MN to Phoenix and back.

Darth rider said:
In summary, I believe Kent can do this if anyone can do it this time of year. My hat goes off to Kent and his determination.
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As long as there is not a desire to prove something that overshadows good decision making he should be fine.

Kent, the best of luck with the weather for the rest of the trip and go safely in your travels.
 
Darth rider said:
In summary, I believe Kent can do this if anyone can do it this time of year. My hat goes off to Kent and his determination.
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No doubt it appears that he is determined. His choices of leaving with the need to get tires and the weather being somewhat less than ideal can be questioned.

On my second ever trip that ended up being 4800 miles, I was not well educated on the mileage motorcycle tires last. I had to get a tire in Rapid City on the way home. Lesson learned. Never leave on a trip without fresh rubber if any doubt it will make the miles planned. Always exceptions to this.

Jeff, I believe you know this runs in my family :rolleyes:.

With Moonshine fast approaching and being the last one, I really want to go on the bike. Knowing my abilities or the love of not getting hurt, I will not ride if the weather is going to be questionable.

I am sure Kent is going to have many memories and stories to tell us around a fire ring. I sure hope his remainder of the trip to Phoenix is less exciting and the return home safe.
 
DaveM said:
So as I am reading this, I'm still trying to figure this out. You wanted to do close to 2000 miles in two days in the middle of winter with one part going over the Rocky mountains but you also needed new tires that you planned on getting along the way??? And you thought that was a good plan and you would make it no problem??
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Ha! ;)

It's working out so far. I always planned rubber in Phoenix since I'll be there all week. Since I had snow forced down-time, I just figured I'd mount some while I waited but nobody had a set for me so Phoenix it is!
Later,
Kent Larson in Raton, NM.
 
Andrew Shadow said:
As long as there is not a desire to prove something that overshadows good decision making he should be fine.
Kent, the best of luck with the weather for the rest of the trip and go safely in your travels.
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I've never felt a need to prove anything to anyone. I just enjoy a challenge.
However, as I frequently say, "Everyone is an idiot some of the time. Just try to keep your personal idiot moments to a minimum and try really hard not to catch anyone else up in them."

Later,
Kent Larson from Raton, NM
 
Get some good sleep you have a full days ride ahead of you.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Day 3: 1044 miles

Finally got in a day worthy of the sub-forum, Long Distance Riders. No weather, bike or body problems today; just miles of smooth travel on my cross-continental missile.

The only worry today was when the gas gauge started flashing the last bar after the day's third fill up. I noticed it when the odometer was showing 268. The last thing the google maps lady said was stay on County Road 96 for 45 miles and that was about 5 miles ago. A few minutes after the turn onto 96, the google lady died along with the iPhone battery. So there I was, 40 miles to End of Google Directions (EoG).

I moved the windscreen down as low as it would go, tucked down behind the screen, squeezed my legs against the tank (well tank cover) and hoped the flashing wasn't going on for too long (I _really_ can't read the ST display during the day). I needed a gas station where the 45 miles on County 96 ended.

Odometer passed 300, with a few miles to go until reaching EoGD. When I got to where google wanted me to leave 96, there was no station. There wasn't even a town. Just a T intersection with County-31 and a sign saying "<-Cheraw". No mileage indicated.

I turned off the engine and coasted to the T trying to decide if I turn or continue. I went straight based on two bits of data:
1. The mileage markers had been counting down and the last one I saw said "10".
2. There was a rectangle structure straight ahead on the horizon. Too far to make out what it was but defiantly not a tree or rocks. Something man made.

At 311, I pulled into a 1-bar town called "Sugar City" and coasted, engine off, the last few hundred feet up to a dinner with 1 SUV in the lot and an OPEN sign. Patrons told me nope, no gas in town but about 6 more miles down the road I could get gas in Ordway. After telling them I was lucky to make it to Sugar City they offered to follow me to Ordway in case I ran out on the way.

We all enjoyed a fresh baked cinnamon roll, they refused to let me pay and then agreed to let me draft them to Ordway. Nice people in Colorado!

After spending 6 more miles about 5 feet from their Bronco's rear bumper, I put in 7.425 gallons and reset the trip meter from 317.9 miles to zero.

I didn't reach Highway 25 until after dark and needed to pace a four wheeled moving lantern who seemed to know the road. Keeping her/him about a half turn ahead let us do a fun speed but I pulled off for the night because I'm sure the views and the turns will be much more fun during the day.

9 hours left for tomorrow. I just have to set things up tomorrow and get ready for the week so 3pm arrival will be fine. Good that I had the extra 1/2 day in reserve.

Later,
Kent Larson from New Mexico
 
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mudduc said:
9 hours left for tomorrow. I just have to set things up tomorrow and get ready for the week so 3pm arrival will be fine. Good that I had the extra 1/2 day in reserve.
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so the two day itinerary drama was artificial anyway, your Monday reserve "hours" mentioned earlier was pretty much a reserve "day". :bsflag:
 
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mudduc said:
I've never felt a need to prove anything to anyone. I just enjoy a challenge.
However, as I frequently say, "Everyone is an idiot some of the time. Just try to keep your personal idiot moments to a minimum and try really hard not to catch anyone else up in them."

Later,
Kent Larson from Raton, NM
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I've never felt a need to prove anything to anyone..... then why post anything , just do it.
 
dwalby said:
so the two day itinerary drama was artificial anyway, your Monday reserve "hours" mentioned earlier was pretty much a reserve "day". :bsflag:
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Yep. I was lucky it didn't hurt me to miss most of Monday.

There is still a 2 day itinerary for the trip back this weekend but I don't know that I'd put a "drama" label on anything. My plan is to ride Saturday and Sunday and be back Sunday night. I'd like to be ready for work again on Monday in Minneapolis but just like the ride down, I can adjust for circumstances.

Later,
Kent Larson in Phoenix, AZ
 
How was it going over the mountains in New Mexico on 40? What is the highest elevation? Glad you made it

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Al st1100 said:
I've never felt a need to prove anything to anyone..... then why post anything , just do it.
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The main purpose of the post was to see if anyone wanted to meet for eats along the way or would offer a couch at the 1/2 way point. No takers so I feel a little unloved but I'll survive. There is still an opportunity for someone to get the sweet smell of stale, wet motorcyclist on their couch this Saturday night! Anyone? Hello?

Later,
Kent Larson in Phoenix, AZ
 
mudduc said:
The main purpose of the post was to see if anyone wanted to meet for eats along the way or would offer a couch at the 1/2 way point. No takers so I feel a little unloved but I'll survive. There is still an opportunity for someone to get the sweet smell of stale, wet motorcyclist on their couch this Saturday night! Anyone? Hello?

Later,
Kent Larson in Phoenix, AZ
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I am a little to far east and only a little way from your home. To bad

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
mudduc said:
The main purpose of the post was to see if anyone wanted to meet for eats along the way or would offer a couch at the 1/2 way point. No takers so I feel a little unloved but I'll survive. There is still an opportunity for someone to get the sweet smell of stale, wet motorcyclist on their couch this Saturday night! Anyone? Hello?

Later,
Kent Larson in Phoenix, AZ
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You are just on the wrong path......I have a permanent biker flop spot here....open to all smelly bikers......_20180205_170746.jpg

ToddC
 
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Day 4: 670 miles

The day started at 7am and 28⁰F in Raton, NM at 6,680 feet elevation. I saw a "Continental Divide" sign along the way that said 7 thousand something but didn't catch all the digits.

Since I had (oo, drama!) to be at my destination by 3pm, I just let Google Maps plot the fastest route and got I-25 South to I-40 West to 377 and some other numbered county roads from there. No ice found all day (thankfully) despite watch-for-ice signs open everywhere. The scenery was out-standing!

Don't take my route as a recommendation. Others have already posted what I'm sure are much better routes through this area while I was just taking the fastest as recommended by my cell phone. However, my experience seems to indicate you can't go wrong whatever you pick. I definitely want to come back again when I have time to explore. There were wide open vistas populated with huge rock formations, distant white-capped mountains, passes dramatically cut through layered rocks, a beautiful (and really cold) winding path through a pine forest and sweeping corners plummeting down a steep grade.

The best part was a surprise road that the google lady added when she said "There's a crash on <whatever> and <new road> is 5 minutes faster. Press NO if you don't want to re-route." No chance to get my phone so I'm now heading down, what I think is 60/77. It as a 45mph posted road that was tight, twisty, humpy and well paved. It went past the most spectacular rock formations and deep cut canyons of the day. There were parking lots full of cars left behind as people went out to enjoy the scenery on foot or by pedal power.

Got in at 3pm, setup things for the week and checked into the hotel at 6:30.

Well, that's it for the ride down. Plans were wrecked by the snow storm and the need to be in Wausau until late on Friday but I got here after 2278 miles on the road in good-enough time to get my job done. The tires are out of tread but not showing cords and I have recommendations for where to get new shoes for the trip back. Thanks guys!

The company is paying my stay for the week with check-out on Friday so I'm on my own for Friday and Saturday night with hopes that I'll be back home on Sunday. I'd still rather buy you a dinner and borrow a couch over paying $60+ for a motel but I understand it's tough to line up times, locations and rideable weather.

Later,
Kent Larson in Phoenix, AZ
p.s. "humpy" = a road that is built like a sine-wave with 5 to 10 foot amplitude.
 
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mudduc said:
Day 4: 670 miles

There were wide open vistas populated with huge rock formations, distant white-capped mountains, passes dramatically cut through layered rocks, a beautiful (and really cold) winding path through a pine forest and sweeping corners plummeting down a steep grade.

The best part was a surprise road that the google lady added when she said "There's a crash on <whatever> and <new road> is 5 minutes faster. Press NO if you don't want to re-route." No chance to get my phone so I'm now heading down, what I think is 60/77. It as a 45mph posted road that was tight, twisty, humpy and well paved. It went past the most spectacular rock formations and deep cut canyons of the day. There were parking lots full of cars left behind as people went out to enjoy the scenery on foot or by pedal power.
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You got a taste of the places us Desert Riders escape to when the deserts are in the triple digit temps. Also be careful of those voices in your head. :crackup Hope you're successful with the new shoes. Enjoy and ride safe.
 
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