Milestones

[BikerGeek99]

Milestones.

According to dictionary.com:

mile·stone

   /ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/ Show Spelled[mahyl-stohn] Show IPA

–noun

1.a stone functioning as a milepost.

2.a significant event or stage in the life, progress, development, or the like of a person, nation, etc

For this ride report, we're looking at number 2.

The ride begins Saturday, July 10, 2010.

If you are new to BG ride reports, be prepared for many, many pictures.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Now you make sure you wear all your gear, young man! You ain't little anymore, you could get hurt! :lol:

Refer to previous notation in sarcasm by yourself.

Have fun, ride safe, and have a great time! Don't wanna read anymore crash reports on this forum.

And take a coupla pictures this time, will ya?

 

[BikerGeek99]

The steed for the ride....

Ya know, I'm fortunate to have options for steeds in the stable.

Indeed, which steed?

Yamaha FJR1300. That'd be OK – we've ridden that bike all over the place the last couple years. A pic of us (thanks again Bill!) up in Quebec a couple of weeks ago.

Hmm.. Which steed?

How about Sooze's bike? A 2003 Buell Blast! Can't find any pictures of it right now, but … ah … no.

Which steed, indeed!

Last August, after 10 years riding this bike:

In anticipation of this very ride, we traded in for this:

A 2009 HD Electra Glide Ultra Classic.

This will be our 2-wheeled home for the next 3 weeks.

 

[BikerGeek99]

The plan for the ride.

We head out tomorrow morning – Saturday, July 10, 2010. We're headed to a part of the country neither Sooze nor I have been – the Pacific Northwest! Our route will take us through 'Sconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and I'm not sure from there...

Sooze and I are both very, very fortunate. We work for the same company which has pretty durn good time off benefits. I've been talking with my boss about this trip for months, planning ahead to ensure my absence from the office doesn't have any detrimental impact. Same for Sooze.

For our riding, we're gonna be hitting the slab more than I'd prefer. But, when ya gotta make miles, that's what ya gotta do. We're gonna miss more stuff than we'll see, and while 3 weeks sounds like a long time, when you start looking at mileages and whatnot, the time seems to slip away.

Normally on a road trip, I kinda like to just 'wing' it, but after the fiasco we went through on our way home from our Canada trip a couple of weeks ago (couldn't find a damn hotel room with less than a $80 premium!), we'll be planning more this trip. Probably a day or 2 ahead. We have the first couple of nights planned as well as a couple of nights next week. We'll just fill in the gaps from there.

For you guys who have taken extended trips before, how the hell do you do it? I tend to be a bit of a worrier at times (and I drive myself nuts doing that and am trying to quit it) and the thoughts of being on the road for 3 weeks is a bit daunting to me at times. I'm doing my best to knock it down to a bunch of mini-road-trips, but still...

So, after months and months of talking about it, buying a motorcycle specifically for it, and compiling lists of stuff to see & do while we're doing it, our 3-week journey begins in the morning. Normally I'd put the ride report together at the end, but I'm trying something so crazy it just might work – keeping the ride report going while we're on it. Dunno how well that'll work out, so bear with me. I'll do the best I can, 'cause these are pretty fun to write!

Departure time in the morning: early, which should be interesting since neither Sooze nor I are 'morning people.'

Destination for tomorrow: Madison, WI.

Thanks for tuning in, and don't be a stranger, y' hear?

 

[rushes]

I just hope ya don't break down out in the middle a nowhere....



Have fun, and ride safe!

 

[FjrVfr]

Looks like a beauty. On the way back, if I can help out in the Salt Lake area give me a call - you are taking the A.L. with you, right?. Sorry I didn't catch up with you while I was in Ohio a few weeks back (I think you were at CFR) but it was a great trip. I hope yours goes as well.

My place is like a cheap college dorm but if you need somewhere to crash I can accommodate your lawn-care equipment out front. So long as you don't mind me covering it with a blanket. Lord knows I have property values to consider.

Have a blast!

ps - thanks for the post about Iron Pony. I was speechless for hours...

 

[BikerGeek99]

Have a blast!

Thanks! I think we've got some good stuff planned. I'll know more about where we'll be and when once we make the turn back east. I'll keep you in mind, though. At the very least it'd be nice to grab a bite to eat with ya.

ps - thanks for the post about Iron Pony. I was speechless for hours...

That's quite the place, isn't it? It used to be a little hole-in-the-wall place with a smattering of crap and now... So, how much money did you not plan to spend there but did anyway?

 

[FjrVfr]

Shortly after I made it through the door I took my credit card out and shredded it.

If I hadn't been on the Feej, I'd have left with boots, another helmet and god knows what else. That place is a menace.

Really, have a wonderful trip - I'm envious.

 

[Bungie]

You two have yourselves a great time. I know you will.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Have a great trip!

Wave at Wheaton tomorrow as you go past.

 

[Tyler]

BG and Sooz,

Wishing you twoz,

Many a s/mile,

And safe all the while.

Look forward soon,

To meeting this loon,

Who's known as a geek,

But whose company we seek.

Hey, it's Friday... cut me a little slack on the poetic license, k?

 

[FJRBluesman]

WOW! That's quite a ride. Our forum member slappy usually just cruises the Costco parking lot, but this one....

Enjoy and ride safe.

 

[BikerGeek99]

BG and Sooz,Wishing you twoz,

Many a s/mile,

And safe all the while.

Look forward soon,

To meeting this loon,

Who's known as a geek,

But whose company we seek.

Hey, it's Friday... cut me a little slack on the poetic license, k?

Dang, gurl... :blush2:

(Damn pre-ride jitters... Not even close to being tired and I should be!)

 

[Bugnatr]

Are you wearin' those hi-vis helmets on the Harley?

Looks like you will be close, if you can stay a night at the Grand Coulee Dam. The evening Laser show on the face of the dam is worth the effort. Have fun!

 

[BikerGeek99]

Are you wearin' those hi-vis helmets on the Harley?

No - those are Scorpion EXO-700's and they're wired with Starcom headsets. (Yes, the FJR has a Starcom unit.) Those headsets are not compatible with the comm system on the Harley and without the comm link, we can't hear each other talk with those helmets on. Instead, we both have Nolan N43 Trilogy helmets. Still no direct comm link (I don't like the way the Harley one attaches, and the J&M headset is $250 EACH! - no, thanks, we'll just yell at each other and turn the radio up louder), but we can communicate and, thanks to the way the N43 is designed, we get tons of air flowing through.

Looks like you will be close, if you can stay a night at the Grand Coulee Dam. The evening Laser show on the face of the dam is worth the effort. Have fun!

Hmm... Stay tuned!

 

[Patriot]

I'm anal, over research, make a hard line plan, learn what I can about the route and places along it... :blink:

but once the bike is moving the first 10 miles, I take a breath, lean back, and just let it happen. Instantly turn laid back and enjoy the ride.

I do pray alot all along the trip... :clapping:

btw, I'll make it worth your while if you do a little side trip to the Big Easy... :yahoo:

 

[Tyler]

I do pray alot all along the trip...

With that avatar, you should...

 

[Patriot]

I do pray alot all along the trip...

With that avatar, you should...

you dawg you

 

[Tyler]

I do pray alot all along the trip...

With that avatar, you should...

you dawg you

woof!!