airboss
Well-known member
Saturday July 16,2007. Rick Martin mapped out an Illinois instate saddlesore route for us. I started behind a couple of beemers, I kinda laid back(turned up the volume on theRD) and let them break the trail. Those guys set a hot pace, and I thinking this ones gonna be a piece of cake I'll be home by midnight. Then the mandatory fuel stop at Macomb. IL. with a little over 300 miles to go and the Freaking bike won't start. Ignition switch gone bad, after messing with the switch for about and hour I got it started, but for how long???????????? Called Rick told him I was heading for the barn, discretion being the better part of valor, I was chickening out.
Saturday July 28, 2007. I been watch the weather all week, I've got the bike back with a new ignition switch, and the weather will be great highs in the mid 80's and no rain anywhere. 5AM Saturday morning I pack up and on the road. I decided on the same route as before since we made such good time on that run. Rode over to the Mobil truck center in Morton, IL, fueled up, took the on ramp to I 74 east and got on the interstate directly behind one of these guys.
at lest he had the courtesy to cruise at a legal 65 and not one MPH over. I only had to pace him for about 50 miles at Bloomington I stayed on 74 east, and he took 55 south. Now I can make tracks to Danville and Rt 1 south, well it's the end of the month and all the small town PD's must be behind on their quotas for the month. As soon as I turn onto the Rt 1 exit the escort started screeming at me and didn't stop for the next 10 miles. I'm trying to push while the days young and I'm fresh but it's just not working out.
I get clear of the small towns on Rt 1 now, and I get a clear run for the next 50 mile, all the way to Marshall,IL by I 70, south of Marshall for what ever reason in seems the road is infested with deer (ah not these deer
those deer
and of course you lose a little time getting around each and ever one of them, but at least their not suicidal.
I'm looking forward to making the corner at Marion, IL. and getting a run on I 57, I'm way behind on the time I had set to be where I am. I need some good clean road and an opportunity to use it.
First I have to get to Marion, seems our IDOT state workers have been busy beavers while I've been away, they've been planting trees between me and Marion( Illinois state tree
)
I finally made Marion and I 57, this is great clear road all the way to tuscola, and 36 to Decaur is good also, I 72 from Decaur all the way to Quincy is a dream. I'm doing good if not making up time at least not losing any.
I do my mandatory corner stop in Quincy and get back on I 72/336 I'm psyched after a short break, ready to roll, but wait what is this traffic is slowing, I see a police car on the shoulder with his lights on, he's moving everyone one to the right lane. must be a petty bad accident? NO! It's the ADAMS County Fair, all the tru traffic to the right lane, they're using the left lane as a turn lane, we're backed up, stop & go next five mile CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After getting by the Fair mess it was clear sailing for the rest of the trip, well except for the vampire I killed on 67 on the way to Milan, I had long ago given up the tough of getting all the two lane sections done before dark, and by the time I made the corner at Macomb it was dark, and a full moon. Macomb starts the run up Illinois 67 at Monmouth it takes a left to Milan, IL and is back to two lane all country, corn on one side, beans on the other, bugs in the middle, and no traffic, I'm running along high beams & driving lights, so I getting a real good view of the bugs as they come in to meet the windshield. All of a sudden at the top of my vision some thing freaking huge, thought bird, no to ugly, then splatttttt! right below the top of the shield, blow by covers my face shield and right shoulder, I can hardly see, but there's no traffic, I get the bike stopped and duck walked it off to the shoulder.
Pulled the helmet off, found my flashlight, the windshield, and face shield are cover with a dark reddish orange jell like substance, it's all over the right shoulder of my jacket too. Let's see late at night, full moon, strange creature sweeping in out of the night. Yep, no dought about it I KILLED A VAMPIRE !
Got cleaned up, made the corner stop in Milan, and ran the rest of the route with out incident, finally got done at 3:00, total time 21 hours 45 mins.
I did an in state Saddlesore, it's done, I don't have to do it again, I got one, :yahoo: ,well maybe one in Missouri, and then there's Wisconsin, Iowa should be petty easy it's flat like here, then there's............................................
I see people post about what to take on an LD ride, well after this little adventure, I think I'm going to tell them that the first two things to take on any ride is (1) patience and (2) your sense of humor.
Saturday July 28, 2007. I been watch the weather all week, I've got the bike back with a new ignition switch, and the weather will be great highs in the mid 80's and no rain anywhere. 5AM Saturday morning I pack up and on the road. I decided on the same route as before since we made such good time on that run. Rode over to the Mobil truck center in Morton, IL, fueled up, took the on ramp to I 74 east and got on the interstate directly behind one of these guys.
I get clear of the small towns on Rt 1 now, and I get a clear run for the next 50 mile, all the way to Marshall,IL by I 70, south of Marshall for what ever reason in seems the road is infested with deer (ah not these deer
I'm looking forward to making the corner at Marion, IL. and getting a run on I 57, I'm way behind on the time I had set to be where I am. I need some good clean road and an opportunity to use it.
First I have to get to Marion, seems our IDOT state workers have been busy beavers while I've been away, they've been planting trees between me and Marion( Illinois state tree
I finally made Marion and I 57, this is great clear road all the way to tuscola, and 36 to Decaur is good also, I 72 from Decaur all the way to Quincy is a dream. I'm doing good if not making up time at least not losing any.
I do my mandatory corner stop in Quincy and get back on I 72/336 I'm psyched after a short break, ready to roll, but wait what is this traffic is slowing, I see a police car on the shoulder with his lights on, he's moving everyone one to the right lane. must be a petty bad accident? NO! It's the ADAMS County Fair, all the tru traffic to the right lane, they're using the left lane as a turn lane, we're backed up, stop & go next five mile CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After getting by the Fair mess it was clear sailing for the rest of the trip, well except for the vampire I killed on 67 on the way to Milan, I had long ago given up the tough of getting all the two lane sections done before dark, and by the time I made the corner at Macomb it was dark, and a full moon. Macomb starts the run up Illinois 67 at Monmouth it takes a left to Milan, IL and is back to two lane all country, corn on one side, beans on the other, bugs in the middle, and no traffic, I'm running along high beams & driving lights, so I getting a real good view of the bugs as they come in to meet the windshield. All of a sudden at the top of my vision some thing freaking huge, thought bird, no to ugly, then splatttttt! right below the top of the shield, blow by covers my face shield and right shoulder, I can hardly see, but there's no traffic, I get the bike stopped and duck walked it off to the shoulder.
Pulled the helmet off, found my flashlight, the windshield, and face shield are cover with a dark reddish orange jell like substance, it's all over the right shoulder of my jacket too. Let's see late at night, full moon, strange creature sweeping in out of the night. Yep, no dought about it I KILLED A VAMPIRE !
Got cleaned up, made the corner stop in Milan, and ran the rest of the route with out incident, finally got done at 3:00, total time 21 hours 45 mins.
I did an in state Saddlesore, it's done, I don't have to do it again, I got one, :yahoo: ,well maybe one in Missouri, and then there's Wisconsin, Iowa should be petty easy it's flat like here, then there's............................................
I see people post about what to take on an LD ride, well after this little adventure, I think I'm going to tell them that the first two things to take on any ride is (1) patience and (2) your sense of humor.
