XS Southeast 2016 Discussion

[Bigfoot]

That sucks Scott, sorry to hear it. I had one bike i babied along for quite awhile before tearing into the tranny just by shifting earlier into second and not getting on it hard in first. But i can understand not wanting to ride across country that way. I know you are frustrated, but it can be fixed with the bike on the centerstand in just a couple hours. It sucks laying on your back with oil dripping on ya, but I have done it numerous times.

[3Phase]

After the excitement, now I'm bored!

T ... it can be fixed with the bike on the centerstand in just a couple hours. ...

Yebbut it doesn't have a center stand! I guess I will be able to see Slim, the welder, on Monday when his shop is open.

I'm sure I could nurse it along to North Carolina and it'd still be able to make the Special run in less than twelve parsecs but there'd be that one time when I really do need to make the jump to lightspeed and it wouldn't work:-

ENTERTAINMENT | THE SOUNDS BEHIND THE MILLENNIUM FALCON'S FAILING HYPERDRIVE | "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"
By Dan Moren



I think I wasn't meant to go on this trip. The YKK zipper teeth on one of my riding boots broke this morning as I was getting ready to go out the door and I had to work it closed, then use the laces like a regular boot instead of the zipper but what really ticks me off is that I spent the week and the weekend working on the bike and I didn't get to spend even a day at the California Beer Festival up in Ventura:-

7 DAYS OF EPIC CRAFT BEER

[jetmechmarty]

Scott,

I'm very sorry you can't make the trip. I don't think I'd do it either. That machine needs to be more familiar to you. There's a whole lot of nothing between there and here. Then, you have to make here to there.

[BillyRok]

Room in the Bunkhouse

Thought I was going to be able to make the trip down but just have too much going on to be gone for several days. Good news for somebody is that my bed in the bunk house is now open if anyone planning on living in a tent would rather be indoors!

Scott I'm sorry to hear about your trouble, it's been a lot of fun following you and TC the past few days. I just got my XJ inspected last week, it was the first time I rode it since I parked it last Sept after coming home from XSSE '15, so I was also a bit apprehensive about such a long trip without having put the bike through it's paces. Maybe next year! Travel safe and have fun all!

[mastan]

I'm a little concerned about the gas issue going on in the area. The reports I've seen are wildly speculative and it's hard to get a handle on what's going on down there. Can someone who lives in the area keep us updated on the situation?
Mark

[MPittma100]

I'm a little concerned about the gas issue going on in the area. The reports I've seen are wildly speculative and it's hard to get a handle on what's going on down there. Can someone who lives in the area keep us updated on the situation?
Mark

I know some people to call there and will do so tomorrow. Will report back as soon as I hear.

[JeffH]

I'm a little concerned about the gas issue going on in the area. The reports I've seen are wildly speculative and it's hard to get a handle on what's going on down there. Can someone who lives in the area keep us updated on the situation?
Mark

I rode 290 miles on Saturday. GA & NC. All stations pumping. Saw tanker trucks making deliveries. Rode 267 miles today. NC, TN on our routes & GA home. Saw a few tanker trucks. No issues with gas. HOWEVER, when I got towards home (Atlanta) the stations were out. Why they were out is that 'the commuters were topping off for the weeks drive to work. I live closer into ATL and the stations by me had gas but at $2.59 which means they likely got a tanker drop yesterday. In the 10 miles of out of gas stations there was a big 20 pump Shell that had 40+ cars in que up the road in line waiting for gas. Further south near me pumps available.

So I will look at the news since I just got home from riding. Likely over done as usual. Just not seeing the problem yet in the mountains. So when the Colonial is operational will determine timelines.

Jeff

[JeffH]

BTW: if the news reports you are reading about (or watching) are talking about Atlanta area then it is likely not representing the total picture. Unlike most cities, Metro Atlanta gets 90%+ of ALL its fuel from ONE source. The Colonial Pipeline. Colonial pipeline is headquartered in Atlanta.

We have no ocean tanker ships here. No fuel barges. No other pipelines near by. Port of Savannah can't handle fuel (as far as I know). Atlanta is a EPA zone and uses so many millions of gallons a day that it would be impossibe to tanker truck it in from Chattanooga or FLA or SC. That other fuel doesn't meet the stricter EPA reqirements. So the Metro area isn't indicative of what's going on in Tenn & Western NC that have other feeds from other pipelines from other refineries.

Jeff

[mlew]

I hope it does not get worse. I went out this evening to fill my car and ALL stations within a mile of me were out of gas. I found one station that had diesel so I filled my truck. News reports were similar for all stations here in central NC. No gas but limited diesel.

[3Phase]

Loves hack


Bang! Bang! Bang! On the door, Baby!

You're what??!



1st gear: FAIL! Tin roof: RUSTY!

I do have the transmission from my '80G with good 1st/4th gears and 2nd gear is already machined and spaced with two washers for the 'half-washer' hack.

While I had the oil pan off to check for magical leaping washers, loose change and missing socks, I thought about just swapping out the whole transmission and modifying the XJ transmission later. At the time I couldn't remember if you can get the mainshaft out without splitting the case and I really didn't want to borrow trouble. The way it's fought me I think I'd still be working on it today and wouldn't really have a clue that 1st/4th gear were toast.

Interesting fuel problem, there probably is a very real shortage/supply/delivery problem but it's been totally out done by people filling their tanks so they aren't affected by the shortage. Marty, I know that people ride with peanut tanks to and from California all the time and there is no vast bike and biker graveyard, how the heck do they get away with it?


And thanks, Billy! There'll be another bunk space open after I talk to Iron Horse tomorrow.

[madmax-im]

While i cant speak for WNC...ENC is feeling the pinch in gas shortages...many stations here are closed and the timing just plain sucks...this rally will go on no doubt but i wonder how many wont make it if theres no gas to fill their tanks??? Mark Lew's crew is good and we're planning on making it...hopefully that pipeline will be fixed sooner rather than later. Mark's truck is going to be fully loaded and towing a 30 foot enclosed trailer thats going to double as our home for 4 days...he says he has enough fuel to get us there...or pretty close to the IH but if we cant get the whole rig there then we're screwed...

[HalfCentury]

I was out riding with my neighbor on Saturday. Every Sheetz we saw was closed. We did fill up eventually.

Today every gas station between Burlington and Greensboro seems to be empty.

My guess is that this is going to get much worse before it starts to get any better.

[Dbshea]

I'll be interested to see how this plays out...

[JeffH]

I was out riding with my neighbor on Saturday. Every Sheetz we saw was closed. We did fill up eventually.

Today every gas station between Burlington and Greensboro seems to be empty.

My guess is that this is going to get much worse before it starts to get any better.

The Colonial Pipeline #1ends in Greensboro. So its not a surprise that Winston-Salem to Raleigh are having apparently wide spread fuel shortages.

I picked up our Rally shirts today and drove by the NE Fuel Terminals here in Atlanta. On the Colonial pipeline, but obviously upstream of Greensboro on Line #1. Our Chevron, Shell & Citgo terminals had about 25 tanker trucks loading up gas and delivering at gas stations. Not sure how many millions of gallons these tanks store or if they are full or near empty but fuel is moving here. Maybe from Pipeline #2. At the Marathon terminal I didn't see any tankers. I drove by at least 40+ gas stations around north Atlanta today. Only saw 5 of 40 with no gas. Price around $2.39 to $2.59 depending on location. I filled up today no problem. ALL the stations around me have gas.

I was at Mikes tonight to drop off the shirts and he said he had called up to Bryson City and while a few stations were out most had fuel.

I was up in NC and TN and a day ago riding our Rally routes and saw no fuel problems popping up there at all.

Sorry you are having fuel troubles up in that part of NC. Being at the "end of the line" sucks.

Jeff

[MaximPhil]

Hi Jeff
Thanks for the update of the fuel situation in your area.
Colonial certainly seem to be working to keep fuel moving as best they can.
https://www.facebook.com/ColPipe/
Their Facebook page gets regular updates but of course the terminals and trucks are what distribute to service stations and once places run out it can be a while to get resupplied.
Phil