Coolhand
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Bringing the next generation along...
- Thread starter Tourmeister
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I forgot to post a short vid and some pics from a brief evening ride following the Burger Bash. It was such a beautiful day that Sarah and Daniel were desperate to get out for a ride, even a short one. So we headed out FM 980 to 3478 to cross over the Trinity River to get to some fun dirt roads. At the turn for FM 3487, there was a long stretch of deep paving gravel on the side of the road, the stuff used for chip sealing. Daniel wanted to try his had and riding through it. Sarah wanted nothing to do with it!
He started out great! Then it got DEEP
He managed to save it, but dropped it twice on the return trip.
He had to work on slipping the clutch to control rear wheel spin to get it going again once upright.
The rest of the ride was really nice. We hit a lot of the fun dirt roads on both sides of FM 230 and even hit a few new roads the kids hadn't seen yet. We ended up back in town so Sarah could go to the gym and Daniel and I grabbed dinner while waiting on her so we could ride home with her. It was very apparent that the KTM is due for some new tires, so I ordered a set of Shinko 804/805 for it. They've not yet been mounted.
He started out great! Then it got DEEP
He managed to save it, but dropped it twice on the return trip.He had to work on slipping the clutch to control rear wheel spin to get it going again once upright.
The rest of the ride was really nice. We hit a lot of the fun dirt roads on both sides of FM 230 and even hit a few new roads the kids hadn't seen yet. We ended up back in town so Sarah could go to the gym and Daniel and I grabbed dinner while waiting on her so we could ride home with her. It was very apparent that the KTM is due for some new tires, so I ordered a set of Shinko 804/805 for it. They've not yet been mounted.
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So last Friday evening, Sarah wanted to go for a short ride on the new 2022 390 Adventure before she went to the gym later in the evening. It was a beautiful but warm and humid evening! It was all good until I pulled up behind her as we were about to turn on another dirt road and start working our way back to town and noticed her back tire was FLAT! We pulled off to the side of the road and busted out the tools. I could not get my air pump to work. Fortunately, a nice local couple took pity on us and let us use their air pump. After MUCH sweating we were back on the road. We opted to just head to Hwy 30 so we could cruise to a gas station on the edge of town to check and make sure her tire was holding pressure. We almost made it as far as the San Jacinto River when my dash warning light start flashing red to let me know my rear tire was losing pressure fast! We made it to the Dollar General near the fair grounds and parked where their outdoor lights would let us see what we were doing. I immediately saw a screw head in the tire when I stepped off. We went inside the store to enjoy the A/C, get more tire plugs, and a towel to keep the sweat out of my eyes while working. I let Sarah do the plugging so she could learn how it’s done. Then we tried using CO2 canisters to refill the tire… no luck. So I asked a person nearby if we could use the 12V outlet in their minivan to power my pump. That worked and we were soon on the road. We went on down the road to the gas station we were heading for earlier so I could check both tires and top off mine. Then we went inside to sit and cool off and have a Gatorade. Now it was already 10:00pm! We made it home okay. She never made it to the gym. Daniel immediately asked why we didn’t use the 12V socket on the dash of Sarah’s bike…?
Now that is a GREAT question!!
Next time…
It turns out that I think the pump draws more current than the standard dash outlet on my GS can handle. So I am guessing it popped a fuse (or whatever the CANBUS system does with an overload). I have not checked to see if the dash outlet on the KTM 390 can handle it. Also, about 15 minutes after get got home, some very nasty weather came blasting through with crazy winds, LOTS of close lightning, and heavy rain! Thank goodness we did not get caught out in that.
Now that is a GREAT question!!
Next time…
It turns out that I think the pump draws more current than the standard dash outlet on my GS can handle. So I am guessing it popped a fuse (or whatever the CANBUS system does with an overload). I have not checked to see if the dash outlet on the KTM 390 can handle it. Also, about 15 minutes after get got home, some very nasty weather came blasting through with crazy winds, LOTS of close lightning, and heavy rain! Thank goodness we did not get caught out in that.
I hate cigarette lighter plugs with a passion , every one on my stuff has been eliminated and replaced with a SAE plug except in the dodge , I hate working on the interior and dash of it more .
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Great reading material, you have a story telling gift.
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Well, it has been a busy few weeks. I've been ordering stuff from all over the place to get luggage, GPS mounts, heated grips, new tires, new chains, tents, backpacks, and more to get ready for our planned adventure in August. As part of that process, I had to let my clients know that I would be taking a few months off from work. I am effectively terminating all of my contracts. I've been doing work for some of these people for close to 30 years and a few were some of my Dad's first clients all the way back in 1988. I typed up a short letter and have it as an email attachment. All the emails are scheduled to go out at one time at 5:00pm today. I feel like I am going to puke. I know this is what I need to do, but...
So as of August 1st, I will be out of business. Hopefully, we will be on the road by the first or second weekend of August. There are still a few farkles to finish adding to the bikes and a few more small things to acquire, but we are close to being ready. The plan is to have everything ready in the next few weeks so the kids can do some practice packing and we can go for a few rides with the full loads to make sure all is good or see if something needs to be tweaked.
At this point I am not real sure what I will do once we return from the trip. Most likely, I will be calling some of my clients to see if they want to pick up where we left off. The downside to that is it puts me right back into the same stress that led me to needing the time off to begin with. But, I have to pay bills, so...
So as of August 1st, I will be out of business. Hopefully, we will be on the road by the first or second weekend of August. There are still a few farkles to finish adding to the bikes and a few more small things to acquire, but we are close to being ready. The plan is to have everything ready in the next few weeks so the kids can do some practice packing and we can go for a few rides with the full loads to make sure all is good or see if something needs to be tweaked.
At this point I am not real sure what I will do once we return from the trip. Most likely, I will be calling some of my clients to see if they want to pick up where we left off. The downside to that is it puts me right back into the same stress that led me to needing the time off to begin with. But, I have to pay bills, so...
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Takes some real stones to do what you're about to do, but work in your field will always be there, whereas the age of the kids will quickly pass. Good clients will recognize what you are doing, and they'll be jealous I'd wager. 
Will it seem weird that the whole of TWT will be vicariously riding along with y'all?
Will it seem weird that the whole of TWT will be vicariously riding along with y'all?
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And it is done.
All the emails have been sent. I decided to call the head person for each client before they got the emails to let them know personally what I was doing and why. Every single one of them told me they appreciated me calling them and letting them know. Every single one of them said they totally understand why even though it is definitely going to be inconvenient for them. Quite a few of them said they wished they could do the same thing because many of them are in a similar situation as I am because of the emergency nature of our industry. Every single one of them asked me if would recommend someone to take my place until I come back. I did not. I recommended they call the fabrication shops and ask them whose drawings they are seeing and get a list of names from them. I actually know only one other person personally that does what I do and I know of one other, but there have to be a few other people out there doing it as well. Every single one of them also asked me to let them know the moment I decide to come back. Those phone calls REALLY helped me feel a lot better.
Now I just have to survive the next two months until August 1st.
All the emails have been sent. I decided to call the head person for each client before they got the emails to let them know personally what I was doing and why. Every single one of them told me they appreciated me calling them and letting them know. Every single one of them said they totally understand why even though it is definitely going to be inconvenient for them. Quite a few of them said they wished they could do the same thing because many of them are in a similar situation as I am because of the emergency nature of our industry. Every single one of them asked me if would recommend someone to take my place until I come back. I did not. I recommended they call the fabrication shops and ask them whose drawings they are seeing and get a list of names from them. I actually know only one other person personally that does what I do and I know of one other, but there have to be a few other people out there doing it as well. Every single one of them also asked me to let them know the moment I decide to come back. Those phone calls REALLY helped me feel a lot better.
Now I just have to survive the next two months until August 1st.
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So we've been doing a lot to the 390s to get them ready for our upcoming adventure and the kids have been doing the videos. Rachel has discovered that she actually likes editing them, much to Daniel's delight since he does not! Here is one of their latest efforts,
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So my first "go for it all" route came out around 12K miles... 
Yeah, anyway, snapping back to reality, I decided we would just drop the West coast completely and stick closer to the Rocky Mountains. The new plan is to trailer out to Farmington, NM. I have a former client that lives there and has a nice secure place for us to leave the truck/trailer. Then we will make a big loop through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. I have 40 days of routes planned, an average of 6 hours riding time each day, for a total route length of 8300 miles, give or take a bit depending on weather and alternative option routes. Ideally, we will get away sometime between August 5-12th. Whether or not we actually do the whole 40 days worth of routes is up in the air depending on what happens during the trip and how we feel as we go along. But it is good to have a plan just in case... I tried to keep the daily mileage between 150 and 250 depending on the mix of street/dirt, shorter days for more dirt and longer days for more street. Either way, I have tried to keep the "moving" time around 6 hours per day, leaving plenty of time for breaks, stops for pictures, sight seeing, etc,... I am sure we will have some days where we don't ride at all. Ideally, we will return sometime around early October. Here is a quick screenshot of the overall plan,
We'll be running the route clockwise, heading into Utah first, then Idaho, and back down through Montana to Wyoming and Colorado. If we get pressed for time or tired of riding, much of the Northeast section of the Colorado routes can be dropped, removing 7 of the 40 days.
The kids want to visit Canada just so they can say they have been there. I will be carrying so that would be a problem for me. I may just send them over and wait for them to get back, but they will be 18 and 17, so I don't know if their young age might be an issue. We will all have valid passports with us.
It seems like the list of things to do keeps getting longer, not shorter, no matter how much I get done! I don't think it has hit the kids yet as they are not feeling any sense of urgency regarding preparations. I'll chalk that up to lack of experience. In my world, August 1st is coming FAST! The farkling of bikes is done for the most part. What remains is to do an oil change on all bikes, new tires on all bikes, and new chains/sprockets on the 390s. Other than that, I just need to get them to get serious about thinking what they want/need to bring with them and how to pack it. I REALLY want them to have most of that done by the end of June so we can do a few local rides setup the way we'll be riding for the trip so we can see if there are any issues, and if we do have issues I want to have time to address them before leaving.
Strange how the time can seem to be moving so fast and yet dragging at the same time...
Yeah, anyway, snapping back to reality, I decided we would just drop the West coast completely and stick closer to the Rocky Mountains. The new plan is to trailer out to Farmington, NM. I have a former client that lives there and has a nice secure place for us to leave the truck/trailer. Then we will make a big loop through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. I have 40 days of routes planned, an average of 6 hours riding time each day, for a total route length of 8300 miles, give or take a bit depending on weather and alternative option routes. Ideally, we will get away sometime between August 5-12th. Whether or not we actually do the whole 40 days worth of routes is up in the air depending on what happens during the trip and how we feel as we go along. But it is good to have a plan just in case... I tried to keep the daily mileage between 150 and 250 depending on the mix of street/dirt, shorter days for more dirt and longer days for more street. Either way, I have tried to keep the "moving" time around 6 hours per day, leaving plenty of time for breaks, stops for pictures, sight seeing, etc,... I am sure we will have some days where we don't ride at all. Ideally, we will return sometime around early October. Here is a quick screenshot of the overall plan,
We'll be running the route clockwise, heading into Utah first, then Idaho, and back down through Montana to Wyoming and Colorado. If we get pressed for time or tired of riding, much of the Northeast section of the Colorado routes can be dropped, removing 7 of the 40 days.
The kids want to visit Canada just so they can say they have been there. I will be carrying so that would be a problem for me. I may just send them over and wait for them to get back, but they will be 18 and 17, so I don't know if their young age might be an issue. We will all have valid passports with us.
It seems like the list of things to do keeps getting longer, not shorter, no matter how much I get done! I don't think it has hit the kids yet as they are not feeling any sense of urgency regarding preparations. I'll chalk that up to lack of experience. In my world, August 1st is coming FAST! The farkling of bikes is done for the most part. What remains is to do an oil change on all bikes, new tires on all bikes, and new chains/sprockets on the 390s. Other than that, I just need to get them to get serious about thinking what they want/need to bring with them and how to pack it. I REALLY want them to have most of that done by the end of June so we can do a few local rides setup the way we'll be riding for the trip so we can see if there are any issues, and if we do have issues I want to have time to address them before leaving.
Strange how the time can seem to be moving so fast and yet dragging at the same time...
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Looks like you plan on going through Glacier NP? Make sure you plan ahead. They are on a reservation system for entries. I believe you can get in early in the morning before the reserved hours start, but I know you aren't a morning person...
Looks like a great trip..
Looks like a great trip..
Weather permitting , mountain tops are getting rain every day in Wyoming right now , atv s are coming back into town a compleat mud ball unless they get washed off coming down off the mountain , I looked at one the other day , trash bags over the seat , trash bags over the riders rain suites and mud 6 inches deep in the floor board . It usually starts to dry out by August , this is the wettest I have ever seen , all of Wyoming is green .
I see one flaw on your map , you routed 14 to Greybull Wyoming then north on dirt roads to 14 a and over the Bighorns , that road is where the bayrite mines are and the haul road from the mines to the plant , not someplace you will want to be on two wheels . A nice alternate is 14a east from Cody through Powell and Lovell , a 20 mile detour off that to BigHorn canyon if you have time would be nice , some nice camping spots in the north end of it too .
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My oldest son, Sam and I did a few rides together on his ZX9 and my K1200RS from California up and also from Colorado up to Banff in BC. We'd somewhat frequently do cross border runs with Sam, my wife and myself from our summer home in Missoula. The lower road around glacier avoids the Going to the Sun cluster, and is also beautiful. They used to have great food at the Three Sisters restaurant a few miles north of the NE glacier park entrance on the highway towards Canada. Its where I had my first Moose Drool nut brown ale. If you have passports, camping in Canada is delightful.
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So you need a reservation to camp or just to even get in the park at all? If we camp, it will be on the far West side of the park at one of the lakes.
We will be heading out sometime between Aug 5th and 12th. By the time we reach Wyoming, it will likely be the first week of September, if not the second. So I am hoping things will have dried out a bit by then. If not, we will just do some rerouting on the fly to stick to pavement. Being on the big GS and with all of us loaded with luggage, we are not interested in slogging through a muddy mess.
Are you referring to Crystal Creek Rd that runs North from Greybull? We were hoping to hit Greybull to check out the museum at the airport.
home
The Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting is located in Greybull, Wyoming
www.museumofflight.us
Have you ridden Hunt Mountain Rd., between 14A and 14 South?
That whole section North of 14 past Greybull is kind of an optional part in my mind. We could always just head out of Greybull on 14 until we reach Battle Creek Rd., where we head South to Hyattville. Hoping like crazy that will be dry as it is a really nice ride.
Yes on both , the museum is worth the effort , Wyoming 310 is a couple miles west of the airport and will take you to 14a on the east side of Lovell . You’ll want to top off on gas in Lovell if your going to ride the mountian tops down to Ten Sleep , there is gas there , and yea 14 a is a cool ride if timing and weather is right . If you go east from GreyBull you’ll go right past my summer home , I’m on the left when you come down the hill into Shell . I think what they call Battle Creek rd is FS 17 on all the road signs , I saw that Battle Creek name the other day and have never heard it before . If you do run that the Wyoming BDR route has the correct road numbers in it . The satellite road names are pretty far out in left field .
I rode Hunt mtn road last summer on the Cagiva , a beautiful ride except for the traffic jam . I’ll keep you updated on weather in this neighborhood .
And the traffic jam really wasn’t a problem , they moved over .
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Snow melt will be gone by the time you get there. Pass reqd i heard just to go into the park . Camping by reservation for sure. If you take going to the sun road, do it at 8:30 a.m. to avoid the tourist 20mpg speeds. But hey, 18 years ago i got pulled over for road racing on it, so speeds vary with my mental condition
..these days i go slower
..these days i go slower
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We purchased annual NP Passes. They got here a few days ago.
Not to derail this, but I'm curious what your plan is for tires on the bikes for this sort if trip? Something that'll last the whole way, I imagine.
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All three bikes will be running the Trailmax Missions. I've never used them before, but they have been getting rave reviews so I thought I would try them. Something like the Shinko 804/805 combo might work for the 390s on this trip, but my GS would go through 2-3 sets of them for this trip. We are not planning to do any hard unpaved stuff, so hopefully the Trailmax will be sufficient, and will hopefully last. I don't think it will be an issue at all for the 390s with their lower weight and power. I am really only worried about the GS. Unlike some people around here, I have never really been able to get ANY rear tire past the 5K mark and about 7.5K for a front.
The TMMs are what I'm trying on my Twin next, right after I wear it the factory tires I'm putting back on. I hope you'll have good things to say about them!
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I also dont get much more that 5-6k on any rear, maybe 7 on the front. These guys that claim 10k are dreaming ...
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There are no shortage of tire threads here and elsewhere full of these people. I am just not one of them
Same here. I've about 6000 or so on my current Motoz GPS and got about 7000 out of a previous one. That's record seeing territory for me! Anyway, enough of that. I hope y'all's trip goes well!