More Random Pics from the road and trail

Waiting for parts

Well here we are in Canon City, Colorado waiting for a fuel pump assembly.  Joe has been dealing with loss of power since we got off of the trail a few days ago.  His bike was beginning to labor more and more at highway speed.  Finally we decided we could go no further.  Our options were few.  Who would have the fuel pump?  Were there any dealers close? No one is open because it is Sunday afternoon.  Would anyone be open tomorrow?  Many motorcycle shops are closed on Monday because they are always open on Saturday.  That way their employees can have a "weekend".

  After thinking about it for a while Doc decided we should call his buddy Scott Shaffer.  Scott owns Morgantown Powersports in Morgantown, WV.  Scott being the great guy that he is decides he will take a pump assembly from a new bike off of the showroom floor!  Can't ask for any better service than that.  Scott had his guys pull the pump then takes it to Fed Ex so we can have it overnight.  All this from a guy that probably wanted to take the day off after crashing hard while racing his motorcycle  on Sunday at Pyramid Valley.

So now everyone is loaded, bikes cleaned a bit, teeth brushed, helmets cleaned, laundry done, etc.  Just drumming our fingers and waiting for a Fed Ex truck to come in to view...........

More Random Pics

aa A few more pics and maybe some narrative.

Ever try to pick one of these up?

Group photo before Bill left

From left to right.  Joe, Schoo, Jack, Bill and Lloyd (Doc)

And then there were four.....

Well I'm sad to report that our eldest trip companion has elected to leave the party.  Bill has decided to depart for Rapid City, SD and spend a couple days with his brother.  Bill fell hard while on the trail and hurt a previously injured shoulder.  No shame in tapping out though.  I know plenty of guys that aren't nearly as tough at half his age.  By the way Bill is 78 years young.  We all wished him happy trails and sent him on his way.

  We left Billing Montana yesterday and rode thru Bear Tooth Pass and toured the loop of Yellowstone National Park.  Very scenic ride across Bear Tooth pass.  We climbed to nearly 11 thousand feet!  My GPS showed the highest elevation of 10,938 ft.  Very cool and very cold.  Got caught in the rain on the far side.  Brrrrrrrr

First Day on the Trail

Got up this morning in Kalispell, Montana and left at 6 for the first day on the Continental Divivde Trail.  Got on the trail and traveled south getting to Butte, Montana around 7 pm.  Very long day to be riding off-road.  We covered around 404 miles today.  I'm reluctant to say we were lost today but we certainly were misoriented a great deal.  We turned and twisted, and turned around over and over.  We allowed ourselves to try to navigate with the gps and didn't check the map often enough.  We finally did find our way out of the maze of fire roads, trails, and access roads.  We drug our tired, dusty asses into Wendy's in Butte and had some dinner just before the sun set.  Very glad we didn't have to find our way out after dark!
  We stopped along the way for lunch at a place called "The Stray Bullet Cafe". Very neat and clean place with great food.  Jack and Bill had cheesburger chowder and both agreed it was awesome. I'm trying to attach a picture of the place.  It is located in Ovando, Montana.

Random Pics

Second day on the road......

So I drag mself out of bed this morning at 5 so I won't be late.  The plan is to leave at 6.  I'm up, got my shower and I go out to get the bike packed up.  Guess what?  Pouring the rain down.  Nothing like starting out the day in the rain.  Oh well.  After a few minutes of tinkering with the bike and checking my room for straggling items I realize that no one else is moving around from my party.  Or anyone else for that matter.  No matter, I continue with my preparations and after some time I hear Jack and Joe up on the balcony.  They are asking me where Doc and Bill are.  After a few minutes of discussion regarding time zones and local times we come to the conclusion that they may still be sleeping and we are early by an hour.  Dohhhhh.  We could have slept an hour longer!

So here it is; the eve of my departure.  I've been to eat with the family and I'm home doing my final packing and checking.  I'm as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!  The bike is ready.  Oil has been changed.  New tires have been installed and bolts have been checked two or three times.  It is as ready as it gets. 
  I have packed plenty of clothes, meds, vitamins, personal hygiene items, etc.  Got my hair cut short today so that it would be easy to take care of for the duration.  Jo loaned me her 35mm digital SLR Canon camera for the trip and it's batteries are charged and ready to go.  I don't know if I'll be able to sleep much tonight but I guess I'll try........................

As Scooby might say... Rut Roh!

I last posted about my daydreaming of a new adventure bike.  This was, in part, fueled by a website I found called Adventure Rider and also by an older longing to own a BMW adventure bike.

Shall I make a long story short?  Or maybe you can just read my wife's blogpost on the subject.  

                                                            Spoiler Alert!  The New Steed

                                                     

So I'm getting ready for my journey and checking out my borrowed steed.  Jack was kind enough to loan me his very nice 2005 V-Strom 650.  I changed the oil and filter, completed a auxillary light install, (Jack had started it), and give it a good going over.  Brakes, chain and sprockets, bolts tight, new tires are on the way but won't be installed till the last minute.  We hope to do some 6,000 mile and may be a little close on tire life.

                                                       The Borrowed Steed!

      

While day dreaming of my adventure I find myself on my computer looking at motorcycles for sale.  Jack recently bought a BMW R1200 GS and I've always lusted for such a machine.  I tell Joe and Jack that if I could find the right deal on one I might have to break my piggy bank.  Joe politely informs me that I shouldn't be interested in the big Beemer.  Why not you ask?  "All them guys that ride those BMW's turns into assholes" Joe says.  I think that was a dig at Jack and I was not to be dissuaded anyway. 

Introduction

Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Schoo.  That is an old nickname that I was given while serving Uncle Sam in the U.S. Army.  I've been convinced by my wife that some people may like reading about the adventures in my life.  I don't think my life is anything to brag about but I've certainly enjoyed it so far.

 Recently I was asked by a friend if I would be interested in making a long motorcycle ride.  I thought "well of course I am" as if anyone would say no to such a proposition.  So anyway my buddy, Jack, begins to clue me in to the details of the impending journey.  The plan is to set out from our homes in North Central West Virginia and head west along the northern limits of United States territory.  We'll proceed west until intersecting the Great Continental Divide trail.  Then south along the trail until it looks as though we will have to turn east and run back toward home in time to make it to work (for some of us) on a Monday some sixteen days later.  

Once I learned that we would be riding all the way there and back and much of the riding would be off road or at least on unpaved roads I realized I didn't own a motorcycle capable of such a journey.  I do have some off road only bikes, and I do have some street only bikes.  I do not however own a dual purpose or dual sport motorcycle.  Jack then explains that he has recently purchased a bike he intends to use for the trip and I'd be welcome to his very nicely appointed V-Strom 650!  

Now the plan is coming together!