Back On The Road

We were able to get my bike looked at this morning at Twigg's Motorcycle Shop in Hagerstown MD.  The were EXTREMELY helpful.  Apparently, my clutch lockout switch had come loose.  Simple fix which is good but a little frustrating that something so simply and easily fixed held us up.  

Although we were delayed getting back on the road this morning, it actually ended up helping us out weather wise.  We were able to make it all the way to Hartford, CT traveling just behind one storm and just in front of another.  It ended up a nice cool overcast day of riding.  This section of road was what I was most excited about.  I have driven the a lot of the southeast and been to the west coast a few times, but the northeast however is one place I haven't traveled a lot.  Interstate 81 through MD, PA, NY, and CT is beautiful (and yes we went through all four of those states today).  It doesn't feel like the boring highways we had been on.  It was curvy and mostly through the rural mountains.  

We have continued to use some of our hand signals we created on our last trip.  Today we used the deer sign (all five fingers spread holding your thumb next to your helmet like an antler) quite often.  Not only did we used it for seeing the "Caution Deer" signs but we also used it for the numerous deceased deer we saw (and smelled) on the side of the road.

Last but certainly not least for all you Office fans out there, we did drive through Scranton, PA!  The theme song was playing in my head as we passed the city.

The Missing Days

July 2nd took us from Edgewater Florida to Charlotte North Carolina.  As CZookie said earlier we stayed with her friends whose hospitality was wonderful.  Lots of stories and laughter.  Effective mileage that day was 512 miles with no rain.  As we rode up I-95 toward Jacksonville I could not help but feel like we had been in Florida for a long time.  We had been in Florida almost all day on Sunday, after Monday night in Key West, a whole day Tuesday (slowed by so much rain) and now it was now the fourth day, still in Florida.  Despite hitting Jacksonville at the morning rush hour we moved quickly and easily around the city on I-295.  The Georgia coast is short; there was a lot of road construction and that marshland smell.  Still we made good time.  CZookie lead all the way in to Charlotte and I struggled to keep up since I enjoy high speeds only when the roads are good, the weather is good and the traffic is light.  Only the weather cooperated consistently on Wednesday.  By lunch time it was clear we would make it to her friend's home in good time so it was easy to enjoy the ride even if it was on the highways: I-95 to I-26 to I-77.  Ewen McGregor says that his travel photos are all pictures of his bike at various locals.  So here is my current favorite picture of my bike at the Best Western in Edgewater Florida.  We were very lucky CZookie found this place when she did, just after a terrible storm and just before the next one hit.  

July 3rd from Charlotte to Hagerstown was 430 miles effectively.  It was a great riding day.  A little slower since I led all day.  On the buffet theory of traveling, this trip the first pass through the line.  We will come back one day to enjoy a larger helping of the best places.  One certainly worth a long return visit is the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was beautiful and great to ride.  Very little traffic, slow speeds and lots of twisties.  We road it from Buena Vista to Vesuvius.  The access roads were full of the narrowest switchbacks steeply sloping up hill and down.  This is no interstate!  Hagerstown presented itself in plenty of time to stop check in and hunt for dinner until we got separated on the drive into town.  Communication by cell phone soon revealed that CZookie was the roadside and BB was refusing to restart.  Her entry tells the rest.  We are now focused on getting BB repaired.  Until then, we are here in Hagerstown.  Hope everyone is having a safe and fun Fourth of July.    

(By the way, the picture on June 29th blog entry was the automatic truck windshield washer at the Fort Drum Service Plaza on the Florida Turnpike.  You just pull up and a sensor turns on the spray.  We did not try it, but if the bikes would trigger the sensor I am sure we could have washed them easily!)      

The good, the bad, the ugly

The good news is we had a great day yesterday riding through VA.  We couldn't resist taking a short detour off of 81 to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was such a nice break from the highway riding we had been doing.  The roads were curvy and some sections really tested your motorcycle skills.  The cooler temperature and awesome scenery seemed to really boost everyone's afternoon mood.  Although we did disturb a snake who was sunning himself in the road.  Beamerpop, who was leading, scared him enough that he coiled back.  As I passed, riding second, I was a little afraid he might strike me or the bike.  Fortunately everyone, including the snake, was unharmed.   

The bad news is BB (my V-Strom also known as the WEEEE-Strom) won't start.  Beamerpop and I fiddled around checking the fuses, the battery, etc. and couldn't solve the problem.  After doing some research on the internet we discovered that other people have had similar problems with the V-Strom.  The bike will be fine one minute and then the next you know you can't start her back up.  Apparently it's a bad starter relay.  One piece of advice was to file the relay connectors.  This has been proven to solve the problem.  After a few minutes of trying to find where my starter relay was we discovered that it's completely encased.  We will have to purchase a whole new started relay.  This leads us to the ugly news.

We can't purchase a starter relay or even have the bike looked at until tomorrow.  Apparently, everyone is too busy celebrating their independence from the British to bother with working!  Thank goodness the tow trucks weren't on vacation.  It will be nice to take a rest though.  I hope we can make up the mileage later on.  Send good mechanical and weather energy our way!  

We wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to our Charlotte crowd.  I can't tell you how nice it was to eat a home cooked meal and hangout with friends.  THANK YOU!

Also... We made the local Nashville TN paper.  Check it out.

http:..www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807040316

We are hoping this means wider publicity for Make It Right NOLA and possibly more donations to the Long Road Home house!

First Day and counting

We did really well today. Got up early, packed up quickly (for us), ate a quick breakfast and were on the road by 7:30 am. Heading out of the Keys was great. The sky was clear, the traffic was minimal and the temperature was pleasant. We made excellent time and were in Miami before we knew it. A quick fill again of the gas tanks and we got on the Florida Turnpike. We had learned it was easier for one of us to struggle with toll money, so BMRPop volunteered to always pay for all of us. At the first toll we were surprised by a random act of kindness. The car in front of us paid for all three of us!! After we got through the gate, I caught up with the car and waved my thanks. Czookie also waved as she passed. We later learned from BMRPop that we had waved to the wrong car. Well, that explains the odd stares from the folks in the car!!

The Florida turnpike was an excellent way to go. We had great weather, and there was less traffic than the parallel I-95. After our break for lunch and gas in Ft. Pierce we headed north on I-95 towards Daytona Beach. And then the rains came. At first they were refreshing and we dried in between downpours. But then the rains turned into full fledged thunderstorms with dark skies, winds and lightning. After about 1/2 hour wait under an overpass, we ventured out again only to be caught a second time in a horrible storm. We were so wet (and cold) that we declared it a full day, although we were short of our mileage goal. It was hard to remember that earlier in the day we had actually anticipated surpassing our goal and trying to get to Jacksonville. Oh well.

The hotel room is decorated with wet clothes, gloves and jackets everywhere. I hope we are dry by morning!!