I just got back from a trip from central Wyoming across Idaho and then
across Oregon to get together with an old Navy buddy and then to ride
beside him on a short 200 mile tour of the mountains of southern
Washington near Hood River.
The trip started with an oil change and
noted that the tires are
looking worn. Figured that I could pick them up
along the way and get
some miles of extra wear.
It was amazing how
everyone of those antique bikes, Vincents, BMWs,
Triumphs,Moto Guzzies,
and others that I can't think of right now,
simply passed me on ever curve
and I tried to just stay insight. I was
kinda amuzed by a Vincent 500,
that looked like an engineering
nightmare.
As we made our way out
to the run through the mountains around
Klicitat, Wa., the W held its own
on brief straight line acceration
with some very exotic but old machines,
most are restored to better
than new!
But the mountain curves, I
caved when the funny sounding (like an old
tractor) passed me as I was
slowing up and in full lean for a corner.
It was only 500cc, single. It
was here that I knew that I'm not the
rider I thought.40 years of riding
did not prepare me for a ride with
these old geezers!
My buddy rode
his restored to almost showroom 68 BSA Lightning on this
trip that would
take us through north central Oregon.
Anyway, these few days wore the
tire down a bit and looked ready but I
decided to try to make it home. By
Boise, I was getting nervous and
spent several hours checking the shops
for new tires. There were none
to be had. All would have to order. Motel
bills had already hit the
budget pretty hard. Another 2 or 3 days before I
could back on the
road, I gambled that the next town down the way would
help, no help.
That night, my mind churned what I was gonna do. Finally
after much
thought to rent a U-Haul and carry it back and get home on
schedule.
Since Casper is growing and very few U-hauls are leaving town,
they
charged me a little over a dollar a mile! And that 40 gallon tank was
really eating up the money.
I haven't added all the costs up but, I
think I could have flown and
rented a bike. The bike performed all but the
last 600 miles very well.
Never skipped a beat. Speedometer did keep dying
until I could get the
bike cooled off in the wind. My gas milage went up
to a high of 65 mpg
and began averaging about 51 to 56 mpg for the rest of
the trip. It had
been getting a pretty consistant 50 mpg most of the bikes
life.
Right now, I'm of the mind to just use the bike only for
utilitarian
uses, everyday riding locally in Wyoming, and never leave home
to make
a trip that I do not feel the W is up to!
PS: Two things.
First is that I got a new videocam that mounts easily
on the handlebars.
Sound is terrible but the digital video is pretty
good overall. I have
already got some of it up on You-Tube.
Also
got some good stuff at the OVM Rally and ride.
Second. I enjoyed the
hell out of myself!
Ride Safe!
Bud
