don't think the pix i tried to take will come thru, but we'll see when i try to load later. i haven't done much or any real hiking for many years, and even at my most active phase in college never did something like this. (but for them, it's training for 24 hr or longer races where they have to run on trails at night). the good thin is that my body seems to have endured without major pain. then again, the pair who were leading, and could clearly have pushed much harder and faster, were being kind and taking it easy the whole way, for which my body and I are most grateful) after that, so around 330 am, we stopped at an all night place called Norm's (wonder if uncle norman ever ate there when he was living here. it seemed to date from at least that far back). steak & eggs & pancakes and hash browns for me, hit the spot. back to the apt after, a quick shower and into the embrace of my sheets and couch for some well-deserved sleep.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Made it to LA -- guess I have some catching up to do
Wednesday -- Day Six. Cameron AZ - Kingman AZ
So, we left off a couple of days ago, with me in that ticky tacky hotel before the cut-off to the canyon road. before i went to bed i'd worked on a number of things for the office, as well as loading up pictures from this trip and trying to get the garmin updated with the western states (the biggest problem with the Quest 2 -- its built-in memory isn't large enough for the entire USA, as I discovered when I got to Colorado. that is, it has the nationwide basemap, but not the detail. So, after a half hour on the phone with garmin support I learned how to do the update, and started it to running. Unfortunately, when I work, it stll wasn't finished, so i left it to anotehr day. Good thing Laurie was able to give just two-turn directions to her house, because cali isn't loaded either.
ok, let's back up. there really isn't a ton to write about today. It was a day to visit the grand canyon. and that i did, taking my time, checking out the signs and markers, the verious different views. stopped at the general store in the town for some fruit and a smoothie for breakfast/lunch after, then back on the road.
after following the main road south, the plan was to do the westward leg of the day on old Rte 66. Started with Williams, which is just below where I got on, just a little loop. lots of the places in town are pitching to the tourist trade, with their matching trinkets, etc. Also, the town had put up little plaques showing what used to be in the various storefronts on the main drag, so you get a feel for how it was. Only thing I didn't like were the several police cars along the strip, which had something like a 15 mph limit. if they're trying to draw in the tourists and get money from us, that's one thing. but to do so with speeding tickets, that just doesn't feel right.
ok, so after that I proceeded further along 66, the plan being to go as far as Kingman, about 125 miles west, find a hotel room and get work done -- and hopefully update the maps on my garmin. on one stretch 66 seemed to disappear, and I had to pop back onto I-40, but then it was back and I could take it the rest of the way. Finally got my burma shave sign sighting. first set was something like 'twould be more fun/to go by air/if we could put/our signs up there/burma shave.' 'if daisies are/your favorite flower/keep on pushing/those miles per hour/burma shave' There were several other sets along the path, in a similar vein (funny that one was something about going a mile a minute -- not, and of course at that point I was going around 85).
Anyway, at a town called something lke Seligman, which was again pushing for the tourist trade, i ran into a group of harley riders, being supported by a pickup full of suitcases. they -- like many of the tourists I'd encountered along the trip so far -- turned out to be europeans, swiss I think from the mix of german and french being spoken. there were two guys with the pickup and i made a comment like 'bringing a bunch of tourists around?' to which they replied 'no, we are the tourists.' turns out their group had flown into Vegas, rented not only the bikes from eagle rider but also the truck, and were taking turns who'd drive the truck and who ride the bikes as they rode from vegas, along 66, up to the canyon and then the utah parks zion and bryce before working their way back to vegas to return it all and fly home. they'd all brought our bought old school riding kit for this stretch of the ride at least, the women in appropriate harley biker chick gear etc. i asked if any of them had harleys back home, of course not, but they were having fun playing it up.
so i finished the day riding into kingman, getting a room (note -- no reason to check into one of the ones on the near edge of town. I was ripped off, there were tons more, and cheaper, closer to the I-40 cutoff). But no big deal. After unloading I rode into and thru the town, which also had its share of back to life establishments (the more interesting were the ones obviously really from the era that were abandoned), and ate at a place that was in road trip america. actually a quite good chicken fried steak, and bottomless homemade root beer that was really tasty.
another failure loading the garmin while catching up on the work mails and uploading more pix. then trying to plot my route for the next day. the big question was, head straight for LA along more of 66, or head up to Hoover Dam. My dad being a civil engineer that kind of thing is in the blood so I was really inclined to go there, and a couple of strong votes from friends online that I do so made the decision. So that would be the next day. Get off 66, head north to the dam, go thru vegas (where I've never been except for the airport) and then down to LA on the slab.
Thursday, day 7. Kingman AZ - Los Angeles, CA
Thank you those who suggested I go to the dam. I failed miserably trying to photograph it, but have enough burned in my mind to make it worthwhile. (I guess Rachel Madow has access to much better photographic equipment, and probably could be in places I couldn't). Anyway, another scorcher, but I parked, and walked across, and went and just toured the visitor center. I wish I had the time and money for the big tour, to go inside the dam and power plant or whatever they do, but this was good enough. They actually have some very good exhibits in the visitor center talking about the genesis of the project, the process of construction, that thanks to dad I could really appreciate. and lots of interesting factoids too, like how the amount of concrete they used could make a sidewalk 4' wide and 3" thick around the equator, or a 2 lane highway from SF to NY) Suffice to say, I stayed longer than I thought, but thoroughly enjoyed.
Then continued north about 30 mi to Vegas. There was a route that would skirt the town on the south and connect to the highways to LA, but I thought I couldn't be that close without riding down the strip. I guess it was the right decision, those places are gargantuan and interesting to see in that sense, but i didn't stop, just rode thru and caught I-15 at the other end of the strip.
The ride was again really hot, fighting lots of wind. as i said to a friend somewhere when i stopped to gas and rehydrate, i have had enough of the desert by this point. I just rode the ride, down I-15 till I-10 and that straight into LA. Getting there in time for evening rush hour. Oh, I forgot about the joys of 'civilization'. There were lots of bikes splitting the lanes and zooming thru but the combination of the width of my C with bags, and my disinclination to wind up a statistic kept me, like back home, just waiting it out with the cars. The issues with the garmin were a problem here as I didn't know exactly where i was going. Fortunately my destination was just a couple of turns off the freeway (i was going to type highway, but when in rome....) The best thing I could dsay was that it was so much cooler in LA -- maybe only in the 70's, so sitting in that traffic wasn't that big a deal. And so, finally, I made it to LA. Leg one of the trip complete. A celebratory beer then off to eat at an oddly named Asian place called ChinChin (a french toast) which was a really nice change from the heartland diner food I'd been eating for days. A chance to just chill and catch up with an old friend. Slept like a log, up early, garmin back (as I suspected, it was the weak hotel wifi that was the problem, once i got to a good home network I was able to load the western data and update it just fine). So ready for the next day. (oil change at the dealer, maybe back here and change the front pads, and then to our LA office and maybe even a work meeting. we'll see how it goes). Signing off. I need caffeine.
So, we left off a couple of days ago, with me in that ticky tacky hotel before the cut-off to the canyon road. before i went to bed i'd worked on a number of things for the office, as well as loading up pictures from this trip and trying to get the garmin updated with the western states (the biggest problem with the Quest 2 -- its built-in memory isn't large enough for the entire USA, as I discovered when I got to Colorado. that is, it has the nationwide basemap, but not the detail. So, after a half hour on the phone with garmin support I learned how to do the update, and started it to running. Unfortunately, when I work, it stll wasn't finished, so i left it to anotehr day. Good thing Laurie was able to give just two-turn directions to her house, because cali isn't loaded either.
ok, let's back up. there really isn't a ton to write about today. It was a day to visit the grand canyon. and that i did, taking my time, checking out the signs and markers, the verious different views. stopped at the general store in the town for some fruit and a smoothie for breakfast/lunch after, then back on the road.
after following the main road south, the plan was to do the westward leg of the day on old Rte 66. Started with Williams, which is just below where I got on, just a little loop. lots of the places in town are pitching to the tourist trade, with their matching trinkets, etc. Also, the town had put up little plaques showing what used to be in the various storefronts on the main drag, so you get a feel for how it was. Only thing I didn't like were the several police cars along the strip, which had something like a 15 mph limit. if they're trying to draw in the tourists and get money from us, that's one thing. but to do so with speeding tickets, that just doesn't feel right.
ok, so after that I proceeded further along 66, the plan being to go as far as Kingman, about 125 miles west, find a hotel room and get work done -- and hopefully update the maps on my garmin. on one stretch 66 seemed to disappear, and I had to pop back onto I-40, but then it was back and I could take it the rest of the way. Finally got my burma shave sign sighting. first set was something like 'twould be more fun/to go by air/if we could put/our signs up there/burma shave.' 'if daisies are/your favorite flower/keep on pushing/those miles per hour/burma shave' There were several other sets along the path, in a similar vein (funny that one was something about going a mile a minute -- not, and of course at that point I was going around 85).
Anyway, at a town called something lke Seligman, which was again pushing for the tourist trade, i ran into a group of harley riders, being supported by a pickup full of suitcases. they -- like many of the tourists I'd encountered along the trip so far -- turned out to be europeans, swiss I think from the mix of german and french being spoken. there were two guys with the pickup and i made a comment like 'bringing a bunch of tourists around?' to which they replied 'no, we are the tourists.' turns out their group had flown into Vegas, rented not only the bikes from eagle rider but also the truck, and were taking turns who'd drive the truck and who ride the bikes as they rode from vegas, along 66, up to the canyon and then the utah parks zion and bryce before working their way back to vegas to return it all and fly home. they'd all brought our bought old school riding kit for this stretch of the ride at least, the women in appropriate harley biker chick gear etc. i asked if any of them had harleys back home, of course not, but they were having fun playing it up.
so i finished the day riding into kingman, getting a room (note -- no reason to check into one of the ones on the near edge of town. I was ripped off, there were tons more, and cheaper, closer to the I-40 cutoff). But no big deal. After unloading I rode into and thru the town, which also had its share of back to life establishments (the more interesting were the ones obviously really from the era that were abandoned), and ate at a place that was in road trip america. actually a quite good chicken fried steak, and bottomless homemade root beer that was really tasty.
another failure loading the garmin while catching up on the work mails and uploading more pix. then trying to plot my route for the next day. the big question was, head straight for LA along more of 66, or head up to Hoover Dam. My dad being a civil engineer that kind of thing is in the blood so I was really inclined to go there, and a couple of strong votes from friends online that I do so made the decision. So that would be the next day. Get off 66, head north to the dam, go thru vegas (where I've never been except for the airport) and then down to LA on the slab.
Thursday, day 7. Kingman AZ - Los Angeles, CA
Thank you those who suggested I go to the dam. I failed miserably trying to photograph it, but have enough burned in my mind to make it worthwhile. (I guess Rachel Madow has access to much better photographic equipment, and probably could be in places I couldn't). Anyway, another scorcher, but I parked, and walked across, and went and just toured the visitor center. I wish I had the time and money for the big tour, to go inside the dam and power plant or whatever they do, but this was good enough. They actually have some very good exhibits in the visitor center talking about the genesis of the project, the process of construction, that thanks to dad I could really appreciate. and lots of interesting factoids too, like how the amount of concrete they used could make a sidewalk 4' wide and 3" thick around the equator, or a 2 lane highway from SF to NY) Suffice to say, I stayed longer than I thought, but thoroughly enjoyed.
Then continued north about 30 mi to Vegas. There was a route that would skirt the town on the south and connect to the highways to LA, but I thought I couldn't be that close without riding down the strip. I guess it was the right decision, those places are gargantuan and interesting to see in that sense, but i didn't stop, just rode thru and caught I-15 at the other end of the strip.
The ride was again really hot, fighting lots of wind. as i said to a friend somewhere when i stopped to gas and rehydrate, i have had enough of the desert by this point. I just rode the ride, down I-15 till I-10 and that straight into LA. Getting there in time for evening rush hour. Oh, I forgot about the joys of 'civilization'. There were lots of bikes splitting the lanes and zooming thru but the combination of the width of my C with bags, and my disinclination to wind up a statistic kept me, like back home, just waiting it out with the cars. The issues with the garmin were a problem here as I didn't know exactly where i was going. Fortunately my destination was just a couple of turns off the freeway (i was going to type highway, but when in rome....) The best thing I could dsay was that it was so much cooler in LA -- maybe only in the 70's, so sitting in that traffic wasn't that big a deal. And so, finally, I made it to LA. Leg one of the trip complete. A celebratory beer then off to eat at an oddly named Asian place called ChinChin (a french toast) which was a really nice change from the heartland diner food I'd been eating for days. A chance to just chill and catch up with an old friend. Slept like a log, up early, garmin back (as I suspected, it was the weak hotel wifi that was the problem, once i got to a good home network I was able to load the western data and update it just fine). So ready for the next day. (oil change at the dealer, maybe back here and change the front pads, and then to our LA office and maybe even a work meeting. we'll see how it goes). Signing off. I need caffeine.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Photos, v.1
checked into a hotel to catch up on work, now that i'm out of the back country, and took the opportunity to load some photos from the trip thus far. I'll keep updating the set here (as much as anything so i have a backup in case of catastrophic failure of any of my electronics during the rest of the trip) so check back periodically if you're interested
slideshow link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65445339@N03/sets/72157627120096267/show/
slideshow link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65445339@N03/sets/72157627120096267/show/
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Days 5 & 6: Moab, UT - Cannonville UT - Cameron, AZ
On the evening of day four, I'd met a guy who suggested a loop through Utah that would get me from the Arches to Bryce and Zion and on my way to the Grand Canyon. I was dubious when he said it would be a good day, both the miles and my desire to actually visit those parks made me think it would be two at least, and I was right. Here are those two days.
Day 5
After the monotony of some of the early miles, I have to say this was in many respects the best of the trip. I began running back on 191 north from my campsite to the Arches National Park. A beautiful double rainbow was all that was left of the prior day's rains, and a heck of a way to start the day (and a really good cup of coffee at a little bakery in Moab didn't hurt. I sure wasn't going to drink the swill they were serving at the KOA). I think the brochure says Arches is something like 77,000 acres, it sure felt big. The Park Service does a good job with signage and all letting you know what you're looking at, for those of us not degreed in geology. The roads are good, well marked, take you in and through the park to see some incredible sights. Once I figure out how to post some of my photos in here I'll show you what I mean.
After touring the park for a while, I went back south on 191 to Blanding, then across 95 and down 276 to Halls Crossing to catch the ferry across Lake Powell. It's hard to describe what that stretch after Blanding was like. Mile after mile of incredible scenery, totally uninhabited areas (do i have enough gas, am i going to be buzzard food?) Roads that varied from straight and fast where I'm just gawking at everything around me, to twisty up and over mesas etc. Well I did make it without running out of gas (161 miles since my prior fill. like a fool I'd skipped the station at Blanding because all they had was low grade high ethanol, lucky i got away with that decision but you can be sure I've been filling a lot more often since then). Unfortunately, the ferry only runs on the odd hour and I got there around 1:30, which meant waiting till 3 for the next. Out in the sun, probably around 115. oh joy. after a little why another guy pulls up on a bike, a swiss guy on a rental harley who'd come from california and was looping his way back there. he was riding with a friend who split off someplace, supposedly to meet on the other side (little did they know that the 3 was the alst ferry of the day, so i don't know how that story ends). Anyway, good to have someone to talk to (of course those waiting in cars and trucks were sitting in their air conditioned comfort and not chatty). Anyway, the ferry ride was ok, not long enough for my taste, but it had a Long Way Round feel that seemed appropriate to this trip.
Anyway, from the ferry more of the same incredible scenery heading about 75 miles up 276 and 95 next to the Henry Mountains (8-12k feet). Basically, since the mountains run north south the roads going parallel try to stay in valleys or across the shoulders, so those are the relatively easy ones, the east west routes have to cross something, so they get more interesting, let's say. Of course when I turned west another of what i've come to realize are the area's late afternoon monsoons (as a local I talked with called them) came, just to make my life interesting. Since we're in the middle of noplace, remember, there was no way to sit it out, just gear up and go. When I turned onto 12 heading southwest, that was the fun bit (and I'm glad the rains had mostly moved past. Through the Dixie National Forest (I almost forgot what trees were, what a nice break they provided from the heat, good thing since I still had my rain gear on). For whatever reason 12 didn't run down a valley, but up up up (summit around 9200 ft, and then down down down. Oh, and just to exercise my sphincter, that included a stretch with what sure felt like sheer drop on either side, 6-9% downhill grade, switchbacks and all. And a cross wind from the moving storm, in case i didn't have enough. Still, when I could take my eyes off the road ahead and look around, the Escalante Staircase was just amazing. Of course, the wait for the ferry, the occasional stops just to catch my wits, water and smoke breaks meant i was pushing dark when I finally got near to bryce, so instead of camping in the park i opted for another KOA. Fine except for the dozens of boy scouts nearby. Indifferent food (almost noplace left open) but another good local beer to send me to sleep.
Day 6
Those boy scouts were up and moving at 5:30, so I was too, albeit slowly. My now usual shower, break camp, pack the bike, head to town to find a decent cup of coffee.....oops, that last didn't work out so well. the espresso the cafe i chose advertised on their sign was instant. oh well. while i was sitting getting my caffeine and nicotine fixes, a guy starts talking to me. german fellow, had seen my bike at the restaurant where I had dinner. Can't remember which he said he rides, current with much smaller engine than the R12, but he has a friend with a C who loves it, and he appreciates it. indeed, i was parked next to an RT which he dismissed utterly. Anyway, at least marginally fortified finally, it was into Bryce for me. Truth be told, after the expanse and majesty of what I had seen the day before, I left Bryce thinking, sure, that's cool, but. Ok, I've been there, seen that. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty cool stuff and probably if I had time to hike to the bottom and see them from within instead of above, I'd have more appreciation, but I didn't, and so don't.
From there, it was over on 12 some more (albeit a much more tame section of 12), down the easy 89 and to Zion. For the first time, those signs i'd seen everywhere of loose cattle made sense, as more than once i ran into critters just wandering about the highway. Also lots of horses (fenced) and my first exposure to bison. Because in Zion you are in the base of the canyon, can walk around (they don't allow private vehicles, you park, get on a shuttle that drops you at key points where you can wander, photograph, and pick up the next one. oh, and many, though not I, took the chance for a cooling dip in the virgin (river) that runs through it. I was suitably impressed, which of course meant that it was late before I left, and yet, I wanted to get into Arizona so off i went.
Oh, I forgot about 9 that takes you into the park. about 15 miles from the cutoff from 12 to the visitor center. lots of up and down down down and around and around, and a tunnel, completed in the 30's i think they said, in the edge of the mountain that runs more than a mile. guess vehicles weren't that large then. on the way out, i had to wait for them to clear traffic in one direction and hold everyone up because someone's RV was too tall to stay in lane, they had to stop the other direction so he could drive out straight down the middle.
anyway, after leaving the park i wanted to book, so while getting gas I asked a trucker which was the faster route, the one my garmin was saying to take (89A), or 89 again. he said the latter, (more miles but faster, supposedly) so off i went. Faster point to point I'll never know, but it was comfortable and fast riding, and this time skirting the south side of that Escalante Staircase, to pretty cool viewing. Eventually, it dips down into Arizona right near the Glen Canyon Dam, the bottom of that Lake Powell I'd crossed on the ferry. Since I was thinking of but guess I won't wind up seeing Hoover Dam this trip, i stopped, it is quite impressive from my vantage point (pic to come).
Well, all those delays and detours, intentional or none, were putting me in a dicy situation. Stop long before the canyon, my destination for tomorrow, or press on. there were supposed to be campgrounds much closer so i decided to go for it. 89 continues into arizona basically fast, though occasionally having to go up and down something that adds some twisties for relief. But the campgrounds were all full, so i went a bit farther to a town called Cameron, right at the cut off for the grand canyon, so here i am in my first hotel room. (man that AC feels good!) at least they give a AAA discount, though still not in my daily budget.
so in the morning it's off to the grand canyon.
Day 5
After the monotony of some of the early miles, I have to say this was in many respects the best of the trip. I began running back on 191 north from my campsite to the Arches National Park. A beautiful double rainbow was all that was left of the prior day's rains, and a heck of a way to start the day (and a really good cup of coffee at a little bakery in Moab didn't hurt. I sure wasn't going to drink the swill they were serving at the KOA). I think the brochure says Arches is something like 77,000 acres, it sure felt big. The Park Service does a good job with signage and all letting you know what you're looking at, for those of us not degreed in geology. The roads are good, well marked, take you in and through the park to see some incredible sights. Once I figure out how to post some of my photos in here I'll show you what I mean.
After touring the park for a while, I went back south on 191 to Blanding, then across 95 and down 276 to Halls Crossing to catch the ferry across Lake Powell. It's hard to describe what that stretch after Blanding was like. Mile after mile of incredible scenery, totally uninhabited areas (do i have enough gas, am i going to be buzzard food?) Roads that varied from straight and fast where I'm just gawking at everything around me, to twisty up and over mesas etc. Well I did make it without running out of gas (161 miles since my prior fill. like a fool I'd skipped the station at Blanding because all they had was low grade high ethanol, lucky i got away with that decision but you can be sure I've been filling a lot more often since then). Unfortunately, the ferry only runs on the odd hour and I got there around 1:30, which meant waiting till 3 for the next. Out in the sun, probably around 115. oh joy. after a little why another guy pulls up on a bike, a swiss guy on a rental harley who'd come from california and was looping his way back there. he was riding with a friend who split off someplace, supposedly to meet on the other side (little did they know that the 3 was the alst ferry of the day, so i don't know how that story ends). Anyway, good to have someone to talk to (of course those waiting in cars and trucks were sitting in their air conditioned comfort and not chatty). Anyway, the ferry ride was ok, not long enough for my taste, but it had a Long Way Round feel that seemed appropriate to this trip.
Anyway, from the ferry more of the same incredible scenery heading about 75 miles up 276 and 95 next to the Henry Mountains (8-12k feet). Basically, since the mountains run north south the roads going parallel try to stay in valleys or across the shoulders, so those are the relatively easy ones, the east west routes have to cross something, so they get more interesting, let's say. Of course when I turned west another of what i've come to realize are the area's late afternoon monsoons (as a local I talked with called them) came, just to make my life interesting. Since we're in the middle of noplace, remember, there was no way to sit it out, just gear up and go. When I turned onto 12 heading southwest, that was the fun bit (and I'm glad the rains had mostly moved past. Through the Dixie National Forest (I almost forgot what trees were, what a nice break they provided from the heat, good thing since I still had my rain gear on). For whatever reason 12 didn't run down a valley, but up up up (summit around 9200 ft, and then down down down. Oh, and just to exercise my sphincter, that included a stretch with what sure felt like sheer drop on either side, 6-9% downhill grade, switchbacks and all. And a cross wind from the moving storm, in case i didn't have enough. Still, when I could take my eyes off the road ahead and look around, the Escalante Staircase was just amazing. Of course, the wait for the ferry, the occasional stops just to catch my wits, water and smoke breaks meant i was pushing dark when I finally got near to bryce, so instead of camping in the park i opted for another KOA. Fine except for the dozens of boy scouts nearby. Indifferent food (almost noplace left open) but another good local beer to send me to sleep.
Day 6
Those boy scouts were up and moving at 5:30, so I was too, albeit slowly. My now usual shower, break camp, pack the bike, head to town to find a decent cup of coffee.....oops, that last didn't work out so well. the espresso the cafe i chose advertised on their sign was instant. oh well. while i was sitting getting my caffeine and nicotine fixes, a guy starts talking to me. german fellow, had seen my bike at the restaurant where I had dinner. Can't remember which he said he rides, current with much smaller engine than the R12, but he has a friend with a C who loves it, and he appreciates it. indeed, i was parked next to an RT which he dismissed utterly. Anyway, at least marginally fortified finally, it was into Bryce for me. Truth be told, after the expanse and majesty of what I had seen the day before, I left Bryce thinking, sure, that's cool, but. Ok, I've been there, seen that. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty cool stuff and probably if I had time to hike to the bottom and see them from within instead of above, I'd have more appreciation, but I didn't, and so don't.
From there, it was over on 12 some more (albeit a much more tame section of 12), down the easy 89 and to Zion. For the first time, those signs i'd seen everywhere of loose cattle made sense, as more than once i ran into critters just wandering about the highway. Also lots of horses (fenced) and my first exposure to bison. Because in Zion you are in the base of the canyon, can walk around (they don't allow private vehicles, you park, get on a shuttle that drops you at key points where you can wander, photograph, and pick up the next one. oh, and many, though not I, took the chance for a cooling dip in the virgin (river) that runs through it. I was suitably impressed, which of course meant that it was late before I left, and yet, I wanted to get into Arizona so off i went.
Oh, I forgot about 9 that takes you into the park. about 15 miles from the cutoff from 12 to the visitor center. lots of up and down down down and around and around, and a tunnel, completed in the 30's i think they said, in the edge of the mountain that runs more than a mile. guess vehicles weren't that large then. on the way out, i had to wait for them to clear traffic in one direction and hold everyone up because someone's RV was too tall to stay in lane, they had to stop the other direction so he could drive out straight down the middle.
anyway, after leaving the park i wanted to book, so while getting gas I asked a trucker which was the faster route, the one my garmin was saying to take (89A), or 89 again. he said the latter, (more miles but faster, supposedly) so off i went. Faster point to point I'll never know, but it was comfortable and fast riding, and this time skirting the south side of that Escalante Staircase, to pretty cool viewing. Eventually, it dips down into Arizona right near the Glen Canyon Dam, the bottom of that Lake Powell I'd crossed on the ferry. Since I was thinking of but guess I won't wind up seeing Hoover Dam this trip, i stopped, it is quite impressive from my vantage point (pic to come).
Well, all those delays and detours, intentional or none, were putting me in a dicy situation. Stop long before the canyon, my destination for tomorrow, or press on. there were supposed to be campgrounds much closer so i decided to go for it. 89 continues into arizona basically fast, though occasionally having to go up and down something that adds some twisties for relief. But the campgrounds were all full, so i went a bit farther to a town called Cameron, right at the cut off for the grand canyon, so here i am in my first hotel room. (man that AC feels good!) at least they give a AAA discount, though still not in my daily budget.
so in the morning it's off to the grand canyon.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Catching up -- Days 2-4. Indianapolis-Leavenworth, KS-Pueblo, CO-Moab, UT
Day 2 – Indy to near Leavenworth, KS
No, I didn’t get myself sent to the federal prison, just to get that out of the way. It just happens to be the town nearest to where I stopped for the night.
So, day two was in some ways a repeat of the first. Alternating between US40 and I70, hoping the former would be more interesting (it wasn’t, but at least it didn’t have so many trucks.) Again, the mission was to put miles behind me. When I started thinking about this trip I was looking at stopping points around 400 miles or so along the road, but 600 seems easily do-able if I’m trying to make distance, even without riding at night. But this day I wasn’t just going to ride through. For one thing, I had to find a Bank of America so I could stop in and pay my mortgage, for another I wanted to see the Arch in St. Louis. Those combined, as the bank operates there (I’d discovered that many places along my route they don’t). Funny thing was when I used my mobile banking app on my iphone to find a branch it sent me out of town by the airport, which was ok because it was on my way, but when I mentioned that to the guy in the bank he said there was a branch right by the Arch. So anyone who uses the bank and that app, don’t always believe it.
Anyway, the arch. For one thing, I saw it fully 9 miles outside of central St. Louis. I’d seen photos of course, but they don’t really convey how big that thing is. I got off, rode along the river (big accomplishment, crossing the Mississippi, and clocking more than 1,000 miles on the trip so far). And like I said, that Arch is huge, and pretty cool. Oh, speaking of cool, that was the only cool thing I encountered that day. More than 100 all day, yet again. Got into good habit of drinking a quart of something every time I stopped, and stopping not just for gas but in the middle too just to drink more. Helped keep my energy up and senses alert. The drive itself was pretty dull. I guess huge farms just don’t really do much for me. But the stop in St. Louis helped make up for that.
After the arch, and the bank, it was back on the road. Destination, KC. Mission – Bar B Q. I guess I really am a city guy, I got off, rode around the city aimlessly, looking at the buildings, etc. There’s this huge riverfront park, obviously quite new, rather nice, but sadly, the only people I saw using it were homeless folks. Maybe the heat kept those who could afford it indoors, and it’s better used when the weather’s better, I don’t know. Anyway, after that, mission dinner. I had been directed to some street, which turned out to be where the major jazz clubs are clustered; I was tempted but couldn’t find one that served bbq. However, the door guy at one club, whose perfectly detailed Suzuki 1300 crotch rocket was parked outside, and I chatted bikes, riding, etc. for a while then he sent me off to his favorite place just a few blocks further down. Excellent recommendation, the food was killer. Pulled pork and what they called burnt tips combo sandwich, certainly hit the spot.
I’d already made a reservation at the aforementioned campsite in Leavenworth, just a short piece down the interstate. So after dinner I rode down there, set up and sweated myself to sleep.
Day 3 – Leavenworth to Pueblo, CO.
The folks in the Leavenworth campsite next to me, in a big old RV of some kind, fired it up around 5:30am and thanks to its poor condition (sure noisier than a C) that’s when I woke up too. Well, I hoped that would get me on the road nice and early to beat at least a little of the heat.
The route of the day was to go south from Leavenworth (KS rte 7 to I 35), pick up 50 and take that west. See how the day went, and stop when I stopped. The only real thought in my head was to visit Dodge City, being a bit of a history buff. Well, turns out that was not the highlight of the day’s ride. First off, it felt hotter than before. A bank clock/thermometer said 107 at nearly 4pm, I heard from someone that it topped out at 115. And man, was most of the ride boring. Perfectly flat, straight, all the same massive farms. A grain elevator every county or town, that you could see for miles away there was nothing else. The occasional train rolling by to catch my eye, stretching seemingly forever. Reminded me of when I was a kid in camp, there was a freight line nearby and we used to sit and count the cars, how long they were, nothing we’d experienced in our suburban Long Island lives to that point. I heard later that there was some flooding (who’d have thought, given how hot and dry it was) further north so they were diverting trains to this more southerly line, so there was more traffic than usual.
Every town it seemed had a little history museum. One was outdoors, so I stopped to have a look, various farm implements were the main features. One of the roadside historical markers I stopped to look at told how red wheat was brought to Kansas by menonite immigrants. Like I said, learn something new every day, right?
Ok, so what was most striking and almost made the drudgery of the ride worthwhile was seeing a wind farm someplace in the western part of the state. I think I mentioned that on my first day in a rest stop I’d seen two trucks hauling blades for these things, they were so big. (just one per trailer). Well, this farm must have had hundreds, all neatly lined up in a half-dozen or so rows, stretching for miles. Really quite beautiful to watch them do their thing (some good out of that annoying cross wind that had been buffeting me all day).
So then on to Dodge City, which was a real disappointment. The ‘old’ part is in private hands, tourist trap city, pay to play. I passed, took a couple of snaps from the gate, grabbed some ice cream from a shop on the next block (fresh, handmade, quite tasty, and perfect for the weather conditions; I had thought of getting some real lunch but just couldn’t see doing that in the heat). Forget get the hell out of Dodge, by that time, I wanted to get the hell ouf of Kansas. So looking forward to getting to the Colorado mountains.
Bennett, we’re not in Kansas any more.
So by late afternoon, I was out of Kansas. Hooray! Little did I know, eastern Colorado was no different (a guy I’d spoken with in Dodge had, in fact, warned me of that, he grew up over the Colorado side. Which made me all the more anxious to press on closer to the mountains. Folks that the cross the border Colorado visitor center pointed me to a state park in Pueblo where I could camp, so I lined up a spot and pressed on.
Unfortunately, as it turns out I didn’t have Colorado detail loaded in my GPS, the brochure on the park they gave me was worthless as far as directions, and street signage to it was really bad. So I wandered around Pueblo for far too long till I found it, just around dark. Not good. I hadn’t eaten all day, and needed to remedy that. Just past the park entrance a bit I found a place open, it was a music/pizza/beer joint, quite full even at that late hour when I got there. Food was actually quite good, sampled a local beer called Flying Monkey which was also quite good, and sat outside with the other smokers talking bikes, travels, all sorts of stuff. Note to self, alcohol + altitude are an interesting combination. I’d limited myself to one, as I always do if I’m going to ride, but I still felt it the next morning.
Day 4 – Rocky Mountain High. Pueblo - Moab, Utah
This was going to be a day to get a relaxed start, ride some through the mountains, and maybe head south to Arizona. I called a friend back east who’d lived in Colorado for a number of years, he made some recommendations, and I was set. Or so I thought. The beginning was uneventful enough. Head west on 50, experience the majesty of the Rockies up close for the first time. OK, I have to admit, being a flatlander mountain twisties do not come natural to me. I don’t have enough practice finding my line, working the gears, etc. to be fully comfortable doing it at speed. But if I was just hovering around the yellow sign speed recommendations (instead of my usual +10), not too horrible. Reaching the continental divide was another one of those milestones and quite cool. Even the long descent from there was a bit nerve-racking, but kind of fun too. But then, after climbing another, the skies darkened. Pulled on my rain suit, but was not looking forward to that, let me tell you. Of course, when does it start? Right after I pass the sign that says 'motorcycles use extreme caution'. 9% grade coming. Oh, and a full U switchback to start it all off. Noplace to hide, or even to pull off. The few pull offs they had are all gravel, which I wasn’t in the mood to tackle. Better to stay on wet tarmac than try and decelerate on gravel without dropping it and maybe hurting myself. So down I went, then up the next, and down again, all in a pretty steady and often quite heavy rain. At times, crawling with flashers on. Happily, I wasn’t the only one (thought probably the slowest not towing something very large). Who cares, I made it down in one piece, which is all I cared about.
So the thing is, looking at my maps I saw the route that Chris had recommended took me up and over a couple of other 10k+ peaks. Given the heavy clouds I saw looking that way, I decided to change plans. I’d aways heard great things about the national parks in Utah, so I decided to turn west not south and go have a look. Of course, the rain found me en route there too, but at least on straight roads where it wasn’t much of an issue. So here I am camped just down the road from The Arches, which will be my first stop of the morning. On the way to the campsite I’d passed a brew-pub/restaurant which was my dinner destination. While there (beer was excellent, food was, well, perfectly fine pub fare) started talking to a guy who gave me suggestions for the rest of the day’s journey – even showed me where there’s a ferry crossing the Colorado which I’ll take as that sounds like lots of fun. So, that’s the plan.
Oh, and as I was leaving a couple stops me – I guess that’s your C, he says, seeing the roundel on my helmet, perhaps (sorry, no chromeheads patch on my jacket as yet). Turns out he’s another chromie from Louisiana who is visiting the parks up here too, albeit in a cage this time. Small world indeed.
Ok, time to end this for the night. Hope to get an early start, and won’t if I keep this up.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Day one -- Baltimore to Indianapolis
So they have this mobile thingy for blogspot, but clearly I don't have it right. A couple of times during the day i tried to send photos or comments but I don't see them here. At this point I can't get to photos, so a bit of narrative will have to do.
I left a bit later this morning than planned, no real surprise there. I'd forgotten to do a test pack of the bike, so it took me a while to organize when I went to do it in the a.m. (another drawback of no garage, i couldn't do it the night before and be ready to go. oh well. hit a bit of traffic just trying to get out of Baltimore, and my wake up call was the guy who decided he'd missed his exit and cut over two lanes, right in front of me, of course. Another reason I almost always ride in the left lane, but hadn't made the move over yet. OK, uneventful, just a bit startling.
just outside Baltimore on I-70 there's a sign that says Frederick xx miles, Columbus oh, xx all the way to somewhere in Colorado where it ends. I'd seen that sign a million times, and that's what got me thinking I'd at least start this trip on i-70/us-40 rather than jump down to DC and us-50. so that's what i did, alternating between stretches of the slab or 40 most of the day. I really wanted to put miles behind me so more slab than not today. 40 is nice riding for much of the early part of the trip, but in Ohio frankly i got bored, so went on 70.
my rules for myself this trip are few. one is no chain eateries, only locals, which got me two good meals today. the first was in a very depressing Cambridge Ohio for lunch, they're investing lots in sprucing up the 'historic downtown' but between the construction and largely empty storefronts, it didn't do anything for me. but on the edge of town there was this little family operated diner -- mom, dad and I'd say high school daughter. (dad rides a Harley which was parked behind, but i didn't hold that against the place). in the spirit of learn something new every day, i now know that 'fair fries' -- so-called in reference to state fair fare -- are hand cut skin on versions. OK. here in Indy where I'm spending the night (at the KOA) i tasked the manager for a place to eat that wasn't a chain and she sent me down to a little Mexican place down the road. who'd have known. actually quite good (and remember i lived in Texas for a number of years). I'm just sorry i didn't dare partake of the 20 oz margaritas they were pouring. a guy who had clearly had several saw me pondering over my map and asked why I'm doing this. it took a while for him to get the whole idea of it, i don't know that he's ever left the state. another guy i talked with when I'd stopped for my morning coffee (which i hadn't had at home, given my late start, and saved for a treat for myself a ways down the road) about my age, clean cut, on his way to some white collar job, was just the opposite. loved the bike, (except for the 'democrats' sticker on one of my bags) and sat with me telling me about rides he did while stationed in California when he was in the air force.
so back to the ride. this morning it was actually verging on chilly. so much so that I'm glad i brought the jacket liner (though I didn't wear it) and kicking myself for not bringing any insulated gloves of any kind (those I would have worn had i brought them. both because easy to switch and i have bad circulation so my hands always get cold quickly.) but it warmed up eventually, and all's good now. the bike felt great. fixing that blown seal makes a world of difference in how the front end feels, and a nice new metzler in the rear is always a good thing. the second rebuild of the rear caliper (replacing the seals the second time around) did the trick, no leaking fluid, well-functioning brakes, and no drag. my mileage is back where it belongs, I've been monitoring and getting mid-40s each tank, which is perfectly acceptable to me given my 70 mph moving average speed.
covered around 650 miles all told today, not a bad first day. i worry not about the bum but more about my oft-achy hips and knees (running injuries) but knock wood, all feels fine so far.
so, the plan for tomorrow is again to eat up the miles. I'm thinking I'll stay on 70 till st. Louis, go see the arch, and depending on how much time i burn there and looking over the city, get on 50 the rest of the day hoping to make it to KC. that might be too ambitious, especially if i try in the morning to find the brickyard while I'm here in Indy, and depending on when i get started, which is uncertain given I'm camping so have to wake up, get all the gear stowed away etc. i think I'd rather succumb to the slab for more of this part of the trip, so i have more time to relax out west, but we'll see.
anyway, that's it. day on in the history books.
I left a bit later this morning than planned, no real surprise there. I'd forgotten to do a test pack of the bike, so it took me a while to organize when I went to do it in the a.m. (another drawback of no garage, i couldn't do it the night before and be ready to go. oh well. hit a bit of traffic just trying to get out of Baltimore, and my wake up call was the guy who decided he'd missed his exit and cut over two lanes, right in front of me, of course. Another reason I almost always ride in the left lane, but hadn't made the move over yet. OK, uneventful, just a bit startling.
just outside Baltimore on I-70 there's a sign that says Frederick xx miles, Columbus oh, xx all the way to somewhere in Colorado where it ends. I'd seen that sign a million times, and that's what got me thinking I'd at least start this trip on i-70/us-40 rather than jump down to DC and us-50. so that's what i did, alternating between stretches of the slab or 40 most of the day. I really wanted to put miles behind me so more slab than not today. 40 is nice riding for much of the early part of the trip, but in Ohio frankly i got bored, so went on 70.
my rules for myself this trip are few. one is no chain eateries, only locals, which got me two good meals today. the first was in a very depressing Cambridge Ohio for lunch, they're investing lots in sprucing up the 'historic downtown' but between the construction and largely empty storefronts, it didn't do anything for me. but on the edge of town there was this little family operated diner -- mom, dad and I'd say high school daughter. (dad rides a Harley which was parked behind, but i didn't hold that against the place). in the spirit of learn something new every day, i now know that 'fair fries' -- so-called in reference to state fair fare -- are hand cut skin on versions. OK. here in Indy where I'm spending the night (at the KOA) i tasked the manager for a place to eat that wasn't a chain and she sent me down to a little Mexican place down the road. who'd have known. actually quite good (and remember i lived in Texas for a number of years). I'm just sorry i didn't dare partake of the 20 oz margaritas they were pouring. a guy who had clearly had several saw me pondering over my map and asked why I'm doing this. it took a while for him to get the whole idea of it, i don't know that he's ever left the state. another guy i talked with when I'd stopped for my morning coffee (which i hadn't had at home, given my late start, and saved for a treat for myself a ways down the road) about my age, clean cut, on his way to some white collar job, was just the opposite. loved the bike, (except for the 'democrats' sticker on one of my bags) and sat with me telling me about rides he did while stationed in California when he was in the air force.
so back to the ride. this morning it was actually verging on chilly. so much so that I'm glad i brought the jacket liner (though I didn't wear it) and kicking myself for not bringing any insulated gloves of any kind (those I would have worn had i brought them. both because easy to switch and i have bad circulation so my hands always get cold quickly.) but it warmed up eventually, and all's good now. the bike felt great. fixing that blown seal makes a world of difference in how the front end feels, and a nice new metzler in the rear is always a good thing. the second rebuild of the rear caliper (replacing the seals the second time around) did the trick, no leaking fluid, well-functioning brakes, and no drag. my mileage is back where it belongs, I've been monitoring and getting mid-40s each tank, which is perfectly acceptable to me given my 70 mph moving average speed.
covered around 650 miles all told today, not a bad first day. i worry not about the bum but more about my oft-achy hips and knees (running injuries) but knock wood, all feels fine so far.
so, the plan for tomorrow is again to eat up the miles. I'm thinking I'll stay on 70 till st. Louis, go see the arch, and depending on how much time i burn there and looking over the city, get on 50 the rest of the day hoping to make it to KC. that might be too ambitious, especially if i try in the morning to find the brickyard while I'm here in Indy, and depending on when i get started, which is uncertain given I'm camping so have to wake up, get all the gear stowed away etc. i think I'd rather succumb to the slab for more of this part of the trip, so i have more time to relax out west, but we'll see.
anyway, that's it. day on in the history books.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Road Trip
I've been thinking of taking this road trip since I returned from my maiden multi-day trip on my bike last summer. Repeating in a way a trip I took (albeit in a car) some 30 years ago, starting in the northeast, driving to the Grand Canyon and LA, up to my sister's neck of the woods in Oregon, and then back home.
The differences, this time (aside from the aforementioned difference in vehicle -- 2 wheels vs 4) travelling alone, and while there are some places I wouldn't mind seeing again (SW apex of the triangle still Grand Canyon/LA, NW again will be out in Oregon) I've been thinking of places we didn't go to last time and I really haven't had a chance to see since. So, the Colorado rockies, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore are on the agenda, but likely not the Gulf coast, the PCH between LA and SF, and some other things.
Leaving things pretty loose when it comes to both route and itinerary. I know my bike and I can do 500+ mile days, but am not planning them, as much as planning just to go till I don't want to any more. Maybe some days I'll want to stop and explore someplace that I arrive at early in the day, maybe some I'll just want to keep going. I'd rather not arrive at the major national parks on weekends, but that's about it.
Only two modifications to the bike for the trip,
- removing the passenger backrest, and have installed a Reynolds grab rail/luggage rack. That gives me a place for big bag behind me, and another (for camping gear) behind that.
- installed Renegade driving lights. I don't plan on riding much in the dark, because seeing where I am is part of the reason for the journey, but it'll make me more visible, and won't hurt should I decide to do a long day once in a while.
Of course, I've done full fluid change to set the baseline, engine, trans, final drive, brake and clutch fluid; new brake pads in the rear -- haven't replaced the fronts yet, but i'm carrying spares. Had the dealer fix the blown fork seal this morning, and install a new rear tire while they were at it. I will probably replace the front sometime on the west coast leg of the journey.
- Camping gear. I will try to camp over staying in hotels to save money and because I haven't camped in ages and miss it. I've been an REI member for 35 years and they're still my favorite, I have a new REI Passage 2 tent (I'm just too big for a solo), summer-specific bag (Travel Sack +55), and Thermarest pad. I got a basic foam one, not one of their self-inflating, a little extra size seems worth the vastly lower cost and convenience come morning
- Riding gear. I have a number of options here, haven't made final decisions yet.
- Jacket. I have my BMW Freerider that I like a lot, even in pretty warm (80's) kind of weather. Hybrid leather/textile, good venting sleeves, good protection. But part of this trip is going to be a lot hotter than I've ever worn this before, I will probably leave it home. The leading alternative is a Firstgear Kenya I've got. It's got better venting than the BMW (back, chest in addition to the sleeves) has a good liner that I might need in higher altitudes, good water resistance (they call it waterproof and I have recently refreshed the NIKWAX, but I never count on it).
- Pants. I bought a pair of BMW Summer 2 pants that unfortunately will be staying home. In order to get the length I need I bought a 3x, but that means they're WAY too large in the waist. The tailor I use said they'd need weeks to make them fit, which I don't have. I'm debating now between a pair of Firstgear pants that I have (that are too short) and another BMW pair that's pretty hot. I will probably bring the latter and alternate between them and jeans.
- Gloves: bringing 3 pair probably, a couple of Alpinestars that I got on clearance earlier this year -- just $20 each -- one is perfed leather, the other vented textile. I prefer the leather onec. Also an old favorite pair of unlined leather that I've had for some 20 years now. They're the closest to waterproof of the three. probably somehting I should address. My only real waterproof gloves are winter only and certainly staying home.
- Boots: even though it's going to be really hot and that's what they're made for, I think my BMW airflow boots are going to stay home. They're worse than worthless in the rain, I don't like galoshes on the bike, and it's bound to rain sometimes. So, it's my old reliable Hein Gerike boots; they're not that hot, I've found.
- Rain Gear: a 2 piece First Gear rain suit. I have never found a 1 piece that fits my long skinny frame.
- Helmet is a Nolan 102. I have an old Arai and a couple of HJC, but the modular style of the Nolan -- better for my glasses, quick release chin strap, and tinted overshield -- make it the best for this trip.
- Luggage -- the bike has these little hard panniers, which are of course on the bike for the trip.
- I've got a tour master tank bag that'll be on the bike; I don't love it, because I scratched my tank once last year pulling it off at a fuel stop, and it's a pretty odd size to me, too small mostly, but handy for wallet, electronics, speed pass, water bottle, etc. so it'll come along.
- Most of the gear that's not in the panniers (which will hold laptop, tools, spare oil filter, brake pads, chrome tape for the next time the signal stalks go, some electric and duct tape, zip ties, etc. but i digress) will be on the rear rack. Seattle Sports Navigator roll top dry bag duffel is the main carrier for clothes, and the aforementioned sleeping pad, books, whatever else -- the thing is huge. A smaller dry sack holds my tent, sleeping bag, spare shoes, and other misc items.
- So, that's about it for the pre-departure checklist, in case anyone was wondering.
T-24
So I discovered last night, after finishing my rear brake caliper rebuild, that one of my forks had a blown seal. I decided given the timing that I wouldn't tackle that myself, so was waiting at Bobs' door when they opened to get it fixed. At the end of the day, I'm sure glad I did. Turns out they found a nail in my rear tire. I had noticed the pressure was low while working on the brakes so I'd filled it, but never saw the nail. So, not only do I now have a fixed fork, but I have a nice new rear tire for the trip.
So, now that's all taken care of, I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be to go. Departure will be as early as I can get myself out of bed in the morning and strap the gear on.
So, now that's all taken care of, I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be to go. Departure will be as early as I can get myself out of bed in the morning and strap the gear on.
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