Minimalist Touring Thread (250cc and under)

[locopostie]

Originally Posted by Randy

What I meant to ask was, how long were you on the road and how many miles?

Got the 4000 miles part, but how long did you travel?
I wish I had the time for a trip like that but I can't ever foresee having that much free time.

I planed to go for two months, but bad weather brought me home a few weeks early. six weeks total.

[CopaMundial]

Originally Posted by morriswf

Already have a Strom. Wasn't going to get 2 more bikes. But you reveal the lynch. If there's going to be time before she starts, might as well get the WR. I'll ride it more...just thinkin'

Bill,

Get the WRR... you have to do it. You've been bitten and the venom has spread too far to think of turning back. If you turn your back on her now, then she will always haunt your dreams.

Having said that, there is absolutely no reason why your wife and/or son could not learn on the WRR. Seat height is a bit of a concern for some people, but there are plenty of new riders who also happen to be short people (myself included at 5' 7" on a good day) who have used the Yamalink and stock lowering to good effect. I feel that I have learned slightly better technique because I can't reach with both feet at once.
On the street you only ever need one foot down at a time anyway.
Off-road if you're putting your foot down then the bike better be leaning over pretty far already anyway.
The only thing I'm not able to do is put my foot down on the low side of a hill... but then again plenty of tall people can't do that either and it's the wrong thing to do anyway so no great loss.

[MoBill]

Good stuff. Thanks. I know reality anyway, I'l likely be doing all the riding.

I'd really love to do TAT on the WR.

[locopostie]

US Trip part 2

After a great sleep, I took a short walk, back to the falls



The light was flat, and gave the landscape
a surreal quality



Signs like this were plentiful



It sure can



To put this railway through
A trench 40 feet deep, and about a mile long was dug

I rode south, then east along the #12
"Lewis & Clark trail"

After a while I got bored with the pavement
And took a shot cut to kooskia
Nezperce country



Beautiful country
Nice drop on the right



Starting down into Kooskia



From here I had decided to take another shot cut
Almost straight east through Elk City
over Hells Half Acre mountains
then down into Conner
So I bought a small gas can, filled it, and my bike
and headed out.

I went to Clearwater
(I have old maps)
And saw a sign that stated
"Elk City Wagon road"
So I followed it



I was having a great time exploring this trail
When I came across this old site





A shot of the view...
with my bike



I had been riding for quite some time and kept seeing these signs



Look at the arrows



It was getting late, and I was not very sure were I was
So, I decided to make camp, but the cougar that ran
across the road changed my mind

Back to Kooskia



A few shots on the way out



By the time I made it down out of the hills, it was dark
and deer are plentiful here.
I stop in the small village of Stites
A nice lady a gas station tells me that if I would like
I can set up my tent in the town park for free
I like free
I ride my bike into the park and out on the lush green grass
It is such a nice night, that I just pull out my sleeping bag and pad
and lay down with the starlight twinkling off my bike.
As I lay there a couple of dogs playing with a raccoon come over to say hi
That gives the the Raccoon time to "be on his way"
Not long after I fall asleep

In my peaceful slumber, I hear a sound
"I know that sound"
SPRINKLERS !
The lushness of the grass should have given it away, but I was tired
By the time I jumped out of my sleeping bag, they were going full blast
drowning everything in a fifty foot radius
I grab what I can, and ran to the gravel parking lot
"see bare feet here"
then put on my boots, and attempted to turn the sprinkler head by kicking it
The head came off and water gushed skyward, with only my body to block it's path
Now completely soaked I drag the rest of my gear, and bike to safety
I looked in my dry bag "YES!" I had closed the top
I strip off my wet clothes, wring them out, put on some dry stuff
pack my bike
Now wide awake I ride over the gas station, to inform the "nice lady" about the sprinklers
But, shes not there

I think to myself there is no sleeping now, so onward
The full moon lights the landscape, and I head out
as I ride, I pass a sign that says
(75 miles of curves)
Woo Hoo!
But it was 75 miles just to the top of the pass
From Kooskia it is 136 miles to Lolo were I can head south again
The road follows a river all the way up the pass
I have to keep my viser open a crack to keep from fogging up
The air is brisk, and bike's running like a champ
I stop every so often to
get off walk about, look at the mountains
After about 50 miles I get off, and find that I am shaking
I run about trying to warm up, but it does no good
I dig into my dry bag, pull out all my cold riding gear
strip again, get dressed, eat a snack
then lean over the bikes engine for some heat
After a bit, I feel not too bad
I get back on my bike, and huddling behind my windshield
I continue
As I climb, the mercury keeps droping to the point that all I can think is
"This really sucks!"
I finally I reach the pass, which is also the border between Idaho and Montana
I see a rest stop, and pull in, run into the bathroom
Thank God there is a hand dryer
I hit the button funneling the hot air in to my jacket
After half an hour of this I feel so good I could dance
With great reluctance I leave my new friend the dryer, and head back on the road
As I decend from the pass
the sky starts to lighten, and I get my first good look at Montana
Amazing
I countine down into Lolo
It is now 6am
find a room at a motel
drag my stuff inside
lock my bike
Hang everything to dry
take a HOT bath
Crawl into bed thinking
"I love my bike"
Sleep

[MoBill]

Excellent report. I mean, superb. I felt it. Man, did I. Good stuff.

[Ladybug0048]

Originally Posted by locopostie

US Trip part 2

Good Stuff, looking forward to more.....

[judjonzz]

Originally Posted by locopostie

US Trip part 2


By the time I made it down out of the hills, it was dark
and deer are plentiful here.
I stop in the small village of Stites
A nice lady a gas station tells me that if I would like
I can set up my tent in the town park for free
I like free
I ride my bike into the park and out on the lush green grass
It is such a nice night, that I just pull out my sleeping bag and pad
and lay down with the starlight twinkling off my bike.
As I lay there a couple of dogs playing with a raccoon come over to say hi
That gives the the Raccoon time to "be on his way"
Not long after I fall asleep

In my peaceful slumber, I hear a sound
"I know that sound"
SPRINKLERS !
The lushness of the grass should have given it away, but I was tired
By the time I jumped out of my sleeping bag, they were going full blast
drowning everything in a fifty foot radius
I grab what I can, and ran to the gravel parking lot
"see bare feet here"
then put on my boots, and attempted to turn the sprinkler head by kicking it
The head came off and water gushed skyward, with only my body to block it's path
Now completely soaked I drag the rest of my gear, and bike to safety
I looked in my dry bag "YES!" I had closed the top
I strip off my wet clothes, wring them out, put on some dry stuff
pack my bike
Now wide awake I ride over the gas station, to inform the "nice lady" about the sprinklers
But, shes not there

That happened to me once in the city park in Meeteetse, WY. You got to watch out for that lush green grass in the semi-arid West.

Great post, great ride report.

[locopostie]

Originally Posted by morriswf

Excellent report. I mean, superb. I felt it. Man, did I. Good stuff.

Thanks Bill

Originally Posted by Ladybug0048

Good Stuff, looking forward to more.....

Thanks Ladybug
I'm sure that I have read some of your RRs on here.

Originally Posted by judjonzz

That happened to me once in the city park in Meeteetse, WY. You got to watch out for that lush green grass in the semi-arid West.

Great post, great ride report.

Thanks Judionzz
I always learn the hard way

Loco

[locopostie]

US Trip part 2

Felling good about life again
I headed south



Stopped for fuel and saw this right hand drive jeep
Posties are everywhere



Stopped at the Big Hole battle field



Started to take some shots of the landscape, but these guys show up



Ford model A









From here I headed to Bannack MT
The fist capitol of Montana



It was founded in 1862
When gold was found in Grasshopper Creek

















The jail house

















A little thumper



















This is were I setup camp for the night



Next day I went through Nevada City



Looks like a brothel



I like the yard



Further along
after hours of heat and roads



The mountains in the distance is where I am heading
West Yellowstone



This is the first site that greeted me when I rode into
West Yellowstone

It took me awhile to find a site for my tent
As I was talking to the proprietor
he warned my about the wolves, coyotes, and some other type of critter.
He then said that the bears knew it was fall, and had started to make their way into town.
"Do not leave any food out!"
I asked if they had any anti bear food boxes.
"Just keep it in you tent, if they can't see it then they won't bother you"
I left it on my bike
I don't think my tent would stop too many bears





It was just like in some bad movie
Line ups all through the park



This guy was massive


It was a cool morning , and steam from geysers
rose everywhere





The south end of the park











Just leaving Yellowstone



Now entering Grand Tetons Park





These mountains rise to 13766 feet







I stopped to oil the chain, and had just got back on the road
when a storm hit
Living on the west coast I thought that I knew what rain was
It was coming down so heavy that the road gave up trying to shead it
Lightning was striking not too far from me, and there was no shelter anywhere
So, I continued on
I pulled over to the side of the road to let some cars pass
at he back of the pack was a guy on a KLR650
He honked as he went past
I caught up with him at a gas station, and we went in to wait out the storm
Turns out he was Rob1313 (ADV) from Edmonton AB
on his way to Phoenix AZ to drop his bike off.
He plans to fly down during the winter and ride to New Mexico
We were both so wet, that we said we would share a room
in the next town we got to
The next town was still over a hundred miles away :(
The wind came up and blew me all over the road
One hundred miles of this... Woo hoo

It was so nice to get into a room, and dry off
It's great to meet people on the road, hear their stories
share pizza
Mmmm pizza

[Klay]

That was a hell of a trip, locopostie.

[freeflow]

bump for TW200 love

[MoBill]

Dude. I love that thing. Must stop obsessing...but it's so fun. I could buy two. LOL.

[Klay]

Originally Posted by morriswf

Dude. I love that thing. Must stop obsessing...but it's so fun. I could buy two. LOL.

If you could get two and then go ride the TAT with your wife, then that choice blows every other option away.

[MoBill]

Originally Posted by Klay

If you could get two and then go ride the TAT with your wife, then that choice blows every other option away.

As John Cleese said (french accent), "I don thin ee's too keen" on the idea of coming with.

But...I could ask. And now for something completely different, Bill answers an unasked question that no one gives a shit about:

I think the hard truth is that I've already made good decisions that preempt my fantasies...a wife, two young children, a house and my job--they are at odds with such.

I am at peace with that. The legacy I wish to leave is that of a good husband and father. I still get time behind the throttle and achieve that "center" that I seem to only get behind the handlebars.

TAT is likely a bridge too far. But it's on my list nonetheless. Your point makes me ponder. Honey and I decided that we'd not let an edifice (house) stand in the ways of dreams--only real obligations.

[locopostie]

Originally Posted by Klay

That was a hell of a trip, locopostie.

Hello Klay
I still have a few more post. to finish the trip off.