Flashback Friday

Neighbor Tim has been trying to get me involved in trips for a long time.  We planned a trip out West in 2010, but I went and got relocated in Florida.  We then tried a cruise, but the logistics got too complicated.  Another try was to New Orleans this past August but was complicated and compromised by a number of things.  

The pictures below are ones I took on a solo trip out west 10 years ago.  While in Northlandia in August Tim and I cooked up a cycle trip to South Dakota or Tennessee in Aug/Sept of 2015.  This gave me some time to modify my bike to prepare for the trip, namely auxiliary gas tanks and a cruise control system that works a hell of a lot better than what I have now.  When I rode up North on the bike in 2013 my throttle wrist and ass pretty much took it in the..well, ass.  Not much I can do about the ass part, but a decent cruise control might help on those long stretches.  

Funny Story:  When I returned to Florida I decided to get prepared for the trip out west.  I was concerned about the miles on my bike, around 44,000 and wondered if it was time to trade.  I couldn't believe I'd put that many miles on it, but with the trip up North and tinkering year around down here, it was possible.  That's what the odometer said, anyway.

I drove up to the place where I got my bike to see what they had. Turns out they had a brand new Strat that they would love to sell me.  I let them check out my bike to see where we were.  When the saleslady came back in she said I had 22,000 miles, but wondered why I had it in kilometers rather than miles.  I'm not sure what I mumbled but I'm sure it was not a compelling answer.  

So, I'm putting away a little each month to fund the trip and there are many reasons why this should be fun and worthwhile:

I'm going with Tim who is always great company (if I can just get used to that stupid stop sign brake thing he does).  Anyone else interested?  Jeff?  Rick?  Bueller?  Bueller?  

• We will be traveling little used roads.  That makes it a lot easier to pull over and take pictures or simply reflect on the beauty.

• Not a metropolitan/urban area in the whole state.  I had to go to Rapid City because I had a bad tire,  but even that place is only 68,000. Not even sure we'll have to go there.  

• There is something timeless about the West.  Beautiful, a bit wild, almost other-worldly, and the greatest roads imaginable. 

• My trigger finger of my camera is salivating at the thought of the best night sky in the country.

Well that's a plan.  Hopefully, things will work out on this one.    

Note:  Well, as luck would have it, my partner on this trip fell off his bike in Tennessee and broke some ribs in August.  Neighbor Tim is recuperating, but Old Blue, his trusty bike is in Harley Heaven.  At this point I think we are good to go, but he is presently injured and without wheels.  

Another Note:  We may very well go to Tennessee to finish the business Tim had there.  We'll see what happens as we head toward August/September 2015.  If I am residing in Northlandia we might go West; if I am still in Florida then I'll meet him somewhere in Smokies.  Either way, its a win - win.