'Recalculating...'

[DDT (12)]

‘Recalculating…’
 
Predictably the route conjured-up the evening before was changed even as we made our exit from the parking lot on our third day out… ‘Recalculating’ said the voice frequently 'heard' in my thoughts from my intracranial GPS. Funny, I can just barely spell the acronym of that quite useful tool, yet it has already become part of me!
 
Anyway, we headed off in the brand-new direction… and promptly missed a turn… or so I’d thought… ‘Recalculating’ was again heard; a couple of times actually… Sort of a playful way, I guess, of subconsciously reminding myself I am in no way 'route-bound'... I almost always smile when I ‘hear’ that…
 
We’d explored all around that part of LA (lower Alabama) over the years, but we’d done no ‘freelancing’ to speak of in about a decade. The memory lapses became most obvious right from the git-go too, and I found myself seriously considering how to turn off that incessant ‘Recalculating’ declaration in my head that sounded more like a stuck record than an amusing reminder of my ‘alternative’ direction in life.
 
I simply guessed on a couple of calls when confronted with decision points… More wrong than correct, but hey… it’s all good, right! We rode on confident we’d at least come upon an intersection with one of the primary roads of our original baseline course that would take us west of Montgomery and up to Selma. From there we planned to take another back road not ridden in several years over to Clanton for the evening… But first…
 
As we passed the turn-off to Georgiana (birthplace of Hank Williams, Sr) and approached I-65 on a road I hadn’t even considered taking beforehand, I saw a sign with the highway number we’d been following on it with an arrow indicating we should continue straight ahead. Once across I-65 that number disappeared (had I missed a turn somewhere?) and a vaguely familiar number seemed to be for the road we were then on…
 
Hmmm, this road did seem familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it… In time I came to recall riding it for a while once upon a time, but I’d eventually given-up for some reason and made a U-turn. Should we do that again? No sir, no wimpish capitulation to navigational uncertainty this time!
 
Nope, we forged boldly ahead certain all would be well. Soon the number designation signs for that stretch of rural highway mysteriously vanished and the roadway itself seemed to shrink a bit. Had we stumbled upon something that would eventually turn out to be another Hubcap road? Would we begin hearing banjo music anytime now? A U-turn was starting to seem possibly prudent… it was definitely gaining in appeal! Hmmm…
 
We came to a four-way stop intersection with no markings… The road intersecting had no centerline stripes, but the one we’d been following did still have one… I got off my perch on our girl anyway, because I was starting to become really concerned about our remaining fuel! We were well over 200 miles on the trip log. We hadn’t passed a gas station in more than twenty miles, either, while the mileage count had steadily grown!
 
I dismounted, removed my skid lid, put on my glasses, and checked to make absolutely sure I hadn’t been running with the tank on reserve! I had been checking all along, but now I was wondering whether I remembered correctly which way the petcock lever should be turned… All appeared good and we were not on reserve yet… While we were stopped, I noticed a dry looking bush nearby, so I gave it a ‘drink’…
 
Back at it without back-tracking. Ain’t we something? Soon enough the engine coughing jag familiar to all who have ever run out of gas made an unwelcome appearance. I flipped the petcock lever… more coughing… I pulled over and tried again… She started after a couple more attempts, and we were off another time… ‘Recalculating’ again, as my internal GPS struggled to make sense of our route, even our location. Yep, I wasn’t exactly lost, but I by no means knew for sure just where the heck we were!
 
Mercifully we eventually came upon a state highway, and I made my best guess which way to turn… We were on our way, and we should encounter a fuel stop any time now… we didn’t. Oh no, another engine coughing spasm soon following the first that can only mean… ‘Unable to calculate!’ Yep, we were slap out of gas. Dang! In the middle of nowhere, too, unsure of our approximate location, and no cell towers visible in any direction… Technology may be great, but it does suffer a few definite limitations!!!
 
We came upon a most fortuitous and quite convenient pull off right where our girl was wheezing her last gasps. There was even lots of shade nearby for the nap chair to be deployed! I got out my cell phone and checked Google Maps. Just as I'd feared, the signal was extremely weak!
 
The signal was so weak there was no detail on the screen map, but it did show the highway itself we were on and a pronounced bend in the road a few miles south of us (our dot on the map). I then looked at my paper atlas, figured by dead-reckoning based mostly upon probable proximity to that large bend where our likely location might be, and then I gave my good friend Sam (about 80 miles away) a call…
 
We chatted only briefly before the call dropped. I couldn’t get him back! I sent him a hopeful couple of text messages re-explaining our problem and likely location. I didn’t hear back from him, but the messages appeared to have been ‘delivered’. I found out later that he had received the messages and directions plus a description of the problem, and that he'd replied to both… I just was unable to receive his texts out there. He did find us, though!
 
I’d taken a nap, worried some, pondered what a great story this would make later, but how uncomfortable and uncertain things were right then. Many of our greatest adventures appear much better to us in our mirrors than they do through the windshield... It was hot and getting hotter and the humidity was… you can imagine… What a genuine relief it was when Sam pulled up!!!
 
He’d brought five gallons of gas and his trailer… just in case… I was frankly very impressed that he had even found us! I added a gallon or so of fuel to our girl’s bone-dry tank, and off we went towards a gas station and some BBQ… I was sure now where we were, as Sam had confirmed it by coming straight to us in reasonable time.
 
The station at the southern I-65 exit at Greenville I’d had in mind also had the ’65 BBQ’ place on premises, but wouldn’t you know it… they are closed on Tuesdays! Do we need a government program to coordinate BBQ availability?! I like their stuff, too, as I’ve enjoyed their ‘Q’ many times over the years… sigh…
 
After topping off and taking a break, ‘Recalculating’ as we got up on the slab and headed for Montgomery… I’d had enough by then and had abandoned the idea of a night in Clanton with the possibility of yet another night someplace else… The ‘backyard’ will still be there after my doctor doings…
 
I needed a hot shower, a more serious nap, and a relaxing visit to Jan’s for some cold libation and great grub… I knew I'd be eating a little crow and humble pie, too, as the good-natured ribbing about running out of fuel and having to be rescued was sure to be heaped on rather lavishly... Oh well, just another day at the 'office', I reckon... I absolutely adore this life!!!
 
DDT

[Rams]

I absolutely adore this life!!!
 
DDT

And that is what's important.   There comes a point in our lives that we should enjoy what we can, while we can.   Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!!   Ride on my friend!!

Rams  

[The emperor has no clothes]

“Do we need a government program to coordinate BBQ availability?!”

YES ! 
With our adventure in Phoenix recently with Brenda’s Dad in the hospital. I kept going by a BBQ place called Naked Q. Being as Brenda doesn’t like BBQ, I never checked it out. We decided on buying some recliners from Costco and I made a trip down to Phoenix in the truck to get them. Brayden decided to go with me. The whole way there I’m thinking this is perfect, we will get there about noon. Have some BBQ and come back with a couple of recliners. As I’m practically salivating, thinking about it for 3 hours, we pull in to the parking lot only to discover they are closed on Monday’s 

We did go “out of our comfort zone” with some Indian food. It was good, but we do need a Govt. program on BBQ.

[RNFWP]

...that's a good cliff hanger... and with a happy ending 

I'm glad there was a shady spot and a friend on the way to help.
I see how this one is better in the mirrors 

[Ice]

Bruce,

Great to see you posting and out riding again.
Recalculating? Well, I own one of those fancy GSP thingy's and it has been named Mayhem (after the Allstate commercial guy) since day one. As even with that thing, I can still get totally lost and once in the middle of nowhere it will give you that ever familiar voice "Recalculating!" and then decide it will go where I originally had it programmed to.
So no worries about you getting, well I wouldn't say lost, as you are always there where you want to be, but a bit off the beaten path...
As for running out of gas, well, that just plain funny, sorry but it is. 
Ride on my dear friend, stay safe and enjoy the wind.

[DDT (12)]

I absolutely adore this life!!!
 
DDT

And that is what's important.   There comes a point in our lives that we should enjoy what we can, while we can.   Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!!   Ride on my friend!!

Rams  

Ron,

That's pretty much my take on things, too. Anyway, it sure is good to be back out here, and I do 'plan' to continue on... The 'torpedoes' for the most part at present manifest themselves as doctor appointments... All pretty much routine stuff, but we still need to keep an eye on this declining carcass...

I once had all the visits in a fairly tight grouping of dates, but cancer and covid have completely disrupted all of that... Been working towards getting them back grouped together again, but that's going to take more time, it appears... While it does keep us from wandering very far outside the southland, we still have plenty of challenges dodging tropical storms and all associated rain!!!

DDT

“Do we need a government program to coordinate BBQ availability?!”

YES !  
With our adventure in Phoenix recently with Brenda’s Dad in the hospital. I kept going by a BBQ place called Naked Q. Being as Brenda doesn’t like BBQ, I never checked it out. We decided on buying some recliners from Costco and I made a trip down to Phoenix in the truck to get them. Brayden decided to go with me. The whole way there I’m thinking this is perfect, we will get there about noon. Have some BBQ and come back with a couple of recliners. As I’m practically salivating, thinking about it for 3 hours, we pull in to the parking lot only to discover they are closed on Monday’s  

We did go “out of our comfort zone” with some Indian food. It was good, but we do need a Govt. program on BBQ.

Rob,

Yeah, BBQ places, especially in the south, do, or at least used to, have certain distinctive scheduling characteristics... They were almost all closed on Sundays. That has been changing over the years as many businesses traditionally closed on Sundays are now opening up, so too are BBQ places evolving with the times... Many have been closed on Mondays, too, to allow staff to have two consecutive days off... Naturally as more of them are staying open on Sundays now, that is adjusting as well.  Holidays typically are a big thing for restaurants of all types, but now and then we find one closed on Labor Day to honor staff members... I ran into that in LA. Yeah, government is the ideal tool to use to fix any issue... All we need are more taxes and a new programs and life would be so much better!!!

DDT

...that's a good cliff hanger... and with a happy ending  

I'm glad there was a shady spot and a friend on the way to help.
I see how this one is better in the mirrors  

Ross,

Yeah, I do love a happy ending, too! The outcome of that one was in doubt for awhile, but not really... I knew we'd find some way or other out of the jackpot... Yep, the shade was wonderful AND... no bugs! I can't explain that, but no gnats, biting/stinging insects, nor even ants! The only complaint I had was the building heat and the omnipresent humidity... inescapable attributes of dear ol' Dixie this time of year... Yeah, hardship overcome always makes for a great story... after the fact!

DDT

Bruce,

Great to see you posting and out riding again.
Recalculating? Well, I own one of those fancy GSP thingy's and it has been named Mayhem (after the Allstate commercial guy) since day one. As even with that thing, I can still get totally lost and once in the middle of nowhere it will give you that ever familiar voice "Recalculating!" and then decide it will go where I originally had it programmed to.
So no worries about you getting, well I wouldn't say lost, as you are always there where you want to be, but a bit off the beaten path...
As for running out of gas, well, that just plain funny, sorry but it is.  
Ride on my dear friend, stay safe and enjoy the wind.

Yuri,

I like that name you've assigned to your GPS! 'Mayhem', it does have a unique quality to it yet the obvious irony makes it oddly appropriate... As for this old school wanderer, the one inside my head is plenty! Running out of gas actually is funny... when telling of the event after the fact. Not nearly so much at the time; however, later it does seem... well... to be an occasional feature of my travels... Staying safe is the top most item on my 'To-Do List'! I really enjoyed our time together in the UP, my good friends... looking forward to the next time, too!!!

DDT

[3fan4life]

Glad that you had someone close enough to come to your rescue!



On our return trip from the UP, Ginger and I came very close to running out of fuel.

I greatly misjudged the fuel availability along US 127 near the MI/OH border.

When we finally found a station I put 6.8 gallons into the Interstate's tank.

Ginger really worries about the possibility of running out of gas on the motorcycle.

This is strange for someone who's car almost never has a full tank of gas.

She became very concerned and vocal when detour signs forced us off of the US route and onto some side roads.

Then the detour signs disappeared leaving me to guess as to the best route back to the highway.

Luckily, the roads were laid out in a grid pattern.

As she nervously quizzed me about our situation, I tried to reassure her that our situation wasn't as bleak as it seemed.

I pointed out the farmhouses that we were passing and told her something I learned as a kid growing up, That everyone of those farms had some gas stored and that most of them would sell you a gallon.

They might make you "Pay Up" for your stupidity but they'll sell it to you.  



I'm not sure that she believed me though.  

[Jess from VA]

This is why I never like to get below a quarter tank on trips in unknown territory.

I don't do it often in known territory either, but at least I know where the gas is.

I once made it 250 miles to reserve on my interstate on the BRP.  One of my first trips before I copied the gas station info.  Course I was coaxing every bit of economy I could at 35, coasting down hills, and doing a little praying.

Hitting reserve with no idea where a station is, is.... disconcerting.  But at least you had someone to talk to.  

I can push my bike on flat ground, for awhile.  But I am not pushing it up BRP hills at all.  


He's in better shape than I am.
  

[DDT (12)]

Mark,

I hear ya , man! I once rode to California with another Tourer rider... we both had Tourer tanks at the time. Anytime we'd hit 100 miles on the trip log, he'd go into a near panic! No matter what I said or how much I tried to explain things to him, it made no difference. I'm confident he never once used his reserve the entire time he owned that bike! This nervous Nelly would always turn into the very next available gas station no matter what, even city traffic, after reaching 100 miles... In his defense, though, neither of us ever had to be 'rescued' either, and I finally did come to accept it...

DDT



Jess,

Yes indeed! Coaxing, low speeds, a little praying... I've been there too! I even once ran out of gas twice on the same stretch before I finally made it to a gas station!!! I was not a particularly popular group member for a while on that ride... Nope, I completely agree, I'm willing to coast downhill, but pushing our fat girls uphill? No way no how even if I were physically able!!!

DDT

[Farside]

  Enjoyed your post Bruce. I know pretty much right where you were, I think. I might of could of found you. Heck, I could be your back up's back up! Glad you were alble to reach out to him and he found you. When I'm roaming the back roads of AL I've been lucky that I haven't run out of petrol been close for sure. 

[DDT (12)]

Enjoyed your post Bruce. I know pretty much right where you were, I think. I might of could of found you. Heck, I could be your back up's back up! Glad you were alble to reach out to him and he found you. When I'm roaming the back roads of AL I've been lucky that I haven't run out of petrol been close for sure. 

Keith,

Thanks for the back-up back-up offer! I'll definitely keep that in mind... Funny thing, if one were to set out to actually find desolate areas where no gas is to be found, they'd have to work at that... Seeking such on 'reserve', however, nothing to it! It is fun, though, to cruise to exotic places like Slapout, Smuteye, Intercourse, and Climax... In Arkansas they even have a place named 'Toad Suck'... Also fun to chat with locals in places like that...

DDT

[Wizzard]

Good ending. I always ride mine till it starts to sputter then switch to reserve and look for a station. Only time I ever ran out was when I forgot to switch to reserve.
I took a can with me on my Alaska trip but never used it.

[DDT (12)]

Good ending. I always ride mine till it starts to sputter then switch to reserve and look for a station. Only time I ever ran out was when I forgot to switch to reserve.
I took a can with me on my Alaska trip but never used it.

Randy,

Yeah, I think a lot of us do the same much of the time. Important, though, to remember to flip the petcock back off of reserve when we fill up! That is a pretty good safe guard, especially for those of us who don't have a fuel gauge... Not fool-proof, however, as I have demonstrated!

The ride to Alaska just seems to demand we take a can with us! Logic and common sense almost cry-out for us to not take chances in many of those remote areas that are an inescapable part of any ride up there. I never took one, but I did consider it! More gas available than my fears had led me to expect, but caution and playing it safe was still the order of the day.

Most of the time, our tanks would hold more than enough to get us from point A to point B, then from point B to point C... but sometimes NOT all the way from point A to point C! Many times I topped off after riding less than 100 miles just to be on the safe side... I can't recall if I ever even used reserve on that ride, although I'm sure I probably did...

'Stretching' out our fueling events makes for fewer bothersome stops, ergo more total miles in a day, but running out of gas is a lot more bothersome than a regular stop! Good judgement and awareness of what we're doing and where we're going is vital no matter how much fuel one might have! Good to read of your well-seasoned experiences! Thanks!!!

DDT

[DDT (12)]

Rob,

If anyone would know, it would be you! Yeah, surprises await the rider in so many unexpected places and in so many unexpected circumstances, it's simply hard to explain to those who've never had the adventure. Gas is there, but it would still be quite easy to become stranded. I didn't have any fuel issues at all on either of my trips, but I have heard a story or two that made me shudder! Besides the long empty stretches, there can also be critters encountered that will convince us we're not the ones at the top of the food chain after all...

Still, that's among of the most entirely worthwhile undertakings I've ever had! I'm sure that even though you've made that trek many times over the decades, you still have new stuff come up on each trip! Funny, I knew a couple who lived in Arizona, but I actually had to ride to Homer, AK, to meet them... Ya just never know how things might work out or what surprises await us if we only have the nerve to get off our duffs and venture out into the unknown... Not exactly for the faint-of-heart or risk averse, but not nearly as difficult as we let ourselves imagine... Thanks for the interesting insights, my good friend!

DDT

[Serk]

Being a lover of electronics, toys and gadgets I've long been a full time user of the external recalculator, even for local trips that I know my way to easily. It gives me the freedom to roam, I like to say. I roam with it so much in fact, when Kali was a wee lass she thought it was called a "Recalculator"....
(I prefer the spousal unit's name for the device, she calls it a BIMBO... Bitch In Machine Barking Orders.)

Many of our greatest adventures appear much better to us in our mirrors than they do through the windshield...

Indeed.... One of my all time favorite travel memories I was not too fond of at the time. After traveling across the Soviet Union, I was spending some time with a computer friend in England. I'd taken the train from his place east of London to a concert north of London (Awesome concert btw! Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, 1/2 of Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, Elton John, Paul McCartney and others) and after the show taken the train back to London, but I'd missed the last train back to his place in Basildon.

And, wouldn't you know it, he was drunk off of the beer I'd bought and couldn't come get me.

So.... I ended up spending the night on a park bench in SOHO. Used newspapers as a blanket, and distinctly remember waking up to the sight of a group of Japanese tourists excitedly taking my picture.

[DDT (12)]

Rob,

I can't say I miss any unpaved road anywhere, but... I get your point! Yeah, the 'crusty' characters up that way are amazing to spend a little time with; however, alas, they're being forced further back into the woods these days by 'progress'... When our yuppie neighbors visit a pristine place like that, fall in love with its uniqueness, and decide to relocate there... well... Soon enough log cabins and food counters/bars at convenience stores are replaced with ski chalets and bistros... And guys like us are left to ruminate and reminisce over a Molson or two down at the 'Inn'... Yep, I'd love to do it again!!! Reckon those nearby Yurts are still available?

DDT



Serk,

WOW! What a totally awesome adventure that entire trip must have been! I agree with Rob that the concert must have been downright epic, but... the whole thing blows me away!!! Love the 'name' your spouse has given to the recalculating device, too... Put me down for a hard-bound copy of your book when you get around publishing it, please...

DDT

[..]

An AMA membership will get you assistance at a very reasonable price.

Could be v useful when the back up is too far away.

https://americanmotorcyclist.com/join-the-ama/

I was running out of gas somewhere in WY and saw a guy with a camper by a river. Grandfather gave me a gallon of gas and I returned with a small stuffed animal for this grandson.

Having had the "oh crap" moment finding I was already on reserve I started traveling with a couple of tubes of gas.

I even carried half a gallon on the 7.2 gallon ST1300 when I was on long trips across the larger states.

When traveling with a GPS equipped riding partner I soon learnt that GPS information about gas stations was only reliable about location not that the gas station was still in business. 

[DDT (12)]

Rob,

Works for me! Looking forward to it...

DDT



Paul,

Excellent idea! No fun at all running out of gas or otherwise becoming stranded 'out and beyond...'! Thanks for your always helpful tidbits on how to make it through the rigors of being only human in an unforgiving environment. Your vast experience and sound logic have saved you many times, I'm sure, but your sharing of all of the details of those episodes has saved many of us, too... Thanks!

DDT

[..]

Your sound logic has saved you many times, I'm sure,

DDT

Blush.

More like got me right in the outhouse without any paper or large leaved plants close by. 

[DDT (12)]

Your sound logic has saved you many times, I'm sure,

DDT

Blush.

More like got me right in the outhouse without any paper or large leaved plants close by. 

Paul,

Speaking of outhouses... I'm sure you're still hitting those 'high notes' with the same ease and clarity you demonstrated at the airport that time...   

DDT

[..]

Your sound logic has saved you many times, I'm sure,

DDT

Blush.

More like got me right in the outhouse without any paper or large leaved plants close by. 

Paul,

Speaking of outhouses... I'm sure you're still hitting those 'high notes' with the same ease and clarity you demonstrated at the airport that time...   

DDT