Tink's Great ST1300 Adventure

[TINK_imp]

My poor CB1100 has been sitting in the garage, under its cover, on the trickle charger, WAY too long.

My excuse; I was out for a long ride on my 2009 ST1300.

I needed to go to Seattle for some family business. My travel options; Airplane, Automobile, or Motorcycle... no-brainer, Motorcycle.

The ST1300 is the perfect tool for gobbling up miles. :biker:

I left The OC and rode north to Bass Lake CA to spend the night with and old friend. 300 mile day

The next day I decided to ride through Yosemite on my way to another friends home in Groveland CA. It was raining lightly most of the way to Yosemite, nothing hard, just cold and wet. 100 mile day

The following day my target was Merrill OR, just over the CA boarder. I rode east on SR-88, Kit Carson Pass in the morning. Snow still on the ground in shady places at the summit. From there I headed north on SR-89 past the west side of Lake Tahoe. WAY too may tourist around the lake, but I managed to solder on through the throngs of tourists. At Truckee CA I shot over to Hyw 395 to make some time on my way to SR-139. California SR-139 is a two lane ranch land road. An amazing piece of paradise. Little or no traffic. Just sit back and enjoy the view. Stayed at the Homepage - Wild Goose Lodge & RV in Merrill OR where the sign on the wall asked that you do not pluck your fowl in the room. 450 mile day

The next days target was Corvallis OR to visit with more old friends. North on OR Hwy 97 past Klamath Lake. Then west on OR-58 to Eugene. Drone up I-5 to the Corvallis exit onto OR-34 into Corvallis. 250 mile day

My target for my final day north was Seattle. I-5 bla bla bla... there. 300 mile day

Following my short day and a half stay in Seattle I headed home. At 04:00am I left Seattle where the lights of downtown, and the Space Needle, wished me a pleasant journey. My day ended at home in The OC 1200 miles and 22 hours latter. They call me "Mr." Iron Butt.

The ST1300 is a true mile eater. 18 hours in the saddle and no discomfort. I have a Corbin seat and Heli Bars that make this bike fit me like a glove.

PS
WHAT! Not pictures!? Long story short, I lost my camera on day one and decided to just enjoy the ride. :biker:

 

[the Ferret]

Wow the last day was a doozie.That's some saddle time. Sounds like a fun trip. I have ridden 89 near Tahoe and Truckee ( twice) beautiful area and yes too many tourists. Have a nephew that lives in Carson City we have visited. Once on the ST. The other time flew in and borrowed his NC 700 to ride some Sierra mountain passes and visit Yosemite.

Yep the ST is a mile eating machine. Love mine, now headed for 92,000 miles .

Too bad about the camera. Would have made for some great pics.

 

[Rocky_imp]

WOW, iron butt indeed!!!
Great ride

 

[Cormanus]

Tink, you're a man who takes pictures. I hope it was not one of your hideously expensive cameras.

However, not having one could be a blessing I suspect.

Mighty last day.

 

[Lord Popgun]

I hope it wasn't the Minolta 35mm I sent him.

 

[emptysea]

quite a ride.

 

[TINK_imp]

I'm back to work fixing old Brit bikes at HOME | Triumph Classic Moto

Parked the ST1300 after my trip and let her rest for now. Need to put on a new set of tires and detail her before my next great adventure.

No, popgun, it was not the Minolta I lost. I lost my beloved Nikon D300 DX with the 18-200 DX zoom lens. I shot this camera/lens a lot over the past 10 years. I replaced it with a Nikon D700 FX (Craigslist) and a new 28-300 FX zoom lens from B&H. Saying goodbye to Nikon DX format and going full FX. I still shoot film, so now all my lenses are compatible with both my digital and film Nikon cameras. I also lost a Nikon FE film body and my 35mm f2 manual focus lens. Bummed about loosing my 35mm f2 AI manual focus lens, not so much the FE body as they are a dime a dozen.

I've done several 1000 mile days on the ST1300 before. This is the first time I did the entire 1200 mile Seattle to home ride in one sitting. It was fun being out on the road again. I told myself when I retired from the Corporate World that I would do this more often, ya, right, this is the first long trip I've done since my retirement... three years ago. :-/

 

[ride4now_imp]

3 years into retirement and this was your first long trip? Yikes!!!! I'm planning to retire in about 2 years and I'm already thinking (dreaming, planning) about that first trip, where I'll go, how long I'll be gone, and whether I want to buy a new bike by then and what it would be. So you're scaring me. I hope I don't get caught up in honey-do stuff... What took you so long?

 

[curlyjoe]

My poor CB1100 has been sitting in the garage, under its cover, on the trickle charger, WAY too long.

My excuse; I was out for a long ride on my 2009 ST1300.

I needed to go to Seattle for some family business. My travel options; Airplane, Automobile, or Motorcycle... no-brainer, Motorcycle.

The ST1300 is the perfect tool for gobbling up miles. :biker:

I left The OC and rode north to Bass Lake CA to spend the night with and old friend. 300 mile day

The next day I decided to ride through Yosemite on my way to another friends home in Groveland CA. It was raining lightly most of the way to Yosemite, nothing hard, just cold and wet. 100 mile day

The following day my target was Merrill OR, just over the CA boarder. I rode east on SR-88, Kit Carson Pass in the morning. Snow still on the ground in shady places at the summit. From there I headed north on SR-89 past the west side of Lake Tahoe. WAY too may tourist around the lake, but I managed to solder on through the throngs of tourists. At Truckee CA I shot over to Hyw 395 to make some time on my way to SR-139. California SR-139 is a two lane ranch land road. An amazing piece of paradise. Little or no traffic. Just sit back and enjoy the view. Stayed at the Homepage - Wild Goose Lodge & RV in Merrill OR where the sign on the wall asked that you do not pluck your fowl in the room. 450 mile day

The next days target was Corvallis OR to visit with more old friends. North on OR Hwy 97 past Klamath Lake. Then west on OR-58 to Eugene. Drone up I-5 to the Corvallis exit onto OR-34 into Corvallis. 250 mile day

My target for my final day north was Seattle. I-5 bla bla bla... there. 300 mile day

Following my short day and a half stay in Seattle I headed home. At 04:00am I left Seattle where the lights of downtown, and the Space Needle, wished me a pleasant journey. My day ended at home in The OC 1200 miles and 22 hours latter. They call me "Mr." Iron Butt.

The ST1300 is a true mile eater. 18 hours in the saddle and no discomfort. I have a Corbin seat and Heli Bars that make this bike fit me like a glove.

PS
WHAT! Not pictures!? Long story short, I lost my camera on day one and decided to just enjoy the ride. :biker:

Impressive trip TINK!

Does the Corbin seat make a dramatic difference? Which model do you have? I have the stock seat on my ST and my butt gets sore after a 200 mile ride. I put a sheepskin buttpad on it and that helps a little but the difference is not dramatic.

 

[Lord Popgun]

Curly, I have to use a Airhawk on my ST (and CB too) or my rear is sore after a few hours. Since it works for me, I'm sticking with the stock seat. I not going to do any 1000 mile days though. Heck, I'm not doing that in my car!

Tink, in looking at your site, why does the Ascot bike have such a tiny tank?

 

[the Ferret]

Tink, take it from someone who in the last couple weeks put 2 buddies in the ground, one a couple years older, one nearly 10 years younger, TAKE THOSE TRIPS!

Since I retired 4 1/2 years ago I have probably taken 15 trips. 3 weeks after retiring I rode to visit a buddy in Wisconsin thru Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota, visited my buddy and came back thru the UP and lower Michigan. Then I rode to California and back, out the southern way along 66, up the west coast, and back the central way. Then my wife and I towed the ST to Montana, unloaded and toured Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming. I've ridden to 3 CB rallys in N.C., Virginia, and Arkansas. 3 Fall Mens Trips in Oh, KY and I forget where lol, 2 ST SToc events, ridden the BRP from Virginia to NC on 2 different CB 1100s on separate rides besides the rally, plus local riding nearly every day.... over 100,000 miles worth of riding all together... SINCE RETIRING. In a couple of weeks headed to Colorado to ride some mountain passes on the CB, although that will be another tow trip with offroadfx4.

I still need 7 states to complete the lower 48 and am planning those in 2 separate trips now. One to Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. And one to RI, Conn, Delaware and New Jersey. I also need to get down to the Barber Museum in Alabama. Wife wants to go back to Bryce and Zion and see the Grand Tetons (probably a tow trip for us since she had had a hip and 2 knees replaces and she can't ride for days on end anymore) probably this September.

Point is, we get one shot at this life, and if you really want to explore the country by MC, do it, before you can't. You don't want to face the end with regrets and wish I'd haves.

 

[Cormanus]

I've a sneaking suspicion Tink's doing something he likes doing a lot.