Friday, 6/22
Again woke early...guess I'm not drinking enough beer....just one at the Mexican place next door to Motel 6...good food, tho....but that was yesterday.
Grabbed some free motel coffee and threw on the leathers to keep from stowing them...even tho it looked like the day would be heading for 100 again. This turned out a wise choice...as soon as I hit I-80 and started climbing east, the temp went down to around 50...it's only about 7:30 AM and that won't last long.
Ran across a nice new BMW pulling on his gloves and we rode along together for about 40 miles til I felt the need for some breakfast and never saw him again.
The views leaving Salt Lake City were pretty dramatic and I especially enjoyed a couple trains crawling up the cliffsides. Didn't get a picture as it would have meant walking across the interstate traffice to get anything decent....all the good views were on the left. Hit one mongo side wind/gust near the top of the climb to Wyoming....musta been some kind of weird conditions and I'm sure was taking a lot of people by surprise.
Rode to Yellowstone and down to Jackson Hole last year....this S. Wyoming has little in common with that. I'm sure if you grew up here, you love this barren, treeless expanse, but it's not much for scenery. Apparently it's good for getting across fast, tho....all the traffic was out to make miles in a hurry and most of the trucks were doing 75+. I was trying to listen to Huck Finn to while away the miles and had to hold it down near 70 to be able to hear it. Mellow is the word....and 46 mpg for two consecutive tanks was the result.
Tho I could have made Cheyenne, I stopped in Laramie for the night just to say I was taking my time and getting plenty of rest.
Found a cheap motel near downtown and walked thru the local flea market before hitting the Cowboy Bar because it reminded me of one of the same name in Jackson Hole....turned out not to be related....and this one wasn't nearly so decorated. However, you didn't get very personal service in JH, whereas in Laramie the owner gave me the politically incorrect 'Irish Car Bomb' simply because I was drinking a Guinness. I like my beer, but seldom drink over two...the Bomb was at least the equivalent of two that you slammed quickly. I was stumbling a bit as I crossed the street to have some great local chicken chowder and cornbread...w/ water. Back to the Cowboy for an after dinner cordial to sober up, and hit the sack relatively early.
Sorry....I didn't take a pic of the 'scenery' today....and flat forgot to get one of the bar...
Saturday, 6/23
Happened to sleep in a bit this morning but in no hurry....plans are to stop by to see a couple friends from high school near Fort Collins. Had the usual cheap McD breakfast and coffee once I got to Cheyenne, and cruised down to do the visit thing.
Got back on the road about 3 and found the I-25 traffic was moving a bit on the slow side tho it only actually stopped once or twice and seemed about the same going north as well. Once on I-70 I was able to set my sights on maybe making the Kansas border before nightfall.
Sorry, ain't gonna happen.
Pulled in to tiny Byer, CO for gas, and here is where it gets embarrassing. Pushed the bike into the shade to BS w/ a guy on an 81 Harley going from St. Joe, MO to Denver. After admiring each others bikes awhile (he was waiting for someone to bring him an exhaust flange bolt and lamenting the loss of another bolt that had cost him his throttle lock), I helmeted up, jumped on, hit the switch, and.....nothing...no instrument lights, no starter,....nada.
My 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' attitude means that, so far, I've done nothing to the Rocket beyond check the oil and the tire pressure...giving no thought to possible problems beyond reading on this forum about the different issues OP have had....so 'loose connection' popped into my head....something I'd read...when 'Kill switch' should have gotten there first.....it's the first thing I think of on the Bonnie, it's the first thing I think of on the 4-wheelers, it's the most logical thing to check...and I didn't even think of it. I'd love to have a good excuse, but the best I can do is 'I don't ever use it and have never accidentally hit it before. The other excuse is.....idiot.
Anyway, didn't know quite what to do and had a limited amount of time before my opportunities to ask questions were gone. Wasted 15-20 minutes checking fuses and figuring out how to raise the tank to check for loose connections. Then, finding nothing obvious, I checked into the motel across the street to gain phone access, called home for the number to Cascade Moto and got them before closing time.....a bit paniced to be in rural CO on Saturday night. After a brief explanation, Jim very nicely, without making me feel stupid (did that without his help), pointed out the obvious. This is a pretty big relief after having visions of sitting around til Monday or Tuesday hoping to get back on the road.
Bummed me out to be so dumb, but I did get practice getting the ***** seat off and on, found the fused, broke in the tools, and learned to raise the tank. Also helped a Mexican family on vacation (from Chihuahua to Greely....w/ a broken serpentine belt) by letting them use the motel phone to call for help...so nothing was a total loss...and we all need a humbling experience once in awhile.
I did figure out that it was hanging a helmet on the mirror that turned the switch off.
Sunday, 6/24
Need to make a few extra miles today to make up for losing the last 2 hours of yesterday. Decided to ride to the first McD's for breakfast since supper at the Byer reataurant next door was pretty marginal.
Setting a goal today of Wichita so Monday will be pretty easy and stress free. After a wet spring, Kansas is looking pretty good to an old Iowa boy living among the trees of WA....lots of open views of hay, wheat, and oat fields....lotsa livestock, and just interesting sights...to me.
No one will be impressed with my 300-500 miles per day....75-100 miles, take a break...75 more, take a break and get gas....repeat....but I do know how to relax.
Made Salina by 4, took an ice cream and cig break, and rolled easily down I-135 to Wichita....thus avoiding all the congestion of Kansas City as well as a few toll roads. Turned out to be a great choice.....135 was all but deserted and the easiest 65 miles of the trip.
Checked into the motel (6) by 6 and cooled of for about 1/2 hour in the AC before venturing out in search of a beer. Since I was on the E side of Wichita, I headed out of town and turned N toward the first suburb of Andover, thinking I might hit a 'downtown' bar for the beer and first burger of the trip. Didn't find a sign leading me to a thriving downtown, but after a couple miles I spotted a Budweiser sign in the distance...paydirt!!
the first bike I saw appeared to be a Harley....ok, good nuff, but thought I'd pull up and park by the two 'unknown' bikes whose rear wheels I could see peeking out from behind a cage. Imagine my surprise when they are both Triumphs....a red Rocket (only slightly slower than the Classics), and a new Bonnie (or whatever passes for them now) I'm excited to get inside now.
Turns out Linda (aka 'Mailbox') sells bikes @ Wichita Triumph dealer Bikers Edge. She and husband Randy are avid Triumph riders, regulars at the Timbuktu, and they go well out of their way to make me feel at home. Had a great couple hours BSing with them...and a decent burger. Thanks guys for the home away from home!!
Rolled back 'home' about dark feeling pretty good about my luck and the quality of ths trip.
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