Trip Suggestions Reqst - New Mexico to Toronto-Conn-PA-SC and back

[kjsett]

Hi all. Semi retirement without an income isn't all that easy. Especially when you temporarily move in with your kids and their 9 & 10 year old boys and 4 dogs.

Anyway, just temporary. The purpose of this post is to first ask for advice on motorcycle travel in the North East from early September to Early October. We hope to be moving south by the 4th week of the September to first Gettysburg (wanted to go there for years), then on to Greenville, SC via the Raleigh Durham area. No set agenda other than being back in New Mexico by the 15th of October (prefer sooner, but we will see).

So far the plan is to go to Oklahoma City area from Albuquerque then on to Toronto Canada for a few days. Then via Niagara Falls we move on to friends near Hartford, Conn. for at least a few days, maybe a week. Weather forecasts will affect everything as I will be on my '03 Voyager and my wife on a '97 Vulcan 800. I will be pulling our 4x5 trailer, but no plans on camping. We would be open to couch surfing along the way, but please don't be offended if we don't stop. Of course, if we can work out time to stop for a snack and coffee we will give updates as to plans and travel.
Thanks for any thoughts,
Ken

[kjsett]

Ok, I think i was tired when composing. Rereading i can see i wasn't very clear.
I am looking for some information from members:

Whats it like during the month of September (related to riding a motorcycle) thru 1st week in October along our proposed route? Will it be wet this year, early snow, early rain, late summer? Here in New Mexico I am hearing that it will be dryer than usual, but colder sooner (El Nino).

We will be heading out between the 6th and the 10th of September with Oklahoma City area as our first stop. We may stay 2 nights with a friend. Then on to Toronto Ontario via Ann Arbor Michigan. As to how many days, that will be determined by distracting locations along the way (stop and smell the Roses).
Then after spending a couple of days with our English friends (who happen to live now in Canada), we will go on to Weatogue, CT. Depending on how long it took to get there, and the weather during our stay, we hope to have up to a week to visit with our friends and make some side trips to places like Plymouth, MA (again friends there) and such. I don't know if enough time or weather allowance will make it possible to travel much further than that.
When we finally leave Connecticut, we will be turning South to Gettysburg, PA. I will post more about itinerary when I know more.

So, I am hoping to get some responses this time as to what to expect in that region this time of year (starting in just 2 1/2 weeks). I hope there will be opportunities to stop and visit, if only briefly over coffee, members of the forum while on this trip.
Blessings,
Ken

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

As far as PA goes you should be fine. The temps are great for riding mid Sept thru Oct. Our rainy season is typically early to mid spring, and autumn's are commonly pleasant. As a matter of fact that's when you find most large organized bike rides. For the sake of mentioning it the Mid Atlantic Voyagers will be having our Fall Ride-In Sept 24th and 25th visiting the world famous Horseshoe Curve and Flight 93 Memorial.
You are welcome to join in if you happen to be in PA and finished with Gettysburg.
Have fun and please be careful out there!

[HMB Don]

Ken

We're settling in here in Wilmington, NC. We should be able to host you both in Oct. we'll be attending the mid-Atlantic Voyagers ride-in in late Sept. So just let us know when you're arriving.

[trikebldr]

Well, Ken, maybe I'm already too late to this thread, but if you're passing through the Kansas City area on your way from Okla City to Michigan, we have room, or can meet for coffee or dinner/lunch. Also, in case of difficulty, can come to the rescue with trailer, tools, etc.
Just call 816-560-6836 (Bruce)

[kjsett]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions.
Shelley has agreed to, and we will try to make happen, showing up for the Mid-Atlantic ride-in the 24/25th. We will finally be going to Gettysburg (Civil War) that week and will just join you all afterwards. Can't say we will stay for the whole thing, but would love to meet and greet.
Oh, I forgot to mention, we had to turn the route around so that we are going to North Carolina 1st after stopping a couple of nights in Oklahoma City area. Then on to either Greenville, SC for a stop (if our friend is back from Charlotte), or just go straight to Charlotte, NC first. We will be visiting friends in the Raleigh area while staying just across the border in VA. Then on to Gettysburg and the ride-in.
After that we will head out to Connecticut for up to a week while we also visit friends over on Cape Cod. Once we turn our horses back toward the barn, it would be nice to take up on the offer in Kansas City if that works out (i will call when we have a better idea of when in October we will pass thru).
Our leaving has been delayed by need for parts for Shelleys 800cc Vulcan. I changed out the tire tube and noticed the bearings on the front where questionable. Lack of locate-able tools, and not enough time, decided that i would just take them in to a shop on the east end of Albuquerque (Moto-Authority). Hope to pickup them up and back on by tomorrow.
I was changing out her rear tire also (Over 20k on a Michelin Commander II for an Avon Cobra) but all i could find were my travel spoons and having used them last time, i wasn't going to try again (they were adequate for the front tire, but the Michelins sidewalls are just too stiff). I had bought much longer tire spoons and know they are in my tool chest. Only thing was, with the move, I CAN'T FIND MY KEYS TO MY TOOL CHEST!!!! Oh well, they will turn up. Rear wheel bearings checked (by tech) and they are still going strong at over 60k. So I had the shop replace the tire, tube, and strip also.
All this, and I am still learning how to, and actually doing, the design of my wife's website for her new online business. When that one is done, I have to replace our ministry website with a much more functional and interactive website.
See you all soon,
Ken

[kjsett]

Well we made it to Oklahoma City to our friends house last night. Although trying not to ride at night on this trip, we did. Poured most of the way on I-40 from Just before the Oklahoma boarder to just short of OK City. The Shoei helmets we have are great except they fog badly. I have the Pin lock fog shields, but they say not to use them at night (WHAT?). I did just to try them once and they flare badly in street lights. We didn't stop to put them on because of that, but we wound up leaving the shield open first notch to see (and got face wet because of).

Just outside Amarillo, Shelley's left mirror fell off. She found it, somehow, in the 2 foot tall grass, but the mirror was fractured. The 10mm mounting bolt had sheared off where it went into the mirror arm. These are Kurakyns so I thought they would be good ones, but we have always had issues with keeping them tight and not rotating. I even replaced the set screws with larger ones. I will be going to go shortly to Cycle Gear in OK City to get her a generic one to keep us going.

We will be leaving either tomorrow or Friday to go on to North Carolina. Drying stuff out today and figuring out how to improve stuff. I will try the pin-lock shields next time and see if that is better.
See you down the road - and blessings,
Ken

[HMB Don]

Ken

Sounds like you needed to get on the road just to rest. Looking forward to see you both next week at the Mid-Atlantic Voyagers ride-in.

Please keep up those ongoing posts.

[kjsett]

Hi all,
On an iPad trying to type. We have traveling thru quite a bit of rain from Oklahoma City to Durham, NC. Then in Nashville we ran into this gas shortage issue in Tennessee and North Carolina. Tonight I saw my first police monitored gas lines at a station in decades.
We are leaving here (Durham, NC) to go visit friends just across the boarder in VA near Bracey. Thursday we will head up to Gettysburg, PA to do the tourist thing Friday and then on to where the ride in will be.

Unfortunately, I know your gathering, where you will go visit, but I don't know any other details.
Somehow, I haven't found out the secret handshake to be privileged with the Mid-Atlantic ride-in's info site. Could someone please post a link, of give info details.
Hope to see you before we move on to New England for a week, then back to New Mexico ( route undetermined).
Blessings,
Ken

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Just sent you an email Ken.

[kjsett]

Just sent you an email Ken.

Thanks Scott. Got it.

[kjsett]

Thanks Don for your comments.
I found at Cycle Gear are replacement mirror that meets Shelley's approval. It is a diamond design that the glass is close to same amount of reflective surface as the rectangular Kurakyns that broke. They had one right and one left. BUT, the right one was manufactured wrong. The adapter bolt that takes it from 10mm bolt (Brake/handlebar mount side) down to the 8mm bolt for the mirror arm was correct, but they must have milled the female side in the arm too large. It's like it is a 8.5mm because you can screw the bolt in finger tight, but trying to tighten it with a wrench just rotates it. This would allow the mirror to just swivel. Fortunately the bad one was for the right side where we still had a working Kurakyn. So we will start out the next leg with a miss-matched set. Since we will be traveling down I-40, I called ahead to the next Cycle Gear in Little Rock and they have one. I asked him to check it and he said it is fine and will hold for us. It was the 8mm side of the old one that sheared.
The rain also revealed my glove situation was a little weak for sloppy wet weather, so I picked up a pair of Sidici's that are supposed to water proof. We will see as it looks like rain will be an issue on this trip.
We might hold up one more day as we are both tired from trying to get ready for this trip and it only costs us time to hang out here. Our arranged place for up near Bracey, VA is kind of iffy as to accommodations as the couple who own it are in South America till the 20th. We have been invited to attend an all day Church picnic near Durham, SC Sunday by dear friends, so I would like to be in the area by Saturday night. We will then stay in that area till going up to Gettysburg for a day or two and then on to where-ever the Motorcycle gathering is (i need to look that up, but two (nice spell checker fixing things - actually should have been "too") tired right now.
Oh My, I am rambling.

[kjsett]

We made it to Bracey, VA to see friends and Shelley told me over the helmet that her bike was having issues. Apparently it started backfiring some and power and such and it sounded funny. This started as we came into Durham NC on Sunday, but didn't say anything, then was worse as we headed out North on Tuesday. I thought maybe it was gas related as we had issues with gas shortages and when they pump the tanks down low you can pickup stuff into your tank. I added some gas cleaner that usually works very well called Seafoam to see if that would help, but checked it over when we arrived. As soon as I heard it up close I thought, exhaust leak. Mickey and I felt exhaust coming out around the front pipe at the bend just a few inches from the engine cylinder. Being hot, we waited till this morning to pull it. Oh, My!! I didn't expect this (see the pictures), I thought it would be a small pin hole up to maybe a dime size hole. Way larger then that.
So we tried to get it welded back on, but no good. It was after-market pipes so the metal was too thin. Found a shop who could get a good set by Friday for just over $500, or a cheap set for just over $400 by next Tuesday. We chose door number 3. Same cheap set from Amazon anywhere from Friday to next Tuesday, but only $284. Praise God for many things. The finances to pay for it, and the lovely couple who said "stay as long as you want". This even includes after they leave for a trip next Tuesday.
So, we will stay and work on websites and such till the part comes in and then proceed on our trip.
Our biggest issue is that we will miss the motorcycle ride-in to Altoona, PA this weekend (unless the parts appear miraculously tomorrow).
Once the parts come in, we will still go to Gettysburg Civil War Memorial and then on to Connecticut.