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NW IN to AZ Icicle Butt

D

DZIMBRIC

Guest
Day 1
Left friday from Bass Lake around 1600. Work delayed my exit and gave me a 150 mile warm-up in the cage to start my day. The driveway was still covered in snow. Made it to Matoon, IL 203 miles.
I was shivering so much when I stopped for a break that I could barely get the bike up on the centerstand. I dusted off my rarely used adult thinking skills and decided to get a room for the night.

Day 2
Matoon, IL to the west side of Dallas, TX
The rain started when I crossed the IL line and didn't stop unit I got through Dallas, TX. 820 miles for the day and 600 was in the rain. Put my one piece rainsuit on over my unwaterproof pants and wore my Savanaha II jacket over the rainsuit. It just won't fit under the rainsuit and the goretex lining allows the jacket to get wet anyway.

Day 3
Dallas, TX to Phoenix, AZ
Boy was it nice to store the rainsuit, heavy winter gloves, bulky clothing, etc. It got a little chilly at the higher altitudes but was still pleasant enough.

Riding US62 through TX was awesome; due to poor fuel stop management I had to backtrack to Carlsbad Caverns, NM for fuel. The sign lied, there was no fuel at the intersection of FR? and US62. That station and the one in Ora? closed years ago. If you take the cut-off from I-20 to El Paso make sure to gas up in Pecos, next gas is 90 miles.

US 62 is a very nice road, it runs along the Guadalupe Mountains and takes you through the Guadalupe State?/Nat? Park across the salt flats and through the high desert. Beautiful road and lots of scenery, the road coming down out of the mountain has some nice sweepers.

Had so much headwind I couldn't use 6th gear in sections of west TX. The bike topped out around 85 in 6th gear. Lowered the windscreen and picked up another 5-6 mph. I was twisting the throttle and nothing much was happening, thought something was wrong.

That is the problem with the long rides, all that time inside your head, I was able to justify the purchase of a new 1200RT based on the torque issue Have to see how that one works out.



It was weird to see standing water in the desert. The watercourses under the rail bed along side I-10 were full to the top and trackworkers were standing around watching the pilings while the trains crossed real slow. I made the border around sunset and rode through AZ in the dark.

Rest of the trip was in darkness, temperature dropped and it was time to break out the Gerbings again. Nice guy working at the Circle K west of Tucson gave me a hot chocolate on the house, said stay warm.

Anyway, 1130 miles later I was in Phoenix with a very sore a..., didn't plan on doing a SS1K so I didn't document that one but hey, I know I did it.
What was easier last summer was much more difficult after being off the bike more than on all winter.

Todays weather forcast is 70 degrees, sunnny and light wind.

Definitely worth the trip. Sorry guys and gals, especially my fellow rounders, no pictures, I was in a hurry and the one time I tried to take a picture my battery was flat. :)
 
Good story Dan. too bad I couldnt have cut the wind for you with my RRS, I bet we coould have done a lot faster with a really aerodynamic bike in the lead :D
 
Dzimbric - What an amazing February escape from Indiana!!!
I must confess that when you first floated your idea to ride out of Indiana in the dead of winter I had this visual image of the tip of an RT windshield poking up through a roadside snowdrift; the bike buried till the spring thaw. This one definitely qualifies as an epic.
Steve-O
 
Dzimbric is back at the house

After more than three months on the road, staying in motels at the company expense most of the time I have returned home, More ride reports will be posted here time permitting.

The short version is Phoenix, to the road rumnner rally in Heber, AZ to Colorado to the house via US36 which is the original pony express route and
I did return home on different motorcycle than the one I left on. I knew that I would eventuially have to tell the wife but had neglected to consult with her on that purchase, Well the cat was let out of the bag when BMW Motorad called the house to find out how Dan liked his new BMW.
"You're just calling now? It's been two years" asked my wife.
"We call to check on the purchase of a new motorcycle," said the rep.
"What year is this motorcycle? asked the wife.
"It's a 2005 GS" said the rep with some pride in his voice.
"When did he purchase this motorcycle?" asked the wife.
"April 27, 2005" said the rep.
"Oh, no his bike is a 2004" said the wife.
"I have to go now," said the rep.

Needless to say the rider of the new motorcycle received a message on his cell phone immediately afterwards, :dunno
 
you sneaky bastige! e-z to explain the purchase what with all the wagon rutted trails they call highways in arizona....a ffella would have to have a gs. PLUS, as a rounder you need some knobbier tyres to facilitate snow riding.
 
Taste

Here is a taste. Taken on the road into Telluride, CO
23380867-M.jpg


Find the house by the waterfall and be glad you don't have to shovel the driveway

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Lizard Head Pass, CO
23378509-M.jpg
 
Glad you made it back safely Dan. It was nice meeting you while here, sorry I missed you before you left but as you know I was on my own journey to the Northwest. Congrats again on the new ride, you'll love that GS.
 
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