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Simply jaw dropping.
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great pictures, looks like a great trip!
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Fantastic pictures that tells a story in every one.:icon_cool:
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I'm going riding again...actually i have already left...more RTW
time for lots more photos :Photos_3NT5BI::Photos_3NT5BI: |
Round the World on a Thumper�Adventure before Dementia
This all started around 18 months ago on a ride from Ushuaia to Prudhoe Bay then east to Newfoundland, south to Key West and then to my new home in Louisiana, the trip was 38,000 miles and six months long�see below http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/RTW/i...XL/2011-XL.jpg In early 2008 I sold my business and everything was looking good, soon after, I got in a motorcycle wreck (hit by someone else from behind) and my right leg was busted into about fifty pieces and my ankle snapped in two. While I was recuperating the buyer of my business who still had his final payment to make to me�the big one�decided as I couldn�t move he would not pay, he then started to steal from my business and my customers, take stolen credit cards and do charge backs against my account, then worst of all steal my identity, he even stole two of my motorcycles and sold them !!!! Needless to say it ended up in court and was a very stressful time, so much to the point I had a mild stroke and went blind for about twenty minutes and then I was partially blind for about 8 weeks � from then on my life changed�. I lost virtually everything including my wife (amicable divorce thankfully), my business that I had built up over a great number of years, my house and just as an extra kick in the balls my father died around the same time of cancer, basically all I had left was a few motorcycles and some tools and machines and a pending settlement from the prick that hit me in the accident I moved from Nevada to Washington State (offer from a friend of a cheap place to stay) but it wasn�t working for me so at very short notice I decided to join a group who were riding from Ushuaia northwards, as I didn�t have time to plan a long distance personally, I just sold some of my stuff, bought a bike and had it shipped to Ushuaia as the group had a container heading there, hopped on a plane and joined them, the thinking here was it would clear my head to get away and I could come back and get a new start That ride report is here �Off the grid for a while� The group was 20+ strong, it was an experience but not what I was looking for, from Northern Mexico I split from the group after about 11,000 miles of riding with them and then rode another 27,000 miles solo�that�s when the fun happens It created scenes like this though http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/some-.../SAM0094-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/some-.../SAM2372-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/some-.../1010222-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/some-.../IMG2293-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/u.../SAM0325-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/u.../SAM0384-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/u.../SAM0711-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/a.../SAM3443-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/c.../SAM4467-M.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/c.../SAM4696-M.jpg I relocated to Louisiana with a job offer but if you have done a long distance ride before the road calls you�anyone agree with that????? Having done other long rides over the years, a 19,000 mile, 12,500 mile a few 10,000 or so and about a dozen 3 � 7000 mile rides, and riding most days the road calls to me pretty strong. Not long after being Louisiana, I was dreaming of the next trip, I figured a round the world was due, but how and in what direction (planning is free)�the first plan was to fly me and the bike to Iceland, I even got a quote, if you�re interested its $1500 from JFK to Reykjav�k, ride there and ferry to Denmark ride north to Nordkapp and then south Cape Town, South Africa taking the western route, well now that whole area is FUBAR, so I was a little hesitant having lived in Africa twice and being attacked at gun point twice before. Then� I got an email from Al Jesse www.jesseluggage.com and he wanted my bike (Yamaha XT660Z Tenere � the one that never got here) he needed it to make welding jigs for other customers, possibility? � 100% yes!!! Then one from Captain Ludwig, of the Stahlratte (Steel Rat) the boat that�s takes all of us fools from Panama to Columbia and back about an opening on the December 2012 sailing south bound�was I interested � YES�and then a second email, as I was going to be in Columbia/ Venezuela would I like to get back on a month later and go to ride my bike around Cuba for 3 weeks, HELL YES!!! So now this portion begins � lets call it part two �and I just looked at a map and this part of my trip is from basically from Trinidad (Colorado) to Trinidad (Cuba) � initially heading west then back to Louisiana to ride home with a friend and then north east, then south�blue line is return portion and will kind of look like this http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...-2012GIF-L.jpg Plan � the following really has been determined mainly by others and not me because of set dates I have to be at set places, everything in between those dates is all me, so right now it goes like this: Ride with a friend, a quick 5000 mile adventure for 3 weeks thru CO, UT, NV, OR, CA back thru NV, UT, AZ, CO (his annual vacation) he is doing a ride report here HU meeting in NC Sept. 7-9 HU meeting Toronto Sept. 20-23 (there is a reason for both, it will all become clear shortly) a little language school in Guatemala on the way down because http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...3715531n-M.jpg Be in Panama December 8th Be in back in Cartagena on January 25th 2013 to sail to Cuba Arrive in Cuba and smoke a few cigars �and if you need a visual I�ll be going from this � http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG8595-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG8628-XL.jpg To this amazing sites like this � http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...300x225-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...ESCO-00-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...smoking-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...ar-2-lr-XL.jpg and hopefully lots of this!!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/cuba-...ba-chick-L.jpg So prepare yourselves, this is going to be like a �Mobuis trip on STEROIDS � Long intro I know, but I needed to bring you up to speed as I hadn�t planned on doing a RTW for another year, and now I�m leaving in SEVEN days��������.FܩK!!! |
For those of you wondering how I can do this all again so soon, because this question always comes up sooner or later, so this is how �
I did get that pay off from the accident, not a large amount but I invested it and got lucky and beat the market. So while I can still see (did you read the third paragraph in the first post) I�m doing a RTW on a very tight budget and I�ll deal with �real life� later Now a question to you???? If you live anywhere on my �kinda� route drop me a PM if you have tent space, it would be greatly appreciated Or if you have suggestions of places to ride thru/ see in your area that I might miss if I didn�t know they were there�let me know So what am I riding? 2009 Yamaha XT660Z Tenere�yes the one that never got here http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-gG...gGfFTT5-XL.jpg With the Jesse luggage http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-S3...S3XwK3F-XL.jpg the first 7000 miles or so I am using Wolfman Luggage and then I will ride back to Louisiana to swap back to the Jesses for the rest I found a few issues when I stripped the bike down, I had bought a chain in South America last year and rode with it for a while, as I couldn�t find an O ring or X ring anywhere, I had to take a standard 520 chain and it stretched after only about 1000 miles and even though I was making adjustments almost daily it was hitting the swingarm. On top of this by the time I was riding in Alaska my shock was starting to fail on rough road even on the stiffest setting I would still bottom out of severe bumps, so the two main issues I had to deal with were a swingarm replacement and a new rear shock Beside that not really any problems, most was just upgrades and enhancements (so that would be farkles then!!!) From a strip down onwards - a few teaser photos http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Mp...Mp8HPNm-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-GH...GHkQKfP-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-cM...cMnVSvs-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-2G...2GmXQKk-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-BD...BDCqhrN-XL.jpg The old swingarm on the right and the new one on the left http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-6Z...6Z5qHwc-XL.jpg the finished article http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-gG...gGfFTT5-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Dz...Dz9kFDc-XL.jpg This is the list Renthal twin wall bars heavy duty risers dual garmin gps set up high out put spot lamps from monster ADV front turn signal relocation crash bars SW Motech barkbusters exhaust MTC front suspension Hyperpro rear suspension Ohlins side stand foot enlarger - ME center stand foot enlargers - ME chain guard - ME cush drive -ME kev fuel mod new swingarm swingarm bearings new hard luggage Jesse Luggage chain roller All Balls Racing chain and sprockets � JT Sprockets quick fuel disconnect valve adjustment brake and clutch levers headlight protector � ME new 12 volt socket mini rear turn signals new license plate There is a full report of all the mods that I did after the bike hit 50,000 miles - read it here |
leaving in about three hours to drive through the night...this part of my RTW is the scouting ride for
www.5000mileadventures.com - it will turn into about 7000 miles just because of checking things out, not including the drive to Trinidad
Drive to Trinidad??? Well the original plan was just ride of course (solo)...but then a friend 'wikedhd' asked if he could tag along, only issue there was he has 20 days vacation so to be able to ride from Louisiana all the way across texas at the start and again at the end wasn't an option, so the bikes are going in his truck for the trip thru Texas and the trip back what is www.5000mileadventures.com - have a look at the website...but in short, when i have been on the road i bump into a lot of people who say the same thing wish i could do what you do i only have 3 weeks off a year i have the wrong type of bike arranging everything would be difficult, i wouldn't know where to go etc. etc. etc. i'm sure most of you have heard this before in one form or another? so it got me to thinking, set up an adventure company, supply the bikes, gas, accommodation, tents if required, correct luggage, food, a route with lots of off road, back roads, logging roads, single track, go places the big companies don't go, just do one route and do it great....all you would need to do is bring your riding gear, a camera and a sleeping bag ...but why...well after being on the road for 38,000 miles last year the kindness and generosity of people just astounded me and i wanted to pay it back, as i'm not in one location normally too long, tent space wasn't an option, so i'm setting this up keeping the price very realistic and hopefully someone out there might be interested...BTW only four riders per 5000 miles so only about 20-24 riders a year, only runs in the summer and the route will probably vary a little dependent on the weather - no crazy big groups, done that personally and it sucks even though the website shows the starting point to be Trinidad, it will most likely change to Las Vegas, easier to get to, better to party when the ride is completed and the wife's girlfriends who don't ride can spend your money while you are gone :lol3:lol3:lol3 anyway back to the ride.... here's what's in the soft bags for this trip...not including clothes http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-7F...7Fc77V8-XL.jpg yes i know its a lot of tools but having owned a motorcycle shop, if i can, i will fix everything on the two bikes myself packs down to this http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-9j...9jbHDV7-XL.jpg sleeping gear and tent...yes i am sponsored by Big Agnes!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-vm...vmG5dXR-XL.jpg tank bag http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-xQ...xQDqsSg-XL.jpg bikes loaded photos in the next post riding gear http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-H9...H9xTGq5-XL.jpg the bikes http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Rd...RddGqRw-XL.jpg wikedhd is riding a 2008 Honda XR650L - it only has 600 miles on it, this is his first ADV ride :clap:clap:lol3:lol3 http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-K5...K5h3RDn-XL.jpg and me i'm on a 2009 Yamaha XT660Z with 54,000 miles on it!!! :eek1:huh http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-nL...nLqxBDr-XL.jpg ...and the basic route according to the geeks at google...of course it isn't exact but it gives you a good idea, more details as we ride http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Rb...RbJTz7K-XL.jpg time to go load the truck and get eaten by mosquitoes before it rains again!!!! more later, stay tuned... |
heading out 10pm, best way to see cross Texas at night get out of the heat and the traffic....
loading in the dark http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-34...345zBqw-XL.jpg but with a little help from 6400 ISO i can make it daylight :rofl http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-p9...p9NmpjF-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-RD...RD34pn4-XL.jpg big thanks to dusty and the guys at www.wolfmanluggage.com for hooking us up, but once packed it all looked the same so a few distinguishing marks :lol3 http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-XH...XHFF7C8-XL.jpg |
long 16 hour drive at night thru texas mainly in the dark...found the biggest Texan we could to inspect the bikes...
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-mb...mbM95pC-XL.jpg he looked at them from a few angles... http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cr...CrCgBkQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-3G...3GttzhG-XL.jpg wikedhd thought he had eyes for his XR so he held him back http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-4P...4Pzbqxr-XL.jpg then a few miles down the road its the Cadillac Ranch...not a patch on the Chicken Ranch but colorful anyhow http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-5m...5mj9HW7-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-JJ...JJQQbNV-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-dw...dwxGg8f-XL.jpg then a little of this... http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-3h...3hVbGVF-XL.jpg then as the comedian Bill Engvall would say - here's your sign!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-p9...p9QMnfx-XL.jpg time to get to Trinidad and unload the bikes and get ready for tomorrow and the start unloaded the bikes and here's proof that we're not lying on the beach in Hawaii (directed at wikedhdwifey) but actually in Trinidad...read the sign!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Jd...Jdfb2BK-XL.jpg ...but for now, got a room in the Trails End Motel ($49) and heading out now for some food a few beers and then a good nights sleep and the ride starts tomorrow come rain or shine http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-J9...J9dpNjG-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Pk...PkG5LRs-XL.jpg |
got up late, plan was for 200 miles, end up in Ouray late afternoon and hang out and relax�.plan failed
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-GS...GSvTWXL-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-zD...zDxVk4s-XL.jpg by the time we got to the bottom of Hancock Pass it was about 8.30am. http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-37...372SJhB-XL.jpg I found out real quick the gearing on my bike was going to be a problem (too low) http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-wS...wSBqjv8-XL.jpg if you've never been up here, this is a worms eye view, this isn't rock or pebbles this is boulders most of the way and its just a case of gas it and the boulders determine your line to a certain extent http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-tQ...tQZnTmB-XL.jpg i had two get offs before i was halfway up and then a third which would have made great video but no one even saw it. my front wheel hit a big rock throwing it up in the air, right at that same time i grabbed a hand full of throttle and wheelied into a bush at almost 90 degrees to the trail. http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-xf...xfBLKb3-XL.jpg that trail is crazy tough and by the time we were at the top it was close to noon� http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-CN...CNHLRcj-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-MG...MGR6Qx5-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Bd...BdpTtnN-XL.jpg i guess living in Louisiana at sea level made it real tough going with the altitude, we had to take a good few rests. this was to hurt us later� up and down pass after pass, getting caught in the rain http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-FS...FS4QXMb-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-tB...tBMqMh9-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-H8...H8znvcs-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sh...shcjp4L-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-3D...3DmM4xL-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-h6...h6GFpTN-XL.jpg By the time we were at the the top of Cinnamon we had been in the rain for a few hours and at cloud level http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-JT...JTz7k8W-XL.jpg later at california pass we got a little lost, we were both on reserve, and then on the way down my rear brake fluid boiled so i had to roll down from 12,000 feet with the motor off and using the gearing for braking �eventually hitting 550 Pat ran out of gas and i had to tow him into town�.quite a day that ended at 11pm�but fun all the same |
left Ouray late after trying to find somewhere to get breakfast on a Sunday morning, plenty of places but all with a long wait�found somewhere and got riding around 9 am,
first order of business for the day was Ophir Pass. Going out of Ouray around the switchbacks my front end felt very notchy so we rode down the pass towards Silverton to the gas station at the bottom, the plan was get some grease and fix it�a quick teardown to clean and regrease the bearing. the gas station had no grease but the garage in the back had the owner there helping a guy with a bicycle. i asked if i pulled my front end apart could i get some grease? "sure no problem, i love helping you ADV guys out" so i tear the front end down to get the top bearing out and its partially ceased, all this in front of his shop he refuses to help and i didn't ask and didn't need any but he makes comments as i go along of course then i get literally a teaspoon of grease - now keep in mind here i could have gone into town and got a tub full for $5�.as i'm putting the front end back together he comes up and says "i'm leaving now give me $10!" Moral of the story ride the two minutes more in to town OK, front end back together and up Ophir�very cool, had to wait to go down the other side as a 50+ year old lady was jogging up, should have got a photo of her http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-G3...G3z3vh4-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Kq...KqwWJmW-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-ZC...ZCLBmZc-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-zW...zW78BLD-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-VC...VCLLS5M-XL.jpg we headed west to Utah after that and hit Moki Dugway, Goosenecks, Mexican Hat before finally settling at Valley of the Gods� http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-XN...N9v4dT-2XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-MS...MSrTbBk-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-28...287Wx6Z-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-xD...xD7LCD6-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Xk...XkBLd5p-XL.jpg a storm looked like it was coming in, Pat somehow had a signal on his phone and it said 55% chance of rain - wrong. try 100% and it came down hard, with about 50mph + winds and a a full on lightning show to end the day, rain came down the whole night and at times it felt like the tent was being lifted up with me in it! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-N6...N63vJQm-XL.jpg |
both of us were very tired from virtually no sleep the night before, we took a easy ride out of Valley of the Gods and thru the canyons for the rest of the day, with a storm brewing to our west the whole day, but not one single drop of rain�result finally.
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-hJ...hJ9wvZB-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-FT...FTjKJDQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-C3...C3jcX9Z-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-RJ...RJPTPfN-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-65...65G888v-XL.jpg We headed towards Green River UT, using old route 24 the land is being reclaimed and soon this road will disappear back in to the desert. http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-qT...qTxxWpn-XL.jpg Got in the state park early and did a little minor maintenance and had a few beers, by 8.30 the storm caught up with us and it another night with the sound of rain on the outside of the tent |
a quick ride from Green River to Moab to top off the tanks�
next it was heading to Shafer Switchbacks http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-kb...kb33QR8-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-m3...m3DSJtd-XL.jpg can you see Pat on his bike in this shot below? http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-vB...vBjct9V-XL.jpg and here are the switchbacks heading down to White Rim Road http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-v4...v4v3PtK-XL.jpg and to the Musselman Arch� http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-xs...xs5gkKG-XL.jpg in hindsight that would have been a good time to come off the trail, having never done it before we were interested in the ride to see what all the hype was about� this is what we saw http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-wr...wr2nNwZ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Jz...JzQxBkQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-GB...GBGgv6C-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-74...74rhdnr-XL.jpg here lizard lizard!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-HV...HVSf58H-XL.jpg well great weather cool scenery but after a while it all seemed very similar the sun was beating down and we spent too much time at the start taking photos, not realizing we were drinking more of our water than we thought. By the time we got to Potato bottom were were virtually out of water!!! NOT GOOD�we agreed that we could see the Colorado, this is what we saw http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-dG...dGW6ckG-XL.jpg if we could get to it we were going in the river to cool off, we found a way in by Hardscrabble Campground, we wallowed in the water for nearly an hour in full riding gear http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-R9...R9qbtTW-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Ds...Ds6QzvJ-XL.jpg nicely cooled off and now a few clouds were in the sky blocking the sun, all good again, well for about 500 yards, as we rounded the next corner the river had spilled its banks onto the trail and we had two sections of very soft mud to cross with water flowing at a good rate, done not to difficult, 500 yards more and another corner the is a car partially submurged and a guy sitting there, http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-d3...d3Lm36h-XL.jpg we crossed the mud and the water and he offered us a gallon of water as he had plenty in his car, nice guy, thanks if you ever read this. from then on until mineral bottom road http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-pS...pSjGr3W-XL.jpg about every few hundred years there was standing water and deep sand washed down from the flash floods that have been happening all over southern Utah for the last few days since we have been here�spending the night in Moab http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-qD...qDtKVHF-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-wf...wfHj4pL-XL.jpg |
coming out of Moab early in the morning
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-ZJ...ZJjxqqk-XL.jpg i headed out on the Utah backcountry discovery route north of Green River, having done a lot of the routes further south i was on section 8. Over the last few weeks Southern UT has been having severe flash flooding on a daily basis, i was wary about heading out just in case areas had been washed out or made impassable for one reason or another. Initially the route seemed OK for the first ten miles or so http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sk...skmzG9W-XL.jpg after that the heavy rains started to show the toll on the trail, there were long sections of deep sand, so if you don't like deep sand avoid this section, there's lots of it right now http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Jp...JphGVB7-XL.jpg i found a section that first appeared to be a gate i needed to go thru, but there was no way http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Kj...KjbkdmC-XL.jpg later down the trail i found what i think was the right gate, so i went thru http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-h6...h6VcbNs-XL.jpg all good again and at one point you cross the 'spanish trail' http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-WX...WXdcpq9-XL.jpg then out of nowhere i hit so rough ground and the GPS cut out, i have a zumo 550, so i did the normal check - taking out the battery and replacing it - nothing, i then pulled out the tools and went thru the electrical system, connections, fuses, charging wires from source to the head unit, everything was good, but all it would do would scroll thru the initial first two flash screens and then cut off. http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-74...744JgVR-XL.jpg i have a 60csx as a back up on the bars but it only has base map, as i use it mainly for altitude or compass, now this was my main unit!!! a quick check of the map showed the main paved road maybe 6 miles away, i was at a point on the trail where i had two choices, follow the trail and head in deeper, but with no GPS tracks and the map has no names and the trail doesn't either....so i headed towards the road - hopefully, it was all a little vague, i was trying to find a definite point i could recognise - i came across a ranch entrance no i know if you see this you are heading the wrong way http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-CJ...CJNSK7R-XL.jpg i came to a cross roads after being chased down the trail by a big black bull for about 100 years!!! and there was a truck there, it was the rancher who owns some of this land, he wanted to know if i had see any of his bulls!!! YES, i told him i was chased and he laughed, " that bull is heading this way for water, he was chasing you cause he thinks you might steal his water :lol3 so i tell him i am looking to get off the trail as my GPS as taken a ****, we are sitting at a crossroads, 4 ways to go i figure, so i ask which is the best way, he points at two of them and tells me i could use either, and then points in a direction where there is no trail and said you could go that way if you want as well. he laughs and then points, "go that way" its the shortest, i said 6 miles, which is what it shows on the maps to scale, he told me it was 16 miles, and it was...he took off http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-jm...jmxmf3x-XL.jpg the road is fast and scenic http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-s8...s8XmBNs-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-5g...5gHZ7KQ-XL.jpg i get back to the highway, but on the way something isn't right with the front end...later in the day i check the bearings that "the guy in silverton helped me with new grease a few days earlier". i pulled the whole front end apart in a motel parking lot http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-8s...8sgkTTV-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-FP...FPcFd46-XL.jpg what i found is the "mechanic" just added new grease to the bearings and didn't clean them first, there was old grease with grit and dirt under the new grease, this is what made the front end feel notchy so soon...i went thru the whole thing, cleaned and regreased and got it all back in one piece in about an hour for $10.50 spent at the local Napa store because of this i decided to head out of UT and go to Reno, long day on the road passing Bonneville Salt Flats, but a whole lot of nothing else for the rest of the day http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-qF...qF7ckbX-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Hw...HwqPLJR-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-JG...-JGvXtXM-L.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-nw...nwWSj2J-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cg...Cgr7hTT-XL.jpg |
very late start from Reno, by the time i was outside the city limits it was after 12pm, this would have an affect later in the day.
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-S3...S36j9Rz-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-d9...d93Jcpv-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-ZB...ZBTDqhF-XL.jpg i headed northwest towards one of my favorite rides, route 36 in northern california, firstly thru Lasson NP and the volcano fields, they were doing managed fires so visibility was very limited only got these few good shots http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sJ...sJqv3ZV-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-f3...f3JMzSH-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-H5...H5k48mC-XL.jpg from there it was onto route 36, from Lasson to Red Bluff its OK but from Red Bluff onwards it kind of reminds me in places of the road from Cusco to Nasca in Peru, perfect payment most of the time and never more than an 1/8 of a mile without a bend the sign by the side of the road when you rejoin the 36 in Red Bluff after one mile on the freeway reads twisty road for the next 140 miles�and it is http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-8H...8Hznfpq-XL.jpg because i was late and riding into the sun i decided not to head for the coast but stayed in a campground, and on a saturday night i was the only one there�weird!!! http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-q7...q7m27JC-XL.jpg |
i'll get to the Zebras in a bit�
i finished riding 36 with the sun on my back all the way to the ocean, only in the last few miles did i hit the fog and the temperature dropped dramatically http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-fz...fz8XFJk-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-MT...MTtbxdp-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Sn...Sn3mFtQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Zq...ZqpVzKx-XL.jpg the rest of the day was spent with the ocean on my right most of the time or surrounded by big Redwoods http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-mP...mPS9jgr-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Zp...Zptvn6R-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-wX...wXLtGS8-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-8G...8GrHkPn-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-RN...RNbXGvW-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-dn...dnJxRrP-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-8J...8J9nbtH-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-kN...kNtzxft-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Gp...GpPnnwV-XL.jpg �.until rounding a corner i thought i had ridden thru a time warp and i was in an african savanna in the middle of a field was two Zebras!!! yes i'm not losing my mind, and having lived in Kenya years ago i can tell you these were big and healthy http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Sb...SbgLrwD-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-k8...k853sDQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-R5...R58Wcrz-XL.jpg i ended the day in a State Park, i must have had a puzzled look on my face, "are you Ok?" an English accent asks me i reply, "$40 for a campsite, am i missing something here?" "nope thats right, you can pitch your tent by us if you want, no problem". this is how i met Matt, Nicola and there two kids Cosmo and Sky, they were world travelers now settled in California. they understood $40 was most of a days budget for a traveller, so we ended up in the same pitch talking the night away about life on the road around the campfire�and BTW they had the BIGGEST tent i have ever seen, they were now car campers http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-cw...cwqfDQQ-XL.jpg |
more coast riding and the occasional diversion to get off the fog to the inland and warm up
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-h8...h8bF4f7-XL.jpg ...and today i'm back in Argentina!!! seeing a familiar face...gotta lover quirky californians and there choice of animals http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Vt...VtGb7Vb-XL.jpg when the fog lifted in certain areas of route 101 and route 1 the views as expected are incredible http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-rD...rDFdj9n-XL.jpg how about a fixer upper with ocean views...any takers http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-VC...VCB5zFT-XL.jpg i arrived into San Francisco just in time as everyone was leaving so didn't have to deal with too much traffic http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-6w...6w6LVRG-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-CP...CP3VDXf-XL.jpg having been here lots of times before i just headed to the Presidio to take a different "angle" of the Golden Gate Bridge http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-qq...qqkBm7k-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sm...smVVMck-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-CQ...CQ9RfQk-XL.jpg i ended up the day spending the night with fellow inmate "Hetman" in his apartment downtown and grabbing some food...thanks for your hospitality Dave it was very much appreciated, and he gave me a few pointers to some roads that the locals like....i'm off |
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he is now loaded in a uhaul and headed home...me i'm still on the road |
Headed out of San Fran on Skyline and got to Alices for breakfast, as it was mid week there was only one other bike there so quick service and an excellent breakfast sandwich, after a cool ride on a twisty portion of slab
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Gh...GhTNgLw-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Xk...Xk222nN-XL.jpg the rest of the day was up and down, past the Lick Observatory http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-QD...QDCs2zD-XL.jpg on a road that climbed passing cyclists in their 70's�it was hard work on my bike wearing full gear. When i got to the top i was told a man that was 80 was doing this ride a while back and had a heart attack on the climb�it is that steep in parts, if you haven't ridden it Coming down the other side the heat increased with each mile and every few hundred feet i lost altitude� http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Qj...Qj44wFf-XL.jpg not knowing this road i passed a few riders heading in the opposite direction i soon found out where they had been - The Junction - but again i was the only one there http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-93...9334zms-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-3N...3NWR6RH-XL.jpg Once almost down to sea level it was farm country http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-qJ...qJ37GMG-XL.jpg and then finding a place to wild camp in the Stanislaus Forest http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-MT...MTm9DHW-XL.jpg |
Out of the forest in into the National Parks, Yosemite, Kings and Sequoia�
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-hF...hFsBJ8W-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-MT...MTqqQ7N-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-gV...gV536KQ-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-JS...JSfTWN8-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-SX...SXz3Scc-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Gh...Ghk8pFb-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-wX...wX738D9-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-f9...f9SXZJr-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-zs...zsWKTVT-XL.jpg i could have spent weeks taking photos, but after being nearly rear ended 20 times in 15 minutes by cagers looking more sideways then in front of them, i just wanted to get out of the place�people have go so lazy, they don't want to park and walk, everyone only wants to take photos from their car!!! i headed to Wilsons in Fresno and a new front tire http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-NT...NTq5TJj-XL.jpg |
Hi mate, grate informatif posts tells the story of your journey.Wishing you well.
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some great pictures, am loving following your trip on here, looks great!
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As always, great story+great pics! What camera do you use?
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I avoided looking at this thread as i thought it would just make me jelous. And yes, it did.
Lucky boy. Keep it up Rob |
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occasionally i have three cameras, the third is also a samsung TL500, reason for the Samsung/s is i also use a samsung phone, so it reduces the chargers i need to carry and they also come with 12V and USB charging as standard, plus the buttons are easy to use when riding |
:occasion14: Thanks!
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i rolled into Vegas, i had an invite to stop by and see Don at Ricor (
www.ricorshocks.com) he fitted some front fork valves and vibranators (vibration eliminators)
the fork valves are for the following: (from their website) Increased stability in turns Increased cornering ability Reduced brake dive Smoother riding over the bumps Faster braking Less wallowing in turns Reduced softness at slow speed Less harshness over bumps Reduced bottoming out Better bike control i got to find out how much difference they made only one mile from the shop...some guy in an SUV decided to hit his brakes hard for no reason right in front of me , which in turn made me have to do the same, i can say definitively i had more control in a hard braking control situation as for the vibranators - reduced hand vibration thru the bars on a thumper, i could feel the difference in a matter of minutes... http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Lk...LknfQTB-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-dL...dLsLXVH-XL.jpg |
i had a few days in Vegas with Family and friends, riding thru i spotted this...usually there is nothing that can shock you in Vegas, but this hit a nerve with a few people and even made national news before it was removed
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-WC...WC3NwvF-XL.jpg i decided to head out early to avoid the summer desert heat http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-PT...PT8nHF5-XL.jpg heading north to Zion thru the canyon first http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-kf...kfR95zj-XL.jpg Zion early in the day was still busy, and as soon as i went thru the gates the weather started to turn from clear blue for the worse http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-HK...HKttwSC-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-cs...csWWkZh-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-jT...jTDXmn3-XL.jpg after leaving the park the clouds came in thicker and the rain was iminent but somehow i avoided it most of the day http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-fQ...fQk68nG-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-tX...tXGCstC-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-6n...6nVfJ7j-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-3T...3T68fhW-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-TF...TFPWFjM-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Qc...QcQSz9W-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Nj...Nj8M99P-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sz...szQh6TX-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Nv...NvQnmmd-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Gv...GvBBsPR-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-PM...PMvxd3T-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-XQ...XQsBp2F-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-GB...GBQzcPm-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-Fv...Fv2bWH4-XL.jpg |
out of my tent in the morning and this was the view of the Dirty Devil River area i wild camped
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-sR...sRXf6Vq-XL.jpg most of the day riding 5000-11400 feet out of UT into CO, cold and wet not too many photos to day... http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-P3...P3Z5LJM-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-pC...pCLJMLr-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-cs...cs4QHnd-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/photos/i-PS...PSg9dTt-XL.jpg now heading to Kansas to hopefully meet "Mr. Zumo" and get my unit fixed... |
out of eastern Colorado into western Kansas - no much to see besides some of this
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/e...SAM1101-XL.jpg ...and then some of this...:wink: http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/e...SAM1102-XL.jpg ...and lots of these abandoned homesteads http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/e...SAM1100-XL.jpg but seeing all this very rare hamburger in the stockyards awaiting its fate made me hungry http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/e...SAM1106-XL.jpg |
Hi paul hows the bike standing up engine etc.
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also and i have no idea how this happened a rock/ stone had broken the little plastic cap on the left side of the throttle body, (the one held in place with a phillips screw) this caused the idle to increase at altitude above 7000 feet or if the bike was very hot, i went to a yamaha dealer to see if it was available and you have to buy the whole throttle body assembly - about $600!!! blob of silicone and its back to normal |
so my main focus in Kansas was Garmin and my now defunct Garmin Zumo 550, i was kind of using Kansas as a good excuse not to have to ride all the way across Texas again...seeing i did that in June this year already
so off to head office... i walked in the front door, grubby dirty adventure rider, not knowing what to expect...what i got was the warmest welcome, the epitome of professionalism from EVERY single person i spoke to, even people passing in the lobby (with Garmin Badges on) stopped to say hello, it was very refreshing and when i met "Mr. Zumo" he was the most helpful and professional of everyone i had met so far. http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k.../SAM1119-L.jpg The Zumo 550 is now obsolete but Garmin are still having parts made but they are in short supply and as my luck would have it they were out right then, so i had two choices: wait for a delivery, there was a date but it was possible it could change (not good for a RTW rider) or an offer of a move to a different unit of my choice. They did not try and downgrade me, quite the opposite, i walked out with a new zumo 660 and all the fixings!!! i left the building refreshed by the genuine care that was offered to me from a big corporation, and Mr. Zumo if you're reading this, thank you again |
riding thru Kansas was a refreshing change, some rolling hills, temperatures were not too bad considering the time of year but in another way it was depressing.
The other side of corporate America had pushed out the small family farmers and taken over on a major scale, lots of abandoned buildings and homes that were not needed now that a fat guy in some big office with gravy running thru his viens was in control getting his annual bonus. He doesn't care where the family are and what happened to their farm and home that had been with them for generations, and they were left to rot and be taken back by the land some of what i saw... http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...IMG0198-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1110-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...IMG0200-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...IMG0201-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...IMG0203-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...IMG0206-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1125-XL.jpg i ended the day crossing the state line into Missouri, taking a few dirt roads as a bridge was out and camped in Stockton State Park and had the place to myself http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1133-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1135-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1137-XL.jpg |
heading south down route 7 in Arkansas most of the way to Louisiana, if you haven't ridden it you should nice curves the whole way, minimal traffic, friendly people, small towns.
the ride back t LA was pretty uneventful except for a snapped chain that happened at about 50mph on a bend, could have been bad :huh it just left me searching thru my bags for a link to make a repair as no one was stopping even the guy on the red sport touring bike who came by as i was rolling my bike backwards down a hill looking for a flat spot to work on it...he literally turned his head away and accelerated over the horizon!!! If you are reading this whoever you are karmas a ***** http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1139-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1140-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1141-XL.jpg the rest of the ride was rain off and on for hours so the cameras stayed tucked away http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/k...SAM1147-XL.jpg |
in Louisiana for a week or so, mainly doing a few little odds and ends on the bike, but some riding as well, if you get down here there are a few things to see out of the ordinary as the landscape kind of sucks unless you are really into swampland
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG8597-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG8603-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG8606-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...MG86221-XL.jpg http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...SAM0363-XL.jpg this is a real shot,not photo shopped http://dmh65.smugmug.com/RidingRTW/l...IMG9415-XL.jpg now imagine this...my friend told me he remembered riding down a road in the swamps early one morning, and the whole road was covered with them, but because of the light he didn't notice them straight away...then the whole road started jumping. the way he descibes it..."lets just say my bike was a real mess by the time i stopped" :puke1 |
Hi PAUL good pics as usual,that chain link looked very dry. Depressing looking farm buildings,all taken over by mister big.RIDE SAFE look forward to the next report. BARRY U.K.:brave:
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lubed the chain the night before...third time i have had a link issue on this bike
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Looks awesome!!! I haven't had time to look at the entire thread, but did the OP mention 15 year journey? Would an XT last this long?? It also sounds VERY expensive!
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