M.o.m. 2012

[BA80]

no need to pack another I don't think unless yours is one of them fancy kind - mine is the 4 gauge kind - and its real purty too with orange and longhorns and such. Got the yamaha valve tool too though I have yet to use it. Just got a YICS eliminator tool too in case of XJs.

I'll leave my guages here then. I was gonna bring 'em. Is there anything I should pack up?

Greg aint that skeery - I survived Arkansas - you will be fine - if I remember it was Ivan that had the Vaseline in the master bedroom that was "unexplainable" ("Where did that come from?")

John

Yeah, I'm not real sure what went on while Tod and I made that all night parts run back to Tulsa.

[BA80]

Loaded and ready to exit Tulsa the minute I'm released from work.



I'll be meeting up with Elevener in Austin. Gonna try and get there before 10am saturday so we don't hold up the show.

[jwhughes3]

Dont forget the kitchen sink!

You are gonna get like 10mpg loaded like that ....


Looking forward to the weekend. Dont worry, we will wait on you guys.

John

[BA80]

Hey, it's just the basic long haul kit. I may not need it all but I damn sure got it.

The camping stuff I gotta take so I have a backrest.

[BA80]

I'll be getting 10 MPG anyway if that crazy 30 MPH south wind keeps blowing. I guess I could just put up a sail to get back home.

I better pack one.

[Elevener]

Austin before ten or san antone at ten? **** there goes my sleep. What time you think in austin?

[BA80]

If all goes well I should hit Austin around 8:30ish. I'm gonna try and get gone outta Gainsville at 4am.

I'll holler at you when I hit Waco Wayne. Figure out a truckstop or restaurant that's easy to see from the highway to meet at.

[jwhughes3]

Friday night - we are ready!

Bring on the bikes!



John

[jwhughes3]

Twisted Sisters Ride

Here are the motley crew in Leakey after a good long ride.

Left to right:
Wayne (Elevener) Greg (BA80) John (jwhughes3) Dylan (John's son) Richard (rpgoerlich)



Started in San Antonio, headed out SH16 to Medina and towards Leakey on FM 337 (sister number one), then north on FM335 (sister number two) past the Giraffe and east on SH41 to the third sister FM 336 south to Leakey to complete the hundred mile loop of the sisters.

There were no riders injured in this exercise, everyone keeping the rubber side down and performing spectacularly.

Dylan did not ride the 550, but back on the 400 as Saturday morning he developed a stuck float and lean on two cylinders just before leaving so we improvised. This morning Richard gave the carbs a hard rap and voila! Running on all four cylinders. Thanks Rick for your Fonzie-like handling of the situation.

Richard got here early Saturday and immediately went to work helping to sync carbs, breaking out his CarbTune and dialing in Great Ranger in about five minutes.

Coffee and baconcakes were going when Greg and Wayne arrived and unloaded. My neighbors Jake and Teri did a three car shuffle and pulled their Harley trike out to join us (yes there was another shuffle that night to get it back in )

Many lies and old stories later, we were almost ready to ride...just waiting on local friends James and Tracy and their GoldWing. We finally got started about 1230...

Wayne gets an award for pacing me and discovering my speedometer is reading at LEAST 10-15mph slower than actual speed, reminding me over and over not to leave the 400 behind as I cruised along at a moderate 65 mph (did I mention I was reading about 15mph slow?) ....

He and Greg also get an award for getting up super early to make it to the Rally, only to get a short rest before hopping back on the bikes for another 300 miles

Last night was pleasant about 70 degrees, clouds rolled in and Wayne setup his tent so fast we didnt even see it happen. And this morning he was off quick to another ride!

Thanks guys for a great Rally.

John

[jwhughes3]

Tutorial

I did get an in depth tutorial on how to change a fuse.

And I sure missed my windshield, running at 65(80) is tough without a windbreak. Maybe next time I will have one

John

[BA80]

I did get an in depth tutorial on how to change a fuse.
John

Did you get pics?

At least your exhaust didn't fall off this time and you didn't go ditch exploring.

[jwhughes3]

I was cooking...

I counted on my xsesive bretheren to get pics for the tutorial and they were too busy watching...

Can you recount the steps involved please?


If I remember it goes something like this:

Step 1: Identify the problem " Hey Greg, your headlight isn't working" "Sure?" "Yup"


Step 2: troubleshoot the problem - wiggle wires, look at fuses, flip switch

Step 3: Confirm the problem "Headlight isn't working"

Step 4: ruminate over a beer

Step 5: get light on the subject - at this point large shop lights are placed in the work area

Step 6: remove fuel tank to get a better view of the headlight problem

Step 7: check headlight relay - plugged in

Step 8: check glass fuse that looks intact - Oops, here is the culprit, change fuse and headlight works!

Step 9: put bike back together and have another brew


Love ya like a brother, but 12 hrs in the saddle can trick your mind and make it difficult to troubleshoot. You win the "Iron Butt" award for this Rally...

John

[BA80]

After Elevener and I's little side trip we might need to call this the " Lost in Texas " rally.

But then, we weren't exactly lost, just temporarily misplaced. 55 is a pretty cool highway.

[jwhughes3]

I know, I know

Losing my posse was bad... At least we found y'all back in Leakey!

John

[BA80]

12 hrs in the saddle can trick your mind and make it difficult to troubleshoot. John

What, are you trying to say I was sitting on my brains for 12 hours?