The Best Laid Plans... .as they say

First off... I apologize to the 3 of you that have been following the that I left stranded... Sorry to let it slide that far...

So here it is mid June... sheesh... I went on my "short trip" to Louisiana and Texas and got home about 26 days and 7700 miles later... the best intentions are just that .. I had meant to post from the road, but access and time just didn't seem to be a priority out there... lazy ass that I am, I didn't post much on the blog... yet... that will come eventually.. maybe in a few weeks.. maybe in a few months... the short story is there is no long trip... money, time, looming house needs, no job... all combined to make me put it off... It was again a case of trying to squeeze too much in, in too little time...

However I do have some pictures to share.. if I can cypher how to post them!!

Yeah ..Tires!!

Sitting at LoneStar Triumph in Austin... great folks... met Ardys, and 80 something year old woman that won the mileage award from BMW in 2006 at 78 years old!! With over 105k in that year alone!! The heat and humidity is killing me hear... I think I am goign to go back to Big Bend!

Austin City Limits

I made it to Austin, and should get to the dealer in GOOD SHAPE...dam caps key1=! poating from the phone!! more soon...honest!

One Week Out

A very short update to let all know I am alive and well. I wish I could say the same for the SPOT which went AWOL on the Interstate somewhere! I am currently in Big Bend at site 54 in the Basin and will be there for at least a few more days. I need a rear tire, and if I can get one in El Paso I will head west, if not I will head back east. Today is "find a tire day". I had planned on buying one at "Mr. Motorcycle" in El Paso but they will not take an order over the phone... boo hiss... I have tons of story and pictures to post, but am short on time.

Ack! Last Day To Pack

Is one ever ready!! Short post to say there is way to much to do today, but I will get there.

Last night I finished up the mechanical stuff on the bike, with only chain and suspension adjustment to complete. Today is a pack me day....... I have a ton of pics to post sometime, but I figure I will get to that when I am on the road,...LOL

cheers!

2 days left to prepare

I repacked the tent today. It sat happily in the back yard for a couple of days and passed the rain test. A stop at the local cigar store to grab a tin of Macanudo stoogies. Then run up to Sears for a 3/8 to 1/2 drive adapter for use on the 36mm front drive sprocket, so I can install the 19 tooth front sprocket and hopefully gain a few mph on the highway. Once back in town I picked up some rubber pieces to firm up the fit of the top case... it moves about too much.

I spent some time online checking on the biz cards, but no love.

The hard case for the cameras and computer is here. Plucking foam a go go... IOW.. a kit where by you custom fit your gear by plucking out precut foam.

The driving lights need to be remounted... they point down!


Yesterday I started my on www.ADVrider.com.


SO much left to do... tiem to est!

Personal Garage Time

I spent the last 12 hours or so in the throws of wiring up the bike. The lighter socket is hooked up. The fancy schmansy blue led voltage gauge is installed int he dash and wired up. The GPS has been rewired. The power adapter for the Valentine-1 is mounted and the wires run. The power for the horn is run but I still need to mcgiver a mount for the two Fiamm's.. Those 5 runs of pos and neg wires were wrapped up in a bundle and routed back to the fused power panel installed under the seat. I also installed a gang ground by the fused power supply with it's own lead out to the neg terminal of the battery. I also had to wire up the new(er) horns with the relay and that sucked up time too.

Then there is the Voltage Fix for the tiger as found on www.tigertriple.com. This re-wire bypasses the bike wiring loom to help reduce voltage loss and to help support the electrical load when it gets high. Lots of wiring, which takes me forever, but I do a good job.... at least I hope I have...

OK.. it is late almost 11:30.. I am going back down for a bit to do something. There is still so much to get ready.. like sorting the toolkit... and a test pack.. and .. and