Anybody go for ride today? Got Pictures?

[syntorz]

Had a nice ride in south central Wisconsin a few Mondays ago.

 

I liked the art-deco look of this town's welcome sign. Had never been here before.

 

 

The accompanying historical sign celebrates one of the area's founding fathers and his connection to a great Limburger cheese empire. Not sure there is anything to celebrate about Limburger, but it has it's fans I guess.

 

 

Or had? I later read that the stuff is very hard to get nowadays. Can't imagine why...

 

We're all about the great food on our rides it seems. But when in the midwest and you need/want fast and good, nothing beats Culver's.

 

 

There's a nice county park on this high point. I estimate 15 miles viz to the horizon, which is pretty good for Wisconsin but probably not all that impressive to those that live in legit high terrain.

 

 

To be continued...

 

[syntorz]

Continued...

 

Nerd alert: I sometimes visit Superfund sites when I ride. Yea, I'm a nerd about them. I love the history and engineering. It's sobering how man can abuse his natural environment, but interesting engineering that goes into cleaning up or managing the resulting messes. I wonder if the neighbors in their near-million dollar estates realize what went on here. I wouldn't be comfortable living near here, even knowing and understanding the mitigation in place.

 

 

 

When I scout prospective new homesteads on my rides I'm looking for high ground (and no chemical dumps nearby). This place fits the bill, but a bit pricey at $50,000/acre in farm country. No justice to the view through this pic.

 

 

(I think I need to learn how to resize my images for the next posting.)

 

 

 

[Chef Paul]

9 hours ago, TEWKS said:

I gotta get up there for some 1300 talk  and probably just buy some oil.  

Coastal route back maybe stopping at Brown’s or Markey’s for lunch? 

Browns is always good for lunch any day!

 

[Dennis Andress]

3 hours ago, syntorz said:

Continued...

 

Nerd alert: I sometimes visit Superfund sites when I ride. Yea, I'm a nerd about them. I love the history and engineering. It's sobering how man can abuse his natural environment, but interesting engineering that goes into cleaning up or managing the resulting messes. I wonder if the neighbors in their near-million dollar estates realize what went on here. I wouldn't be comfortable living near here, even knowing and understanding the mitigation in place.

 

Just put a blank line between pictures.

 

You'd enjoy spending time in Washington (the left one)

 

This has become my garage queen..

.

 

[Chef Paul]

21 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Nice ^ Church looks familiar but I can’t place it.. 

Deering NH

 

Hey, what’s your deal with Max BMW and your service? You waiting and then riding home of just leaving it there? 

I will be waiting for them to complete the 600 mile then riding some more. Coastal Route with Browns for lunch sounds good!

I gotta get up there for some 1300 talk  and probably just buy some oil.  

Coastal route back maybe stopping at Brown’s or Markey’s for lunch?

 

[Bernie]

On the way to get the break in service done. 

[BrianT]

Took the GS to the dealer for service and instead of the usual crappy loaner bike to get home, they gave me an RT.  I decided the long way home bypassing my house and doing a loop around Palos Verdes was required to get more seat time on the RT.  Seemed like a waste of a perfectly good RT if I was only going to ride it the 1.7 miles home.

 

[syntorz]

Not many of these days left in the upper midwest.

 

 

I stop for a moment of reflection and respect when I come across a Veterans park.

 

 

I was humbled by the number of members of this family that served. All survived their service years.

 

 

[duckhawk64]

Fall color ride. Brigham county Park, WI

[duckhawk64]

[syntorz]

21 hours ago, duckhawk64 said:

I love that park and the view from that very spot. I was headed there yesterday myself but ran out of time with the shortened daylight that comes with late October.

[Chef Paul]

Just another beautiful day in Western MA.rn MA.

[Bernie]

Just a quick update, I am getting along with the TFT navigation setup, using a iphone 7 and a Cardo Edge headset.

I don’t plan routes on the road, but on my desk. So the routes have been spot on an the directions are working great.

I did a 240 mile ride for a bagel and coffee today.

[Chef Paul]

Glad to hear you got your Run In service done and can now ride as .uch as you want.

 

I think todays 80 deg. Weather here is about end.  Tomorrow high of 46.

[Hosstage]

26 minutes ago, Chef Paul said:

Tomorrow high of 46.

They run so good in the cool weather!

[RTinNC]

On 10/27/2023 at 9:15 AM, Chef Paul said:

Just another beautiful day in Western MA.rn MA.

Great fall photos!

[randy]

7 hours ago, Bernie said:

Just a quick update, I am getting along with the TFT navigation setup, using a iphone 7 and a Cardo Edge headset.

I don’t plan routes on the road, but on my desk. So the routes have been spot on an the directions are working great.

I did a 240 mile ride for a bagel and coffee today.

 

what app are you using on the iPhone 7?

[Dennis Andress]

7 hours ago, Bernie said:

Just a quick update, I am getting along with the TFT navigation setup, using a iphone 7 and a Cardo Edge headset.

I don’t plan routes on the road, but on my desk. So the routes have been spot on an the directions are working great.

I did a 240 mile ride for a bagel and coffee today

The new nav has potential. I bought a $200 phone off Craigslist just for the bike. No SIM and the BMW app is the only app installed. This way I can use my phone without interrupting navigation. 

 

[Bernie]

8 hours ago, randy said:

 

what app are you using on the iPhone 7?

The BMW Connected App. 

[ESokoloff]

On 10/27/2023 at 6:15 AM, Chef Paul said:

Just another beautiful day in Western MA.rn MA.

That power plant reminds me of this 

 

[TSConver]

@bobkattand I rode to the nc coast. Had some calabash seafood in calabash nc.

 

Some pictures.

 

 

[RTinNC]

Great day for a coast ride for sure and the seafood sampler  looks delicious.

[TSConver]

1 hour ago, RTinNC said:

Great day for a coast ride for sure and the seafood sampler  looks delicious.

 

Yeah it was clam strips and shrimp.  Then we got what they called a half roast of nc oysters.  We thought it would be like a half a peck but was like a half a bushel. Lol.  It was a lot of oysters for $15. $10 for the shrimp and clam strips.

 

It was worth the 180 mile ride there.

[randy]

I went up to the N. GA mountains.  Leaves were falling like snow :-)
I had leaves hitting my helmet and shield and sticking for a couple seconds, lots of fun, especially as I would come out of the shade of the trees into bright sunlight then a leaf hits my shield.  RBR was especially heavy with leaves.  I was surprised even with everything totally dry; my wheels slipped a couple times on the leaves.  I was surprised at how few leaves there was on Wolf Pen Gap.  I expected that road to be heavy with leaves.  As expected, Blood Mountain was AWESOME, dry, good traction, no leaves, and on my run (early) no traffic at all.  60 south out of TWO was great as well.  Two cars let me by and I had a great run to head back home.

It was a gorgeous day, but by noon, it was nonstop traffic.  I stopped into TWO around 12:30 and there 40-50 bikes in the parking area.  

 

[9Mary7]

Last weekend was gunshow weekend in my part of 'Merica........Lower Alabama

IMG_0859.HEIC

[RTinNC]

5 hours ago, 9Mary7 said:

Last weekend was gunshow weekend in my part of 'Merica........Lower Alabama

IMG_0859.HEIC 3.4 MB · 7 downloads

Wow …. That is one clean PC!

 

[9Mary7]

11 hours ago, RTinNC said:

Wow …. That is one clean PC!

 

Bought it last June with 56XX original miles, tires, brake lines, pads all still original. Been therapeutic going thru all its systems and getting it back to its best self again. A few other updates have made the bike even better than new IMO..... gonna take it to Bernie's lunch this Saturday. Should be a fun trip back in time

[LBump]

On 10/29/2023 at 2:28 PM, ESokoloff said:

That power plant reminds me of this 

 

 

..."I'm basically surfing a power plant on a river"...  

 

[RTinNC]

Lunch at Pik’n Pig in Carthage NC 

 

[RTinNC]

Then a stop at Badin Coffee in Badin, NC

[longjohn]

On 11/1/2023 at 6:27 AM, 9Mary7 said:

Bought it last June with 56XX original miles, tires, brake lines, pads all still original. Been therapeutic going thru all its systems and getting it back to its best self again. A few other updates have made the bike even better than new IMO..... gonna take it to Bernie's lunch this Saturday. Should be a fun trip back in time

I put over 100k on mine, until the stator crapped out. What a reliable and quiet machine. Oem battery lasted 11yrs. 

[DBULL]

We live just outside Milwaukee, and our normal rides take us on many of the same roads starting as soon as it's starting to be warm through farm land.  In the spring, we love watching the land being prepared for planting, then the seeds, then the first small plants (corn and soy bean) emerge and soon (too soon) it seems that harvest is here.  Today I made a 102 mile loop on some of these roads as the sun hurried out of the sky.  I saw many combines creating huge dust clouds and overflowing bins of corn.   Love the cycle of crops here.  You can see the John Deere combine just over the bike.  

[RTinNC]

1 hour ago, DBULL said:

We live just outside Milwaukee, and our normal rides take us on many of the same roads starting as soon as it's starting to be warm through farm land.  In the spring, we love watching the land being prepared for planting, then the seeds, then the first small plants (corn and soy bean) emerge and soon (too soon) it seems that harvest is here.  Today I made a 102 mile loop on some of these roads as the sun hurried out of the sky.  I saw many combines creating huge dust clouds and overflowing bins of corn.   Love the cycle of crops here.  You can see the John Deere combine just over the bike.  

Nice photo!   My wife and I love farm country and while many call the midwest the "fly over" states we love seeing the farms. farmers and the great small towns.  We live in Charlotte, NC and in the late fall through early spring when snow in the mountains has resulted in salt film and gravel on the roads my rides turn east and south through some pretty farm areas.  No, the riding is not the exciting mountain curves and hills but the roads are smooth and with little traffic and they are also some curves too.   Fortunately in NC we get to do this all year.   Enjoy your nice weather while it lasts.   Oh .... nice RT too!   The tan seat looks good on the white bike! 

[DBULL]

It did take this east coast guy a long time to accept that fact that midwest was home, but kids/grandkids are here and so are we.  We just returned from a week in Charlotte area (without bike) and a week near Asheville (again without bike!).  Nice area for sure

 

I like seeing the work of the farmers, the rhythm of the seasons, and the result of their work.  It's a good thing-work.  

 

I'm aiming for one long ride-this weekend my college grandson basketball player has an away game in Mankato, MN (about 375 miles each way) Friday and Saturday.  Planning to make the trip on back roads and enjoy the day, and most likely the heated gear will get some use.  But forecast is dry and near 50 for a high, so that works for me.  

 

I love the bike-bought from a guy in RI-he decked it out really nicely, and I fell in love at the first picture in BMW MOA!  

[RTinNC]

Ahhhh .... now I remember ... pretty sure we met in Ellijay when Brad was servicing the bike.  This is the bike with the "interesting" history I believe 

[DBULL]

Yup, we did meet in Ellijay.  'Interesting' is kind.  I didn't know anything about the history, but grateful that my title is clear and no issues exist, and the perk is Brad said he went through the bike before he bought it like he was going to own it.  So, confident it's a good one.....

[Hosstage]

These last few weeks have been harvest season. Like you mentioned, a lot of dusty fields being harvested, combines transferring corn and beans to semi trucks parked in fields, all kinds of machinery on country roads. I love it. Riding down a two lane, and having to squeeze the shoulder to let some giant combine get past going the other way, waving to farmers riding in tractors, waving to kids driving tractors.

4 seasons make for constant changing interesting riding.

[Rougarou]

9 hours ago, Hosstage said:

These last few weeks have been harvest season. Like you mentioned, a lot of dusty fields being harvested, combines transferring corn and beans to semi trucks parked in fields, all kinds of machinery on country roads. I love it. Riding down a two lane, and having to squeeze the shoulder to let some giant combine get past going the other way, waving to farmers riding in tractors, waving to kids driving tractors.

4 seasons make for constant changing interesting riding.

 

when I was on recruiting duty, a buddy of mine in the same office was from DC.  During harvest season, he had to ask what that big piece of machinery was, I had to tell him it was a combine,.....he'd never seen one before.  

 

He was also a bit late coming back to the office one afternoon, said he got stuck behind a house,......another thing that he'd never seen before,....people moving an entire house.  I's like "welcome to Louisiana" 

[Lone_RT_rider]

A group of us managed to get out this past weekend in the Western NC area.  It was indeed an epic ride, but but not for the normal reasons. I unexpectedly learned that an R1250RT will indeed climb a 30 degree incline on a loose gravel road while sharing a goat path with a line of a half dozen or so jeeps.  An experience I don't care to repeat.  lol....the rest of the weekend was a 9 out of 10 on the BMWST.com scale of "Worthy".  :)  Here's some of the few pics we took.  Props to @Chris K for sharing some of these with me.  

[RTinNC]

59 minutes ago, Lone_RT_rider said:

A group of us managed to get out this past weekend in the Western NC area.  It was indeed an epic ride, but but not for the normal reasons. I unexpectedly learned that an R1250RT will indeed climb a 30 degree incline on a loose gravel road while sharing a goat path with a line of a half dozen or so jeeps.  An experience I don't care to repeat.  lol....the rest of the weekend was a 9 out of 10 on the BMWST.com scale of "Worthy".  :)  Here's some of the few pics we took.  Props to @Chris K for sharing some of these with me.  

Nice !!  Looks like Blowing Rock .... Azalea Garden Inn?  And Bistro Roca?   Having taken my RT on some 20 miles of rough gravel roads I don't envy you on the goat path. 

[Lone_RT_rider]

6 minutes ago, RTinNC said:

Nice !!  Looks like Blowing Rock .... Azalea Garden Inn?  And Bistro Roca?   Having taken my RT on some 20 miles of rough gravel roads I don't envy you on the goat path. 

We were based out of the Waynesville, NC area.  @randy and @RandyShields were also with us.  It was definitely a needed weekend of time in my peaceful place. 

[RandyShields]

3 minutes ago, Lone_RT_rider said:

We were based out of the Waynesville, NC area.  @randy and @RandyShields were also with us.  It was definitely a needed weekend of time in my peaceful place. 

Thanks for posting Shawn.  Ed, we stayed at our old stand-by: the Oak Park Inn.  28 degrees on the ride to breakfast Sat, but it warmed up to 70 by early afternoon.  Fantastic dinner at The Chef's Table, only a few blocks walk.  It has been in business for 20 years, so they are doing something right.  We also found a new breakfast place only a mile away based on the OPI owner's recommendation: Beach Mtn Diner.  Fantastic menu.  It is quite popular and we were warned about weekend crowds.  So, we left early to get there by 7:50 am Sunday.  Crowds, indeed -- on our way out just after 8:30 am, the line wrapped around the corner and there were over 30 people waiting to get in.  

 

[RTinNC]

1 hour ago, RandyShields said:

Thanks for posting Shawn.  Ed, we stayed at our old stand-by: the Oak Park Inn.  28 degrees on the ride to breakfast Sat, but it warmed up to 70 by early afternoon.  Fantastic dinner at The Chef's Table, only a few blocks walk.  It has been in business for 20 years, so they are doing something right.  We also found a new breakfast place only a mile away based on the OPI owner's recommendation: Beach Mtn Diner.  Fantastic menu.  It is quite popular and we were warned about weekend crowds.  So, we left early to get there by 7:50 am Sunday.  Crowds, indeed -- on our way out just after 8:30 am, the line wrapped around the corner and there were over 30 people waiting to get in.  

 

I knew you (Randy) was there from the photo.  Oak Park Inn is a good MC stop.   Waynesville is definitely a good overnight trip.  Barb and I spent 2 nights in Waynesville a few weeks back but stayed at the Smokey Mountain Inn up on the hill outside of town.  Since we were in our SUV we could drive to dinner at Angelo's Italian, also a great local choice.   The Beach Mountain Diner looks great though and on my list for sure. 

[syntorz]

Mid 60s here in Wisconsin today. Took the bike out to grab a quick lunch. Lunch was quick, but the ride was 80 miles round trip 

[randy]

 I unexpectedly learned that an R1250RT will indeed climb a 30 degree incline on a loose gravel road

 

Hey I  had a blast on that road :-)

[Bernie]

Ok last Saturday we had the first SECFF Lunch of the 23/24 season. My son Phillip joined me on the ride to Tifton, GA. We stopped in downtown Valdosta for a coffee break.

Downtown Valdosta Güd Coffee and my son Phillip and our RT’s.

 

We arrived in time for lunch to meet the rest of the guys.

 

Lunch is a serious affair.

 

After lunch and some time talking in the parking lot, it was time for me to get on the road to N-Alabama to meet up my Father for his 86th birthday dinner with the family. So I fired up the R1250RT and selected the route in the Connected App and activated the TFT WiFi. Off I went following the directions of my route. The arrival time was strange, but I figured I will beat, as I am used to that from my Nav6 units on my 2018 RT. I enjoyed some nice curvy roads, that I had found and programmed into the route. The fields were being harvested and in some areas the cotton created the illusion of snow in the fields. While the peanut harvest created lots of dust. Every was ok, until somewhere between Columbus and West Point, the TFT stopped counting down the miles and somehow got stuck. I ended up pulling off in a church parking lot and redoing the route and the connection with the TFT and continued my route. Once I crossed over into Alabama (CST Time Zone) the arrival time at the destination didn’t make any sense at all and I also noticed that the time of the bike didn’t change either. Apparently the TFT unit doesn’t change time when you cross into a different time zone, even though it is connected to a cell phone with map data that is updated. This would be a step backwards in technology. Oh well, I made it in plenty of time to my Father’s house to change and meet the family at the restaurant for dinner. Around 530 miles on the day with the almost new bike.

On Monday I headed home, but first I had to meet @BamaJohn for coffee and a bagel at Betty’s Cafe in Lincoln, AL.

 

The required food picture. 

And of course there where bikes involved. 

 

After that I started my route back to Jax, FL and selected to do a route I had programmed a while back. It included a few roads I been meaning to check out and they turned out to be very rewarding. I ended up refilling the bike somewhere on AL-49 and ended up stopping in Lake Park, GA on I-75 at night fall for dinner/lunch around 6 PM EST. I finished the ride home in the dark on the Interstate. The stock lights on the 2023 R1250RT are a huge improvement over the stock lights on the 2018 R1200RT. Total for the day was 544 miles.

 

 

[RTinNC]

12 hours ago, Bernie said:

Ok last Saturday we had the first SECFF Lunch of the 23/24 season. My son Phillip joined me on the ride to Tifton, GA. We stopped in downtown Valdosta for a coffee break.

Downtown Valdosta Güd Coffee and my son Phillip and our RT’s.

 

We arrived in time for lunch to meet the rest of the guys.

 

Lunch is a serious affair.

 

After lunch and some time talking in the parking lot, it was time for me to get on the road to N-Alabama to meet up my Father for his 86th birthday dinner with the family. So I fired up the R1250RT and selected the route in the Connected App and activated the TFT WiFi. Off I went following the directions of my route. The arrival time was strange, but I figured I will beat, as I am used to that from my Nav6 units on my 2018 RT. I enjoyed some nice curvy roads, that I had found and programmed into the route. The fields were being harvested and in some areas the cotton created the illusion of snow in the fields. While the peanut harvest created lots of dust. Every was ok, until somewhere between Columbus and West Point, the TFT stopped counting down the miles and somehow got stuck. I ended up pulling off in a church parking lot and redoing the route and the connection with the TFT and continued my route. Once I crossed over into Alabama (CST Time Zone) the arrival time at the destination didn’t make any sense at all and I also noticed that the time of the bike didn’t change either. Apparently the TFT unit doesn’t change time when you cross into a different time zone, even though it is connected to a cell phone with map data that is updated. This would be a step backwards in technology. Oh well, I made it in plenty of time to my Father’s house to change and meet the family at the restaurant for dinner. Around 530 miles on the day with the almost new bike.

On Monday I headed home, but first I had to meet @BamaJohn for coffee and a bagel at Betty’s Cafe in Lincoln, AL.

 

The required food picture. 

And of course there where bikes involved. 

 

After that I started my route back to Jax, FL and selected to do a route I had programmed a while back. It included a few roads I been meaning to check out and they turned out to be very rewarding. I ended up refilling the bike somewhere on AL-49 and ended up stopping in Lake Park, GA on I-75 at night fall for dinner/lunch around 6 PM EST. I finished the ride home in the dark on the Interstate. The stock lights on the 2023 R1250RT are a huge improvement over the stock lights on the 2018 R1200RT. Total for the day was 544 miles.

 

 

Looks like a great day.  Your experience with the Connect Ride is what I had heard from others.  I think I'll keep my Nav6 (my 5th replacement Nav6 that is) and deal with the Nav issues.   I have a Zumo XT and my phone as backup. 

[Rockosmith]

Nice 256’ waterfall. Fall Creek Falls in TN.

[TEWKS]

On 11/8/2023 at 8:10 AM, Rockosmith said:

Nice 256’ waterfall. Fall Creek Falls in TN.

A destination ride from START, perhaps? 
 

edit… It’s probably not legal but I bet, @wbw6cos knows exactly what I’m thinking. 

[wbw6cos]

Hell yeah!  

 

When I was viewing the Natural Bridge in Natural Bridge,  VA,  I saw an individual using a device that looked liked one that I own, but did not bring.   .  He did not get in any sort of trouble while I was there.   In fact, he was explaining to other tourists what it can do.  

 

How does the old saying go?  Ask for forgiveness then ask for permission?   Something like that.