how difficult can it be??

had a couple extra minutes today so i decided to put the registration sticker on the bike.

being the lazy efficient person i am i decided i would just wipe the old sticker with a towel and apply the new sticker. a short-lived idea due to the reflective license plate mounting bolts covering the sticker.

reaching between the license plate and the the tour-pac i quickly realized i wouldn’t be able to remove the mounting bolt without removing the tour-pac.

i get the key for the tour-pac and attempt to unlock the lock. as i turned the key i heard a pop. not the familiar pop of the mechanism unlocking. and the key is turning freely. i remove the key and see the lock hasn’t unlocked. nope. it broke.

the design of the tour-pac latch prevents me from unbolting the latch– which is actually a good thing. i have to remove the docking point in order to remove the tour-pac. once that’s off i’ll be able to remove the latch, freeing the docking point – which i can then put back on the bike.

i finally remove the docking point and get the tour-pac off. on to the latch… i remove the bolt and slide the latch off. not quite. the way the latch is mounted, along with the docking point still being locked in place, prevents the latch from being removed.

the only way to remove the latch is to break it. which i do. finally the docking point is free. it gets put back on the bike. i return from the attic with the old latch and put that on the tour-pac.

i finally get around to putting the sticker on the bike – completing a two minute job in about thirty minutes…

ss1000…

completed another ss1000 saturday…

took off about five thirty in the morning. a little later than i had originally planned – was too busy sleeping. but i’d rather get a little more sleep, wake up refreshed and start late than start out tired.

first stop was sheetz in youngsviile to document my start location and time. then it was off to richmond. the ride up there was chilly in spite of the extra layers and having the panels in my coat. i knew the morning was cooler but i didn’t expect that cool. good thing i started with my winter gloves.

after richmond it was on to staunton. the temps were rising along with the sun but it was still cool… i was wondering if i was going to need to throw on my other shirt and put the lining in my coat. i decided to keep pushing through. i’d add them at the next stop if needed.

from staunton it was on to hagerstown then to morgantown. the traffic between hagerstown and morgantown was horrible. i was finally in the 4th of july traffic i was fearing. until we got to the i-68 split near hancock. thankfully most of it was heading north and the roads opened up again.

nothing too exciting from morgantown through charleston on to statesville. the temps were definitely getting warmer. hot in fact. funny how a few hours ago i couldn’t wait to get out of the cold weather. now i was missing it.

about the six hundred fifty mile mark i was feeling a little tired. the fireballs were helping but not quite doing the trick. i was planning on taking a short nap in the shade at my next stop. however, when i got there i must have gotten my second wind. after fueling up i was ready to keep going. i never felt sleepy after that.

a lot of the trip between charleston and statesville was familiar from our milwaukee trip in may. it was nice to be in familiar sights, knowing i was closing in on being home.

the final leg between statesville and youngsville brought back memories of traveling the road a few years back, when i was first starting to take longer trips. i remember the feeling of accomplishment of riding for several hours, covering a couple hundred miles. now i was knocking off a thousand miles. and enjoying it!!! where will i be in a few more years?? maybe an iba rally?? who know… all i know is i was really enjoying the ride and looking forward to getting home and spending the rest of the holiday weekend with my wife.

a little after ten in the evening i pulled back into the sheetz station to document the end of my ride, finally making it home about ten-thirty. it was an awesome ride and it was great to be home.

now i’ve got to document my ride and get it off to the iba… you can check out the 2010 ride map – this one in blue…

great service…

was heading back from the smoke out last weekend when the shift lever shaft stripped. luckily i was close to home and could temporarily fix it by tightening the screw on the backside of the shaft.

i took the bike to ray price tuesday to have the shaft replaced. i asked them to also check the front brakes and do an inspection. when the bike’s dropped off the tech looks over the bike. he noticed that i could also use new tires.

overall i’ve been very pleased with the service i’ve gotten from ray price. i have to give them props for this last experience. it’s nice to know they go above and beyond instead of just settling for getting the job done. it’s always good to have another set of eyes looking over the bike.

and it’s especially nice to have new tires on the bike before i head out for another saddle sore 1000 tomorrow. look for an update next week on how i made out. as well as updates on the smoke out and rolling thunder – on which i’m woefully behind…

back from milwaukee…

just got back from one of the best trips i’ve ever been on… the scenery, the friendship, the laughs, the ride. and being able to share it all with my wife… it couldn’t have been any better.

we left out of here last wednesday, making our first stop for gas where i realized i had forgotten the key to my motorcycle. so we returned home to pick it up and make another attempt at leaving. we were successful this time, picking up another rider before making a stop for breakfast and to pick up the third rider.

after a delicious breakfast at cracker barrel, which would become a recurring theme during the trip, we began the real journey. the skies were overcast and the temps were cooler. the forecast called for clearing skies with some chance of rain.

as we headed through virginia and west virginia we ran into a little rain. and i mean very little rain. my wife and i couldn’t finish a conversation about whether we should pull over to put on our rain suits before the rain would stop. the threat of rain stopped as we travelled through ohio and indiana.

our first overnight stop was just outside indianapolis after travelling just over six hundred miles. i started the day thinking we’d be stopping about half way. it was such a good day riding the additional miles came easily. and it set us up nicely for the next day’s riding into milwaukee.

one of my only concerns with the route we had chosen was riding through chicago. don’t know why but i just wasn’t looking forward to it. the real problem was just about any route around chicago would add several hours to the trip. consensus was we would ride through instead of around chicago. and through chicago we went!!!

on the way through we pulled off the interstate to take a ride up lake shore drive. the view was a nice change of pace from the interstate we’d been following most of the day.

the roads, at least the interstate, between chicago and milwaukee left a lot to be desired. it was probably good our destination was close as we could focus on that instead of the poor conditions of the roads.

we made it to milwaukee about mid-afternoon. early enough to unload the bikes and have some time to walk around enjoying the sites and tastes of the city.

a couple days later it was time to start heading home. we contemplated taking the lake express ferry from milwaukee to michigan to start the journey until the cost changed our minds. so we headed out aiming for west virginia not quite knowing the route we were taking. just pointing our bikes south and riding, knowing we’d get there eventually.

my wife had the chance to ride on an ultra classic which she really enjoyed. i think it made the trip more bearable for her. although for being the longest trip she’d ever been on she kept a positive attitude and made the best of it. the problem now is i either have to get a seat as comfortable as the ultra classic or get an ultra classic.

after riding all day under sunny skies and warm temps our target was charleston. but a longer route with leisurely stops and a couple deer crossing the highway as the sun was setting encouraged us to stop for the night in cross lanes.

the next day’s ride would take us home. the day started out warm and sunny. as we left west virginia, crossing through virginia and into north carolina, the skies would continue to get darker. eventually dumping a rain on us for about thirty minutes.

before we knew it we were home and being greeted by waiting family. as good as it was to get away it was even better to get back home and be with the family again.

this trip was easily the best trip i’ve been on. it was amazing in so many different ways. but mostly because i got to share it with my wife. i look forward to taking many more trips like this with her. even if it means i have to get a new bikes.

some pictures of our travels through parts of our beautiful country (in no particular order)…

crop dusting

 

a photo op at one of our gas stops…

 

some women in west virginia roofing. yes, the two on the roof are women!!!

 

another photo op at another gas stop – this one a little more scenic.

check out the 2010 ride map – this one in green…

37500…

picked up the bike today from ray price after having it serviced… it didn’t as take too long since my last service to rack up the miles. the trip to milwaukee helped that out.

not much done at this service – usual oil and filter change. they even changed the air filter for me. best of all, the bike got cleaned. not as clean as i would have done. but i can’t complain since i didn’t have to do it.

while the bike was in for service i got to cruise around on a 2010 electra glide classic.

heading home...

had an amazing trip to milwaukee with my wife... packing up tonight to start our journey home tomorrow. it'll be nice to get home again.

milwaukee...

left indianapolis this morning and made it to milwaukee - with a detour through chicago's lake shore drive...

a pic of the bikes before heading out this morning...

how low can you go…

for the past week or so we’ve been checking the weather up in milwaukee. the forecasts predict temps in the upper sixties/lower seventies – about twenty degrees cooler than here…

getting ready to pack today i realized we should probably be less concerned with the highs and focus more on how *cold* it might be getting.  it’s always easier to dress warmed and shed some layers than get cold and have to try to warm up. i want to avoid the situation i had when i came back from maryland…

of course the lows are going to be a bit cooler – in the low/mid fifties. but it’s not as bad as it could be. and if we can avoid the rain it would be even better…

can’t wait to take off tomorrow…

cleaning up…

wanted to go for a ride with my wife yesterday to test out the new bars… she was in a cleaning mood and suggested i clean the bike instead. my first thought was why would i want to clean the bike *before* heading out on a big trip??

since i figured if i went for a ride my wife wouldn’t be going with me i decided to follow her advice and clean the bike. not necessarily a bad thing but not top on my list of things to do on a saturday…

i can’t remember the last time i actually cleaned my bike. sure it usually gets washed after a service but it never gets cleaned as well. not to mention not getting waxed. so it was probably time i washed the bike.

turns out it wasn’t such a bad thing… it gave me a chance to really go over the bike before heading out. i came across a couple items i wanted to check that i may not have found had i not cleaned the bike. nothing critical but worth checking into further.

when i finished cleaning the bike i felt a lot better about it. not only did it end up clean, i felt more confident about the condition of the bike.

now i looking forward to the trip even more…

installing comfort…

picked up the comfort profile saddlebag guards today from shelton’s… installation was easy and went smoothly. the longest part was running out to pick up a torque wrench. normally i would just tighten the bolts until i thought there were tight enough. on something like this, i figured it was well worth the time and few extra dollars to make surer it was right.

after i i had one side installed my wife sat on the bike and immediately noticed the difference. the real test though will be taking my wife out for a ride to see how much better it is.

gettin’ ready…

my wife and i have taken a couple rides latest in preparation for a trip we’re taking to milwaukee later this month. since she hasn’t been on a trip this long, we thought it would be a good idea to have her get some miles on the bike…

we also got her a new seat from mustang seats which we thought might make the trip more comfortable. the old seat, which is wider, was pushing her legs into the saddlebag guards and cutting the circulation off in her legs. we figured the smaller seat might alleviate that.

our first ride was to the hog meeting. half way to the destination, we saw nothing but a sea of brake lights. after about ten minutes and only moving about a half a mile the traffic just came to a standstill. we decided to pull a u-turn and take some back roads.

while it wasn’t what we wanted because we were trying to get to the meeting on time, it turned out to be a good thing. we traded the congested main road for some scenic two lane roads. we also got a longer ride – never a bad thing on a motorcycle!! the side trip reminded me of the benefits of a detour…

so my wife navigated us through the back roads to our destination. if you knew how my wife is with directions you’d know this is an accomplishment. she is awesome and amazes me every day. although i was secretly thinking that even is she would have gotten us lost i wouldn’t have cared. it’d just have meant more time together on the bike!!

the ride home that night was something else. not traffic this time but the night skies. the skies were dark until the heat lightening lit up the clouds in a beautiful display of lights and shapes.  we were enjoying the openness of the bike and the light show going on around us…

until… we started getting closer to home. as we got closer to home we started seeing more and more streaks of lightening. and as the miles ticked off, the bolts were getting closer to the ground.

within ten minutes of making it home the skies opened up. note to self: be sure to pack the wife’s rain suit for the next trip…

we also took a ride this weekend to durham. we wanted to catch up with a fellow rider and firm up plans for milwaukee. it wasn’t a long ride, but it was a good ride. except for the fact that, even with the new seat, the guards were still digging into my wife’s legs.

i decided to head to shelton’s to see if i could find the comfort profile saddlebag guards. they didn’t have any at the durham store but ordered them from one of their other shops. i should have them in a day or two. of course once i get them on we’ll have to take a few more trips to determine which seat might be better. you won’t find me complaining about that!!!

these past two rides really make me look forward to the ride to milwaukee. i can’t wait for the adventure with my wife – we’re going to have so much fun…

ride to work…

took a ride to work the other week – to annapolis!!! it was nice to get out for a longer ride in decent weather.

i headed out on sunday after a quick turn around from returning from the beach. as fast as i was unpacking from the beach, i was repacking for the ride. i could have taken a little more time but i wanted to get on the road and to my destination before it got too late.

repacking in a hurry didn’t leave me with the confidence that i had everything i needed. but if it came down to missing something critical, i could always pick it up on the road.

ride up to annaplois started on the interstate until richmond, then back roads the rest of the way. it was good to be putting some miles on the bike again. especially since i have a longer trip coming up towards the end of may. but thoughts of that trip were far from my mind as i was enjoying the scenery and the weather the eastern part of virginia was giving me.

i wouldn’t be quite so lucky on the way home. the temps were quite a bit lower and the skies were overcast. shortly after leaving, i was pulling over to put on my chaps and winter gloves. but those weren’t quite enough to keep the chill from reaching my bones.

the quick turn around on sunday and lack of planning was catching up to me now. in my hurry to hit the road i was so focused on leaving i didn’t bother to check the weather forecast. and now i was paying the price.

a couple times i did think about how much warmer i might have been had i been in my car. but i quickly came to the conclusion that i wouldn’t trade the warmth of my car for the freedom of the road. it seems cold riding is the theme on the rides this year.

it was great to get home and start to thaw…

check out the 2010 ride map – this one in blue…

35000…

took the bike in to ray price this week to have it serviced… i can’t believe it’s been so long since my last service. only twenty five hundred miles in six months. sad… (I do plan on making up for it over the next several months, though.)

i was actually looking more forward to having it cleaned than the service itself… it’s been a while since it’s been cleaned – since the last service!! considering the long cold winter we had, i can’t be blamed for choosing riding over cleaning…

it was nice to be back on my own bike today. every time i get back on my bike after being on a different one, i like mine so much more. the seating position and the handling feel so right. my wife talks about getting an ultra classic one day. while i do look forward to getting another bike one day, i can’t imagine not having this one to ride.

this service i was hooked up with the same bike i had for my last service. fun to ride the newer model with the updated frame, electronic throttle and larger engine, but nothing new to report. and i guess i can’t complain since this is the first time i’ve gotten the same bike in all the years i’ve been taking the bike in for service…

bike shops…

saturday started with a stop at bikers boulevard with father-in-law. he’s rebuilding a couple bikes with the help of son and wanted to check out some parts – specifically an electronic ignition… within minutes they were showing him the exact part he needed.

we were perusing the store, about to leave, when one of the guys chased us down to talk to father-in-law about his shovelhead. before i knew it, they were looking for a kicker for his shovelhead. turns out they don’t make a kicker for his particular model – when they made the five-speed for his bike they stuffed it into a four-speed case, not leaving enough room for anything else.

listening to the two of them carry on about their old bikes was really interesting – i sure could learn a lot more from these two…

after getting home, my wife suggested taking a ride. i was all over that. we had planned to take the usual trip around the lake – a nice ride, but not too long.

shortly after heading out, after the few sprinkles of rain, my wife mentioned she was cold and her feet were bothering her. not wanting to end the ride so soon and not wanting to torture my wife, i suggested stopping at brewer cycles.

i’d never been there but heard good things about it. i was thinking that maybe if we could find her some new boots, she’s be willing to take a little longer ride.

when we got to brewer, i couldn’t believe how cold her hands were. sure, it wasn’t the warmest weather we’d ridden in, but i didn’t think it was that cold. i offered her my winter gloves, but they didn’t quite fit and she’d worry the whole time we rode home.

walking to brewer, i was surprised by the variety and selection they had – bikes, jet skis, clothing, helmets, accessories, tires. you name it, they have it. except footwear. well, they do have footwear, but it’s for dirt-biking.

we decided to forgo riding around the lake and head straight home. i did manage to talk my wife into a slightly longer ride home. which i really appreciated because i knew my wife would only get colder as evening drew closer.

it was great to be out on the road with my wife. i sure hope we can get more riding in together – although i will appreciate the ride we took this weekend since she probably won’t ride again unless it’s above the mid-eighties!!!

check out the 2010 ride map – this one in green…

iba membership…

got an e-mail today informing me i’m now officially a member of the iba… wooooohooooo!!!!

You are receiving this e-mail because of your application for a ride
certification.  This note is to let you know that your ride has been
approved and although your ride documents may take a few more weeks to
arrive,  your membership has also been approved and entered into the
Iron Butt Association's member database.

Welcome to the Iron Butt Association!

gotta figure out where to ride next…

think biker…

came across this today…

marion…

finally took another ride!!! hard to believe it’s only the second ride i’ve taken this year… i blame that mostly on the weather; although other commitments have played a part.

this ride held the promise of warmer weather – in the fifties. definitely better than my last ride… the problem was that was afternoon temps. and i was leaving at five in the morning. with temps in the twenties.

in preparation, and with memories of the last ride fresh in my mind, i purchased ‘lectric pants and vest. purchasing them the day before the ride, i was a little concerned i wouldn’t have a chance test them out before embarking on a longer ride.

saturday morning i plugged up and headed out. needing gas not too far down the road, i decided to set the controls on medium figuring i would adjust it as necessary when i stopped. turns out it was just about perfect. i could feel the heat in the pants and the vest. i was actually surprised at how well they worked.

the ride was supposed to take three and a half hours – i was figuring closer to four with a gas stop thrown in. i was cruising along nicely, actually starting to warm up a little as the sun was rising, when i passed the city limit sign for winston-salem. within a mile of passing the sign, the temps must have dropped by five degrees.

not that might not sound like much, but remember it’s in the twenties. on a motorcycle. going seventy. it got cold!!! shivering cold!!

deciding how long i could make it like this and how soon i should stop, i was comparing the gps arrival time, eight-thirty, to the clock on my bike, about a quarter to eight.

my first thought was the trip was turning out to be shorter than i thought. planning the trip, i was sure i would need to stop for gas. now, by my estimates, i would be able to make it without stopping.

about fifteen minutes later, after merging to another part of interstate forty, the gps recalculates, now showing me about sixty seven miles to my next turn. holy crap!! what happened to thirty more minutes?? then it dawns on me… my clock is set to summer time - it’s only seven!!!

now i’m trying to figure out when to stop for gas. i like to go as far as i can before fuelling. i’m weighing that against stopping sooner to warm up. i decide the need to stop shivering definitely outweighs squeezing more miles out of the tank.

after the stop, i felt much warmer. which was a great relief as i headed further west and started seeing more and more on the sides of the roads.

despite the cold and the time miscalculation, i was rewarded as i rounded a corner, the road ahead of me opened up and in the distance i saw the snow covered mountains. i was struck by the  beauty of the mountains with all the snow. i was wrapped up in the majesty of the view ahead of me and was instantly taken away from the cold harsh winds of the highway. realizing it was the first time riding in the snow-covered landscape, i was hoping it wouldn’t be the last.

i made it to my destination and took care of business. by the time i was ready to head home, the temps were in the fifties. the ride home would be awesome – finally a ride in some decent weather. as i was leaving, people were commenting on how nice of a ride home it would be, forgetting the cold i endured on the way there.

and it was a good ride home. a comfortable ride under the clear, sunny skies. made even sweeter by the memories of the morning ride.

in hindsight, the morning ride may have been the better one.

check out the 2010 ride map – this one in red…

2010 rides…

wow!!! we’re already in 2010!!!

routes:
------ 01/02/2010 - lake loop - nc and va
------ 02/20/2010 - just a ride - marion, nc
------ 03/13/2010 - ridin' with my wife - henderson, nc
------ 04/11-14/2010 - ride to work - annapolis, md
------ 05/19-24/2010 - weekend ride - milwaukee, wi
------ 05/28-31/2010 - rolling thunder - washington, dc
------ 06/26-27/2010 - smoke out - rockingham, nc
------ 07/03/2010 - ss1000 - nc, va, md, wv, va, nc
------ 09/06/2010 - ride with alex - nc and va

brrrrrrr…

took the first drive of the year today… wasn’t really planning to, but my wife suggested i head out for a ride. it looked nice outside, blue skies dotted with puffy white clouds. it didn’t take much to convince me to go.

i had originally planned a trip through oxford to danville, looping south back through oxford and back home. i wasn’t out long when i realize it was a bit chillier than i thought.

i arrived in oxford cold, not quite knowing how long the planned route was, thinking i should just turn around and head home. instead, i decided to take the usual lake loop.

about half way through the ride, even colder than i could imagine, i couldn’t wait to get home. i even passed up a photo-op of the high water and flooded tables at the dam.

i made it home with a couple lessons under my belt. check the temps before leaving. if it’s in the twenties, i’d advise electric pants and jacket – jeans and chaps just don’t cut it. my electric gloves work awesome!!!

check out the 2010 ride map to see the route - this one in blue...

reflections…

the past year has been interesting to say the least. didn’t do as much riding as i wanted. it seems i say that every year. i wonder how often or how many miles i’d need to ride in order to feel like i rode as much as i wanted??

some of the journeys i planned didn’t happen. but my biggest goal of the year, the ss1000, did. of course there were several rides with my wife (those are always the best), the yearly trek to the smoke out, a ride with my son and the easyriders rodeo. all-in-all, i’d have to say it was a good year.

i’m sure this next year will bring new adventures, some planned and some not. whatever the case, we’ll make the bet of it…