Sunday, April 17, 2011
t-3 days
All is ready for the big trip. Just have to load the bike and its on the road I go. Sure do hope the weather hold up for the first couple of days. Weather.com was saying that it would be good for the end of the week but now the TV weather people are suggesting "unsettled" weather for the east coast at the end of the week. Sure wish I had a job where I could be wrong at least half the time and still get paid. I guess you just can't predict the weather, only report on what is outside your window. Well at least it should be warm.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
t-7 days
One week from today, I will be on the road to Florida to meet up with Ryder2. Ryder2 reports that he is having an issue with his Yamaha (Road Star?) and it's gas mileage. Ryder2 changed out his exhaust and re-jetted the carbs and his mph went from over 200mpg to 115mpg. Ouch! Ryder2 advised that he took the bike back in and had smaller jetts installed and that didn't help. The Carb has been checked and nothing obvious seems to be the cause. Not sure how stopping for gas every 100 miles or so will impact our ride. I generally like to make regular stops on the bike when I make long trips but with gas prices where they are 25-30 mpg on a bike will be expensive. The HD gets 50 mpg and I can go well over 200 miles on a tank. So we shall see how this impacts the trip. (He emailed that he may consider taking his Nija sport bike, but I can't imagine how that would work our on such a long ride and covering 500 miles a day. I don't think Ryder2 will last long riding that way for 30 days.) I suppose luggage will be an issue as well on the Nija.
Monday, April 11, 2011
t-9 days
Wish the weather had been this warm on Sunday when I made the test run fully loaded. It wasn't bad but had to wear a jacket and it was still cool until the sun came out in the afternoon. Everything on the bike worked out fine fully loaded and only little glitch was one of my lids on the hard side cases came open while riding. Will have to be certain to always lock those down from now on. Otherwise, it was smooth riding and loading went better this time than last time. (I found a you tube video that gave a really good explanations on securing the Kuryakyn luggage to the bike and it was a great help.) I have a solution for riding in the rain but I would still like to find a way to cover the exterior of the bags for that added protection. Just can't find a can liner or plastic bag with a mouth opening large enough to go over both bags and the back rest. Now all I have to do is hope there is no rain for the first few days of the trip. It is getting close and I am excited about the whole experience.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
t-11 days
Well, today I pack all my gear back up and tomorrow I load it on the bike weather permitting for a major test run with the bike fully loaded.
How about that, our Congress has agreed to fund the government for yet another 5 days. These clowns are holding the people of the United States hostage and running our government into the ground. I still think they all should be deemed as criminals and terrorist then locked up in Cuba and tried for something. We need to hold a "Constitutional Convention" and modify the powers and responsibilities of Congress so that they can be held criminally accountable for not doing their jobs. Like passing a budget on time and learning how to work in the best interest of the all citizens of the United States not just special interests or for their own political/party benefits. They waste more tax payers money than ever now. It is time for a social revolution in how we elect and who we send to represent us in our government. I think none of them should be re-elected but, nobody thinks it was their congress person or senators fault. It was their fault ,all their fault, and none of them are fit to hold office any longer as far as I am concerned. They really don't care about any one or thing except themselves. If you think I am pissed off about this crap, you would be correct in your assumption. I have been a registered voter since I could be and have voted in every election that I was able to since I came of age and I have had enough of this crap. I really don't know what else to do but bitch about it. I did write my congressman Gerry Connelly and he didn't even have the courtesy to acknowledge receipt of my comments. (Yes, I was polite and respectful when I wrote.) The Congress, the President have all postured now and trying to shift the blame onto someone else. Funny, how no one will step up and say yes we are responsible for this we have not accomplished what we were elected to do and you should hold us all responsible. We will do better. They have no back bone they all are slime balls in my opinion. Slick two faced lying politicians to the core every single one of them. OK, enough of my ranting. But, I still think the President should have them all locked up and tried. Then we should elect a new Congress. And that is one man's opinion. Too bad 350 million more of us don't all share that thought??? Maybe enough of us do that we could vote them all out of office in 2012. I wish.
Sorry, about that, but I really needed to get that off my chest. Besides, I don't have much to write about otherwise until the trip gets started.
How about that, our Congress has agreed to fund the government for yet another 5 days. These clowns are holding the people of the United States hostage and running our government into the ground. I still think they all should be deemed as criminals and terrorist then locked up in Cuba and tried for something. We need to hold a "Constitutional Convention" and modify the powers and responsibilities of Congress so that they can be held criminally accountable for not doing their jobs. Like passing a budget on time and learning how to work in the best interest of the all citizens of the United States not just special interests or for their own political/party benefits. They waste more tax payers money than ever now. It is time for a social revolution in how we elect and who we send to represent us in our government. I think none of them should be re-elected but, nobody thinks it was their congress person or senators fault. It was their fault ,all their fault, and none of them are fit to hold office any longer as far as I am concerned. They really don't care about any one or thing except themselves. If you think I am pissed off about this crap, you would be correct in your assumption. I have been a registered voter since I could be and have voted in every election that I was able to since I came of age and I have had enough of this crap. I really don't know what else to do but bitch about it. I did write my congressman Gerry Connelly and he didn't even have the courtesy to acknowledge receipt of my comments. (Yes, I was polite and respectful when I wrote.) The Congress, the President have all postured now and trying to shift the blame onto someone else. Funny, how no one will step up and say yes we are responsible for this we have not accomplished what we were elected to do and you should hold us all responsible. We will do better. They have no back bone they all are slime balls in my opinion. Slick two faced lying politicians to the core every single one of them. OK, enough of my ranting. But, I still think the President should have them all locked up and tried. Then we should elect a new Congress. And that is one man's opinion. Too bad 350 million more of us don't all share that thought??? Maybe enough of us do that we could vote them all out of office in 2012. I wish.
Sorry, about that, but I really needed to get that off my chest. Besides, I don't have much to write about otherwise until the trip gets started.
Friday, April 8, 2011
t-12 days
Nice afternoon yesterday, in the 70s but today was 50s and rain and tomorrow won't be much better temperature wise with cloud cover too and with some rain. But, Sunday is supposed to be sunny and in the 70s. Yea!!!!
Well, what do you think about congress letting the government shut down? I don't want to go political on anybody but, you know these guys get paid better than most of us and they still screw us all over. They will not do the jobs they were put in office to do and then they play games with the budget. If any other person or group of persons placed this country in danger like the US Congress is doing now they would be declared terrorist and arrested and sent to Cuba. They should all be fired or arrested and sent to jail for this foolishness. Then we could elect a new congress and give them 90 days to complete a budget and if they don't send them to jail too. Maybe we need to make it automatic that if a budget is not approved by July 1 of every year, we put the Congress that did not pass a budget in jail and what ever budget was submitted by the president goes into effect for 90 days until new elections are held and a new group gets to try. Passing a budget and keeping the government working is Congresses primary job and they are obviously not capable of doing it. I for one will not be voting for anyone currently holding US office in the next election regardless of party affiliation. OK, I will get off my soap box. But, I sure would like to know what change the clowns were talking about.
Pretty cool analogy follows:
If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana.
Well, what do you think about congress letting the government shut down? I don't want to go political on anybody but, you know these guys get paid better than most of us and they still screw us all over. They will not do the jobs they were put in office to do and then they play games with the budget. If any other person or group of persons placed this country in danger like the US Congress is doing now they would be declared terrorist and arrested and sent to Cuba. They should all be fired or arrested and sent to jail for this foolishness. Then we could elect a new congress and give them 90 days to complete a budget and if they don't send them to jail too. Maybe we need to make it automatic that if a budget is not approved by July 1 of every year, we put the Congress that did not pass a budget in jail and what ever budget was submitted by the president goes into effect for 90 days until new elections are held and a new group gets to try. Passing a budget and keeping the government working is Congresses primary job and they are obviously not capable of doing it. I for one will not be voting for anyone currently holding US office in the next election regardless of party affiliation. OK, I will get off my soap box. But, I sure would like to know what change the clowns were talking about.
Pretty cool analogy follows:
If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result ... all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.
Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and attempts to climb the stairs. To his shock, all of the other monkeys beat the crap out of him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys, replacing it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment... with enthusiasm.
Then, replace a third original monkey with a new one, followed by a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs. Neither do they know why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.
Finally, having replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, none of the monkeys will try to climb the stairway for the banana.
Why? Because in their minds... that is the way it has always been!
This, my friends, is how Congress OPERATES...... and this is why, from time to time, all of monkeys need to be REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
t-14 days
Well, got the bike out to the shop and back in one afternoon, Joe Benoit the Service Director at Whitts HD came through in flying colors and delivered as promised. Actually better than promised. Said the bike is in prime condition for the trip. So, now to reload everything on the bike for a couple of hours riding and highway speeds to be certain that everything loads and tie downs operate as expected. Then all there is left to do is wait until Wednesday the 20th to head out. I am so ready for this vacation/trip/adventure. I can hardly wait now. Sounds like Ryder2 is excited as well.
I can't help but wonder about how this type of trip would go if there were a couple more ryders making the journey. I am sure that it would increase the odds that something would go south and likely take longer to get everything together and make the most of the daylight for riding but still could be fun with a large group on this type of ride. I'll have to try it some day. (If I ever get to do something like this again.)
I can't help but wonder about how this type of trip would go if there were a couple more ryders making the journey. I am sure that it would increase the odds that something would go south and likely take longer to get everything together and make the most of the daylight for riding but still could be fun with a large group on this type of ride. I'll have to try it some day. (If I ever get to do something like this again.)
Monday, April 4, 2011
t-15 days
Well, it is sunny and in the 70's today but back to the 50's tomorrow. Should have ridden the bike into work like the other 4 bike riders did this morning, but the weather reports said rain possible in the afternoon and figured this would be the day they got it right for a change. Wish I had a job that I could be wrong 50%++ of the time and still get to keep my job and get paid for being wrong. Two weeks and I will be hitting the road. Time to get my bike in for the pre-ride service and check up. I will have to do that regardless of the weather this week or early next. Good thing the Service Director at Whitt's HD said he'd make sure I was done before I had to go. Good people there. Not much else to write about today but wanted to keep in practice so that I will stay in the habit of posting while on the trip.
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