Good news on the speedo front:  It seems to be fixed and working as it should but it was like pulling teeth to get it done.  Here’s the story–

Woke up to heavy rain this morning, a lugubrious entry to a day I knew required some minimal wrenching on the bike.  By10:30 the rain passed and I had an offer to use my son-in-law’s father’s garage to change the battery.  The starter was slow in turning the engine over before it fired up, but when it did I rode over to George’s house and pulled into the garage.  Removing a battery isn’t hard because Harley Davidson includes a strap that loops under the battery so you can pull it out.  Of course it’s more difficult when the battery is installed at the factory sitting on top of the strap that is supposed to loop to the top of the battery.

George Marse demonstrates the tools of his trade.

No way to grab the battery to pull it up.  Unless, of course, your garage host also happens to be a retired orthodontist with “extraction forceps” used for pulling teeth.  Dr. Marse locked on to the battery posts like they were rotten molars and yanked the battery out with nary a scream from the patient.

Took the battery to the HD dealer where it was tested and found to be “normal.”   But I’ve seen several two-year old batteries go bad lately, so I bought a new one anyway.   (George eyed several bikes while we were at the dealership and locked in on a Tri-Glide.  Now that he’s an uncertified HD battery replacement mechanic, there may be a ride in his future.)

Went back to the bike, dropped the new battery in and hooked up the wiring.  The first thing I noticed was that the speedometer needle had dropped from 70 to 0 (a good thing because 70 mph is too fast to be going in a garage).  And the odometer window had numbers that I recognized.  Things were looking up.  Buttoned up the bike, took it for a spin on the street and much to my delight the needle went up and down just as it was designed to do and the mileage digits increased every tenth of a mile as expected.

So …  either the speedo had gotten wet the day before during the storm I rode through and developed a short of some kind OR a dying battery has some negative (no pun) influence on the electronics of the speedometer.  I will let the answer come from those who know a lot more about it than I do.

Hilary, Juliette and Bella in the Marse’s pool.

Spent the rest of the day enjoying the hospitality of George and Vera and watching my granddaughters swim in their pool.

All in all, a MUCH BETTER day than its predecessor.

Tomorrow:  About 600 miles through Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.

I wish I had good things to say about the speedo fail, but I don’t.  Talked with several HD dealer service departments today, and the description I gave elicited pretty much the same response from all:   The problem is likely to be the speedometer, which must be special ordered and set to what the mileage was on the existing unit before it went out.  Apparently it’s a two-three week process.

And on top of that, my 2 1/2 year-old battery seems to be giving out.  Not sure if that problem is connected to the speedo issue, but it’s possible that the failed speedometer may be putting a slow drain on the battery.  So, tomorrow, I will take the old battery out, put in a new one, and hope that gets me to Wichita where the HD dealership is going to at least try to trouble shoot the problem.  I’m keeping multiple digits crossed that it’s still fixable.

By the way, if you need to break down on a Harley, try to do it somewhere other than New Orleans.  The HD service department at New Orleans Harley Davidson sucks.  The service writer clearly didn’t have much interest in helping me try to diagnose the problem.  “We’re backed up for three weeks.”  “I’ll ask a tech…(30 seconds later)…it’s the speedometer and we’ll have to order it.”  “You could put a trickle charger on the battery….oh yeah, you’re on the road.”

Give me John Dunn at Adamecs anytime.  Good service there.

Oh well, in between bouts of speedo-battery blue funk, I did enjoy spending time today with grandkids.  And had a great sushi lunch with Hilary.  (Oh yeah, and got rained on again coming back from lunch.)

Another day tomorrow in Kenner, then I push on into Oklahoma toward Kansas.  And it’s supposed to rain again in Oklahoma after it heats up to 104 on Sunday.

Stay tuned to see what crap falls on my head tomorrow.

The first day of my 26 day Great Western Ride seemed to have a little of everything. Rode in a light fog for several hours (atmospheric, not mental), then under some clouds, then a mid day windy downpour that forced me under cover at a truck stop for about an hour, and finally, of course, hot and humid for the last 150 miles. I loved every minute of it. Other than some snow I may see in Colorado, today’s ride was a 570-mile Whitman Sampler of motorcycle rides.

It seems like I can’t ride any long trips without some troublesome issue. 500 miles into today’s ride I glanced down and noticed that I had lost my speedo. No, not my swim suit (please delete any unpleasant mental images).  My speedometer. Needle is stuck on 70 and the data window is empty. No mileage. No trip odometer. Nada. I can use my GPS to determine speed, but the problem may be more troublesome. Will try to track down a solution tomorrow.

Kenner (New Orleans) was selected as first stop so I could do the grandpa thing. Speedo became a minor problem when I got my Bella and Julliette hugs and kisses. They’re growing fast. Two-year old J likes my beard. Fuzzy or braided–doesn’t matter. Tomorrow will be quality time with Julliette and Elmo and Annabella and Wii.

By the way, thanks to all who sent email best wishes. Please feel free to comment on the blog.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

Marilyn thought she’d give me a new look for my ride. Keeps my beard out of my eyes.

In 1980, Willie Nelson wrote and recorded “On the Road Again,” not about riding a motorcycle but about touring in a country music band.   Still,  what he sings about in that song easily, I think, applies to my favorite pastime.

On the road again –
Just can’t wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends
….
Goin’ places that I’ve never been.
Seein’ things that I may never see again
….
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends.

To those of us who ride Harley-Davidsons, the growl of the V-Twin is symphonic and the camaraderie of bikers on the road rolling past unending vistas is hard to match.  Yeah,  Willie knows.

Tomorrow I “get on the road again.”  For a month.  More than 7,500 miles.  I’ll see family.  I’ll see old friends.  And I’ll make new ones.  I’ll go from sea level to over 11,000 feet.  I’ll ride in  110 degree heat some days and near freezing temperatures on others.  I’ll get wet.  I’ll get sore.  And I’ll get very, very happy.

Shackled by the unrelenting demands of gainful employment, Marilyn can’t ride  this trip.  We rode for a week with great friends in June and she and I  look forward to our Great Key West to Alaska Ride next summer with  granddaughter Hanna riding behind me for most of the trip.

If you followed along on my first ride blog in June, welcome back.  If you’re just opening this blog and going to join me vicariously for the next month, welcome aboard.  I’ll update the blog every day with something, including pictures and things I think about and stuff I saw and comments on the nature of the universe.  You just never know what thoughts a ride can produce.

My bags are packed.  My bike has a new front tire and front brakes thanks to the friendly folks at Adamecs Harley Davidson.  Today I adjusted the clutch, drained all the fluids in the bike and added Amsoil products to the engine, the transmission and the chain case.  The next month should be a good test for the new oils.

Tomorrow’s destination:  New Orleans and family.

Riding down the road with the wind in your face is always good. Riding down the road with the wind in your face and the nation’s flag waving vigorously at 70 mph and drawing the attention of everyone else on the road is even better.

Monday I rode with a group of 22 riders to the Georgia/Florida line to escort a “Nation of Patriots Tour” U.S. flag making its way around the lower 48 as part of a fund raising efforts for service members wounded in the line of duty. The group from Brunswick, Ga., delivered the flag to Jacksonville and presented it to the first group of Florida riders who would speed the ensign on its way across the country.

Tuesday, 13 riders left Jacksonville headed for Tallahassee on the next leg of the flag’s 14,000 mile journey. The route called for some riding on I-10 and some on US 90, but only a few miles west of Live Oak, U.S. 90 was closed due to persistent flooding from Tropical Storm Debby, which dumped more than 20 inches of rain in the area 8 days ago. Undaunted, our band of flag bearers backtracked to the Interstate and resumed our westward pilgrimage to the next hand off site at the Tallahassee Harley-Davidson dealer. Despite the aquatic misadventure, we arrived only five minutes after our scheduled appearance.

The hand off ceremony was accomplished in proper fashion and the Jacksonville contingent reversed direction and headed home in temperatures at the mid-90 degree mark.

In two days I recorded about 500 miles accompanying the flag and thinking about what it means to be an American. While my view of patriotic duty doesn’t always match those with whom I ride, we nevertheless agree that this country’s political and moral values are, on balance, worth defending and that we should honor those who risk their lives in the defense of those fundamental values.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

I picked up my bike at the dealership today. They spent almost four hours troubleshooting and (hopefully) fixing the throttle control problem. They said it’s a not uncommon problem and it’s mainly a matter of cleaning and greasing all the sensors. No parts. All labor. Almost $400 worth. Fortunately I have an extended warranty and it only cost me $50.

I have to wonder,though. I’ve been riding motorcycles for about 50 years. All with throttle cables. No problems. New and improved ETC (electronic throttle control) and it gives problems, and apparently not just to me. I know HD had their reasons for going to the ETC, but it seems the more they complicate a motorcycle the more likely it is that something will go wrong that will require a $90 an hour mechanic to fix.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

With Tropical Storm Debby churning in the Gulf and rain threatening NE Florida, we decided to forego our planned six-hour ride back home and motor down I-95 instead for three hours. Since we weren’t leaving until 9, I still had time to wet a line in John’s pond. No trophy fish today but I did catch one small bass before heading back to the house to pack the bikes. Early morning fishing may be the second best way to start the day, with early morning riding, of course, taking the number one spot.

Steve said goodbye temporarily to his Fat Boy, leaving it in John’s shed until next weekend when he’ll haul it to Jacksonville and assess the damage. Consequently, he had to ride home behind Ruth on her bike. Like that would really happen. He rode John’s bike back while John joined Sue in the car.

I continued to have throttle failure issues, this time on the interstate at 75 mph. After two episodes, I told Steve and Ruth and Jack and Lori to ride on to try to avoid the rain and Marilyn and I would get home when we could with John and Sue watching our backs. Not long after we got back on the road and about 60 miles from Jacksonville we ran into rain but I had already made the decision not to stop for rain gear if we hit rain. As we were about to enter some I-can’t-see-shit driving rain, we passed the SRJL quartet on the side of the road suiting up.

Eventually, we rode out of the rain and we all made it home to dry clothes and hot showers. Another Great Adventure came to an end after more than 2,000 miles of great riding on the most diverse set of roads of any GAR so far.

For those who have been following along on the hdrider blog, thanks. It’s been fun sharing GAR2012. The blog will continue with periodic entries in the coming weeks and then go back into daily update mode in August when I ride west for a four week, 15-state tour. Stay tuned.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

We had a chance to sleep in this morning (which I failed to take advantage of) since we didn’t go kick stands up until almost nine. Steve needed a new rear tire, particularly given the likelihood of rain tomorrow on the final day of the ride, and the HD dealership didn’t open until nine. He opted to wait for the new rubber at the dealer while the rest of rode to the USS North Carolina to start the self-guided tour.

It had been more than 30 years since I last visited the USS North Carolina memorial with daughter Heather when I was in grad school at UNC. Wandering the ship’s spaces, climbing up and down the ladders and seeing sick bay brought back memories (neither good nor bad) of my brief stint as a tar aboard the USS Columbus CG-12 more than 40 years ago.

Steve rejoined us at the battleship about 11 and we stayed another hour. We saw much of the ship, but not all.

I had originally planned to skirt the coast on US 17 through Myrtle Beach and Charleston before heading inland to Walterboro, but the noon departure from the ship was a couple hours past my original schedule, so we set off on a shorter, quicker route. When we stopped for fuel an hour after leaving the ship, Steve’s bike was making a most unpleasant noise, emanating from the front rocker box. Not good. Steve called HD road side service and set up a tow but the truck never showed so he cancelled it. We called John in Walterboro and he hooked up a trailer and drove to rescue a stranded Steve. The remaining five of us waved at John as he passed by on the north-bound side of the Interstate.

My single throttle failure today pales in comparison to Steve’s epic engine fail.

Tomorrow, with Steve riding John’s bike and John riding back with Sue in the car, we head home and hope to avoid the rain.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

The Ocracoke Harbor Inn provided a restful, if not luxurious night’s rest. We went kick stands up at 8 a.m. and headed for breakfast before starting today’s adventure.

The day’s ride was only about 180 miles but was divided into two parts. The first part was one mile and the second part was 179 miles. Between the two parts was a 2 1/2 hour ferry ride across Pamlico Sound between Ocracoke Island and Cedar Island. The landing at the latter was our ticket to the mainland. The ferry ride may have been the best part of today’s adventure.

For some, the ferry’s comfortable passenger chairs plus the drone of the boat’s engine plus the gentle motion of a calm sea equalled nap time. For others it meant a sea breeze in their face, warm sun on their skin and a chance to day dream without worrying about driving into a ditch or dodging an errant varmint.

The majority of today’s ride showed us some seaboard countryside but also multitude of small towns with run down strip malls featuring second-hand stores, tattoo shops, and other assorted struggling oddly-named businesses. It also featured towns with traffic lights clearly timed to break up our group and leave the stranded riders baking on hot asphalt. Late lunch at a Dairy Queen thanks to Queen Ruth was a perfect stop. When you’re riding in the heat nothing is better than a blizzard.

The hotel pool in Wilmington offered a well-earned reprieve from the heat and a chance to soak off some of the day’s accumulation of road grime.

Tomorrow we’ll start the day on a ship of another kind: the U.S.S. North Carolina. After that we’ll head back to Walterboro to rejoin John and Sue for one more night of their delightful hospitality.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

Kick stands up at 7:30 this morning in Rocky Mount and kick stands down at 5:15 this afternoon in Ocracoke on the Outer Banks bookended a full day. Ride leader Steve and event planner Ruth kept the Great Adventure train on the tracks and on schedule.

Although we only covered 237 miles today, the ride through North Carolina farm country in the morning and the flat coastal plains provided a stark contrast to the mountain roads of a few days earlier. Our first stop after crossing over to the barrier islands was at the Wright Brothers’ Memorial and museum at Kill Devil Hills. Interesting to note that the Wright Brothers started building flying

machines at the same the Harley-Davidson Motor Company began to produce motorcycles. We took in some of the museum exhibits, stood on the spot where the first manned flight left the ground, and played around on a full-sized sculpture of the original plane.

Riding on the Outer Banks doesn’t offer the challenges of mountain twisties, but cruising along at a leisurely pace provided a chance to enjoy the ocean scenery. The leisurely pace was sometimes too leisurely today thanks to four episodes of throttle failure on my bike that left us limping along at 20 mph until I could shut off the engine, reset the computer and regain control of the throttle. Sure hope it keeps working well enough to get me back to Orange Park.

Ruth’s plan from the beginning was to visit lighthouses and we managed to get to three of them, including the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Five of us climbed the 287 stairs to the top and waved at Marilyn who didn’t see us. Nice view from the top. We were able to see where the light house had been moved hundreds of yards in 1999 from its original position to its current location. One hell of an engineering feat.

The ride ended with a 40 minute ferry ride to Ocracoke Island. Hopefully that short ride prepared us for the two and a half hour ferry ride tomorrow back to the mainland where we begin the ride to Wilmington.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”