XS Southeast 2017 discussion

[3Phase]

Phil, it was a little brisk at 6 AM when I left but breakfast was nice and warm. The waitress tried to be helpful and made up a large cup of coffee in a Go cup, of course there's no way to drink it on the road but it was the thought and intent that counted.

Bob, I absolutely 100% agree with Tod, it's not even possible to hammer the thing into submission because it's got a plastic seat pan and it'd just bounce back to into shape if I gave it the mallet treatment.g

While I'm kicking back at the hotel for the night, I need figure out how to turn off my tablet's Android auto-correct, it keeps mangling what I write and adding random full-stops. Capital Letters, and changing words.

[Radioguylogs]

Me too!

Here's proof that I did put pants and shoes on and go for a ride!

I was hoping you'd be able to get out those shorts and flip-flops for a ride.

[Brent]

long rides

2,100 miles to Simi V.
Picking up i-40 in Nashville?

Brent would just light a Churchill and roll off 1,000 miles. Then do again, presto in LA. As I recall he hosted a 911 Ceremony. Did the 100 mile group ride with full Fire & Police Escort, attended the State 911 ceremony, had a late lunch, then rode to Little Rock. . now THAT'S some riding.

Yes, I have made Little Rock from Atl or Forsyth, GA (enroute to 911 ceremony was passed by my younger bro in a silver minivan ) Then Little Rock to Santa Fe, NM the next day!! and met XSives to ride in Chama, NM at 0800am the next day. ATL to CA did take longer, about 4 or 5 days. I did an Iron butt saddle sore 1000 on my 80 XS1100sg with 4 gallon tank with stock seat - 1000mi in 24 hours documented march 5 2002 on IBA site.

Now not riding so much. I was unable to make XSeast in NC; and Barber vintage days near Birmingham, AL looks doubtful. Ride when you can,
Brent

Have a good trip across. Keep us posted .......

Jeff

Yes, I have made Little Rock from Atl or Forsyth, GA (enroute to 911 ceremony was passed by my younger bro in a silver minivan ) Then Little Rock to Santa Fe, NM the next day!! and met XSives to ride in Chama, NM at 0800am the next day. ATL to CA did take longer, about 4 or 5 days. I did an Iron butt saddle sore 1000 on my 80 XS1100sg with 4 gallon tank with stock seat - 1000mi in 24 hours documented march 5 2002 on IBA site.

Now not riding so much. I was unable to make XSeast in NC; and Barber vintage days near Birmingham, AL looks doubtful. Ride when you can,
Brent

[madmax-im]

XS Friends...I too missed the XSSE rally this year...From all accounts it was another fine rally. Having no bike of my own to ride..I would not risk riding someone elses ...just had cataract surgery yesterday and need the other one done too...a new year and a new bike are coming soon...

[3Phase]

I've spent he last two days riding through that freak storm that flooded Oklahoma City and other places across the country, tomorrow I get to do it again from Tucumcari to Flagstaff.

This isn't normal rain, think cow on a flat rock as a gentle sprinkle and similar to Nicolas Cage's ride under the river in Ghost Rider but without the secret flamer thing and no evil super powers. I could hear but couldn't see the trucks all around me, the road, the dash, or anything else except dark and gray and water. The water overloaded my visor, I couldn't breathe when I opened the faceplate and then I lost all spacial reference and almost fell over in the middle of the freeway.

Those new LED tail lights don't have the same output as he old incandescents so that makes it impossible to see anything except on a clear night or light rain. There were about 50 of us running with our 4-way flashers when the truck I was following got tired of only moving at 25 MPH, switched to the left lane and Lord help me I went with him.

After we got up to 55 or so, everyone else figured we knew what we were doing so we had a Conga line flashing and flying blind for a couple of hours of mad indifference and stark raving terror until it was over and we just had regular old heavy rain. It's a warm storm so it wasn't too bad but drinking water straight from the air so you can breathe was not something I'd done before -- that was awesome!

I get to do it again today.

[JeffH]

...just had cataract surgery yesterday and need the otherwise one done too...a new year and a new bike are coming soon...

Good to get that over with.
Soon you can start singing " I can see clearly now".

Any plans to re-evaluate moving to Arizona? A nice place to be.

Jeff

[JeffH]

I've spent he last two days riding through that freak storm that flooded Oklahoma City and other places across the country, tomorrow I get to do it again from Tucumcari to Flagstaff.

I get to do it again today.

Been watching the radar the last couple days and was wondering how you were getting along. Like the back side of the moon, Comm went silent after Memphis.

Going across the flatlands at 25 or 50 mph would be miserable. You sure gave your bike the Soak Test.

Radar sure looked ugly and worst seemed to track along i-40. Lucky you. Glad you are in the home stretch. Flagstaff is good.

[motoman]

Been watching the radar the last couple days and was wondering how you were getting along. Like the back side of the moon, Comm went silent after Memphis.

Going across the flatlands at 25 or 50 mph would be miserable. You sure gave your bike the Soak Test.

Radar sure looked ugly and worst seemed to track along i-40. Lucky you. Glad you are in the home stretch. Flagstaff is good.

Well, least he'll be able to sleep in a bit and let it warm up a bit there in Flagstaff before heading across the Mojave desert.

[3Phase]

Heh, didn't mean to drop out but I was beat after riding all day in the rain for two days. It's nerve wracking trying to avoid wet tar snakes that are so wet they're under water along with everything else, like, the road. eek:

I spent the first night making sure everything was dry so it wouldn't sour or rust when I bagged everything in trash bags and sealed the rain covers. It worked. My stuff stayed dry, my rain gear kept me dry, the bike's engine and electrical system hasn't missed a beat. Right on.

Yesterday I had just lost a prescription lense that fell out if my glasses and hovered in front of me before it disappeared under the bike and my summer gloves were soaked and getting cold when I spotted a Harley dealer from The freeway. Riding with only one lense is a great way to lose an eye and/or crash so I bought some clear riding glasses along with some very nice Harley-brand waterproof winter gloves.

Warm, dry and I could see again! Today I left Tucumcari and now I'm just east of Gallup, NM taking a lunch break. The rain has mostly stopped for now, I think I've ridden through the worst.if it and come out the training Western edge but it's too soon to know.

Edit: Brant, most of the I-40 is about 5 or 6 thousand feet, Flagstaff is lower than a few of the passes so it's all good.

[madmax-im]

Good to get that over with.
Soon you can start singing " I can see clearly now".

Any plans to re-evaluate moving to Arizona? A nice place to be.

Jeff

Hi Jeff..yes I can see clearly now..what a difference!!! The family discussion of relocation to AZ has resumed...No inference as to what we'll do...

[3Phase]

Yay!

I got back at about 7 PM Pacific Time.

Man, it's good to be home with a hot pizza and some twisty bread on the way for dinner.

[MaximPhil]

I got back at about 7 PM Pacific Time.

Man, it's good to be home with a hot pizza and some twisty bread on the way for dinner.

Hi Scott,
Well done. Glad you survived what sounded like quite a harrowing experience. I am guessing you did not have time to take any pictures.
It was nice to see you at XSSE. Sorry your planned trip was cut short.

Phil

[3Phase]

There are some pictures and video

Hi Scott,
Well done. Glad you survived what sounded like quite a harrowing experience. I am guessing you did not have time to take any pictures.
It was nice to see you at XSSE. Sorry your planned trip was cut short.

Phil

Meh, I'm over it now and it was great seeing you and meeting Brian too. I think I'll renew my passport and take a plane back to Kentucky to finish visiting my dad, then just rent something I can use to do some more traveling and drop it off before I fly home.

This afternoon I deleted the duplicates and reorganized the shared Onedrive folder I created for the rally with 352 pictures and videos from the trip. Sort the files by Date Taken --> Ascending so the most recent stuff including parts of the storm that I snagged when I was able will be at the top of the heap. No, sorry, there's nothing from the really bad parts of the storm, I was kind of too busy staying alive to fool with an expensive, non-waterproof, phone camera during a deluge.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AlA_igDQ6Lzjg_Yc24S2NRSwMo1Maw

In one video I have discovered that I was confused and mentioned going through Utah and Oklahoma. It should have been Arkansas, of course, but I was pretty well hammered by the time I made it. I also made a couple of very short clips at a rest stop near Barstow with the engine running to record "The Tick" and that cursed camshaft.

[motoman]

Scott,glad you were able to make the LD ride in time for the hot pizza/twisty bread!

[HalfCentury]

XJ seat

Hey Scott

Just before I sold the XJ, I bought a stock seat and started modifying it.

I cut it flat and then added side and top foam to give it that "tractor seat" size.

It was comfortable to sit on in the garage but was never finished.

Living in Cali, you have all of the best aftermarket seat builder out there. Have you ever considered making a drive-in appointment at Laam or Russel?