On our way to Kerrville, TX

[HMB Don]

We left Wilmington yesterday and rode in HOT temps all day 98 degrees with high humidity for the first 200 miles. Once away from the coast the humidity went down but the heat stay with us all day. I had mapped a short day 374 miles to Madison, GA.

Today was suppose to be the same with the heat and maybe some rain in the afternoon. We were rolling by 6:20 AM and we met rain at 10 AM. Boy was that nice because it cooled the temps to 80. We rode through four rain showers, short but heavy. About the time my glove, pants and boots would dry, we would ride through another shower. Miles today 470, in Clinton, MS

Tomorrow the destination is Waco, TX. Thanks to Dave for giving me the Dallas, TX by pass.

[Highway Rider]

Looks like you are making pretty good time. I can remember the times when riding and it was hot hoping it would rain because that would feel refreshing. I see that Jill and Bronson have bee riding in the rain also. It is posted on the AVA Facebook page. Safe travels.

[cranky]

We left Wilmington yesterday and rode in HOT temps all day 98 degrees with high humidity for the first 200 miles. Once away from the coast the humidity went down but the heat stay with us all day. I had mapped a short day 374 miles to Madison, GA.

Today was suppose to be the same with the heat and maybe some rain in the afternoon. We were rolling by 6:20 AM and we met rain at 10 AM. Boy was that nice because it cooled the temps to 80. We rode through four rain showers, short but heavy. About the time my glove, pants and boots would dry, we would ride through another shower. Miles today 470, in Clinton, MS

Tomorrow the destination is Waco, TX. Thanks to Dave for giving me the Dallas, TX by pass.

Ride safe and have a great time!!! Maybe next year!!!!

[HMB Don]

Well today it got hot, we left Clinton, MS at 6:25 AM trying to bet the heat. By noon we were only 120 miles from Waco, TX. Those were the hardest miles temps got to 101. Got to the motel and unloaded the bikes, cleaned the bikes and then jumped in the pool. Tomorrow is an easy 185 miles to Kerrville.

Hope to see lots of you next week.

[VoyKimmer]

Got to Fort Worth TX. Yes very hot. once I got into Texas from Oklahoma. OK ride was nice. My OAT Guage read 103 when I arrived at the hotel. Tomorrows ride not to long but I'm afraid it will be very hot.

[Mr Jensee]

Ride safe. My hopes go with you and hope you have a safe trip. I wish I was going but circumstances didn't go my way.

[HMB Don]

I took Dave's route and went to Llano. But first made a detour to Marble Falls to Starbucks. It has the best view in all of the Starbucks in the USA. Then to enchanted rock, Fredericksburg to see the Nimitz War of the Pacific Museum had everything ready for the Chairmans ride. Then finally to Kerrville and the Y O Hotel. Temperature was in the high 90s.

Whose here
Roger CA
Mike Fla
John and Tammy OH
Bronson MI
Jill MI
Kim IL
Paul and his wife WI

[vxiirider]

Hope that everyone headed to the rally arrives safely and has a great time , wishing we were there but it wasn't in the cards this year. We did go for a dinner ride here in Michigan on Saturday, cloudy skies, temps in the low 70's, a really nice afternoon to ride.

[HMB Don]

Getting all the banners up and the registration beginning to look like rally HQ.
More rally attendees showing up. All are in good shape just hot, all the motorcycles are doing good in the heat.

[ekap1200]

Glad to hear you both arrived safe and sound , just damp and hot. Sorry to have missed this one as I always wanted to visit more of Texas and have a friend down there I was fixin to visit after the rally. Home and illness took its toll on money this past year. I have been worried about the weather down there as I have been seeing not so friendly weather reports on the Texans. Never been near such hail as I have seen on the news and glad of it. Hope everyone is missing all the flooding and hail/rain storms in the area. Marie and I are up in Clarion PA , just relaxing with some fresh air about 2,000 ft above sea level. We both needed just a cheep get away for a week and this fits the bill . Although so far, it has rained for apx 50 to 70 miles of the trip, 370 miles for us to get up here, I may see a ride of 1,000 by weeks end and that's about a fair amount for me to do as I have not been up to riding much in the past year. Sure feels good to be back in the saddle . Just getting away from works , bad dusty air , and welding smoke has made breathing much better. I can't wait until I can retire and never smell welding smoke and the dust from sanding aluminum.
Anyhow, we both wish everyone the best and ya'll have a great time, Missing seeing everone, Gene and Marie Kap

[passin thru]

Well, I started out Friday morning on a clean XII and rode into drizzle, mist, showers, wind, overcast skies, and cool temperatures. But hey, that's part of the fun, right? 222 miles into the trip I stopped at a light in Kingdom City, Missouri and broke my shifter linkage. Fortunately it was in 1st gear so I could get it off the hi-way. Also, it was right in front of a Holiday Inn Express and there were restaurants across the street so I was in good shape. I called my son-in-law who drove down Saturday and hauled me back home.
Once home I started taking things apart to see what needed to be replaced and found the ball on the transmission shaft shift lever had broken off! Never saw that one coming. Closer examination revealed that the ball on the "Hiem" joint has a flange with a straight pin that fits into a hole on the lever and the pin get swaged over to keep the ball attached to the lever. The problem with this one was that the flange was never seated against the lever, but was about .020" away from being fully seated. After 67,000 miles it had flexed enough for metal fatigue to set in and it broke off. I decided I had nothing to lose if I tried to weld it, so I ground enough of the pin off to get the flange to seat on the lever and welded it back together. Not sure that I trust my welding skills enough to venture far from home, so I have a replacement on order.
This would have been my first rally and I was looking forward to it. Well, maybe next year.

I believe I had a shirt and a pin(?) ordered. Is there any way I could get them mailed to me?

[Chris near Kansas City]

Passin thru, go ahead and pick up a spare linkage off ebay. Doesn't take up much room. You never know when you may need one, or come across someone that needs one to get home, etc.

Glad to see people rolling in. Pam and I are sorry we won't be there this year. Her and her sisters and their families get together at her parents for one week vacation every year. This year, one of the brothers in law could only get his vacation approved for one particular week. Guess which week?



Everyone stay cool (or try to) and we'll see you sometime!

Chris

[Mr Jensee]

Passin thru it looks like you had my kind of luck. In the fall of last year I was riding home from a friend's house who lived in a small town just north of me when I stopped at a McDonalds for a meal. When I started to leave the bike would not go out of 1st and 2nd gear. Rode it home in 2nd very slowly. Parked it and later took it to a friend's house and put it up on a lift. The linkage was broken internally. Made arrangements to take it to Carl Leo for repairs. He ended up taking the engine out and tearing it down to find a jammed 3rd gear with a burr on cog. He repaired it in 2 days but it allowed me to spend some time with my old friend who was suffering with pancreatic cancer. So glad I got to visit with him because as I have written he just passed away a couple weeks ago. I guess God knew what he was doing since Carl said he never saw a Voyager with my problem. He does work in strange ways. Now I've had to cancel the Kerrville trip because I suddenly needed heart surgery. I guess God knows best overall.

[Highway Rider]

passin thru I have sent you a email

[Mr Jensee]

Somebody post some images soon of the Kerrville rally. I couldn't be there and would love to know how it went.