Tell us about yourself and your bike!

[njnomad]

Hi Mike & Robin. Thanks for the warm welcome. Hi Walt. Glad to see you here. Right off the bat Walt we have two things in common; we're both newbies here and we both started riding in '72 when we went in the military. I've been riding ever since. Did you happen to make it to Subic?

 

[FrankDee]

Hi! We are Frank & Claudia DelloRusso from the Boston, MA area, proud parents of 2 great kids and grandparents of 4 fabulous, very young grandchildren (the 10 month old is in my lap at this very moment desperately trying to help me type this entry). I spent 4 years in the Air Force right after high school (where I met Claudia, in Germany) and 4 subsequent years in college, then a whole bunch'a years working for the many different iterations of the then rapidly changing "phone company", from which I was forcibly retired 6 days after 9-11. It was painful at the time, but in hindsight, they did me a big favor. Been riding bikes for over 40 years and this 2003 R1150RT is our first BMW. We joined BMW MOA just yesterday at the advice of a friend, also a member and BMW GS rider.

We bought our RT used, two years ago, with only 6K miles on it (2 previous owners), and have had some unfortunate serious and expensive problems which resulted in limited use since. But all has been sorted out (thanks to MAX BMW in North Hampton, NH) and will, hopefully, remain so.... because Claudia is now spoiled rotten and because this bike needs to carry us across the country to CA and back between mid-May and mid-July, this year. I've done some long distance riding in my younger years (on a 1972 Norton Commando (to Iowa), which I still have, and a 1984 Moto Guzzi 850-T5 (to Illinois), now being ridden daily by our son. This little round trip, x-country adventure, a "test" or "testimonial" in celebration of our 40 years of marriage (July 5th) will be our "Mt. Everest".

The motivation for this ride has been the recent loss of too many relatives and close friends, some of whom were too young to pass. One (my closest friend) spoke his dying words to me and they were as follows... "There were so many things I wanted to do...". With that, Claudia and I decided that we didn't want to leave too many "should'a-could'a-would'a's in our closet... so off we go.

The plan is to head south through NJ and PA to Front Royal, VA and take Skyline Drive and the Blueridge Parkway all the way to the Franklin, NC area. Then head west to Denver, cross the Rockies and spend a few days at Lake Tahoe. Then north to Wyoming and Yellowstone and east to SD and the Black Hills, across MN and up to Grand Marais, WI on Lake Superior (near Thunder Bay, Ontario), back down through Green Bay (must check out Lambeau Field) and then take the S.S. Badger across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI. Then probably through Ann Arbor, into Ohio, across PA on Rt. 6 and into NJ, and finally home. There'll be some stops along the way to visit some family old friends.

Part of the trip west from NC includes a stop in Blytheville, AK to visit the grave site of Claudia's mother. There's an amazing Rod Serling "Twilight Zone" kind of story that goes along with this visit, but it's way too long to deliver here. Maybe we'll get to meet some of you throughout our travels, and that'd be a good time to tell it over a few cold beers.

We have a trip route planned (very limited Interstate travel... mostly state roads), but it's not cast in stone, so any advice, re: special roads, sights, places to eat or lodge that anyone would like to pass along would surely be welcomed.

Ride safe,
Frank & Claudia DelloRusso (fdelloru@yahoo.com)

P.S. Being brand new to this group, the web site and this forum, I'm not very familiar with the "process". So... my apologies in advance in the event that I don't follow the proper protocol.

 

[john1691]

Welcome Frank and Claudia! No worries, we don't have much protocal, and somethimes not many manners either. However, you will see that there is a large group of great folks who frequent the website, although only a small fraction of our overall club membership. Enjoy the ride!

 

[mfifer]

P.S. Being brand new to this group, the web site and this forum, I'm not very familiar with the "process". So... my apologies in advance in the event that I don't follow the proper protocol.

There is a protocol?

Welcome you guys and hope you have fun here. these are the greatest bunch of guys and gals on the planet.

Mike

 

[FrankDee]

Thanks folks... perhaps a BETTER request for advice regarding this trip would have been... "What state and local roads should we definitely NOT take?" But, I know that's an unreasonable request since I haven't provided anyone with any significantly detailed information regarding our planned route... it's a big country. Maybe I'll put something up on this thread once I finalize the general route and the states we'll be riding through.

Regards,
FrankDee

 

[WalterSafety]

me and my ride

I am a Security manager for a Pharmaceutical company. I am 56 and I have had my motorcycle designation since I was 18.
I really enjoy long distance rides 4000-5000 kilometers in 6 days so of thing.
My current ride is a 2008 BMW F650gs twin. Thanks to Curtis at Durham BMW.
my last two other ride have been 2001 Kawasaki Nomad 1500fi and a 2000 Honda Shadow. I really enjoy the lighter more agile F650gs.

I am retiring early this November so next year I want to do a ride from Toronto to Vancouver in June and then Vancouver to San Francisco then on to Toronto in July.

 

[J Brase]

Frank & Claudia,

It seems the timing of your trip just screams out for you to attend the National Rally (July 16-19) on your way home.

Welcome.
John

 

[womanridge]

You may want to consider U.S. 12 accross Montanna, North & South Dakota and Minnesota. I rode this last fall from east to west. A great ride.
Have fun!

 

[Joemac]

Hi everyone. My name is Joe McCracken, I live in Plano, Texas and ride a R1200CLC. I am 68 years young and have ridden, raced, and wrenched on my son's Grand National Dirt track bikes. I have been involved with bikes since I was 21 years old. I rode a Haaaaaarley for years and didn't think there was anything else, and didn't really care. Had to sell for financial reasons and done without a bike for nearly 10 years. I went in the local BMW shop, rode an RT and thought after riding it, that all Germans must be 6' 4" tall. (I am 5'8") I sit on a Montauk and a CLC and they felt great. I finally after about a year got my finances straight and went to the shop to buy the CLC. They had none on the floor and the salesman told me they quit making them. Woe is me. He then told me that they had acquired one from another dealer and was putting it together at that moment. He said he would have it sitting in front of the shop Saturday morning which was the next day. I bought the bike and 88,000 miles and four years later I could not be happier. I have it outfitted just like I want it, do my own wrenching and if the man upstairs will let me, I plan to test what the salesman told me and put 250,000 on the Silver Fox. The picture if I can get it added was taken last spring on the Indian Bridge north of St Jo Texas on the Red River. By the way, most people just call me Joemac. Hope to see you at the rally.

Joemac

 

[mfifer]

Joemac , Welcome and that CLC is a beauty!

Mike

 

[akbeemer]

Welcome Joemac. Grand National Dirt Track huh? The truely American form of motorcycle racing. Wish I'd had the opportunity (and guts) to try it. Hope to run into you on the road and hear your stories about the raci'n.

 

[sddinnh]

Hello from New Hampshire

Hello, my name is Steve Downing and I'm a "semi" retired Mechanical Engineer who lives in New Hampshire. Although I once owned, and put almost 100,000 miles on a R100RT, I'm now a recent returnee to BMW's after a 15 year "diversion" with a couple of Honda touring bikes.

I first flirted with an ST1300 which I found to be a capable bike, but way too "tall" for me and it had severe heat problems in the summer months. Not in that the bike would run hot, but that the heat coming off the radiators was rather bad to my way of thinking. After that, I went to a Honda Gold Wing to get more "two up" comfort. That too was a nice bike, but after the death of my wife, I decided that it was just way too large for only me. I know that a lot of guys do run them "one up", but for the type of riding I now do, it was just not nimble enough on the back roads to suite me.

So, when BMW started making "lowered" bikes (I'm somewhat "inseam" challenged ), I went on down to look them over. It was a real struggle for me to choose between the lowered R1200GS and the lowered R1200RT, but I finally came down on the side of the RT since most of my touring is over paved roads.

Still, when I'm on some of these "frost heaved" back New England roads, I sometimes wonder about my choice. But after putting 3000 miles on the RT in the past month, I'm still really happy with my selection and it hasn't let me down yet no matter how rough the going has been. You see, thru the summers, I only work 4 days a week (Fridays off ) so I try to get out on a 200-300 mile trip somewhere in New England at least once a weekend (if not more). Plus I have an 80 mile commute to work for the rest of the week, so the mileage is really building up fast.

This August, I will take it on a two week trip up to Quebec and then on North and out thru the Gaspe Peninsula. I will return via the North coast of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the South coast of New Brunswick, and then down the Maine Coast (just got to do Bar Harbor again), before heading back home.

Not that living and riding in New England is so bad, but there's hundreds of other places I'd like to get back to as well. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Deals Gap, and Alaska to name a few (maybe Alaska will allow me to add a GS to the stable ), but we'll just have to see how the old body holds up. I'll keep riding as long as I physically can and, if the past two years is any indication, I'll rack up another 10 - 15,000 miles again this year. As my signature says "So many roads, so little time".

So if you're up here in the Northeast and you see my Silver R1200RT parked out there beside the road (with some "old" guy sitting there and enjoying an ice cream and smiling), just stop on by and say "Hi".

 

[Visian]

So if you're up here in the Northeast and you see my Silver R1200RT parked out there beside the road (with some "old" guy sitting there and enjoying an ice cream and smiling), just stop on by and say "Hi".

you're going to have to get over that ice cream thing... that's for wing riders.

seriously, welcome here and thanks for posting.

after looking at your trip further north this summer, if you can fit in a trip around the cabot trail on the north end of nova scotia, you won't be disappointed.

oh, and... this year's national rally is a great opportunity to come down south and ride non-frost-heaved roads.

ian

 

[mfifer]

Welcome Steve , Very sorry about your wife but really glad your here and enjoying that beauty!!!

Hey I like icecream !!!! and I also hated my ST1300 for the same and more reasons.



Mike

 

[ddorwart]

Did you finish the ride and did you take pictures?

Well, I hope you have the opportunity to post the pictures so we can all live within your quest for the West!

 

[jsoque]

Hey FrankDee !!!

Tell us about your trip to the West Coast!

Can you post some pix?

Ride Safe.

 

[althotos]

Hello from South Florida

Hi, I'm A.J. from Fort Lauderdale. I've lived in the Fort Lauderdale-Miami area for 7 years. I lived in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area for 7 years before that. Previous to that I lived in the wonderful state of Maryland for 25 years. It was there in 1975 where I learned to ride my first bike, a Suzuki 125 Enduro.

Fast forward 30 years to 2007 when I bought a 1993 HD Sportster 883 to "relearn" riding a bike. I purchased a 2000 R1100RT early in 2008, which regretfully I sold in mid 2009. I bought a 1994 Honda CBR1000F, which I never ride. On March 3, 2010 I bid on and won a 2002 R1150RS on eBay from a dealership in Jacksonville. I flew up on March 6 and drove it down the 360 miles back home to Fort Lauderdale.

Back in 2007, I rode my Sportster to Key West during the Poker Run. I would really like to do that again this year. It would be very cool to have a bunch of BMW enthusiasts going to Key West for the Poker Run this year. If anyone is interested, now is the time to start planning. I've got a couple of websites below and pictures of my bike below that. Enjoy the ride.

http://www.motorcyclemonster.com/petersons-poker-run.html

http://www.lightningcustoms.com/petersons-poker-run.html
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<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EgGHeOyYKW5UEgtdiQDfNw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-zmJ4PIuy9s/S5UDBMV912I/AAAAAAAAAM0/oIupFiJT2TI/s800/2010-03-06%2018.26.24.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/althotos/2002R1150RS?feat=embedwebsite">2002 R1150RS</a></td></tr></table>
my baby
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<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wckEi5YQ1SEHZki-zINIlQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_-zmJ4PIuy9s/S5UDBVhRgTI/AAAAAAAAAM4/Q_b3AxgF3dA/s800/IMGP0841.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/althotos/2002R1150RS?feat=embedwebsite">2002 R1150RS</a></td></tr></table>
proud papa
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[BEDLAM]

Hi, folks!

I've been active in other forums, but for some reason not this one...well, I guess it's time to change that. I'm Jill, and I'm an Airhead! At first, I was just "guilty by association" with an Airhead (El Hubbo has two), but I took the plunge last summer and got myself a 1990 R100GS. Love it! Well, love it except for the "left fall of faith" every time the kickstand has to come down, but maybe I'll get used to it. Eventually. Maybe.

I also have a 2006 K1200R that I enjoy quite a bit on our twisty mountain roads. I call it "The Screaming Meanie".

My husband, Howard, and I are living our dream here in East TN. We have a large shop and just hosted our first Tech Day back in March since moving back to Tennessee from Texas about 2 years ago. The move was quite complicated and really put a crimp on racking up some riding miles these past two seasons, but we are working hard to get back to our old pack-up-and-get-going days. We are slowly getting more involved with our local MOA club. We can't get enough time away this year to make it all the way out to Redmond, but are looking forward to getting to the rally in Vermont at the end of next month...we want to see some old friends, especially.

I've had two other BMW's in the past...my first was a K75S, and I recently traded a Funduro F650. Of course, I'm always thinking about my NEXT bike...hmmmm....F800GS?....those look tasty!

 

[Visian]

Hi, I'm A.J. from Fort Lauderdale.

hey, A.J. i grew up in Hollywood, FL.

if you're looking for places even remotely interesting to ride (outside of the Keys) try the Everglades National Park or anywhere north of Lake O.

My husband, Howard, and I are living our dream here in East TN.

bedlam - great username! interesting mix of items in your pic.

where in east TN? we have a place in WNC...

ian

 

[BEDLAM]

We live near Johnson City, TN...out in the suburbs of Unicoi