PLANNED - Missoula to Old Forge!

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Missoula Montana to Old Forge, New York.

Yeah...most people are saying, "Insanity." Maybe they're right. But I was given/forced the time...layoff. New York is my roots. My college degree is from SUNY. My mother's people were there from the age of the Mayflower.

I aim to go see the Adirondiacks in high summer, one more time before I die.

SO FAR: GPS. Bags that bolt, literally, to the luggage rack. National Cycle full windshield...so far, mixed.

Willingness to do the motel number, at first. Later will require financial survey.

Wish me luck - I'm making fertilizer out of dog dirt...

 

[the Ferret]

Well, that's not the way you want to get time to ride, but as long as you do have the time, might as well make an epic ride out of it. Best of luck, have fun and ride safe. When do you plan on taking off?

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Well, that's not the way you want to get time to ride, but as long as you do have the time, might as well make an epic ride out of it. Best of luck, have fun and ride safe. When do you plan on taking off?

Thank you, Mr. Ferret.

I'm loose on planning; but it looks like, if it will happen, in a couple of days.

Across the Great plains. I have contacts in the Wisconsin/Upper Peninsula region.. Then....I wanna ride through Cleveland, since I grew up there. Through Buffalo, since I have memories. Through the Genesee Valley...and then up NY 12/28, to Old Forge.

 

[flynrider]

Missoula Montana to Old Forge, New York.

Yeah...most people are saying, "Insanity." Maybe they're right. But I was given/forced the time...layoff. New York is my roots. My college degree is from SUNY. My mother's people were there from the age of the Mayflower.

I aim to go see the Adirondiacks in high summer, one more time before I die.

SO FAR: GPS. Bags that bolt, literally, to the luggage rack. National Cycle full windshield...so far, mixed.

Willingness to do the motel number, at first. Later will require financial survey.

Wish me luck - I'm making fertilizer out of dog dirt...

Insanity??? I'm wishing I could do that. Sorry to hear about the layoff. For what it's worth, one of my best long distance bike adventures was done in between jobs.

I always bring along a small tent and a sleeping bag and stay overnight for free on National Forest or BLM land when I don't feel like (or can't get) a motel room.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Sounds very, very sane to me. However, you do have my sincere sympathies about the layoff. Good luck for the future. If you do the ride try to keep us posted.

Cheers

 

[Cormanus]

JPT, I join with others in offering my sympathies for the layoff. Seems to me the world is becoming a harder place with each day.

That said, if you have to have a layoff, and you can manage it, what you're proposing looks like a very sane way to fill the time. I had to look it up on Google Maps and realised you could wonder into Canada on one leg of the journey and come home north of the lakes. It's a serious ride!

If it comes to pass, perhaps you could take the odd photo and tell us stories about your travels. And share your musing on the spiritual nature of the RLET.

Alternatively, you could turn your nose south and join one or two of us in Robbinsville, NC next weekend.

 

[the Ferret]

I can tell you that if you are going to get laid off in Montana, summer is certainly a better time for it than WINTER! Winters can be brutal there.

 

[redbirds_imp]

So sorry to hear of the layoff. Best of luck to you on your journey.

Check in when you're able and let us know how about your trip.

 

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

I'm jealous! Enjoy my friend. I have a one man tent and a sleeping bag, both of which are extremely compact and a self inflating sleep mat. Camping is cheap and most places have excellent shower facilities. I try to hotel it every few days so I can totally relax and watch a little TV.
It's a great way to travel. Have fun!

 

[Elipten_imp]

Sorry to hear about the layoff, but this is an excellent use of the opportunity. Sound like the making lemonade from lemons story. Opportunities like this are rare in a lifetime of work. I have survived two years of numerous layoffs at my employer, and I tell them if you cut me please do it in April or May, so I can ride or take the summer and explore USA with my during my son's summer vacation. An August to March layoff would not permit that.

Be safe and enjoy the ride.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Well...what's the saying? Man plans, and God laughs.

I'll be going back to work - on the 15th. So...the logistics of a ride to the Adirondacks, don't add up.

I'll be taking a shorter cruise, maybe five days...along the Oregon coast instead; another part of the world I've never seen.

I'm glad it's not a long-term cast-out; but this whipsawing is getting tiresome.
On a side note...getting the CB ready. With the Plexistar 2 windshield.

When I got it, at first, the sudden wind roar...put me off. But I've resisted cutting it down - it seems to be the right height now anyway, chin-high. I changed helmets, that cut the noise; and for the ride I'll use earplugs.

Took it out for a long ride for the first time with the windshield. Noise aside, the difference is amazing - I'm no longer feeling blown off the seat. Broke the century mark today, easily...the vibration seems to smooth out some at the higher speeds. Of course, being on the I-slab, I didn't spend a lot of time at that speed...

But now I know I can make miles.

I'm a bit disappointed, but I can live with it. Compared to my Burgman with the Givi windshield...I'd say it's a 5/8ths compromise. Noisier. Top of my helmet vibrates some, above 80. But, what power!...the Burgman would d0 100, but it didn't have much more pickup than a car might. This was a revelation.

So...it's foam plugs in the ears; and I'm off to the West Coast. At least now I can make miles on those areas where I have to slab it...and the windshield comes off in about a minute; on in two minutes.

 

[the Ferret]

Good new that your going back to work in a couple weeks. A man has to eat. Also good news your touring the Oregon coast. Hear it's stunning.

Everything we add to the bike is a compromise of sorts, windshields especially. There are no perfect ones.

 

[flynrider]

Well...what's the saying? Man plans, and God laughs.

I'll be going back to work - on the 15th. So...the logistics of a ride to the Adirondacks, don't add up.

I'll be taking a shorter cruise, maybe five days...along the Oregon coast instead; another part of the world I've never seen.

I'm glad it's not a long-term cast-out; but this whipsawing is getting tiresome.
On a side note...getting the CB ready. With the Plexistar 2 windshield.

When I got it, at first, the sudden wind roar...put me off. But I've resisted cutting it down - it seems to be the right height now anyway, chin-high. I changed helmets, that cut the noise; and for the ride I'll use earplugs.

Took it out for a long ride for the first time with the windshield. Noise aside, the difference is amazing - I'm no longer feeling blown off the seat. Broke the century mark today, easily...the vibration seems to smooth out some at the higher speeds. Of course, being on the I-slab, I didn't spend a lot of time at that speed...

But now I know I can make miles.

I'm a bit disappointed, but I can live with it. Compared to my Burgman with the Givi windshield...I'd say it's a 5/8ths compromise. Noisier. Top of my helmet vibrates some, above 80. But, what power!...the Burgman would d0 100, but it didn't have much more pickup than a car might. This was a revelation.

So...it's foam plugs in the ears; and I'm off to the West Coast. At least now I can make miles on those areas where I have to slab it...and the windshield comes off in about a minute; on in two minutes.

I think you'll enjoy it. The 101 down the Oregon coast is a great ride. As I recall, most of the coast is public land and there are state and fed parks all along the highway. Lots of places to stop and enjoy the scenery.

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

I'll be off tomorrow.

Was to have been today; but I had a few needs at the local Chinese-Tool emporium; and then, packing...I'm discovering the difference between traveling by CB and traveling by Burgman 650.

Burgman, had a wide enough seat, I could just throw a military duffel across it; strap it down. A smaller bag under the seat. Didn't even have a luggage rack; but I got sleeping bag and tent all tied on. Stable, too.

CB...I'm traveling without the tent and bag now; the duffle won't work thrown crossways and is two long lengthwise. A big-but-smaller bag. I was going to stack two; but it basically was top-heavy and probably overloaded the luggage rack - the bag is partly on the pillion and partly on the rack. Total weight, probably about 40 pounds.

Pare it down; tamp it in, string it up...and it was 1 pm. A little late to get started. Tomorrow I'll try, up with the sun...I was gonna use a net to strap my running shoes outside the bag; but the bag is so big even the net won't go over it. I'll have to either bungee cord it, or else bungee cord the CPAP machine to the top of the duffle. At least it's insured...

Funny how I'd discover how much I missed that road-scooter, two weeks after selling it...

 

[flynrider]

Packing a standard bike without luggage is an exercise in creativity. I haven't done a major road trip (over 1k miles) on the CB11 yet , but I've done it it on numerous others. This is where some type of backrest really comes in handy.

1987

1989

2008

2011 (finally bought some bags)

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Well, now I feel better about my two stacked bags. They weren't as high as on your 750, the shot without panniers.

I actually had them strapped down well - I have good tie points on those bags. I just didn't like the height; and then I wound up with a few things left out.

We'll try tomorrow.

 

[flynrider]

Yeah, those were all 2+ week road trips with full camping gear. I learned quickly to keep the heaviest stuff down low.

Have a great time on your journey to the coast! Don't forget to post pics!

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Out the door...three hours late.

Bright spot is...I had the time to try on my old armored riding pants...sure it was a waste of time. They FIT!..a little tight, but it's raining...I want all the protection I can get.

Here. The Beverly Hillbillies go riding.

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

A handful of photos; and I can't upload them on this tin-can-and-string Internet connection.

I made the coast. A little too much four-lane slab time for my taste; but options going across Washington state are limited.

White Pass was breathtaking; got a few shots of Mt. Ranier. Didn't get more in that I was running on fumes most of the way up the mountain...there was an ethanol-free gas station just pass the summit, but I didn't know that. So I poked along, wondering how much a tow would cost, or how much gear would be stolen if I had to hitchhike for a gallon of gas.

The heat around Walla Walla/Pasco was as impressive as the vocanic lava-flow topography, denuded of all but dry grass. Doesn't necessarily make for good photos, though.

First fifty miles of US 101 was a good twisty ride...unfortunately, I was a bit tired. We'll see how tomorrow goes. Rain in the forecast.

 

[the Ferret]

sounds like a good trip so far. One can go further on a tank of gas on these CB's than the instruments indicate.