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Spectrum
Posted on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 09:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I'm loaded up and ready to go.


Bike2


This is my first cross country motorcycle adventure. I wanted to have a place to post regular updates and pictures of the trip progress.

I'm working on the Iron Butt National Parks Tour. Basically have to visit 50 National Parks in 25 states over a 1 year period.

Final destination is Grand Rapids Michigan to visit my daughter. I will be stopping at as Many National Parks as possible along the way.

Going up I'll be traveling through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan. I may snick into Pennsylvania and Maryland if time permits. Returning trip is Michigan,Indian, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and back to North Carolina.

I'll also be stopping of at Western Reserve HD in Mentor, Ohio for some Dyno time and performance tuning on the bike.

Photo journal of the trip will be posted here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins#

More to come...
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Spectrum
Posted on Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 12:17 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Covered about 380 miles today. Started raining just as I got on the road to leave Charlotte. Rain lasted about 50 miles then the weather cleared and had awesome conditions for most of the day.

Spent a lot of time at the New River Gorge National Scenic Park. Took a long break at Grandview and uploaded some pictures to the photo journal.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins?feat=directlink

After leaving New River, it rained for the next 100 miles. Pretty scary navigating the mountain passes between Beckley and Charleston in torrential down pour. I'm very glad I had put on the new Pilot Road 2 sport touring tires. They are highly rated for wet conditions and proved their worth with confident cornering at highway speeds on the wet mountain roads.



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Jlnance
Posted on Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 08:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
: D I hope you have a fantastic time!
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U4euh
Posted on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 12:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Keep us posted Bryan! Have fun buddy.
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Spectrum
Posted on Monday, May 18, 2009 - 11:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
New photos uploaded from Hopewell National Park visit on Sunday.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins#

Took the back roads out of West Virginia into Ohio on Sunday morning. There are some awesome roads in WV.

Today (Monday) spent the day at Western Reserve Harley/Buell dyno tuning the bike. It now feels like a completely different bike. Pulls stronger, runs quieter and cooler and has less drive train lash. Check out the pictures from WR, they've done some cool customizations.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/WesternReserveHarleyDavidson?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrp88bmlPyTKQ#


first pull
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Fishgutz
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 08:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I was wondering how you would handle the clip on lean for such a long trip. I assume they are going back on after the trip?
Nice pix.
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Spectrum
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 11:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Fishgiz - The CR Bars are on Teach's bike, mine still has the clipons. I can do 350 miles comfortably, more than that and I'm going to be hurting and hunting a hot tub of water. I've done one 600 mile and one 450 mile day each on this trip so far. The 600 was too much, 500 is probably about my limit.

I got to ride Teach's bike. He also has the Lighting pegs, so riding position is very similar to my old XB9S. His bike would be much more comfortable on a long trip like this, but that riding position on an 1125R is just weird feeling. ; )
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Spectrum
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 11:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Oh and here's a picture I missed yesterday of them strapping her in!

Strapping her in!
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Spectrum
Posted on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 12:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Today I visited Fort Necessity National Battlefield. The battle took place in 1734 and was party of the French Indian War. Washington was in command of the British forces there and this was to be his only defeat in battle.


The Fort was hastily erected in defense against superior numbers.



fort


More pictures of the Fort in the web album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins#
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Bishopjb1124
Posted on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 10:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I thought my 1125 was going to be the only one to grace Grandview and New River, I cannot believe you C3ers have found my secret space. Oh well if you are looking for some good places look around Seneca Rock beautiful mountain roads out there and traffic is not bad at all.
Enjoy the trip and keep the awesome pics coming.


Jimmy
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Fishgutz
Posted on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 12:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I have posted before about my cross country trip. It was when I got out of the air force. If I have one regret looking back was that I only took 4.5 days. I did not allow any time to stop and see anything. Chalk it up to youthful impatience.
Enjoy the trip. I'll have to wait at least 10 years before I can do a trip like that. Hopefully by then my knees won't be too old to do it on a Buell. If they are, it will be Fat Bob time.
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Spectrum
Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 07:50 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I'm 52 years old and the trip has not really been to bad on the body. I meet a 60 year old guy at a gas stop in Indiana. He was going from Boston to Montana on a Harley and camping out along the way. He has done at least 1 annual cross country ride fro the past 20 years. I ended talking to him for 2 hours as he told me stories about all his adventures.
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Fishgutz
Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 11:03 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
I still only have the one 3/4 cross under my belt. The longest day since then have been 300 miles. And these days it is the 280 mile round trip out to Wilson and back a couple times a month. I wear my gel padded shorts for that trip.
It is cool to see your updates.
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Fishgutz
Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 11:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
One more minor thing. A typo in the date. 1754, not 1734.
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Spectrum
Posted on Friday, May 22, 2009 - 08:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Yes Mark, you are correct, that should have been 1734.

I haven't posted up in a few days because I've been hanging out in Grand Rapids visiting my daughter. I've had a great time and got to set through a couple of classes with her.

So I thought it was interesting that as I've stopped to talk to folks along the way, there are a number of questions that I have repeatedly been asked. Listed below are the question in order of most asked.

1. Is that the new BMW?
2. Did you ride that all the way here from North Carolina?
3. Are you retired?
4. Does that thing hurt your back.
5. Does it have a cup holder?
6 How fast will it go?

I'll be hitting the road again tomorrow. I'm hoping the holiday traffic is not going to be too heavy till Monday. If so, I'll take my time Saturday and Sunday and do some more sight seeing. If it's heavy all weekend, I may focus on just getting home and off the road as quickly as possible.
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Fishgutz
Posted on Friday, May 22, 2009 - 09:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
BMW? They see the B and extrapolate BMW?
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Spectrum
Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2009 - 10:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
New pictures upload from my daughters house in Grand Rapids and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins#

Interesting fact about the Indiana Dunes, they were formed by deposits left from a melting glacier. Sorry no pictures of the actual dunes. I had to park the bike and walk a ways to get to the dunes and forgot to take the camera with me.

My daughter Anne and I at her house in Grand Rapids...

Bryan & Anne
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U4euh
Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 11:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Keep on posting man! Were with ya!!
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Spectrum
Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 05:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Home safe and sound. I actually got home late Sunday evening, just been resting and recuperating. I had good weather Sunday and managed to skirt most of the rain. But the last 2 hours in NC was dark and rainy.

Visited Cumberland Gap as the last touring stop. Pictures posted up in the web Album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bryan.mcneely/NationalParksTourMayTheAdventureBegins#


Route1


First half of the trip is in purple, the second half is in green.

Fun facts:
2549 miles total
9 States
2 Great Lakes
9 National Park sites
6 Tunnels
6 hotels
1 Bird strike
0 Performance awards
Max speed 103 mph
Average speed 53 mph
Max Elevation 3752ft
Favorite quote "You Buell guys are nuts!"

(Message edited by spectrum on May 26, 2009)
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Flynuly
Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 06:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Spectrum- Enjoyed shots at Cumberland Gap. When I was there during the Cape Fear 1000 it was kind of late and I didn't see much. Did get this crappy photo to prove I was there before midnight. 16 minutes to spare.

Cumberland Gap

Have fun doing the national park tour there are some great places to visit. IBA allows plenty of time to enjoy the ride on this one. False started my tour last October but life has put it on hold for a while.
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Spectrum
Posted on Friday, May 29, 2009 - 11:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Post update. Just wanted to say thanks to all for following the trip and providing moral support. I had a great time and while I was tired and ready to sleep in my own bed, I really didn't want to come home.

This was the first of 3 cross country trips I have planned this year. Next one is in July or August up through New England. My son leaves in Boston so I'll spend a few days visiting with him. Maybe meet up with the 60 year old gentleman I mentioned earlier. The third trip will be in November and heading towards the south west. As many of you know I'm originally a Texan, so that will be a chance to visit lots of old friends and family.

Oh and Mark, Third time is a charm! 1754
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Rubberdown
Posted on Saturday, May 30, 2009 - 07:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)
Fantastic ride and post! I'd love to do the same route.
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