Map of the Tour

I was skeptic from the beginning, when Reiner told me let's go on two bikes for this trip. But he was optimistic as always and talked me in our next adventure. He got the opportunity to go on the motorcycle instead of flying to L.A., Detroit and Chicago for some business appointments. I thought at least, that's my chance to do my own Saddlesore 1000, but my husband was dreaming of a SS2000 or a Bun Burner Gold (1500mi in 24h). In the end I convinced him that I will go at first for the SS1000 and then let's see what more I can do.

Our starting point was from the Hotel in Anaheim early Friday morning to avoid the traffic, but for the fact we went east out of the city it was a relaxed ride anyhow. When we arrived on I40 it was only fighting with miles and time. We both felt fine because the temperature and the traffic was ok. The most annoying matter was that I had to stop every 150 mi. for gas besides the fact that I could go on for at least another 60mi. But in a speed range over 75mph (we did run just a bit over 80) the Old Lady needed a bit more fill-ups and so I had to accompany my husband all these times to the gasstation.

In Tucumcari, NM I decided to stop after around 950mi, because I felt tired and thought with the time left and a few hours of sleep I can go for the 1500mi under 36 hours. It was not in the mind of my husband, but at least we would be able to do a BunBurner 1500, so he submitted it (there was no voting anyway).

After a good sleep we were on the road early with the next 550 Miles in front of us. After 1500mi and 34 hours we reached Joplin, MO at around 4:30 in the afternoon. At this point we had to make the decision, if we should go for the SS 2000 or if we should finish here. A big black cloud and already wet streets did make the decision for me and finally for my husband too. A gentleman (being a member from GWRRA too), signed our end time and location. The next thing we did, was to look for a good Motel near a steakhouse, because after hours of eating and drinking only nuts and water, it's a pure pleasure having a steak and some beers.

For the next 3 days we should have a more relaxed ride with some stamp collecting (we did need a few more) and viewing Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. As Reiner had to be in Detroit Wednesday afternoon we decided to go first for the stamp in Ohio to an island on Lake Erie. But as we had to wait awhile for the ferry we decided to go on. With the time left we could easily go to the east part of Michigan, then north to "Sleeping Bear Dunes", cross to the west part and south to Detroit. Nice loop we thought. It was really a good scenery ride going up on the beach of Lake Michigan, staying in a Suite for the night in Ludington for the price of a normal room and picking up the stamp at this National Seashore.

On the way back south/east I registered a nervous acting Reiner in front of me. We pulled over to a gas station and he told me that his bike is only running off the battery as the GPS was showing.

Now here we are again and I already saw myself again on the backseat of the 1800. We looked for the next nearest dealership in our smart goldbook and it was Midland only 90mi away on the short run. But if you are loosing battery power it's not funny esp. if you are in this part of Michigan (Traverse City - Midland). So he pulled out every fuse possible and let me drive in front with the easy comment "....if I'm slowing down, my bike is dead", very soothing for me.

But surprisingly we did make it to the dealership in Midland 5 minutes before 6PM and the Voltmeter down to 9.6. The dealer told us he suspected the stator (so did Reiner, but not telling me at first ), but he will test it the next day and if it's the stator he is not able to fix it because of the backlog in his service department. As we had to be in Detroit the next day in the afternoon and the day after in Chicago we decided it's best to leave the bike at the dealership, going on with one bike, returning after all of Reiner's business appointments and work this matter out. The bike was dead at this moment anyway, so lucky me that I packed our stuff already well prepared for such an event. What a pleasure again, approx. 2800mi from home, one bike in the shop, still two business appointments and the greatest fun of it all guess what........the wife on the backseat again.

Next day we were already in Detroit, we got the call from the dealer that it is in fact the stator and he had another dealer 20mi away who is able to fix it until Friday, buttttttt he is not able to bring the bike to this shop. Now Reiner decided that we can drive back to Midland, bring the 1200 with the fresh loaded battery to Bay City and go back to Detroit. This all had to happen in just 4 hours. It was a nearly 300mi drive back and forward and in rain! But we did it. Five minutes before his appointment in Detroit we have been back, right in time and with the knowledge we would be able to drive home with two bikes.

Thursday morning we needed to go to Chicago for the next appointment. I can tell you this time I was really glad sitting on the back. It was very humid, black clouds from bad weather and smog were hanging over this famous city, everything looked very dirty and then coming into Chicago we hit a terrible traffic jam. We reached the center, pulled in a parking garage and Reiner had to change his clothes right there, because there was no time left. For two hours I got the chance to go around and I was thinking that it might be a nice city if the weather would be just a bit better. Short before the business matter for Reiner was over for this trip, the weather got really severe, but after 30 minutes it was over and the air was finally clear again. We left Chicago at 4PM with a bit of sun but still very humid and headed back to Bay City to pick up the 1200 on Friday noon.

Everything did go well at the dealership, besides the fact that this tour was again over the calculated budget, I felt really good again on my seat and Reiner was happy that he could bring the 1200 home by himself again. The following day at the motel we heard about the Tornado in Indianapolis that we missed only a few days before and the heavy snowfall in the Colorado Rockies, our next mark. But if you want to do something really hard, nothing is as bad and we were very optimistic.

On the way to Colorado, somewhere in Nebraska, we hit heavy rain. I'm normally not scared driving in rain, but some car driver and truckdriver gave me the feeling on this freeway that it is more save for us to pull over to a rest area and wait till the rain is over.

Coming to Estes Park, CO and to the entrance to the Rocky Mtns NP we took a deep breath of clean and cool air after this very humid weather the last days. The sun was shining from a blue sky and the temperature was in the mid 60's, when we drove through the Park. Now we knew one more time again why we want to see this country while sitting on our motorcycle. This is a matter one can not describe exactly, it is a matter of a feeling.

That day we did want to ride to Mt. Evans, west of Denver, the highest road to drive in the US, but because of time it had to wait until next year. Instead we went on to the Curecanti NP. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was scheduled for the next day and here we got to see falltime of the brightest side. After this park we already had the drive back home in mind.
 

 

Our last mark for this tour was the Great Basin NP in Nevada, where we only picked up the stamp, but we will return definitely to this place for more sightseeing.

The last leg of aprox.600mi was only a driving home, not very eventful, but right in time as we had planned.

Again a kind of adventure for us and the last longer tour for this year, but for 2003 there are already some more of this kind planned, hopefully our Black Lilly does know this too.......
 
 

LISA