heading east

[Mr Jensee]

I wanted to warn you if you didn\'t already know, We are expecting a tropical depression here in Louisiana come Friday through the weekend. Lots of wind and rain. coming straight out of the gulf up through Arkansas. Be careful.

[Nails]

Thanks, I should be getting close to home by then. Happy with the Airhawk.

[cranky]

made my seat livable too... a favorite trip to visit oldest... 12 hour day... works....

[cbrfxr67]

wow I haven't thought about that in awhile. My first bike was a Sabre 700 with a bunch of issues. Got flooded, twice(!) and it still ran after much love.

[cranky]

.. now that ya have been jacking up ur seat... that windshield will hafta grow another 5" !!! GBG

[Nails]

.. now that ya have been jacking up ur seat... that windshield will hafta grow another 5" !!! GBG

I haven't actually noticed the height change. And I still love the short windshield, especially having my head in clean air ... and super especially when it's so freaking hot out. Definitely would cut it down again.

[Nails]

I had a swell visit to Mammoth Cave -- NPS campgrounds are great, especially for us Geezer Pass holders. It was crowded, and the earliest cave tour I could get let me leave the park at 1:30. I planned a private campground, but all was muddy. So after an unpleasant ride on US-68 in western KY, I got another motel. (I hate motels almost as much as airports.) US-60 across southern MO was more fun than expected because the road was actually in good repair. But it's still basically freeway. Oklahoma sucked. What's up with the toll roads? Where I come from, we don't have toll roads -- if OK accepts federal DOT funding (also my money), they should be ashamed. And I-44 isn't really much better than US-60 anyway. (Three traffic jams in Oklahoma City didn't help my attitude.) I hit the road at 8:30 yesterday in Sikeston, MO; and I could smell the barn. I've never ridden through a tank of gas before, but yesterday I did three in a row. (Freeways, going fast -- setting asides stops for gdamn toll booths and traffic jams -- so only 180 miles to E.) Not sleepy, so just kept trucking, but taking more stops. I got home after 19 hours. 1062 miles on the odometer. Google Earth says 1043, but I drove around for restaurants, gas, and getting lost. (Well, I don't think I've ever really been lost. But I have been location-confused for up to five days.) I got home plenty alert; but this morning I'm disoriented from the road buzz and ears totally clogged with wax. My trip was 4 weeks to the day, including a 10-day hiatus and other days off the bike. (Thanks for the help with that weird fork-lock issue.) About 4775 miles, going from northern NM, up the Blue Ridge Parkway to DC, and back via SW Ohio and Mammoth Cave. I had a few hundred miles consistently at different speeds, so I got to check how they affect gas mileage. My mileage at 70 mph wasn't much better than at 80 mph: 42-44 and 40-42mpg, respectively. But cruising at 60 returned high 40's; and 45-50 mph gave me mid 50's. (I previously said 60mpg, but I didn't calculate that right.) The fender repairs held, but it definitely needs attention. My helmet is going in the trash. The backrest and suitcase worked wonderfully. The bike needs maintenance. I have a shortlist of minor mods and what to do different next time. But right now, I'm gonna give it all a break. And it's good to be home: darling, dogs, and my god what a mess of chores before the snow flies.

[cranky]

.. good stuff!!! Welcome home!! GBG My longest trip was down to the Tx Hill Country, side trip to Tylor, Tx and back home.. @5K Being a 450-500/day person, it took a bit.... but the Tx visit with my VROC friends was great!!! VROC is the other Kaw group... Vulcan group... had a 1500 Nomad...

[cbrfxr67]

Really good stuff! Make me want to tell my wife I'ma be back and take off. I don't know that she'd be here when I got back haha I'd love to do route 66 and end up in Sedona,.... ah dreamz

[Nails]

Which Rt 66? One edition of it (before 1933 or so) passed about a 9 iron from my house. Let me know.

[Mr Jensee]

Cranky you mentioned Tyler TX. I have family in that area, Mineola 30 miles north of Tyler and Big Sandy just to the East of there. Hell the only road trip I ever got to do on my Voyager was here to Mineola and back. Leo was alive then and he rode with me. Had a great time, I figured then it would be my last trip. Dialysis doesn't give you much distance. None of this matters, just wanted to chime in.

[cranky]

,. have a niece there and wanted to say hi and meet her daughter that I connected with on Facebook... hadn't seen her for many decades.... discovered my cam chain extenders reached its last notch there... 1800 miles from home... sigh... it made it... 1500 Vulcan Nomad

[Nails]

This post was an accident that I can't delete any more than this. Nothing new here.

[GrandpaDenny]

This post was an accident that I can't delete any more than this. Nothing new here.

"Nothing to see here, move along, move along"