Topic: 23 Rides in 2023, Frank's New Years resolution that we can all enjoy.

[PeWe]

Buildings from the 15-1600 something is rather common.
There are plenty of old churches and castles all over the country.
The city church here from 1271 according to Wikipedia. It has got add ons after that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4ster%C3%A5s_Cathedral

Castle downtown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A4ster%C3%A5s_Castle

There are a viking grave yard not far from me, ca: 9km.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anundsh%C3%B6g

I might take that route passing it next season.

[Alan F.]

That's really interesting, and gets me thinking about the local history right here in my area. This is one of the oldest buildings in my city:
https://dustondustingarrisonhouse.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6vaqBhCbARIsACF9M6loFfz0Tvn1LUkz6OYo_nopg-QiW2ukera2ABfcthQjhfAsXwtBbi0aAkaLEALw_wcB
The town was established in 1640, https://www.cityofhaverhill.com/visitors/city_history/index.php#:~:text=Established%20in%201640%20as%20Pentucket,as%20a%20city%20in%201870.

[grcamna2]

That's really interesting, and gets me thinking about the local history right here in my area. This is one of the oldest buildings in my city:
https://dustondustingarrisonhouse.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6vaqBhCbARIsACF9M6loFfz0Tvn1LUkz6OYo_nopg-QiW2ukera2ABfcthQjhfAsXwtBbi0aAkaLEALw_wcB
The town was established in 1640, https://www.cityofhaverhill.com/visitors/city_history/index.php#:~:text=Established%20in%201640%20as%20Pentucket,as%20a%20city%20in%201870.

I like that scene with the bridge.

[PeWe]

You have old cultures in USA like Hopi and Anasazi.
Maybe hidden Aztec gold too

Leif Eriksson the viking visited New Foundland area ca year 1000 +/- a few years.

I'm sure there are remains of very old cultures waiting to be discovered

[Alan F.]

Yes I agree. They're finding so much in Eastern Canada these days.

[budman]

You have old cultures in USA like Hopi and Anasazi.
Maybe hidden Aztec gold too

Leif Eriksson the viking visited New Foundland area ca year 1000 +/- a few years.

I'm sure there are remains of very old cultures waiting to be discovered

Here are a few photos I took in 2017 when I visited the Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.  These cliff dwellings were built by the "Ancestral Pueblo People", as they call them, between 1200-1300 A.D. Then they migrated south and the pueblos where abandoned.

[PeWe]

Nice, I have seen tv shows about that village.

[jgger]

I had a chance to sneak out for a Black Friday special and picked up ride # 19! Hwy 74 (Ortega Hwy) from Lake Elsonore to San Juan Capistrano. I didn't get started until 3 o'clock and the sky didn't look promising.  So I  told myself, "self, don't be a pussy" and went for it. Got 80 miles in plus I wanted to test my wardrobe against some cooler temperatures. It started at 68°f and hit a low of 55°f at one point. Hit some light rain going down the back side of Ortega Hwy, but just enough to be cautious of slick areas in the curves.  Also just enough to make it difficult to see as I rode into the sun.

No food stops because I was still full from the Thanksgiving feast the day before! It was a good day to do the wardrobe test and  55°f is the coldest I have ridden in since I returned from my 40 year riding recess. My legs could have been warmer but my upper body with 3 layers was just fine. I also learned that I  am not much of a canyon carver, nor do I want to be ay 71. I much prefere the rocking horse pace and being able to take in the scenery,  so my motto might be "ride YOUR RIDE, and don't be pushed".

Anyhoo ride # 19 is in the book for a nice 80 mile Black Friday special.

[jgger]

# 20 is history!

267mi/430 km
Start temp 68°f/ 20°c
Mid trip temp 46°f/7.7°c
End temp 61°f/16°c
Time, 8hrs of riding and lollygaging

Back in the olden days on the Saturday following Thanksgiving here in So Cal we had the annual Barstow to Vegas motorcycle race, until the greenies got it regulated out of existence. It was a big deal with 2500 or more entries every year. I rode it twice back in my racing days, but never finished🤧. So my destination was to revisit the original start area about 18 miles outside of Barstow at the Harvard rd off ramp. Eeyore the Magnificent ( my FJR) isn't much for off road so I couldn't go real far off the paved road, but I tried. I pulled about a half mile into the dirt and found a spot to have some coffee and live those days of yesteryear.  It was 50 years ago but seemed like yesterday. OK JIM, SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!

Then after a nice coffee break and meeting a new friend ( see pics) it was back to Barstow and a short section of Route 66 , top off the gas and try a new road I've never been on. Because it is a 4 day weekend here in the USA and the 15 frwy is the main feed to get to Vegas, the traffic was pretty heavy. I opted for a lesser used road that would take me across the desert to a place called Lucern Valley. It was a nice ride and much less traffic. It has been many years since I used to frequent Lucerne and nothing look Ed the same, ( thinks the old codger as he yells GET OFF OF MY LAWN!) . It was getting late so I aimed for home and the worst part of the ride. At the top of Cajon pass they are "improving " the road and that made for some of the nastyist traffic you could imagine.  Picture 10 miles of 1st gear slightly above idle, at best, to dead stopped travel. In California we can lane split but with the construction the lanes were narrowed and all the cagers were defending their space with a vengeance. I almost peed myself when I could actually shift into 2nd gear! The FJR loves to cruise at 80 to 90 mph so that traffic was killing both of us, I'm just glad it was so cold that overheating wasn't an issue.

I got to try out my colder wearher gloves, and they were great. Plus I learned that a long John shirt and a tee shirt and a windbreaker were very good under my mesh jacket at keeping me comfy. So with the exception of comming down Cajon pass it was an awsome day on the bike! Now 3 more rides and I can join the cool kids club!

Now for the picture attempt.

[Kevin D]

#19 #20 AWESOME 

[PeWe]

What a ride! 3 rides in 1!

[ofreen]

At the top of Cajon pass they are "improving " the road and that made for some of the nastyist traffic you could imagine.  Picture 10 miles of 1st gear slightly above idle, at best, to dead stopped travel.

I got caught in that a few weeks ago in a car.  Some of the worst traffic control I've ever seen in a construction zone, just hazardous.  I was in a rental car, sure wouldn't wanted to have been on a bike.  Looks like a great ride otherwise.

[jgger]

Greg, I have lived my entire 71 years in So Cal and it was truly the worst I've ever seen. No accidents, no fire, just poor planning.  Fron Lucerne I could have gone up and over the mountains through Big Bear,but I  was already cold enough+

[Terry in Australia]

Great pics Jim, and glad that you’re enjoying the FJR so much, they’re a wonderful bike. Barstow to Vegas looks cool, I’ll add that to my itinerary in 2025. Maybe I’ll just stay in Vegas and do day rides in different directions.

[jgger]

RT 66 follows the 15 frwy until it gets to Barstow and then bends to follow the 40. That will take you to the Colorado River and into Arizona and beyond. In Barstow the 15 will take you on into Vegas and away from 66. So if you go to Laughlin, which is a bit more relaxed than Vegas, you can day ride to Vegas then back to Laughlin. When you leave to continue on the 66 will take you into Oatman and Kingman stillfollowing 66...............just so you know.

[Terry in Australia]

Excellent information Jim, thanks for that.

[BallAquatics]

Nicest day we've had in the past two weeks.  Run some errands and hit some backroads for 80+ miles.  Bike was running good, I felt good, and got my fix for the day!  May get another ride in on Saturday but then it doesn't look good for quite some time.....

[Kevin D]

Good for you Dennis.
Just 200 mi north, we had snow on the ground in the morning, lots of sunshine.
Almost all melted today but lots of rain now and I think wet snow later on.
My CB is moved into winter parking and covered.
Gas tank full, carbs empty, front tire raised.

I changed the oil in the Honda HRN216VYAA mower, EZPZ. 13.5 Oz = 400ml
Also drained the carb.

Trying to get our 17 yr old/204Kmile Impala in the garage, to keep from clearing snow and frost, and door and window freezups. The remote start doesn’t work, two amber lights on the dash blocking it:
1) All four tire sensors dead $$l 2) Evap code in. I get a “Tighten Gas Cap” prompt every now and then. I have replaced the cap a couple times and the valves too. If I get the tires sorted, I’ll go after the evap code.
This car is utterly reliable and should go to a beginning driver, there are many coming up in the grandchild ranks.

The CB doesn’t need much, a May oil change. The starter clutch misfires on occasion, a bit more frequently than when it began 5 yrs past. I have the rebuild kit from Yamiya, with springs and rollers, and an idea to resurface the roller engagement boss. I don’t have a lift and working near the ground is difficult.

I’m watching for jgger and budman and Terry.
Nice letter from the Colonel, Terry

C’mon guys, Bring It On Home:

[jgger]

Kevin and Dennis, I appreciate your encouragement, you are both great mentors. But compared to Terry and Budman I am but a rank amateur like Clarence in "It's a Wonderful Life" still trying to earn my wings, I should have them in the next couple of weeks.

This thread and challenge has been fun and has opened up new doors for this old man, just as Frank intended it to do. Hopefully I won't be lagging until the end of the year as we look forward to 24 in 24 next year. Let's promote the snot out of it next year too! Don't be shy and post your rides for whatever reason!

Thanks all, Jim

[PeWe]

Jim,
You are very close to get your name on the road sign and the key ring.
You will regret if you have weather and time for a few rides more and let something else guide you away from it!
//Per

[Terry in Australia]

Well it’s wet and miserable again here today so no rides for me, I value my health more than getting another ride on the books. Spotty and I are going to load up his van with more bike treasures today for the motorcycle only swap meet tomorrow which I hope will further deplete my stocks of old crap and put a few bucks back into my wallet.

No biggie, in another week I’ll be on my annual leave so I can do some more riding and then hit 2024 and start all over again. I’m not worried about trying to attract more guys to the annual challenge, this thread has been going for 3 years and it’s great to see how it’s grown in that time. Lots of guys have attempted the challenge, and that’s great. It’s good to see new faces here and enjoy their stories and pics, and it’s even better seeing the guys here who have gotten off their butts every year and done their best to achieve their goal.

The rules will be specific, post your rides within a reasonable time frame and post pics as often as possible, and don’t expect anyone else to keep count of your rides. I am so looking forward to retirement and being able to ride wherever the sun is out and not just on weekends. For the older guys here that are making the effort, I’m proud to be in your company and I hope that I’ll still be able to swing a leg over the saddle like you guys do when I’m the same age. Ride on!

[budman]

Ride #63, 68 miles.

Took a while, but finally got to 63.  My son was here last week, so no riding.  We did make it out to a couple of State Parks while he was here, but in the truck.  I'll definitely be hitting those same parks on two wheels for some future rides.

I tried to get out yesterday, but didn't make it.  I needed to mail a package and was intending on taking the Scout to the PO, but USPS.com was not functioning properly and I couldn't generate a label.  I could have taken the package in and had them do the label, but I have a business account online that gives me a decent discount and I didn't feel like standing in line.  There's usually only one counter person and the line is almost always long.  It's so much more convenient to print the labels at home. 

So...yesterday's plan became today's plan.  The transition from early morning rides in the summer to beat the heat to afternoon rides in these colder temps caught me off guard today.  I should have known better that on Friday afternoons people are flocking into town.  They seem to be more concerned about trying to find a parking space then watching what's going on around them.  It was not an enjoyable ride through town.

Once I made it out of town I decided to cut my ride a little short.  I have work to catch up on after taking last week off.  I rode south for a few miles out of town and had to head back.  I had packed a small lunch so I stopped at the old schoolhouse and ate quickly.  Rather than dine under the pecan tree outback, like I did last time, I stopped at the picnic table near the entrance and the swing sets.  I've never seen anybody here.  It's a nice peaceful place to stop.

I'm going to try to get out tomorrow, Sunday and Monday.  It will have to be afternoon rides, but I think I'll steer clear of Fredericksburg.  That will get me to 66, with only three more rides to go.

You're doing great, Jim!

[BallAquatics]

This thread and challenge has been fun and has opened up new doors for this old man, just as Frank intended it to do. Hopefully I won't be lagging until the end of the year as we look forward to 24 in 24 next year. Let's promote the snot out of it next year too! Don't be shy and post your rides for whatever reason!

Thanks all, Jim

Hey Jim, I'm with you!  The clock is ticking for me as well, and as such, I try to ride more each year than I did the year before.....

[BallAquatics]

Good for you Dennis.
Just 200 mi north, we had snow on the ground in the morning, lots of sunshine.

.....  1) All four tire sensors dead $$l 2)

Hey Kevin, sorry to hear about your weather.  Was 40ish and raining here all day.

You might try WalMart for your tire sensors.  A few years back I was changing oil there part time, and we had the best price in town for sensors and re-calibrating them.

[BallAquatics]

Ride #63, 68 miles.
.....
I'm going to try to get out tomorrow, Sunday and Monday.  It will have to be afternoon rides, but I think I'll steer clear of Fredericksburg.  That will get me to 66, with only three more rides to go.

Way to go Bud!  I hate hot weather, but on a cold and raining 40 degree day here in Ohio, I envy the weather you have in Texas this time of the year.