The NAFO D-Tour

[yamafitter]

Glad you are under way and everything is uneventful. Jane and I were scheduled to leave today, until she managed to fracture her right tibia and damage the MCL on April 7th. She is still non-weight bearing and i continue to drive Miss daisy to PT and work. Will be non -weight bearing until July9th. We donot heal as fast as we used to. Remember that when you are out on the dirt Bill.

I drink scotch so I can't ask you to hoist one for me at NAFO, but you could have a bourban for Jane. :clapping: Might speed uphe healing.

Have fun.

Jack

Very sorry to hear about Jane. I will definitely partake of some fine Kentucky sipping whiskey go help speed her recovery. As for having a wee bit of the dram I have been known to sample some of the finer offerings from the Highlands as I find the Lowland concoctions too peaty for my liking.

I know all about one's ability to take a licking and keep on ticking as one ages. I am just recovering from a dirt bike wound that led to a leg infection that got a little scary at one point. I find I have to be just that much more careful now and can't go bouncing off the trees with wild abandon anymore. I used to do a pretty good impression of a pinball on some of my more spectacular miscalculations in the past. Now when I hit something it's just a big splat and it hurts.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Good to see your progress, Bill...... jumping way ahead to day 7 after you're into Alberty, make a wee stop in Sparwood at the local tourist center (it ain't a big place...), and take a picture of the big yellow machine with your bike beside it..... I'll let you tell the tale if/when you get the chance. Let us know if the straw was soft enough in the sheep paddock.

PS- I did finally send you the email about the Fireside. You're good to go.

 

[yamafitter]

First off many thanks to Miss Bust for letting me have a spot in the sheep pen. The straw was extra soft and with Bust stuck in Chicago working I did not have to sleep with one eye open. I taking a break from the heat but I would like to make it close to Kansas City. before dark. Thank goodness for my Camelbak.

 

[yamafitter]

I made it to Kansas City and now have the longest leg of the trip behind me. Basically it was a day of sit there and twist that to just get across the flat bits. Not hardly any photos though I stopped for a bio break where I cam into Indiana...

I having problems uploading photos and I'm just too tired. I'll try again in the morning.

 

[yamafitter]

I'm Going To Kansas City

I left the Casa del Bust after thanking Miss Bust for her hospitality and wishing her the best in the preparations of her daughter's open house and fetching Bust back from Chicago. It was going to be another day on the slab since this day was just about getting as far across the flat bits as I could in the daylight. Since my laser eye surgery I don't trust my night vision and avoid riding at night.

I rode as straight as a dart until reaching the Indiana border. The Indiana was a little more upscale from the one I visited in Michigan...

At least the Indiana Vistors' Center didn't make me feel like White Trailer Trash. A stop long enough to grab a sub and gas for the bike and I was back on the slab. Timing was pretty good when I hit Chicago and while traffic was a little heavy it moved well. The same could not be said of the east bound lane as some kid parked his Suburban into the center rail. That backed up the east bound lanes for miles. Almost made me homesick for Toronto.

It was near Joliette that I had my first navigational boo-boo. When I loaded the maps into the Garmin I had originally planned a different route that took me up towards Duluth. I lost my voice prompts and the map looked a little funny all of a sudden. I followed Don's instructions and tipped the GPS I had borrowed from Bungie and gave it a good shake to no avail. That's what I get for following GPS instructions from a Luddite.

At the end of the day I was able to recover somewhat by enabling an older complete version of City Navigator I had previously loaded but without voice or screen prompts I had to watch the GPS to figure which way to go. By this time the temperatures were starting to climb and the heat was starting to be bothersome. I was almost feeling nostalgic for February........ well almost. The highest reading on the dash air temp gauge was 34oC (93oF). That's hot to this visitor from the Great White North. I had packed heated gear but that wasn't going to help here. Thankfully I had my Camelbak asn was able to at least keep myself hydrated. The bike needed gas and I needed a break rom the heat. After a short rest break I was pulling out and came upon this sign...

Maybe I'll go that way next time but I had distance to make so it was back on the slab. As I was just passing by Monroe City the bike went on reserve. Missouri is not keen on letting you know which towns have gas stations so I finally risked it and got off the slab at Clarence. Sure enough there was a gas station right at the main intersection in town but something seemed slightly off. There was a old 53 Ford Cop Car with what looked like Barney Fife sitting at the wheel. There was a couple of old cars parked at the pumps but no one was moving. It took a moment for my heat addled brain to realize that someone had staged this as a road side attraction and I would not be getting any gas here. Fortunately there was a gas station / connivence store just up a piece. In my heat exhausted state it never occurred to me to get photos of the old gas station. Maybe on the way back if I come this way.

With the bike gassed up and a bottle of Gatorade to replenish my bodily fluids it was on to the last leg into Kansas City. I found a Super 8 fairly close to the Harley Assembly Plant. The was a steak house close by and I was hungary after a long day on the road.

The Kansas Cattlemen Association says to eat beef so I took their advise...

The steak was a little overdone and the potato was too salty but the beer was wet & cold.

We sat in the saddle for 1191.4 km (740 miles) for about 13 hours yesterday. I may be at risk of losing my CBA certification if I keep this up...

This morning the plan is to have a relaxing day visiting the Harley Plant this morning and then head into the farmlands of Nebraska. From here on in the slab will be held to a minimum.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Good luck getting across the plains! I hope Nebraska is better than Kansas was for me.

 

[BikerGeek99]

At least the Indiana Vistors' Center didn't make me feel like White Trailer Trash.

I don't care who you are - that's funny right there! :rofl:

Glad all is well!

 

[Bungie]

Ooo.. on the road ride reports! Love it.

Be safe Bill. I'm gonna try one of those new Lite-Brite GPS's. My Etch-A-Sketch one keeps erasing on the bumpy roads up here mid-route.

 

[beemerdons]

Great Ride Report yamafitter, I am enjoying it! Oh and by the way Bill, Papa Chuy Viejo's only navigational aids:

NOTE: I did use MapQuest to print out a map to Old Michael's home in Sacramento, but I could have just as easily called up his Probation Officer for the directions!

 

[yamafitter]

At least the Indiana Vistors' Center didn't make me feel like White Trailer Trash.

I don't care who you are - that's funny right there! :rofl:

The trailer at the Michigan Visitor Center wasn't even a double-wide. It don't get any trashier than that.

I have however been drunk enough to live in Wisconsin on occasion....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byiq5dKZEzI

 

[dcarver]

Reading your RR, Bill, makes me nostalgic for the only roads SkooterG doesn't crash on... flat, straight, hot....

You're doing great kid, keep up the good work, see yah soon.

 

[BikerGeek99]

HEY! Why'd Ohio get draggesd into dat?!?!

Yeah - Ohio sucks. The people are all douche-tards, more useless then a rusty can of used fuck. The roads suck - ALL of 'em. And, yes, the po-po WILL give you a performance award for farting while driving. Sharting while driving? Felony. DAMHIK.

Stay away.

All of you.

Don't even get me going on Michigan. 'Specially Owosso. Buncha weirdos up dere.

In the mean time... Ride on, Bill!

 

[yamafitter]

I started the day in Kansas City, Missouri and I know Americans have issues with geography but I have to ask. What doofus put Kansas City in Missouri instead of Kansas where it belongs?? Even the Brain Trust in Canada's Capital of Ottawa managed to put Quebec City in Quebec, Labrador City in Labrador and Toronto in the Center of the Universe. This is not rocket science people. My expectation is for BeemerDons to have this straightened out before my return to the area.

I left the hotel and headed over to the Harley Davidson facility for the 10AM tour. As I walking in from the parking lot I was confronted with this sign...

I guess they don't want the employees shooting the bike when the parts don't fit during assembly. The Kansas City Plant builds both the powerplant and assembles the V-Rod and also assembles the Sportster and the Dyna. The coolest part of the tour for me was seeing all the customer ordered paint work coming out of the plant facility. I have to give Harley credit in that the finish was top drawer. Cameras were not allow in the plant itself but there wasn't that much to see since it was Saturday and only a handful of maintenance staff were working. If you are going to do this tour I would highly recommend that you do it mid-week when things are running.

After the tour I spent a little time in the display area checking out the major stages of the V-Rod engine.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

All the employees involved signed the gas tank of the first V-Rod produced...

I then went into the gift shop to look around. I didn't have a lot of room left on the bike for trinkets so I bought a deck of Harley playing cards. I figured if I attached some cards to my front forks and stick the cards in the spokes I might get the Harley sound out of my FJR. Unfortunately since I have a Canadian version of the FJR instead of getting that classic potato - potato -potato sound it will end up sounding more like Stomping Tom Conners playing Bud the Spud...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNEg65rlnu4

 

[NightShine]

And you rode all day in reverse as your SPOT map shows. Very impressive. ;-)

 

[yamafitter]

We got away from the Harley Plant just before noon and started heading north. As I headed out of Missouri that skies were sad to see me leave and started to cry. I saw the sky darken and pulled off to don my Wheatie inspired Hazmat / Rain gear. I spent the next hour dodging the bigger puddles and finally cleared the rain just as I entered Nebraska. I took a break to check out the Louis & Clark Visitor Center...

When travelling through Nebraska you are going to see a LOT of this...

and lots of very long trains hauling coal...

I just put this in here because Don likes trains. I purposely kept this day short since I knew I was going to blow the morning off at the Harley plant so it was only roughy 600 km (400 miles) today.

Just before making Broken Bow I came across a local rodeo. I stopped to watch some of the steer roping...

Dinner was across the road at the cafe. The salad bar was decent...

The main course of crispy chicken & fries did not even warrant a photo. I was however to salvage a recovery with cherry pie & ice cream...

I had planned to keep the mileage short today since I knew I was going to lose the morning at the Harley Plant. I arrived in Broken Bow, Nebraska at 6PM after a short day of 602.9 km (400 miles approx).

I'm still riding backwards. It's the Polish in me.

 

[bbdig]

Bill the only way you can get that sound is to buy a Harley and join up with Bikergeek

Stay safe and have a good time.

 

[beemerdons]

I am really enjoying your NAFO Ride Report Bill, Thank You for sharing this with us!

 

[Fontanaman]

I almost got lost looking for Bust's place because Don said I should be looking for this sign ...

In Utah it was odd to find Beaver County. I doubt we will ever see the town Dildo in Beaver County.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Following your progress across the country, thanks for sharing the adventure with us Bill!

Pie!! Looks yummy.

--G

 

[Bustanut joker]

Nice report Bill I'm enjoying the ride along.. But now the whole world knows of my not too swift move Thursday.

I've been catching hell everyplace I go.

I didn't mention it to Sheila that night but I almost took the wrong bus back to my Hotel.. Good think I was drunk, otherwise I'd still be in Chicago.