Gringo
Miami, Florida
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Joined: 04/26/2004
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Happy July 4th to all you guys over there!
I am here with the folks we threw out all those years ago! 
2008 World Tour now underway! Miami - Toronto - Chicago - Manchester, UK, Bristol, UK, London, UK, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO (now) ... and more!
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Cutlers Cruisers Motorcycle Association
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Payloader
Denver, Colorado
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Joined: 01/19/2004
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Hellooooo over there! Happy July 4th just another day on the calender for them over there to you.
"If you can't be a poet, then be the poem." David Carradine
VOTE FOR RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_paul
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Payloader
Denver, Colorado
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Joined: 01/19/2004
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Ok, I am ready to tell you all the story of my 1201 mile two day ride from Denver, Colorado to Baker, Montana and back again. After going with my son Kyle to get his driver's license we took off for Big Sky Country. Kyle in his Prelude, and me on my trusty RKC. We took I-25 to Cheyenne, stopped at my dad's place. We then headed up US-85 towards Torrington, then Lingle, Lusk, and to Newcastle. It was hot. We took the wrong road to Devil's Tower, well it wasn't "wrong" just not the one I really wanted. Instead of taking 85 into Sundance through Four Corners we went toward Moorcroft. Not only a longer route, not as nice a ride. At Upton I turned toward Sundance to salvage this little faux paw. Took I think Highway 14 to Hulette past Devil's Tower. I like seeing the tower in context with the surroundings. It doesn't look all that out of place. It looks really different from the North side, it looks like it curves. You don't see pictures of it from that side. Not many good places to get good shots. Most of the photos you see are from the South and East sides. I have never seen it from the West. That would be someone's ranch. Stopped in Hulette for gas. Only one gas station, and it was closed. the old dude weed eating the grass said the pump would take a debit/credit card, so I filled up at $4.3something a gallon for premium. Then we went north to Alzada, Montana. We hit some paving operations, we had to wait and follow a pilot car. Nice new road though. We even went over some brand new chip sealed road (gravel over tar), but I can't remember where that was. Get to Alzada, if ever there (not far from Devil's Tower or Sturgis) stop at the Stoneville Saloon home of cheap drinks and lousey food. Great chili, and biker friendly. Hiway 323 runs to Ekalaka, Montana. It's about 80 miles long, and until a couple of years ago 70 miles of it was dirt. A dirt road is different than a gravel road, it doesn't have gravel on it. It may have rocks, but is not maintained by dumping more gravel on it. It gets graded and that's about it. the dirt in that part of the country is what we call "Gumbo". It's a clay type dirt that nothing grows in. You will see the Finger Buttes in the distance about 10 miles up on this road, they are gumbo. Anyway, when wet gumbo turns into the slickest, sloppiest glue you ever stepped in. A dirt road is more motorcycle friendly when dry than a gravel road. In my opinion. Highway 323 is now about half paved. Very nice road. About 5-10 miles still dirt, and about 15-20 miles are now gravel. I almost wiped out on the gravel. 55 mph on the dirt, lucky to get 40 on the gravel. Hot, with lotsa bugs. Got to Ekalaka, turned North onto MT Highway 7 to Baker. Highway 7 was by far the worst road we were on that day. The dirt was better. Got to Baker about 9:30pm. 579 miles. Tired, stayed up BSing 'til 1am. Dumb!!!
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Payloader
Denver, Colorado
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Joined: 01/19/2004
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I will break this up so it's not some really long post. The trip up was more about getting there. I have traveled these roads so much it's hard to get into the scenery. A lot of the ride up was also about getting situated on the bike. I ebeded up with a skull cap, bandana over my face, and goggles. the bandana stopped the bugs from hurting as much, stopped my cheeks from flapping in the wind, which is easily the single most annoying thing about riding fast, and long distance. I found too, that if the bandana is covering at least the lower half of my ears it cuts out the wind noise. We had breakfast at Sakelaris's Kitchen in Baker. Great Place, but they don't serve chicken fried steak with any gravey. none, not even country gravey. Weird. I headed East towards Bowman, North Dakota on US-12. If you have ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintanence you are somewhat familiar with US-12. This is the road he rode on the whole book, pretty much. he doesn't mention Baker, but he staopped just over the ND/MT boarder for lunch/breakfast. Baker is the first Mt town you hit. I get to Bowman, and notice that my Left exhaughst end cap is making noise. i know it's the allen screws vibrating loose. I stop at L & L Service to see if I can borrow some tools. Yeah, I left mine at home. I looked at 'em before I left. I don't know! never again. Larry Turbiville the owner didn't have the right size allen socket, so he sends me over to Napa with his rachet and extension to get the right one. He said to just have them charge it to him. I haven't lived up there long enough to be suprised when poeple up there do things like that. I know Larry, or at least his name. I don't know if knew me or not. He didn't say anything. I do Montana plates on the bike, but I still am blown away by that stuff. Napa didn't have one, so I took Larry's tools back to him and said goodbye. That's L & L Service on US-12 in Bowman, North Dakota. he has gas and can wrench on your car, truck, tractor, whatever. I figured I might be able to make Buffalo, South Dakota befor the fishtail fell off. I ende going all the way to Belle Fourche, South Dakota. You Sturgis rats might know that name. This is on US-85 the CanAm Highway by the way. I found a small gas station that hadn't sold gas since it was $1.60 a gallon. The garage door was open, I pulled up, a chick walks out all dirty like she was working on the car in the garage and asks me how I'm doing. It's hot, but not as hot as Baker to Buffalo. I tell her what i need, she brings an allen wrench that won't reach. So, Travis Peters (sorry didn't get her name) ownwer of Verical Performance in Belle Fourche, SD came out. Long story short he ended up re-threading the hole and put two new bolts in the end cap, and off I went, to Spearfish, south Dakota. I would have got gas there, but he didn't sell it. That's Vertical Performance in Belle Fourche, South Dakota on US-85 right in town, 605-892-2082 cell 970-739-3214. Found out he is from Cortez, Colorado. I said I wouldn't tell anyone that he didn't charge me a dime. He said he usually charges a half hour minimum when he stopps working on something to work on something. So, I didn't tell you that. After getting gas in Spearfish, home of Terry Componants maker of my terminal Velocity FI closed loop thing, I headed to Deadwood and the rest of the Black Hills. FYI, Hiway 14A out of Spearfish goes thru the canyon and into Deadwood. Traveled trough the hills on hiway 385, thru Hill City, Custer and into Edgemont. Headed West to Mule Creek Junction, which is a rest stop. I get to Mule Creek Jct. am ready to leave, start the bike and the end cap makes a bad noise. The top bolt had come loose and was resting inside the cap. I get to Lusk, Wyoming and find some tools, put the bolt back in. By the time I reach Torrington, Wyoming the top bolt is gone and the bottom one is loose. I can't find tools to save my life. I put a bungee on the tail to see if I can make it the almost 80 miles to my dad's house. About 20 miles out of Cheyenne I loose my fishtail. I went back to look for it, but to no avail. It was dark and starting to rain. Raine dsome through Cheyenne, on the hiway anyway. Made it to Denver about 11pm. I-25 was the second worst road I traveled after Hiway 7. Total 1201 miles, 37 hours, one fishtail end cap. I have been tired ever since. Happy 4th everyone.
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Tommy Tune
Newark, De. 19713
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Joined: 08/12/2004
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Pay, I'm glad that you had a good safe trip. I wish that I had my bike with me.
Ontario Canada is totally beautiful. Today, I'm exploring some scenic caves and possibly going to the beach. Yesterday, I took a ride to the top of Blue Mountain. The view overlooking the Georgian Bay is breathtaking. Last week, I was in Niagra Falls. If anyone ever gets the chance to go there, do it!!! Take the Maid of the Mist tour. It's amazing to look up and see the fury of the falls in close view.
Happy 4th to everyone. I hope you all stay happy, healthy, and wealthy. Remember, wealth is not measured in monatary value. Have a good one, folks.
I’m martyr to a motion not my own - Author Unknown
"Fellowship of the Kings Charter Member!!!"
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Payloader
Denver, Colorado
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Thanks Tommy. I hope you guys have a good time in O'Canada.
I am at work today, and just released an '08 StreetBob that we impounded last night. The guy was telling me that his bike pulls to the left. He has owned it for 3 months, and the stealers can't figure out, the one's that even admit some kind of problem, what's wrong with it. They checked and realigned the engine. He said it helped, but still dives to the left when he takes his hands off the bars. The factory said that he shouldn't be riding with his hands off the bars. Makes the brake squeal seem tame. Nice bike though. Flat blue, Rhineharts, mini apes, sounds good. too bad harley has to be denying problems with their bikes still. Jeez, just admit that even Harleys sometimes have issues. It's like they don't want to even acknowledge that there could even be something not perfect on a Harley. Like everything that the bike does is part of the Harley experience and should just be treated as such and tolerated. they have some funny stuff on the RB Racing site www.rbracing-rsr.com about Harley and their arrogance. it's in the breaking news section.
* This post was
edited 07/05/08 07:56am by Payloader *
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kpapa
Johnsburg N.Y.
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Joined: 04/21/2008
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Hey Payloader
Sounds like you had a interesting ride. I love it out there in that part of the
country. I rode to Sturgis in 05 ( only in Sturgis about 3hrs.). The rest of the time my wife and I rode all over SD, Wyo and Mont. When you are on vacation time goes by too fast. We crammed too much in the short time we had but still had a wonderful time. We want to go back someday. Glad your trip was eventful and SAFE. That's the best kind. Have fun and ride safe.
Have a Happy 4th
kpapa
kpapa
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KYFLHRSI
Louisville, KY
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Joined: 05/04/2008
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Thanks, Lionfan. I bought the Wild1 14 in, and new plantinum braid cables from Barnett. I put on an oil cooler, some chrome doodads, and the kuryakyn mark iv highway pegs. Bike is getting more comfortable by the minute. I think with these new bars, I will be in the zone.
Payloader, glad your trip was a safe one. I am heading to Bar Harbor, Maine and back at the end of the month- about 1350 miles each way.
By the way, to close the loop on my exhaust post a while back, just for the heck of it, I called Rinehart to complain about the hole in the rear header pipe. They replaced it under warranty and provided me with a new bracket. Apparently the bracket design (the original one) was defective. Good service.
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RockyMtnRoads
Parker, CO 80134
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Joined: 05/17/2004
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Bar Harbor is beautiful. That is going to be a great ride but don't forget your rain gear!
Well they say time loves a hero
but only time will tell....
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LionFan
cincinnati, OH
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Joined: 06/04/2004
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Just back from my Michigan ride. It was great. Turned put to be 1185 miles. The first day was half crappy because it rained hard all the way through Ohio. I had the rain gear on so it wasn't too bad untill it started raining so hard that I couldn't see. Then I just stopped for a soft drink somewhere and waited.
The ride on US 23 along lake Huron is great. It's a little slower because of all the small towns and resorts,but great people watching. That bike is like a people magnet. Everyone wants to chat about the bike. If I was in a car, they wouldn't give me the time of day. In Tawas city I stayed at the Rip tide motel - ask for rosemary - I got the smallest room I have ever seen. I think it used to be a garden shed. The locals called it "the love shack". It was funny, a good time and right on lake Huron. When you ride along the lake you need a jacket. The next day I rode across the middle of the state on 61 and didn't need a coat. Stayed in my buddies cabin on 8 points lake outside Clare. Drank all the beer in clare. It was a blast. Next day I took US 10 to Ludington on Lake MIchigan to see my family. It was a great ride and lots of fun. It's a great little lake town worth staying in if you get the chance.
All in all the worst road I was on was a 15 mile stretch of I 75 in Dayton Ohio - the worst!. BTW, not sure it it's theior gas budge or what, but almost no state boys anywhere. The ones i did see were on Road Kings....
...on a rattlesnake Speedway
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