bruinFJRguy
Well-known member
Hello! Some of you might remember my request for route suggestions here. Well, I mix-matched some of the ideas I got, and the result is below.
The Trip
Thursday Jan. 25 2018
11:15am:
After much preparation, the journey began. I took my daughter, Chloe, out of school early so I could take her to her grandparents. The wife works all weekend, so I summoned the help of my folks to watch Chloe until I returned. Chloe and I drove from Glendale to meet my Mom at Ontario airport. I parked my car, met my mom, and headed for the terminal. The flight was an uneventful Southwest direct flight. Price was $107 booked less than a week in advance. Not bad. The dry duffel with a few necessities went underneath; a backpack with my riding boots and my helmet rode up top with me. Unfortunately, as I took off I realized I had a scratchy throat and was getting stuffed up. Lousy timing, but I'd survive. The flight was full. I took a middle seat near the front to make an expeditious exit.
6:30pm
The flight arrived about a half hour early. I made a swift dash for the luggage claim and jumped on the AB Skyride bus to Broomfield. I took Lyft from the bus stop to my Dad's. I am fortunate that Dad has a house in CO, which made getting this bike easy. Seller dropped the bike at Dad's and everything was waiting for me.
I had work to do when I got to the house to get the bike. Dad wasn't there. I helped myself to hot tea and soup, to help my congestion which was quickly taking over my body. There was a plethora of stuff to be loaded up: two spare seats, Penske shock, shop manual, stock exhaust, and other odds and ends. I also had to wire my dual controller for the heated suit.
Organizing, packing, and loading took about 2 or 3 hours, with a few breaks. I took my time to check out all my new stuff as I went. I had a new visor for my RPHA ST helmet delivered to Dad's from Revzilla. I also had a heated riding suit delivered which I had to try on. Fortunately, the suit fit fine. Installation of the dual controller was a snap, after I figured out where the battery was located; the search wasn't too hard with the manuals, and, of course, the internet handy. Installation took less than 5 minutes.
I decided to mount the Corbin saddle for the ride. It's a little slick, but in the end my ass thanked me.
I stuffed just about everything in the boxes and left the duffel open to be loaded up with all but the clothes I was going to wear the next day. At about 1:00am I had a hot shower and hit the sack.
January 26 2018
8:00am
I didn't push myself to get up early. I went to bed later than I wanted to the night before and I had a crappy night's sleep due to the onset of the stuffy congestion, the several cups of black tea I drank while loading up...and the excitement for the trip. I dressed in my base layer, kevlar jeans, t-shirt and thermal top, and made my way to the garage to finish loading.
After slapping the dry duffel across the seat, I strapped my backpack across the duffel. I still hadn't decided whether I was going to take the stock exhaust home or leave it in Denver. It seemed unlikely I would ever use it, so I considered chucking it in the recycle bin (which is what PO would have done with it if I didn't want it). At the last minute I decided to rest it on the tail over some cardboard and strap it to the duffel and the bike. It wasn't going anywhere and wasn't in the way. It will probably live tucked in a corner in my carport for as long as I have the bike. Good enough.
10:00am
KSU! I threw on the Gerbing over my multiple layers of clothing (there's a better way, as I learned--see below), stuffed my melon in my balaclava and helmet, jumped on the bike, cranked the controller and the heated grips, and took my inaugural ride on my new bike, careful not to slip on the few remaining ice patches at the foot of the driveway left over from the storm earlier in the week. I would make my way to the DMV to get a temporary tag.
10:30am
Nevermind stopping for the temporary tag. I had to just get on my way and didn't want to mess around with the DMV. The bike was insured and I had researched that CO law allows a newly purchased vehicle to be transported to its home without a tag within 2 days after purchase. Of course, I had 3 more states to contend with along the way. Before leaving CA I had the idea of using one of my own CA tags in order to appear less suspicious. In the end, I didn't bring the tag, and I figured it would probably be better to refer to the CO new buyer's exception than to explain why I was using a tag not assigned to the vehicle (fortunately, this turned out to be a non-issue, since I didn't encounter and LEOs). :blink:
I jumped on 36 south to I-25 and headed out of town.
11:15am or so
I stopped in Parker at Panera bread for some breakfast and 3 or 4 cups of coffee before making my way. Craig, if I had some more foresight I could have called you to see if you could join! Maybe on the next one...
Not far down the road after breakfast I encountered some flurries around Monument. It was kinda cool riding in some light flurries. I'm originally Canadian and when I was a kid I would ride my 1983 Shadow 500 unless the roads were entirely unpassable. This trip brought back old memories.
Shortly after Monument I made my way onto 115 to US 50.
...sometime in the afteroon
Sometime in the afternoon I exited 50 and took the short couple mile stretch on the single-lane Skyline Drive. It's a narrow stretch of road that runs along 50 in Canon City. It was pretty, and a little scary because one portion of it basically drops off on both sides of the road. The speed limit is 15 mph, though, which I really didn't exceed due to the drop and other motorists (...oh...and because it's the law...right!).
After Skyline, the route on 50 west gets a little more scenic. Snowfall remained on the ground, the road ran along the river which was partially frozen and pretty. The highway took some turns and bends which was welcome after the freeway.
Eventually I exited 50 on to 285 to head south to 160. 285 was generally uneventful, but I did stop somewhere along the way at a ski shop to get a present for Chloe. I usually stop along the road to pick her out a stone from somewhere cool. She has a pretty piece of granite from somewhere high up in the Rockies, a piece of red rock from Utah, a couple other cool ones from Death Valley and the Mojave Preserve. On this trip I didn't stop to hunt for rocks, so she got a t-shirt and a sticker instead. I guess the cold weather just dissuaded me, and I really didn't see anywhere cool enough to get a rock from...other than Wolf Creek.
Speaking of Wolf Creek, I knew this would be the cold portion of the trip. Grommet, you were right; the upside was that the ride along 160 from South Fork to Pagosa Springs was the high point of this trip (see what I did there?). But holy crap was it cold up at the top! After checking the weather in the evening (no thermometer on this bike), it looked like the temp was between 10 and 14, but I'm going with 10 because it makes me feel more bad-ass.
Along this portion of the trip my core dropped enough to negatively impact the rest of my day. I had two layers of socks on, and wiggling my toes to prevent freezing was a chore. My boots were a little tight, which didn't help. I also realized the layers in between the liner of my jacket and my body were preventing me from maximizing the value of the heating element. The drive was pretty, but I had a hard time enjoying it as I was eagerly anticipating lower elevation and warmer temps.
6:00pm or so..
I stopped at Wendy's in Aztec NM. I stripped off my gear and boots and ate chili and drank hot coffee. After about an hour, I started to prepare to get on my way. I loaded up directions to Holbrook AZ on my GPS, which got the attention of a local gentleman getting some food.
The dude admonished me to not follow that route east towards the lake because the road was made of dirt and full of potholes. After we clarified that I was going west, he admonished me to not take the route because of wild animals and drunken natives laying in the road. As an aside, in the three countries I've lived where there is a native population (Canada, Australia, and the US) there is this legend among white town folk of drunken natives sleeping in the middle of highways. I've yet to see the phenomenon. He continued to warn me that the roads were surely poorly maintained. He suggested I drive to Albuquerque to hook up with 40 instead. Going to Albuquerque would take me about 2 hours or more out of my way, and about a hundred miles further east on 40 than I wanted to be. I realized the well-meaning chap was probably just being overly cautious and was more interested than being the know-er of dangers than anything else. I decided to take my chances, but I would heed the warning to go slow. I do know of many riders that have hit deer, and I don't really want to take my chances with a coyote either.
The dude wished me well and said "worst case maybe you'll have a story to tell." I had about 2 hours of riding through barren reservation land in 20-something degree weather after having already ridden 400 miles or so. I didn't want an experience that led to a story, so I'd hope for an uneventful ride.
After Aztec the route was...uneventful. I was happy to have encountered the sharer of wisdom at Wendy's because it served as a reminder to not rip the throttle too much. Going the speed limit (ish) was best, both due to the risk of animals out in the middle of nowhere and due to the risk of bored LEOs. I did see some LEOs on the way; I did not see any wild animals or drunken natives laying in the road. The roads from Aztec to Thoreau where 40 connected were uneventful, well-maintained, pave two laners, sometimes with a median lane. The ride was quiet and I encountered few other cars. It was cold. The only story I am left with is that of an overly-cautious young local warning of certain doom and advising a horribly delaying deviation from my course.
At about 11:30pm I arrived at Holbrook AZ to crash for the night. I didn't want to unstrap my luggage, so I figured my clothes were clean enough to last another day. I had a hot, hot shower for about as long as I could stand it to rid myself of the chill, and hit the sack. I had plans to meet Eagle Six from the FJRForum at 10am in Heber to ride through to Phoenix.
Saturday Jan. 27 2018
8:00am
Got up, got dressed, got breakfast, and prepared for departure. The temp was somewhere around 15 when I went to bed. I had hoped that the sun coming out had warmed things up. I checked the temps. 8 degrees. Ugh.
I would revise the layering of my outfit. The heated liner in my Gerbing zips into the suit and isn't designed to be zipped up on its own. But I had to get the layers closer to my body. I put the heated pants overtop of my base layer and under my kevlar jeans and the Gerbing suit. I put the headed jacket liner over top of my thermal and put my hoodie over top of the liner. I zipped the hoodie over the jacket liner hoping the hoodie would hold it shut. On top of the hoodie I put my flannel collared shirt. My winter gloves were soaked with sweat the day before, so I rode with my thin gloves. Earlier the day before I realized that my thin gloves actually were enough over the heated grips inside of the Tusk grip covers (thanks again Duken).
By about 9am I rolled out. The temp was up to somewhere around 15 or 20. After plugging in the gear I immediately realized how much better I felt the heat transfer. About 20 minuted down the road I actually turned the dials from full to about 3/4, because I was too hot. The ride to Heber was pleasant and warm, despite the freezing temps.
At 10am I met Eagle Six, aka George. I expected him to roll up on a FJR, but instead he showed up on a beautiful black Kawi ZX-14. He was wearing mesh pants and a Joe Rocket textile and pretty cold when he arrived. I had nearly called George in the AM to see if he still wanted to join, since it was so cold. George and I hung out at the Chevron in Heber for a bit and then made our way along 260 to Payson. From Payson we'd decide if George would continue the journey to Phoenix or turn back. Well, the 75 or so south from Payson to Phoenix was more appealing to him than the 35 back up in Snowflake where he lives, so he rode the rest of the way to Phoenix and navigated with me around Scottsdale, across the north end on 101, and we parted was at the north west end of the city. Thanks for the company, Eagle Six!
At around 2pm Eagle Six and I parted ways and I headed out of town before stopping to grab a late bite. The home stretch was ahead. I've never ridden along 10 between the LA area and Phoenix but have intended to do it for a while. Phoenix is one place that has been on my radar for relocation; it's warm, still developing, economically stable (I think), and much more affordable than LA. The city seems clean. The ride along 40, while it isn't horrible, isn't particularly fun. The good news is it was sunny and warm--a welcome change after freezing my frijoles the day before!
About 30 miles outside of Indio CA my fuel dropped to the last bar and started to flash. I hadn't seen any gas stations for a while and I regretted not filling when I stopped for food. I had no idea how much gas was in the "reserve" so I stopped at a rest area to google it. I'd also search for a gas station and if I wasn't going to make it I'd call AAA for gas right there. Well, apparently there are 1.1 gallons in the Super Tenere when the light starts flashing. However, this number is apparently a rough guess because none of the gauges on the Tenere are entirely accurate. I'd only gone about 8 or 9 miles since it started flashing and I figured I could get about 40 on the reserve if I took it really cool. I jumped back on the freeway and hummed at about 65. When I hit Coachella there were a couple gas stations. Come to think of it, I didn't check how much it took, which might have been useful information to gather for future trips. Oh well.
After Indio I had only another hour give or take, past Palm Springs, to stop at the folks in Redlands. I had the issue of getting my car in Ontario, and getting both vehicles eventually home. I decided to stop at the folks and figure the rest out later. I needed a bathroom badly and was ready to get off the bike. I also wanted to see my kid.
I went to be early and passed out while laying in bed with the lights still on. It was a good sleep. But I always go through a little withdrawal at the end of a trip; I'm happy to take a break from the bike, but sad the adventure is over. ...well...it sort of was over.
On Sunday I unloaded the bike and rode it to Ontario to get my car, drove the car back to my folks, and drove it home with my daughter in tow. This morning I took the local commuter train to Ontario to get the bike. It's now sitting happily in the carport next to the FJR, and here I am typing.
The Gear
I brought the Firstgear thermal one piece and Firstgear electric liners, all brand new. I intended originally to use just the one piece and save the liners. Even though that suit is awesome in the cold, I don't think it would have been enough. I was sooo cold at Wolf Creek. At any rate, I have them both to return where I bought them.
I purchased the Gerbing Cascade Extreme gently used from "Pastorags" on advrider. I wasn't sure it would work out due to fears it would be a little loose. It did turn out slightly loose, but I don't know I'd want it to be smaller. Unzipping the jacket liner and putting it under the layers instead of over them was the ticket.
My Tourmaster gloves keep my hands warm but evidently don't breath worth a kumquat. When I arrived at Holbrook my hands were pruned from the sweat. My hands wound up being much warmer with thin gloves that were over the KTM heaters (inside the Tusk mitts, which are clutch) than they were in the wet Tourmaster lined gloves.
PO TPAK told me the KTM heated grips were awesome, and he wasn't lying. I seldom had them cranked at 100%. And when I did, e.g. leaving Holbrook when it was 15-20, they did a dandy job at keeping my hands toasty. I believe them to be much hotter than the FJR factory grips, which are also very, very good.
I bought a Shoei Neotec to take on the trip primarily because my visor on my HJC was practically unuseable and I wasn't sure I'd get a new one in time. Well, when I asked how long the new one would take, Revzilla upped the shipping to 2-day free of charge. Very solid customer service. Knowing that the visor was waiting at Dad's, I opted not to bring the Neotec and it remains unused and returnable. I really want the Neotec and I know it is a far superior helmet to the RPHA ST; that said, the Neotec 2 is coming out very soon and I expect the original will show up on 'zilla at closeout pricing. When the Schuberth C3 Pro came out, the C3 showed up for something like $360. I always kicked myself for not jumping on that deal. Maybe I'll get a similar opportunity with the Neotec.
The Route
The route was a hodge-podge of suggestions and research on Butler etc.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Grommet, I originally intended to follow your route all the way. Eagle Six offering to ride with me through AZ prompted me to deviate down towards Phoenix and I-10, which is somewhere I'd been meaning to go. Duken and Tpak in CO kept me apprised of local conditions. Of course, Butler is always good to consult to make sure I'm not "missing anything." Lucky me: the bike came with a Butler map of CO. Unfortunately, most of the best roads will have to wait for fairer weather. But it was still an awesome trip.
Thanks to all for your help, suggestions, well-wishes, and encouragement!
The Trip
Thursday Jan. 25 2018
11:15am:
After much preparation, the journey began. I took my daughter, Chloe, out of school early so I could take her to her grandparents. The wife works all weekend, so I summoned the help of my folks to watch Chloe until I returned. Chloe and I drove from Glendale to meet my Mom at Ontario airport. I parked my car, met my mom, and headed for the terminal. The flight was an uneventful Southwest direct flight. Price was $107 booked less than a week in advance. Not bad. The dry duffel with a few necessities went underneath; a backpack with my riding boots and my helmet rode up top with me. Unfortunately, as I took off I realized I had a scratchy throat and was getting stuffed up. Lousy timing, but I'd survive. The flight was full. I took a middle seat near the front to make an expeditious exit.
6:30pm
The flight arrived about a half hour early. I made a swift dash for the luggage claim and jumped on the AB Skyride bus to Broomfield. I took Lyft from the bus stop to my Dad's. I am fortunate that Dad has a house in CO, which made getting this bike easy. Seller dropped the bike at Dad's and everything was waiting for me.
I had work to do when I got to the house to get the bike. Dad wasn't there. I helped myself to hot tea and soup, to help my congestion which was quickly taking over my body. There was a plethora of stuff to be loaded up: two spare seats, Penske shock, shop manual, stock exhaust, and other odds and ends. I also had to wire my dual controller for the heated suit.
Organizing, packing, and loading took about 2 or 3 hours, with a few breaks. I took my time to check out all my new stuff as I went. I had a new visor for my RPHA ST helmet delivered to Dad's from Revzilla. I also had a heated riding suit delivered which I had to try on. Fortunately, the suit fit fine. Installation of the dual controller was a snap, after I figured out where the battery was located; the search wasn't too hard with the manuals, and, of course, the internet handy. Installation took less than 5 minutes.
I decided to mount the Corbin saddle for the ride. It's a little slick, but in the end my ass thanked me.
I stuffed just about everything in the boxes and left the duffel open to be loaded up with all but the clothes I was going to wear the next day. At about 1:00am I had a hot shower and hit the sack.
January 26 2018
8:00am
I didn't push myself to get up early. I went to bed later than I wanted to the night before and I had a crappy night's sleep due to the onset of the stuffy congestion, the several cups of black tea I drank while loading up...and the excitement for the trip. I dressed in my base layer, kevlar jeans, t-shirt and thermal top, and made my way to the garage to finish loading.
After slapping the dry duffel across the seat, I strapped my backpack across the duffel. I still hadn't decided whether I was going to take the stock exhaust home or leave it in Denver. It seemed unlikely I would ever use it, so I considered chucking it in the recycle bin (which is what PO would have done with it if I didn't want it). At the last minute I decided to rest it on the tail over some cardboard and strap it to the duffel and the bike. It wasn't going anywhere and wasn't in the way. It will probably live tucked in a corner in my carport for as long as I have the bike. Good enough.
10:00am
KSU! I threw on the Gerbing over my multiple layers of clothing (there's a better way, as I learned--see below), stuffed my melon in my balaclava and helmet, jumped on the bike, cranked the controller and the heated grips, and took my inaugural ride on my new bike, careful not to slip on the few remaining ice patches at the foot of the driveway left over from the storm earlier in the week. I would make my way to the DMV to get a temporary tag.
10:30am
Nevermind stopping for the temporary tag. I had to just get on my way and didn't want to mess around with the DMV. The bike was insured and I had researched that CO law allows a newly purchased vehicle to be transported to its home without a tag within 2 days after purchase. Of course, I had 3 more states to contend with along the way. Before leaving CA I had the idea of using one of my own CA tags in order to appear less suspicious. In the end, I didn't bring the tag, and I figured it would probably be better to refer to the CO new buyer's exception than to explain why I was using a tag not assigned to the vehicle (fortunately, this turned out to be a non-issue, since I didn't encounter and LEOs). :blink:
I jumped on 36 south to I-25 and headed out of town.
11:15am or so
I stopped in Parker at Panera bread for some breakfast and 3 or 4 cups of coffee before making my way. Craig, if I had some more foresight I could have called you to see if you could join! Maybe on the next one...
Not far down the road after breakfast I encountered some flurries around Monument. It was kinda cool riding in some light flurries. I'm originally Canadian and when I was a kid I would ride my 1983 Shadow 500 unless the roads were entirely unpassable. This trip brought back old memories.
Shortly after Monument I made my way onto 115 to US 50.
...sometime in the afteroon
Sometime in the afternoon I exited 50 and took the short couple mile stretch on the single-lane Skyline Drive. It's a narrow stretch of road that runs along 50 in Canon City. It was pretty, and a little scary because one portion of it basically drops off on both sides of the road. The speed limit is 15 mph, though, which I really didn't exceed due to the drop and other motorists (...oh...and because it's the law...right!).
After Skyline, the route on 50 west gets a little more scenic. Snowfall remained on the ground, the road ran along the river which was partially frozen and pretty. The highway took some turns and bends which was welcome after the freeway.
Eventually I exited 50 on to 285 to head south to 160. 285 was generally uneventful, but I did stop somewhere along the way at a ski shop to get a present for Chloe. I usually stop along the road to pick her out a stone from somewhere cool. She has a pretty piece of granite from somewhere high up in the Rockies, a piece of red rock from Utah, a couple other cool ones from Death Valley and the Mojave Preserve. On this trip I didn't stop to hunt for rocks, so she got a t-shirt and a sticker instead. I guess the cold weather just dissuaded me, and I really didn't see anywhere cool enough to get a rock from...other than Wolf Creek.
Speaking of Wolf Creek, I knew this would be the cold portion of the trip. Grommet, you were right; the upside was that the ride along 160 from South Fork to Pagosa Springs was the high point of this trip (see what I did there?). But holy crap was it cold up at the top! After checking the weather in the evening (no thermometer on this bike), it looked like the temp was between 10 and 14, but I'm going with 10 because it makes me feel more bad-ass.
Along this portion of the trip my core dropped enough to negatively impact the rest of my day. I had two layers of socks on, and wiggling my toes to prevent freezing was a chore. My boots were a little tight, which didn't help. I also realized the layers in between the liner of my jacket and my body were preventing me from maximizing the value of the heating element. The drive was pretty, but I had a hard time enjoying it as I was eagerly anticipating lower elevation and warmer temps.
6:00pm or so..
I stopped at Wendy's in Aztec NM. I stripped off my gear and boots and ate chili and drank hot coffee. After about an hour, I started to prepare to get on my way. I loaded up directions to Holbrook AZ on my GPS, which got the attention of a local gentleman getting some food.
The dude admonished me to not follow that route east towards the lake because the road was made of dirt and full of potholes. After we clarified that I was going west, he admonished me to not take the route because of wild animals and drunken natives laying in the road. As an aside, in the three countries I've lived where there is a native population (Canada, Australia, and the US) there is this legend among white town folk of drunken natives sleeping in the middle of highways. I've yet to see the phenomenon. He continued to warn me that the roads were surely poorly maintained. He suggested I drive to Albuquerque to hook up with 40 instead. Going to Albuquerque would take me about 2 hours or more out of my way, and about a hundred miles further east on 40 than I wanted to be. I realized the well-meaning chap was probably just being overly cautious and was more interested than being the know-er of dangers than anything else. I decided to take my chances, but I would heed the warning to go slow. I do know of many riders that have hit deer, and I don't really want to take my chances with a coyote either.
The dude wished me well and said "worst case maybe you'll have a story to tell." I had about 2 hours of riding through barren reservation land in 20-something degree weather after having already ridden 400 miles or so. I didn't want an experience that led to a story, so I'd hope for an uneventful ride.
After Aztec the route was...uneventful. I was happy to have encountered the sharer of wisdom at Wendy's because it served as a reminder to not rip the throttle too much. Going the speed limit (ish) was best, both due to the risk of animals out in the middle of nowhere and due to the risk of bored LEOs. I did see some LEOs on the way; I did not see any wild animals or drunken natives laying in the road. The roads from Aztec to Thoreau where 40 connected were uneventful, well-maintained, pave two laners, sometimes with a median lane. The ride was quiet and I encountered few other cars. It was cold. The only story I am left with is that of an overly-cautious young local warning of certain doom and advising a horribly delaying deviation from my course.
At about 11:30pm I arrived at Holbrook AZ to crash for the night. I didn't want to unstrap my luggage, so I figured my clothes were clean enough to last another day. I had a hot, hot shower for about as long as I could stand it to rid myself of the chill, and hit the sack. I had plans to meet Eagle Six from the FJRForum at 10am in Heber to ride through to Phoenix.
Saturday Jan. 27 2018
8:00am
Got up, got dressed, got breakfast, and prepared for departure. The temp was somewhere around 15 when I went to bed. I had hoped that the sun coming out had warmed things up. I checked the temps. 8 degrees. Ugh.
I would revise the layering of my outfit. The heated liner in my Gerbing zips into the suit and isn't designed to be zipped up on its own. But I had to get the layers closer to my body. I put the heated pants overtop of my base layer and under my kevlar jeans and the Gerbing suit. I put the headed jacket liner over top of my thermal and put my hoodie over top of the liner. I zipped the hoodie over the jacket liner hoping the hoodie would hold it shut. On top of the hoodie I put my flannel collared shirt. My winter gloves were soaked with sweat the day before, so I rode with my thin gloves. Earlier the day before I realized that my thin gloves actually were enough over the heated grips inside of the Tusk grip covers (thanks again Duken).
By about 9am I rolled out. The temp was up to somewhere around 15 or 20. After plugging in the gear I immediately realized how much better I felt the heat transfer. About 20 minuted down the road I actually turned the dials from full to about 3/4, because I was too hot. The ride to Heber was pleasant and warm, despite the freezing temps.
At 10am I met Eagle Six, aka George. I expected him to roll up on a FJR, but instead he showed up on a beautiful black Kawi ZX-14. He was wearing mesh pants and a Joe Rocket textile and pretty cold when he arrived. I had nearly called George in the AM to see if he still wanted to join, since it was so cold. George and I hung out at the Chevron in Heber for a bit and then made our way along 260 to Payson. From Payson we'd decide if George would continue the journey to Phoenix or turn back. Well, the 75 or so south from Payson to Phoenix was more appealing to him than the 35 back up in Snowflake where he lives, so he rode the rest of the way to Phoenix and navigated with me around Scottsdale, across the north end on 101, and we parted was at the north west end of the city. Thanks for the company, Eagle Six!
At around 2pm Eagle Six and I parted ways and I headed out of town before stopping to grab a late bite. The home stretch was ahead. I've never ridden along 10 between the LA area and Phoenix but have intended to do it for a while. Phoenix is one place that has been on my radar for relocation; it's warm, still developing, economically stable (I think), and much more affordable than LA. The city seems clean. The ride along 40, while it isn't horrible, isn't particularly fun. The good news is it was sunny and warm--a welcome change after freezing my frijoles the day before!
About 30 miles outside of Indio CA my fuel dropped to the last bar and started to flash. I hadn't seen any gas stations for a while and I regretted not filling when I stopped for food. I had no idea how much gas was in the "reserve" so I stopped at a rest area to google it. I'd also search for a gas station and if I wasn't going to make it I'd call AAA for gas right there. Well, apparently there are 1.1 gallons in the Super Tenere when the light starts flashing. However, this number is apparently a rough guess because none of the gauges on the Tenere are entirely accurate. I'd only gone about 8 or 9 miles since it started flashing and I figured I could get about 40 on the reserve if I took it really cool. I jumped back on the freeway and hummed at about 65. When I hit Coachella there were a couple gas stations. Come to think of it, I didn't check how much it took, which might have been useful information to gather for future trips. Oh well.
After Indio I had only another hour give or take, past Palm Springs, to stop at the folks in Redlands. I had the issue of getting my car in Ontario, and getting both vehicles eventually home. I decided to stop at the folks and figure the rest out later. I needed a bathroom badly and was ready to get off the bike. I also wanted to see my kid.
I went to be early and passed out while laying in bed with the lights still on. It was a good sleep. But I always go through a little withdrawal at the end of a trip; I'm happy to take a break from the bike, but sad the adventure is over. ...well...it sort of was over.
On Sunday I unloaded the bike and rode it to Ontario to get my car, drove the car back to my folks, and drove it home with my daughter in tow. This morning I took the local commuter train to Ontario to get the bike. It's now sitting happily in the carport next to the FJR, and here I am typing.
The Gear
I brought the Firstgear thermal one piece and Firstgear electric liners, all brand new. I intended originally to use just the one piece and save the liners. Even though that suit is awesome in the cold, I don't think it would have been enough. I was sooo cold at Wolf Creek. At any rate, I have them both to return where I bought them.
I purchased the Gerbing Cascade Extreme gently used from "Pastorags" on advrider. I wasn't sure it would work out due to fears it would be a little loose. It did turn out slightly loose, but I don't know I'd want it to be smaller. Unzipping the jacket liner and putting it under the layers instead of over them was the ticket.
My Tourmaster gloves keep my hands warm but evidently don't breath worth a kumquat. When I arrived at Holbrook my hands were pruned from the sweat. My hands wound up being much warmer with thin gloves that were over the KTM heaters (inside the Tusk mitts, which are clutch) than they were in the wet Tourmaster lined gloves.
PO TPAK told me the KTM heated grips were awesome, and he wasn't lying. I seldom had them cranked at 100%. And when I did, e.g. leaving Holbrook when it was 15-20, they did a dandy job at keeping my hands toasty. I believe them to be much hotter than the FJR factory grips, which are also very, very good.
I bought a Shoei Neotec to take on the trip primarily because my visor on my HJC was practically unuseable and I wasn't sure I'd get a new one in time. Well, when I asked how long the new one would take, Revzilla upped the shipping to 2-day free of charge. Very solid customer service. Knowing that the visor was waiting at Dad's, I opted not to bring the Neotec and it remains unused and returnable. I really want the Neotec and I know it is a far superior helmet to the RPHA ST; that said, the Neotec 2 is coming out very soon and I expect the original will show up on 'zilla at closeout pricing. When the Schuberth C3 Pro came out, the C3 showed up for something like $360. I always kicked myself for not jumping on that deal. Maybe I'll get a similar opportunity with the Neotec.
The Route
The route was a hodge-podge of suggestions and research on Butler etc.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Grommet, I originally intended to follow your route all the way. Eagle Six offering to ride with me through AZ prompted me to deviate down towards Phoenix and I-10, which is somewhere I'd been meaning to go. Duken and Tpak in CO kept me apprised of local conditions. Of course, Butler is always good to consult to make sure I'm not "missing anything." Lucky me: the bike came with a Butler map of CO. Unfortunately, most of the best roads will have to wait for fairer weather. But it was still an awesome trip.
Thanks to all for your help, suggestions, well-wishes, and encouragement!
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