old bike +l ong ride = lots of scenic fun

I had spent this past week working on the bike getting it ready for the trip. I had replaced the oil and filter. Replaced the rear wheel with one of my old race takeoff's from my seca 550 (Dunlop 591). I did a valve adjustment the night before I was to take off on my scenic ride from
Riverside Ca. to Denver Colorado. I left at 2:30 am only to hit traffic!!! I couldn't believe it but then again it was due to Caltrans working on the freeways. Seems like the only time that they can do that is in the middle of the night!!!
I had on my Firstgear riding suit and just AGV street gloves. I finally pull into Barstow and had freezing hands. Saw a thermometer that read 47 degrees. Ok the Tourmaster Winter elite gloves come out of the bag and onto the hands. AHH nice and warm fingers for the rest of the ride!! For the most part the ride was uneventful except for the occasional snow on the side of the road. Dam I am still in Utah. I start to wonder what Colorado is going to be like especially when I go over Vail summit and the Eisenhower tunnel. I had worries about the one section of I70 between Salina and Green River, Its 108 miles without any services, no gas no food nada!!. I decided to take it easy and actually go the speed limit of 75 MPH. Whew I only used 2.2 gallons of gas for that section and gave me a bit of satisfaction on the time I had spent trying to get the bike ready for a trip this long. I would have hated to find out what would have happened had I been stranded on that section of road.After I gassed upin Green River I met up with a couple on a pair of Harley's they mention that snow was moving in between Grand Junction and Denver. Ok time to haul some tail. Found out that gas milage at 100 mph indicated is about 38 mpg
My other worry was how is this bike going to breath at the high altitudes that are known on that road. The bike made it but it was making power on par to smaller displacement bike. It was cold and blowing snow making it a somewhat scary part of the ride. However the scenery more than made up for it. Nothing like motoring along and seeing millions of flocked Christmas trees!!! I was riding along and came up to a guy with a bike in the back of his truck. I wave only to see him take a picture of me I was expecting lots of wet roads but was dry except for when I went to get gas at Georgetown. Lots of snow around the gas station which meant for a tip toe ride back to the road.
I finally pull into my son's house to hear him say Dad you made it!!! He was really glad to see me as I was to see him. Total time was about 16 hours and wound up being one of the best rides I have ever been on. Great scenery and a very easy ride I essentially slabbed it the whole way only because I wanted to make time and really didn't care how I got there. Next time in the spring maybe I will try some of the different roads since It seems to me that I70 eats tires.
I had arrived Thursday at 7:30 Pm only to have to turn around and head back Sunday morning.I waited for the I70 to open without chain restrictions after the weekends snow flurries. I left at 10:30 and arrived back at home at 2:30 am Monday morning with a very sore tail section. The only problems I had coming back were my odometer quit somewhere between Colorado springs and Green River, my fuel gauge was acting up, and I was really starting to worry if I was going to have enough rear tire to make it home. Turns out that after I was off of I70 my rear tire wear seemed to be ok but now I am on the lookout for some tires that wear like iron Hmm does Continental still make bias ply tires for these bikes??
I have all of the receipts for the SS1000 but wonder if I will ever send them in since I actually went 1012 miles and I really didn't care about the mileage, it was more to see my son and have some snowball fights with him Sure I could have taken a plane or drove out there in a car but then again it wouldn't have been as much fun. Besides its a hell of a lot more fun doing it on a 24 year old Yamaha Seca Turbo and have everyone saying That guy has to be nuts its SNOWING!!!!
Sean

 

Magnificent story.
Wonderful details of an adventure of a lifetime!

Print it. Fold it up and stick it in that thing we all have for hiding our private treasures.

Someday, your son will read the story to your grandson, to let him know what his, very special and truly great dad, actually did, back in October of 2006.

The World's Classic story's all begin the same way. Those which are born from the authors imagination begin: "Once Upon a Time."

The down-to-earth ... Real Deal, meaningful ones, that set the listener's jaw's agape -- must begin with the oath of all that is true:

"Listen; this ain't no shit!"

That was a "Ain't-no-shitter."

Bravo!!!