It was a long day

[Bigwolf]

This catywampus had been great fun but the day had come for me to burn the asphalt eastward since my presence was expected at a family gathering in West Virginia 2 days from now.  We left Greybull that morning with me hoping to make it half way to the reunion this day.  Wind had picked up by the time we reached Rawlins.  After fueling up in Rawlins, I bid audios to the Bug Slayer and rolled onto I80 heading east and right into the face of 45 mile an hour wind gusts.  They wouldn’t let up before I reached Kansas City.  But I didn’t know that then.

I passed thru some construction and acquired a grinding in my rear brake.  That was annoying and I endeavored to spare that brake as much possible without degrading safety too much.  On I pressed even with more fuel stops than would have been needed if it had not been for that pesky wind.  By the way, that wind was not quite head on, no, it was coming at me from about the 2 o'clock position. There was no chance for falling asleep on this run!

While at a fuel stop, I made some calls and located a parts store just north of Kansas City that had rear brake pads and would lay them out for me.  I got the pads and decided that I would install them that night or early next morning.  The wind was dying down some now.

I skipped by KC and rolled on towards Indianapolis.  I thought that If I pushed a bit, I could get to the eastern side of Indy before I stopped for the night.  70 was closed thru Indy so I had to take the loop.  It was almost dark when I reached the turn for 70 east of Indy and a drizzle of rain was setting in.  Oh, guess what!  The construction continues on 70 east of Indy.  It is pitch dark now and the rain is steady and 18 wheelers are many on this road hardly any cars but lots of trucks.  Those trucks don’t seem to notice the rain.  Even worse, they don’t seem to care that construction has left humps, kinda like speed bumps every mile or so.

The trucks were running 70 to 75 and those bumps were kicking me out of the saddle.  I was afraid to slow down because a bike is hard enough for a trucker to see in good weather.  In rain at night, well my faith in being seen was in the cellar.  But hey, I am east of Indy and looking for a bed for the night, shouldn’t be out here much longer.  Apparently nobody stops for the night between Indy and OHIO!  Oh, wait, there is a sign for a motel at Centerville!  Right now I don’t care what a room costs!  I am stopping for the night!  It has bee a long day.  I will replace the brake pads in the morning!

Morning came and I found nothing wrong with the brakes.  Nothing!  Got loaded up and rolled out 5 miles to Ohio.  Big sign, route 70 under construction thru entire state of Ohio.  Oh no Not gonna be goin there!  I took the next exit to the right!  The brake grinding gremlin was still with me too.

So now I am heading down smaller roads and rolling thru small towns but no construction.  Eventually the brake quit grinding and the rest of my ride to the family event was pleasant.

At the end of the family gathering I was bidding my goodbyes to my Harley riding cousins.  I was going to roll out for home very early the next morning to get a couple of the 8 hours ride in before the rain caught me.  They seemed incredulous that I would head out into rain.  When I told them that occasional riding in inclement weather is just part of being a biker, they told me that they must not be bikers.?  Oh, Well.

[HayHauler]

Great ride report BW.  Sounds like you had a good time, in spite of the 2 o'clock wind. 
Yea, some of those Hardley guys are just for show.  I know some that are actual riders, but not many.  Some of them are on this board. 

Nothing beats visiting with family AND getting a good ride in.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[DDT (12)]

Jerry,

One of the many gratifying features of long-riding is the exaltation we receive from overcoming hardships. Some of our most memorable rides are those in which we've faced challenges we never would have undertaken had we known in advance what awaited us! You have 'earned your spurs' many times over, my long-riding friend, and this is but one example. I salute you!

DDT (12)

[Bigwolf]

Jimmyt,
The wind was just a challenge I didn't mind that much.  70 MPH amid a bunch of big trucks in the rain and dark was not fun.  However, thinking about it now brings a sense of accomplishment and feels good.

Bruce,
You are so right about hardships being memorable!  I think fondly about that long day, knowing that I conquered everything it threw at me. 
BTW, my new ankle brace does fit (very tightly) into my boots.  It will be a couple of months yet, but I expect to be getting in the saddle again this spring. This bike has shown me a lot about this nation and myself that I never would have known without it.  I want more!

[Oss]

Jerry  I surely know what you mean about the road east of Indy

One thing I am thankful for is that 3Wlonerider put flashers on my interstate during one of the early powwows in PA

Especially at night in circumstances as you describe they really help let the truckers see you in plenty of time

In Texas dust storms even when riding at speed I will put those babies on

glad you made it safely and got some good memories as well

[Bigwolf]

Oss,
I love the idea of some good flashers!  That would have helped!


To all,
Please excuse an old man's memory slip.  It was 2 long days in the saddle not 1.  I stopped for the night somewhere in Nebraska but had forgotten that detail.  Total trip was around 1860 miles.

[hubcapsc]

That you travelled from someplace in Wyoming to West Virginia in two days
in the middle of the winter is unimaginable to me, you go  ...

-Mike