Sadlsor goes x-country on the GS Adventure

spiderman302 said:
you should have gone double dark, then you would not need those extra tires....
Click to expand...
Mark had Rawhide leave 'adventure' tires - 50/50's on the bike for his instruction days. They then put street tires on the bike for his 2000 mile trip home. He took the 50/50's because there is a lot of life left in them. He is going dark - see his comments in the Darkside forum in the Vredestein thread.
 
spiderman302 said:
you should have gone double dark, then you would not need those extra tires....
Click to expand...
I haven't found a CT with knobblies that would fit... I've been reading the wrong sub-forums on ADVrider.
3 or 4 clients injured themselves, to the point they were unable to complete the course, not only in my Level 1 class, but in the Next Step class as well. In fact, a newly-met friend, Kevin, was the ONLY guy to graduate Next Step. It's the next course in level of difficulty, after the Level 1.
One man wrenched his back in the very first exercise - how to pick up your bike - and had to withdraw. Another man injured his ankle, and I think another landed on his shoulder badly.
Funnily enough, my ego told me I should be in the Next Step class, I already knew the stuff in Level 1. In reality, my degraded skills (nearly 4 years with the ST now) and my performance showed the world that Level 1 was the right place for me.
Literally, cannot tell you how many times my bike and I ended up face down in the soft dirt. I'm sure my riding gear is carrying 17 pounds of California desert dust, dirt and powder, it's well ground in and embedded, but oddly enough, I did well in the sand.
I dropped the bike again last night in the parking lot, at the first "rest area" (no maps) I found in AZ at 1030 or so.
We know we have to practice all our riding skills, so we don't forget them. My bike knows how to lay down on command, and even without me saying a word. I set my alarm for 2 hours from now, but woke up early. I need to see Larry today, it would have been too late after my exodus from CA. Even with lane splitting, I was often running at an average of 30 mph on I-5 S and I 210 E.
Interesting splitting between cars on a GSA with a tire strapped to each side, but I guess they could act as bumpers.
I didn't have to use my bumpers, though, and some (a few) vehicles actually would move over to allow me more room to go between them - on occasion. They probably could sense this was my first time to lane split, but I think I did quite well.
Tell ya what, I'll continue this saga later, right now I need to see if Ray or Keith or Nick has started some REAL coffee.
This Super 8 stuff in a cup is like drinking swill.
 
Great update! Glad you are getting lots of practice with your newly acquired skills! How long is it taking you to unload and load the bike at the motel stops? I guess parking outside room is ideal, and stairs would suck. How is the bike running?
 
Late start upon leaving yesterday. I installed my windscreen, aux lights and something else (I forgot) that are taken off class bikes... you can break stuff when they hit the dirt. Oh! The mirrors, too.
Oh, and installed the Nomax tank bag.
Then I had to swap the rear tire, after teaching myself to use a Mitas tire machine. I must have missed one of my self-study classes, because Jim Hyde himself had to help me change it.
Then I had to figure out how to strap everything on the bike, including my laptop (never even opened it all weekend) and the stuff I carried out here on the plane.
I did not ship out my Mosko panniers, they would have been handy.
I have to tighten the right mirror, after my late-night parking lot demonstration of agility and grace.
This is what I have so far for y'all, I thin it was well under 300 miles.

share.garmin.com

Garmin Explore™

Manage your Garmin Explore or inReach account. With Explore and inReach, you can communicate, map, track, and share your trek from anywhere on Earth.
share.garmin.com

Still new to the InReach, so let me know if you can't see it. Thanks!
EDIT: Clicking the link, seems I have to slightly zoom in to actually see the blue track buttons.
 
Looks good.. you should make Birmingham by January... :rofl1:

Hey, I've dropped my RT on each side now... once in a perfectly flat light gravel pull off and on the other side in a slightly angled gas station parking lot...

I'm sure you are beat after all the activities so just settle in and get the rest you need each day, tough to take a long trip on a new bike you're getting to know.
 
Sunday Rider said:
Great update! Glad you are getting lots of practice with your newly acquired skills! How long is it taking you to unload and load the bike at the motel stops? I guess parking outside room is ideal, and stairs would suck. How is the bike running?
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I didn't time it but easily 30 minutes, as I don't have spare tire mounts on my racks... just a couple handfuls of tie-downs and lashing straps.
Got a first floor room at Super 8, but not with a parking lot view... it's still here this morning.
Bike is running great, but have an alert that my rear tire pressure is "below set standard" or some such, so even when I clear the red alert screen, I have the small blinking red triangle warning on all the TFT screen views. When I told Jim about it, he said don't worry about it. I don't know where in the menus to change it, but I'm confident 38psi is sufficient. Just an annoyance at the moment.
What is NOT annoying is the torque down low, the smoothness of the ride in Road mode (feels more like a soft interstate sofa, than even the Double Dark 1300. The Telelever front end contributes to that - the whole bike moves subtly up and down, not just the front end or the back, when I go over rough pavement.
The manually adjustable windscreen is like our STs - lots of air pressure at speed, so just wait till you're riding much slower, or until you stop.
The stock saddle is working for me -- so far.
The sound is delicious, to my ears. A subtle rumble of sorts.
The last thing that does not suck is the CRUISE CONTROL!!!
What a game changer!!!
At least once you can get out of CA 30mph freeway traffic.
This bike is a keeper, and will complement the 1300 quite nicely, methinks.
I need to learn all the TFT menu options, it's got to be similar to the operating procedures for flying a 737.
We used Enduro Pro at class, with all the "rider aids" turned off.
I'm liking this machine... I better go load up now.
 
Upt' North said:
Just catching up on this buddy, wow, you're getting some advice, it's a jungle out there. How does anybody manage to survive after sunset?
Take enough time to enjoy it but yes, try to avoid, deers, mooses, mouses, rabbits, ants, snakes, rabbits with antlers, coyotes, wolves, elks, beetles, dogs, cats, spiders, flies, midges, imaginary tunnels, roadrunners, but most of all Volvos.
Phew, that should have been a Johnny Cash number.
Upt.
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Its just as dangerous over there Ray, you have the Irish;
1699377287538.png

The Scottish;

1699377321142.png

And lets not forget the Welsh;

1699377358391.png

to watch out for.
 
Just stopped at my last AZ rest area, driving home (pun intended) the messgae: "no free state maps, you hoser! Buy yer own damn maps!"
Time to get back in the saddle, I just got SO grossed out.
An old, old man got out of his van wearing running shorts and ...a sports bra.
Damn!! I didn't need that image.
And he didn't even have moobs.
Hello Adventure Rider Radio podcasts... take me away from here.
 
Well, now you don't have to stop for lunch.
 
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