Had been planning on going to phoenix area for a while to see some friends and was going to ride out there with my friend that was coming down from Sacramento. She ended up not making it to SoCal so I was out a ride wasn't going to cancel my trip so I took my XB12STT (6hour drive, longest I had ridden up to then was 2 hours).
Left town Friday morning and everything was going great so far, bike was running smooth weather was great not much traffic. Gas light comes on just before the State line and my butt is so ready for a break. Cross the boarder and pull off at the first gas station fill her up then treat my self to an ice-cream. I'm half way, 3 more hours to my friends place and I'm feeling good other then my butt. The next 3 hours I was feeling it more and more. started to stand up for stretches of the freeway to give my butt a break and to stretch out the legs, ankles and knees since they were starting to get a little stiff. Finally got to Phoenix, top off the tank for the last 30 miles to my friends place and take off, the desert is beautiful right now all green, so I take it pretty slow and enjoy the last bit of the drive.
The plan was to head home Saturday night so I could meet up with another friend and head to an off-road event Sunday morning but with rain in the for cast I wasn't sure if that was going to happen. Have a good couple days hanging out with my friends I keep checking the weather through out the day to see how it looks for the ride home and at sunset its still blue sky's with a light breeze. I check the weather one last time and decide I'm going to try and make it home the radar shows I should fit a couple cells of light rain, a small one between Phoenix and Blythe and a bigger one, still light rain near Indio. I gear up and hit the road at 7:00 20 miles out side of Phoenix I hit the first cell, starts off as a really light rain no big deal at all and think this wont be to bad 5 miles later it starts to pick up and I can feel the rain hitting me through my jacket, Cortech
Accelerator Series 2 Jacket, but I keep on going knowing it is a small cell. Stops about 25 miles later.
Should be clear from here to Blythe so I pick up the speeds and try and get some miles done. But 15-20 minutes later it starts raining again and it doesn't stop just get worse, I'm going about 75-80 mph and the bikes handling it great but feet and gloves are getting really wet now passing the semi's is scary though with all the mist that comes off there tires, the road disappears in that stuff and the wind buffering around the trailers gets a little crazy at time, But I tuck in tight and keep it straight. The miles are going by so slow now and my noise is starting to run from the cold air blowing up into my helmet my feet are now socking wet as well as my hands and the butt is starting to get sore, still have 80 miles to the board/next town. I go through a little pass and I can see it, lights, a town a hotel and a warm bed. I cross the state line the chick at the inspection station waves me by then I make my way to the next exit that has signs for lodging. Get off the freeway and am cruising down the street trying to read signs though my visor thats covered in rain drops. I see a bank and decide to pull in and get some cash for dinner make my turn into the driveway then I see it, some red and blue lights light in my mirror. What the heck no one was behind me or in front of me, where did he come from plus I was going 15 under the speed limit. I stop the bike and turn it off. The cop comes up and asks for my license and I start taking off my helmet and gloves so I can hear him and get to my wallet. "I pulled you over cause you didn't use your blinker." Seriously, I never see cops use there's but what ever. he runs my stuff and ends up talking to me about bikes, he's got a busa... I check out ok and he lets me go. I finally get some money and a hotel. I didn't make it home but I got half way and had an adventure in the process. I'll get up early and meet my friend in Morongo. Toss my shoes on top of the heater before I go to bed. Get up at 6:30, I'm tired so I go back down for another couple hours. wake up at 8:00 and start to get ready. All my socks are wet, crap and I forgot to put my gloves on the heater last night too. I spend the next 2 hours drying my socks and gloves then hit the road at 10:00 hoping I can still meet up with my friend in Morongo, its hour and half away. MY fuel light comes on 20+ miles from the Morongo exit, no bigy. my F-trip is reading 21 miles the exit is 2 miles away and then the bike starts to sputter, dang it! put it in neutral and cost as far as I can stops a mile to the gas station pull the gas cap and yep its bone dry. I guess 100mph into a strong head wind = really bad MPG. Start pushing the bike and I see an RV pull over about 1/4mile ahead of me I get closer and I see one of the guys has a gas tank in hand. they give me a couple gallons of gas and I thank them and try to give them some money but they don't take it. I'm on my way again I get to the Off road event, but I missed my friends.
I had a great time and learned a lot about my bike and my ability's and what I would like to change on the bike.
1. if I plan to do long distance rides more often I need a better seat.
2. get waterproof boots and gloves if your going to ride in the rain.
3. some water proof luggage is a good idea to!
4. take longer breaks and walk around for a little while when you stop for gas on long rides to stretch out your legs.
5. riding in the rain isn't as scary on a bike as I thought.
6. tape my ear phones on to my ears, having them fall out in the middle of a long ride sucks and makes for a longer ride.
Left town Friday morning and everything was going great so far, bike was running smooth weather was great not much traffic. Gas light comes on just before the State line and my butt is so ready for a break. Cross the boarder and pull off at the first gas station fill her up then treat my self to an ice-cream. I'm half way, 3 more hours to my friends place and I'm feeling good other then my butt. The next 3 hours I was feeling it more and more. started to stand up for stretches of the freeway to give my butt a break and to stretch out the legs, ankles and knees since they were starting to get a little stiff. Finally got to Phoenix, top off the tank for the last 30 miles to my friends place and take off, the desert is beautiful right now all green, so I take it pretty slow and enjoy the last bit of the drive.
The plan was to head home Saturday night so I could meet up with another friend and head to an off-road event Sunday morning but with rain in the for cast I wasn't sure if that was going to happen. Have a good couple days hanging out with my friends I keep checking the weather through out the day to see how it looks for the ride home and at sunset its still blue sky's with a light breeze. I check the weather one last time and decide I'm going to try and make it home the radar shows I should fit a couple cells of light rain, a small one between Phoenix and Blythe and a bigger one, still light rain near Indio. I gear up and hit the road at 7:00 20 miles out side of Phoenix I hit the first cell, starts off as a really light rain no big deal at all and think this wont be to bad 5 miles later it starts to pick up and I can feel the rain hitting me through my jacket, Cortech
Accelerator Series 2 Jacket, but I keep on going knowing it is a small cell. Stops about 25 miles later.
Should be clear from here to Blythe so I pick up the speeds and try and get some miles done. But 15-20 minutes later it starts raining again and it doesn't stop just get worse, I'm going about 75-80 mph and the bikes handling it great but feet and gloves are getting really wet now passing the semi's is scary though with all the mist that comes off there tires, the road disappears in that stuff and the wind buffering around the trailers gets a little crazy at time, But I tuck in tight and keep it straight. The miles are going by so slow now and my noise is starting to run from the cold air blowing up into my helmet my feet are now socking wet as well as my hands and the butt is starting to get sore, still have 80 miles to the board/next town. I go through a little pass and I can see it, lights, a town a hotel and a warm bed. I cross the state line the chick at the inspection station waves me by then I make my way to the next exit that has signs for lodging. Get off the freeway and am cruising down the street trying to read signs though my visor thats covered in rain drops. I see a bank and decide to pull in and get some cash for dinner make my turn into the driveway then I see it, some red and blue lights light in my mirror. What the heck no one was behind me or in front of me, where did he come from plus I was going 15 under the speed limit. I stop the bike and turn it off. The cop comes up and asks for my license and I start taking off my helmet and gloves so I can hear him and get to my wallet. "I pulled you over cause you didn't use your blinker." Seriously, I never see cops use there's but what ever. he runs my stuff and ends up talking to me about bikes, he's got a busa... I check out ok and he lets me go. I finally get some money and a hotel. I didn't make it home but I got half way and had an adventure in the process. I'll get up early and meet my friend in Morongo. Toss my shoes on top of the heater before I go to bed. Get up at 6:30, I'm tired so I go back down for another couple hours. wake up at 8:00 and start to get ready. All my socks are wet, crap and I forgot to put my gloves on the heater last night too. I spend the next 2 hours drying my socks and gloves then hit the road at 10:00 hoping I can still meet up with my friend in Morongo, its hour and half away. MY fuel light comes on 20+ miles from the Morongo exit, no bigy. my F-trip is reading 21 miles the exit is 2 miles away and then the bike starts to sputter, dang it! put it in neutral and cost as far as I can stops a mile to the gas station pull the gas cap and yep its bone dry. I guess 100mph into a strong head wind = really bad MPG. Start pushing the bike and I see an RV pull over about 1/4mile ahead of me I get closer and I see one of the guys has a gas tank in hand. they give me a couple gallons of gas and I thank them and try to give them some money but they don't take it. I'm on my way again I get to the Off road event, but I missed my friends.
I had a great time and learned a lot about my bike and my ability's and what I would like to change on the bike.
1. if I plan to do long distance rides more often I need a better seat.
2. get waterproof boots and gloves if your going to ride in the rain.
3. some water proof luggage is a good idea to!
4. take longer breaks and walk around for a little while when you stop for gas on long rides to stretch out your legs.
5. riding in the rain isn't as scary on a bike as I thought.
6. tape my ear phones on to my ears, having them fall out in the middle of a long ride sucks and makes for a longer ride.
