Four Corners run

[gasman]

Hey guys, just thought I'd let you all know my wife and I are going to make an attempt at the Four Corners run. I think we've done enough reading and planning finally to give it a shot. She'll be on here '01 FZ1 and I'll be on my '04 FJR. If everything goes as planned we'll leave next Fri. May 5th from Pagosa Springs, CO and head for Blaine, WA - San Ysidro, CA-Key West, FL-Madawaska, ME. I'll keep posting as we're on the road. JB

 

[skyway]

Good luck on your ride. For me the best planning I've ever done so far was while I'm riding, it gives me time to think about exactly what's working and whats not.

We will be attempting another SS1K in CA next weekend.

Yesterday we did quite a few miles in preparation and right now we're feeling the urge to just get back on the bike and ride for another sun-up to sun-up.

I gotta tell ya, this LD riding thing is DAMN ADDICTIVE!! :dribble: It's like crack on wheels without the pipe as we chug down the miles. Want another hit? Sure, just look at the map, gas up and repeat.

It also doesn't hurt that the FJR just swallows distant horizons.

 

[gasman]

Yea, I know what you mean. It's got my wife hooked as well. When she started riding it was on a Virago 700 and she thought at the time that a couple hundred miles was a biggie, then it was 500 and then a 1,000 and so on. We just can't seem to go far enough some times. (takes another hit) JB

 

[skyway]

We just can't seem to go far enough some times. (takes another hit) JB

Have fun guys (insert envy emoticon) and just remember, "It only stops when you do!"

 

[gypsy]

Gasman I know it has only been a few days but I would love to hear how it is going so far?

gypsy

 

[ronjrieth]

Hey guys, just thought I'd let you all know my wife and I are going to make an attempt at the Four Corners run. I think we've done enough reading and planning finally to give it a shot. She'll be on here '01 FZ1 and I'll be on my '04 FJR. If everything goes as planned we'll leave next Fri. May 5th from Pagosa Springs, CO and head for Blaine, WA - San Ysidro, CA-Key West, FL-Madawaska, ME. I'll keep posting as we're on the road. JB

Gasman...where arrrrrr you? Give us a hollar when you are in FL and maybe we can catch a few miles with you.

Ron

 

[gasman]

Hey guys sorry fot the slow reply but, we've been racking some miles on. We left Pag. last Fri. the 5th and headed for Blaine, WA. Got reminded by two of Oregon's finest that the speed limit is 65 not 90. Made it to Blaine on Sunday and headed out on Monday. Got to San Ysidro on Wed. and now we're in Fort Stockton,TX heading for the Keys. Just around 4,000 miles so far. https://jbolos.photosite.com/ that's a pic site, no password or anything needed. When we're done I'll try to do a more in depth report on the trip. FJR oath---I (insert name) promise to post daily while on the Four Corners run, as long as I have internet access. Jerry

 

[GunMD]

Hey guys sorry fot the slow reply but, we've been racking some miles on. We left Pag. last Fri. the 5th and headed for Blaine, WA. Got reminded by two of Oregon's finest that the speed limit is 65 not 90. Made it to Blaine on Sunday and headed out on Monday. Got to San Ysidro on Wed. and now we're in Fort Stockton,TX heading for the Keys. Just around 4,000 miles so far. https://jbolos.photosite.com/ that's a pic site, no password or anything needed. When we're done I'll try to do a more in depth report on the trip. FJR oath---I (insert name) promise to post daily while on the Four Corners run, as long as I have internet access. Jerry

Thanks for the update! We can all join you and live vicariously through you while we're at work.

Oh, and cool pics...but where's the picture of you guys getting your Oregon Performance Awards???

 

[gasman]

Gun MD, believe it or not we received no paperwork. Here's how it all went down. Fantastic roads in Oregon and virtually no traffic, so we were "making good time." Turns out there was an off duty trooper in a state owned vehicle, a pu truck so it didn't have the appropriate speedometer for clocking someone but, he did have a radio and called ahead to setup a speed trap for us. As things turned out we were in need of some petrol and decided to stop in La Grande. Which, by the way, was where they had set their trap. By the time we got there we had slowed to speed limit or below and when we pulled in for gas we had an escort. I thought how nice these Oregonians really know how to make out of state people feel special. The guy that had been tailing us was visibly shaken, you know I don't blame him but, it's not like we were running meth just exceeding the speed limit. Turns out there was nothing they could do legally that would hold up in court. They really were polite and professional, no heavy handed threatening or anything like that, just a "consider this fair warning". We took it to heart. JB

 

[Randy]

I'm so jealous. Best of luck the rest of your journey.

 

[devanator]

Gasman, Nice story and pics. Keep us posted, we'll be with you the entire trip.

devanator

 

[gasman]

Hi guys, no internet last night. Left Fort Stockton and headed for Austin to p/u a chain for Barb's bike. I had noticed it needed excessive adj. and so decided to repl. it. Called ahead to Cycle Gear and they had what we needed. So after stumbling around town like the counrty bumpkin that I am we located them and headed out. It was late in the afternoon and we were heading right for Houston. We decided to don our clear shields and get thru there at night. So 10pm last night fd. us heading down the Sam Houston tollway and parkway heading for I-10. Not much traffic that time of night. Made it to Beaumont, TX and bedded down for the night. Up at the crack of dawn to get that new chain on. Damn chain break tool did just that, it broke. So it was off to the auto parts store for a pin punch, some files and a small ball pein hammer. Went good after that and we were on the road by noon. Made it to Pensacola, FL where we are right now at an internet cafe writing this. ronjrieth, haven't looked where it is that you live but will check it out tonight. cell phone is 970-749-4237 not always on but you can leave a msg. Total trip mileage so far is (drum roll please) 5,068 that leaves only about 6,000 more to go. On a side note my wife developed laryngitis. Could this trip get any better? I submit that it could not. Just kidding. She's a real trooper, tougher than most guys I know. At least when it comes to riding. Not bragging just giving credit where credit is due. Despite the laryngitis she's feeling just fine, and I kind of have some fun with my little mute when we go somewhere to eat and she tries to order. Talk about a swampland, these southern states are just that. At least along the I-10 corridor. Forgot to bring the camera to the I-cafe so will have to upload pics next time. Saw four big accidents on I-10 today slowed traffic to a creep everytime. Well, gonna go catch some shuteye, will talk at ya'll next time. Jerry

 

[Groo]

Thanks for the update Jerry... how are your tires holding up?

 

[gasman]

Tires at this point are looking really good. I spooned new Avons frt. and rr. on both bikes just before we left. We landed in Clewiston, FL tonight, which means we did 614 miles today after getting another late start, this time due to Barb's XM radio taking a dump. So we had to locate a Wally world and hope they had some on hand. They did and then we had to do the activation thing. All takes time. We feel that we are still making good time as today is the seventh day of the Four Corners part of the trip and the 10th day total. Puts us at around 5,682 miles total. Added a few pics to the album. One of them in particular struck me as funny. We saw it in TX , it's the one telling people that it's a law to obey the law. How stupid do people have to be that the TX legislature had to enact a law telling them this. Oh well. I've made a few observations while on the road that I'm including in this msg. here they are.

Observations Part 1

My wife is incredible.

This is a really big country.

People are great where ever you go.

Drivers suck where ever you go.

People who hold up traffic while driving in the left lane and talking on their cell phone should have their license

suspended, indefinitely.

If you hold up traffic while driving in the left lane because you're frickin reading a memo with an official

looking heading, live in CA and have the license plate=REPBLCN, your car should be put on blocks and you should

be forced to use public transportation.

Never go over any type of pass with the word Snow in the title until after mid July.

Cheap motels are just that, cheap.

I'm not nearly as tired as I thought I'd be.

I like riding a motorcycle as much as I thought I did.

If you're nice to people they will be nice to you, generally speaking.

People want to be helpful.

Most people wouldn't attempt this trip in a car let alone a motorcycle.

We're just a little bit crazy.

The southwestern part of the US is still my favorite part of the country.

This is a really beautiful country.

I'm thankful to be a US citizen.

Motorcycling is one of the few things left in life that can bring an instant kinship with others of likemind.(I

can't take full credit for this one as Nikki is the one that brought it to our attention.)

Well, tomorrow, the Lord willing, we'll make the Keys and start heading up the eastern seaboard. We have been watching the weather and are hoping things are going to clear up by the time we start heading up there.

Both bikes are running great and are full of piss and vinegar compared to the 7,000+ ft. elev. we live at. In the pics I've added tonight, there's one of an older gentleman and his wife. He's a former Goldwinger turned RVer. Said he's thinking about a trike but I'm not so sure his wife was in agreement on that. Later, Jerry

 

[gasman]

Made it Key West today. Posted pics at pic site. Will head for Orlando tomorrow as Barb has a bro there and we'll change oil and visit and rest up for the day. Wed. will see us heading up to Madawaska. Jerry

 

[worldbound4now]

Thanks for the updates. It's a pleasure to hear how the trip is going.

 

[Bugnatr]

Nice reports and pics. It's great to read of your progress, what a awesome trip, you must be having a blast. Keep up the good reports! I agree bad drivers really suck, too bad we couldn't do the bewitched nose wiggle and they would be gone-for good. Question, which state has had the most bugs on your windshield?

 

[Randy]

Glad to hear the trip is continuing to go well. What type of communications system are you using (assuming you have bike to bike)?

Which route are you planning on taking to go north?

 

[gasman]

Bugnator, I guess it would have to be Florida. In one area there was some that were in a breeding frenzy and the little creeps were everywhere.

Randy, we don't have bike to bike, just hand signals and intuition. lol Our rte. north for the most part will be on I-95 catching different bypass' when we get to the larger cities. Before we left I printed up our rte.'s and clipped them to fit in my tank bag, and for the most part we've adhered to them. Jerry