Jeriatric
05-07-2012, 08:46 PM
Perhaps it should be * HOT - HOT - HOT * (to say the trip was HOT would be a major understatement), or maybe * The Longest Test Ride Ever * (cause when I mounted up and pointed the Spyder to wards home, over 1600 miles away, I had only sat on one once).
The journey began like they do for so many of us. I'll FLY. That's it, I'll fly in get off the plane and ride the Spyder home. Welllll, not so fast!! Scheduling a two stop flight (no direct flights out of Palm Springs) on short notice was cost prohibitive - not that I'm a tight wad - what they wanted was outrageous. 'Plan B' - catch a RED EYE. The price was right but, the entire trip would be on puddle jumpers - FIVE of them - every time you land you change planes and get on another puddle jumper. Oh, and it would only take THIRTY HOURS. Ha!! Plan C - at about the same price as Plan B was to ride - The Grey Dog - mind you I haven't been on one since '67 (that's a whole nother story). The Dog(s) will have me there in thirty four hours and it will only take three of them to get the job done. Wala.....bought myself a one way ticket to Shreveport, La, leaving town Monday morning April 30th at 11:30 AM . All dogs ran well and we were on time UNTIL the last one, my connector in Dallas. It went lame somewhere before Dallas and the delay turned the trip from thirty four hours to almost forty.
Once in Shreveport, 2 AM Wednesday the 2nd, grabbed a cab to the motel and was beyond ready for a shower, good meal, and some rest. Don't ya know! Couple hours later I'm off to take care of paper work...title transfer, Spyder Warranty etc. etc.. Then I'm ready to leave but can't. I had ordered and drop shipped riding gear from a couple of sources and one package was shipped late. So I had to hang around for another day. Not all bad, the trip out had whacked me pretty good, my ankles were the size of cantaloupes. LOL! All I can say is it's a darn good thing those new touring boots have zippers in them, getting them on still took some stomping and pulling but, once on I was ready to roll and nothing was going to stop me.
It's mid day Thursday and the final package arrived and I'm off. Rather suddenly I knew something wasn't right and I knew what it was. Long story short the shocks were adjusted for a feather weight and I'm a heavy - six four / 220. No problem, the dealer is kinda on my way out of town and I'm pretty sure they'll handle it for me, since I didn't bring a jack along. :) They did and I was on the road at 2 PM and on my way home...almost. By plan I need to be in Phoenix to pick up a trailer Saturday morning 9AM (some 1250 plus miles away) no problem originally but, the delayed package took care of any extra time I had allowed myself. Is it crazy to try and stay on schedule? Maybe, but if the new Spyder and I get acquainted fast enough - it's still doable. :) And, if the trailer folks get me out as promised I"ll be home in time Saturday to rescue my dog from prison (normally called boarding). For now it's all up to me, just get to Phoenix on time.
First fuel stop and oil check. Only about a hundred miles into the trip and I need fuel already?. That little red R was showing itself and I have no idea how deep reserve is. So, as per the manual and me being one to follow what must be sound instructions. I did as the book told me, I filled until the pump shut itself off. Also checked the oil (by the book) and it was very near the low level mark. After going through the sequence of starting, stooping, and checking about three times I had hit the HIGH mark. Well done, and I'm off. (And the oil level dropped very little over the remainder of the trip.)
Seems like I just got back on the road and all of a sudden the little red R popped up again. Didn't I just get fuel? What's up with this? This time.....I said screw the book. I'm filling up...or... as they refer to it in the O/M, TOPPING OFF. So one little squeeze at a time I watch the fuel level sneak ever closer to the nozzle entry hole....I want it full, but with a little expansion room left. I mean after all, the second I start it up I'll be in fuel burning mode until the little red R comes on again. Heck, I'm not filling it up to take it home and park in the garage....I'm going to be burning and churning. Perhaps burning is a bad word choice here....but you get my drift...right?
Well this time I ran a little over 200 miles before the R showed itself. This became a pattern and once it did I began to gain some confidence that if I run 200 miles and it takes five gallons to fill to the same level.... I'm getting 40 MPG, AND!!!! The reserve on this thing must be about 1.6 gallons deep (5 +1.6 = 6.6 / Yes?). This is what the numbers looked like time after time..... I was almost always running 75 to 80 miles MPH with the cruise set. That is until I got to west Texas where 80 is legal.....I ran 90 on cruise. Now, by the time I hit west Texas the Spyder and I were on pretty good terms. It seemed happy and I know I was.
SE5 - hard to beat the semi automatic in BIG CITY rush hour freeway traffic. There couldn't be a better set up than the SE5 - it did the work down shifting and I did the up shifting - harmony. I'd fall in in the fast lane, set myself a comfortable distance form the vehicle ahead, while reading the traffic in front of it, and not once did I ever have to touch the brake. And, as it happened it was rare that people would fill the safety gap I was leaving. When they did, I simply adjusted. How cool is that?
For three nights I rode into a setting sun and the first two nights on the road went until after midnight. On the first day I stopped at midnight. It was a combination of being tired and knowing I was out driving my low beams. Not good! So, got a room and died for about four hours and was up and ready to go again. I had managed to put 400 plus miles behind me between 2 PM Thursday afternoon and midnight and was in Sweetwater, Tx.. Not a bad first day.
Woke up and was on the road to breakfast at 6AM, and about 45 minutes later I was in the fast lane. At just after 1:AM Saturday morning I was pulling up to a hotel room in Fountain Hills, Az. Some 860 plus miles for the day, and I was T 1 R D!
Slept a couple of hours, but this time it was not restful. Being as tall as I am the seat forces me to set to far forward. I mean my knees are at minimum four inches beyond the front of the saddle rub guard. That means in order for my feet to be on the pegs my legs are then bent back almost like I was kneeling. I mean it pulled my riding pants so tight to my knees that I have what one could only call rug burns on my knees. So, instead of sleeping that night I fought Charley horses. Not fun, jumping out of bed......saying, Oh please, No, go away....If you've ever had Charley horses you know the routine. This my friends has to change. I can deal with all kinds of discomfort when I HAVE TO but I made it home and don't have to anymore. It's time to visit Corbin. They're just up the highway.
I got to the dealer in Arizona 30 minutes earlier than he was supposed to open but he was late. The hitch and wiring was installed but there was no way I could make it home in time to bail Roxie out on Saturday so I slow rolled home from Arizona, arriving about 9:PM.. They don't release pets on Sunday so I finally got Roxie today. We're both happy. I detailed the Spyder today.
NOTE: to all you Texas riders.....you should be hitting fewer bugs.......I collected more than my fair share. :)
That's my story (the second time around)
Thanks for the ear.
Jerbear and Blk Max
The journey began like they do for so many of us. I'll FLY. That's it, I'll fly in get off the plane and ride the Spyder home. Welllll, not so fast!! Scheduling a two stop flight (no direct flights out of Palm Springs) on short notice was cost prohibitive - not that I'm a tight wad - what they wanted was outrageous. 'Plan B' - catch a RED EYE. The price was right but, the entire trip would be on puddle jumpers - FIVE of them - every time you land you change planes and get on another puddle jumper. Oh, and it would only take THIRTY HOURS. Ha!! Plan C - at about the same price as Plan B was to ride - The Grey Dog - mind you I haven't been on one since '67 (that's a whole nother story). The Dog(s) will have me there in thirty four hours and it will only take three of them to get the job done. Wala.....bought myself a one way ticket to Shreveport, La, leaving town Monday morning April 30th at 11:30 AM . All dogs ran well and we were on time UNTIL the last one, my connector in Dallas. It went lame somewhere before Dallas and the delay turned the trip from thirty four hours to almost forty.
Once in Shreveport, 2 AM Wednesday the 2nd, grabbed a cab to the motel and was beyond ready for a shower, good meal, and some rest. Don't ya know! Couple hours later I'm off to take care of paper work...title transfer, Spyder Warranty etc. etc.. Then I'm ready to leave but can't. I had ordered and drop shipped riding gear from a couple of sources and one package was shipped late. So I had to hang around for another day. Not all bad, the trip out had whacked me pretty good, my ankles were the size of cantaloupes. LOL! All I can say is it's a darn good thing those new touring boots have zippers in them, getting them on still took some stomping and pulling but, once on I was ready to roll and nothing was going to stop me.
It's mid day Thursday and the final package arrived and I'm off. Rather suddenly I knew something wasn't right and I knew what it was. Long story short the shocks were adjusted for a feather weight and I'm a heavy - six four / 220. No problem, the dealer is kinda on my way out of town and I'm pretty sure they'll handle it for me, since I didn't bring a jack along. :) They did and I was on the road at 2 PM and on my way home...almost. By plan I need to be in Phoenix to pick up a trailer Saturday morning 9AM (some 1250 plus miles away) no problem originally but, the delayed package took care of any extra time I had allowed myself. Is it crazy to try and stay on schedule? Maybe, but if the new Spyder and I get acquainted fast enough - it's still doable. :) And, if the trailer folks get me out as promised I"ll be home in time Saturday to rescue my dog from prison (normally called boarding). For now it's all up to me, just get to Phoenix on time.
First fuel stop and oil check. Only about a hundred miles into the trip and I need fuel already?. That little red R was showing itself and I have no idea how deep reserve is. So, as per the manual and me being one to follow what must be sound instructions. I did as the book told me, I filled until the pump shut itself off. Also checked the oil (by the book) and it was very near the low level mark. After going through the sequence of starting, stooping, and checking about three times I had hit the HIGH mark. Well done, and I'm off. (And the oil level dropped very little over the remainder of the trip.)
Seems like I just got back on the road and all of a sudden the little red R popped up again. Didn't I just get fuel? What's up with this? This time.....I said screw the book. I'm filling up...or... as they refer to it in the O/M, TOPPING OFF. So one little squeeze at a time I watch the fuel level sneak ever closer to the nozzle entry hole....I want it full, but with a little expansion room left. I mean after all, the second I start it up I'll be in fuel burning mode until the little red R comes on again. Heck, I'm not filling it up to take it home and park in the garage....I'm going to be burning and churning. Perhaps burning is a bad word choice here....but you get my drift...right?
Well this time I ran a little over 200 miles before the R showed itself. This became a pattern and once it did I began to gain some confidence that if I run 200 miles and it takes five gallons to fill to the same level.... I'm getting 40 MPG, AND!!!! The reserve on this thing must be about 1.6 gallons deep (5 +1.6 = 6.6 / Yes?). This is what the numbers looked like time after time..... I was almost always running 75 to 80 miles MPH with the cruise set. That is until I got to west Texas where 80 is legal.....I ran 90 on cruise. Now, by the time I hit west Texas the Spyder and I were on pretty good terms. It seemed happy and I know I was.
SE5 - hard to beat the semi automatic in BIG CITY rush hour freeway traffic. There couldn't be a better set up than the SE5 - it did the work down shifting and I did the up shifting - harmony. I'd fall in in the fast lane, set myself a comfortable distance form the vehicle ahead, while reading the traffic in front of it, and not once did I ever have to touch the brake. And, as it happened it was rare that people would fill the safety gap I was leaving. When they did, I simply adjusted. How cool is that?
For three nights I rode into a setting sun and the first two nights on the road went until after midnight. On the first day I stopped at midnight. It was a combination of being tired and knowing I was out driving my low beams. Not good! So, got a room and died for about four hours and was up and ready to go again. I had managed to put 400 plus miles behind me between 2 PM Thursday afternoon and midnight and was in Sweetwater, Tx.. Not a bad first day.
Woke up and was on the road to breakfast at 6AM, and about 45 minutes later I was in the fast lane. At just after 1:AM Saturday morning I was pulling up to a hotel room in Fountain Hills, Az. Some 860 plus miles for the day, and I was T 1 R D!
Slept a couple of hours, but this time it was not restful. Being as tall as I am the seat forces me to set to far forward. I mean my knees are at minimum four inches beyond the front of the saddle rub guard. That means in order for my feet to be on the pegs my legs are then bent back almost like I was kneeling. I mean it pulled my riding pants so tight to my knees that I have what one could only call rug burns on my knees. So, instead of sleeping that night I fought Charley horses. Not fun, jumping out of bed......saying, Oh please, No, go away....If you've ever had Charley horses you know the routine. This my friends has to change. I can deal with all kinds of discomfort when I HAVE TO but I made it home and don't have to anymore. It's time to visit Corbin. They're just up the highway.
I got to the dealer in Arizona 30 minutes earlier than he was supposed to open but he was late. The hitch and wiring was installed but there was no way I could make it home in time to bail Roxie out on Saturday so I slow rolled home from Arizona, arriving about 9:PM.. They don't release pets on Sunday so I finally got Roxie today. We're both happy. I detailed the Spyder today.
NOTE: to all you Texas riders.....you should be hitting fewer bugs.......I collected more than my fair share. :)
That's my story (the second time around)
Thanks for the ear.
Jerbear and Blk Max