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9-20-2009 odometer 84697 total trip 9,622.

Wow I didn't think it was that far around the USA. As a bird flies it's about half that I think. Anyway, after I left Toas I headed down to Santa Fe BMW to get a new rear tire for Bemmer. I took the "high road" through the mountains and experienced near freezing weather in the early morning. So I bundled up drove through some pretty mountains and ugly towns and was out of Santa Fe by noon. Thanks to the Guys at Santa Fe BMW for dropping what they were doing and getting Bemmer up and rolling so quickly.

I made it to Flagstaff AZ that night and found a KOA camp ground right about dark that wanted to charge me over $40.00 for a camp sight. I had bypassed KOA's that were about $30.00 and was still holding out. Most camp grounds are about $15.00 for a tent sight. So I rolled down the street and foung a room for $50.00, a much better deal. I'm glad I got the room due to it being a very damp night. I met a young couple riding 2 BMW GS 650s back to CA from a trip to Colorado, we chatted about adventures over our "free breakfast" then I left heading west down I 40.

It was only a couple hundred miles to Laughlin NV so I took part of the day to go see the Grand Canyon Caverns out along the longest remaining stretch of rout 66 that is left. The caverns were unremarkable due to them being "dry" but it was interesting to note that it was stocked with food and water for 2000 people for a week as a fall out shelter. Unfortunately it was all over 40 years old and the government agency that put it there forget any lighting,(no flashlights, not ever a match). I hope the electricity doesn't go out in our next nuclear war!

I made it to Lauphlin by dinner, played some Poker, (paid for dinner and the room) yea, and slept well as the Colorado river moved by the window of my room.

My last day on the road was a grind. It was over 115 degrees for most of the CA desert and a head wind. My muffler that was damaged when I dropped Bemmer in Melindas gravel driveway.It decided to explode and become straight pipes for my final 300 miles. Good thing I had the custom earplugs mad in Sturgus. I tried to rap the exhaust with some repair tape I found at a auto parts store in Barstow CA, but it didn't last very long. It was to big of a hole by the time i tried. So I blasted my way home at about 85 DB's and made it safely home before dark.

Side note: This trip for me was about stepping away from the life I have created and looking at it from the outside. I found that I have a beautiful life and family. I feel that I have realized for my self that "the destinations" are not as important as "the journey" and I hope to enjoy more of every moment from now on.

Thanks to all who have followed this journey with me.

Lars

New Mexico

Aug, 24 2009. odometer 83693. 8,619 trip miles

After having lunch with My high school girl friend Melinda, in Denton Texas I was going to head off to Southern New Mexico to check out some hot springs I had read about around Gila National Forest. She mentioned that she and her husband Ben had a house is Toas, and I could stay there while in NM. SO I gladly took her up on it. I have had 4 days to rest, do bike maintenance, soak in some hot springs and I even ran into my old boss from the Four Seasions Biltmore days (8 years ago). What was really weired was I thought I saw him at the hot springs the day before, but it was just someone who looked like him, then bango, the next day I actually ran into him at the grocery store, how bazaar!

It's been raining on and off here for the last 2 days. I hope it stops tomarrow I nead to go to Sante Fe and get a new back shoe for Beemer.

crossing the Mississippi today

Aug 18 2009 odometer 82485 Vicksburg Mississippi

Well I finely got a hotel room with WiFi that actually works. So let's ketch up a bit.

This past week has ben a bit of a blur. Since my last post I stayed in The gay capital of the east coast, Province town Mass., New York city with David and Francine in their beautiful flat in the Soho area, transversed the blue ridge and smokey mountains (700 + miles of twisting maintain roads, thanks to Davids suggestion) and wound up down here in Vicksburg Mississippi. That's it in a nut shell. I'm not really in the mood to write at the moment so I'm off to Louisiana and then Texas for a new back tire and possibly lunch with my high school sweet heart.

Chow for now.

the east coast

Aug, 7th and 8th 2009

Odometor 80373, day 15, 5298 miles to date.

I transversed upper New York, Vermont, New
Hampshire and the bottom end of Maine. The weather was beautiful and I made the Atlantic about mid day. I went down toward Boston looking for a motel with wifi so I could update this blog and didn't find anything till a little town named Beverly. I pull in about 10pm and ask if they had a room available, he said "no, but he did have a 3 room 2 bath apartment, but it is quite expensive". I was about ready to leave then asked out of curiosity, how much, he said $110.00.
I smiled and said I'll take it. I totally thought he was gonna say $500.00 or so. It's kind of funky but I'm showered, rested and ready for Florida.

Niagara Falls at night

I made it to Niagara by night fall and was rewarded with the above sight. it was truly beautiful. I met a 65 year old New Yorker named Rupert, he showed me around a little and talked alot. He took off after about 20 minutes of conversation and site seeing, and about 5 minutes later he comes back hands me a 50 dollar bill, said "I'm good people" then walked away. I almost told him I truly didn't need it, but I humbled my ego and just said thank you, because it really looked like it mad him feel good to give it to me. That was a first!

I found a nice KOA about 11pm, moon a blazing, took a nice warm shower and slept well, wondering what I should do with the fifty bucks. Thanks again Rupert!

8-5-2009

I rode across Michigan and tried to go through Canada to New York but the lines were so long I decided to go around through Ohio. I camped on lake Erie close to Sandusky under a full moon.

culture shock

Aug 4 2009

I rode in to Chicago after being in the country so long I almost forgot what a skyscraper look like. O yea this is were they keep all the black people too. I have not seen any thing but Whitey and a Chinese family (at a Chinese restaurant) in weeks. Whats up with that?

I think Iowa invented the lawn

8/4/2009 mileage 78627

Hi Mary and welcome to the blog

3552 miles so far this trip and still haven't found myself, o here I am, I was right there all the time. No matter where I go, there I am. I could use a shower and a shave.

Yesterday I road through northern Iowa, wow it was truly beautiful. Well maintained homes, small towns galore with lots of nice parks and thousands of acres lawns. Everything was green and well trimmed, unlike me I'm red and not so well trimmed do to no helmet laws and no razor, Arrrrrrgh. I'm off to Mane, via Canada and New york.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Here is a pic of what all of South Dakota looks like. I think I slept through most of it, I don't even remember crossing the Missouri river. I put in a 540 mile day and made it to Rock Rapids Minneapolis. I did the last 100 miles on the main high way and noticed that all of the signs on the side of the road were stressing me out. So I decided to get off the main road again the next day. I must have seen 1000 Harley's headed the other way to Stergis.

WOW thats alot of Harleys!

I got into Sturgis about mid day and walked around abit, drank a bear, bought a hat then left. not my crowd i guess. I thought about trading Bemer (my bikes new name) on the chopper with the flames but I couldn't figure how to strap on my bags :)

I made my way down to "somewhere in the black mining hills of Dakota..." to see Mt Rushmore then stayed in a camp site by a nice lake in Oelrichs SD. I puled in around dark and the Rangers were gone, so I pitched the tent in a nice spot, got ready to crawl in and the "camp host" pays me a visit and tells me "you cant camp there". But he said "your in luck, I do have a tent site down the road a bit if you want" I think he was lucky that I had a short ride that day and was in a good mood! So I reloaded Bemer and headed off down the road to my proper place. It was very nice.

Here is a pic on Mt Lassen.













On the eve of the 29th I crossed into Washington and had dinner in Wala Wala. That night I stayed at a forestry service camp ground on a river on the Lewis and Clark trail. I met a guy named Toby and he told me about The Stergus Run. I took a nice cool bath in the river after another 400 + miles.

On the 30th I headed for Montana got past Missoula to a hot springs resort, made camp just at dark. I went over to the resort and just barley made it into the pool before they closed it. I got to watch the sun set from the pool, the sky IS really big in Montana!

On the 31th I woke up to the first lite rain I have experienced on the trip, so I loaded up quickly and headed down I90. I stopped in Bozeman to look up the uncle of my high school girlfriend. I found his house after not being there in 25+ years. His house keeper gave me his cell number and he left me a message with her number. It will be nice to catch up with her.

I made it 510 miles to Moorcroft Wyoming (I'm in the iron ass club now). I rewarded my self with a night in a motel with a nice soft bed and wifi (wow luxury).

I'm off to Sturgus...

Here are some pics of Sierra Hot springs

Dude, Scott, welcome along. Not much to mention about cental Oregon, but Lasson in No. Ca. Was cool. I road 460 miles over the top of mt Lasson, played in the snow, went around Mt Shasta and into Oregon. I didn't find a suitable camp ground so I found a motel in La Pine Or. I woke up with a big bark beetle on my hand, thought it was a cock roach!
I got to the Columbia river about mid day on the 29th and started heading east.

So far so good

Hi to my 3 followers: Kyli, Danny and Virginia. Feel free to send out my blog address to anyone that might be interested in my trip.

I got about 250 miles on Saturday from home to Kehoe hot springs just below Bishop CA. I got in right as they were closing the pool so I just set up camp and went to sleep. The next morning I was up hours before they opened the pools so I walked down the over flow hot creek to a place the locals call Hot Ditch, soaked in perfect temperature water and watched the sun come up over the mountains (a good way to start the day).

I got to Lake Tahoe about mid day and Played some poker in So Tahoe. I got killed by AAA against my 999 and then again with a nut flush against my top 2 pair. O well I'm still up for the year. I did have a great lunch at the Hard rock at the casino of Salmon, veggies and garlic mashed potatoes. I headed out north around the lake, past Truckee CA to Sierra Hot Springs (SHS). I got there about dark, fed a few mosquito's found the hot and cold pools, staggered back to camp and slept like a rock. SHS is very much like Harbin Hot Springs but less facilities and very rustic. I'm gonna spend a layover day here then head North tomorrow.

bike repair

Well it was the rear drive bearing that went out. Here is a shot of the bike all apart.

So the list of things that are being done to the bike are:

1.Replace the rear bearing and seal.

2.Remove and bypass the ABS breaking system (I never liked it, and it would have cost more to fix the problems with it then to get rid of it).

3.install quick disconnects for the fuel lines so it is easier to remove the fuel tank.

4. Adjust the valves.

5. Synk the carbs

6. Repair the horn wiring connection.

Here is a pic of me daughter Kyli and her boyfriend Nate at Disneyland

I just got word from RPM cycles that it will cost about $1100.00 to repair the bike and do a few extras like: bypassing the ABS brakes, sinking the carbs, & new fork gaskets. Ouch! good thing i'm rich!?

fals start

July 16, 2009. odometer 75075.

I got the bike all packed, and ready to go on a 30 day ride across the country. I headed north from my home in Ventura CA through the California desert, it was 115 f on the road at 1pm in Mojave. I was getting low on gas but thought I could make it to the next town. I didn't want to stop because it was so hot (i was sweating doing 75 mp). I got 4 miles from the next town and (shit) out of gas (not a good start). Good thing a had a spare gallon can strapped to the back. Just as I was finishing up and throwing a leg over a 2 up HD slows down, I give him the thumbs up (all is good sign) and follow him in to the first gas station. They are on their way to crater lake, I say I'm thinking Lake Tahoe.

(whats that weird vibration?)

I stopped in Lone pine for some lunch (chili and beans & a nice cold one), got ready to head off and noticed about a quart a oil on the ground by my back tire (humph). It looked like it was coming from the rear drive of my 2001 BMW GS 1150 (not good). The auto mechanic in Lone pine said he couldn't work on it but offered me a spot in the shop if I wanted to do it my self (real nice guy) I call Garry and RPM cycles in Ventura and tell him the situation and he tells me it sounds like the barrings and a seal in the rear drive went. I ask him if I can fix it on the fly and he flat said no way, (I would need a special press), there goes that idea. So I thank the mechanic for the offer and head over to the auto supply store to look for some thick gear oil thinking I can limp in to Sparks NV (250 miles) to get it fixed. Made it to Bishop CA (about 40 miles) before it sounded like the rear tire was coming off (scratch Sparks).

I called AAA told them the situation and the said they could tow my bike up to 100 miles then it would be about $5.00 per mile after that. Since I was about 250 miles from the nearest BMW shop, = $750.00 out of pocket I decided to call home and say WASUP, and see if any one could bring my truck up to Bishop and pick me up. My wife Virginia was all scheduled up on Friday with appointments (she said she would reschedule them if I needed, I told her thank you and I would let her know. My dad had a class scheduled and couldn't come till Saturday. My daughter Kyli and her boyfriend Nate jumped at the chance for a impromptu road trip. The jumped in my truck after working all day, drove all night and woke me up at 5am Friday from a deep sleep in my camp site in Bishop. We loaded up the bike and I drove the 270 miles home with my kids sleeping on each others shoulders. THANKS YOU TO!

I took the bike over to Garry at RPM ordered the barrings and seal and a few other parts that's needed to be replaced, and if all goes well I will be back on the road Friday the 24th.