Goodman4
Pressing on
Loving your updates and the spot track, Fred. Have a wonderful trip!
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Fred W and TMJ's Vacation Ride to the Great Divide
- Thread starter Fred W
- Start date
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escapefjrtist
Searching for Dry Roads
Fred, nice daily reports (and pics too, TMJ!).
Enjoying following the progress westward!
--G
Enjoying following the progress westward!
--G
Blind Squirrel
Well-known member
So close, and you didn't stop and slap Bust for all of us?
Top_Speed1
Panama Canal Crosser
Fred-
The only sour note of the entire day was the attemptto re-enter the US at Sarnia. It was a liitle bit after 10AM. I never expected such a gigantic cluster fuck. The road was backed up a little bit just to pay the ($3.50) bridge toll on the Canadian side. But then just after getting thru the tolls the road was segregated into lanes with some overhead electronic signage.
Trucks to the left. Cars to the right. Busses and Nexus down the middle. The truck line was ridiculous and backed up to before the bridge even started to rise. Then as we started up the long bridge the car lane came to a stop. I'm thinking... I'm not a car or a truck, and I sure the hell don't know what a Nexus is, maybe that's me?
So we continued up the entirely empty middle Nexus lane right up to where it splits into the customs lines and then wweaseled over into a car line at the last minute. Seriously, that saved up well over an hour of stop and go bullshit. Just sitting in those short lines at the end was about 20 minutes of engine overheating.
I swear, any time I try to re-enter the US it is some sort of bullshit like this. Why do people really want to bother coming here?
Once we were back into Michigan before any of the RMP could nab us for line evasion and lack of being polite, it was clear slabbing up the mitten to the big ole' bridge. The Mackinac Bridge (at Mackinaw City) is another $4 toll but this time it is worth the fee, as that is one long, and high, mother of a bridge.
Did this exact route 2 weeks ago and all the wind-turbines around the London area were all dead stopped too. And that's miles and miles (or KM's) of them. So weird to here you say they were all down again.
I had zero problems or crossing delays. Crossed both ports at about the same time you did also. Strange, but ship happens I guess.
I filled up in Niagara Falls before entering Kanada, no problem and still had 3 bars left when I hit Port Huron. I then filled-up just south of Saginaw where 69 intersects 75 as I was in count-down mode. This shot took me almost thru Wisconsin. I did notice the 85mph fuel droppage however as you did. Guess that would be a norm
Keep up the great updates!!
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Fred & TMJ, I'm having roadtrip envy. What a great adventure your journey is and will be!
Here's a quick adendum to last night's stay in St Ignace:
After out lake-fish dinner (which we failed to photograph though the camera was in my pocket) we saunter down to the this little place just up the road:
Like most women, TMJ has a weak spot for confectionaries. We tasted some of the Mackinac Fudge, but then she scored 2 Chocolate Turtles and 2 Chocolate Covered Toffees to bring back to the room. Naturally, only in the name of scientific research, I tried one of each. I preferred the turtles. The Toffee tasted great too but sticks to your toofs.
After out lake-fish dinner (which we failed to photograph though the camera was in my pocket) we saunter down to the this little place just up the road:
Like most women, TMJ has a weak spot for confectionaries. We tasted some of the Mackinac Fudge, but then she scored 2 Chocolate Turtles and 2 Chocolate Covered Toffees to bring back to the room. Naturally, only in the name of scientific research, I tried one of each. I preferred the turtles. The Toffee tasted great too but sticks to your toofs.
wheatonFJR
...
How do you strap those sacks of popcorn to your bike? Or does TMJ just hold them?
Arose to this, looking out our sliding glass door:
As mentioned, if you are in the area, highly recommended. Quality Inn, St Ignace, MI.
Headed out down Route 2 with very light traffic. It was cool in the early morning and quite pleasant.
After about 2 hours riding, we pulled into a real nice rest area along Rte 2 for a break. I spent a few minutes and loaded a different map to my pc3, one that I hope will b e more frugal with the petrol at ~ 80-85 mph. But when we went to mount up again, we discovered that the rear tire was flat, at least on the bottom.
Took a while to find the small puncture, as there was no nail in it. Just a tiny slit in the valley of one of the tread grooves. But once I did find it I had the goods needed to get us back on the road:
This put about an hour delay in our progress, mostly looking for that friggen leak! Also, there was (is) some concern about the sticky string sealing the hole, so naturally there were a few extra stops and tire checks along the way today.
I wanna tell you, Wisconsin is one boring state. That is unless you have a thing for cows and farms, in which case you'd be in heaven.
We made it to our intended destination of Lakeville, MN, a suburb south of the Twin Cities. But with our already aggressive schedule, and the extra time to plug the tire, we were out on the road 11 1/.2 hours today. Too much for these two old farts.
Time for some rest and to figure out where we are heading tomorrow...
PS - I did take some iPhone photos of tonight's dinner. Just can't seem to get them to email off of Josie's phone.
As mentioned, if you are in the area, highly recommended. Quality Inn, St Ignace, MI.
Headed out down Route 2 with very light traffic. It was cool in the early morning and quite pleasant.
After about 2 hours riding, we pulled into a real nice rest area along Rte 2 for a break. I spent a few minutes and loaded a different map to my pc3, one that I hope will b e more frugal with the petrol at ~ 80-85 mph. But when we went to mount up again, we discovered that the rear tire was flat, at least on the bottom.
Took a while to find the small puncture, as there was no nail in it. Just a tiny slit in the valley of one of the tread grooves. But once I did find it I had the goods needed to get us back on the road:
This put about an hour delay in our progress, mostly looking for that friggen leak! Also, there was (is) some concern about the sticky string sealing the hole, so naturally there were a few extra stops and tire checks along the way today.
I wanna tell you, Wisconsin is one boring state. That is unless you have a thing for cows and farms, in which case you'd be in heaven.
We made it to our intended destination of Lakeville, MN, a suburb south of the Twin Cities. But with our already aggressive schedule, and the extra time to plug the tire, we were out on the road 11 1/.2 hours today. Too much for these two old farts.
Time for some rest and to figure out where we are heading tomorrow...
PS - I did take some iPhone photos of tonight's dinner. Just can't seem to get them to email off of Josie's phone.
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Redfish Hunter
Gone Fishing
You are doing great Fred. I have every confidence that you and TMJ will find and photograph some wonderful scenery to share with us. And at this rate your RR will set a forum record for the most views ever in a RR and you have not even gotten started!
With regards to plugging your tire:
1) I plugged my PR3 rear in almost exactly that spot last year and it was still holding fine over 8K miles later. No issues.
2) I broke the reaming tool in my plug kit today trying to plug a hole in the Continental RunFlat on my wife's car. I was forced to use the battery drill on the damned runflat tire.
With regards to plugging your tire:
1) I plugged my PR3 rear in almost exactly that spot last year and it was still holding fine over 8K miles later. No issues.
2) I broke the reaming tool in my plug kit today trying to plug a hole in the Continental RunFlat on my wife's car. I was forced to use the battery drill on the damned runflat tire.
CAJW
Well-known member
Fred, do you think maybe the good Lord gave you a flat to help break up your boring ass ride through Wisconsin?
Glad the delay was short lived and you're mobile again.
gregory
Great things are afoot
Bumper crop of awesome RR's this summer.
Subscribed!
Subscribed!
airboss
Well-known member
100 mile North or South of your route in Wisconsin would not have been boring.
Oh sure, now you tell me.100 mile North or South of your route in Wisconsin would not have been boring.
I really did not have time to play on the lettered county roads. Wisconsin is NOT my destination, merely a stepping stone along the way.
I did not mean to dis anyone who has an affinity for the state, but having spent a great deal of time in WI, I've always wondered what the heck made anyone want to settle down there.
Seeing as how you guys are in Lakeville, there's 2 good cycle shops there right off of 35, Leo's South and Moto Primo.
Wished I had seen this Spot earlier tonight, would have been a hoot to try to arrange a meet up with you two down there.
Wished I had seen this Spot earlier tonight, would have been a hoot to try to arrange a meet up with you two down there.
Thanks, Mike. Tire seems to be holding fine as it is. Think I'll just try and ride it out. Increase the "adventure" risk factor... Besides I have several more plugs left if it spits this one out!!
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
You will undoubtedly encounter many Pirates heading East as you approach South Dakota and then the Black Hills.
There is, and will be a significantly enhanced enforcement zone a long I-90 which is posted at 75 and is normally safe at 80.
Sturgis is rapidly clearing out, about half the crowd left today. It will be dead by Saturday evening.
There is, and will be a significantly enhanced enforcement zone a long I-90 which is posted at 75 and is normally safe at 80.
Sturgis is rapidly clearing out, about half the crowd left today. It will be dead by Saturday evening.
Blind Squirrel
Well-known member
RossKean
Well-known member
If you had issues with Wisconsin, wait for Minnesota - especially if you take the highway through the southern part of the state. DAMHIK. Hope you like cornfields.Oh sure, now you tell me.100 mile North or South of your route in Wisconsin would not have been boring.
I really did not have time to play on the lettered county roads. Wisconsin is NOT my destination, merely a stepping stone along the way.
I did not mean to dis anyone who has an affinity for the state, but having spent a great deal of time in WI, I've always wondered what the heck made anyone want to settle down there.
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That is great news, Big John.
We did notice a few big swarms of "the noisy tribe" heading eastward, even today.
I was not sure of the timing of the Sturgis rally, so was going to steer clear from the whole area this weekend, but i think now I will go ahead and hit the Badlands and Black Hills on Saturday.
Today we are going to take it pretty light, so tonight's destination will only be in Pierre. That will give time to relax in the hotel, splurging on a Holiday Inn Express. Going to try and stay off of I-90 as much as possible and see how that goes.
We did notice a few big swarms of "the noisy tribe" heading eastward, even today.
I was not sure of the timing of the Sturgis rally, so was going to steer clear from the whole area this weekend, but i think now I will go ahead and hit the Badlands and Black Hills on Saturday.
Today we are going to take it pretty light, so tonight's destination will only be in Pierre. That will give time to relax in the hotel, splurging on a Holiday Inn Express. Going to try and stay off of I-90 as much as possible and see how that goes.
Blind Squirrel
Well-known member
The patch kit I got has some rubber cement with it. It serves two purposes. It lubes up the hole and string to make it easier to insert and it helps hold the string in place. Once you pop the seal make sure to stop by Walmart for a fresh tube of glue.
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/slime-tire-repair-plugs-with-glue/6000016956336
