Trip Report: Virginia-California-Virginia

[Billinva]

I just got back from my Cross  country trip. Three years ago, I rode the Valk from Virginia to California and back with my brother in law on his Goldwing. This time I cheated and drove my pickup camper to sleep in and trailered the Valk.

I went solo and was gone 45 days. Visited 29 states. Drove the truck 8200 miles. Rode the Valk 4100 miles. Have now been in all states except Hawaii. Completed the last four of AMA's 15 top motorcycle roads.

It was a great trip. One ride was three days and 850 miles from Elkhart, IN to Mackinaw City, MI along the Lake Michigan shore and return. Another was five days and 1250 miles around southern Colorado, leaving the truck in Pueblo, CO. Others included Ohio 170, Beartooth, Chief Joseph, Angela Crest, Pikes Peak, Sedona 89A,  Natchez Trace, and others.

Two problems:
A leaking fork seal at the beginning of the trip. Thanks to VRCC member hubcapsc, the 35 mm film trick worked. I sandwiched a piece of film between two strips of duct tape and was able to push the film up into the seal and snake it around the fork without removing the fender or fork protector. The dust seal was out of the way. The leak was completely stopped.

In Colorado a deer jumped a guard rail, and her head landed in front of the radiator. The radiator was bent, the radiator fill neck was bent and cracked at the upper tank joint, the air wing was torn off, my leg  was hit(not bad), and the saddlebag was slightly damaged. The deer died instantly. I was able to maintain control of the bike. With the fill neck leaking, I made it to the next town and repaired the leak with sandpaper and JB Weld.

At 72 it might be my last long trip, but maybe not.

[HayHauler]

I hope it's not your last trip.  Sounds like you had a blast!!!  Only thing missing are the pickers. 

Ride safe brother. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[The emperor has no clothes]

Sounds like fun !

[Ghost]

That had to be a dream ride, I hope I get to do at least half that much. Ride safe.

[Flat6Valk]

Great report.  Great Luck too!  Someday my turn will come to ride a cross country.

Ride Safe!

Greg

[Willow]

... from Elkhart, IN to Mackinaw City, MI along the Lake Michigan shore and return. 

That was a good trip.  I hope you got to spend some time on the island.

Sounds like a rewarding trip all the way round (except for the doe, of course).