Travel Do

Went out and got the famous "Sturgis" Cut. Won't have to worry about combing my hair or having helmet head now for the trip.

Tunes for the Trip

Downloaded Fleetwood Mac Rumours to the GPS. Makes a total of 1033 songs for the trip. My goal is to make the trip with no repeats : ) If you see the brake light blinking it's me tapping to the music on the pedal.

Final Preperations

All I have left to do is give the bike one more good walk around - wax it real good so the bugs come off easy and fill it with gas. Just waiting on an update for the Zumo and I'll be all set with the navigation. Of course if the Zumo fails - I can always revert to this:

Might end up being a 2 pager though

Can't wait to get rolling!

Six Days From Today!!

Woo hoo!!!  Bikes are ready, Riders are 80% ready (Curt's arm is getting better every day).

Let's hope this heat wave breaks by next Wednesday.

Brain Trust Tuning Curt's bike for the trip

Smart tuning the bike's ECM for better performance and cooler running. I suspect the bucket of beer provided some of the cooling

The Good Old Days

Saw this interesting poster regarding travel on Rt. 50 back in the late 1800's . Our traveling style will be slightly different but some of the etiquette will still pertain, such as spitting, sleeping and jumping into the roadway. Shooting may not be advised either - you may scare the other motorist - screw the horses. As far a politics - I know at least one traveler that thinks like me - right Jim? So I guess at least we can talk about politics.

Of course traffic has always been a problem on Rt 50. We have construction issues that may delay us for hours. Back in the day they had real troubles. Consider 3 days to travel just 45 miles. Must be why there were so many roadside taverns.

Well, we have plenty of time, comfortable rides and I see nothing but good time ahead.

arm maintenance

7 days into fractured elbow. Still can't pull clutch without Sharp pain. 14 days until I guess I have to make a decision on direction.

My Bike Is Getting a Good Physical

I checked on my bike today.  Steve, the mechanic, called in sick today, so nothing was done on the bike.  But, I still visited her.  I think she liked having a visitor.  I could tell she was smiling, and feeling better already, having all her bad organs surgically removed.  I hope Steve gets well, so my bike can get well, too...

Major Maintenance on My Bike

I started hearing a tapping from my engine when it was cold, while on my long weekend ride over the 4th.  Concerned that bigger problems could result while on the Rt 50 trip, I took it to my new favorite mechanic.  We agreed that it needs new lifters, adjustable rods, and, while in there, new cam bearings.  This won't be cheap, but it will give me peace of mind while on the road in just a few weeks from now.  I would have tackled the job myself, had the trip not been looming just over the horizon...

Rt 50 - The Loneliest Road

From Road Trip USA quoting Blue Highway author William Least Heat-Moon: "for the unhurried, this little-known highway is the best national road across the middle of the United States." The route offers such a compelling cross-section of the nation that Time magazine devoted nearly an entire issue to telling the story of the road it called the "Backbone of America".

Of course there was also the version from Life Magazine- In July 1986, Life magazine published an article that gave US 50 in Nevada the name "The Loneliest Road in America". The article portrayed the highway, and rural Nevada, as a place devoid of civilization.

Beginning July 27 we will see who is correct : )

Curt