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Akbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 12:09 pm: | 
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For me to say 'Hey' and introduce myself. Yesterday was the last day at work, and it is now time to start packing the house to move. On Aug 9 will get on a ferry w/a friend for Pr Rupert, British Columbia, and motor across to Waynesville, North Carolina. Looking forward to 4200ish miles on the XB and X-1, as riding is the best way to get the bikes to their new home, No?
Really, really looking forward to meeting you guys. Even though it means suffering through being the new guy in the C3 group. LOL.
And, of course, will have to update my BRAN profile. After finding a place to live.
Hello everyone, be safe, and have fun!!! Dave
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Mikethebike72
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 01:23 pm: |
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Welcome to C3. I am sure you will fit right in. |
U4euh
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 08:20 pm: |
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Hey David, keep us posted as your trip moves forward. It would be nice to see some pix along the way. I have family in Oregon so if you need some help when in the area give me a shout! What is your planned route if any, that way if something does happen. |
M2nc
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 11:37 pm: |
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Hi David. Welcome to C3. Looks like you have a great ride coming up. When you return keep a watchful eye for us getting together and riding. We have a couple of annual planned rides, but the best rides are the ones we just get together and go riding. Look forward to meeting you on. |
Jlnance
| | Posted on Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 04:32 am: |
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Welcome! And enjoy the ride, I'll second the call for pictures. |
Xb9ser
| | Posted on Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 10:53 am: |
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Welcome to C3. have a great ride. |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 11:50 am: |
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David - welcome to C3! When I return from Cincinnati next week I'll get your BRAN printed out and mail it to you! Let us know when you get settled! |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Friday, July 03, 2009 - 12:17 pm: |
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Thanks much to all for their kind words. They are appreciated.
Congrats to Ulywife on your new license. Let the learning begin! And Thanks very much for the BRAN list.
Route will be from Pr Rupert in British Columbia to Pr George, then down to Cache Creek. On to the border, then east along BC3 to Idaho. South to visit friends, then on to Denver, Wichita, Ks to visit my brother, then across to North Carolina. May take a side trip to the Barber museum. My riding partner hasen't seen it, and we'll be in the area, as it were. Not to mention Devils Tower, Mt Rushmore, yadda, yadda. Hope to make the trip in 10 days or so, not counting the touristy/visit things.
Pics may be an issue. I am pretty much a computer idiot, and my camera is one that actually uses film. For those who remember that stuff. We will see. Will try to keep you all updated on a regular basis, depending on computer access.
Ride safe, have fun, Dave. |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Sunday, August 09, 2009 - 12:37 pm: |
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In eight hours, My friend Joe from Fla and I will go the ferry terminal and board the MV Matanuska to sail for Pr Rupert and begin the adventure.
HOOO HAAAH!!!!!!!
Dave |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Sunday, August 09, 2009 - 04:41 pm: |
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Safe and happy riding to NC. You've got my number if you need something along the way! Looking forward to meeting you and your wife. |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 11:01 am: |
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OK, got a chance to sit for a minute. Let us begin:
Day 1 thru 3: spent on the ferry. Nice trip, but longish. Only 2 other bikes onboard besides us, unusual.
Get to Pr Rupert, clear customs, and begin. First 1-2 hrs under rain, then clearing. Somewhat cold. Rain gear worked well, and we got to Smithers in fine shape. Unfortunately, most places close starting at 8PMish, so we almost didn't get dinner.
Wed, leave Smithers under clear skies, But w/temps in the 5C range. A mile or two west of Vanderhoof, the RCMP had a safety check at a truck scales. Joe and I were among the chosen (of course) so we are asked for license and proof of insurance. And all of the ins cards I have are the expired ones. MUTTER MUTTER MUTTER!!!! But I do have the 800 number, so I call GEICO, explain my stupidity, and they faxed my info to the truck scales. Woo Hoo!
Back on the road, the occasional shower, just hard enogh to make the road wet, but not quite enough to stop and put on raingear. Got as far as 100 Mile House, and since we were both really tired, and the skies looked very threatening, and there was a motel across the street with a pub, grill, and two bikes in the lot, we chose to stop. Good plan, as we ran into a Uly rider from Alberta who had been riding from the south, and the weather was not good. Confirmed by the wet streets when we got up this morning.
Off soon for Cache Creek, then Chilliwack (SP?)and the east on 3CA till the Idaho border.
All the best, Dave |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 11:37 pm: |
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Did not read the road signs correctly (yet again!) so ended up in Kelowna, instead of going down the Frasier River canyon, which was the original plan. Not really a big deal, as either route would have us go through Osoyoos. Had planned to go further today, but we were both tired, and the weather ahead really looked bad. The wind picked up, to the 40MPH range, ect. Stopped, put on rain gear, and got to a motel in Osoroos in time to check in and get the gear off the bikes as the rain started to fall. Great timing! Cleaned out the catch can, looked things over; all is good.
Gas ,mileage in the low to mid 50's, running between 60-70MPH. Good stuff. The X-1 seems to have a case of "poor driveability" in wet conditions. Right now it is a PIA, nothing more. Not really looking forward to finding that one. Possibly the coil connection, but the cure will involve the sothgun approach, of cleaning and dielectric grease on every connection I can find. May be easier to just ride in dry condtions, LOL.
All for now, Dave |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 - 11:18 pm: |
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Sorry for the delay, visiting friends and issues w/wi-fi connectivity. Suffice to say, all is going well, esp now that the weather is co-operating. and the X-1's drivability issue has been solved. It started blowing ACC fuses again; not surprising considering the amount of rain we went through. Jumpered around the ignition switch, and all is well. More later, Dave |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 07:40 am: |
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Sounds like an adventure! Safe travels and we'll keep watching for your arrival in NC. |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 09:50 pm: |
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Left Osoyoos on Hwy3, headed east. 3 passes to go through, all between Castlegar and Creston. Talked to a seventy-something man while waiting out a thunderstorm. and he mentioned snow/slush in the passes. I though -Right-, it being August. Left as the weather cleared. and went on. Sure enough, along with the fog and rain, there was snow in the first pass, and slush on the highway. Hoodah thunk.
Second pass was just coldish, and the third was cold, and rainy, and slushy. Driveable, but not too fun. Got down to Creston and turned right, to head 8mi or so to the US border. And it started to rain again, so hard that you could feel the raindrops through the rain gear, leather jacket, and shirts. Did slow down enough for us to clear Customs. Then off to C d'Alene, and meet friends. Did get to dry out and warm up, and have a good visit.
Enough for now, Dave |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, August 22, 2009 - 07:49 pm: |
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Good news is that we arrived in Waynesville at about 6AM on Fri. Not so good news is that we arrived in a U-Haul truck. More on that later.
Left Coeur d'Alene on 95, headed for Boise. Switched over to 55 at New Meadows. 95 is OK, but 55 was great, following the Snake River . Really neat road. Got to Eagle, a Boise suburb, as it were. The GPS proved its worth, as put in the friends addy, and the Zumo said we were about 8 mins away, and took us straight to the end of his driveway.
The visit was good, and that meant we got on the road at the crack of noon the next day. Also meant we were getting behind a bit on the time schedule, so off to the interstate it was. Besides, not many other options to get from the Boise area to Yellowstone Park. The X-1 got a bit crabby, not liking sustained 75MPH speeds for 4-5hrs, other than potty and fuel breaks. Big oil stain on the primary cover. Slowed down to the 70MPH area, and it was happier.
Overnighted in West Yellowstone, Montana. Got noticably cool in the evening toward the end of the ride. Close inspection in the morning showed the shift shaft oil seal had backed out. Re-seated that, then pulled the clutch cover to insure primary oil level. All was good, so off to Yellowstone. And during a leak check a few mins into the park discovered that I had not properly seated the D-seal on the cover. DOH!!!. Did it again, properly this time, and no further leak issues.
Basically did a drive-through of the park, and it is wonderful. Definitely a place to go back to and spend some time, after doing some research as to what to see.
Crossed Wyoming on 20. Nice road, but not in the class of those we saw in Canada and Idaho. Spent the night in Buffalo, then continued on to the Devil Tower/Mt Rushmore stop. The route took us past the Crazy Horse Memorial, so a bonus stop. Off to I-90, and an overnight in Murdo, S. Dakota. Continued on to Sioux Falls, and a right turn onto I-29 south.
To cut to the chase, we got to Kansas City and turned left onto I-70, eastbound. At mile marker 117, looked back and Joe was not there. Pulled over, waited a few mins, then tried to get turned around to go back and look. Lost my balance, and fell over. And couldn't get the bike up. Started taking luggage off to lighten the load, and a semi stopped and the driver helped me right the bike. Thank you, Thank you. As we were doing that, saw an H-D rider headed west. While reloading the luggage, he stopped. Had talked to Joe, who was looking at a blown fuse. Thanked him, pushed the clutch lever back where it should be, put the broken toe peg for the shift lever in the tank bag, and headed back to see Joe. The bike had just shut off on him, and he found a blown ign fuse. As I headed back to the last town we had passed (the two exits in this area are only a mile or so apart),a trooper went by w/his lights on. Seems someone passing by had seen the bike on the ground and the stopped truck, and called in a accident. Nothing in the town, so returned to Joe, and the trooper was there.
Anyway, a new fuse, and all was well until you turned the stop/run switch on, when the fuse would promptly blow. Dead short somewhere. Columbia Missouri was about 10mi east of us, so the trooper (Thank You, Thank You) gave me a ride there, as there is a U-Haul dealer right off the interstate. And since the college kids are getting back to school, the U-Haul dealer had LOTS of inventory.
Joe had called ahead, I did the paperwork, and went back and picked up Joe and the bikes. 16ish hours later we were in Waynesville. Too cool.
Put Joe on a plane this morning to get him home. Now to find a place to live, LOL. So I can update my BRAN profile. LOL..
Enough for now, Dave |
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