I'll be heading out tomorrow morning under threat of heavy rain (and potentially some snow in the local mountain passes above 3,500') for an autumn roadtrip to M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. 

The purpose is to visit an ailing elderly uncle (and life-long rider), the last of his generation of my dad's side of the family. 

Right now, the weather report suggests 9c/48f degrees here when I depart, and 2c/36f over Snoqualmie Pass, at about 915m/3,200'. The other local mountain passes are higher and there will be snow up there. Another option is to head south into Oregon and California, under all rain to avoid any chance of snow, but it adds a great deal of time and distance to the ride since I'd have to travel the spine of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, essentially most of the length of California, then head east across Arizona and New Mexico. It's a much warmer forecast once I clear Idaho and get down into Utah, and more direct. The California bit can wait 'til my return.

I'm trying for the Deep South by the end of the coming weekend. It's 4,400km/2,700 miles and 38-1/2 hours all up, broken down into as many days as I need. Currently, daylight hours are basically eight AM to six PM with variations for time zones and latitude.

Travellin' light, is the only way to fly.

Which bike?

Looking forward to reading of your travels TWB, stay warm!

Dai wrote:Which bike?

The red GT with new tyres, a cushy seat, adjustable windscreen and cruise control for endless interstate travel.

Woodie wrote:Looking forward to reading of your travels TWB, stay warm!

Thanks, Woodie. My trusty heated Atomic Skin by Powerlet will be coming along, and I'm trying the new Tour Shell jacket which I bought (BMW dealer employee closeout price) several years ago and stored for such a trip. 

It's in the 30/80s down south. It's the coming and the going that this cozy kit is for.

Another option to avoid the passes is to head south and go inland along The Columbia River.

But you knew that already.

duck wrote:Another option to avoid the passes is to head south and go inland along The Columbia River.

But you knew that already.

It is indeed a viable option by itself, but when I checked the conditions for later today atop Emigrant Pass in Oregon and over to La Grande I doubted my choices. Press on regardless.

Would imagine you'll be passing though some beautiful country. I would not mind doing a trip like that!!

What speed do you travel at and besides the weather, what are the road conditions like?

What a trip! I wish I could ride one day in this area...

jbt wrote:What a trip! I wish I could ride one day in this area...

same with me.

TWB, wishing you a pleasant trip.

I got to the Oregon/Idaho border the first day out - Wednesday - but had to do an unplanned overnighter there. The weather held off during the day and the passes which were forecast to be wet and/or icy were not. It was cool but sunny. Thursday morning I got rolling early in the dark across Idaho, increasing elevation and the steady rainfall with every hundredth mile covered. Utah disappeared quickly. 

By Wyoming, late arvo, but still light, I saw 25°f and old crusty snow from a previous storm at the roadside. I pressed on and by the very black of night I was in Nebraska. I did do a picnic table kip inside of my best sleeping bag for two hours from two AM. The "fork" mounted Motolights are amazing in the pitch black of night on a mostly empty interstate highway. The truckers blazing their lights coming the other way saw me dutifully dip mine as we passed. Dawn saw the sun coming up over Iowa, and the temps hover nearer 70° as the day progressed. I was never truly too cold.

I rolled on into Missouri and Arkansas, trying to reach Little Rock by Friday dark. I just made it, but could go no further. I got a room and had my first real feed at Sam's Southen Eatery. Excellent catfish steaks, hushpuppies (look 'em up), red beans and rice, and corn, sated my appetite. I slept ten solid hours.

Saturday morning away at dawn, with 400+ miles to go I settled on rural state highways that meandered along the ancient courses the Mighty Mississippi once took, all lakes now. I arrived in the Biloxi, Mississippi area by about three o'clock in the arvo, 85° sunshine and humidity greeting me. It was very nice.

The past two days I've been spending many hours visiting my uncle in a local hospital. The many cousins, second cousins, nieces and daughters have all come out. It is quite emotional when these lovely southern girls line up to kiss their ailing "papaw" on the forehead and tell him they love him as they file out. It brings a tear to us all. 

My two younger brothers arrive by Friday from afar.  One of them has not seen his uncle in decades, nor knows his second cousins at all. Pity the family didn’t have that extra bit of time together. Write to your loved ones and tell 'em how much you miss them.

TWB,

thank you for your thoughts and this input:
'My two younger brothers arrive by Friday from afar.  One of them has not seen his uncle in decades, nor knows his second cousins at all...Write to your loved ones and tell 'em how much you miss them.'
That really struck a chord. Very moving indeed.



I do have relatives all over the world as well. Some of them I haven't met yet.

WILCO
     b4 it's 2 L8

While uncle has returned home to receive palliative care, I have found some free time to explore the Biloxi Bay & Ocean Springs, Mississippi coastal area. Potential hurricane Rafael is currently stirring the pot in the Gulf. The sun has mostly disappeared, but it is comfortably warm and suitably humid.

I'm hanging out with cousins round the kitchen table and out comes this photo taken in the early '60s. It's of my cousin Marcia astride an unknown motorbike which belonged to my uncle, in Canton, Massachusetts. Can any of you gents identify the motorbike? It's a bit before my riding time.

It's looking a lot like an NSU max.

Spot on! Thanks. My uncle came awake after I read this and so I asked him. He confirmed it was a 1964 model, a 250cc, which he bought new. He sold it for a ratty Triumph 650, dual carbie, which he built using a different bottom end. He couldn't recall if it was a T1 or T110. He drifted to sleep before I could get much more from him, but it was precious information, and his eyes were clear and bright.

While you're down there I highly recommend riding The Ozarks before/while you're on your way home. Great roads and views.

I should have said it before now, but it's really interesting watching these treks through the US countryside, especially for those of us who haven't been there.

Here's a little bit of Victorian countryside (a little bit) from the top of a tree.

Every now and then its good for a bloke to have a whiskey and coke, and a look and a listen. Cranking up the volume doesn't go astray, and imagining you're up the tree when it starts to sway. And there's a big hug at the bottom.

duck wrote:While you're down there I highly recommend riding The Ozarks before/while you're on your way home. Great roads and views.

Agreed, they're fantastic roads and truly empty of much traffic. One year ago on my way to Barber Vintage Fest & BMW Days I rode through the Ozarks. That was a trip with a month to spare and no particular focus. This one has more constraints, obviously, not to mention winter is coming on in them thar hills.

Coincidentally, the blue K1100RS pictured (with K1200LT engine) in Duck's image is now ridden and housed in Massachusetts and the new owner (since May 2015) is my youngest brother who is here with us in Mississippi. 

Yip, I would also love to do some treks though the US on two wheels, and at the same time experience and see these guys taking down a 70m Ash. (that is if it is in the US, maybe Canada??) Wow.

Two Wheels Better wrote:Motolights

Newer LED or old school filament?

duck wrote:

Two Wheels Better wrote:Motolights

Newer LED or old school filament?

I have both white LED cluster inserts and incandescent yellow bulbs. Sometimes I use one of each for an unusual triangle of light. This trip they're the LEDs. The supplied pin tool makes unscrewing the thick lenses easy.

Rolf E wrote:Yip, I would also love to do some treks though the US on two wheels, and at the same time experience and see these guys taking down a 70m Ash. (that is if it is in the US, maybe Canada??) Wow.

That tree lopping is in Victoria, Australia. I was scratching my head what it had to do with a ride diagonally across the US and back, but I s'pose I enjoy a diversion as much as the next bloke.

It was strung together with the thinnest of threads.

Yep, it was pretty much off topic.

I do that sometimes.

It's just a little clip that I like.

daveyson wrote:It was strung together with the thinnest of threads.
Yep, it was pretty much off topic.
I do that sometimes.
It's just a little clip that I like.

Forgiven. That ain't hardly nothing compared to some threads that spin totally out of control. Sometimes the original poster never responds, it changes direction so much. All in good fun.

:tu1:Now it all makes sense to me too.

I have done just about all I can do here in Mississippi. It is time to plot a course back to the Pacific North Wet - I've heard rumour it's only called that to keep Californians away, but in this case, lately, it is true. Sub-50°f and rain is what I can expect upon returning home after 75 to 85°f and mostly sunshine here in the Deep South, with just two days of welcome rain. It's forecast now down here for nearly a week of warm sunshine ahead.

My uncle is in hospice care at home with his family and visiting nurses. I will have said my goodbyes. 

I am Jonesing for some red chile powder and roasted green chiles so I am bee-lining to the Albuquerque area. I-20 through Mississippi & Louisiana, then I-40 will take me through Dallas, Amarillo, then into the high eastern plains of New Mexico past towns like Tucumcari and Clines Corners, along the remnants of old Route 66. It'll get cooler, gain significant altitude, and likely grow windier as I go west, young man.

After New Mexico, it's really just a question of how high the passes are, what level of precipitation to expect, and what chances I wish to take. Northwest New Mexico into the SW corner of Colorado then Utah below the Moab area can be quite cold and sudden weather change occurs frequently. It might come to pass that I head due west toward Flagstaff, AZ down into Kingman then on into Las Vegas, where I can shoot straight north through Beatty NV to Fallon/Reno. Or go around under the Sierras past Tehatchapee to Bakersfield, then up the Central Valley, probably the safest, weather-wise. 

Crossing Donner Pass on I-80 takes me to Sacramento then north towards the Siskiyous, or a sharp left to the California coast to avoid the potential ice and snow up there. I love surveying the map. A dozen choices present themselves.

All in a hard four (or five) day ride's fun. Mid-November in the west will be sure to bring surprises whatever route I choose.

You have some really interesting options and obviously hard riding doing that in four or five days. Wow. Only possible with a K 

I got down here in three and a half, nearly two weeks ago. 2,800 miles is either 700 per day for four days, or 560 per day for five. All manageable except for ice and snow. If the weather is fine I'll sightsee here and there. I'm not bound by an absolute return date. 
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wishing you a safe trip back

for us central Europeans, the riding season is definitely over.
we are facing freezing temperatures this coming night

A man will do a lot for a favourite meal with fresh tortillas, red & green chile stew (aka xmas). When I lived around Albuquerque back in the '90s, I ate regularly at the Frontier Restaurant, across from el Universidad de Nuevo Mexico. It was once a 24 hour joint, scaled back during the pandemic, to 7 'til midnight.

I left Ocean Springs, Mississippi at 7:01 AM CST on Friday. At 6:37 AM MST Saturday I arrived in Albuturkey, having ridden 1217 miles in 24-1/2 hours with two stops for rest & food of 2-1/2 hours all up. I crossed the bottom half of Mississippi & Louisiana, then angled up towards Dallas & Amarillo, entering New Mexico east of Tucumcari. It was as high as 85° f yesterday, barely below 50° overnight in Texas, and briefly touched 29° f on the back side of the Sandia Mountains as the sun rose behind me.

22 hours in the saddle over 1217 miles is an average of 55 mph/88 kp/h. Those 75 & 89 mph speed limits help, and are regularly ignored.

Will I go further? Not likely today. I have friends here. It occurs to me that they're landing today from a visit to the south island of New Zealand. I'll have to wait. I can't think of a nicer place to wind down right now, and am exhausted, plum knackered. Might leave tomorrow morning.

'1217 miles in 24-1/2 hours'
WOW

you are Iron Man to me

bad boy wrote:'1217 miles in 24-1/2 hours'


WOW


you are Iron Man to me

Titanium. It was 22 hours in the saddle.*  





*but my arse is sore.

well, I was tempted to write Iron Butt Man.
But I thought I knew what your backside may feel like so I did not.
No offense.

You are absolutely right to go and get some rest.
Thank you again for all these strories and yummy pix

If you had run a little faster you could have qualified for an Iron Butt Bun Burner Gold(1500 miles in 24 hours). 

I did it a few years ago, and was shot for two days afterwards so it's not a good way to cover a lot of miles.

Departing Corrales, New Mexico predawn on Monday, after a restful two days with old mates, had me in Pahrump, Nevada (gateway to Death Valley) by dark. After a feed and fuel, avoiding the garishly lit casinos, I entered and crossed in the deathly dark. But for a brilliant night sky full of stars and a waning full moon, Death Valley was devoid of traffic and wildlife - save your author - and I rode spiritedly up the twisty bits out the west side. Atop the Panamint Range's quite windy but just warm enough ridge, I fell asleep tucked into my thick sleeping bag from midnight until just after 2 AM. 

By dawn I'd reached Carson City, Nevada. Crossing the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada in full night was about the coldest I've ridden on a motorbike. It was clear, the roads free of snow and ice, but my moto once showed a reading of -13.5° C, with averages closer to -5° C. The heated grips, seat and jacket liner all got a full burn. Thank the baby jaysus for those well spaced out small towns along CA Highway 395 with 24 hour "gas" stations and restaurants for the weary traveller - "Eat here, get gas." I was often on the edge of hypothermia. It's amazing what all night truckstop coffee will do for nerves and blood flow. F*ck.

I knew a full blown "Bomb Cyclone" was predicted for the North West so I made haste for Susanville,  California and Alturas, near the Oregon border. By mid-day I was heading north on OR Highway 97 from Klamath Falls with plans to drop down to sea level on OR-58 to Oakridge then Eugene, where I could pick up Interstate 5 for the remaining four and a half hour ride to the Tacoma, Washington area. Highway 97 was slick and getting slicker, but I pressed on, having no choice but a two night stay in any cheap (quality not price) motel by the roadside. I've sinced learnt they got upwards of a foot of snow a few hours after I'd passed through. Talk about "skin of the teeth." A detour out to Crescent City on the coast to avoid any higher elevation riding was considered but the trajectory would've had me coming into contact with dangerous precipitation sooner.

By the time I had accelerated onto I-5 the rain was falling in earnest. The Willamette Valley run is fast and as you go north, nearing the metro Portland area, traffic density increases exponentially. As does the lashing rain. I felt only a few wet drops finding their way into my clothing. After an hour and a half to get through Portland's peak hour traffic, I at last reached Vancouver, Washington's version. It always feels like the journey is closing upon crossing northbound the ancient double bridges of the Columbia River.

At 7 PM, in full pouring rain, I rolled into my driveway having ridden away 21 days earlier and 6,006 miles all up. I'll wash the bike another day. It'll need new tyres soon. The half a bottle of red plonk and light meal by the wood-burning stove helped me to warm up and relax. I felt I was still moving when I climbed under the bed covers, and ended up sleeping hard for eleven hours last night. 

Still good news from the south concerning my ailing uncle. I'll fly down when called up for the inevitable gathering of the clan.