Yearly trip to Pennsylvania

[GS1150Pilot]

I love this thread, Glen. My only important ride of the year so far was the 1000 mile solo summer Tour de Arizona which I put together for myself. When I rode the FZ1, a bunch of FZ riders and I used to make a yearly pilgrimage to one of the spots on the tour I did, and it was good, though testosterone ended up making me step away from doing that ride, since it became a recipe for mayhem. I used to ride to Durango once a year with a buddy, too, but he married and sold his bike (though I have heard he now owns a GL1800, so he's got to be doing long rides unless he lost his mind). Before all that, I rode to Mexico yearly with my brother, but when he married his much younger wife, she made him give up riding. Soooo, I am a solo rider these days, but one who has great memories of annual rides that both mark time and make it stop.

Cheers to you, and very best wishes for your friend with cancer. That disease took both of my parents and has hit my siblings in recent times. It's a bitch.

[GS1150Pilot]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42044[/ATTACH] first fail...
Well I thought I had a loose fairing bolt.....it's still tight....

JB Weld for the short term!

[dorkburger]

Success. Just under 300 miles stretched out over 9 hours. I'm beat.
We may try to put a quick weld on the fairing mount.

Internet here is spotty.... more later....

[dorkburger]

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Another great day. Rode to Watkins Glen NY.

[GSXR7ED]

Nice......!!!!!


Ed

[dorkburger]

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Dallas Pa. End of the line for the Duc. Ominous motor noise.
Back at home. 926 miles door to door. I was greeted with a stinky water filled and broken dishwasher.
I'll be posting pics, etc this week. The GS ran great all weekend!

[dorkburger]

Wrap up......

Before the trip, along with the news of our friend, I spoke to my cousin a couple of times. He was having clutch troubles with the Ducati. After a failed first attempt at a repair, he was fairly confident that he had it solved. I feared that the trip was falling apart....Also after very vague recollections that i left my atlas in PA, i gave up looking. Finally, at 1:14 AM on Friday night i went to sleep. The plan was to leave home at 7 AM and head over to Franks house. 6 AM came very soon, and despite the fun ahead i only slowly rolled out of bed . It was very foggy outside. I said my good byes and left home shortly after 7 then disappeared into the mist. Dew drops formed on my shield which were removed by turning my head one way then the other so the wind would push the beads of water off. The drops rolling off of my windscreen left cool patterns behind.

I met Frank, and our journey began with me as the chosen leader on a 30 year old bike, no GPS, and a route plan as foggy as the air around us. We headed out and the fog eased slightly, but hit some stubborn patches along the Millstone river. I headed for RT 22, an old state road that would head west, take us to I 78 and out of NJ. Around this time, i noticed my fairing was moving around when i hit bumps. An in motion diagnosis suggested a loose mounting bolt. I figured i would check it at the next stop, then we hit traffic.... RT 22 was crawling, and police had all side roads blocked. As we plodded along, at one point Frank goosed the Wing from a slow roll.. Holy crap, the thing JUMPED, and even lifted the front wheel off of the gruond a bit! On a bone stock machine no less.... Color me impressed.

Traffic cleared at the RT 22 / I 78 junction, but before we hit the interstate, i wanted to check my fairing, so as not to lose the loose bolt. We found a little deli in Annenburg and stopped. I found the bolt tightly connected to the mounting boss, and a nice hole in my frame where the boss was pulled from.

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After taking a look and seeing all of the head stock bracing nearby, i decided that it wasnt a trip ender, threw some nylon ties around the frame rail and fairing bracket to hold it from bouncing as much and ate a pork roll,egg, and cheese sandwich- if you're not from the tri state area, you're likey unfamiliar, and missing out....

While we were eating, this showed up.

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We later found out that the traffic was caused by a police manhunt. Supossedly, police were investigating an accident when one of the the crashed vehicles windows randomly blew out, and police didn't know why and suspected a potential shooter....and found none.

With fairing and empty bellies sorted, we set back out. The weather teased us into PA with occcassional blue patches and sun mixed in with low clouds. The fog was gone, and the temperature was comfortable. Next stop was in the Poconos for fuel and coffee. After enduring the pain of the tourist trap and traffic that the Poconos is, the fun truly began.
We rode lightly travelled state roads, where the posted limit of 55 means 60-65 until the speed limit drops to 35 or 25. The state highway becomes main street. Old houses with inviting porches face the road, small shops do buisness, and people go about their daily buisness as they always have. Each town has its own little twist- all the same yet all individual- its a slice of Americana i enjoy seeing.

More to follow...

[dorkburger]

Saturday continued..

We happily continued west on RT 115 which eventually took us to RT 309, then stopped briefly at Clarks Summit to stretch and drink coffee. By now the sun was out, the air was borderline hot, and it felt like summer. I removed the liners from my jacket and pants. We then took off and rode down the long hill into Wilkes Barre. We made our way thru light traffic, then hit RT 118. The beautiful warming sun soon disappeared into a wall of clouds.

We took a quick stop at Ricketts Glen park then moved on

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As we pulled out of the park it began to sprinkle. We took a right onto RT 487 and steadily climbed until the road reached the top of the mountain then more or less followed a ridge. We rode thru a town called Lopez, and it hit me that my cousin stopped for a photo op in town which i recreated to bust his chops a bit.

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Another slight climb out of town, another enjoyable stretch of road, and we hit Dushore. A few years ago i had a good lunch in town and timing was good as we were ready for a late lunch. Once i had my bearings, i pulled in font of the Whistle Stop, but it was closed....As in realtor signs in the window. Across the street was the Trolley Stop ( i sensed a theme). It was open, but not for lunch....small towns.... I asked what was open and girl said here was a place a few miles down. It was on our way, so off we went.

Ally Bells was basically a converted barn, or at least made to look like one. Low key and reasonably cool. We had tasty
lunch then moved on.

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[alke46]

Good use of the ichiban safety ties for your fairing.

[GSXR7ED]

Nice pics Glen. Looks like you got some welding to do. Thanks for sharing.


Ed

[dorkburger]

Alke, they were black ties....not sure if they count....

Ed, thanks... i still have more to post.

[dorkburger]

After lunch, i finally remembered to crank up the preload on the rear suspension. When we left the interstate earlier, i noticed that the bike's steering was heavy and slow. Now my knowledge of suspension dynamics can fill maybe a thimble and a half, but i put it together that i increased the fork preload this summer and left the rear alone. i suspected that maybe the front was riding high with the additional weight of my baggage. With the exception of fork oil changes, the suspension is orignal, but it did help. i suspect that worn tires are also exacerbating the situation.

The last leg of the trip was by far the best. We rode up 220 for a while then made a hard left onto 414 west where we entered a wide valley. the first few miles followed the natural curves of the creek next to the road, then the 2 separated and the road cut thru cornfields, meadows, cow farms, and occassional clusters of houses. A warm south wind picked up and a late afternoon, late summer sun came out and shined down brightly. We rode at an entertaining, but sane speed, enjoying the empty roads with long sweeping turns only slowing down for the odd farmer at work. For the first time in far too long i was living for the moment, savoring the sound of an old GS and living from curve to curve.

Eventually the road turned away from the valley, climbed, and presented some moderately technical curves and elevation changes. Big fun..
By now, i was pushing the limit of fuel range, and a few miles outside of Liberty, i switched to reserve. We stopped in Liberty for fuel and ended up talking for 45 minutes or so to 2 gentlemen who rode up from Maryland to visit family. One on V strom, the other on an FJR1300. The FJR is a fine looking machine. I liked it. They both appreciated the old GS, and neither could remember when they last saw one.
With daylight dwindling we all agreed that we should get going...45 minutes later we arrived at our destination. The lack of sleep and 9 plus hours of riding left me exhausted, but happy....

[dorkburger]

Score one for cycle maintenance!..
Back in another life i had an 83 1100e. it had the typical 4 into 1 and pods, and always had a dark chocolate brown exaust color at the tailpipe. My 1150 has always been sooty, carbon black. It annoyed me. As mentioned earlier in this thread, i cleaned up the exhaust. it was 80 % vanity, 20% scientific. I wanted to see if the carb work and new intake boots caused it to run cleaner. well, after 300 miles this is what i had. Prevoiusly, a jaunt around town would leave it sooty, and my homebrewed crankcase vent would be fully black.. Im pleased.

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[dorkburger]

Sunday

A weather front came thru Saturday night bringing rain, thunder and cooler temps. Sunday morning before breakfast, Frank and I rode up into the hills a bit to the spot where we scattered my fathers ashes. We had a few quiet moments and reflected...One perspective from a long time employee and friend, and one from a son. Dad is well missed.

Quick stop on the ride up. Every sign we passsed had holes or dents from target practice.....

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A picture to comemmorate the moment...

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Upon returning, we had breakfast, and i planned at making an attempt at welding the fairing mount. A quick look revealed that it was too much headache and time. its a tight spot without removing the fairing, and welding by a gas tank may not be good for ones longevity. i wrapped and twisted a coathanger in place of the ties and called it good.

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[dorkburger]

After breakfast things got......l a z y....
We eventually rode up to my cousins house and got ready to head out. He was either confidednt with the clutch repair, or didnt give a hoot as he had no qualms with a long ride.. Watking Glen NY was the chosen destination. We made our way to RT 15 and headed north. The highway was a lightly travelled - it was Sunday- 2 lane each way divided highway. The part we were on had expansive views of valleys and low mountains. The type of road that would disappear from view then reappear as it rose up the next hill. It was also the type of open, with long gentle turns, and long straights type of highway that taunts one to flagrantly and excessively speed..... We kept it in check though.

Being relieved of leadership duty for the day, all i had to do was follow the red Ducati. With no traffic to contend with, no side streets, and minimal percieved danger, i assumed lazy riding position, and my mind set to wandering and taking in the sights, along with watching the road. The sun was warming things up and despite a stiff wind, i could feel my jacket warming up. The air was incredibly clear, and the ocassional cloud would cast moving shadows on the surrounding valleys.

The 1150 gauge cluster has a column of 4 indicator lights on each side20150924_201243.jpg with the appropriately colored lenses. At one point, i looked down and the green of the neutral light lens looked funny and stuck out like a sore thumb...Its color just seemed out of place. Yes, heavy thoughts were underway...... I never did get arouund to thinking of the common cold cure, world peace, or a cure for stupidity, but it was a nice, but brief mental break. Eventually the conditions demanded my attention and i was back to this world.

We crossed into NY hit a couple of smaller roads, then Watking Glen. We fueled up, parked the bikes then took a walk up the gorge.



It is an absolutely beautiful natural creation. There is a walkway cut into it with a couple of tunnels, bridges and lots of steps. On this day it was also a rainbow coalition of nationalities, many holding up progress with selfie sticks taking pictures so they could update their status.
I hope to eventually bring the family there....During the week preferrably.

Later, we headed out for a late lunch early dinner.
Glen Motor inn was an old resturant and its lobby was covered with pictures, some autographed, covering decades of racing in town.

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View of Seneca Lake from our table.

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The dining room was quite empty, with only 2 other groups eating. I had a most excellent dish of raviolis, head and shoulders above the corporate Itialian (Olive Garden) i had recently...

Parking lot shot.

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I was memory lane-ing a bit here... Back in 99, my late uncle, cousin and me spent a weekend at this hotel. My cousin rode my ex 1100e, that was replaced by my 1150e. It would end up being the only road trip i took the 1150e on in my short ownership of it. Also before the 99 trip began, the previous owner of my current ES delivered it to my (parents) house.

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By the time we were finished eating and getting pics, it was getting late, and likely that we would be riding in the dark.
Back on the highway the day gave way to a beautiful sunset, then a deeper orange then a slow fade to purple, as the moon and cycle tailights became brighter, then black. We stopped at my cousins for warm up coffee, then the 7-8 mile ride back to the inn at 35 mph. lots of deer abound and a couple parts of the road suck. Its also fully dark, being in the country with no streetlights.....Slow and steady we went.