Little Hiatus

Yes, I have been absent from this blog for a while. The real world called and I answered.

Now, there are some things that simply cannot be discussed. There are some things that are far too trivial to be mentioned. And then there are things to write about and discuss and reminisce and ruminate upon. The latter will be fodder for likely the next year. Just to recap my current state of being:

1 - I have three running (for the most part) motorcycles. My primary riding bike is a Harley Davidson 2004 1200cc Sportster Custom, also known as a HD XL1200C. Then there is my first bike, a 2007 Honda Rebel. She has a few mechanical issues but nothing that can't be rectified with my tools and abilities. And finally, there is my 1991 Suzuki VX800; my project bike. Currently the later is having issues with the front carb but she runs.

2 - Still single. Had a few dates but nothing serious or involved ever came of them.

3 - My daughter will soon be leaving to the great mid-west. If all goes well, a year from now she will be in the undergraduate program at University of Iowa studying psychology.

4 - Work is quite throughly filling my days. In today's economy that is a good thing; and I am certainly not complaining.

5 - I now exercise my Second Amendment rights about once every other weekend at an outdoor range not far from where I live.

6 - I won a Kindle reader at a recent company picnic. This thing is amazing!

So... if you fall into any of the following categories, please give me a call: know much about balancing multiple carburetor V-Twin motorcycle engines; know about the University of Iowa; want to go on a date; know anything, or want to know anything about carrier call detail records, rating, phone switches or high-throughput data processing; want to go shooting one weekend; or have reading suggestions.

Oh, since my little Acer Netbook seemed to have run off with someone, I replaced it with a little Dell Mini this evening. Not sure how this will work out; we shall see.

I Do Occasionally Surprise Myself

Here is the short part of the long part of the story. With the help of a factory manual, some persistence, patience, ingenuity and the folks at www.rebel250.com , my little Honda Rebel is running well again!

Mobile!!! I am Mobile on two wheels again!

And now, here is the long part of the short part of the story. While my bike sat immobile in my backyard, waiting for warmer weather, my mind wandered.

Did I push her too hard?

Can she fulfill my riding desires?

Was I simply lucky on my last trip that she did not suffer any major mechanical issues?

Over and over like an infinite recursive loop in the background, these thoughts ruminated and perked. More than once, "trade her in and get a Versys or SV650 or maybe a Sportster," went through my consciousness. It became not an idle concept after a while. The fact existed that she will always be a bike that had been repaired by an amateur with little or no experience in the science and art of motorcycle repair. And, not just any repair.

Oh, if it were that simple of a repair. By the time her engine was ready to reassemble, the saddle, tank, carb, battery, engine head, cam assembley, exhaust system, cylinders and other assorted items were neatly wrapped in well labeled bags or boxes, in an odd semblance of order under the patio roof. The most complex mechanical operation my fingers have taken part in since high school was a fuel injector replacement in my pickup last year.

Following the manual and help from other Rebel riders, she is now back together and running wonderfully again.

So, with a day off work, we ride around a bit, enjoying the sites and sounds and tactile input that only two wheel travel can provide. Off to the right, while riding South on Boulder Highway is the Ride Now Powersports dealership where she was purchased. I downshift and we pull into the parking lot.

About eight months ago I lusted after a Kawasaki Versys; even filled out the credit application and tried to trade my Rebel in for this odd, somewhat difficult to describe motorcycle. If you look back in my blog, I even discuss it.

Walking into the dealership today was more a fact finding function than an active search for another motorcycle. My Rebel is now purring along and my VX800 project will likely be consuming any spare time and money I have. No... No new motorcycles for me today.

I am there for information. Where do they take the old bikes they take for trade that cannot be resold? I am just curious. Who knows. Maybe with that information I might be able to turn up some pieces and parts for Vixen.

I start chatting with a sales person about the VX800 and how I am curious about their 'junk' bike disposal. Just when I am getting some information, one of the sales managers walk by, shakes my hand and promptly asks, "Did you see the user Versys we have?"

I thought, 'Nope, can't see that red Kawasaki resting there right behind you,' but I simply say, "Oh yes. Not interested in one right now."

"Well, how much do you owe on that Rebel? Just give me your Social Security Number and I will go back and see if we can make a deal."

I decline and he walks off with the intention of 'getting some numbers together.' Not interested at all, but if he wants to go run some numbers or watch motorcycle porn on his computer... whatever.

The sales person starts calling some other dealerships to see if they might have any old VX800s littering their garages. Roughly 10 minutes later the other fellow returns with a smile. "I have a great deal for you. I can get you on that Versys for only $6,500. We will take the Rebel in trade and roll it all into the loan."

I was getting ticked off. "I am really not interested right now. Maybe in the Summer."

"Well, if you would give me your Social Security Number, I will look at your little Rebel, get a payoff amount and move you on up to a bigger and better bike."

Stress was building... "I just spent a month repairing someone elses' screw-up on my bike. I am good with it right now."

"Well, I can get you on that Versys and it is in great shape! There is nothing wrong with that bike."

This is where the unexpected happened. Something just snapped. "Look, someone here or at the factory over-torqued one of the low torque head bolts and it pulled out of the engine case while in Kansas. I get it back here and Honda will not touch it for warranty service. SO, I spent a month tearing apart that engine, putting it back together and tuning it. Prior to that we spent three weeks together traveling to North Carolina and back. 5800 miles! I am not going to trade her anytime soon, if at all. Period!"

Ever the sales person, "Well, if you do change your mind, let us know, OK?"

He walks away and the sales person tells me that by some rare chance a VX800 shows up he will give me a call. I am not holding my breath.

My reaction still seems suprising. This attachment to a motorcycle, and the emotional response generated at the somewhat pressured prompting to trade her in for a different bike still suprises me.

My Cross Country Log - Day 2

During most of my trip, I would end the day with a little time writing in my journal. Day number two was not one of those days. The day, in and of itself, was fantastic. The ride started with the stark beauty of the desert, moved into the wonderful splendor of the Rocky Mountains and ended with a wet, hypothermic thud. Day two was one of the most photogenic of the entire trip. Unfortunately my camera gremlin started to act up after getting into Colorado. But I am getting ahead of myself.

This entry was actually written the morning of Day 3.
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Cedar City, Utah to Eagle, Colorado
Camp - Horrid cold $30

Cat shit and chocolate smell while leaving Cedar City. Ate hotel breakfast & took bagel, apple & banana.

I knew this would be a long day - nearly 500 miles - well, I was close.

Everything put back on the bike, tracker checked out, I was off.

The run up I15 to I70 was fairly uneventful and traffic was quite light.

Getting on I70 was the same. Riding was fairly simple - cruise at about 70 MPH & follow the road.

There is a long stretch of road with no services just East of Green River, Utah. Just before the stretch is a small town with service stations. I pull over to gas up & a couple on a Kawasaki (some large cruiser) were having difficulty with their security fob. Couldn't even turn the switch. He walks into town to get a new battery for the fob & I chat with his wife for a bit. After a while I head into town to check on the husband. They are from LA (Los Angeles) and going to Mount Rushmore. He found a battery and I was on my way.I think I caught a gremlin from them.

I like the simplicity of my Rebel. No fob to break. No computer.
At first, Colorado was a simple ride. Then became hilly, mountainous and very twisty.

Held my own for a bit & started to become tired after about 400 miles.

I stop at a small town with hot spring spas and thought, "I should get off at the next campground." I should have.

Before this, the riding was a lot of curves & up and down slopes. Fun for a while but quickly tiring. As I saw the camp sign I thought, "just one more." I shouldn't have.

The next campground was roughly 40 miles away in Eagle, Colorado. As soon as I passed that first campground sign, the rode became worse. In and out of tunnells, up and down and curving to follow the river. Then, about 2o miles into this last leg, it became quite cold. The road was drenched from a previous rain I had to be very careful.

Then I saw the "Camp" sign in Eagle. I pull over, plop down $30 for a camping spot & in the dark with a flashlight in my mouth, a light, very cold misty rain falling, I put up the tent. That must have looked crazy.

Camp rules - No Fires... BLEK!

The night must have been 40F or so. I was so cold I slept in boots, two pants, three t-shirts, hoodie, riding jacket, two blankets and my emergency mylar blanket. I finaly fell into a fitful sleep at about two AM.

(Not sure when I wrote this... Grammar isn't wonderful so I think it was actually penned that night.)
Up. 1 AM went to bathroom. It was warm. I had to think long and hard about just sleeping there. For the first time in a long time I was scared. What the HELL am I doing here? What did I get myself into? I am in a tent in Colorado, it's 40 degrees out & I feel like I am freezing!!! WHAT!?

My Cross Country Log - Day 1

While cleaning up the living room, the notebook where I recorded my ride log was finally located. There is some bad grammar and strange thoughts throughout. Looking at it from the vantage point of today, much of it makes sense, whereas when it was penned, it seemed like only so much gibberish at times. 5,800 on a motorcycle trip does something to a person.

So, with pictures interspersed throughout, here is my ride log. Some grammar and spelling errors will be corrected but for the most part left as-is to keep my basic frame of mind intact. Italicized items are additions made to clarify something that may may not be clear, like dates and names.. Here we go...
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Day 1 - Vegas to Cedar City, UT (September 26, 2008)
Hotel - Nice, about $50
Didn't eat out, had trail mix from my ex-wife.

Ride was hectic, about 100 miles in Vegas doing errands.

• Went to DMV to renew my bike's registration. My number was nearly 100 more than the current number, so I attempted to use the automated kiosk. SHAZAM! Worked like a charm.
• Rode over to see Brianna (my daughter) before I left. There was an auto show going on in downtown Henderson and all streets were blocked off. I managed to get close to where she works and walked the rest. They were BUSY! She works at Lenny's Sub Shop. We exchanged goodbyes.
• I rode over to pay the rent which unfortunately is on the other side of town.
• Then, on the way out, stopped at the bank and got $200 in travelers checks and $100 in cash. That is all I could safely take without possibly causing issues with the account.

Traffic was horrible. Now I truly know the meaning of 'road warrior.' Even after Mesquite, traffic was nasty. Weaving in and out of mountain gorges with no shoulder to speak of, with vehicles ten times my bike's weight is not a lot of fun.

After passing through St. George (Utah), I passed the Walmart distribution center that Dave and Heidi (folks from where I work) mentioned. My goal was to make Parawan before nightfall. There was just no way.

Before Cedar City I stopped and put on my clear visor. It was getting dark rather quickly.

I was hesitant to do any guerrilla camping when I can't even see where I am going, so decided to hotel it the first night.

It was nothing spectacular. With all of my adrenalin, it was hard to sleep but got about six hours.

And now for the Warranty...

Well, my little Honda Rebel is nestled safely at Ride Now on Boulder. Surprisingly, well not really, Honda Customer Service had no record of the call I made to them last week about my engine woes. So, I call again, this time getting a name and explaining the situation.

As before, I am told that since I didn't get my bike into the shop before the warranty expired, my expectations should be tempered. Further explaining that the symptom was extremely minor and was not viewed as an urgent situation by anyone I spoke with, did not seem to sway the attitude of the customer service representative.

But, on the up-side, a 'case manager' should contact me within the next few days. We shall see how it goes.

And now for something completely different... Think SP CFI, baby. I am NOT letting my motorcycle woes keep me down!