FLAT, Again!
It's 5:30 in the evening, no camping gear, nothing around.
Figured the dealership closed at 5 but what the heck give them a call.
Open till 6!
Mike in the service area immediately sent a truck and trailer down to pick me up.
These guys stayed till 8:30 getting me back on the road. I can't say again how above and beyond they went. Neither flat was from a puncture that we could find. Three of us inspected that tire up, down and sideways. No thorns or holes in tire. First flat was on the seam of the tube. I was running underinflated, heavy load in hot weather. My fault. Second flat was an out and out defective tube. Where hole appeared in tube there was a small lump of harder rubber. We think a contaminate was mixed in when they made that tube. Just bad luck.
Tipped them what I had in cash and headed back to Palo Duro.
Gates are locked! Sneak in around the gate & collapse in camp. 9:30!
Day 5.
Break camp and load up, tire is holding pressure.
At this point I've lost faith in my rear tire. It was worn but not bald. Call around Amarillo and the other dealership has one tire that will fit. Head in and pull the rear wheel third time. I'm getting good at this!
I can say Dunlop K70 front works with a Dunlop 404 rear. I liked the look of the K70 but not the squirrly little shimmy you get when you lean the bike over. Don't think I'll ever go back to the K70.
On the last leg to Justin's.
I've got one last stop, Saw this riding in with the tow truck previously. Thought nice baton for next year but we're gonna need a bigger bike!
The panhandle north of Amarillo is wide open. Grasslands, oilwells and windmills as far as you can see.
Made Justin's in the evening and changed my oil right off the bat. Bike has started running hot at elevation. Their farm is around 3200' elevation. Met the family and then Justin and his son Eli gave me a tour of the farm. They run multiple center pivot irrigaters and plant corn, maize & cotton. He run's it with his father and two hired hands. It looks like a LOT of hard work. Came back to the house and had supper and set up my tent in their front yard. Justin still had two more hours plowing a field to get ready for planting.
Day 6
Sunrise from Justin's front yard.
Another view of Justin's front yard.
We planned to ride to Canadian together and have lunch, then handoff and go our separate ways.
Decided to do a test handoff in his front yard in case we couldn't find a camera operator in Canadian.
Eli had really glommed on to GZ and wasn't sure he wanted to let him go!
He knows all the dinosaurs and explained in detail the difference between each one. He's a fun kid.
The Canadian handoff right after lunch.
It was a real pleasure to meet Justin and his family, with as much responsibility and work I'm surprised he could make it to Austin in a previous year.
Onward to Oklahoma. Had planned to spend another week camping and exploring but learned of the cold front coming down. 25 degrees with snow. I'm outta here. One more nite on the road and then home. Camped Saturday nite in the Wichita Mts. National Wildlife refuge. Beautiful place, used to camp here in the 70's. This area is near the birthplace of Quanah Parker, the chief who led the Comanche after their rout from Palo Duro Canyon.
Day 7
View from the top of Mount. Scott in the Refuge. Gave GZ a quick tour thru the park.
Just south of Wichita Falls, TX. On US 281 is a Big Johns Antique's and junk. I had to stop.
John gave me a tour of his inner sanctum.
He values his stuff VERY highly. There were a couple guys looking at coupe parts, Every time they would ask about something John would tell us what his plans are for that piece. Thats why there is SOOOO much stuff.
But he's happy!
I asked John if he had any 750 parts. He said he sold all the metric parts to a guy about a year ago. 70 plus bikes plus all the loose stuff laying around. The guy was gonna put it all on ebay.
Stev-O,
??
Uneventful run on to Austin, 30 to 40 mph headwinds the whole way. Managed to stay between rain bands.
Total miles 1539
With GZ 575
Riding back down I reflected on how GZ has passed from hand to hand wending his way cross country.
People I haven't met but who I share a common bond with.
Thanks:
FatMatt650
Daschwartz
Proto 1184mi
Jcarthal 115mi
Pecantree 575mi
Thanks Ya'll
Steve
