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Quit my job to go on a "little" ride, US TOUR 2007


Kaneman

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April 15th 2007

 

The weather man was wrong, well partly. He was right about the cold coming in, it was 40 degrees out. He was wrong about the rain, it was still wet and didn’t look to be drying up anytime soon. Crud, I was hoping to run the race tires today. When we arrived at the track I started having second thoughts about racing today. The main reason was that I didn’t want to put my cold, wet boots on…I was sweating that. The other was that my suit was still wet too. God it was cold. There were actually snow flurries, and I was about to race motorcycles. Genius I tell you.

 

The view from the hotel

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I really wanted to race though so I put my redneck ingenuity to work. To keep the wet suit off me I wore my rainsuit under my touring suit, and I realized this is the way I should’ve been doing it all along. I wrote that one down in my mental chalk board. Next I bummed a garbage bag from some fellow racers and wrapped my feet before putting my boots on. Kept my feet dry all day until when after I finished racing I took my boots off and stepped in some water.

 

There were more bikes today and the super-motos would be running as well

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The Sanders brothers were hilarious in the rider meetings and the one on the left won super-moto with a fast lap of 41 seconds!

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Everyone is welcome at a SEMRA event, large or small

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Clay had two bikes with him, both KTM65s. One with upgraded suspension and brakes, one more stock, but still modded for racing. The semi-stock bike was wearing the rain tires and the race bike had the race tires on. We were hopeful the track would dry. When we got there though he replaced the clip-ons on the race bike with handlebars, so at least wrist cramping and hand fatigue wouldn’t be an issue today. Clay took the Traxxion Dynamics shock off the race prepped bike and fitted it to the rain prepped bike. With drizzle still coming down and frigid winds strong enough to break tents it was time for Caleb’s first practice. After a couple of laps, on the corner directly in front of the pits, I heard the bike go on the pipe and then slide out. A corner worker helped him and he rode off again. He came back through and the exact same thing happened, he couldn’t keep traction on the rear wheel and I soon found out why.

The handlebars were like night and day compared to the clip-ons. I could move around on the bike now and get proper positioning. I would enter a corner, lean the bike into it and go to get on the gas but it would bog, bog, bog…and then violently take off. This was making it very hard to deliver any smoothness or carry any speed out of the corner. I finished my session, pulled in the pits and told Clay about it. I wasn’t sure if it was the bike or my riding, but I had a feeling Caleb was having the same problem and that was what threw him. So we changed the tires and shock back to the race prepped bike. My next session was qualifying and the bike was running much better. I felt like I was doing fairly well and even passed two guys. Turns out that I qualified third out of seven and I was pretty proud….originally all I wanted was not to come in last, but now I was a competitor!

We broke for lunch and I had these guys. $2 bought you a hotdog, drink, and chips. The concession workers were doing us all a great favor by not ripping us off.

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I thought about how I wanted to ride, told myself to stay loose and remember to breathe. I wanted a trophy…in fact I was intently focused on winning. Soon enough, it was race time. I lined up at the grid in 3rd position for my first ever race start. The flag man signaled the ready, engines revved, and the green flag dropped. I dropped the clutch while in the power band and my front wheel shot in the air. I traveled the first few feet in my first sprint race in a 12 o’clock wheelie.

OOPS!

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Great. Luckily I didn’t lose position, but the 1st and 2nd place guys had put distance on me. I was riding hard, and held my position through the first few laps but I knew someone was right on my tail. I was fighting to keep him at bay. Three or four times he came up on my inside but I out cornered him and sped off leaving him behind to stare at my sweet rumpus. Third place was mine and I wasn’t surrendering it for anybody. Eventually though I came out of a corner in second gear when I should’ve been in first and he got his change to pass. Damnit!!! No way was this putts in a purple and orange suit going to take MY trophy. I gritted my teeth and focused down. I was right on his tail and through many corners I was braking later and carrying more speed…I knew I was going to get my change to take my position back soon. All I could see was red, Clay calls it the “blood lust” and I was full of it. My first race and I was already addicted to winning.

 

Coming up the front straight away I pulled on him hard out of the corner and knew I could get him before the next turn, I took the outside…and that was my mistake. He moved to his left to set up for the upcoming right-hander, right into me. I saw it coming and tried to lean into him but I was too close to the edge and I ran right off the track. This was one of the fastest sections of the track and now I was offroading in the wet. I stayed smooth, didn’t grab the brakes, and came to a stop without crashing. But I had gone down an embankment and couldn’t get back up to where I was. I had to dock myself half a lap and go the long way around.

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He tried

 

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And tried..

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And tried

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And tried

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But no cigar

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And the crowd went wild!!

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When I came back around I saw my foe still trying to crank his bike. I was laughing when I went blowing by him, at least I wouldn’t get last place. I quickly caught back up to everyone who had passed me and regained third position without incident. But I actually thought I was in second to last place. I figured since my podium finish was out of reach I would at least try to drag a knee since I had never done that before. This was the result….

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And no, that didn’t come from dragging, it came from a low-side. I went in hot, let my fear receptors get the best of me and chopped the throttle like a moron. Lost the front, but quickly got back on. In fact that mistake only cost me 7 seconds and I didn’t lose position. I’ve had that damn suit since I was 17 and finally managed to mess it up. I lost all faith in textiles after that too, the only thing that saved my kneecap was the armor inside. The textile material shredded on impact.

 

I crossed the finish line, made it to the pits and Clay told me I actually did finish in 3rd. I was completely stoked, even more so when I found out my best lap was only half a second off the second place finisher. When I get settled down this is something I would love to get into. The bikes and track days are cheap and I can’t think of a better way to have fun with so little money. There is even a good chance I may settle somewhere that SEMRA (South East Mini Racing Association www.semra.org) runs, but now is not the time for that. After the race my arch nemesis came up and we had a good laugh about it. Apparently he went down pretty hard after we hit each other so I definitely came out on top. He told me I was a hard man to pass and I told him I wanted that trophy!

 

There were other races as well! This is Carlo, Carlo was flat out amazing. Rain, dry, cold…he didn’t care, he railed around on this little bike like it was MotoGP. Amazing.

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The super-moto guys were fun to watch too. Unfortunately one of them broke a collar bone in practice though

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Caleb actually took a nasty spill in his race and hurt his hands. No serious damage though, mostly pride I think. He took pole for his race though and gets faster and faster with every track day.

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And then some random shots…

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SEMRA does an excellent job organizing and orchestrating these races, even in the monsoon and cold weather. It’s a tight-knit organization or racers and racing families where everyone knows each other and comes out on the weekend to have a great time. I am very much looking forward to participating on down the road.

 

Caleb got his trophy

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And I got mine, I couldn’t have been more proud! P1000870.jpg

 

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After that we packed up and drove 10 hours back to NC. The ride was great believe it or not, even though we didn’t arrive until 3am. I had a good time just talking to Clay though. He has me completely hooked into racing now!!

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Don't try any of that on the Strom....your not qualified.

 

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Whip

 

Anytime you're ready to find out bud, just let me know. grin.gifthumbsup.gif

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May 18th, 9am. Torrey Utah.....Sweeper Madness.

 

I'll be on knobbies.....just to make it fair.

 

 

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Whip

Edited by Whip
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May 18th, 9am. Torrey Utah.....Sweeper Madness.

 

I'll be on knobbies.....just to make it fair.

 

clap.gif

 

lurker.gif

 

 

Whip

 

Nah, that'll only equalize the 300lbs of gear I tote around with me!

Link to comment
May 18th, 9am. Torrey Utah.....Sweeper Madness.

 

I'll be on knobbies.....just to make it fair.

 

clap.gif

 

lurker.gif

 

 

Whip

 

Nah, that'll only equalize the 300lbs of gear I tote around with me!

 

 

 

We'll dump that stuff in Killer's front lawn....just don't put it in the garage you'll never find it...

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May 18th, 9am. Torrey Utah.....Sweeper Madness.

 

I'll be on knobbies.....just to make it fair.

 

clap.gif

 

lurker.gif

 

 

Whip

 

Nah, that'll only equalize the 300lbs of gear I tote around with me!

 

 

 

We'll dump that stuff in Killer's front lawn....just don't put it in the garage you'll never find it...

 

Heck no man, that's my excuse card!!

 

I know about the garage! lmao.gif

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Nice man, looks like that was an absolute blast. I seriously think I could get into that kind of racing.

 

BTW, I dropped you an email.

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April 16th 2007

 

April 17th 2007

 

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Two months to the day since I left Fort Worth I had a lot on my mind and a long ride to sit and ponder. Especially considering I didn’t know where my destination was located and ended upg going the wrong direction all morning. One, I was on the way to Virginia Polytechnic Institute to pay my respects to the victims there. Two, my own demons regarding betrayals from my past had surfaced and were tying my stomach in knots. And three, I am trying to come to terms with who and what I am now. So much has changed in such a short period that most of the time I do not really feel like myself. Out of body experience is often the phrase that comes to mind. Without a doubt this has been the greatest two months of my life, more than any man could ever expect, but nonetheless it is difficult to take it all in sometimes.

 

Tammy and Clay cooked me a fabulous breakfast for my departure, which definitely saved me since it turned out to be my last meal for 12 hours. I can’t thank them enough for taking me in, introducing me to racing, and treating me like family. Clay and I probably had 20 solid hours of good conversation. I have developed close relationships with so many of those I have met throughout this trip. I love to sit and listen and learn from everyone, taking in as much knowledge as I can. Everyone I’ve met has left me with something useful that I would not have known otherwise. They are good folks.

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I headed east on 42 out of Farquay Varina, NC and then north on I-95 to hit the visitor’s center, get my free map, and directions to Virginia Tech. I merged onto I-95 on a sweeping turn and was surprised when my peg touched ground. Almost 7k miles on the V-Strom and I had never touched peg before, I realized how effective my track time was. I touched down 3 more times today without even trying to go fast. How strange. I had always heard you can learn more in one track day than you can in an entire year of street riding…I guess it even applies if you’re on a mini-bike.

 

So anyway, I came flying onto I-95 and saw what looked to be a garbage truck with two men on the back in my path. They were only doing about 50 so I had to grab a lot of brake, but I crept ever closer to see what this strange looking vehicle was…

 

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Right before I took that shot they gave me the thumbs up but I missed it!! At least they had big grins though. Soon after that I made it to Virginia, another new state.

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At the visitor’s center they were very helpful in giving me good directions to my destination. In the parking lot I met a retired couple from Florida and gave them a card after they seemed excited to hear of my travels. As I was pulling out a guy from the Stromtrooper came over and introduced himself, he got a card too. I took 40W to 460W and the ride was far from boring. The road was not technically challenging, but it was beautiful, empty and entertaining. All told today I rode 462.3 miles.

 

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And once again I saw mountains….they still put me in awe.

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Earlier that day I had heard about President Bush being at the University and beside that I knew I could not carry my weapon on campus. I didn’t want to set up camp and leave my gear there not knowing what time I would be back so I resigned to get a hotel room. This time it didn’t bother me because I had a very important mission that I was focused to complete at all costs. Seeing bloodhounds in front of V.T. sealed that decision. Of course, all the hotels were full so I had to go 20 miles outside of town, but found a Sleep Inn at a jacked up price. I dropped some things off and headed out to get some flowers for the memorial. I had to hurry because the sun was setting and I wanted enough light to get some photos at the campus. I chose white flowers to symbolize peace. So I rode into Virginia Tech and took a deep breath.

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The entire State Trooper force of Virginia must have been in attendance today.

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I toured the campus, unsure if I should stick around or just drop the flowers and go. These are for you Kathy…I know you are anxious to get there.

 

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Soon I saw that students were all walking the same direction and knew it must be some type of memorial service. I didn’t know about the planned candle light vigil. But I found some parking and followed them, looking very out of place. In fact, because of my patches I think a lot of people thought I was some type of official because they kept getting out of my way and nodding to me with respect.

 

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I made my way to the front of the pack, not realizing at the time the reason people were moving aside for me and ushering me forward. Being here was completely surreal and I had no idea how emotional and personal this was all about to become for me. Once I settled a teary eyed student asked me if I needed a candle and I assumed I did so I took it.

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I was about to take place in something historic and I was truly honored to be here. As you can see in the pictures I was front and center in front of the country. vt23.jpg

 

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Not 10 minutes after I made it to the front a crowd of thousands had gathered behind me. You really needed a wide angle lens to capture how big the crowd was but I didn’t have one.

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I do not want to rant about the media presence. I realize the extreme importance of accurate media, but just want to say they were extremely disrespectful to the event. Could they not stop snapping their shutters at least during the moment of silence? All they had to do was give us 15 seconds. It was of course more annoying for us in the front and for a moment I thought the crowd might turn on them. I myself stuck my camera in a few of their faces just so I could flash their eyes. I may or may not have shoulder bumped one pretty hard that tried to get in front of me. Anyway, this was a special and beautiful event and I will end my rant there.

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The crime tape still in front of the dorm made it so much more real to me

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As the sunlight faded and the vigil began the crowd got eerily quiet. Emotion was flooding through everyone and I felt it hitting me hard. I held it together until they played “Taps” and my tears started flowing just as if I were a fellow Hokie. The tragedy resonated within me and opened the doors to my own demons. Even now typing this I am having trouble focusing on my laptop because of the water in my eyes. This event is something that will be with me forever. I had no ties to Virginia Tech, knew nothing about it prior to yesterday, and only knew one person to graduate from there… now it is forever a part of my life. I spoke with a couple standing next to me for some time. They had been going there for 10 years and the boyfriend, John, held three degrees. This was their home, this was a place where John was always able to leave his laptop out without worrying about it getting stolen. This was a place all the students felt safe, where the surrounding town had very little crime and almost nothing serious. This was not a place of scandals, heavy drug use, deadly hazing…this was a well structured environment that everyone was proud to be a part. Let me rephrase that. This IS a well structured environment that everyone IS proud to be a part of. When the crowd broke into Amazing Grace and the Star Spangled Banner it only pulled my emotional strings that much more. I felt detached, yet at the same time a very real part of this community.

 

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John and his girlfriend seemed sincerely thankful that I had detoured out here to show support. I stood there on the front row of this historic event and chanted with the crowd as though I had been going there for years. After the songs ended the fight-songs and game chants started. They were loud and meaningful, this crowd was beginning to heal itself. On the left side of the drill field began a huge roar and candles were raised in a candlelit “wave” that went through the crowd and back. Smiles broke out and the tears now had a different meaning. Grief was still there, but so was pride. Pride in their school, in their home, in their community. Ultimately, though this will never be forgotten for them, that is what will heal the gaping wounds left by a deeply troubled student with two semi-automatic pistols. For myself, I am grateful and honored to have taken part in this. The evil of one man was answered by the good of thousands. For those left behind I hope tonight’s show of force and love will help with the search for peace.

 

Still unable to dry my eyes I walked back to my bike, gathered my flowers and place them at the memorial that was built by “Hokies United.”

 

“We are Virginia Tech, we will prevail”

 

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Wow!

 

When I read about your plan to visit the VA Tech campus I didn't think you were making the right decision.

 

I was wrong. Thanks for being there for all of us that couldn't.

 

I sent you a pm....pay attention.

 

Whip

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Wow, you just did more to make this tragedy hit home than any news report could have ever done. I work for a large company in the Towson, MD area, and have more than a few VT alumni that I work with on a daily basis. I took the liberty to forward the link of your most recent post to the ones here that I know of. It brought out a lot of emotions here in the department. Those pictures make it so much more personal than any news report could ever do. Your story is growing and you are touching more lives than I'm sure you ever thought you could.

 

Ride Kaneman Ride

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Thank goodness my office has a door because I had tears coming down. Great job reporting on a historical event amigo. It really does show that there is humanity out there. I for one am proud of ya.

 

Tom

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Firefight911
Thank goodness my office has a door because I had tears coming down. Great job reporting on a historical event amigo. It really does show that there is humanity out there. I for one am proud of ya.

 

Tom

 

+1 to that.

 

Thank you. You have represented us and conected us in another unfathomable way.

 

Thank you! thumbsup.gif

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Wow, you just did more to make this tragedy hit home than any news report could have ever done. I work for a large company in the Towson, MD area, and have more than a few VT alumni that I work with on a daily basis. I took the liberty to forward the link of your most recent post to the ones here that I know of. It brought out a lot of emotions here in the department. Those pictures make it so much more personal than any news report could ever do. Your story is growing and you are touching more lives than I'm sure you ever thought you could.

 

Ride Kaneman Ride

 

Thank you for doing that, I wanted people to be able to feel what I felt last night.

 

You are right my friend, I never expected anything other than to travel for two months, go home, and start working again. Most of the time I can not wrap my mind arond it.

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April 18th 2007

 

Still coming to grips with the previous night’s experience I awoke at 9:30 (still not a morning person) and prepared for the day. First some breakfast…whats in the fridge? Ahh yea, left over KFC wings from last night. Cold and delicious! I felt strange…no, strange isn’t the right word. Enlightened maybe, if that’s not too dramatic a term. Something is going on with my life that I am not yet able to understand fully. I am not writing this for my readers to figure out, I am writing this as a journal to myself, to look back upon once I have it figured out. So let it be known that today, April 18th 2007, I had a strange feeling. This comes into play more later actually, but back to the ride report.

 

So where was I going to go today? I still didn’t know, maybe it would come to me in the shower. It didn’t. But it did come to me while visiting another part of that same room and reading my Virginia map (which I left in the room too). Since I was so close to the Blue Ridge Parkway I decided to take it north all the way toward DC. I needed a place to leave some gear at, and hopefully somewhere to stay as well since it seemed cold outside, so I posted up on ADV for anyone interested to give me a shout.

 

After packing and leaving my USB cable for the camera in my hotel room (on accident, have a spare packed) I departed the Sleep Inn in Dublin, VA amongst a sea of volleyball players. You can see their bus outside…

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On I-81 it was a simple matter of following the signs to the Parkway, shortly after exiting though I did stop to ask directions from a gas station just in case. The local clerk confirmed I was on the right track, said I would go through Floyd and then see signs to get onto the Parkway and go north. Floyd was a cool lil town with a historic, but not “run-down” feel to it.

 

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That’s all I have to say about that.

 

A few miles outside of Floyd I found the signs for the Parkway and this cool tunnel. These are new to me in this form and I thought it was a grand sight so I took a picture.

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I was immediately impressed with the Parkway and hoped that it remained this nice the whole way through. The scenery was beautiful, fascinating and new to me. Large farms with rolling green hills, rocks with water trickling down, abundant wildlife. In fact at one point early on I saw a hawk sitting in a field and a black bird was dive bombing him over and over and over again. I saw it at least 5 times. I made a u-turn but when I got close enough for a pic they flew off, the black bird attacking in flight on their way out.

 

In the spirit of not taking anything for granted I stopped often to take in the scenery, the smells, and the sounds. My first stop was this over look.

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On the road again…just can’t wait to get on the road again…

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Again, the Parkway was amazing to me. Some have said it is over-rated, but I personally don’t know what more you could want from a road. Tons of nice curves with a good view of oncoming traffic, great scenery, excellent pavement, plenty of overlooks and no law enforcement. I know the latter is just good luck, but I didn’t see one single law enforcement official of any type on the BRP today, and it is a good thing.

 

I did, however, get stuck behind this guy.

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Not for long though. After a while I decided to follow the sign to the Visitor’s Center hoping to replace my left behind Virginia map. The maps are an important token of the journey after all. Beside, visitor’s centers are a great place to stop and chat with local who know all the secrets of the area. It was here that I got a voicemail from IDave letting me know he’d be happy to fulfill my request for some DC help. He was going to be riding his Tuono out to the Parkway and we would meet somewhere along the way. Excellent, I left him a message letting him know that was good with me and carried on my way.

 

These guys were everywhere. Serious hazard on the BRP, so watch out!

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Are there no gas stations on the BRP? Was getting in the market for a new tank but not having any luck yet. I had been running pretty hard all day so I was only getting about 35-38 mpg. I felt very confident on the bike today though, solid through the turns, focused, everything was going well. I did not push too hard though, aware of the deer that lined the road occasionally.

 

There is a beautiful river behind my mirror, can you see it?

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Around the time I took this picture I was getting flat out worried about gas. I was getting no cell reception and needed to call Dave as well to let him know what was up. Nothing to do but keep heading north though

 

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And this was why….

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But I carried on like a good little Adventure Rider, despite my blinking gas light, hoping to run across Dave very quickly

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The suspense of the blinking gas light was killing me and I pulled over at Reeds Gap. Luckily, by the grace of God, I had cell reception. I left him a message so he would know what was up and waited patiently. See, I’m learning patience.

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But only after a few minutes Dave showed up. My new hero.

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He said there was a gas station right down the way, about 12 miles. Yikes, I didn’t know if I could make it, but said I’d give it a shot. First though I donned my electric vest for it had gotten quite nippy. My left nipple, the one that is scarred from a botched self-piecing job when I was 14, was cutting glass.

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But the vest didn’t work, and neither did my 12v outlet. Need to get under there later and see what’s going on, but I would survive for now. So I followed trusty IDave, hoping he would notice if I ran out of gas and come back for me

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With more gas on my trip meter than I have ever logged I pulled into the gas station safely and without pushing anything!

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My worries were illfounded though, I still had half a tank, which means I can get close to 250 miles per tank. Amazing lil’ machine this V-Strom. Now, get this, inside the gas station they had old candies and they had those old mini wax bottles filled with colored liquid…remember those? I got some and they were awesome!

 

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So we carried on. Dave was going to show me some great Virginia back-roads on the way back to his place where I would be shacked up in luxury for the night. We hit the interstate and then made it to the infamous 211. I still remember his warning, “Its where all the squids from DC come and crash on the weekends” I remember thinking, good thing I know what I’m doing then. Ummm….yea…..not so much.

 

This is the part where I tell you how the Kaneman US Tour 2007 was almost cut short. We came to a left handed 180 degree turned which I judged to not be overly sharp. We had been running a pace that I was very comfortable with and I did not feel I was pushing myself at all. I entered the turn and cranked my head left to look at the exit point of the turn, which is where I steered the bike to. Now, it all happened so fast I am working from memory and from what Dave saw in his mirror. But I came to the point I had been looking at to exit the turn, and the turn was not over, in fact it was sharpening. So much so that more lean angle did not keep my front tire off the edge of the road. I know what was about to happen and it seemed like an eternity until it actually did. I could not believe I was going down like this, after everything I have ridden through. I knew I was going fast though, and I did not think I was going to leave the side of the road in anything other than an ambulance. Dave said we were doing 35-40, so I’m going to say 40 to be dramatic.

 

The V-Strom lowsided before I ran off the road which leads me to believe I did not target fixate, but that I ran out of lean angle. My mistake was that I did not look far enough into the turn, and I did not lean off the bike nearly enough for the speed I was carrying. I landed on my shoulder and separated from the bike. Off the side of the road was a muddy ditch and rock wall. At the speeds I was going me and the bike should have slammed into them with great fan-fare, but we did not. I slid, I don’t know, maybe 3 feet. It was like I was wearing a parachute and just came to a gentle stop. I IMMEDIATELY stood and hit the kill switch on the Strom which was pouring steam. I thought the bike was toast, but it was just the exhaust pipe sitting in the water. Dave saw me go down and turned around, seeing that I was ok he helped me lift the bike. Not only was I completely unscathed, so was the V-Strom. No broken blinker, no cracked fairing, no broken bar-end. Just some minor scuffing of the left side fairing, mirror and hand guard. A 40mph crash didn’t even crack my cheesy plastic hand-guard. Unreal.

 

We didn’t have time to sit and ponder my luck though as VA State Police are fond of writing wreckless driving tickets for just this sort of event. Dave hopped on the bike and I pushed him out of the mud, hopped on and took off. We stopped for some gas to survey the damage…

 

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The rest of the ride was actually quite beautiful. Wide open, rolling, green meadows with very expensive Arabian horses. Frolicking deer, gorgeous houses, great roads. After the lowside we actually had about another 100 miles to go, making my daily total just short of 400 and his over 400. We came home, I met his fine children, wife and dogs and ate some steak and cheese sandwiches contemplating aloud with Dave my great fortune.

 

My life has been guided by fate since the first day I left my house. Something is going on here, I don’t know what it is. I am not boastful, but nor am I naïve enough to not realize all the things that are happening for a reason. Though not a religious man, I have come to the conclusion I have been chosen for something. Something other than just riding my bike around the country. Not just because I came out of this event without a single bruise on my body, but also because of all the other fortune I’ve had along the way. The support from the forums, the massive thread explosion, the electric vest saving me from disaster in Big Bend. Going the wrong direction to Virginia Tech which ended up putting me there just in time to be ushered to the front of the candle light vigil last night, as if I were meant to be right there in that spot. Everything that has happened leads to something profound. I feel as though I have no control over my destinations, although I do make the choices that lead me there…if that makes any sense. Nothing will change about the way I have been doing things along the way, but I am now fully aware of some outside force guiding my path and perhaps even watching over me. Helping me, maybe, to complete whatever mission I have before me.

 

Anyway, time will tell on all that. In the meantime, ride safe guys, and wear your gear!

 

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(P.S., yes I know some of these pictures are a repost for you ADV Guys)

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Hey Josh

 

Forget that Sweeper Madness stuff,you'll kill yourself. 40 mph lowside. That's what you get for playin with those little bikes. lmao.giflmao.giflmao.gif

 

Have fun in DC...Stay away from the politicians, that sh#t is sticky.

 

Whip

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Wow man.....Glad to here you're OK after that. They say there are only two kinds of riders.......Welcome to the other side. Now that you have wrecked, you never have to do it again...LOL.

 

I agree with ya about the fate thing. Karma is only a bitch when you have something coming to you. I have always felt that if you live a good life and do the right things, more times than not you will come up smelling like roses.

 

BTW....I shot you an email a few days ago, but didn't hear back. If you need a place to crash (sleep, not wreck again) in southern PA, feel free to hit me up.

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I just read the Advrider report....

 

Your mother grounded youlmao.giflmao.giflmao.gif...

 

You better get home right away.....she's pissed.

 

 

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Josh

Thanks so much for your report from Va. Tech. Being a born and bred Virginian I still cannot believe what happened there on Monday. I was listening to the radio that day in disbelief. One of my best friends is a Tech grad along with neighbors and their children. A very sad day for all Virginians and the Va. Tech family which reaches worldwide.I had tears welling up in my eyes reading your report and looking at the pictures. The healing has begun.

 

This is just a suggestion once your "tour" has concluded but you might want to look into writing and or reporting. Thanks for witnessing this truly historic event for me and others who were there in spirit. God bless you.

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Hey Josh,

 

You know that they say rubber side down is the best dopeslap.gifdopeslap.gif. Sorry to hear about your incident. Looks like you've dusted yourself off and your gonna keep going. You keep riden and sharing your story for the rest of us who wish we could do exactly what your doing.

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April 19th 2007

 

My gracious hosts were nice enough not to wake me early though I had forgotten to turn the volume on my cell phone on to wake me at 9 like I intended. It did not take me too long to get showered and dressed though and soon we were ready to embark on a two-wheeled adventure to Washington DC with fellow ADV Rider IDave. Casualties from yesterday’s accident have added up to a broken iPod screen, broken camera and a tweaked handlebars and or triple tree. Other than that just minor scuffing. The camera actually scraped the ground and then got dirt inside of it jamming up the lens. I played with it for a while and eventually got the lens to pop out so I was able to take 60 photos today with it though I wonder about its longevity. The iPod is still functioning fine, just has a messed up screen, most likely from the water. No matter about the camera today though, Dave is an excellent photographer and was going to be helping me out today.

 

First stop of the day was good ol’ Mickey D’s for a lil’ touring fuel. I was busy working out plans to have my Nikon D70 shipped to me from Texas, but have since scrapped them hoping my point and shoot holds up.

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Inside we had just missed breakfast so I got a quarter pounder instead. Appropriately for the journey at hand we met Jim, a veteran of World War II and Vietnam. Dave and Jim were speaking of the Virginia Tech tragedy, the vigil of which is still resonating powerfully inside me. As Jim spoke of the tragedy and the 18 men he lost in Vietnam his eyes began to water. I realized that his own demons had been released as well. He seemed like a man I could’ve learned a lot from. I learned something from Dave as well, how to politely ask for a photograph of someone…something I have always been shy of.

 

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Next, with a stomach full of nutritious McDonalds we headed over to the Great Falls on the Potomac River, separating Virginia and Maryland. Dave told me this was a hub of power for the entire world as many powerful politicians stay in this area and money is king here. Driving past the houses (mansions) proved him right as I had never seen neighborhoods quite like this. We stopped at the Great Falls Park and Dave told me of how him and his recently departed father used to walk through often, taking in the scenery and history. Walking back to the car I commented on how great Dave’s children were and how intelligent they seemed. They are taught from home instead of public school and we spoke at length about the state of public school in this country today. Obviously not even having finished myself I am not overtly fond of the public school system and the vast amount of time wasted for 7-8 hours a day in what could be done in probably 2-3 with more efficiency. That does not include the ridiculous amounts of homework. I remember helping Brooke (who does not attend a Public school, but a good Charter school) with her book report and wondering how she could possibly get the meaning and feeling of the story (A Time to Kill) when she had to stop and take notes every 3 minutes. Perhaps though, school is just what you make of it and what you take out of it as a student.

 

The park was killer and Dave said he’s got photographs of psychopaths running these Class 6 rapids in Kayaks!

 

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I can not even imagine the water being this high!!

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From Great Falls Park we rode into Washington DC. Again I wasn’t sure what to expect from DC but learned quickly that pictures and movies do it no justice nor put the scope of the city into perspective. For one, it is not unlike any other downtown region. On the crosswalks young men dressed in nice suits with prematurely grey hair scurried by on their way to important destinations. Women in nice dresses walked across looking straight ahead with neutral, almost frowning expressions on their faces. Everyone had somewhere to be and no joy in getting there and most likely arriving. Before anything else hit me I was awed by the normalcy of our nation’s capitol.

 

Our first stop was for a photo op in front of the Riggs National bank which you can see on the back of a 10 dollar bill. Riggs has actually since been renamed to something else…

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If I had to put a one-word name to today’s theme I think it would be “Sacrifice.” Over the years, what have we as a nation sacrificed for our freedom? We visited three war memorials, World War II, Korean, and Vietnam. Casualty numbers are easy to tally for the most part, you count the bodies coming back across our borders in American Flag draped coffins and make sure they are given a proper burial. Other casualties, such as loved ones left behind, and physically able-bodied soldiers unable to get their war-torn minds sorted out are more difficult to put a number on. Vietnam Veterans that volunteered or were drafted came back after experiencing the horrors of a war that no movie can accurately depict only to be spit on by their citizens and ignored by their government. Some of them are still out there. They walk your streets by day and sleep under your overpasses by night, forever unable to sort out their lives. Too proud or insane to seek help from shelters they huddle on steam grates in order to survive harsh winter temperatures, eat from garbage cans seeking some semblance of nutrition and ask for your money so they can attempt to drink away a small portion of their misery. No, not all your local homeless people are traumatized war veterans, but enough of them are to deserve more than a “f you bum” when you pass by. Not all minds are strong enough to see the things most of us can never truly imagine and come away intact. Sacrifices given for freedom such as this are much harder to put a number on.

 

We easily found a great parking spot in front of the Washington Monument to begin our foot tour of the memorials. Funny though, being in the nation’s capitol is the only time I’ve actually felt the need to lock my helmet to the bike. We locked Dave’s on as well just in case and since his fancy Italian bike doesn’t have a lock.

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TCB Baby!

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This was right across the street, not sure what it was though.

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The Washington Monument. One of the tallest masonry structures in the world at 555ft

 

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As seen from the Lincoln Memorial

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World War II, 1937 – 1945, estimated 72 million people killed making it the deadliest conflict in human history. Not all sacrifices were made by Americans either, consider Stalingrad. A city completely wiped out by invading Germans but which refused to surrender and eventually changed the tide of the war. In that battle alone an estimate 1.5 million were lost. For someone my age that has never seen war on that kind of scale it is hard to even fathom.

 

The World War II Memorial.

 

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Dave’s son Zac is a proud member of the Coast Guard. A little salute.

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After touring the World War II memorial we walked toward the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool and the Korean War Memorial. Most of my generation and a few before probably wouldn’t even know of the Korean War without M*A*S*H. Sad, as this war still has great significance over our country. A lot of people do not realize North Korean has only had two leaders since World War II and is not in that much different a state than it was left in except for the heavier fortifications and advances in weapons technology. You can look back at the Korean War and perhaps see how conflicts that may seem insignificant at the time can come into play down the road.

 

The Korean War, 1950-1953, Approximately 54,000 American lives sacrificed for the freedom of a nation most the rest of the nation had never heard of.

 

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I have seen the Lincoln Memorial so many times, just as I have seen all of D.C. so many times but let me tell you, nothing you have seen in print or on screen can put this particular memorial into perspective. Abraham Lincoln was such a powerful figure forged from a less-than-ordinary presence. Personally I felt this memorial was very fitting and was truly awed by it. It was here that I began to feel that everyone who enjoys the freedoms of this nation should have to visit here and take it all in, read the words, learn about the men. It was also here that I wondered how these powerful and rich men that run the world can work amongst such great history and heritage then turn around and trample on the rights our forefathers worked so hard to guarantee would be there for eternity. Everything needed to make this country great was written with ink 200+ years ago, if only we could stick to that we would be twice as strong and united as we are today. On that note my favorite quote from Thomas Jefferson.

 

“No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another; and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him.”

 

The Lincoln Memorial

 

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Many Veterans were in attendance and looking back I feel bad that I did not shake any of their hands. Something for me to make up for later.

 

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The Vietnam Memorial was next on the list. The simplest, yet most striking of all memorials I experienced due to its sheer size.

 

Vietnam War, 1959-1975 58,000 American lives lost again for a country most of us had never heard of. After serving their country many soldiers came home to face the hatred of a rebelling society, yet many of them did not ask to be in Vietnam in the first place. While something about World War II brought out the best in our nation, something about this one brought out part of the worst.

 

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The Capitol Building was another that pictures do not do justice to in size and scope. Gorgeous architecture through and through and beautiful foliage. Amazing building.

 

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We, well I, needed some fuel and since I’ve never had a hotdog from a downtown vendor like this I figured now was as good a chance as any. Too bad they didn’t have a sign posted that said, “HOTDOGS, HUGE RIP-OFF, $7.00 with drink. They could’ve at least given me a reach around.

 

The thumbs up was BEFORE I knew the price, but its all good.

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All fueled up with the most expensive mixed meat I’ve ever had, we continued our foot tour…

 

The Federal Reserve…I had mixed emotions.

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We rode all around DC today and I was thankful to have a guide that could ride with me because on a motorcycle you get so much more of the experience. Smells, sounds, feel…everything is more real when you do it on two wheels.

 

Dave got me taking a shot..

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Dave was an awesome host and I couldn’t have had a better time touring D.C. There is of course much more to see here that I did not get to today, but I saw the things I wanted to, the things most important to me.

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And as if taking me on this awesome tour, letting me stay with his family, and getting my bike out of muddy ditch wasn’t enough…he filled up my gas tank too. Which is saying a lot considering these were the most expensive gas prices I have seen since I left.

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I am very much enjoying my time here now. I received a very warm welcome the moment I walked in here and I wish I had a picture of all their huge bright smiles. They seemed so excited to meet me, the legendary Kaneman. It sounds silly to me, but I am aware of the attention generated so it is kind of neat at the same time. After returning from DC I began working on the over 200 pictures taken and writing up the blog. I was served some great spaghetti and meatballs and took the opportunity for a few more pictures.

 

Kelsey

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Launi

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And napping…she is camo with the dog!!

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Nick

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This is Powell, Dave’s brother. He is actually the one that told Dave to check out my thread. He said he couldn’t believe I was standing there!! It was great to meet him, and I extend my thanks for passing on word of the journey.

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Launi, quite the seamstress, offered to sew some of my patches on the suit for me which was great because I was long overdue.

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It was good to see Sisters working together in some family teamwork!

 

I do not know where I am going tomorrow but will most likely use Dave’s place as my base of operations. Tomorrow I am sure the answer will come to me so I don’t worry about those things, it always works itself out for the best.

 

The last three days have brought a lot of emotions. Virginia Tech, the crash, and now Washington D.C. and the breath-taking memorials. America is a great place that may be tearing itself apart from the inside out. I hope that is not true and am not educated enough to be the one to decide if it is or not. All I know for now is that there are far more good people here than bad and if all of you reading take one thing away from my travels I hope that is it. Turn your TV off, the media is wrong about this country. Get out and talk to a stranger, I guarantee no matter how old you are there is always more knowledge to be obtained.

Edited by Les_is_more
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April 20th 2007

 

Hey hey, I finally didn’t over sleep, must have something to do with getting to bed at a decent hour. Something I have not done much of lately. This morning I had IHOP on the brain because I knew Dave’s children were escorting me around town and that was our first stop. After getting mail gathered that I needed to ship out we departed for our first stop. We drove through Great Falls, and this time I was able to get some shots of those houses I mentioned earlier.

 

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This is actually “Wonder Woman” Linda Carter’s house…cool huh?

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But Poverty is everywhere I suppose

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Gas prices in this area are the highest I have ever seen.

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So we got some breakfast and they made me look like a pig since they didn’t order anything other than pancakes. I got some photography in while I waited on my food though. Still trying to see if my camera is going to crap out on me or not….it took a pretty hard spill since it was mounted when I crashed.

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Then heaven arrived right in front of me and I gave a pork laden salute to my friends from cyberspace!

 

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And I wolfed it down like a true Texan, much to the dismay of my breakfast friends.

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Today’s mission was to continue yesterday’s theme of “sacrifice” and show respect to the defenders of our freedom, the freedom that allows me to do a trip like this. At some point I most likely took that freedom for granted, instead focusing on what we lose as a result of politics on a daily basis. When you’re locked into a routine and you’re only focusing on the negative its easy to become disenfranchised and think that everything is being stripped from us. Its true that we are losing some freedoms, which makes us no different the rest of the “evolving” world, but still our country is beyond comparison and we owe that to many of the men buried here at Arlington National Cemetery. How can we ever repay the men and women who faced hell with the belief their lives were worth the freedom of a nation?

 

Being buried here is a great honor to our brave soldiers and their families. The Cemetery is in a beautiful and serene environment and is the final resting place for some of the most courageous men and women this world has ever seen. My photos will not do any justice to the absolute size or feel of this place but only serve to give a vague idea of what you can expect to see should you make the trek here someday. I think everyone should come pay their respects at some point though as that is the least we can do in return for what these soldiers have guaranteed us.

 

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The Cemetery was very busy today, which I consider to be a good thing. Most were respectful, some were too young to understand the significance of this place and spoke a little too loudly. Someday they will understand though, kids are kids.

 

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Some of these men served, went home and lived good long lives. Others died young in battle, some even younger than me. Some served in multiple wars, some even earned the medal of honor. One of them even went on to become President of the United States of America. He also died in service.

 

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And so did his brother

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I asked an older gentleman to take this photo of the 5 of us and he responded delightfully with a heavy British accent. No doubt he was from overseas and was paying his respects to men that sacrificed all to keep his country free of tyranny and oppression. They would and do still do the same for us.

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I was also fortunate enough to witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is true that these men stand their posts through all types of weather in a symbolic gesture of respect to give dignity to those who have given all without the recognition proper identification would have given them.

 

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As stated, the foliage here is peaceful and creates a wonderful resting place for those buried here.

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I actually have many, many more pictures of this place but will just suggest that when you get a chance to make it a priority to stop by and take it all in for yourself. There are not many words I can use to describe the impact of a place like this.

 

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So, having taken all that in, honored to have stepped foot on those grounds, I left via 4-wheeled escort to our next stop…and partake in something I haven’t had in a very long time.

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I was so excited I instantly got brainfreeze. Man that is painful! Meanwhile, the masses chanted my good name and insisted that no matter what anyone said I was number 1!

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On the way…

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Next stop was the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum next to Dulles Airport. What an awesome experience this place was!

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Would you fly in these?

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They don’t come anymore powerful that this lil guy

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And this guy kept popping up everywhere!

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I don’t think they ever had to use this…

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That sure is a big lens you got there

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POWER!!

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Nope, I’d rather go skydiving…

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The dreaded SAM

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And again!

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One of the landing gear assemblies for the AirBus weighs 7500 lbs!!

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Remember the Concorde?

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Deep thoughts, with Jack Handy

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Believe it or not that is just a small sample of the museum and I actually have many more photos stashed away to but won’t burden you all with scrolling through the masses of them. After the museum Launi and I dropped the kiddos off to get ready for work and she took me to the post office and auto parts store to get a new 12V outlet for the bike.

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We went back home and I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Zack, Dave’s son who is in the Coast Guard. He is a funny guy, just like Nick, and just an all around super cool dude.

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Nick spilled his drink but worked hard to clean it like the fine young man he is.

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After stuffing ourselves with pizza at a table filled with gut laughter Zack, Launi, Kel and I headed off to see “Fracture” at the movie theater. The girls were so excited I think they may have peed their pants!

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The movie was great and the company was better. But I could’ve done without the warnings. How old am I? Geez.

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This one is classic though

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Then after the movie hilarity ensured as we tried to get a late night snack. McDonalds wouldn’t serve us off the dollar menu because it was after midnight. Meaning they were too lazy to make anything that wasn’t already under a warmer. Nor would they make Zack a milkshake…no matter how many different ways he tried to order it. We figured KFC might have some ice cream so we pulled up and you know what they said, “Sorry man, we are closing in 15 minutes so we’re just cleaning up. So…ummm…you’re still open but you wont serve us? Niiiiiice. Where is Pamela Anderson when you need her?

 

Nick must have worn himself out racing me up the spiral staircase at the museum. Doesn’t he look cute with all that hair sticking out? Hehe

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Many have been emailing me about Philadelphia and I want to make it there if only for one night. Instead of trying to meet all the different people I may try to organize some type of meet and greet if anyone is interested because I need to be making my way to NY. We will see how it unfolds. For now I know tomorrow Dave and I are going to do some riding and this time I will work harder on NOT CRASHING!

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April 21st 2007

 

Since I overslept, again, Dave was kind enough to use his Aprilia’s powerful V-Twin as an alarm clock around 9:30 and remind me that we had some riding to do today. I left all the planning up to him since he knows the roads and he told me first we’d be visiting Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia. But you know me, the first thing on my mind this morning was food so we stopped at McDonald’s. There must be something special about the local Mickey D’s though because we met another interesting character. He came up and asked me about my patches. Again I am learning to art of conversating with strangers from Dave because he’s just so damn good at it. I have met all kinds of nice people at random on this trip, but Dave is able to take the conversation to the next level. JD Espinoza, it turns out, hails from Arlington, Texas and was a mechanic at a motorcycle shop there for 21 years, wrenching on Yamahas. He rides, as does his son, and he was telling us about a ticket he just got. That led to conversations of how “Gestapo-like” the Virginia State Police can be when it comes to ticketing otherwise law-abiding citizens. I hope JD is able to keep the points off his license, laws here are much more strict in that regard than they were in Texas. Soon, you would’ve thought JD and I were old friends meeting again after a long absence.

 

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Soon, we were in West Virginia, another new state for me.

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And I thought that was pretty damn cool.

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Harper’s Ferry is literally a blast from the past, when we rolled into town it was like stepping out of a time machine. Very historically significant town. I learned about the escapades of John Brown, his crusade against slavery and eventual capture and hanging. He was made into somewhat of a martyr. I learned about early industry, and the civil war history of the area as well. I thought about the difference in history between a place like this and Texas as well. Very neat town, which is actually a National Park, and it is worth a visit. The park ranger on duty was even cool enough to let us park in an otherwise full parking lot while he turned away all the cars.

 

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Still a powerful sight to me…

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Harper’s Ferry is located where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet.

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Another group of motorcyclists was rumbling through the town.

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Early arms factory, Harper’s Ferry was the sight of the second arms factor in the country.

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This was cool because I knew that the sounds from this train were just what early inhabitants of this town would’ve heard throughout the day as well.

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So we rolled on, planning to finish the day with a trip to the local Triumph dealer and a good long ride. On the way we stopped for a shameless photo opp.

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We came to a bridge with water coming close to flowing over and I took it easy to avoid any mishaps and potential water rescue.

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WOOHOO! I made it

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Then we came to a tree that had fallen over the road and we stopped to make sure the motorists of Virginia were safe from harm’s way.

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I used my superhuman powers to lift this live powerline off the road and move it.

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And I kept my eyes open for any other dangers the general public needed to be warned about

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Dave was happy I was looking out for his fellow Virginians

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Then we rolled through ****, a town steeped with old money, and it showed.

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The scenery was beautiful and I could stay in VA forever. My experience here from the first day at Virginia Tech, to the Blue Ridge Parkway, to my time with Dave’s family has been a memorable highlight for this journey and VA makes my favorite states list without a doubt. All these great, loving families I have stayed with are making me think that this is how life is supposed to be and I’m wondering what happened to the “Married with Children” and “Simpsons” generation that I thought was the norm for America. Today was actually Mr. and Mrs. iDave’s 23rd wedding anniversary, just two years shy of their silver. They took me, along with the rest of the family to Kobe Steakhouse for some hibachi. You guys know how I feel about hibachi and this place was fabulous. Without a question this was the best hibachi chef I have been served by.

 

I was totally pumped

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So was Abby

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Nick was starvin like Marvin

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The lovely couple was happy to have company, I’m sure they wouldn’t have rather spent an nice romantic evening alone….hehe

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We gave our waiter a hard time but he took it well.

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There were spirits…

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Ladies. Kobe28.jpg

 

Thumbs

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Suspicious looks…

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Unintentional Peace Signs

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Flying Food

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Fires

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And delicious eats. It was a real Kaneman kind of meal.

 

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Dave took about 170 pics, hence the delay on this update, I had to sort through them all!

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My sincere thank you goes out to the family for allowing me to take part in all this.

 

I was so stuffed I thought I would burst, but held it all together. We rested for a bit back at the house, then it was off to Manassas to meet Pat and the hotrod gathering.

 

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We pulled up and found a lone GS1200 Adventure and soon an adventure rider to go with it. Meet Pat.

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Conversation started up and soon a lone stranger on a huge Yamaha Venture pulled up, I thought maybe he was lost. Turns out it was a lurker from the ADV board who wasn’t even registered but has been reading my thread and decided to ride 800 miles to meet me. Ok, maybe it was more like 20 miles, but you get the idea. Meet Kevin.

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Kevin was telling me how him and his buddies just camp at the graveyard when they need a place to stay. One time, they were walking in talking and his buddy, who is about 5ft tall, suddenly disappeared. Kevin’s hairs stood up on the back of his neck and he looked and looked to no avail. Soon though he found his buddy, 6 feet under, he had fallen into a freshly dug grave! Mark my words, I will never camp in a graveyard! I want to thank Pat for inviting me out and Kevin for showing up, I had a great time with them. Is there anyone on ADV I’m going to meet that I don’t like? Time will tell.

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For a while in the parking lot were beautiful hotrods of all types, but they filed out and were replaced by squids on sportbikes and Icy Hot Stunnas in “souped up” Toyota Paseos and Honda Civics. They were real fast yo, and we were intimidated so we called it a night. On the way back I saw a lovely redneck couple macking down in the back of a car and that was special. Also saw a license plate that said, “SPK ENG” hahahahaha, awesome. And on that note, I leave you with a photograph of a real sleeping beauty.

He was keeping his rifle close to ward off the evil boogey Kane.

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April 22nd 2007

 

Disclaimer, no riding today, adventure purists click out now!! Haha Today I had a mission to fulfill and Launi was to be my guide for the day. Actually, I had two missions, should I chose to accept them, and I did. One, replace my broken point and shoot camera, which was stressful to say the least. And two, get an etching at the Law Enforcement Memorial in D.C. for someone from CycleForums and my Uncle Ted as well.

 

The first part of the mission turned out to be more lengthy than planned. I went to Walmart, Circuit City, Best Buy, Costco and finally Ritz Camera before I decided on a FujiFilm S5200. I love the way it feels in my hand and the 10x zoom it has. Something about a more traditional camera that you look into creates more artistic compositions. I think you will all like the shots that come from the new cam. At least you better because I was stressed to hand over my bank card. This time I spent the extra $40 for the damage protection plan to avoid this happening again in the future. If I had a brain I would’ve done that in the first place.

 

My first photo with the new Fuji.

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With plenty of exploring time left Launi and I rolled into the Metro station, my first experience with a train of any sort that I can remember. I was relieved to see the Onion reporting on newsworthy stories!

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A good reminder to all of us!

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The new camera was making me feel all artistic so I switched to black and white mode and remained in it most of the day. With the new zoom I was able to capture shots of people that I couldn’t have gotten before. Today I thought a lot about the nature of people, diversity and the way people in a large city tend to keep to themselves.

 

Launi wanted to play too

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Some random people shots

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Our matching shoes

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And shots of the Metro rolling on by

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One of my favorite shots ever

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Our first stop was to the Natural History Museum.

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On the way to the steps we met Martin, he was collecting donations to help prevent child abuse and gave us these awesome stickers for helping out. His greeting was a little strange though. Imagine an African accent…. He said, “Excuse me sir” and stepped in front of me. “I am going to have to write you a citation.” I noticed an official looking ID Badge on his belt and asked why. He replied, “For not smiling while you walk with this lovely lady.” That was good for a laugh and we chatted for a bit before I slipped some cash toward his cause. He was more than happy to take the photo op.

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We went in, and no I didn’t see the Hope Diamond. Like I said before, most things are not worth me waiting in line on, and a big overpriced rock falls in that category. Future wife be warned, I think Diamonds are silly.

 

We did go to the Nature Photography exhibit though and I saw some amazing shots!!

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This was outside that exhibit

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And I poked a little fun at this guy

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We walked around a while then headed off toward the Law Enforcement Memorial but stopped by at the National Archives Musuem so I could see the documents that were to ensure our freedom and rights for as long as this country is united. Some of the rights are still in effect today, some are not, others are being lost out from underneath us in the name of saving the children and protecting the weak. In the name of Political Correctness.

 

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Our tour guide was fairly flamboyant, but humorous nonetheless.

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The Magna Carta

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Today I really wanted to use my new camera to try and capture the essence of this city, for better or for worse. There is certainly something special about being in Washington D.C. Amongst the normal city behavior, the sprawling historical buildings and memorials, the rich, the poor. D.C. has it all.

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I really took the time to look around, notice things, smell the smells, smile at the people and just really take the city in today. Which made me very hungry, which led to a visit to China-town!!

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This is where we ate

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This is what I had

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This is how I paid

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This was my fortune

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Outside a poor woman came up to me, looking for a hand-out. She went on to explain how she had money for food previously but the pigs had roused her and taken it. She used to give relations for crack-cocaine (implying I was a candidate) and so on. Remembering my post the other day about the homeless I looked this woman in the eyes hard and stepped toward her. I wanted to try and get a better understanding. The only thing I saw in her eyes was pain though. Hard, Cold, Raw…pain. I do not know what led this woman to this situation, if she ever had a normal life and somehow ended up on a street corner, if she is mentally ill or just got addicted and lost it all. I can never understand how a person ends up this way because I have not experienced it. I gave her $3 and told her to stay out of trouble, I did not know what else to say.

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Finally we made it to the Law Enforcement Memorial. TexMex, shoot me an email with your address and I will mail you the etching. When riding a bike at high speeds across the country one tends to be very weary of police officers as to me they can only mean trouble. Sometimes big trouble. But the ones fallen, names engraved here, do not set policy, they only do their jobs to the best of their abilities. They will be there when you need them most, it is what they do.

 

Albert O Garza 07/30/74 Harris County

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David W Roberts, 09/21/85, Paris Texas

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Lowell C (L.C.) Tribble 08/27/83, Farmer’s Branch, Texas.

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To the Law Enforcement Officials who may be reading this, thank you for putting your life on the line everyday to ensure a civilized society and that help is never too far away. Though many times a thankless job, most of us realize our society depends on your dedication.

 

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So, with both missions accomplished I played with my camera some more and we eventually made our way back to the house. Today was another great day that I am thankful for. Special thanks to Launi for being my guide and never showing impatience. I had an absolute blast and got to experience a lot of new things today. Even if her driving was a little scary with the text messaging and all!! Haha

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Good night all, hope you enjoyed the latest installment.

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Special note, Zach returned for duty to the Coast Guard today, soon to graduate from his latest class. Wish him luck

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Josh great shots man. Now if you would like to continue your history lesson you can drive 2 hours south to Richmond where yours truly was born and raised and see the Capitol of the Confederacy, Monument Ave with the Southern generals sitting atop their trusty steeds, the Fan District, and one of the Federal Reserves. They have a lot of money there I am told. The civil war battlefields in Fredericksburg and Petersburg are awesome as well. Then drive an hour east to Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown and see where the country started and we won our independence from Jolly Ole England. Glad to hear Va. is at the top of your list of states you like so far. There is just a plethora of history there for all to learn and the people from there are the cat's meow (hee,hee). While you are there make sure you go to Charlottesville, and run the Skyline Drive and the rest of the Blue Ridge Pkwy. That whole area is just beautiful and you are certainly there at the right time of year. Take it all in my friend.

KB

Edited by keithb
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Ok guys, I have three ride reports ready but do not have the time to edit them for the site. If you guys want I can just paste links into here if that's ok.... Mods?

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Well I was going to post the links to the reports as I do them over here, but the links wouldn't be work safe so I wasn't sure if that'd be cool or not...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I didn't get my truck at Menlove but I'm sure you visit often, I should have guessed when you came back...

 

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I feel a movie script coming on - "Kaneman - Queen of the Desert"

 

lmao.giflmao.giflmao.gif

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Bill_Walker

Hey, Josh, on your gas mileage increase, did you remember to account for the change in gearing throwing your odometer off?

 

Love reading your reports, man. We're all living vicariously through you.

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Hey, Josh, on your gas mileage increase, did you remember to account for the change in gearing throwing your odometer off?
Why would it do that? Is the odo driven off the gearbox rather than the wheel on the VStrom?
Link to comment
Bill_Walker
Hey, Josh, on your gas mileage increase, did you remember to account for the change in gearing throwing your odometer off?
Why would it do that? Is the odo driven off the gearbox rather than the wheel on the VStrom?

 

Yup. There are a couple of products out there to adjust it electronically, I think they're called Yellow Box and SpeedoHealer, if memory serves.

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