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!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, March 19, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
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!
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!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, March 12, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, March 5, 2012
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:
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
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