Sunday, August 2, 2009

Tank bags and Tires and Plugkits oh my!

August.6th 2009
My new tires arrive tomorrow! It's been over a week here in Seattle waiting for this pair before I head off to Fairbanks. I can't imagin what will happen if I need new tire(s) on the road. The plugkit will get me to safty....ah, I don't like to think about it!
Had planned to ride out to Mnt.Rainner today, but my buddy and I stayed up late last night(1am) watching "The Long Way Around" and eating burittos. Didn't wake up super early. Concidering going to the map store(Metsker). Also, I'm seriously concidering going back to Home Depot to buy the 2gl gas can instead of the 1gl that I bought. There is something comforting about doubling my range on the 'little' blast.
I've only looked at the map as far as Dawson Creek and have already found a section 100+ without anything. If I miss that gas stop, or the town is closed....of whatever, the 1gl tank is only going to take me 50+- more miles(ish). My only concern is the weight. I hate to put ANY more weight on the back of that bike. It burns through those street tires as is, and every 7lbs I put on that bike just adds up to more and more. I've got an entire day to think about it.
Going to try packing up the bike today also. A dry run. The best time I had going up the coast was 1:30. Yeah. One and a half hours. Lame. My new large heavy duty 'waterproof' rubber Nortface bag should take 30min off the pack time. I can put everything in the one back as apposed to strapping on every little thing indevidually.
My buddy Joel keeps making fun and not believing me about the weather going through BC and the Yukon. It's one of my big concerns. I've still never ridden in the rain, and I hear reports of others who've taken this trip that I'll probably encounter snow! Yikes. Some biker in the red Woods was telling me he and his wife took the trip last year, just the same time I'm about to. Told me it rained for 14 days straight! Ahh.
In defense, I installed hand gaurds on the bike the other day. The only thing not shielded now are my legs. Whatever. I personally HATE the windscreen. Since the day I put it on. Messes up the handeling on the bike since it's connected to the front fork and not the frame. But it was highly recomened by everybody that I'll need the thing, so I'm still in the process of giving it the benifit of doupt.
In the same vein, since I've not got heated anything, I'm hoping/counting on being able to consume enough calories to get by.
I've got this silly camping stove, wich takes isobutane/propane mixture. I've never used one before this trip, and have no idea how long the little canisters of fuel last or how many of them I should take, or even where to get more for that matter. It's one of those things that I'm tiried of thinking about and planning and am sure will just work out for the best:)

Can-Can

August.2nd 2009

In Seattle. Yesterday went out with some friends to the CanCan down on Pike right next to the market. A friend of a friend got us all in without having to pay the cover charge($40 on a friday! yikes). It was amazing. Somehow the performers captured the eroticism of the old can can show in a strip tease sort of way. It was all performed to modern music you'd hear on the radio(dancy stuff). An amzing time. If you are ever in Seattle, you'll have to check it out.
Took the bike out for a little ride because it was so nice. Some little highways, wound up near(at?) Scoqualmie where there was a car show going on. Had to check that out. Then why walking back to my bike, there was a train museum. While buying postcards, I asked how much it was to ride the steam locomotive train they had restored to take people to the falls. $10 he said. What?!? You bet your ass I was on the next train to the falls! Wasn't much of a view in the end, but it was awesome riding on an old train like that! Even though I feel like an imposition on my buddy, I'm having such an amzing time here in Seattle.
Tomorrow is the last trip to REI to get the remaining gear for the next leg of the trip.
I just want to get back on the road. Everything about motorcycling is easier when NOT in a city. Tomorrow is tank