| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
I'm home from the Atlanta Short track after a long, cold ride. For dinner, I'm having a nice bowl of Beef Stew. Not only does it warm me internally, but it's better for my mental stability than Raw Oyster Stew. (Message edited by Crusty on April 09, 2018) | ||
| Ourdee |
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| Crusty |
When Life Hands You Lemons I guess I should make some Lemonade. Or maybe I should mix the lemons with vodka and make a Tom Collins? No; I’d probably drink it and throw away 36+ years of sobriety. I know; I’ll get on the Roadster and ride down to Suches, Georgia for April Buells. I really can’t afford to go, but what’s a few more drops of lemon juice when the bucket isn’t quite full yet? Anyhow, I don’t know just how bad this is going to be. The HVAC tech just left. My furnace is junk. The heat exchanger is rusted through. I’m going to have to replace the furnace. The tech was strictly a repair tech; a salesman will call me. He’ll have to come by and scope out the basement and my present heating setup, then he’ll give me an estimate. Once I have the estimate, I’ll head down to the Credit Union and open an Equity line of credit. Easy, Peasy, Japanesey. My brother David put it bluntly, “ Do you prefer K-Y or Vaseline?” Well; I guess it ain’t too bad. It’s only money. it’s going to completely screw up my financial plans, but, to be honest, I’m about as far from being a financial wizard as you could find. Like Bob Dylan said, “It’s all right, Ma, it’s life and life only”. | ||
| Zacks |
At the risk of rubbing salt in the sores... Was there a home inspection prior to the purchase so you have some recourse and/or was there a home warranty from the seller? The warranty is usually baked into the cost if it is included. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Crusty, We haven't had a good old fashioned fund-raiser in a while, and I can't think of a better reason. See you tomorrow! | ||
| 86129squids |
HEY! I was on the "replace the unit" train, also with a crapped out heat exchanger- my good buddy/neighbor put me with a guy who works for a commercial HVAC company, and he's the guy that everyone else in the company uses for THEIR home HVAC needs... He showed up, tore down the unit, determined that he could just replace the exchangers and service things, a "Good Ol' Boy fixit guy AKA the best in my book- c'est voila, heat, for 1/10 or less cost of replacement! See if you can find a "friend of a friend", maybe sign into one of those "neighbor apps" that let you borrow tools/advice/fixit guy #'s and such. At any rate, whatever needs be done, I don't see anything in the big picture that would keep you from Suches. Of course, I may be wrong, ask my sweetie.  | ||
| Crusty |
OK; here's my plan. On Friday morning, I'm getting on the Roadster and heading for the Georgia hills. I should be there at close to dinner time. I can't leave tomorrow because getting the furnace looked at and then getting the estimate ate up my day. I have things that I must do tomorrow. There's no need for a fund raiser. I've figured out how I'm going to do this. The HVAC folks are offering a 0% interest loan, which doesn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. Also, the price of a new furnace isn't as high as I was expecting. It will be affordable. It will just extend the amount of time it's going to take to get the Credit Card paid off. In other words, it's only money. No matter how much I've got, it's never enough and no matter how little I've got, It's enough that I haven't missed any meals. I'll see you all on Friday. But Raw Oyster Stew is out. | ||
| Zac4mac |
How far is Suches from Jonesboro, AR? <edit>East-west.... (Message edited by zac4mac on April 11, 2018) | ||
| Pwnzor |
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| Zac4mac |
hmmmmmmm | ||
| Crusty |
I Feel Old My ass is dragging. I feel like I’ve been rode hard and put up wet. Shot at and missed, but sh*t at and hit. Run through a wringer. I’m beat. I went to the April Buells rally in Suches last Friday. I arrived in the late afternoon and stayed until yesterday morning. It was a really good time. I got to see a number of friends and we built a massive campfire on Friday night rode the local roads on Saturday and ate some magnificent ribs for lunch at Jim’s Smokin’ Que as well. It happened at Two Wheels of Suches, which is my all time favorite campground and that just made it all the better. However, the rain came in during the wee hours of Sunday. it was not unexpected; we all knew it was coming. I wound up packing my tent up on Saturday afternoon. Froggy had an extra bed in his cabin and offered it to me, so I stayed there. I figured it would be better than breaking down my tent in the rain and getting soaked while doing it. That was a wise decision. On Sunday, I waited until 10:30 or so before heading out. The radar showed a break in the storm, and it looked like if I timed it right, I might not get that wet. That worked for about the first thirty or forty miles, or so, then the Deluge caught up with me. It freakin’ poured. It didn’t take long before all my “Waterproof” gear proved itself to be inadequate. I was thoroughly soaked before I even got to Interstate 75. Then I got to ride through the Monsoon at 75 to 80 MPH (120 - 130 KPH). It was raining so hard that at times, visibility was down to a hundred yards or so. There were quite a few times that I seriously thought about stopping and getting a motel room for the night. The one thing that swayed me to continue was my electric jacket liner. It kept me warm enough (just barely) to put off stopping until “the next gas stop”. I played that game until I made it home. Once I got home, I shed all my gear (which was everything I was wearing from underwear & socks to the outermost rain pants, gloves, boot covers and jacket, then took a long hot shower, heated and ate a Lean Cuisine frozen lunch and went to bed. I left my sodden gear lying on the kitchen floor. I was feeling that shot. I had mild hypothermia, which the hot shower helped, but didn’t completely resolve. A solid night’s sleep did a world of good, but I’m still draggin’. It’ll take me all day to get everything sorted. I started a load of already wet laundry, and hung up my Darien and Gerbings jackets, rain pants and gloves to dry. I need to finish and fold the laundry, then set up the tent out in the sun room so it will dry out. I think that will use up all my remaining energy. That’s if I can push myself hard enough to accomplish that little bit. This was not my toughest ride. That title goes to the ride down the Burringbar Range in New South Wales during a Cyclone in the wee hours of the morning back in 1994 with Ron and Melia. But it is a close second. One bright spot in the ride home; about 30 miles south of Cincinnati, I got to see my odometer turn over 88,888 miles. That was a real kick to see. But going to April Buells was a really fun time, and I would do it again, even knowing what the ride home was going to be like. (Message edited by Crusty on April 16, 2018) | ||
| 86129squids |
Take it easy today man! Heck, here in Mur-vil TN we've seen the temps dropping all morning from mid-40's down, windy, overcast, yuk. I gotta get out there and replace the rear wheel hub assembly on the car, should be a simple job, but dang cold! 88,888 miles- or a lot of infinities!!! Unless you see a major mechanical or chassis fault in that bike, you should just keep it and keep loving it! Vern's pushing 70K on the Uly I sold him... wow. Wish I could know what the true mileage is on my old Beemer, but like many of those old bikes, the odometer craps out at some point, goes willy-nilly. Glad you're home, safe, and getting warm! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Crusty, That ride home sound just like the one I had. Left Suches in the rain. Rode in the rain all the way back to Ohio. Then the clouds parted and the temperature dropped like a rock. I was freezing but only 80 miles or so from home. Made it to the Washington Court House exit and the bearings said goodbye in the rear wheel. I was less than 40 miles from home but it took over three hours to complete. That was the last time I attempted a "March Badness" | ||
| Hughlysses |
Glad you all had a good time at Suches. I saw the forecast for the weekend and opted out this time. The last time I went (~2 years ago?), I rode 6 hours in the rain there and 6 hours in the rain back. NOT fun. If I'd gone this time I'd have definitely been in the worst of it for the entire ride back to SC. Guess I need to start prepping for Buells in the Alps 8 | ||
| Pwnzor |
It was a good time, glad you made it. Wouldn't be the same without you. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Glad you made it home safe Crusty, it was a really wild day on the road! It was great to catch up with you again, and an awesome weekend  | ||
| Crusty |
Interstates vs US Highways In May of 2015, I hit the road to see America. I pretty much stayed on secondary highways and I didn’t push for mileage. If I did a couple of hundred miles in a day, that was fine. If I wanted to deviate from my planned route, that was OK too. It took me a while to get used to being a “Free Range” kind of rider, but once I did, I really started to enjoy it. In the past month and a half or so, I’ve made three trips. I went to Daytona for Bike Week, Atlanta for the Short Track races and to TWoS for April Buells. All of them were “Point&Shoot” trips. I took Interstate highways and was destination focused. I also didn’t enjoy the trips as much as I would have liked. I couldn’t put my finger on why until today. I realized that I was putting so much emphasis on getting somewhere that I wasn’t seeing what I was riding through. I’d like to see that tunnel in Tennessee on Rt 25 that hazardous cargo carrying truck can’t go through. I saw the warning signs on I 75, but I didn’t have the time to go check it out. I also didn’t take the turn for the Cherohala Skyway. I’ve never ridden it, and friends who have love it. I feel bad about missing both those roads. Yes, I’ll probably get a chance to ride them in the future but if I don’t, I’ll always wonder what I didn’t see. Back in 2015, I got caught in a hellacious thunderstorm in Missouri. There were several wrecks because the conditions were so bad. Once I got out of the heavy rain, I was riding along and saw a billboard advertising the world’s largest golf tee. I was cold and wet and cranky, so I didn’t take the exit to see it, and I still regret that. There are many things that can limit my traveling. Buying the house here in Cheviot is one. I thought that it would take a year to get settled in and erase the debt I acquired making the house livable, but that turned into two years. Still, that was moving along until the furnace took a dump. Carrier had a deal where I could replace both the furnace and air conditioner with a zero percent loan, so I went for that. That’s going to put my plans back for more than another year. It’ll probably be at least two more years and maybe even three. I’m still trying to get my credit card paid down. However, having my own home is worth making some concessions for. So maybe it’ll be two more years before I get to the Arctic Ocean; and maybe I’ll have to do without a car for another winter or two. When I’m sitting in my living room, it seems like a worthwhile trade off. I’ve spent most of my traveling life doing “Point & Shoot” trips. Now, I’ve learned that taking the back roads and actually seeing this Magnificent Country gives me much more pleasure. I hope I can get back to that and I’ll get to see things I’ve never seen. I remember hearing about a waterfall around Albany (pronounced al-bay-nee) Kentucky where you can see a “Moonbow” during a full moon. I think I’d like to see that. If not this year, then next. I just looked it up. The Moonbow occurs at Cumberland Falls State Park near Corbin, Kentucky. That sounds like a Destination I’d enjoy riding to in the summer. And looking at the map, I could take US Rt. 25 and avoid the Interstate almost completely. That sounds like a Win. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Great post. Let's run Cherohala when you come back in October. | ||
| Airbozo |
Great read Crusty. The SO and I traveled haphazardly before settling down in our house. Took more than a decade before we wer able to have another frolic through another spot on earth. Then another. Part of the way we coped with the loss of adventure was to host a significant party at our house once a year. We got to hear the stories of others journeying through great places. It's time again for another adventure and they keep getting closer and closer together, but the house has a 20 year plan and it's been 21, so the old building has been complaining. Perhaps it's time for another party. | ||
| 86129squids |
Dang, Crusticle! By all means you should do the Cherohala next time you pass through... Bald River Falls is a great little side road just off the main road, a must-see. I know a little dog-leg shortcut once you're heading back to the Skyway that'll help you avoid running all the way back down, 15-18 miles... of course the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is awesome, and as long as it's not Sunday or Monday, you CAN'T MISS the Tellico Grains Bakery...  Also in the vicinity of Tellico Plains is a route through Reliance, TN. A nice side addition to the main route down TN68 to head to Suches, all kinds of pretty. Hopefully I could lead you around one day for all of this! | ||
| Ourdee |
Brad, did we ride the Cherohala? | ||
| 86129squids |
RD, yeppers we did! Remember, we got gas at the NC end in Robbinsville, then hit Deal's Gap at dusk, when that Nismo GTR decided to self-immolate in the northbound lane... IIRC we did the Bald River Falls too. Made it home, and you were so kind as to order some great Marco's sammiches and a giant Caesar salad. Good times, brother- we should do it again soon! | ||
| Ourdee |
It was all good. I thought we did. | ||
| Shoggin |
Crusty, that is EXACTLY why we ride. Great post, and don't worry you'll get to see the worlds largest golf tee. It is exactly as cheesy as it sounds, and totally worth it! I'm west coast now and promised myself a saddlebag ride every 8 weeks this year to take advantage of the nice weather I pay so much for (we'll see!) | ||
| Ourdee |
I just saw the THING? In Arizona. | ||
| Crusty |
A Laid Back Summer? I’ve been planning a “Low Profile” Summer without a lot of traveling. This morning, I’m realizing that it’s not going to be as relaxed as I thought. I’ve got a bunch of races that I’ll be attending; Springfield (twice), The Red Mile, The Lima 1/2 Mile, The Weedsport Short Track, The Peoria TT and maybe The Meadowlands Mile. Then there are other events. There’s Buelltoberfest at TWoS as well as the West Virginia Buell Rally; and I just added the XL Forum’s East Coast Meet & Greet Rally at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge & Resort. I’ve been to Moto Guzzi rallies and Buell rallies; it’s time to check out a Sportster rally. Those aren’t the only rides on the agenda; there’s a regional meal in Kentucky that’s supposed to be good. I’m supposed to take Betsy (a friend) on the Roadster to Louisville so we can check it out. Plus, I’m going to ride up to Columbus and meet with a friend from the XL Forum who’s given me some great advice over the past few years for lunch. Right now, it’s looking like a busy summer. It’ll be low key as far as spending goes, however. The race tickets have all been bought, and if I’m camping, I’ll be saving a bunch on lodging. And I know how to eat cheap on the road. And with two of the races, I’ll be back home and sleeping in my own bed that night. In the meantime, I have a few things to get sorted out this week. I have to get some welding done on the Roadster. A weld on a frame brace broke. I went by a local welding shop yesterday, and spoke with the owner. They’ll weld it on Wednesday. While I’m there, I’ll discuss the modifications I want to make to the saddlebag mounts and see how much they’d want to do them. I still need to get an estimate to have the tree taken down in the back yard. I can barely afford to pay attention, but I need an idea on how bad it’s going to hurt to take care of that. Maybe I should buy a Lottery Ticket. Then again, why waste the two bucks? I could get a Sausage McMuffin and a Senior Coffee for that and at least I’d get something for my money besides disappointment. Well; this afternoon, the Texas 1/2 Mile will be streaming on Fans Choice TV. I’ll be planted in front of my laptop watching it. Even when my life is laid back, it’s pretty darned good! | ||
| Buellish |
John,you'll love the Iron Horse.It's run by John and Charlene Powell,no relation.Before I got real sick I used to go there several times a year and stay in a bunk house,it was $12 a night when I started going so there wasn't much point in bringing my tent.Saturday night is Prime Rib night. | ||
| Tootal |
I've been there too. It's real nice, a little on the yuppie side but very enjoyable. Cabins are nice. Two bedrooms share a single indoor bathroom. Down the road a little ways from the turn off for Iron Horse is a campground called Kickstand. It's very basic in comparison. All my friends that have camped there love it and the owner is Moe. Moe is an eclectic widow that loves her wine. Breakfast is a little later in the day. It's a dry county so you put in your beer order and it will be there in the evening. She will be up very late but the party is good! I know you don't drink but the place itself is loved by many if you ever want to tent camp somewhere different. | ||
| Crusty |
Busy So today, I went to the welder’s and got that frame brace welded. They did a really good job, quick and efficient. After he was done, I discussed the changes I’d like to do to the saddlebag mounts. We looked at the bike and I explained what I wanted done. He offered some advice and eventually, we agreed on the best way to accomplish what I want. he pretty much agreed with me when I explained what I wanted and why, which made me feel pretty good about what I’d been thinking. He’s also willing to do the job. After all the trouble I originally had getting the bag mounts modified, it was like a breath of fresh air. So, sometime in the not-too-distant future, I’m going to get the mounts reworked. I like this welding shop; they have modern equipment, but an old school “Can Do” attitude. And they’re reasonable priced. Yesterday, I went up to Columbus for a “Lunch Date” with Gale. She’s a member of the XL Forum and has offered some really good advice since I hit the road three years ago. I’ve been wanting to meet her for a while, but things have been busy enough that setting something up was always put on the back burner. It finally hit me last week that I’ve been living in Cheviot for almost a year, and I still hadn’t been up to Columbus to meet up with her. Yesterday, I rode up on the Interstate. I prefer to take secondary roads, but I didn’t want to be late and I have a propensity for missing turn offs and getting lost. I figured I’d take I-71 up and take US Rt. 42 home. (It runs from Columbus to Cincy). My thought was that it’s hard to screw up when you’re only following one road. Anyway, I met Gale and we had a tasty Mexican lunch then took a short walk to the park beside the Scioto River. We discussed a quite a few various subjects from past and future trips and assorted motorcycles to living in Ohio and I don’t remember everything, but the conversation was good. She was everything I expected her to be and more. Gale had a girl in the park take some photos of the two of us with her phone and she seemed to like the Roadster and took a couple of pictures of me posing with it. It was wonderful to finally meet her. I had an enjoyable visit, then she had to get back to work and I set out to enjoy a ride through rural Ohio. The ride was a good one until I got to Xenia, then I missed the cloverleaf where Rt. 42 turned off from Rt. 35. I stopped at a convenience store/ gas station and asked a truck driver if I missed the turn off and he told me it was up ahead. He was wrong. Eventually, I finally wound up in Dayton and jumped on I-75 and took that down to the Greater Cincinnati area. Even though I got lost on the ride home, I still found it to be a very enjoyable day. Here are a couple of photos that Gale took.   | ||
| Buellish |
John,I have a friend who lives in Xenia who has a Parkway Blue S2 and an 1125.among other bikes.Glad you finally got to meet your friend! |
