Topic: 24 Rides in 2024, Frank's New Years resolution that we can all enjoy.

[jgger]

Well Keiiy, you ain't no quitter! Happy trails as you make your way to 24.

[lash]

Took my wife to breakfast this morning on the Goldwing and then started out for an extended trip home but thunderstorms changed that awful quickly. Only managed 90 km for #79. Hopefully do better tomorrow!

[Kelly E]

Today was ride #14 . We rode 150 miles home over US 2 Stevens Pass due to wildfire on our usual route over Hwy 20. Stevens Pass is much busier than Hwy 20. It goes through a bunch of 35mph small towns and they all get jamb packed with vacationers and tourists.

The traffic on the west side of the mountains was brutal because it's Seafair weekend in Seattle. It 86° on the west side instead of 100° but it still sucks sitting in mile long backups in the sun. Overall it was a great trip.

[BenelliSEI]

Last minute call today that my s/c project carbs were done at the vapour blasting shop. Raced down there before they closed for three days (another “long weekend” in Canada). Because of my timing, traffic was horrible so I took backroads on the way home and  easily managed +50 miles. #21 is in and the carbs look a LOT better!

[PeWe]

#32. 163 km ride.
Finally perfect motorcycling weather as I want 300 days/year. 35 days can be 3-4 degrees warmer, the other 3-4 colder.

Blue sky and sunny warming weather, not humid with rain and thunder around the corner as we have had too much of.

Around 23*C when started after work, 21*C when back home a few hours later at 7 pm.

First stop after ca 25km at a biker friend wrenching with motorcycles.

Continued my ride to Färna for a meal. I was very hungry.
This time a longer route over Strömsholm, Munktorp, Köping, Kolsva....

[BenelliSEI]

Took my wife to breakfast this morning on the Goldwing and then started out for an extended trip home but thunderstorms changed that awful quickly. Only managed 90 km for #79. Hopefully do better tomorrow!

Smart move…. It’s starting to look nasty around here too.

[BenelliSEI]

#22 this morning. Rode down to Lake Ontario (Newcastle) to look at an American Land Master LM650. Guy accepted my (low ball)offer and hooking up my trailer before he changes his mind! Weather looks nasty, put the Varadero away.

[Kevin D]

Ride #19   80 miles     Home - Dexter - Home

It’s been nearly a month since I have posted a ride here. I spent some time in Arizona: scorching hot in town, and quite a bit cooler on the plateau. No motorcycling until today, the first without storms since I have been home.
 I made the run out 7 Mile. There’s some new asphalt between Angle rd and Pontiac Trail, TYVM!
Lots of boats on Whitmore lake 40, 50? Fishing, sunning, wakeboarding, jet skis, didn’t see any sails.
On to Strawberry Lake rd and the Hydrangea/Rose of Sharon photo. I’m playing tag with Stev-o, his buddy lives nearby.
Lunch in Dexter, root beer was good, food passable.
I was detoured off of Huron River Drive for I don’t know what, on to a rough dirt road. It wasn’t graded very well, and I couldn’t see the holes. Still, I made it home safely. 48mpg.

[newday777]

#22 this morning. Rode down to Lake Ontario (Newcastle) to look at an American Land Master LM650. Guy accepted my (low ball)offer and hooking up my trailer before he changes his mind! Weather looks nasty, put the Varadero away.

Did you pull it on the trailer behind the Varadero?

[lash]

Today started out with a trip to Walmart to pick up cat food on the Goldwing that was 85 km. Got home and started loading the truck for the trip to Newfoundland. My friend Brian showed up on his Harley trike and helped out so that was done fairly quickly. Too nice to stay home so took the 750 out with Brian and did the Listowel, Hanover circle for 120 mi. And ride #80.
Tomorrow I wash the Goldwing and put it in the trailer along with a bunch of stuff for the house in Newfoundland. Departing Monday morning around 9 am!

[newday777]

Ride #15 today was 165 miles.
This morning it rained a fair amount and moved out by 6am so lots of moisture in the air and fog but peeks of sun. The forecast was no rain until afternoon.
At 8:30 am, 7 of the Wednesday night bike night crew got together and rode down into Massachusetts, turned west and we zig zagged across multiple roads to get to Athol Massachusetts, home of Starrett Tools and Kellie's Diner where we ate Breakfast. Good home cooking. I splurged for the steak and eggs. It was good. I'll see if someone has pictures of it as apparently I held my phone too high and didn't check the pictures before I ate.....
Then we headed south and then east through the Quaben Forest and Reservoir area on over to the Royal Enfield and Ural dealer that Mike wanted to check out.
We looked at the sky at @ 2:00 that was getting dark and checked the radar apps to see we were just below a good thunderstorm just north of us, a couple sprits of rain as we got on the bikes, we headed west and hit some wet roads but skirted the rain!
We stopped for Ice Cream at an old stand, Doc Davis, that I got ice cream at as a kid 60 years ago. They've always made their own. I got Rum Rasin....yum!
The final leg home was sunny and humid.
Start temperature was 75°, end temperature was 85°.

[BenelliSEI]

#22 this morning. Rode down to Lake Ontario (Newcastle) to look at an American Land Master LM650. Guy accepted my (low ball)offer and hooking up my trailer before he changes his mind! Weather looks nasty, put the Varadero away.

Did you pull it on the trailer behind the Varadero?

Nope! Borrowed a neighbour's 5 X 12’ as I’m not sure it will fit my 50” wide aluminum trailer. Didn’t want to get there and find out it wouldn’t. Will try it later, here.

[BenelliSEI]

#23 early morning. Down to Rice Lake for a breakfast run and came back around the lake. Not as hot as yesterday, but still very warm. Cutting grass later, should be fun!

[lash]

Totally unplanned ride today but I had to go down to Toronto for some more things for the trip tomorrow. Got rained on coming home but at least it cooled things off! Washed the bike and put it in the trailer for tomorrow’s departure. #81 was 240 km.

[BenelliSEI]

Totally unplanned ride today but I had to go down to Toronto for some more things for the trip tomorrow. Got rained on coming home but at least it cooled things off! Washed the bike and put it in the trailer for tomorrow’s departure. #81 was 240 km.

Have a great holiday!

[budman]

Ride #35, 246 miles.

Had a bad week.  Computer woes had me sitting in front of this thing for four days straight.  Glad to get out today before the real heat shows up.  I needed it.  Should be floating around 100F for the next two weeks.

I wanted to head south towards Del Rio and ride the Three Brothers loop again, but the weather guessers were saying 102F with rain, so I went in the opposite direction.  I rode north to Brady and stopped for a few pics.  Been wanting to get a pic of this really cool house that I've seen several times while riding through.  Looks like it was probably built by the town Big Wig back in the day.  Snapped a pic of the courthouse on my out.  I planned on heading east just past the Center of Texas marker north of Brady, but after checking distances when I stopped at the Heart of Texas Park for a coffee break, I realized I would have run out of gas on my way to Goldthwaite.  I continued north to Brownwood instead.   There's a huge Kohler factory there and a big 3M factory right next to it.  They both look out of place in this smallish Texas town, but I'm sure they both pump money into the local economy.

With a full tank in Brownwood I started back south again.  Stopped in Goldthwaite to shed a layer at the courthouse there.  It was getting warm.  I rode down through Lometa and stopped for a pic in front of this old, abandoned building across the street from a railroad track.  Was probably a bustling little town at one point.

From there I zigzagged my way through Bend, TX where there's a nice state park on the Colorado River.  I didn't have time to stop.  I have an annual pass, but unfortunately I've barely used it this year.  Been busy with other stuff.

Headed to Llano, where I tanked up and then found a tree in an empty parking lot near the river.  Had some water and an apple and rode home.

I don't know what the next couple of weeks will allow with the heat.  Short morning rides, I guess.  I'm getting addicted to these longer rides.

I need to start thinking about a new back tire.  I've got about 9000 miles on the Shinko 999 long haul tires I installed last year.  I only got 7500 miles out of the factory installed Pirellis.  The front Shinko still looks good for another 4-5K.  It's not even scalloping.  The rear though looks like it'll be good for around another 1-2K.  No reason to not get another 999.

[lash]

Totally unplanned ride today but I had to go down to Toronto for some more things for the trip tomorrow. Got rained on coming home but at least it cooled things off! Washed the bike and put it in the trailer for tomorrow’s departure. #81 was 240 km.

Have a great holiday!

Thanks John, long drive to get there but worth it. Should get in some great rides if the weather cooperates.

[willbird]

Saturday 8-3-24 #52, 161 miles, ran up to Dundee, MI again, took the turnpike and freeway up and "avoid highways" back.

Sunday 8-4-24 #53, 139 miles, Headed west to Shipshewana, IN then South to US6 and from there back home.

[Kevin D]

Hey Dennis, I pulled these photos out of the thread and blended them together. You have a very nice lineup of motorcycles. Hope you like this.

[jgger]

I must be getting old or something, you guys are getting hard to keep up with! I figured I better post Saturday's ride before it expires. It wasn't much but the triple digits and humidity make it not super fun to ride. It has been a whole week since I threw a leg over the bike and it was time to do something about that, even if it wasn't very long. Now hello ride #30

Well Saturday was Speedway night again and it was a qualifier for the AMA national, I have missed too many races this season and wasn't about to miss this one. It was a wild night of racing, too. I climbed onto Eeyore about 5:45, and it was 101°f/38°c around 45 minutes later, I was at the track, and it had dropped down to a chilly 97°f/36°c. There were a couple of ugly crashes, but all the riders got up and walked away, so that was good. It looked like they had a new guy doing track prep compared to last time and was pretty rough, but nobody was seriously hurt.

Anyhoo I had my standard Meatball sammich and a Pepsi and just enjoyed myself. They ran long on time and didn't get done until around 10, which is about an hour later than usual. As I was headed home it got down to 75°f/23°c and compared to the 100° plus temps, it felt like it was getting ready to snow!

I didn't get alot of pics, because the bikes are just too darn fast, they just look like a blur. I did get a complimentary food pic before I chowed down, so I'm not going to load this post with pics, but there are a few.

Stats
   Start.              101°f/38°c (@ 5:45)
   Track.              97°f/36°c
   Coldest.          75°f/23°c
   Home.             81°f/27°c

Total distance   73 mi/117 kms

I'm with Budman, I'm itching for another long ride too.

[newday777]

National Qualifying with the National Flag! I like it 👌
Good shot Jim. I didn't realize that the track had a cover, does the cover make it hotter or cooler under it?
I'm with you on the heat being hard on me too. I've been riding less the past 3 years. This past 2 months we came close to breaking the hottest month records by just a day or two. July was the second hottest month on record, lots of mid to high 90s with high humidity, heat indexs above 100°, though low rainfall, but yesterday we stayed below 68°f all day with showers and today will have 72° for a high, showers until 2pm then sunny for bike night tonight cooling down to 68° by 8pm so I'll probably wear my leather jacket to ride my friend's 75 Norton to exercise it a bit to see if he has it running right after the hiccups it's been having the past 2 test rides, a tad rich because of the wrong loops in the replacement slide springs when he cut them shorter,  which hooked the needles and held them up above 1500 rpm. Amals are a different animal than our roundtops.....
I have to do some actual work stuff today so I probably won't get in a qualifying ride tonight 🙃

[jgger]

It is a very nice venue,  Stu. The cover makes it nice, this is a multi use facility, they do horse shows, dod shows and all kind of stuff. The nice thing about the cover is you don't get the ground heat from sunny days, plus the aluminum bleachers don't fry your butt. The place is clean and they even do the National anthem and say a blessing before the program starts. Regular senior pricing is $15 and motorcycle parking is free and right next to the entrance. Beats going to the movies any day!

[newday777]

It is a very nice venue,  Stu. The cover makes it nice, this is a multi use facility, they do horse shows, dod shows and all kind of stuff. The nice thing about the cover is you don't get the ground heat from sunny days, plus the aluminum bleachers don't fry your butt. The place is clean and they even do the National anthem and say a blessing before the program starts. Regular senior pricing is $15 and motorcycle parking is free and right next to the entrance. Beats going to the movies any day!

I like it!

[RAFster122s]

Jim, glad you got a good ride in with some enjoyable racing in between. I like your standard meal too! I would opt for a Coke or Dr Pepper over a Pepsi...even though I grew up drinking Pepsi...
Rocco's Little Chicago is my favorite for pizzas or meatball subs...but they are very pricey so I rarely go to Rocco's anymore. The large meatball sub from Rocco's is $15 but it makes for about 3 meals for me, so given that, the price isn't so bad. Their pizza is way too expensive but delicious.

[Kevin D]

Ride #20    139 miles     48mpg

Today was the day we wait for: the weather was just about perfect. 68F at departure, 74F at finish. Not a cloud in the sky. Zero percent chance of rain. So I made sure to be ready to ride.
 I was out the door at 1030, didn’t stop at the Northville redevelopment, all the buildings have been flattened, just a few rubble piles remain. On to Seven mile. All the horses were out, also enjoying the day. At the lake, a north wind was blowing whitecaps. There were only a couple boats out. I made good time on Strawberry Lake  and Mast roads. I had North Territorial all to myself, what a prize. I arrived at lunch in Stockbridge about noon, nothing remarkable until I was about to depart. I met a couple arriving from Owosso on a shiny Glide, but they were interested in my CB, as they had recently acquired a 5000 mile not running CB 750F. We spoke for a while, and I introduced them to SOHC4 before I departed.
 On M106 to Mt. Hope road,  man it’s been to long since I have been here. The tall corn was on both sides of the road, how much taller can it grow before harvest? At Seymour, I turned right instead of left, towards Jackson and it wasn’t too long before my nose was sniffing the big smoker at the Portage Lake Parlor. I knew I made the wrong choice for lunch.
 I stopped at the Waterloo-Pinckney trail for the first photo. I don’t know if I have ever seen a hiker there, but it’s 30+ miles through some nice country with camps along the way. I doubled back, eastbound on Seymour, extra miles on Seymour is a bonus. Seymour dead ends onto Clear Lake, where I found the two inviting road signs: that’s where I want to be, the best riding.
 Cavanaugh Lake to Chelsea, some new asphalt on DexterChelsea including the double banked 90’s, TYVM! On to Huron River Drive, I’m ready for the detour from HRD on to Maple and M14. Cross the river then back on Old23 to Warren rd and Pontiac Trail (Chief Pontiac’s trail). For some reason a lady has chosen to park her car in the 50mph traffic lane. I guess she has missed her turn (too many glasses of wine?) and wants to back up in the 50mph traffic lane. Somebody is about to be wrecked badly here, but not me. I blow the horn a time or two as I pass her and get back under way to arrive home safely in 1/2 hour  +/-.
 The Honda performed admirably and gave 48mpg on the $4.79/gal VPower.