Getting closer!

So, it looks like I will be leaving to start the Trans America Trail about mid May.  Up to this point I have been working on creating tracks in my GPS ...entering 5000 miles of tracks takes a LONG time, but it's going well.  I have also put together my tool kit for the trip.  Since I will be riding solo I figured I should have the tools I need in case of a problem.  So, I sat by my bike going over every screw, nut, and bolt that I might need to deal with and added that to my tool kit.  This keeps me from having to take a whole set of wrenches or sockets ...just taking the ones I need.  I will try to post a list when I am completely done for those who might be interested.

Yes, those are my new tires!  Dunlop D606's.  Everyone seems to say that it will take at least two sets of tires to make it to Oregon.  I have a hard time believing that.  I really think if I ride fairly calmly I can get to the coast on one set of brand new tires ...and if I'm wrong, then I get new tires in Moab!

I am planning to camp at least half of the time to save money and to enjoy the outdoors, but holy crap does camping stuff take a lot of room.  I will keep it to a minimum, but it still looks like it going to be a large bag once it packed, we'll see.

I traded out my 15 tooth counter sprocket for a 14 tooth one.  So far, I love it.  It gives it much better power at low speeds and seems fine up to 55.  I have not had a chance to go over 55.  I'm thinking the RPM's will be pretty high at 65.  I will take the old counter sprocket along and will trade them back if I need to, especially on the way home, which will be on the road.

It's amazing how much you can learn from the forums (ADVrider, KLR.net, etc.).  Pretty much everything I have learned in the last few months about the motorcycle and the trip has come from the forums.  It's weird to think, but I have had almost no real conversations with other riders about this.  For example when I was putting together my tool kit I read several threads on tool kits on the forums and got some great ideas that would have never occurred to me ...so thanks forum people!!


OK, that's it for now.  As I get closer, and especially when I get on the trail, I will be updating the blog more regularly.  Have a great day!

Hmmm

That's right ...Hmmm.   Hmmm, as in "Hmmm, I am about a month away from my 5000 mile Trans America Trail trip and I have never ridden over 60 miles in a day." 

And "Hmmm, I will have only had my motorcycle and my motorcycle license for about 6 months (most of which was winter) when I leave for my 5000 mile Trans America Trail trip."

And "Hmmm, that 5000 miles is just one way, I still have to get home!"

And "Hmmm, I can't wait to get started!"

.

Making Tracks

After much head scratching, I figured out how to make Basecamp "see" the City Nav maps on my GPS ...it was a pain in the ass.  But like everything, now that I know how to do ...well, it's pretty simple.

Tonight I started creating tracks.  I created about 50 miles.  That's 50 miles out of 5000 miles!  I got my work cut out for me ...lot of time at the laptop in my future.  I still don't understand how it's all going to work on my GPS.  But I figure it others can do it, so can I.

It took me at least an hour to do the first 50 miles ...that means unless I get faster it should take me about 100 hours to enter all of this in ...holy crap!  I plan on leaving in early May ...holy crap!

GPS

As I write this, I am downloading City Navigator maps from Garmin.  It's taking forever!  Forever, like I went out for groceries and it's still loading.  I am probably not helping matters by blogging, but it can't get much slower.  I meant to order the DVD version, but I inadvertently ordered the down load version.  The Garmin dude says I will still have an opportunity to download Basecamp which I will need to do all my tracks  ...tracks to follow to Oregon!

The TAT maps arrived.

The Trans-America Trail maps and roll charts arrived today!  It's very exciting and kinda nauseating at the same time.  Exciting because it's the first concrete thing that says "You're going on a 5000 mile off road motorcycle trip!" ...and nauseating because it says "You're going on a 5000 mile off road motorcycle trip!"

What have I gotten myself into?  Most folks don't go solo ...I'm going solo.  Most folks go in August ...I'm going in May, which means I just might get cold and there will not likely be any others out on the trail when I am on it.

On the other hand, what guy hasn't at least dreamed a little about a epic cross county motorcycle trip.  While it would be great to be a full time adventure traveler, it's just not in the cards for me.  So, this will truly be a once in a lifetime trip.  A trip to clear my middle aged head ...and that's really what this trip is all about, taking a break from things to get a little perspective on life at mid-life.  I think a month alone on a motorcycle in some pretty desolate places should do it!

The TAT is on!

Today I ordered all of the maps for the Trans American Trail  ...I also ordered Garmin City Navigator for my GPS.  I guess that means I'm going!  It's a little scary thinking of embarking on a 5000 mile solo off road trip.  Well, not off road, but on dirt roads mostly.  Still, it will be quite an adventure.  The funny thing is I can't remember how I even heard about the TAT.  I know my wife and I watched The Long Way Round and I guess after that I just started poking around on the Internet.  Next thing ya know I'm talking about taking a 5000 mile trip on a motorcycle ...that I didn't even own yet.  That's me though.

Now I have to get my KLR 650 ready to go.  It's amazing how much there is out there that you can spend money on ...farkles they call it ...or farkels  ...not real sure about that one.  So, with money being by far my biggest issue, I have to decide what I really need and what would be sweet, but no so much necessary.  Skid plate.  Definitely want a good skid plate.  The KLR comes with a plastic one, which probably isn't bad, but come on ...plastic?  I already have some waterproof fuses from the guy I bought the bike from ...I just need to install them.  It also came with some "off road" lights that I think I will install.  Why not.  I already have them.

Really the bike came quite upgraded from the previous owner.  So, I really don't have to do any major mods to the bike, which is nice.  I did have to lower it because it was crazy tall.

Mainly, I just have to plan, get my GPS coordinates in, then hit the road and take it one day at a time.  I will try to keep this blog going during the trip to document the whole thing.  That's all for now!

KLR like a sail in the wind!

OK, so it was windy.  It was a warmish day so I really wanted to get out for a ride.  I rode about an hour on back roads outside of Blacksburg.  I was getting blown around pretty bad, but I was handling it just fine ...no freak outs ...no problems.

Then I went though a area that was nothing but meadows ...no trees, houses, elephants, etc.  Nothing to block the wind.  I was going about 55 on a winding two lane road.  I felt the wind coming hard from my right.  I leaned hard into the wind.  Figured I'd be fine.  But the wind kept coming.  It was incredible. 

I was leaning as hard as I could into the wind, steering as best I could to the right to stay in my lane.  Then I began to move sideways.  It honestly felt like I was floating to the left.  I was leaning so hard I thought my tires might come out from under me and was still sliding to the left ...straight into the oncoming lane ...into the middle of it.  I thought for a moment I would get blown off the left hand side of the road.  If a car would have been coming I would have had to bail into the ditch on the left side because I couldn't get back to my lane. 

It probably only lasted two or three seconds, but man what a scary two or three seconds!  I went on the KLR forum and posted my experience.  Quite a few people posted that it had happened to them as well.  Apparently it's not that uncommon with motorcycles and the KLR being pretty tall catches the wind like a sail. 

It was a great leaning experience.  Now I know that it can happen and can be a little more careful in the wind next time.  It was also good to hear that I am not alone in the experience.

Every ride is an adventure!  That's the way I like it...