The Wanderings of a 36 year old Electraglide

I dicked around this morning, got gas and headed North on hwy 25. It wasn&#8217;t overly warm and, as I got a late start, the intention was to make a mile, hoping it would warm up down the road. I got about 10 miles, and saw a sign for a mining museum. Colorado and mining? Sounds good, and I took the off ramp to the museum.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
The staff was real nice, but when I made a joke about jackleg drills, they didn&#8217;t get what I was talking about. I guess you don&#8217;t have to be a miner to volunteer in a mining museum J<o></o>
<o></o>
It was set up pretty nice, and had lots of cool exhibits. Lots of stuff from the &#8220;steam engine&#8221; era.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Predecessor to the &#8220;jackleg&#8221;<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>

Engineering office<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Assay Lab<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
I wandered around outside, and checked out some of the bigger equipment<o></o>
<o></o>
Steam Shovel<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
You could fit 2 of these into a modern Shovel bucket<o></o>
<o></o>
While I was outside, I got talking to Tom, a fellow with a long history with the museum, but had only been volunteering for a short while. He was quite interested in my bike and wanted to check it out.<o></o>
<o></o>
We got talking, and I told him I was from Canada and had worked in underground and surface mines for about 20 years. He was quite excited about that, and we started talking mining. He got the key and opened up the Stamp mill and took me for a look around<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Stamp Mill <o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Water Wheel (they used high pressure water to generate electricity)<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
He introduced me to Brad, the curator ( I think) of the museum, and we talked mining some more.<o></o>
<o></o>
When I hit the road, the sun had come out and it was warming up slightly.<o></o>
<o></o>
The traffic thru Denver was heavy, and moving fast. Denver is a lot bigger than I had thought. Fortunately I all I had to do was stay on the highway and try to avoid slowing traffic down.<o></o>
<o></o>
I stopped at a rest area just North of Cheyenne, and while I was there, I checked my chain. It was stretching a bit, and I was about out of adjustment. I had robbed the chain off my chopper and for some reason or another, I had an extra masterlink on the chain (probably because my chopper needs a pretty long chain) The plan was that I could remove one masterlink if needed , and I figured this was a good time to do it.<o></o>
I had quite a few people come to check on me to make sure everything was ok, and one guy even offered me a bottle of water, as it had warmed up to pretty warm by then.<o></o>
<o></o>
I got it all buttoned up, and got on the road, and not long after that, the bike started missing. I pulled off on a long and lonesome stretch of highway to check the plugs.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Long and lonesome highway<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
The front plug was carboned up a bit, so I cleaned it up and pulled the rear (I have never actually had the rear out before ) and it was looking the same way. I cleaned it up, planning on buying plugs when I got a chance. I went to install the rear plug, and couldn&#8217;t get it started. I took a look and the threads in the head were a bit chewed up.<o></o>
<o></o>
Crap<o></o>
<o></o>
This doesn&#8217;t look good. I cleaned the threads up, got the plug to start, but it wouldn&#8217;t go in all the way. Not wanting to force it and screw the threads more than they were, I snugged it up a bit, veeerrryyyy carefully, put on the lead and it fired up. I asked a trucker who was parked on the other side of the highway how far it was to the next town. Not far, so away I went, slowly, with my left foot on the crashbar, keeping my leg out of the way, just in case. I went at well under the posted speed limit to Wheatland. I got a room and asked if there was an auto parts store nearby. At the store I asked for a thread chaser and plugs, and they were pretty concerned that the thread chaser wouldn&#8217;t be enough, and looked to see if they had the right heli coil. I told them, over and over, that the threads should clean up ok, and that I was less than excited about installing a heli coil with the head on ( and not all that crazy about pulling the head)<o></o>
<o></o>
Finally, when they didn&#8217;t have the right heli coil, and after calling all over to try to find one, I told them I would take the thread chaser, plugs and some grease (to lube to thread chaser and catch any filings) and if it didn&#8217;t work I would come back and order the heli coil tomorrow. Nice guys, very helpful&#8230;&#8230;. maybe a bit TOO helpful J<o></o>
<o></o>
The threads cleaned up nicely, I installed the new plugs&#8230;. carefully&#8230;., and tomorrow I will install a safety wire (these things have blown plugs out before, on &#8220;un&#8221; messed up heads)<o></o>
<o></o>
If it makes it home like this, (it&#8217;s an adventure, right?) I will pull the head and fix it properly with an insert this winter.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
If it doesn&#8217;t hold together, well, I have a cell phone and a credit card&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.. J<o></o>
<o></o>
(I might just pick up a heli coil kit and headgasket as well, just in case J )<o></o>

As before, you show a great attitude toward the "maintenance" of an old bike. Its all part of the adventure.

Thanks RecycledRS

I knew going in that it wouldn't be a "Breakdown free" journey.

When you ride an old bike, this kind of stuff keeps it interesting, But I think you knew that already :)

Hey Bri,
I've been following your RR in silence since your Buell trip. That was back when I sat and waited in envy. Now I'm doin it but still bury myself in other inmates' RRs. The Shovelhead trip? Awesome. I was hoping you were hanging out thru the winter down there so we could hook up. But I see you are prolly on the move north. The weather's crazy. It let up for me yesterday and I enjoyed a sunny ride around Cape Cod. My suggestion to you? Wait it out. I rode the worst crap thu Boston Interstates and I am determined not to do it again. Hope you find the good stuff again and safe riding.
ToadRide.

BC Brian,
Thanks for the great RR. I'm a lurker here, I got introduced to this site because I know RTW Doug and I wanted to keep tabs on his adventures.
I saw your link in a post on Doug's Cannonball RR and followed it here. Good Show !! I ride old Harleys and have a real soft spot for those folks who aren't afraid to travel on old iron of any ilk.
It takes a special sort of person to accept the pitfalls and the maintenance rituals of the old bikes and I am having a great time following your adventure.
Thanks again for taking the time to photograph and document this trip.

Scotty Murnan.....hdstm ( P.S. , that's a damn fine lookin Electra-Glide ! )

Hey Toad

I just looked over to your RR. Looks good. I am on page 2 and will catch up when I can.

I am in Wyoming, headed for Montana, and they are calling for cold and wet tomorrow, and cold and white the next day. I guess I will go as far as I can and hole up for a while :)

I have lots of clothes, and can always buy more if I need to.

The weather was supposed to be cool this morning, so I put my jacket liner back in, put on an extra shirt, went outside to load the bike, and it was quite warm out. Sweet. I kept the gear on anyhow, and headed north. The old bike was running good, no missing, so the new plugs must have solved the problem.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
About 10 miles out of town, I could feel a slight miss again. Crap! As I carried on, the miss got worse. I stopped to check the points and timing. It all seemed OK.<o></o>
<o></o>
Hmmm……. Works good when cold…. Misses when warm…….? Gotta be either a coil or condenser. I got a condenser with the points in Albuquerque, but I have heard of new ones being bad . I pulled into Douglas, WY, found an autoparts store, and asked if there was a place in town that sold Harley parts. Yep, Vinni’s body shop is a bike shop as well.<o></o>
<o></o>
I head over there, go in, explain that I would like a condenser, and I might need a coil if that doesn’t work. Vinni hands over a condenser and new points, which were a better quality set than the ones I had, and he says he has a new coil……. somewhere, and starts looking around the shop. He can’t find it, so I tell him I will try the points and condenser, and if the bike is still have missing, I will try to find a coil in the next town.<o></o>
<o></o>
I head out to install the parts, and after a bit, Vinni comes out, checks out my old bike, and we get to talking bikes. We talk as I work on the bike. He gives me a hand, and we talk bikes some more. I explain what it’s doing and he says “Coil.”<o></o>
<o></o>
“Coil?”<o></o>
<o></o>
“Coil! If it gets worse when the bike warms up, it’s probably the coil.”<o></o>
<o></o>
He goes back looking for a coil, can’t find one, and says “I’ll ask my brother if I can borrow the one off his bike”, and away he goes.<o></o>
<o></o>
He comes back and says he found a used coil beside his brothers bike and I can have if it works. It tests OK, so I pull mine.Sure enough, there is a crack in it. I install his, and the bike fires right up. Sweet!<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
We talk bikes some more, look at his bikes and some of the projects he is working on. I wash up, ready to make a mile, and we talk some more. I am finally getting ready to go, and as Vinni is walking me to my bike, his friend Brian shows up, and we start talking bikes, and the Buell chopper he is building, and I check out the customised touring bike he is riding (Niiiice). About 2 and a half hours after I met Vinni, I am on the road, with a bike that is not missing anymore. (it took about half an hour to install the parts J )<o></o>
<o></o>
Vinni pointing out cool stuff on one of his bikes.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
His friends cherry Knucklehead<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Vinni owns “Vinni’s Body Shop” in Douglas Wyoming and does body work, custom bike work and repairs amongst other things. A great guy who does great work. If you are travelling through, look him up. If you are having problems he can help you out, and he is lots of fun to talk with. <o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
By the time I am on the road, it is getting hot out. I have lots of clothes on still, and am really feeling the heat, even with the wind.<o></o>
<o></o>
I ride through Casper, heading North towards Buffalo.<o></o>
<o></o>
Sometimes I find myself delayed, not from meeting people, or not paying enough attention to the needs of an old motorcycle, but from not paying enough attention, period. While riding towards Buffalo, I pulled into the town of KayCee, WY. There was a sign saying no services for 35 miles, and although I had plenty of gas to make it, I thought I would top up anyhow. I pull into the gas station, a small, credit card only station with no store open. I put in my card, grab the nozzle, hit the button, no gas comes out. I am dicking around, push another button , the one far to the right near the nozzle, the most expensive one (I have been running premium) and start pumping. I fill the left tank, go to put the nozzle in the right tank, and get the feeling that something is wrong. You know when it’s not right, but you are not sure why. I stop, look at what I am doing….. why is there another nozzle on the same pump? Why is this nozzle green? Because it’s diesel, you stupid ass!!<o></o>
<o></o>
Crap. <o></o>
<o></o>
I push the bike off to the side, walk over to the general store a little ways away for a container to drain the gas/diesel into. They have no containers, but have gallons of water for a dollar. (cheaper than buying a container) not knowing how much fuel I have in the tank, I buy a gallon of water, have a drink and dump the water on the ground. I fill the bottle, go back to the store, buy another gallon of water, have a drink, dump the water, fill the bottle, go back, buy another bottle, drink, dump, fill. The third bottle is half full and the tank is empty. I stash the bottles in a safe place, fill the bike with GAS, and hit the road. <o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
I ride the 35 miles to Buffalo, have a bite to eat and ride to Sheridan for the night.<o></o>
<o></o>
It was hotter the heck in Sheridan when I got here. It’s supposed to cool off tomorrow and be downright cold in Montana for the next few days. We’ll see how THAT goes J <o></o>

Thanks hdstm

I am glad you are enjoying my travels. Old bikes are great, and wrenching them on the side of the road is half the adventure.

And everyday is a new adventure ....... LOL

I posted on Dougs RR because I thought it was so funny him joking about the Son's of Anrchy prospect patches. Then I googled it, and he wasn't joking. Go figure. That made it even funnier

The weather man was right. It had cooled off considerably over night. I put on lots of clothes and my rain gear over that, and headed out. The temperature was below 40F when I left Livingston, my knees and fingers were feeling a bit cool, but with all my clothes and being behind that big windshield I was feeling almost uncomfortably warm. Not to worry, though, I knew there was rain in my future.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
By the time I hit the Montana border, it was raining pretty good. As I climbed in elevation, it got colder, and wetter. I went through fog. The nice thing about fog is that while your visibility is down to almost nothing, your visor gets all misted up and won&#8217;t bead up and roll off. After about 90 miles, just out of Hardin, as I was thinking &#8220; this is stupid!!&#8221;, it started to snow.<o></o>
<o></o>
I pulled into a Micky D&#8217;s for breakfast , to warm up and to google U-hauls. I had had enough<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
There was nothing available in town. I checked out motels to hole up in until the weather warmed up. There were a few, but by the time I had warmed up and had a full belly, I was feeling a bit more positive. It had stopped snowing, and the rain was down to a light mist. It wasn&#8217;t very far to Billings, so I thought I would tough it out and ride there, check out u-hauls, and if nothing else, I could stay there for a day or two. <o></o>
<o></o>
The ride there wasn&#8217;t bad. It was only lightly raining in places, then the rain would stop for a while. The road went up and up, to where the fields were all covered in snow, then down and down, and there would be no snow. At the lower, &#8220;no snow&#8221; elevations it felt downright balmy.<o></o>
<o></o>
I pulled into Billings, had the biggest hot tea I could get, and checked the weather reports and hwy cams. I figured I would carry on, play it by ear, stop lots to warm up and call it a day when I was too cold to carry on.<o></o>
<o></o>
I don&#8217;t believe the temperature got much above 40F anywhere along the road, but there was very little rain, and when the sun would occasionally poke through, it felt pretty good. I was hoping to get as far as Butte, as they were calling for around 20F in the morning, and there were two mountain passes (both around 6,000 ft) that I needed to go over before Butte. If I didn&#8217;t make them this afternoon, I would have to go over them later in the day tomorrow, which meant getting a late start.<o></o>
<o></o>
As I pulled into Livingston at around 4:00 pm or so, I was figuring if things went well I might be able to make Butte by 6:00 or so, and I came around the corner and saw this.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Hmmmmm<o></o>
<o></o>
I pulled into town, went into an Arby&#8217;s for a large hot tea, and I was cold. Damn cold. I checked the hwy cams for Bozeman Pass, and it was pretty cold and snowy looking. <o></o>
<o></o>
Right then, Livingston it is.<o></o>
<o></o>
I got a room, turned the heat up high, got out of my cold, wet clothes and into a hot bath.<o></o>
<o></o>
When I looked outside, it had cleared up, and if I had waited it out, I could probably have gone a ways further. But I was pretty happy in my warm room. J<o></o>
<o></o>
A while later I went back to Arby`s for a bite to eat, and met Sebastian, a young German fellow riding his KLR around the US for 6 months or so. <o></o>
<o></o>
I told him I was riding an old Harley and had come from Wyoming today. He gave me a kind of funny look, then looked at my running shoes and jeans. I smiled and told him I had already packed it in for the day and had a room.<o></o>
<o></o>
Turns out he had camped in a state park about 100 miles away, and when he woke up at 3:30 PM ( I didn`t ask why he slept to 3:30 PM) his tent, bike and the roads were covered in 3 inches of snow. He told me he was heading over to Bozeman (about 30 miles, over Boseman Pass). It wasn`t raining anymore, and he seemed to have really good cold weather gear ( he said he needed grip warmers J) I told him to be careful and ride safe and away he went.<o></o>
<o></o>
If you are reading this Sebastian, it was nice to meet you and I hope you have a great (and warmer) journey.<o></o>

Still enjoying this, keep it comin!!

Looks like winter is upon you, Bri. I was gonna suggest you head up thru Kananaskis as it was one of the more spectacular routes I came down on but I think it might be too late. Perhaps the lowest route to the coast?

Thanks WayFar

I am glad you are still liking it :)

Hi Toadride

I think I m past the worst of it.

Kanaskis would have been good..... earlier in the year :)


Heading into Washington State tomorrow, then up into the Okanagan

rumor has it its been warmer there.

I guess we'll see :)

If you get a chance, make your way up to SR20 and head west. The pass is still open and conditions are favorable (well, they were today according to WADOT). That'll dump you out in Sedro Wooley, just a hop, skip and a jump from the border, too.

EDIT: Forgot to mention how much I've enjoyed reading this RR. Great to see old bikes on the road in more than a bike night capacity. I appreciate your tenacity in overcoming each of the challenges the old girl has thrown at you and could stand to take away some of that attitude myself.

When I checked the weather reports last night, it said the morning would be about 30F, but no precipitation, Warming up to above freezing by 9, and approaching 40F by noon. When I woke up, I checked again, and the weather report said the same thing. I looked out my window into the parking lot, and it was snowing. I checked the hwy cams for Bozeman pass, and it looked ugly.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>
Checkout time was 11:00 AM. I had already made arrangements with the hotel staff to stay longer if needed. I got comfortable and settled in to wait. I went for breakfast, back to my room to check the weather and hwy cams. Still looked bad. I packed up to be ready if and when I was going to leave. The internet was up and down, so, while it was down I went to do my checks on the bike, pack it partially, and see if it would start in this cold weather. She is a true Canadian girl. Started up like it was summer.<o></o>
<o></o>
While outside, scraping ice off my seat, I met Corey, who had just ridden his sportster over the pass. He said it was blizzard, white out conditions. He was colder than hell, and, was like me yesterday, ready to give up and get a room or rent a truck.<o></o>
<o></o>
He highly recommended I did not try it, at least for a while, anyhow.<o></o>
<o></o>
We talked, and he decided to go for a bite to eat, and see what the weather was doing in a couple hours. I went back to my room, tried the internet, it didn’t work, watched TV for a bit, and said screw it. I am going for it. Corey had said it was cold and snowy, but not slippery, and I had more cold weather gear than he did ( he was, in fact, going shopping for more clothes)<o></o>
<o></o>
So I loaded up, gave the hotel staff my key, told them I might be back, and hit the road. It had stopped snowing and had warmed up enough that there was no longer ice on my bike.<o></o>
<o></o>
It was 23 miles to Bozeman, and a vertical rise of about 1800 ft. to the summit, then down to Bozeman. As I climbed it got colder, and it started snowing, but traffic was light and visibility was good. I hit the summit, my fingers were cold, but the rest of me was doing OK.<o></o>
<o></o>
I rode down to Bozeman, and the skys were looking a bit better. I stopped to rub my fingers and got a shot of the weather following me.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
I rode towards Butte, the weather not all that warm, but dry, and the sun poked out occasionally along the way.<o></o>
<o></o>
I still had to get over Homestake Pass. It went up to over 6000 feet, and although the hwy cam wasn’t showing snow, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be warm.<o></o>
<o></o>
I stopped for gas just before the climb, and then I rode up and up and up. I got to the top, and stopped briefly for a quick break.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
The official height of the summit is 6,339 ft. My gps was only 100 ft out J<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>

The old bike had taken me to elevations approaching 8,,000 feet on this trip, but it was warm. 6,000 ft in the cold gave me more of a sense of accomplishment (or something )
I went down and down and down and into Butte. The big flashing sign by the big hotel said 33F. It felt good!!<o></o>
<o></o>
I carried on and by Deer Lodge MT I was ready for a break and to warm up. I was thinking restaurant, but then I saw a sign for a car museum. Sweet. I pull into Deer Lodge and find the museum. It had the unlikely distinction of being a car museum AND a prison museum….. all for the same price.<o></o>
<o></o>
Lots of cool stuff in the Car Museum<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
I finished up there and went into the prison museum<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>


I took a lot more pictures. To view some of them, click HERE.<o></o>
<o></o>
By the time I saw all there was to see, I was a lot warmer, and the day had warmed considerably. I went back to my bike to leave. I had parked next to a BMW 800GS loaded down for travelling with European plates (Norwegian or Danish or something) and I had hoped for a chance to visit with the rider, but there was no one wearing riding gear in the museum and when I came back out the bike was gone.<o></o>
<o></o>
I carried on, and by Missoula it was getting almost comfortable out. I was seeing a few more bikes on the road (surprisingly, considering the weather, I had seen quite a few bikes along the way)<o></o>
<o></o>
It had cooled down a bit by the time I reached Superior MT, and I needed gas, so I took the offramp, stopped at the stop sign, and started shaking from the cold. All right then, Superior it is. I saw a reasonable looking motel by the gas station, pulled in and got a room, cranked the heat and climbed into a hot bath to warm up.<o></o>
<o></o>

Hey Brian, Dazzer and Leigh are with me in Zillah right now. Due to the weather they've had to change their plans. They will head South from here.

From Dazzer:
Hi Brian, stay safe mate and try to keep warm, after the very cold ride up to Alaska we have decided to make our way south to the warmer weather. We have to be in California for the 18 to be at the HU meeting. Lets make sure we catch up at the Isle of Man TT.
All the best mate, Dazzer and Leigh

Thanks.

I was through that route years ago, in the summer and I loved it.

This time I think I am going to head up hwy 3 to Princeton, the up 5a to merrit. I haven't done that route in quite a while either, and if I remember its a pretty nice ride.

I may have mentioned before that I started in on this trip with an old, unknown to me bike, and that I expected mechanical issues. If I was riding a newer bike, and had these kind of issues, I might not have been so easy going about it......

Hey XB12R

I can't say I blame them. South sounds good right now.Have a good time with them, they are great people.



Hi Dazzer. Sounds like South is a good plan. Enjoy the rest of the world and I will be following your adventures.

Keep in touch, and when you are back home and. back into reality we will talk about a trip over there and the TT.

Ride safe and all the best to you and Leigh

PS I was thinking of you and Leigh as I was riding over the passes and through the snow. I figured if tyou can do alaska in Sept, I can do Monntana in Oct

Pretty cool trip. I should try this on my 1950 Pan. Problem is, the RR would just be a series of photos of me pouring more oil into the bike.

You are right to head to the Okanagan. This Thanksgiving weekend they are calling for Low 20's celsius during the day, but below zero at night. No rain in sight for weeks still. You may be chilly in the morning but toasty in the afternoon.
Enjoying the RR you are a better man than me I would have done the u-haul. I stayed in Hardin on the way to Sturgis this year. It was about 105 degrees, the pool was great at the motel after a sweltering days ride down from Helena, sure wasn't pool weather when you passed thru there.
Ride Safe.