Checking out the Valk- on the road

I decided to go see my Dad, in Lubbock, for his 87th birthday. Informed the Boss I'd be unavailable for the next few days, and to insure I was gone if any calls came in, when I got home Friday evening, I threw the old bag (no, not the wife) on the bike and lit out.

I was in no particular hurry, I like traveling Hy 36 because there's a community every 30 miles or so to break the monotony. After I got past Montgomery (damn that lake traffic on a Friday evening) the fat lady settled into a muffled song, just eating up the miles at 70-75 mph. I've gotta get my "riding butt" back... & not forget the Monkey butt powder, but the Valk rides as comfortable as any 'Wing I've had.

I'd been watching the weather forecast and statewide radar all day Friday. There were some decent storms along a front line from Lubbock to Abilene and farther north-east, but the weatherman said they would dissipate in the evening. He is pizz poor at his profession. I got to Comanche a little after 10p and could see the lightening high in the clouds ahead. Not being familiar with the way the bike would handle in rain & on wet roads, and the lower visibility at night, I decided to call it a day and got a room since Comanche has about the last motels before Abilene.

I awoke about 6.30a on Saturday morn, ready to hit the road. I turned on the tube (for some reason, Comanche cable has only the DFW local channels, not Abilene) to check the weather hoping the storms had petered out over night. Nope... somebody had fertilized them. Lots of reds & yellows, seemed like in the same area. So, I had a leisurely breakfast, the desk clerk turned his computer to an Abilene radar, and it appeared to be clearing just north of there. Ok, I can stand a little rain, have the frog-toggs, so I head out. I didn't get far...

Approaching Rising Star, the black ahead could not be ignored. I made a fuel stop there, and it started sprinkling, so I borrowed an abandoned car wash, donned the rain suit, covered the bag, and headed into the rain. I'd been wanting to determine the Valks handling on wet roads, I had the chance. There were just light rain until I got just past Cross Plains, then the sky turned really dark, hard rain and the chink..chink..chink of pea sized hail, visibility very poor. I was riding at no more than 45 mph, but I was never passed so I assume even the autos & trucks had the same problems.

The rain began to taper off when I neared the Abilene airport. Then, the bike began to miss... uh-oh. I exited and pulled under the first overpass, and yup, I had two weep holes in the plug cavities that were plugged. Quick remedy, sop the water out, the heat from the heads dried the cavities quickly, and I was ready again for the road, running like she should. I decided to have a smoke while there, and found I wasn't the only fool riding in this weather. A young soldier on a Kawasaki 600 crotch rocket stopped. He was traveling from Alabama to his home at San Angelo, and had been in the weather since just west of Weatherford on I-20. Poor guy didn't even have a rain suit, had his belongings in a back pack, was soaked & shivering, but was all smiles, just a few more miles to see the family. I sure hope he has a good leave.

Just a few more showers, and the skies were clear before I reached Snyder. I stopped there to off the rain suit, fuel and grab a bite to eat. The Valk was doing marvelously, I was averaging 36 mpg, and it was smooth sailing on into Lubbock. Dad & I got caught up on the family gossip, had a good visit and I, as always, was dreading Monday when I had to head home.

Monday morning, we went to breakfast with the Old Foggies club, a group of old timers that meet every morning at the local Mickey D's. Several old oilfield hands there, so the talk ran kinda long, we got back to Dad's at near noon. Checked the weather... I knew the wind was blowing at a fairly brisk pace, but the weatherman showed sustained winds at 25, with gusts of 50+ mph. What got my attention was, the front that was coming in had produced wind gusts in NM of near 80 mph. Ok, time to head south.

Other than the wind, the weather was beautiful & warm. But that wind, hitting me at about the 2 o'clock position, really killed the fuel mileage. Dropped all the way down to 28 mpg, but the bike had no troubles keeping the 70-75 mph pace. The return trip, from 2p to mid-night was uneventful, just like you want every trip to be. All in all, I learned a good deal about the Valkyrie handling (one of the best I've ever ridden) and gained a lot of confidence in a 13 year old machine.

Best of all? It was FUN!