2013 Minuteman Rally

I had a very poor finish in the 2012 Minuteman Rally due to some very dumb mistakes. It was my first rally, and I vowed to learn from those mistakes. I did much better in my 2^nd rally, the Nutmeg 400, earlier this year, with a 2^nd place finish. The 2013 Minuteman Rally was going to be my big test to see if a bit of experience would help.

After a thorough soaking on the 4 hour ride down Friday night my first task was to ride back out into the rain for my odometer calibration. Once complete all my gear was hung up to dry overnight. My room mate, Mike Breton, had the good thought to run a dehumidifier. Smart move, as our gear dried out nicely overnight. Once the rally books were handed out at Friday's dinner we rushed back to our room to work on our routes. I already had three good options, a main route and two other routes I could use if there were some expected combo bonuses. There were no combo bonuses for Max BMW, so that ruled out one of my routes. I made a couple of small adjustments to my main route and saved it, then experimented with a route attempting to get the 8 Diner Combo bonuses. There was a good 6000 point bonus for getting six diners (all located in and around the Boston area), a tiny increase for getting seven, and a slightly larger bonus for all eight. Six diners were located on a good route, but two were off the route a ways, and I didn't see enough points for those last two to make them worth the ride. Adding in the likelihood of getting caught in traffic somewhere in the city could easily drop the points on that route to well below my main route. Late at night (or rather early Saturday morning) I finalized my route and loaded it into the GPS. I was ready, time for 4 hours of sleep and 24 hours of riding.

Our 6am start was wet and so was the first bonus on my route. It was nearly a traffic jam getting it as it was located so close to the start of the rally many riders chose it. As we departed I headed south toward Connecticut. My route quickly changed though because a bridge was out and there was a detour. I turned right and hoped my GPS would guide me to the next bonus without losing too much time. I usually keep a list of every bonus and my expected arrival time for each, but due to the large number of bonuses on my route, combined with how late it was when I was finishing the planning, I chose to only list arrivals for every 10^th bonus. I thought this would let my mind relax between those bonuses and allow me to concentrate on the ride instead of worrying over time. I already found this to be a bad idea because when I got to the 2^nd bonus I had no idea how far behind I had fallen due to the detour. I had a very rough idea from the ETA I had to the end of my route, but that was a very rough estimate at this point.

I claimed my 2^nd bonus in Southampton and continued toward Connecticut. On my way I saw a Cumberland Farms and made a quick stop for fuel. I was less than 30 miles from the start of the rally but there was a wild card bonus for stopping at up to three Cumberland Farms. I topped off my tank, got my receipt, and double checked all info. I was good to go! Or so I thought. When I arrived at my 3^rd bonus I pulled the slip of paper with the Cumberland Farms bonus info and saw that I needed an actual CF branded product package! My original fuel receipt wouldn't cut it. Oh well, save that as a gas stop and look for more Cumberland Farms. This is New England...they are everywhere!

After a few more bonuses I spotted another Cumbies and stopped for a bag of chips. Knowing I had 21 hours of riding ahead of me I didn't attempt to carry them that far. The bonus said I could eat the contents, and only needed the package. I opened the chips, shoved a handful into my hungry mouth, and dumped the rest into the trash. The bag was safely stored in my rally clipboard. I had a couple people looking at me with funny looks. Not sure if it was the big guy in the bright yellow suit & lime green helmet running into the store, or the fact that I ate 4 chips and threw away the rest while carefully saving the bag that got the odd looks.

A couple bonuses later was the Childbirth Center. A too-friendly bystander offered to take my photo. After two tries to get a good one I was trying to quickly write my log while he was talking my ear off. I politely managed to extricate myself from the conversation and got back on the road. He was so persistent that I wondered if he was a plant by the Rallymaster to try to slow us down. Just down the road was my second Cumbies package stop, then a gas stop in southern CT and a quick run up to Max BMW in Brookfield, CT. I was working my way north now, headed toward New York. A few more CT photos, including giant cows on a school lawn, then I was in New York for four more bonuses. I managed to bag my final Cumbies bonus, allowing me to cross one thing off my list. As I arrived at a bonus near Ancram, NY I recognized a bike coming toward me- it was my friend & previous night's roommate Mike! We had a quick meeting where we found each other in high spirits. We posed holding each other's rally towels, said our good byes, and headed off in opposite directions.

I picked up a couple more NY bonuses which included an Indian on a sign and a giant chair before crossing the border into Mass. At one farm bonus I was greeted by a very friendly miniature horse. Being an animal lover I wished I had time to make friends, but I had to head to my next mission. After taking a photo of a cow-colored dairy bar I went next door and purchased three half-pints of maple syrup. I only needed two but I wanted an extra in case one got damaged. I would be happy to take the extra home with me if all went well.

Soon after acquiring my maple syrup I saw my first Farmer Crossing sign. This was another wild card bonus- we were allowed up to three of them. I was excited because this was the first one I saw the whole day. I got my photo, filled out my log, and continued east. A Stetson street sign, a cow on a roof, then an old sugarhouse. As I was leaving the sugarhouse my GPS decided it had a shortcut and took me along the dirt road rather than backtracking. No problem, I'm good on dirt. It was a good thing, because I had a few miles of it before coming back to pavement. I did save some time, so it was worth the ride. Unfortunately it wasn't enough, because I was nearly 15 minutes behind schedule. This would prove to be a problem later on, though not in the expected way.

I stopped at the Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters so I could get information off their bathroom wall. I also needed a receipt for a purchase, but I didn't need the actual item. I asked the girl working behind the counter what she liked to eat or drink. She didn't know how to answer that, so I quickly explained the rally and that I needed a receipt. She said she liked the coffee so I bought her a cup and got my receipt. I ran out to my bike while politely answering a couple questions from other customers. Off I went east, then up into Vermont for the first time that day.

As I was headed to my first Vermont bonus I spotted another Farmer sign, this time in someone's driveway! The bonus didn't specify where the signs had to be so I did a U-turn and pulled in. The owner was mowing his lawn and I asked the old-timer if he minded if I took a photo of his sign for a scavenger hunt. He chuckled and said go right ahead. I snapped the photo and high-tailed it out of there. I didn't get far, however, because I was smart enough to watch in my mirrors for signs. It stands to reason if there is a farmer crossing sign in one direction, there should be a corresponding one on the other side of the road. This was the first time I was right. I ran back and got the photo before continuing on to my next bonus. A picture of an old sign, then a photo of a sheep sign and answer a question before crossing over into NH.

I was in the area where I grew up and knew these roads like the back of my hand. I had a sad moment as I

passed my aunt's & cousin's house and saw them outside. I hadn't seen them in several years and wished I could have stopped for a visit. Unfortunately my schedule didn't allow it and I was already 20 minutes behind schedule. I pulled up to a moose sculpture and got the photo, then U-turned and headed east down onto Rt. 12-A. This is the road I lived on for over 25 years of my life. I turned left and rode toward Alstead before turning off toward Acworth. I got a photo of a sign, and another photo of a farmer crossing sign for a total of 4. I later realized I only needed three, and could cross one off. This sounds simple but would come back to haunt me.

After the last NH bonus I headed for the Vermont border. My GPS wanted to take me on a different road than I was used to going on, and I had second thoughts about trusting it, but I gave in and allowed myself to follow it's guidance. Boy was that a mistake. I turned right onto a side road. Then left onto dirt. The dirt road narrowed and became single lane. A quarter mile further I was riding through grass and mud puddles. According to the GPS the road continued through but I didn't entirely trust it at this point so I turned around and headed back the way I came. I got back to the main road and let my instincts take over. I was soon on another dirt road, but one I knew, and it took me back out to a main road. By this time I was even further behind schedule so I called my wife to ask her to check a map. I decided to delete one bonus from my route. This didn't save enough time so I deleted two more low-point bonuses further north. I saved a total of 17 minutes between the three bonuses and lost 8450 points, but I was almost back on schedule. I crossed the bridge into Vermont, took a photo of a camp in Springfield, and got on the highway headed north. I was glad to be riding at highway speeds. I was making good time with light traffic. My next stop was a coffee shop in Hanover, NH. It had good points and was only a short ways from the highway, so how hard could it be? Well it was apparently graduation weekend. The place was mobbed. Fortunately the coffee shop was just off the main road into town. I turned right and stopped in front, double parked my bike at the curb, and ran in to buy a couple cookies for a receipt. I ran out, hopped on the bike and made a U-turn between stopped traffic and rode back to the highway. Easy in, easy out!

Next stop was a round barn then a sugarhouse in Vermont. I was only 14 minutes behind schedule and catching up. I was still a little concerned but thought I had made the right decision by eliminating the three bonuses. I got on I-89 and made good time until I had to exit for the next bonus. This would be the last time I saw a highway until Mass. At the next bonus I was only 12 minutes behind and still making up time. A photo of a sign on a barn and I was headed northwest. 9 minutes behind. I came to a place where I needed a photo of a solar array. Yea, good luck! It was way out in a field and it was very dark. I turned my bike and flipped to high beams and turned on my driving lights. I was just able to light it enough to get a photo. Next was a dog made from hay bales, then a couple more signs.

I had chosen Manchester, VT for my 2-hour rest stop. It was chosen because it was large enough there should be a 24 hour convenience store or gas station, and it was more than the required 50 miles from the rally headquarters. I managed to get behind schedule again. I should have been starting my rest stop at 11:38 but I arrived at 11:50. I found a mini-mart and got a gas receipt. I filled out my log at a leisurely pace expecting to get a bite to eat then rest for an hour and a half. As I was removing my riding suit a woman poked her head out the door and asked if I needed anything in the store. Huh? Are you closing? Yes. !?!?!?!? I ran in looking for quick food. The only sandwiches were tuna salad and seafood salad. Looking at the condition of the sandwiches I thought the tuna would be safer. I made my purchase then asked a police officer outside if there was a bank with an ATM machine nearby, and if so, would it be O.K. to take a nap by it. He said no problem as long as nobody complained. Cool! I rode down the road to the bank and decided to get another start receipt just to play it safe. The rules state the start & stop must be in the same location. I assumed in the same town would count, but I didn't want to take any chances, so I got a fresh start receipt. Now my rest stop was starting at 12:10 instead of 11:38. Ugh. I laid down on the grass for a nap after setting my Screaming Meanie for 110 minutes.

The next thing I knew my alarm was going off. For those who have never heard one, a Screaming Meanie is just as the name implies- it will wake the dead. And now this thing was going off in the middle of downtown Manchester, VT. At 2:00am. Next to a bank. Yea, I didn't think this through thoroughly. I saw lights moving around and heard something, but I was still wearing my helmet (noise reduction, and a little warmth while sleeping on cold, damp grass). The Screaming Meanie isn't easy to turn off- its designed that way so you can't easily turn it off and fall back asleep. I managed to get it turned off, removed my helmet, and concentrated on the voices and lights. Well the police officer I had talked with earlier was with another one and they were shining their flashlights at me and asking me if I was O.K. Ummm, yea, I'm good. I checked the ATM time and found I had 6 more minutes. I took that time to talk with the officers and explain a bit about the rally and what its about, why I was sleeping on the bank lawn at 2am, etc. They were very cool and understood, and thought the rest bonus was a good idea. I apologized for the noise and commotion and we all had a good laugh. I hit the ATM machine, this time a little late, but that's O.K. I wasn't in jail, or worse...shot, so all was good. Fill out my log, jump on the bike, and head for my next bonus.

I got a photo of a sign & a bear in Bondville and turned north toward Londonderry for a sign with a barn on it. I was running really late now- my double start for my rest bonus, then extended stop in Manchester really threw me off. I should have been in Londonderry at 2:22, but I got there at 2:47. I guess it could have been worse considering the big screwup at my rest stop. Things are starting to get really interesting. I'm in an area I know very well from my 4-wheeling days. I know the back roads, side roads, short cuts, and cow paths around central Vermont. My GPS wanted me to ride from Londonderry to Chester then down to Grafton. I knew better- I hit 121 and rode 8 miles of dirt in the middle of the night. In fog. With critters all around me. After having a bunny shoot out and bounce off my rear wheel (I saw him scurry into the ditch, but I bet he had a heck of a headache!) I came out in Grafton and turned down 35, stopping at my next bonus.

This is where things go bad. For those with a very delicate stomach skip to the next paragraph. I won't go into detail, but as I stopped and filled out my log I felt a quick rumble of my stomach. No. NO. NOOOOO!!!!! I started tearing my 'Stich off. Remember that tuna salad sandwich? It was coming back...and not the way it went in! I had a 15 minute stop while I was...indisposed. So there I was, naked from the waist down on the side of a back road in Vermont at 3am hoping no other riders...or worse...came along. I got myself composed and back to dealing with rally matters.

Somehow I managed to have the frame of mind to notice that the sign had two different sides. I read the bonus and took a photo of the correct side, got back on the bike, and headed to the next bonus just a ways down the road. I had arrived 20 minutes late, and departed 33 minutes late. Again...I guess it could have been worse. Time to make up some time. I know the roads I'll be on for the next few hours and know where I can make up some time. I'm in my comfort zone, and as long as I don't have a repeat of the previous stop, I might be able to make up some of this time. I got to the Long Acres Farm sign 26 minutes behind. Quick photo, shorthand on the log, and back on the bike. Down to Vernon for a quick photo and scribble the answer to a question about a farm co-op. I was in a hurry and scribbled my answer and rode on. I should have read more thoroughly. 13 minutes behind.

I arrived at Just A Dream Farm for a photo and saw another rider there. This was the first rider I had seen at a bonus since the previous afternoon. No time to chat, click a photo in the dark and rush back out into the night. 5 minutes behind. Down to Diemand Farm as the sky was getting lighter. Click-N-run. 3 minutes behind. I might pull this off! Next was Old Depot Gardens. I was getting so I had the camera out of my tank bag as I pulled up, jump off the bike for the photo with the rally towel, scribble on my note pad, and ride away while I put the camera back into the tank bag. I was 5 minutes ahead as I left Old Depot Gardens! I usually plan 3 minutes per stop but I was doing them in 1-2 minutes, and at this time of morning there was no traffic slowing me down. I was able to ride at a brisk, yet safe, pace. I was twelve minutes early to Atlas Farm. Click, ZOOM....

I arrived at AGY 15 minutes early but couldn't find the sign. I rode up and down the road, stopped a couple times for closer looks, but all I could find were a couple of posts that looked like they used to hold a sign. Well time to use the phone. I called the Rally Master and asked about the sign, and was told they were aware of the problem, and to take a photo of the two posts. Done. BYE! I left 12 minutes early. Still exceptional. Next was an old growth tree plaque. Then a milk bottle. 15 minutes ahead still! I was now on the phone with my wife filling her in on the night's happenings and informing her of my ETA. I made a beeline to the last bonus, a huge mural on a barn, and snapped the photo. 20 minutes ahead! As I was leaving the final bonus I noticed the sun rising off to my right. It was just above the tree line with warm rays hitting me, and the fields around me seemed to glow. It was the perfect setting for the final bonus of the rally. Now to get back safely. I relaxed my pace a bit since I was so far ahead.

I arrived at Rally HQ 17 minutes early. I was already kicking myself for eliminating the three bonuses Saturday afternoon. I hadn't done the math but I knew I would have had time for them. I saved exactly 17 minutes by eliminating them, and finished the rally exactly 17 minutes early. Well no time to think, I checked in, parked my bike, and my wife helped me grab what I needed. I ran to the room for a quick shower before starting on organizing my mess into something that resembled a rally pack. I verified that I only needed three Farmer Crossing signs and randomly crossed one off my list. I managed to forget to insert my Cumberland Farms bonuses into my log, so I had to go back and erase several entries so I could get them written in the correct order. I got everything squared away then went to wait patiently in line for scoring.

At scoring I was nearly shaking. Flashbacks to the 2012 Minuteman were on my mind. I was called and sat down to take my punishment. We went through one thing at a time. So far so good. Cumberland Farms were all good, I got the full points allowed. Farmer signs were good, I got full points. Fuel log was fine. Phew. Rest bonus was O.K., and I found that I could have skipped the double start- just being in the same general area, within reason, was good enough. Oh well, I played it safe. Now we were going over the actual photos & bonuses. I quickly got penalized for having one Farmer Crossing sign out of order. It happened when I was adjusting the log to put my Cumberland Farms bonuses in. Oh well, it was only a small penalty. Funny though, if I would have crossed off THAT sign instead of another, I wouldn't have had the penalty. As we got near the end of my route things were looking good. Until we got to the Farm Co-op sign. I had misunderstood and written the wrong name down. Crap. That was a 4750 point mistake. Oh well, maybe it didn't cost me a position. I waited while numbers were crunched and was given my final score. Nearly 400k points. Not bad. But was it good enough? We left scoring and went to breakfast to wait for the official word. The positions started getting called. Cool, I made the top 10! Wow, the top 5!! TOP 3!!! My name was called for second place!!! I made a GREAT showing compared to last year!

When Anthony Mills was called as the winner I was really happy for him. He's a great rider, comical, and all around nice guy. I listened for his score and at least my two penalties didn't cost me the win, though my three skipped bonuses did. Later, when I had gotten home and went over all my bonuses I noticed that there had been a mistake in the rally book. The files we received showed one bonus as 3000 less points than the rally book stated, and I had used the points from the GPX file. Oh well. It would have been a few more points but wouldn't have changed my position. A week later when the official list was posted I saw my points had changed- apparently I had been awarded the 3000 points. Cool! But now that meant that my wrong answer for the farm co-op DID cost me the win. Argh. Oh well...there is always next year, and this rally was yet another learning experience.

Moonshine 2012, Leg 2

Easter Sunday was spent talking, relaxing, and having a nice dinner. When evening came it was tough to go to bed, knowing I would be gone before my friends got up the next morning.

Unfortunately the long good-byes meant it was a late night, and getting up was tough Monday morning. I got a late start, so I immediately worked on trying to adjust my route to save time, but there really wasn't much to save. I had a quick breakfast at a McDonalds in South Carolina on my way to Gatlinburg, TN, where I was going to visit "Cooter's Place". The ride into Gatlinburg was absolutely beautiful, but once into town, I found there was no convenient parking. I would have to pay $6, then leave my bike and gear unattended while I walked to Cooter's Place, just to spend a few minutes checking it out quickly. I ended up just riding by and heading straight to Deal's Gap, home of the Dragon, one of the best-known riding roads in the country.

The roads to the Dragon were fantastic as I wound through the hills of Tennessee. I headed onto the Dragon about 4:30, and I was worried I missed the photographers who hang out on the corners. Fortunately there was one still there, so I got a cool shot of my bike carving the corner. I have to say even I was impressed with how the loaded-down ST, sporting a rear car tire, and a rear tire on the front, was able to lean over through the turns. I scraped my pegs about every other corner. 11 miles and 318 corners later I was tired out and at the end of the Dragon. Initial plans were to run the Cherohala Skyway after the Dragon, but it was getting late and I was going to spend the night at my friends Mike and Janice's home. Since I didn't want to roll in late, I skipped the Cherohala and headed straight to Cleveland, TN. Once again I was spending the night with friends, this time from a Jeep forum I belong to. They were gracious enough to let me spend the night with them, and we had a good time catching up. I was able to get to bed a little earlier Monday night, and left at a more reasonable time for the long haul to Carrollton, TX.

I awoke Tuesday and headed west on I-24, happy that it dipped into Georgia for just a few miles. While a technicality, it meant I could color in Georgia on my Visited States map. I then dipped down into Alabama on Rt. 72 and followed it across Alabama, Mississippi, and to Memphis. The day was beautiful- sunny and warm. I was thoroughly enjoying the south, and hoped I could make another trip to the area and take a route further south.

From Memphis I turned onto I-40 West to Little Rock, Arkansas, then onto I-30 southwest to Texas. The sun was very warm, and temps were in the 80s. I couldn't believe how hot the sun felt this early in the year. I could really get used to this! I was excited as I passed the Texas state line. Very soon after I turned west on Rt. 82 because I had a plan to move the North Texas tag. I enjoyed a nice high speed run with a little traffic as I watched a beautiful Texas sunset in front of me. I rode to the Carpenter's Bluff Bridge in Dennison. This is a cool old single lane bridge that crosses the Red River. The sun was setting so the view was limited, but I could get an idea how beautiful it was here. I got my photo then made a quick run down I-75 to my friend Jody's house in Carrollton, just outside Dallas. We grew up together but haven't seen each other in several years. We spent an emotional evening catching up. The next day I got to meet his daughter for the first time. We spent the day relaxing around the area and seeing a bit of Dallas. Unfortunately another great visit had to come to an end as I went to bed, again with the goal of being gone before anyone woke up. I needed the sleep this time, as my next leg included a Saddlesore 1000 from Hillsboro, TX to Moonshine, IL by way of Salina, KS.

Moonshine 2012: The Trip! Day 1

Moonshine 2012 began when I got out of work at 4:30 Friday afternoon, April 6th. I was hoping for a quick departure, but questions and well wishes from a few coworkers kept me there until about 4:45. I headed straight to the home of my wife's childhood friend Kris, where my wife was to meet me for a sendoff while I showered and changed clothes. This kept me from having to make the 45 minute ride home, just to backtrack again. More well wishes and catching up with friends meant that my planned 5:30 departure from her home was delayed until 6:30. The result was that I didn't save time over riding home, but I was able to spend the time with friends rather than the same ride I did everyday. A bonus to my pitstop was that Kris gave me a few packages of her farm's beef jerky. This turned out to be delicious, and just the texture I like from jerky. If you are interested in trying some, contact Belted Beef Jerky Company.

Once departed from Otokahe Farm in Jefferson, NH, I rode into Vermont and headed south on I-91. I was planning to stop in Brattleboro for dinner, but because of my late start, and the fact that I was feeling great when I got to southern VT, I chose to keep riding. I was anxious to get to warmer temps compared to the 42 degrees I departed in. I was seeing temps between 37 and 42 degrees throughout Vermont and northern Mass., but was rewarded with 50 degrees showing on my thermometer as I rode through Springfield. I continued through Connecticut and entered New York, crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge. My original plan called for riding through the night then resting for 3 hours in Virginia, but I was feeling the effects of a hard work day and was getting drowsy. While riding through NJ I pulled off into a gas station for a rest on the bike. I was hoping for about 2 hours to refresh me, but after about 45 minutes a local police officer woke me to check on me. There was no problem, he just wanted to check if there was anything wrong. Rather than trying to go back to sleep, I got back on the road and passed into PA. For a few hours I saw temps between 26-34 degrees. I was looking forward to getting further south, and warmer temps as the sun came up.

As the sun was rising I rode through Maryland, W. Virginia, and into Virginia. I had a goal of having breakfast at the Waffle House in Staunton, VA, and I was getting close. As I took the exit for Staunton, Waffle House and a gas stop, I saw that it was only 32 degrees. I joked with my waitress that I came south for warm weather, but it was warmer in northern NH! I enjoyed my waffle & sausage, and had two hot chocolates to warm me up while checking posts on ST-Owners, facebook, and my e-mail. After a relaxed breakfast I hit the road about 9:30. By then it had warmed to above 40 degrees and the sun was shining.

A few miles after my breakfast and fuel stop I turned off onto Rt. 56, a beautiful, twisty country road that leads to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a few miles of twists and turns up the mountain I came to the Parkway and headed south. My first view of the Parkway was of a smooth, two lane country road roughly following the ridgeline of the mountain range. A few miles further I came to a pulloff at an old narrow gauge railroad bridge with a waterfall a bit further behind it. I got a few pics of the area then headed south. I pulled off a few more times at various views for pictures but mostly just enjoyed the winding road and fresh air. It was about 45 and sunny for my ride down the Parkway.

I planned to ride about a hundred miles on the Parkway, but the short nap I had the previous night was getting to me, and I was anxious to get to Leland and see my friend Joe. I turned off onto 130 East and reprogrammed the GPS for the direct route to my next stop- moving the North Carolina tag. For those not familiar with the game of photo tag, the idea is for one person to take a photo of their bike in front of some landmark, then we have to figure out where it is and ride to it, and get a photo of our bike in front of it, then a photo of the bike in front of a new landmark. Once both pics are posted, the tag is "moved" to the new landmark. The old landmark was near Raleigh, at Lizard Lick Towing. I got the pic of the old tag, then headed headed south toward Wilmington. As I turned toward Leland I saw the Battleship North Carolina and thought it would make a great tag. I stopped for a couple photos, then rode the few miles to Joe's house.

As I rode up his street Joe was outside waiting for me. He had been watching my SPOT tracker and we had talked by phone, so he knew when I'd be pulling in. Man, it was good to see him! I think it had been around 7 years since we saw each other, far too long. We greeted each other, talked about my trip, his family, and what we have been doing for the past several years. The rest of the evening was more of the same, with a quick run to town for fixings for Easter dinner the next day and my meeting Joe and Jess's daughter Lucy.

Well so much for my blog, huh? I did a decent job of updating it when the snow was on the ground, and I was in trip-planning mode. Then the snow melted...and I was in RIDING mode! I spent more time riding than posting. I'm really not ashamed of that, however, as that IS the point of riding a motorcycle, isn't it?

Let me recap my summer, before making individual posts for the significant rides. As of this posting, I put on around 32,000 miles this season. My first trip, my Moonshine ride, included 5600 miles and 25 states. It went perfectly, and was a trip I'll always remember.

My next trip was a sad one. I took a Friday off work to ride to Wisconsin for Curt Gran's funeral. I rode a total of around 2800 miles over 3 days (2 days of actual riding).

Smaller rides this summer were a few RTEs (Ride To Eats), several Iron Butt rides including my first Bun Burner Gold (1500+ miles in 24 hours), and even a Saddlesore 1000 (1000 miles/24 hours) with my wife, which was her first Iron Butt ride.

This brings me to another major update- my wife Amelia now has her very own motorcycle, a 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 500. She managed to put 8000 miles on this year since buying her bike in June. I'm extremely proud of what she has accomplished!

5 days, and its coming fast!

Its almost noon on the Sunday before departure, and I'm a bit behind. I wanted the bike to be done by now, and only worry about organizing & packing this weekend. Well due to snow I wasn't able to get the bike to the shop last week to work on the tool box, so that idea is scrapped until after the trip. I received my new Battlax BT45 rear tire, which will be mounted on the front in an effort to improve tire life. I spent some time this morning mounting it on the wheel, and what a bear it was to get on with tire irons! Its on now though, and just needs to be mounted on the bike. Yesterday we took a little road trip to Whitehorse Gear for a few last minute items. I managed to find a pair of ventilated warm weather gloves. Not as much finger protection as I would like, but at least they fit my large hands. I think the weight I lost helped, as the last time I was there, they had NO gloves that fit me. I also found a panel mount socket for my heated jacket plug, so I will no longer have to remove the seat to access the cord. I also picked up a Ram mount for my new Nikon L26 camera. On the way home we picked up a new sleeping pad since I'll officially be camping at the farm. I say officially because Friday night I gave up my room to two other Moonshine attendees.

I still have a busy day ahead of me, I need to wire up the top box and tank bag, and if I have time, rewire the Garmin 2720 GPS power wire so I can switch between constant on, or ignition on. I still have to pack, which will probably consume most of this evening.

On a related note, a good friend of my wife's is going to let me use her shower Friday night to clean up after work. This means I don't have to make the 45 minute ride home to clean up, then backtrack 45 minutes- she is only 15 minutes from the shop. I should save an hour overall, which will be appreciated if I need an extra nap, want to stop a few more times on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or just arrive early at my friend Joe's house Saturday evening.

Now, back to work!

10 days, final countdown!

10 days left 'til I leave for Moonshine. One weekend left to work. Fortunately most of my necessary work is done. This past weekend we wired up my backup GPS and I started the install of my top box wiring. My highway pegs work well but need a small modification to keep the right one from spinning and loosening if I put downward pressure on it without it being fully open. I need to paint the peg brackets. I painted the driving light brackets, unfortunately the driving lights I chose have a problem- one of the welds on one light gave out during install, so I'll be returning them. I'm quite disappointed in them.

Left to do: Wire up tank bag for charging my headsets & phone. Finish wiring top box for charging my netbook. I've decided to skip the aux. tank and concentrate on making a quick release tool box mount. Wire up a relay and switch for my backup GPS. Assemble my tank bag organizer. Install my new Scorpion battery, and try to fit the throttle lock from my KLR on the ST.

This coming weekend will be spent gathering all of my gear together, rough packing, and fitting everything on the bike. I'll leave as much as possible packed until my departure. This will be the first time in 10 years that I'll be using my Excursion Pack, which should hold all of my camping gear- tent,. sleeping bag, pad, and camp chair.

I have a little news, only for those of you who actually look at my blog- I'm planning to move some tags during my trip. There are two easy ones- North Carolina and northern Texas. Both are very close to my planned route. I'm also considering moving Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Those may not happen though, as they are much further south of my planned route, and would add a couple hundred miles to my route, making for a 1250 mile day.

18 days, and Progress

Yesterday after posting I went for a ride to test out the Russell seat and highway pegs. The pegs need a bit of adjustment but work well, and the Russell is just fantastic! I did almost 500 miles yesterday while moving the NH tag. That turned into a bit of an extra ride. I took Rt. 16 down to Portsmouth, then 101 west to Brookline, where I was to get the old NH tag. Unfortunately first I ended up on the wrong road, N. Mason Rd., instead of Mason Road. Once I finally found the tag, Tapatalk (the Android app for forum access) wouldn't let me upload the photos. I rode back to 101 where I had better cell service, and by using my phone as a hotspot I used my laptop to upload the photos. This is where it gets funny- after uploading the photos and writing my post, I found I was beat by another forum member by 10 minutes! Fortunately I was able to figure out where the new tag was, and it was only about 13 miles away. I hauled right over there and officially moved the tag!

The day was a great success, and was very beautiful for a ride.

Tonight after work I started over on the light brackets and got a design I'm happy with, and had them both done in a couple hours. I just have to add the light tabs tomorrow, and make a small adjustment to the angle of my highway peg brackets after work. If all goes well I might just have time after finishing all the wiring to attempt to make an aux. fuel tank before I leave.

19 days 'til Moonshine!

19 days 'til departure, and I'm falling behind! I got the highway peg brackets done yesterday and started the light mounting brackets. I'm not crazy about the highway peg brackets, but they will work for the trip. I'm not at all happy with the mirror brackets, so I'm going to start over. Hopefully I can get them done this week after work. I also need to get some wiring done.

My big choice will be deciding between fabbing up an aux. fuel tank or tool box brackets. Which is more important for the trip? Tough call. Neither is critical, both are much desired. I'm leaning toward the aux. tank. I'll decide this week, since the chosen project will hopefully start next weekend.

19 days and counting!

24 Days 'til Moonshine!!!

24 days left. While that may seem like a lot, its just a hair over 3 weeks. Three weekends to get the bike, and myself, ready. This coming weekend I hope to get the highway peg brackets done, and maybe even start on the driving lights brackets. Hopefully Sunday will be for riding...maybe even a ride Saturday evening.

Also on the To Do list is to finish my wiring, install the driving lights, make a tank bag organizer, and maybe some kind of top box organizer. I'm waiting for my new riding pants to get here, in a smaller size than I used to be. :-) I'm also going to fab up a mount for a tool box to mount behind the license plate. I saw another ST with a similar setup and it looked very clean & functional.

The weekend before I leave will be devoted to organizing my supplies and practice packing. I need to have everything ready for final packing Thursday night, and I'll leave it in place for work Friday so I just have to come home, clean up, and hit the road. I have a pretty tight schedule to keep if I want to get in everything I have planned.

Out of storage, & first ride!

Friday was the big day- with help from my wife & stepson, we lifted the ST from the confines of the basement. Not all of the wiring was hooked up, but the Stebel horn works, and the new Garmin 665 GPS (which also arrived Friday) is hooked up.

Saturday morning we finished putting the last of the plastic on and wired up the GPS so I could leave for Mass. to help Mountain Mike get his bike finished. I left in 26 degree temps with ice on the driveway, snow on the lawn, and very rough, pothole-filled roads. I got a great winter shot on my way through Franconia Notch. The temps steadily increased on my way south until I pulled into Mike's 225 miles later at around 40 degrees. We managed to get Mike's bike back together and roadworthy by early Sunday afternoon, so we left to move the Mass. & NH tags. We successfully moved the Mass. tag, then headed across the border to the old NH tag and got the photo. While getting a drink from the nearby store I checked the ST-Owners forums to make sure the NH tag hadn't been moved, and discovered that it had, in fact, been moved about an hour before! Oh well, it was a good try.

Mike and I split up and headed for our respective homes. The 60 degree temps held up until I was just north of Tilton, then the temps took a sharp drop. In the span of about 30 miles the temp dropped by about 25 degrees. I had to stop in Ashland to put on my snowmobile pants and plug in the heated jacket. I arrived home around 8:30 to 32 degree air. I almost turned around and headed south again!

Monday was the first ride to work of the season. I left home on icy roads, which made the first 15 miles of the ride a bit tricky. By 4:30 it was close to 60 degrees, but it dropped to 45 by the time I got home.

Moonshine updates!

A special Iron Butt Saddlesore 1000 has been organized for riders heading to Moonshine. By starting in one of the 60 designated starting cities/towns, only having to get receipts at the beginning, end, and iof applicable a required midpoint town, I can earn an easy SS1K on the way to Moonshine. For my non-riding friends, this is 1000 miles in 24 hours. To do this, I would have to adjust my departure time from near Dallas, TX; ride about 80 miles south to the designated starting point closest to Dallas (Hillsboro), then ride to Salina, KS; then on to Casey, IL.

Updates on the bike project: Rear flange bearing are installed; wiring harness is coming along slowly, but is nearing completion; valve adjustment is done; shock preload fluid has been changed; and I have my plans ready for the highway peg mounting brackets. Due to my selling my old Dodge diesel pickup, I now have a Garmin 665 GPS on the way, and a new Spot-2 tracker. Just after ordering the GPS I found out about a very nice Russell saddle being sold by a fellow ST-Owners forum member. He was very generous and worked with me on the payment for the seat...it should be shipping out today. This seat will make 1000 mile days a walk in the park!

Left to do on the bike before Moonshine:

• Make driving light brackets
• Install 2 sets of driving lights
• Make highway peg mounts
• Make mounting bracket for my Pelican box, which will be the tool box
• Install all plastic back on the bike
• Lift bike from the basement

 Departure is April 6th, so time is running out!

Moonshine 2012 Trip Plans

For many Moonshine is the first trip of the riding season, and I am no exception. Last year's trip was a big one, but this year's will be even bigger. I will be riding over 9 days, putting on over 4700 miles, and riding through 25 states. Here is my tentative schedule (could change at any time):

• Friday: Leave work at 4:30, clean up & on road by 6pm. Ride to at least southern PA before a 3 hour rest. 600 miles before break.
• Saturday: Ride sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway before riding to Leland, NC. 725 miles.
• Sunday: Day off, visit with my friend Joe Bardwell.
• Monday: Try to visit Cooter's Place if time permits, before riding the Tail of the Dragon, then the Cherohala Skyway, before finishing the day at my friends Mike & Janice Strawbridge's home, Cleveland, TN. 632 miles.
• Tuesday: Ride to Carrollton, TX to visit my friend Jody Matheson. 872 miles.
• Wednesday: Day off, visit.
• Thursday: Hardest push. Leave early and ride to Casey IL before 4:30pm for a BBQ. 756 miles.
• Friday: Local riding around Moonshine, IL
• Saturday: Enjoy a Moonburger, then leave for home. I may try another Iron Butt Saddlesore 1000 ride on the way home, arriving Sunday. 1120 miles.

Winter storage, new farkles, & cabin fever

Part 3 of my Moonshine 2011 ride will be coming soon. But right now I'll mention what I've been doing through the winter. In late November I lowered the ST into the basement for winter storage, and a warm place to work on maintenance and modifications. The following is planned before spring:

• Stebel horn
• 2 pairs of driving lights
• Highway pegs
• Tool box behind license plate
• Wiring harness & fuse block
• Check & adjust valves
• Flush brake fluid
• New battery
• Replace final drive fluid
• Replace rear wheel bearings
• Clean & lube windshield adjuster
• Check spark plugs
• Check various other parts (front wheel bearings, steering head bearings, cables & hoses, etc.)

I haven't progressed as far as I had hoped. I checked the valves, and all the exhaust valves need adjusting. Final drive fluid is done, wiring harness & fuse block is almost done. I have almost all the parts, so I just need to get in gear and get it done. With our mild winter, unless things change, I hope to be riding to work by the end of February. I'll be gone this weekend, so that leaves 2 more weekends left to get it done.

I'm really looking forward to this season. With cabin fever fully set in, I'm doing what many other northern riders do in the winter- pour over maps and look at even schedules. I already have rooms booked for Moonshine and NNEStoc. I'm planning to attend Campstoc, CTStoc, Blue Ridge Gathering, NNEStoc, and take a full week for Moonshine. I'm also going to enter the Minuteman 1000 Rally. Look for a future post about my Moonshine trip plans.

Honey, I'm going out for a burger... Part 2- First Leg

Leaving home

I woke up Tuesday and checked on the weather first. We were getting a mix of rain and snow. Not great weather to start a trip in. I wasn't planning to leave until early afternoon, as I didn't need to be to Dennis's mother's house until around 6pm. I did want to leave a little early, as I wanted to stop at Radio Shack in West Lebanon to pick up an audio adapter and cord to try to get my GPS audio working through my J&M Integratr IV audio integrator. I also had a sly plan to move the Vermont tag on my way through the area.

I did a last minute checklist- GPS was programmed; everything mounted; supplies packed; I suited up and headed out. This was going to be my first test of my heated jacket liner, as temps were in the low 30s. I was hoping they would warm up as I headed south, which they did...for a while. I carefully left my driveway, which still had an inch or so of wet, sloppy snow and found the roads to be wet with very little slush. As I got further from home the temp came up a few degrees, leaving less chance of finding ice on the road. Once I got into Vermont and turned south the temps rose a bit but it was raining on and off on my way south. My first impression was that I LOVE heated gear! I was toasty warm. My heated seat actually gave some warmth through my beaded cover when on high, and my handgrips worked great. But the jacket liner was the most effective. I usually kept it on low or medium for the temps in the 30s to low 40s I was seeing. First stop- Radio Shack for my cables. The young guys working there gave the impression I was a bit off for riding in this weather. I'm getting used to those looks. I got what I needed and decided to grab a quick lunch while I was off the highway. Unfortunately even with the new adapter and wire the GPS still wouldn't send audio to my headset. Back on the road south, next stop: Curtis's BBQ in Putney, VT for the old Vermont tag. I got the photo and got back on the highway.

Next stop: Hogback Mountain, on Rt. 9 in southern Vermont. 9 is a beautiful road for bikes, with lots of turns and lots of hills. Hogback is the largest of these with an exceptional view from the top on a clear day. This was NOT a clear day. By this time I had no rain, but I was watching the thermometer on the ST drop. Over 40 degrees when I turned onto 9 from I-91. 35 by the time I got near the bottom of the mountain. I also began seeing snow flurries. I dropped my speed anticipating the road getting slippery as I started up the mountain. The flurries got a little heavier but the road was still clear. I made it to the top and got my photos. They don't accurately show how heavy the flurries were. I was happy I made it to the top, and thought all I had to do is drop some elevation and the snow would stop and I would be safe. Wrong.

I dropped down the mountain at a slow speed and sure enough the flurries let up a little. I was happy and picked my speed back up. I passed Wilmington but noticed the sky looked darker up ahead. Then I started seeing flurries again. The road gained in elevation, and the snow gained as well. By the time I got to the top of the next mountain the road had a layer of wet snow on it. I was riding in one of the well-traveled tire tracks which was the only place without snow. As I progressed I started having second thoughts. I debated stopping- but where would I stop? And the road wouldn't get better with time; it was evening, so it was only going to get worse as the temps dropped. I pushed on. I was moving at about 20 mph with my flashers on and my feet hanging just off the road. As the road got worse I let my feet slide along like outriggers. I stopped at the edge of a pulloff to let a couple cars by and once again weigh my options. Coming up with no reasonable solution I pushed on. I felt the bike slip slightly a couple times, and my heart was racing. A couple miles before Bennington a car came up behind me, and when I tried to wave them past, they just dropped back and put their 4-way flashers on. I very much appreciated that, as it could have possibly kept me from being hit on the way down the last mountain. I made it to the top of the last hill which drops down into Bennington and eased down it. The road was still covered with snow at the top, so I really wasn't crazy about adding a steep downhill to the equation. I kept the throttle steady and gently held myself back without breaking the tires loose. Half way down the hill the road started to clear up. By the bottom the road was wet but had no snow, and the temperature had risen from 28 degrees to 34. I found a good place to pull over at the bottom and took several deep breaths. I waved as the car passed, thanking them for their courtesy. From here the last few miles to Williamstown was easy- clear roads with no snow.

I arrived and met Dennis's mother, a very nice woman. She offered for me to hang my wet gear near the furnace, but I was surprised to find only my gloves were wet. I laid most of my gear out on the bike to air out, but hung up my pants and gloves. We made introductions and talked until Dennis arrived by truck soon after. We got to know each other and discussed the route and plans for the trip out. Its always fun to meet someone after only talking by internet and phone. We had a nice home cooked dinner and after a little more talking and planning went to bed, planning for our early departure.

Honey, I'm going out for a burger... Part 1

Before getting laid off one of my plans was to take part in the Moonshine Lunch Run, a ride to Moonshine, IL, home of the Moonburger. This event was started by Terry Hammond, "ACL" on the ST Forums, a farmer in Casey, IL who passed away suddenly last fall. His close friends and riding partners stepped up to the plate to take over the event. It was one of THE rides of the ST forums, so I had really been looking forward to going and meeting many of the people I had begun chatting with on the forums.

I debated not going because of my sudden unemployment. This trip would be somewhat costly, even though I am pretty good at doing these things on a budget. My wife encouraged me to go anyway. I think the deciding factor was a quote by ACL which hit home, especially due to the fact that he was no longer with us- "Live Every Moment,,, Love Every Day,,, Because,,, Before you know it,,, Your Precious Time Slips Away... ---ACL


I began making plans which including prepping the ST for a 2200+ mile ride. I originally planned to do an Iron Butt "Saddlesore 1000", which consists of riding 1000 documented miles in 24 hours, on my way out. I checked the bike over and made a list- I would need a new front tire before leaving; the rear tire was getting a bit low, but should make the trip- and I could change it out there if I needed to; I had to install my GPS, Sirius radio, and other audio components; change the oil; order and install exhaust tips to quiet the aftermarket mufflers; and the biggest task, replace the thermostat which I suspected was stuck open. I had a bit over a week to accomplish all this, which should be plenty of time. Right. I ordered the exhaust tips from an ebay seller, front tire from Dennis Kirk, and the thermostat from an online vendor. My wife and I made a trip to Whitehorse Gear, a local distributor of quality motorcycle gear, for a few small components for my GPS and cell phone mounts. While there I tried on a heated jacket liner to see if it would fit. I was quite surprised that they had one to fit me. After all the cold weather riding I had been doing I really wished I had one of these. I folded it up and put it back on the shelf. My wife started in about how I should splurge, and that I would be very miserable and wouldn't enjoy the trip if I was cold. Worse case, if I didn't find a job soon, I could always resell it at a small loss. She made sense...and I really wanted to try heated clothing...so I added that to our purchases.

Along the way I found other riders from New England going to Moonshine, and began making plans with MTN-Bike to do the SS1K with him. His bike was stored in Williamstown, MA so the plan was for me to ride there Tuesday evening, then we'd leave early Wednesday morning. I came up with a route that would get us the 1000 miles we needed, since we were now leaving from nearly 200 miles closer than I had originally planned. This resulted in a non-direct route, putting us on a few highways I had never been on. This was going to prove to be a mistake.

Electronics installed

The night before my departure

I was fortunate that a previous co-worker offered up his garage to use while prepping my bike. It was a good thing- I had planned to do it in my driveway, but it snowed that weekend! I brought my bike over just before the snow started and disassembled it before all of my parts arrived. I checked the tracking number for my thermostat and almost fell over- it was due to arrive the following Tuesday, the day I was due to leave! I got on the forums and posted a message stating that I might not be able to make it due to the timing of the t-stat arrival. Soon after I made that post a forum member responded that he had a t-stat in his possession and he could send it out immediately by Priority Mail, and it should arrive Saturday afternoon! This was awesome news, and I gladly accepted. Blrfl- Thank you VERY much for the quick shipping of the t-stat! As parts came in I began installing them- first my new tire, then my electronic gear and heated jacket wiring, and my exhaust tips. Saturday morning I removed the remainder of the plastic from the bike and removed the radiator and t-stat, and crossed my fingers that the new one would arrive today. I went home for lunch and sure enough, it arrived just as I was getting ready to leave. I installed that, buttoned up the plastic, changed the oil and did some final prep work. The bike was ready! Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating much. Snow was falling and more was predicted before I was due to leave. I crossed my fingers that I would have a safe trip out of town. -To be continued-

First Week of Ownership

Initial preview before purchase.

I thought I would catch up on the fun I've had since purchasing this ST1300. As I mentioned in my intro, I brought it home on Saturday, March 12th. I was very fortunate to have an enclosed trailer loaned to me, as we still had a fair amount of snow and ice on the ground in my area, and the previous owner lived up several miles of back roads that were covered with snow and ice.
We loaded it up and because of nice weather in central NH that day, decided to take a little ride. We unloaded the bike at a gas station next to the highway and rode it a couple exits south and had lunch in Tilton. This was my first time on an ST1300 and I found I made the right choice in buying it. My wife, Amelia, was also quite comfortable on it. We made use of the heated grips and heated seat. The electric windshield is great as well, allowing me to raise it in cold temps or rain, and lower it for more airflow on hot days.

Getting ready for the first ride!

After the initial 25 mile test ride the ST had to sit for a few days because of snow. Fortunately it warmed up a bit and I was able to come home and get it during lunch Tuesday, March 15th. After work I took the long way home- across Rt. 2 from Gorham to Lancaster, up Rt. 3 to Groveton, and across 110 to Milan and home. I rode it two more days that week, also taking the long way home. Come the weekend I put 600 more miles on it, including a ride to Keene on Friday afternoon and returning Saturday; and a game of Photo Tag on Sunday.

Old tag, Squam River covered bridge

Photo Tag: For those who don't know, this is a game which involves someone taking a picture of their bike with some kind of landmark, attraction, or interesting place, and post it to the appropriate Tag forum (divided by state on the St Owners forum). The goal is to figure out what and where the attraction is, ride to it and get a photo of your bike with it, then choose a new Tag and get a photo of your bike with the new tag, and post it. I found the idea interesting and gave it a try the first Sunday I had my bike home, and moved the NH tag from the Squam River covered bridge to the water tower at Clark's Trading Post. I got in around 150 miles or so, in temps ranging from 30 to 45 degrees. My riding gear worked O.K., and my heated seat and grips were great, but I was still pretty chilly when I got home.

I had a bonus when I arrived at Clark's Trading Post- I found something I had only heard about from my father in law, but I recognized it immediately. It was an old steam log hauler! This one was built in 1915. These used to haul "trains" of log skids behind them, often 3 skids at a time.

Unfortunately my first week of ST ownership ended on a sour note. I went into work Monday morning and was notified that I was laid off due to lack of work.

A good place to start...

Please bear with me, I've never done a blog before. This one will be about my motorcycle adventures and trips, and even some maintenance and farkles from time to time. I guess I should mention a little of my motorcycling past. I started with a brand new Honda XR75 when I was 6 years old. I learned to ride on that bike, and I spent more time on that bike than any bike I've had since. I owned it until I was 13, and although it still ran well, it was thoroughly worn out in every other way.

I moved up to a 1984 XL200R. Unfortunately that bike didn't last like the little 75 did. I did rebuild the engine once and got a little more out of it, but not much. When I was 16 the first motorcycle I legally rode on the street was my father's friend's Kawasaki KZ1300. For those who don't know, that was Kawasaki's monster, with an inline-6 engine and tons of torque. His model didn't have all the fairings and luggage; it was a stripper, and it was extremely fun. My next bike was a Suzuki SP250, another bike I put a lot of miles on. I estimated that I put close to 20k miles on it the first summer I owned it. Other than tires and chain and sprockets, it held up very well. Soon after I heard about a friend of a friend who was moving and had to sell his Suzuki GS700ES. I purchased that bike and ran it a short time before getting into a bit of trouble with it. I sold it to a friend, and a couple years later I traded a car for a 1987 Honda CBR1000 Hurricane. Although it was classified as a sportbike in it's day, it was actually closer to what we would now call a Sport Tourer, minus the luggage. It was long, a bit heavy, but powerful and comfortable for a large guy like me. I did some nice rides around New Hampshire with it, but still didn't get into touring yet. When winter came I needed 4 wheel transportation, so I traded the bike off to a friend for a 4x4 pickup. I have been sorry for doing that ever since.

I went without a bike for a couple years, then one warm spring day I was sitting in a college classroom and listened to all the bikes that were out. I had the itch again, and after class headed to my local Honda dealer to price out a new 1995 XR600. The local dealer wouldn't move on the price, so off to Manchester I went, where I found a good deal. I signed the paperwork and loaded up my new bike in the back of my truck. I rode that XR everywhere- trails, sand pits (southern NH's version of closed-course riding), and even lots of road riding. I had two accidents with that bike exactly a year apart, almost to the day- one resulted in lots of road rash, the second ended with a broken collar bone. That didn't stop me, I healed and got back on the bike. Unfortunately the end of my second year with it, the bike was stolen and vandalized on Halloween night,  then recovered. My insurance company, Progressive Insurance, fought to not pay out because the bike was a dirt bike and had some minor scratches, which they claimed showed abuse. After a fight I finally received a check over six months after the theft, for half the estimated damage minus my deductible. It would have cost more to repair than I had at the time, so I sold the bike and parts to a friend. That was another favorite bike of mine, which I still truly miss.

A few years later the motorcycle bug hit me again, and this time I had thoughts back to my Hurricane, and wanted a more modern, lower maintenance version, which I could use for longer trips. I located a wrecked 1995 ST1100 and repaired it. My test ride was a trip to Louisville, Kentucky. I nearly did an Iron Butt Saddlesore 1000 on that ride, even though I hadn't ridden more than a few hundred miles spread out over the past few years, and the ST was bone stock. I felt every mile, but I rode on through the night and arrived the next day. I was tired, worn out, and very sore. But I was also very hooked on long distance riding. Unfortunately family obligations and several moves kept me from doing any more long rides, and in fact I did very few rides at all until a couple years later when I had to let the bike go just before a move to an apartment, where I had no room to keep it.

Next in line was a new 2006 Kawasaki KLR650. I purchased that bike because I now lived in the North Country of NH, with many miles of dirt log roads and beautiful scenery. I planned to explore those roads and also use the bike to commute. As often happens with plans, things changed. I found the northern NH law enforcement didn't like "dirt bikes", even legally registered and insured ones, on those log roads. They also aren't allowed on most of the ATV trails. My KLR went through a bit of a transformation to handle road riding better, including a lower front fender, custom hard panniers, tank bag, Givi top box, and tank panniers. I racked up over 16k miles the first couple years I owned it. I took several long day trips, including a 400+ mile ride around Lake Champlain, several rides through southern NH and lower New England, and a 700 mile ride to the northeast corner of Maine. I was once again hooked on traveling. I scheduled a trip to Harlan, Kentucky and had a blast, even with some mechanical problems. I was back into long distance riding in a big way. My mind and body were ready, but my bike and wallet were holding me back.

After my KLR seized up on my way to work one day it went into storage for a couple seasons until I could afford to do something. Once it looked like I had the finances to get back into riding, I weighed my options- invest money in the KLR, which would really limit my long distance riding; or buy the bike I had always wanted, but just hadn't realized it yet. I went for the bike I wanted. Enter my 2006 Honda ST1300, purchased on March 12, 2011. As of this writing, I have logged over 6000 miles on it and there is still some snow on the ground if I look hard. I like this bike. No, that is incorrect- I LOVE this bike. Comfort, performance, and reliability rolled into 1.

Read my other posts to learn about my rides, both short and long.