Took a little ride...

[Rogue 1]

I set up this great mounting system for video, avi's and still shots on the ADV engine bars... the system would have been perfect but it appears the engine vibes are too much for the electronics for any extended period of time (read more than a few minutes) I lost screws on both cameras...

The system got some great shots (awsome as a matter of fact, unreal vantage point for twisties) Watching them actually makes ya a little nauseas...

Problem is... the damn tape got eaten... so...

DOES ANYONE KNOW A REALLY GOOD TRANSFER SHOP THAT COULD TAKE A DAMAGED TAPE AND TRANFER IT TO DVD/MPEG????

I sure could use some advice... if I can get it fixed (even a little) I'll put it up on SMUGMUG...

Thanks all...

[Rogue 1]

So... ya wanna know how it all began huh?


I've been getting requests about the missing reports (from the original thread) by those that did not get to read them. Some other folks have asked how I got started on this "Little Ride" in the first place.

Since this information is not nearly as incriminating as the missing 14 minutes of Nixon's tapes.. I humbly lay my story before you... (be gentle with me)


I give you the Pre Ride and the missing 10 days.... (add trumpets here)

[Rogue 1]

"Took a Little Ride" ... in the beginning...



"A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step."
Lao-tzu (604 BC - 531 BC), The Way of Lao-tzu

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer."

Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986), Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear, "Dune"

"A successful journey includes a safe return."
Rogue1




May your travels be joyful, your resolve firm, your traction solid and your beer cold.



The following is a record of the events, adventures and misadventures of a ride I took a year ago. I kept a daily handwritten journal and transcribed it as I traveled to send out as email updates to friends, family and many of the people I met on the road. The email list started with about thirty names and topped two hundred when I returned home. I have expanded and edited it as time has passed.



I hope you enjoy the story.

__________________________________________________ ______________________



At some point in 1994 and hundreds of times since I have said "Someday I'm going to ride my bike cross country."

Most of my life I have said "Someday I'm going to do/see (Fill in the blank)"

Since I was a pup, I had said "Someday I'll go to the top of the WTC."

The meaning of the words "Life is what happens while you are making other plans" hit me like a sledgehammer at the end of September of the year 2001. My occupation for the last 7 years had essentially been that of "Expediter of Dreams."

I made a living equipping and advising people and prepping them for their dream adventures. I sent more guys and gals out into the wilderness of life than I can count and when they eventually returned they were better in every way for having done it.

I could see it in their faces, in their eyes. I could see it in the way they carried themselves and the tones they spoke in. It all came down to "Nothing you can throw at me can faze me and I am absolutely ruined for a desk job."

I would say "Someday, someday."

There are inumerable 9/11 stories... I don't like talking about mine... and I ache when I hear someone elses... so we are not going to go there... it happened and it changed everything...

No more on the subject.

I left my company in October because the job was essentially gone, and spent the next five months trying to figure out what the fuck I was doing with my life. Some how or another I blinked and had time-warped from my twenties, with all the time in the world, to my thirties. I was shocked to realize that all those dreams I had were still just that... dreams.

It was time to stop BSing myself and face facts; I wasn't any closer to achieving my goals than I had been 10 years ago and if I didn't get my lazy ass moving I'd blink again and find myself facing fifty with the same problem and even less opportunity to fix it.

The following tale is the result of the realization of one of those dreams and the profound influence it has had on my outlook on life, my resolve to go for the brass ring and my ability to overcome my own fears.

In January '02 I make a few resolutions. One of them is to return to school and get my degree. The other is to take that "Long Ride"� I had been dreaming of for the last eight years.


Ride first.

I needed to go to all those places, see all those sights and ride all those roads; Rushmore, Sturgis, Vegas, Grand Canyon, the Capitol, Copper Canyon ME, Deals Gap, PCH, Colorado, Utah and so many more.

After four months of unemployment, unable to find work in anything even closely related to what I had been doing previously I manage to procure a lucrative bartending position in the city.

I was doing pretty well, paying off my debt and setting up the bike for the trip. My mind slowly found peace. Subsequently my body found health and without even trying I dropped 25 pounds of stress induced fat. Time passed and my soul healed as well.

I planned and planned and then I planned some more. I talked about my plans with friends and customers at the bar. More time passed. People started asking me when this big trip was supposed to start. I couldn't say exactly.

"Soon as I have all my ducks in a row" or "Just saving up enough money" or "Right after I get such and such settled," were just some of the answers I would offer.

Before long it was June and I realized I was stuck in the rut again, only slightly closer than I was in February. I knew I needed to get moving. I was unconsciously procrastinating. Like so many of us tend to do, I was always coming up with another excuse why I wasn't gone yet.

It is so damn easy not to do it, whatever it may be.

Fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of taking a chance; of going out on a limb and trusting in ones own abilities. Fear of failure.

The Nike campaign became my mantra. I had to "Just do it."

I needed to set a date and stick to it no matter what. Some of my family would be meeting in North Carolina in September. I would make that run the start and see where the road led me.

I had to set a date. September 11^th was a no go; rating a 10 on the tacky scale. I could leave on the 13^th. Uh oh... nix that. No way am I going to launch on Friday the 13^th... bad karma.

Okay... I set the date for Saturday the 14^th and etch it in stone by telling everyone that will listen. I tell the bar manager and he says I have a job when I return (major load off my mind). I tell my mother and she is remarkably supportive. I tell friends, family and strangers on the street.

I turn the fear I have around and use it as a tool for my own good. I tell so many people that what motivates me now is the fear of embarrassment if I don't leave.

By August everything is coming together. I have about five grand in the bank to cover my nut while I'm gone (rent, bike payments, insurance etc). Discover Card, unbeknownst to them, has volunteered to sponsor my ride (in a way).

Karma has seen fit to bestow upon me a brand new account with a 15k limit and 0% interest for a year. My bike is prepped and perfect. She is running like a dream.

I have all the gear I expect to need and then some: Jesse Panniers, PIAA 910 lights, Garmin SPIII, Tank bag, Dainese Gortex jacket, Autocom Pro3k sound system and a loaded Creative Labs 20gig Jukebox3. I've got a Seal Line waterproof duffle to hold my tent and camping gear. I have Eagle Creek cubes for my clothes and incidentals. I have a Cannon Digital Elf, the waterproof case and almost a gigabyte worth of CF cards. I have a MiniDV camcorder and I with the help of B&H Photo I have a rig that will allow me to mount either camera to the engine bars to document my travels.



I am sooo ready.



August 29^th



I total the bike.



Upon exiting the Battery Tunnel on the Manhattan side a Lincoln, seeing the 40 foot break in the plastic lane dividers, crosses the solid white line, enters my lane from the left and comes right at me.

I hit the horn and steer right. The SOB hears the horn and starts to turn back into his lane. He sees the orange plastic lane dividers in front of him, decides he would rather hit me than them and cuts his wheel hard right. As his passenger side door slams into my left leg and my left hand guard tangles up on his right side mirror I am aware of two things. The first is he is looking at me like he is pissed off. The second is that I am about to be in a lot of pain.

I almost think I might be able to skip right and get clear. Yeah right, and pigs will fly outta my butt. The handlebar turns to the right and I high side over them. He turns back to the left now that he is clear of the very dangerous plastic lane dividers and I have a birds eye view of my bike somersaulting away from me; sparks flying on the multiple impacts.

Ouch. I hit the ground on my chest. I skid. I don't tuck and roll. That would be bad. Jeez... I have way too much experience crashing.

I manage to keep my face from scraping along the ground. My leather gloves work great. My custom Vanson is ruined. My face is OK. My knee is ruined. My bike is ruined.

Some guy is talking to me like I did something wrong. A Port Authority cop is asking me if I am ok. A Port Authority cop is holding me back and telling me to calm down. A PA cop is helping me out of the lanes of traffic. While I wait for the ambulance I look at my bike and a tear runs down my cheek. This sucks.

I am supposed to leave in 16 days and my bike looks like a friggin' pretzel.

Nutshell: My knee is banged up but it's nothing that won't heal in time (I hope). The bike is totaled. A word of advice; if you are going to take a hit, do it in front of a cop. The jerk was summonsed at the scene for a dangerous/improper lane change. Thank you PA Police!

I call his insurance the next day and they say that their clients statement puts him only half at fault and that I should pursue a claim through my own insurance. PUH'LEASE!


I call a friend in the NYPD and he pulls a few strings to get me the report and record of summons. I fax it to the offending insurance carrier and they essentially fall on their knees and promise me the world.

Remember Inigo Montoya? You keel my moto... prepare to die.

They pay off my loan and all the accessories within 5 business days. I scramble to find a bike and I upgrade to a GS Adventure. I get all my accessories transferred from the wreck and the dealer manages to get the bike prepped and ready for delivery on the 10^th of September.

Amazing how situations work out. Just when things are darkest the silver lining appears.


... thanks for reading my story... and thanks for all the great responses...

More to follow

[wandrob]

Hell of a way to start a trip. Glad it turned out ok. What sort of bike did you have that was totalled? Are you working back at the bar in NY now? Awesome story. Says a lot about you that you actually went out and did all this. I've been wanting (along with probably most others) to do something like that for a long time...., anyway, I agree with what a couple others have said, this should be published. It's far better than some of the other stuff I've read.

[scootertrash]

Rogue1,
Awesome report and pix!!! I have been reading several of the well known motorcycle travel books from WP like "Jupiter's Travels","Riding the Edge", "Obsessions Die Hard" and a few other's. Your postings have been just as captivating! The observations, pictures and details have made it a real experience. I purchased a DR650 last year with a far off dream of taking a long trip. I think I need to hurry that schedule a bit..
Your reasons for making the trip is getting copied into my web mail and will be printed out.
As in movie, Shawshank Redemption...."Either get busy living, or get busy dying..."

[Codewheeney]

... thanks for reading my story

Thanks for writing it down and posting it. Terrific story and great pics, I'm glad I've finished reading the thread to this point so I can actually start getting some work done! Well done, and keep up the great work.

JC

[Bike Monk]

Originally Posted by porterfish

Pretty cool pic

might be wallpaper for a bit.

Bad azzz pic, good stuff!

[Rogue 1]

Originally Posted by Baldy

What an incredible thread this is!

Coming from you Baldy... thats a hell of a compliment...

Thank you!

ummm.... I might have a little trouble with smugmug and the usage limit...

Total for all Galleries:

Hits: 180216 C. Ratio: ~349% Bytes: 7.73 GB

[Rogue 1]

:):

There are just too many of you to mention all of your names but I just want to say thanks for all the great feedback I have received!!!

It thrills me to know that so many of you are enjoying this read... and actually reading it no less!!!

I'll keep pumping 'em out as long as you all stay interested!!!

No worries and GOOD ON YA' right back 'atcha!

[Rogue 1]

September 10^th

Zero Miles

I pick up the bike all smiles from the dealer (and may I say they gave me a great price on the GS ADV).

It is amazing how fast a BMW Tech will work when you hand him $100 bill before he touches your bike and ask him to "do it fast and do it right"

Pics are shot and I'm just about ready to burst looking at the Beast...

Later that evening I pick up my date and we take off for a nice ride... I have a few problems...

And the crap begins... apparently the Jesse Panniers were installed incorrectly (techs should really read the directions) and the BMW Charcoal Cannister was not reinstalled with the proper mount.

Now lowered with the weight of my passenger, it has taken a massive set of chunks out of the right side rear tire and is whacking into the shaft and spokes at 50 mph having been blown from its mount by the tire... I manage to rig it up and finish off the date. I'll drop by BMW tomorrow to have it taken care of.

OK ok... no biggie... I guess a C-note doesnt go as far as it used to.

Before I head to the dealer the next morning I decide to check the Garmin Power Data cable as well... I plug it in and it doesnt power the unit... still on battery... ok, glad I checked... off to the dealer...

By the time I get to the shop smoke is coming out of my Garmin GPS III (and it smells really bad)... I pull up and open the back panel ... WTF! all the batteries have exploded!

I have a very bad feeling about this and right there in front of the service dept. I pull the seat and side panels, unbolt the tank and hoist it up... yeah, you guessed it... the tech wired the POWER AND DATA! Cables to the battery! Fried the system...

A hunnert ain't worth sh** anymore...

(Alright... if you don't know how the GPS story turned out... go back and read the rest of the thread... )

September 13^th

Okay... tomorrow is the big day.

I am scheduled to leave the security of home and hearth for the longest time of my life; indefinitely. Hell, the only thing that is definite at this point is the launch date itself.

I have checked and rechecked the lists and I have said all the goodbyes. I have feelings I have never had. I can hardly think straight. I keep second guessing. I can't do this... I am not ready... I have too many responsibilities...

ARRRGGGRRH! (Yes that was intended as a reference)

I need advice! I need guidance! I need answers! I need to appeal to a higher power!

I NEED THE MAGIC 8-BALL!

"Oh great and powerful magic 8-Ball, am I crazy" Should I leave tomorrow?"�
(Shake)

"Best not answer now," is the ominous reply.

"Bullshit."

I will not be satisfied with ambiguity.

"OH MAGIC 8-BALL SHOULD I LEAVE TOMORROW?!"

(Shake furiously)

"Yes."

The oracle has spoken. I launch tomorrow.

September 14^th


"My procrastination knows no bounds."�

Knowing that I would be embarking in the morning I convince myself it is only right proper that I spend the night before destroying as many brain cells as I can track down, step on or force to commit suicide. Everyone in NY wants to buy me a drink... who am I to refuse???
.

Simply put I sleep until 2 in the afternoon and wake up feeling like the Tin Man from Oz. The next few hours are spent loading the bike and making some final arrangements.

Even now, this close, it is still so difficult to actually make myself GET ON THE ROAD!

I swore I would leave NYC on September 14^th; the only question is how close I am going to cut it. I manage to find reasons to stop at every hang and every friends house for another goodbye.

They tell me it's too late and I should postpone till tomorrow to get some sleep. I am solid in my resolve to exit NYC today and tired or not I am going to.

At 11:36pm, unable to fabricate any more excuses and running out of time, I cross the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey with fourteen minutes left of the day. It is done.

I am finally OTR.



More to follow...




.....

[Doug Matson]

R1, thanks for the start from the top again, my life is now complete! keep it coming.

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by Rogue 1

I reach Sioux Falls and turn west onto I90 at around 10pm. Making miles. So far so good, rain stopped but I have discovered that my waterproof pants are only water resistant. What the heck, I didn’t really believe they’d be waterproof for 50 bucks. This has been a helluva day. Bump! I know what it is before my rear tire goes over it… Skunk! Whoooof, that’s strong stuff… already dead but still fresh, (it wasn’t me) I grin as I think that’s one more item for today’s journal entry.

But wait! There’s more! I almost don’t reach the rest area to make the next payment on the hot dogs (ouch again). Fog is rolling in and getting thicker as I travel west… it’s pretty cool at first but getting worse. Finally I can’t see a damn thing my speed is down to 20mph. Flashers on for fear of being rear ended, I am passed by a pick up and I latch onto his taillights (just ahead of me, that’s all I can see). As we fly through the night and mist I wonder what kind of scenery I’m missing.
~~~~````=o&o> Rogue[/font][/size][/color]

Hey Rouge1,
I'm re-reading the thread again, this time paying more attention to the narrative. I did a coast-to-coast in Y2K on my '83 R100 airhead. I did a west-to-eas southern route from SF to Raliegh, NC, where I left the bike for the summer at my cousin's house. On Oct.1 I headed back along the northern route.

Raliegh to Ashville, through the Smokies to Mammoth Cave, KY. After Mammoth Cave I did an all day, 900+ mile ride from there to Kansas City. I had some work done at the same BMW shop and bought a heated vest and winter gloves there.

I also did KC north to Sioux City, then west on I-90. Let me assure you, you didn't miss jack. In fact, I'm envious you did it at night, as there's nothing really to see between Sioux City and the Badlands along I-90. Walled Drugs is nothing but a tourist trap on your way to Rapid City. Good place for a quick meal, then back in the saddle.

I actually stopped riding after dark after the leg on I-90. Every 20 miles or so I'd see some serious roadkill remains and didn't want to risk an accident. The locals in Walled agreed that roadkills got worse in autumn before winter set in.

When you go out again, I'd recommend Mammoth Cave on your way west. After Kansas City, I'd suggest going north to Omaha, then west out State Route 275, which merges into State Route 20 and proceeds northwest to Pine Ridge and Wounded Knee at the southern end of the Badlands. From there you can ride up to the Langhorn Saloon in beautiful Scenic, SD.

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by Rogue 1

Mike has left me the keys to his Suzuki Hayabusa (Japanese for “2 wheeled rocket ship�) and as afternoon approaches I mount it to follow Kirsten into the Valley and run some errands. The bike feels small and foreign to me.

!!!

Wait a minute...are we talking about a 'busa, as in Suzuki Hayabusa, feeling too friggin small???!!!

[Rogue 1]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

!!!

Wait a minute...are we talking about a 'busa, as in Suzuki Hayabusa, feeling too friggin small???!!!

Hey man... what can I say... I'm 6'3"! I spent the last 5 weeks and 6000 miles on a GS ADV loaded for bear! I was chewing my knees on the 'busa! (not to mention the previous 2 years and 18k on a standard GS1150)

Ever heard the term ... "He looks like a Gorilla humping a football"?


It's all relative, right?

[scootertrash]

I had a neighbor in Denver that had to duck to go in his garage. He had a Yamaha FJ1200 for a short while, when he rolled up on it the first time, I thought it was a 600! He dwarfed that scoot...