2014 - Where Are You Going To Ride?

First topic message reminder :

What are your plans for 2014?

Anyone planning any big trips?

How do you plan for them?

Kim and I will re-do a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2014.  My aunt will come down from MN and join us.

We will also spend a long weekend in the Hiawassee, GA vicinity.

I order maps from the states and tourism offices to help hone in on sights to see.

Colin B wrote:

Lalee, I assume that this picture, copied from your last post, is you trying to make your brain work! If not, it can only be interpreted as a reflection of your view of another member.

  

Which is it?    

Come on guys. Every time LaLee replies to a post, John makes opposite comments. As I see it from a neutral party, it is always someone's own opinion and the reader can do with it as they please. I know about the tension between John, and Larry. And that is my opinion.

Colin B wrote:

Lalee, I assume that this picture, copied from your last post, is you trying to make your brain work! If not, it can only be interpreted as a reflection of your view of another member.

  

Which is it?    

It represents my frustration level of just trying to say anything here without getting blasted for sharing my experience.

john grinsel wrote:

He is going to IRELAND  as I read it, picking up bike or?  and I assume really riding.

I missed that post..... and read the post further down. My bad.

lalee wrote:

Read it again.  He lives in Omaha.  He is riding in Nebraska.  He mentions that it is different than Ireland.

It looks to me that he's going to Ireland, but I could be wrong.     

ricks2009 wrote:

My plans are to head to  Ireland in late March.  I have my SW waiting in Cork and will head to  N. Ireland ,  ferry over to Scotland, down through Wales, England, then on to France.  The only firm dates  I have are my Ferry back from France to  Ireland, and the flight home in late April.  We will overnight in  hostels and B&Bs.  I'm trying to pack light, but it is easy to collect a lot of extra stuff to carry along.  My biggest clothing concern has been  getting good warm water proof gloves.  I have a new pair that I wan to try out  in Northern  Iowa this week ( its about 4 degrees right now).  If the gloves work herein March , I  am sure they will be warm enough in April.    

lalee wrote:

john grinsel wrote:

He is going to IRELAND  as I read it, picking up bike or?  and I assume really riding.

Read it again.  He lives in Omaha.  He is riding in Nebraska.  He mentions that it is different than Ireland.  

Larry,
He did not say what he is riding in Omaha. I believe he did post that he was picking his bike up in Ireland, and eventually ending up in France. I have no use for the items your included in your post, but was very interested in some of them. Thanks for your post.

My bad. Didn't read all of the thread.

lalee wrote:

My bad.  Didn't read all of the thread.  

My turn.....




 

our first trip is from ohio to frankenmuth michigan in june an in july we are headed to the ozarks in arkansas

Our plans changed we are not going west not enough time. We are headed northeast to New England. Our goal is to get to Acadia National Park, Bar
Harbor, Maine. We planned this a couple of years ago but had to change our plans. Hoping we get out there this year. I was there over 30 years ago in a car. Beautiful country. Looking forward to it on a bike.

Well, my adventure is finished. I left the US in Late March for Kinsale Ireland. I purchased the Swing site unseen on Done Deal and picked it up in Kinsale Ireland on March 25th. My brother and I rode from Ireland to Northern Ireland, crossed over to Scotland (very cold and wet), down through Wales, and crossed the Channel at Portsmouth England for Caen France. . We headed to warmer weather in Southern France and Northern Spain. We crossed back and forth over the Pyrenees Mountains and made it to Andorra. We came back up along the Mediterranean coast and then split up in Toulouse (He headed east for Mongolia). I headed back to Cherbourg and caught the ferry back to Ireland. And the flight back home to Omaha. What a great way to spend the month of April. The Scooter ran like a charm. It really handled the motorways well, but was a little tricky on the hair pin turns in the mountains and Ireland. After putting on 5000 miles the bike is now up for sale on Done Deal. I don't think I am done, but will buy another bike next year, rather than pay the storage for a year.
Now it is back to my Honda 80 scooter and northwest Iowa.

Fantastic!
Wish I'd realised you were doing the Portsmouth-Caen Crossing as I'd have ridden down to see you off. I'm only 43 miles/55 minutes' ride away from the docks.
Next time perhaps.   

Nice to hear you had a good time, you posted about a problem or two you had with your Silver Wing over in Ireland, heavy fuel consumption etc. Did a Honda dealer sort your problems out or did the scooter sort it's self out and run better as you clocked the miles up?

I take it you had no reason to fit or even carry the spare belt everyone thought you should take!   

Congrats on a successful trip and a fun time. Thanks for the recap.

Mike 0- I didn't know you were so close- now I have a reason to come back.

Meldrew- The problems with the bike got less worrisome as time went on. I worried a lot the first few days riding a "new", unproven machine. But after about 4000 miles of great performance, the day to day worry disappeared. I did get the rear break pads replaced by the Honda Service dealer in Tralee Ireland. He also noticed a small hairline crack in the brake drum. I never go that repaired and it did not seem to get any worse. I am now getting it replaced since I won't sell the bike with a known defect.

The squeal was caused by a belt that was slipping. One mechanic in Edinburgh Scotland told me it would be 10 days before he could look at it, and it sounded like a big job to him that could take a couple of days. I went to another shop, the guy took a quick ride on it applied power with the brake on (?) and what ever build up was on the belt was removed. I don't know if this is a recommended procedure or if it could have caused permanent damage. But I could have kissed the mechanic since I was back on the road- squeal free, for no charge. He even bought me a cup of hot coco.
The gas mileage was never a problem, more of just a surprise. I bought an plastic 5 liter can to carry along in case finding gas was a problem ( Easter day in France!!)

I also dropped the bike at one point and did a little damage to the plastic. But given that it is a 12 year bike with lots of city wear and tear on it- I was not too concerned.

I started off with a lot of confidence in the Swing, and by the time the trip was over was even more confident. The thing is a beast. And I would do the trip again. Bu wait for a little warmer/dryer weather. October in Spain is sounding nice.

Just got back from a ride to Tampa, FL (from Acwprth, GA). After a couple day rides with our brother and a scenic route back home we had put on over 1500 miles on our scooters (I have a 2008 Silverwing and my riding partner has a 2011 Burgman). Yesterday we had a break in the humidity so we took a day ride up to the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway. We plan on going to Snowshoe, WV for the RoadRunner weekend in July.

Armored mesh here in SW Arizona is my first choice. 107F + is common. I could ride to Phoenix - Gila Bend - Yuma as it gets really hot there.

Greysilver wrote:

Armored mesh here in SW Arizona is my first choice. 107F + is common. I could ride to Phoenix - Gila Bend  - Yuma as it gets really hot there.

Amen to this! I start tomorrow on a 1500 mile trip via the Goldwing and it will be hot! Going to Killeen, TX and back via Safford, AZ (my son lives there). I have a armored mesh jacket and a cool vest (soak in water). This will help. Probably should soak my head instead...