Day 13

WARNING: Very motorcycle centric post and long

Well, I have had worse days. Fred and I set out for the BMW dealer using his GPS to get there and it routed us down Decatur Boulevard right past Carter Motorsports, a Suzuki/Kawasaki/Honda dealer (I bet you can guess where this is going...). So we stopped in to see if they had any Suzuki V-stroms because I figured I could easily get home on one of them. Instead they had a couple of 2009 Kawasaki KLRs (one in red in and one in black) on deep discount so that the out-the-door price was less than the original list (they have some pretty hefty documentation and setup fees). I took out my AMEX card and did the deal for the black one. Gotta love all those AMEX points we will get.:)

Meanwhile, we went to the BMW dealer to see what they thought about the F650. Casey, the service manager, is pretty sure it will be totaled when the insurance inspector gets there. This is my preferred outcome for the bike at this point because what am I going to do with a fixed bike that I am not sure I trust in Las Vegas, NV? Fred and I took all the stuff I wanted, threw the broken bits away, and left the bike there. It was actually pretty anti-climatic.

Back at Carter's, Theron Rasmussen, the sales guy was trying to keep things moving but the bike wasn't prepped and needed the battery to be charged, etc. I got the bike about 12:30 so that I could add the side bags and top bag that Kawasaki makes for the bike. Nobody believed I could pack everything in. It was a problem of putting ten pounds into a nine point sack. I did get it to work without one of the bags of granola which was half eaten. Sorry, Alicia, I still have plenty left and it definitely is akin to Manna for me on this trip. I eat it all the time but had only gone through half a bag so far so I figure one full bag will last the rest of the time. My camping pad was also damaged so I tossed it, if I want to camp anymore I will need to get a new one and figure out how to attach it. After I mounted the tanks panniers and managed to get everything in, Theron took a traditional parting shot as I rode off with my torn up gear heading for Cycle Gear just down Decatur Boulevard a few 100 stop lights away.

Princeton at Cycle Gear helped my get new gear, including:

1) Helmet (I got a Shark, very innovative and quite comfortable)

2) Jacket and Pants

3) Water vest (This is a vest that you soak with water and it slowly evaporates to keep your torso cool, highly recommended and I should have had one a week or so ago. Better late than never.)

4) Tank bag for the new bike to try and add some storage

At 3:30 (After randomly running across Fred, who had left me at Carter's while I waited for the bike, at a red light outside the PetSmart where he was dropping Deuce off to board for a few days while he has business meetings. I am sure he and I will see each other again, I want to host him in Maine in the summer for some seafood and kayaking.) I was off to Tonopah, NV where I am now in the in the bar at the Ramada drinking Bombay gimlets. Back on the road again, YESSSSSSSS! The road up here was boring without much to see which is good because I haven't worked out the camera thing yet. Unfortunately, the sunset was the first one of the trip that would have warranted a photo, just another that got away. The last five miles up to the top of Tonopah pass was some of the hardest riding of the trip. The temperature had fallen from 100F in Las Vegas to 60F or so and the wind is blowing at 30 to 40 MPH (I was wearing the cooling vest so I was pretty cold as well). The new bike is lighter than the old so it takes more work to fight the wind but it feels more stable none the less in that it responds to input in a more predictable and stable way than the loaded F650 did. I feel confident on it.

One other thing I should point out...the XM radio is a casualty of the accident at this point, so it will be harder to comment on non-trip related issues:) On the other hand, I should be able to pick up NPR stations on my portable device when I am in coverage areas so I may give that try (I just had that idea).

Tomorrow it is off to meet the Jackson clan in Healdsburg. My route should take me right through the heart of Yosemite which will be crowded but pretty. Maybe I can take some pix with the portable device.

PGL-Day13 at EveryTrail

I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
I've driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
If you give me: weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I'll be willin' to be movin

-Lowell George

Note: When researching the lyrics (just to be sure I had all the spellings right, I can sing this song in my sleep), I stumbled across the Wikipedia entry on Little Feat and found it very interesting. I had no idea that Lowell George was in the Mothers and I consider myself a fan. Maybe I just like the music.