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In case you thought I'd been neglecting the project bike, you'd be half right. Graham and I have taken some time to get going on it. The first thing we did was overhaul the front brakes as they were binding quite badly. 19 years of corrosion had taken their toll and it was quite a job to clean them up. However, with help from Rob at the local bike shop, we now have the best brakes on any GT 550 - I hope. We haven't road tested them yet since we have started to dismantle the bike in earnest. I suspect that taking it apart is the easy bit, despite the many rusted and seized bolts.
I had been losing interest a bit as it seemed a lot of hassle for not very much return, but now that we are doing more than just cleaning brakes I am quite energised about it. I get to clean different bits! As Graham pointed out, it would be pointless just to do the brakes, clean the rest and then sell it. We need to make a serious difference so that we can see we have achieved something. I've always liked this model, so it will be nice to have a fairly pristine example to ride on for a while. There is no rush to do it as we have sorted out the garage so it doesn't take up needed room, but we will try to make decent progress. Further progress reports, with pictures, will follow.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Route Planning
I've been thinking for some time about what is the best route to take. Apart from Oregon, Washington and Alaska, which I've never been to, I have no great desire to see anything in particular on the journey. However, I think I'd rather go north on the west side of the Rockies than the east, which is the way the sat nav would take me. I fancy some of that open, desert riding. So, I'm going to head west from Florida, but not hug the Gulf Coast. I'll turn north when I get to Texas. Since I will be in the vicinity I will stop at Lubbock, Buddy Holly's birthplace, and also Clovis, New Mexico, where Norman Petty's recording studio was. After that, Monument Valley is a sensible route option, and dramatic too. Then north through Utah into Idaho before cutting over to the Oregon coast and up to Seattle. There is really no choice in how to get to Anchorage from there.
I have plotted the route on Google maps. It can be found at http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=117624700856050335285.0004842508f941e44e117
Let me know if there are any problems with this link. I don't find Google maps easy to use.
I will now look at guide books to see what is near to this route that may be of interest. As I've said before though, it is the journey that counts in this case, not the destination or the places I go through.
According to Google the trip will take 112 hours driving time. I have 24/25 days available to ride, so it should be an average of less than 5 hours a day. However, it takes a bit longer to ride for 5 hours on a bike than it does to drive for 5 hours in a car as stops are more frequent. Still, I don't see time being a problem. I'm more likely to arrive in Alaska early, rather than late. However, after a few days in the saddle I may welcome a day off, so the 5 hours average may have a few non-riding days in there.
I just want to get going!
I have plotted the route on Google maps. It can be found at http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=117624700856050335285.0004842508f941e44e117
Let me know if there are any problems with this link. I don't find Google maps easy to use.
I will now look at guide books to see what is near to this route that may be of interest. As I've said before though, it is the journey that counts in this case, not the destination or the places I go through.
According to Google the trip will take 112 hours driving time. I have 24/25 days available to ride, so it should be an average of less than 5 hours a day. However, it takes a bit longer to ride for 5 hours on a bike than it does to drive for 5 hours in a car as stops are more frequent. Still, I don't see time being a problem. I'm more likely to arrive in Alaska early, rather than late. However, after a few days in the saddle I may welcome a day off, so the 5 hours average may have a few non-riding days in there.
I just want to get going!
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Early Preparations
I hadn't realised it was so long since I posted. I will try to be more diligent now that the Alaska trip is looming nearer.
I have booked my flight for May 18th. I will spend 3 nights at my cousin's in Florida and leave on the morning of 21st. My return flight from Anchorage is on June 16th, so I hope I have time enough to get there. The only (!) unknown is the trip from Seattle to Anchorage. I've no idea how fast or slow my progress will be over that part of the journey. I am confident that I can average 3 to 4 hundred miles a day in the lower 48, which is a good enough average to complete the journey in the allotted time. I will probably end up with lots of spare time in Alaska. That won't be the end of the world. I'm sure there is plenty to see; and I will need to sell the bike.
I have bought an Army surplus kit bag to take my stuff with me to Florida. I can then fold it and stow it somewhere on the bike. I will have panniers, a tail pack and a seat roll for all my luggage. The panniers I will reserve for raingear, tools, maps, spare petrol and food and drink. I should get all of my clothes in the other two, and they detach easily to take into motels. The only time I have to be half decent is in the evening, so I don't really need much in the way of smart clothes. For most of the journey I will be OK with a long sleeved T-shirt under my leathers. If I can't fit enough T-shirts, socks and Ys in the kitbag I will just buy them when I get there. What I will need to do is take enough layers that I can stay warm going through Canada. The temperature over the whole trip is likely to vary from high 30s in Texas to below 10 in the Yukon, so it will be quite a range to cope with. I think I need to start looking stuff out.
I thought of getting a video cam, but decided against it. It would be a novelty, but that's all, so not worth the hassle of working out mounting systems etc. I will take my still camera, but I don't expect to take many pictures. Landscapes never come out as you want them to. I will record any significant moments.
I am hoping the bike should be good for the whole journey, with just an oil change en route. I have decided to fit new tyres at the start and hope they last the whole way. I believe the Alaskan highway can be sore on tyres, so my only concern is wearing them out early. There is not much I can do about it though, as I think there is only about 1,000 miles of wear left on the current rear tyre, so I would need to change it soon anyway. I'm hoping that the gentle cruising I will be doing in the lower 48 will be kind to the rear tyre, leaving me enough tread for the hard bit. I'll assess in Seattle and get some expert advice if I can.
I've mentioned my trip on a couple of motorcycle forums I participate in and have had a couple of offers of accommodation, so that should be quite interesting, and also an opportunity to get some informed opinion on any stuff that I need it on.
I will need to think hard about reading material. I can always pick books up, but it is an opportunity to do some serious reading, so I shouldn't mess it up. Past experience says there is not much else to do at the end of a day's riding, so I should make the most of it. I will take my MP3 player and may even try using it when I'm riding. The image of riding through Monument Valley with "Wasn't Born to Follow" on headphones won't leave me!
It's only 38 days till I leave, so I will start to make serious preparations and add to the blog as I develop them. In the meantime I have to help the plumber and plasterer in renovating our shower room. That should take up some of my time. But the weather is turning nice too, so there may be a bit more golf as well. I don't think that I will weary over the coming weeks.
I have booked my flight for May 18th. I will spend 3 nights at my cousin's in Florida and leave on the morning of 21st. My return flight from Anchorage is on June 16th, so I hope I have time enough to get there. The only (!) unknown is the trip from Seattle to Anchorage. I've no idea how fast or slow my progress will be over that part of the journey. I am confident that I can average 3 to 4 hundred miles a day in the lower 48, which is a good enough average to complete the journey in the allotted time. I will probably end up with lots of spare time in Alaska. That won't be the end of the world. I'm sure there is plenty to see; and I will need to sell the bike.
I have bought an Army surplus kit bag to take my stuff with me to Florida. I can then fold it and stow it somewhere on the bike. I will have panniers, a tail pack and a seat roll for all my luggage. The panniers I will reserve for raingear, tools, maps, spare petrol and food and drink. I should get all of my clothes in the other two, and they detach easily to take into motels. The only time I have to be half decent is in the evening, so I don't really need much in the way of smart clothes. For most of the journey I will be OK with a long sleeved T-shirt under my leathers. If I can't fit enough T-shirts, socks and Ys in the kitbag I will just buy them when I get there. What I will need to do is take enough layers that I can stay warm going through Canada. The temperature over the whole trip is likely to vary from high 30s in Texas to below 10 in the Yukon, so it will be quite a range to cope with. I think I need to start looking stuff out.
I thought of getting a video cam, but decided against it. It would be a novelty, but that's all, so not worth the hassle of working out mounting systems etc. I will take my still camera, but I don't expect to take many pictures. Landscapes never come out as you want them to. I will record any significant moments.
I am hoping the bike should be good for the whole journey, with just an oil change en route. I have decided to fit new tyres at the start and hope they last the whole way. I believe the Alaskan highway can be sore on tyres, so my only concern is wearing them out early. There is not much I can do about it though, as I think there is only about 1,000 miles of wear left on the current rear tyre, so I would need to change it soon anyway. I'm hoping that the gentle cruising I will be doing in the lower 48 will be kind to the rear tyre, leaving me enough tread for the hard bit. I'll assess in Seattle and get some expert advice if I can.
I've mentioned my trip on a couple of motorcycle forums I participate in and have had a couple of offers of accommodation, so that should be quite interesting, and also an opportunity to get some informed opinion on any stuff that I need it on.
I will need to think hard about reading material. I can always pick books up, but it is an opportunity to do some serious reading, so I shouldn't mess it up. Past experience says there is not much else to do at the end of a day's riding, so I should make the most of it. I will take my MP3 player and may even try using it when I'm riding. The image of riding through Monument Valley with "Wasn't Born to Follow" on headphones won't leave me!
It's only 38 days till I leave, so I will start to make serious preparations and add to the blog as I develop them. In the meantime I have to help the plumber and plasterer in renovating our shower room. That should take up some of my time. But the weather is turning nice too, so there may be a bit more golf as well. I don't think that I will weary over the coming weeks.
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