Patience's Progress

January 4, 2005

I explained that I didn't have a way of carrying the tire, and though I've carried tires around my waste while traveling before.......

EEEEWWWWWWWW!! You've carried tires around your WASTE??? YUCK!@*&*&* I'm gaggin'

Good LUCK with that, Adam.

January 4, 2005

Unbelievable. What bonehead decided to do that. The RT even has a feeler gauge for setting the ABS sensor clearance (why...I have no idea...I've never had to set it...ever.) My Honda has everything you need to get the bodywork off, the wheels off, etc.

Mark Davis posted this a while back, which shows this may be a trend.

Couldn't they pull the toolkit off before weighing the bike for the specs?

Greg

January 4, 2005

note to self.

never buy a BMW commuter bike.

Good luck dude.

January 4, 2005

Well, they made one tough anyway, and it appears he wants out. Haven't all the rest of them pulled the Stabil from the shelves already?

Honestly I think 'all the rest of them' are either warming up their snowmobiles or are out already . I left back in 1989 - and numerous other friends too - but those Winters definitely breed some hearty souls... and Adam's definitely one of 'em.

January 4, 2005

You go man.

There's about 6,000 old farts watching your trip secretly hoping you do the impossible 'cause it lifts the burden of our lifes just a bit.

Thanks.

January 4, 2005

If I bought a bike from West Coast Choppers, then I wouldn't expect a decent toolkit. But cripes...this is a fricking BMW. I have to wonder what IS in the toolkit?

Russell, you don't need to wonder, it's not your bike!

IF it were your bike you would have checked it out. Figured out what you needed to add. And added it. But chances are you wouldn't need it as you would have kept an eye on the tire and not let things get this bad.

It is for this very reason, that you will never have an adventure like this! Neither of us want to be on Murphy's mailing list!

Sorry Adam, I've got to call this one as I see it. This isn't BMW's fault for a bad toolkit, nor for non-standard tools, nor for weird hours. It's your fault for not being prepared and not taking care of your "steed."

January 4, 2005

It is for this very reason, that you will never have an adventure like this! Neither of us want to be on Murphy's mailing list!

True enough...for better or worse.

January 4, 2005

I have to wonder what IS in the toolkit?

Just a few valiums, I think.

January 4, 2005

EEEEWWWWWWWW!! You've carried tires around your WASTE??? YUCK!@*&*&* I'm gaggin'

Really! Gives "spare tire" a new meaning.

January 4, 2005

Nobody seriously thinks Adam made this ride in order to get a nickname here, do they?

a'course not. oops, and "Poster Child" is what I meant to say.

January 4, 2005

Sorry Adam, I've got to call this one as I see it. This isn't BMW's fault for a bad toolkit, nor for non-standard tools, nor for weird hours. It's your fault for not being prepared and not taking care of your "steed."

Thanks Steve, I didn't want to be the one to say that, but experience makes a difference, and Adam is getting his the hard way!

I guess we have all be there, just not as THERE as Adam is right now!

Still, I have to give the kid credit for tenacity, attitude, willingness to adapt, and sheer chutzpa!

Keep on rolling Adam, we are all behind you! WAY behind you!

Jim

January 4, 2005

Clearly, it is the rider's responsibility to make sure that their machine is in good working order, and that they have the necessary tools to do whatever work they feel is likely.

However, this problem was made worse by the crappy toolkit and the need for non-standard tools (otherwise, pretty much any motorcycle shop could have helped him), and BMW's typical dealership hours.

I'm pretty sure the dealership hours are set by consumer demand. But the other two issues are BMW's fault.

January 4, 2005

Kudos to Arizona Honda. They can't get it done this evening, but are going to give me a ride to a hotel, then trailer the bike for free to BMW tomorrow morning,

Now, y'all place your bets to what's going to happen to the trailer and the bike while Arizona Honda is attempting to get it to BMW!

January 4, 2005

Ya don't need to blow your head off to know you don't clean your gun loaded. And IMHO you don't need to run a tire clear gone to know that your bike needs a quick once over EVERY DAY.

Adam seems always poorly prepared for what the ride brings. And I've seen him post that reading this forum has made him smarter than if he had stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. It's great he's learning, and that he's getting out there.

Hey, he's got to be who he is. Even if that guy seems crazy to me. But these "learning the hard way" experiences are at times quite dangerous. All the sheer chutzpa in the world isn't going to help if the rear tire came apart at speed. Good thing that didn't happen.

Maybe we can get some stickers made for his tank. Like the OEM ones that say "check your oil" and "don't let the bike catch fire".

January 4, 2005

Clearly, it is the rider's responsibility to make sure that their machine is in good working order, and that they have the necessary tools to do whatever work they feel is likely.

However, this problem was made worse by the crappy toolkit and the need for non-standard tools (otherwise, pretty much any motorcycle shop could have helped him), and BMW's typical dealership hours.

I'm pretty sure the dealership hours are set by consumer demand. But the other two issues are BMW's fault.

Agreed, and as I already stated, it is outrageous that BMW didn't include the tools for a simple wheel removal with the basic tool kit!

Your own comment makes my point though: Clearly, it is the rider's responsibility to make sure that their machine is in good working order, and that they have the necessary tools to do whatever work they feel is likely.

Now maybe Adam didn't think his tire was nearing it's end, but had he more experience, he would have been ready for a failure of some kind, including tools and possible contingency plans for getting a new tire.

Sorry Adam, your name is being used a lot, but I think this discussion has gone more philosophical than directed at you specifically.

Jim

January 4, 2005

Just curious, Adam. Are you a member of BMW MOA? Do you have the Anonymous book? If your answer is no, it may be good for you to join. You might have been able to find someone in the area who had the right tools. I'd also suggest joining BMW Roadside Assistance, or some other similar plan for motorcycles.

Good luck with the rest of your ride. Hope you make it out of the rain eventually. What you are doing is not an impossible ride, but is a challenging one, especially this time of the year. Before you make your return voyage, carefully check over your entire bike. If that means having a dealer look it over just to be sure, then do it. We are right in the middle of very unstable winter weather, and getting stranded in the wrong place at the wrong time could be deadly. Be careful out there.

January 4, 2005

heh, heh, heh,

We're going to work him over at the So Cal Tech Day...then we'll have a look at the bike.

January 4, 2005

We're going to work him over at the So Cal Tech Day...then we'll have a look at the bike.

Don't forget to once over his toolkit and drag him to Sears to update it.

January 4, 2005

And I AM the designated gofer, since I already revealed that I will be showing up in a car. However, with sockets that big, he'll have to carry a 3/4" breaker bar.

I guess it really just takes big nuts to make a trip like that. (apologies)

January 4, 2005

Now maybe Adam didn't think his tire was nearing it's end, but had he more experience, he would have been ready for a failure of some kind, including tools and possible contingency plans for getting a new tire.

We all know that taking a long trip on a worn tire is not a good idea, now so does Adam. Somewhere in this thread he mentioned that he had an air compressor with him. So let's lighten up on him a bit, he prepared the best he knew how. The majority of us have made similar mistakes and lived to tell about them.

January 4, 2005

Now maybe Adam didn't think his tire was nearing it's end, but had he more experience, he would have been ready for a failure of some kind, including tools and possible contingency plans for getting a new tire.

We all know that taking a long trip on a worn tire is not a good idea, now so does Adam. Somewhere in this thread he mentioned that he had an air compressor with him. So let's lighten up on him a bit, he prepared the best he knew how. The majority of us have made similar mistakes and lived to tell about them.

Amen, Dennis. What Adam may lack in experience, he more than makes up for in intrepidity. We all gain--particularly the considerable number among us who aren't experienced long-distance riders--by sharing our triumphs, but it's a lot more educational when someone is brave enough to share his, uh, less-than-optimal moves.

When I got my first road-going motorcycle, in another dimension of time and space, I almost immediately took off for a late spring jaunt from waaaay upstate New York (like 20 miles from the Canadian border) to Boston. As dusk approached, I hit the road, jauntily attired in a red windbreaker, jeans, and Beatle boots. I'd barely made it to the Lake Champlain ferry when I learned why motorcyclists wore gloves. Luckily, a farmer on board the ferry noticed my plight and pulled a pair of gloves from behind the seat of his pickup truck. As the temperatures fell into the forties, I kept stopping to toss on layers of additional clothes from the duffle bag strapped to the seat. Three hundred miles later, I arrived at my destination, wearing two pairs of jeans, all the shirts I fit into . . . and the lifesaving farmer gloves.

My point is that we all have to jump onto the learning curve somewhere, and we all make mistakes. Adam's a smart guy, he's got pizzazz, , and while most of us are sitting in front of our PCs wringing our hands, he's riding the road. Keep it up, Adam.

January 4, 2005

Now maybe Adam didn't think his tire was nearing it's end, but had he more experience, he would have been ready for a failure of some kind, including tools and possible contingency plans for getting a new tire.

We all know that taking a long trip on a worn tire is not a good idea, now so does Adam. Somewhere in this thread he mentioned that he had an air compressor with him. So let's lighten up on him a bit, he prepared the best he knew how. The majority of us have made similar mistakes and lived to tell about them.

Dennis,

As I said in the following,

I guess we have all be there, just not as THERE as Adam is right now! ...

Still, I have to give the kid credit for tenacity, attitude, willingness to adapt, and sheer chutzpa! ...

Keep on rolling Adam, we are all behind you! WAY behind you! ...

Adam, what can I say? You are insane! And god bless you for being just that! We all appreciate your travels and tribulations! ...

You inspire me to be ever in search of adventure, and to check my tires more often! ...

Sorry Adam, your name is being used a lot, but I think this discussion has gone more philosophical than directed at you specifically...

I have nothing but respect for Adam, and though his ride has been eventful, and he has shown great intestinal fortitude, his ride is hardly groundbreaking or unique, except for in his personal experience.

Jim

January 4, 2005

Hmmmm....I don't know why I can't get that classic movie "Vanishing Point" out of my mind. Adam, just go around the bulldozers

Or perhaps "Pilgrims Progress" needs to be rewritten...about the tire of good & evil.

January 4, 2005

You're all better doods than I because I'm not going to join this "We love Adam" group hug.

I can respect going out and doing what you want to do. And Adam does do that. But I'm not for dishing out an "atta-boy" when life threatening mistakes are made. I can't cry that his trip is held up because he didn't prepare. And I'm not shaking my fist at BMW or Iron Horse.

January 4, 2005

Points noted (from all perspectives). This is a ride tale; let's let Adam get back to telling his story.

January 5, 2005

I stopped in at Ironhorse Motorcycles this evening to buy an accessory and inquired about Adam. He did get his tire mounted and has continued his journey, BUT I'll let him post "the rest of the story. It is his adventure after all.

regards

January 5, 2005

I stopped in at Ironhorse Motorcycles this evening to buy an accessory and inquired about Adam. He did get his tire mounted and has continued his journey, BUT I'll let him post "the rest of the story. It is his adventure after all.

regards

I just spotted Adam upriver at the Laughlin Casino entertaining some Harley boyz... please tell us what could of turned him RC

January 5, 2005

But I'm not for dishing out an "atta-boy" when life threatening mistakes are made. I can't cry that his trip is held up because he didn't prepare. And I'm not shaking my fist at BMW or Iron Horse.

And I thought Bob Knight moved to Texas!

January 5, 2005

Points noted (from all perspectives). This is a ride tale; let's let Adam get back to telling his story.

Good idea. We all learn more and better from experience than from any amount of brow-beatings.

January 5, 2005

Okie dokie. I'm now in San Diego safe and sound. Well. Safe anyway.

Sorry Adam, I've got to call this one as I see it. This isn't BMW's fault for a bad toolkit, nor for non-standard tools, nor for weird hours. It's your fault for not being prepared and not taking care of your "steed."

Steve. You're absolutely right. The riding I was doing on that tire was dangerous, and was my fault. It's a darn good thing I stopped at a random stop in Tuscon, when I didn't need gas, to give the tire a looking over. I was definitely counting my blessings when Jamie explained to me that those shiny things in the center weren't wear bars. Sheesh Leslie, telling me I should be able to make it 700 miles after seeing wear bars..

For the most part, I do tend to get myself in those types of situations though, because I have this unexplainable fondness for jumping into new situations with both feet. Though it may not make sense to you, I'll try to explain in a nutshell why I continue to live that way.

1. Living that way makes for great stories, and you meet the most interesting people.

2. Though I'm hoping I'll still get to have lunch with Jamie and Les at some point , it was really more entertaining to have an adventure in Tuscon than to finish my BBG as planned. If you're willing to find the best in every situation, the ones that turn out way differently than planned tend to make for the most fun times.

3. Lastly, I'm willing to bet five bucks I'm having more fun stranded in Tuscon careening all over town at sub-legal speeds with a flat tire, looking for someone to change it, than you are in Chicago right now. It's certainly fun to write about. Feel free to join me!

Oh. By the way. Joel at Ironhorse showed me the thing on my bike used for taking the back tire off. Go figure. It was there all the time.

The reason I didn't recognize it was I never, ever, ever expected that the funny round thing under my seat made out of -plastic- would be a 55mm 12 point socket. Seriously... A plastic socket? It was seperate from the toolkit, which I incorporated into the rest of my tools. Never even crossed my mind. Y'all can judge my tool kit quality at the tech daze.

But the fun didn't stop there. The fellows at the Honda dealership gave me a ride over to Iron Horse in the morning, where we un-trailered my bike. I promptly apologized to my poor 650 for the humiliation of being trailered behind a Honda branded truck. Apparently it wasn't appeased however, and decided to take revenge.

They got my tire changed out after a couple hours, and a remark from one of the fellows that he'd never seen a tire worn below the cords before. I had one of them point out to me what the wear bars look like, so I'll know next time.

So, while they were doing that, they also went over some other stuff on the bike. The mechanic stated he checked my oil, and it wasn't even registering, so he added half a quart, and it still wasn't registering on the dip stick. I informed him not to worry about it, because I was going to be taking the thing apart when I got to San Diego anyway.

So, off I went. First I returned the socket I bought, that ended up being the wrong socket, then headed out of town. I got about 40 miles northwest, when I noticed that they had apparently gotten oil on the side of the bike. Bugger, I thought. I'll have to wipe that off. Wait a second... There's oil on the tankbag too, and on the top of the filler cap, and spreading down the sides, and on the GPS... looking closer, the bike decided to take one last swipe at me for trailering it. As my faceshield neared the filler cap, it spurted oil at me, and the front of my helmet instantly resembled a brown, drippy, dalmation. Crud... now it was difficult to see, and I had oil all over me. So, I stopped at a truck stop and called Iron Horse.

Apparently, when the mechanic added more oil, he didn't check it when it was heated up, as you're supposed to do with F bikes. He ended up over filling it, which wouldn't be that much of a problem, because that would just make the oil purge into the airbox. Although that kills your filter, it won't cover you with oil. No... the bike decided that while he had the dipstick out, it was going to slide the o-ring off the dipstick, so there's not a good seal, and the oil can spurt out around the sides. Oblivious, and with an over-filled, unsealed oil tank, I made my way west, allowing the CS ample time to exact its revenge.

BIG Kudos to Iron Horse here. After figuring out what happened, Joel in service refunded me the whole price of the new tire, and only charged labor for installing it. He offered to drive out 50 miles and bring me an o-ring if I was unable to find one at the truck stop I had come to. Though I couldn't find an o-ring there, I ended up tearing a thin strip of duct tape off my roll, and wrapping it around the edge of the top of the dipstick, for a temporary seal.

After the temp fix, I called my parents who were already in San Diego. They told me that Hwy 8 was closed due to weather conditions. So, I figured I'd head as far as I could, and if it was open, ride it, and if closed, wait it out. Well, I got to the base of the moutains, to find a sign that said. "Warning, winter road conditions."

I thought to myself.. Yeah? Winter road conditions? Pshaw... I'm from Minnesota. Bring it on, punk.

So up I went.

Shoot. This isn't bad at all, I thought. The roads are dry, it's warm, great Hwy twisties!

Hey look, a 2000ft elevation marker. Crud... the roads are starting to get wet. At least it's not freezing. I'll slow down a bit though.

Oh hey... a 3000ft elevation marker. Dang it... it's getting close to freezing, the roads are soaked, and there's about 40 feet of visability with all this fog. Heck... this is still better than what I rode out of Minnesota in.

Is that a 4000ft elevation marker? Ehh.. wow... there's some snow on the road, it's really, really close to freezing now, I still can't see. Oh crud... and there's a mix of snow and rain coming down. Okay. Flipping on the flashers, I crept along in the rain, snow, and fog. Steering inputs, very, very little. Throttle inputs. Even less. Lean angles. 1 degree or less. My winter riding philosophy in that crud solidified as I rode up there. That philosophy is, don't ride any faster than a speed you're comfortable falling at. With the nastiness of the roads, that ended up being around 30mph. Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic. I wonder why.

Back down below 4000 feet... phew... fog clearing, it's getting warmer, I can feel it. Hehehe. That was cool!

Hey... what's that sign say...

Elevation 4000ft.

Crap!! Not again!

More snow, more fog, more rain, then back below 4000 feet again.

Hehehe. That was cool!

From there down, the roads just got better and better.

You Californians. Winter weather conditions? Heck... my toes never even got numb beyond the point of hurting. Come on... that's not winter conditions. That's like a cloud sneeze.

Okay... well, as I said. I'm in beautiful rainy and cold San Diego. My grandmothers cooking makes up for just about anything though. mmmmmmm. Chicken and dumplings from scratch, and chocolate pie from scratch this evening. Good stuff.

Oh right. As a side note, my phone battery was out early today, and I got a bunch of messages this evening, so if you called, I'll likely be calling back tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement and offers of assistance!

Cheers! And more likely to come tomorrow when I disassemble my engine for the first time, and check valve clearances. Hopefully I won't have too many screws left afterwards.

January 5, 2005

Points noted (from all perspectives). This is a ride tale; let's let Adam get back to telling his story.

Good idea. We all learn more and better from experience than from any amount of brow-beatings.

Exactly... and the idea is to learn a little bit about everything before you kick the bucket. There's a lot out there to experience...

Mike: I packed my Anon book on my last two trips. Along with a pair of extra shirts, that accidently missed making it into my bag as well this trip. Doh.

January 5, 2005

3. Lastly, I'm willing to bet five bucks I'm having more fun stranded in Tuscon careening all over town at sub-legal speeds with a flat tire, looking for someone to change it, than you are in Chicago right now. It's certainly fun to write about. Feel free to join me!

You tell your story, I respect that, but I just wanted to let you know that...

You owe me five bucks. At least from my point of view. If I need fun like that I'll just quit filling the tank with fuel and run out. I just don't find stupid to be fun.

And no, I don't wish to join you. Adventures like you're having are best enjoyed alone. This trip, if shared, would drive me friggin nutz. I'd be pissed at how unprepared you are, and the constant issues. But I'd be too much of a wuss to leave ya somewhere.

January 5, 2005

Welcome to California Adam. Now get all the oil off your bike and riding clothes, warm up a bit, and we'll see you on Saturday.

January 5, 2005

Kudos to Iron Horse, I say.

Oddly enough, I had oil all over my bike pretty near there on I-10. Only it was my own mistake. I didn't get the oil cap back on tight. What a mess that was to clean up.

Hope you make it safely, Adam.

January 5, 2005

Cheers! And more likely to come tomorrow when I disassemble my engine for the first time, and check valve clearances. Hopefully I won't have too many screws left afterwards.

Probably you will have none left, and a few loose!

Great story Adam, and thanks for the entertainment!

Jim

January 5, 2005

And no, I don't wish to join you. Adventures like you're having are best enjoyed alone. This trip, if shared, would drive me friggin nutz. I'd be pissed at how unprepared you are, and the constant issues. But I'd be too much of a wuss to leave ya somewhere.

Steve, even if you're a bit short on tolerance, this shows you've got a big heart. Personally, I'd be a lot more tolerant of a novice's errors, but I'd still leave him at the side of the road like the wrapper of my last Big Mac. I love ya, Adam, but hey, I've got people to meet, places to see!

January 5, 2005

I waited until the end to comment....

I'm both pissed at him and proud of him

I am glad you arrived in one piece with a grand adventure under your belt Adam

January 5, 2005

Man, I'd go with ya! I'd whine about it the whole time, then I'd be bragging about it like it was the most fun I ever had for the next year or two. These are always the types of situations you remember fondly, like last year when I was trying to pack my tent and leave after the Indy 500 in the middle of one of the biggest storms they ever had, while tornado sirens were going off all around me... Great times!

January 5, 2005

Steve: Good thing I like to travel alone.

Jim: I'll always have a few loose, but I do carry a torque wrench.

Philby: Dude... this is just the beginning!

David: I didn't get her number, but I'm sure more opportunities will present themselves. I'll post pics.

BigMak: What does one do to entertain Harley Boyz? I'm not sure I want that as part of this adventure...

Mike B: Dude... you would have left before I ever made it out the door, and wouldn't have had any of this troub... err... adventure.

Mike (gmt): Any time, though things will probably go faster now that I've got a bit more knowledge under my belt. I can probably make up for that with a lack of sanity though, by traveling to places like Alaska, or Chile. I always wanted to learn spanish...

Things I've learned so far:

What exactly wear bars look like

What exactly cords look like.

What the rubber under your cords looks like.

Gas mileage goes way down at 90-95mph.

My bike won't break 95mph in a headwind.

Riding into a big storm when there's no other bikes on the road, and I'm all decked out in rain gear, really puts a grin on my face.

The tire changing socket really does come with my bike.

Two gold wings look goofy in the back of a pickup.

An RV towing a pickup with a gold wing in the back of it looks really goofy.

CF cards from Ritek match the sheets at the Hilton in Denver. This is bad if you want to remember your card after setting it on the bed.

You guys are awesome. Thank you for the encouragement, and for pointing out my mistakes so I don't make them again.

I've got a lot to learn yet...

January 5, 2005

You're smellin' like a rose, Adam. I have to say that I'm relieved that you made it here safe and sound. Well, OK, safe at least.

I love the humor you apply to the reactions to your rather unorthadox style of travel!

I also like the idea tht you've taken a few lessons from this trip. I hope the remainder of your trip will be just as adventurous in a less life threatening way! The life you save may be your own (and those of the people on the road with you!)

Remember, it's not always necessary to fall down and break both legs in order to stop and smell the roses.

January 5, 2005

One word Adam -

Pay no attention to those curmudgeons here. We can't 'safety-wire' all the fun out of life!

An adventure indeed!

January 5, 2005

We can't 'safety-wire' all the fun out of life!

Heck, Adam was riding on safety wires.

The good news, Adam, is you're going to have some great stories to tell. You're alive and now equipped with more knowledge, so there's really no bad news.

In Kansas City, I was recounting to Adam my stupid snow stories, including the one en route to Steve Carr's place, in which I went through blinding snow with neither insulated gear nor rain gear, because I naively thought April is southern California had to be warm. I didn't stop shivering for hours, which tells me I had done something really stupid. But I'm still here, ready to do (different) stupid things nearly everyday.

Adam's got this great flat tire story (he can surely leave off the details about not knowing what a wear bar was and use some excuse about how fast the tires wear at his ridiculous speeds.) He's got snow-in-the-mountains stories. He's got freezing fog and rain stories.

Sometimes, as Adam is aware, things can be more fun when they're unplanned.

"Spontaneity has its time and place." --Allison Bradbury

Greg

January 5, 2005

I agree with you Steve. This guy is really lucky to have only suffered minor inconveniences along the way and not gotten himself into serious trouble or worse. I love an adventure but you gotta be a little smarter about how you do things in this world if you want to be here for awhile.

January 5, 2005

Some of us are learners while having an adventure....

Some of us take the adventure out of learning....

Adam..... you've got a great attitude....while having a great adventure!!

Pat

January 5, 2005

But I'm still here, ready to do (different) stupid things nearly everyday.

You're in law school now, right? 'Nuf said. [smilie free for Greg's benefit]

January 5, 2005

But I'm still here, ready to do (different) stupid things nearly everyday.

You're in law school now, right? 'Nuf said.

Well, not this very minute. I do need to get off my butt and get my first day's reading done. Among others, I am to read and consider various issues surrounding the infamous Pennoyer v. Neff.

However, law school may be one long stupid thing. As long as I interrupted that for the exams...

[smilie free for Greg's benefit]

Excellent!

Greg

January 5, 2005

Adam,

Wow, what a ride.

As I told you, I've been riding a number of years, most of those years included cross country rides with a group of local Gold Wing riders. I seldom ride with them anymore (they've slowed down, I've speeded up), but we still meet for coffee most every week. One thing stands out in our frequent discussions of past trips, that the rides with the most security and least glitches are by far the least memorable. Yours was a very memorable ride, not just for you but for a lot of us following your journey. Thanks for taking us along .

Mike

January 6, 2005

the rides with the most security and least glitches are by far the least memorable.

CNN would firmly agree with you. If they would report good deeds, their ratings would go to the basement...

January 6, 2005

Adam,

Really enjoying your adventurous ride tale, particular in its serialized style. . . . You're a new-world man with the right dynamic for the new frontier. Well done.

January 6, 2005

Thanks Tom, and welcome!

Alright. Not much to report today. I opted not to tear my engine apart, because I don't have shims for it, and I haven't been able to find a metric micrometer thus far. I also opted not to change my brake pads, because I don't have any new ones to put in. That would somewhat hinder my ability to make it to tech daze if I tried at this point. I'm really looking forward to meeting many of you there, so that would suck.

On a positive note, I now have a new flash card, so I can once again post pics. Running errands today didn't really merit pics. I ate some food that didn't agree with me much. No pics merited there either. Sorry. It's been a pretty uneventful day... For me anyway. For some of you though, I suspect that running errands and indigestion might be almost too much excitement for one day, so I'll stop there.

I also just got off the phone with rrrich. Rich does not own rain gear because he lives in So Cal... Dude! That is so not right! I thought all BMW riders had rain gear. I'll put in a dollar towards a set of frog togs for him if anyone else is interested in such a collection effort.

I'll give changing fork oil a shot if I have time. Heading to Costa Mesa tomorrow evening, where there should be a set of shims and brake pads waiting for me. There's actually a bit of a conundrum at this point. Do I leave during the worst traffic hours of the day, just for the joy of lane splitting for the first time in stopped traffic? Or do I leave later in the evening, when traffic will be thinner, but the forecast is more rain? I'm a bit apprehensive about lane splitting, but I'm also apprehensive about riding in the rain with So Cal cagers all about. The latter might be more scary.

We'll see how it plays out.

Later folks!

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Mike

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Jim VonBaden

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bigmak

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steveknapp

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Mike

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RCS

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bigmak

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Tasker

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Rich_O

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Patience

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Patience

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steveknapp

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Dennis Andress

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David

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philbytx

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