Carlsbad &etc

[Nails]

um... ya think that could be the problem?

No evidence of a leak, if that's what you mean. But I have been worried about "blowing a sparkplug through the battery tray" as Dave suggested -- except it's #4 and would've ricocheted through my knee. I'm glad that resurrected head got me through the whole riding season; and I'll be gladder to get it fixed right. (Let's just say that I've avoided messing with that plug.)

For the record, I got the idea for restoring those threads from Mr. Leo. But I should add that this was in the context of saving one summer ride then coming up, not necessarily this fall one too.

During today's limp home (after returning the U-Haul), my XII is running worse -- more clearly missing on two cylinders. And I was getting pops in the exhaust system, presumably from pumping unburned gas into there. (Looking back, I started getting occasional popping even on the Natchez Trace.)

Anyway, I'm glad to have the bike safely in my shed, even though riding it over Glorieta Pass on two cylinders was frank abuse.

[Nails]

One final comment, which is sorta part of this trip: driving further down the freeway to drop off the U-Haul. A few cars were parked on the opposite (north-bound) shoulder looking at a big pile of black substance. Coming home (on that side of the freeway) I saw it was a dead bison, dumped right there on the shoulder. The closest bison herd I know of is north of here.

I reckon New Mexico can be weird, too.

(Sending in case you need an intriguing intro for the crime novel you're writing.)

[Edit: New Mexico can be very weird. What I thought (driving by) was a bison was really a yak. It got loose about 40 miles away and had been lurking for a few weeks before finally getting hit on the freeway. I hear that the car was badly damaged.]

[Nails]

I mentioned going on a short ride with a neighbor in Ohio who was recovering after a friend of his was killed on a bike by a woman distracted by her phone.

Ironically, the day after I left Ohio, another woman hit (and run) this neighbor as he was walking at a gas station. In his Get Well card, I asked mom to write that walking is dangerous -- he should only ride.

[Bonnie and Clyde]

That is terrible news about your buddy

[Nails]

Yeah, nice guy. His retirement job is driving school buses -- this year he supervises all that. He talked about how he especially likes taking the XC team to meets because he used to coach XC.

Although I haven't talked to him, mom says he's recovering at home after a brief trip to the hospital. And the woman was apprehended using cameras at the gas station.

I'm optimistic he'll be back on that old Road King before long. (He also has a Cavalcade, in parts, in a shed.)

[triton28]

Apart from the mechanical trouble at the tail end, it looks and sounds as though you had an otherwise enjoyable trip.
Thanks for the commentary and photos, it's always nice to learn about other areas of our world.
Hopefully your misfiring is only a bolt on item replacement.
Dave