A Non-Ride Report; or How to Spend Thousands Without Riding Far

[Shoganai]

A Non-Ride Report; or How to Spend Thousands Without Riding Far



Awake  22 Hrs.

Sleep    2 Hrs.

Awake  3 Hrs.

Sleep   1 Hrs.

Awake  @ 20:00


Can't sleep, might as well ride. I can stop anytime on my way to Bryson City, NC. The ONLY place I need to be is safely back home to my son who depends on me and my wonderful, yet worried husband.

 
I was born to LD ride. It's my passion and my husbands cross to bear.

May, 14th 2014 @ 22:30
450 miles to go.
Outta here!

 (p.s. the songs popped in my head as events unfolded)

One toke over the line Sweet Jesus!


(sorry about the ads)

"We had two bags of grass, 75 pellets of mescaline, 5 sheets of high powered blotted acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers, also a quart of tequila, quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen angles. Not that we needed all that for the trip but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can."






A few days before I was to leave I did all this:

Removed the Touratech locking mount from the fuel cell and hard mounted it directly to the rack.

Added four conductor IP67 quick disconnects for the turn signals and brake lights attached to the fuel cell.

Shortened the AUX fuel line.

Replaced the main HID headlight.

Replaced the missing fuel overflow tube.

Replaced the bulb monitoring unit.

Replaced the SAE connector for the inside tank bag LED with IP67 coaxial quick disconnect.

Replaced the under tank bag LED.

Replaced the connector at the oil site glass and to the best of my knowledge fixed the fuel sending unit.


I hit the wall of rain head on at Marion, VA and stayed in it all the way Sylva, NC at dawn. My GPS didn't know where the Rose Wood Inn was so I stopped at a Shell station in Bryson City to ask directions. The old man warming his hands around a large cup of coffee wasn't sure but offered directions anyway. I thanked him and went outside see if anyone else had a better clue. I was greeted by a tall young man who asked about my bike and where I was from. We talked for a few and I learned he also rode then I asked about the Rose Wood Inn. He gave me good, solid directions that I felt were worth following. I told him I was meeting several other riders and being the no0b I was fully prepared with the Triple B; Beer, Bacon and Boobies. (more on that later) We had a good laugh and parted ways in the misty cool air.

It was 06:30 when I arrived at Rose Wood Inn in Bryson City.



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[Shoganai]

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The first person I meet was Les leaning on a column and sipping coffee. Nobody else seemed to be stirring yet.



I was there because I received an invitation from one of the leaders of this group some Unknown Dork. I meet U.D. and his brother from another mother Ron at the IBA Pizza Party this year. As luck would have it, it was none other than the creators of the Southern Swing 1000 that found Augie and myself at the first bonus location. They lead our sorry asses for 1000 miles to the rest of the bonuses because neither Augie or I could find our way out of a room made of doors that day.

I found I really enjoyed riding with them!



Besides myself, and those two, the other riders were, Victor, Knox, Brian, Les, Matt, Scott, Dennis, Tom, Curtis, Felipe, Johnathan & Gary.


I arrived in time to go to breakfast with them, which I enjoyed. I knew I was the no0b and besides U.D. and Ron, no one had met me, much less ridden with me. After a full nights' ride and a full belly, I was feeling a little tired so opted out on that mornings ride. Heck, it was just Thursday and there was still Friday, Saturday and Sunday.


I saw the riders off and set my alarm for 17:00. Sleep came slowly but I think it was about 10:30 when I drifted off. I awoke at 13:30 rested and alert. I love old towns like this and decided to go for a stroll with my camera.

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[Shoganai]

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I looked out the window from my room and watched to swollen, muddy river roll by.


The Highwaymen-Michael (row the boat ashore)
(sorry about the ads)



I moved my bike down next to my room which was in fact NOT 91 as Ron tried to convince me there was a "whole 'nother row behind this building". It was then I started to loosen up a bit and told him I was born at night but not last night.





I'm not sure of the name of this style of deep, ornate roof overhangs, but I really do love them.













I was a hand lettered sign painter for 10 years and have a very warm, soft place in my heart for old signs.



The man that stroked his hand-made quill across that glass was likely long dead. I wish I could save it for all time framed as the art that it is in my home.





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[Shoganai]

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I stopped in and spent 30 min. talking with the town barber.






Lost In The Fifties Tonight - Ronnie Milsap
(sorry about the ads)







I asked him how old his chair was and he replied 'older than our ages combined' as he deftly gestured to himself and I without missing a beat trimming the old mans hair.



I am always drawn to narrow places, stairways and alleys.



I am passionate about engaging the natural world into the places were we live.








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[Shoganai]

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Next stop, a living museum of yumminess!



   
Eydie Gorme---Soda Pop Hop
(sorry about the ads)















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[Shoganai]

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I looked across the street and saw this!



I introduced myself and shared that I wanted to learn how to make chocolate. I'm a diabetic, and want to make milk chocolate with stevia. I'm allergic to artificial sweeteners as they cause wide spread joint pain. The owners were more than happy to show me.



Donna Rector is the chocolatier and Sherry White is the sales person and so much more.

Sherry took me in back and showed me the dark heart of the  chocolate making biz. I asked her about tempering chocolate which as far as I could tell was as close to either rocket science or white magic as anything I've seen. She confirmed what I had learned.





Donna has been making chocolate for a LONG time!


 
It's toll on her hands and shoulder was painfully clear.  We talked about her up-coming shoulder surgery, pain management and so many other things.

The man she learned her art from.




Glenn Miller - Chattanooga Choo Choo
(sorry about the ads)

The man who won her heart.



I was there for over an hour and a half and before leaving we were trading email address and hugs. What a blessing and treasure those two are. They even sent my packing with a few marvelous samples of their hard work.




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[Shoganai]

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More beautiful signage.



Awesome signage!





And really cool offerings.









The skeletal remains of a bank.



A very nice plant hanger.



I am VERY passionate about trains! And this little town had SO many!



   
500 miles - Peter, Paul and Mary
(sorry about the ads)







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[Shoganai]

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Just wandering around I found one little treasure after another.





I walked into the book exchange and found this stunning piece. I was told it was imported from France over 100 years ago. The lights were added later in it's life.





I grabbed a very nice light lunch and headed back to the motel by way of picking up a bottle of 12 year old McCallan single malt. (Triple B #1)



The riders were coming in from their ride.





A young man and his machine - is there anything more beautiful!
I think not!



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[Shoganai]

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[Shoganai]

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Before going out to eat dinner I called all the guys together and delivered a short announcement. As a no0b I know I'm expected to bring The Triple B; Beer, Bacon and Boobies. Well, I brought a bag of crispy bacon which we had been nibbling on and bottle on McCallan's Scotch. As for the Boobies, I handed out sealed envelopes to each with their names on them.




























I'm-a-baaad-girl.


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[Shoganai]

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That night we walked to an Italian place where I had chicken broccoli Alfredo, Caesar salad and a dark, smooth draft beer.

The next morning it was RIDE TIME!
Hump day!


Happier than a Camel on Wednesday
(sorry about the ads)

Or Shogs on a bike!

There was some debate at dinner as to when the ride would start but it was roughly agreed upon that is was going to be about 47 degrees (I think) or 09:17 plus or minus a degree. We had a brief but comprehensive riders meeting before we mounted up and then we were off!

I was really riding well and when I down shifted from 3rd to 2nd for a 20 mph hair pin turn, simultaneously I heard the horrible sound of SBI coming from the rear of the bike and I felt the rear tire locking up and releasing. I was already yanked over with my ass off the seat and it felt like it wanted the high-side. I sat it up and braked safely to the outside of the turn.

It took three of us to back it completely off the road because it just wouldn't roll.



We flagged on the rest of the riders because it was a dangerous place to stop. Ron on the GW stayed with me and Tom who had trailered up for FL rode back to get his trailer.

It took all of us to load the bike because the rear tire kept locking up and it even did 1/2 way up the ramp!


Tom and Blue Streak.



Off loading it was not much better, then it started to rain.


Smoky Mountain Rain - Ronnie Milsap
(sorry about the ads)





Tom and Ron, now separated from the group, went our their own ride.

With nothing to do but go at it, I do.



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[Shoganai]

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The owner of the motel gave me the keys to her Infinity and said I could use it as long as I needed. Of all the tools I carry, I didn't have a heat gun, a 27 mm 6-point socket, a breaker bar or a 17 mm hex.

I used it once but felt I was imposing on her kindness.

I also took several rides on the back of Knox's GW to NAPA to sort out the 27 mm socket problem.

I first called Morton's BMW to nail down the RIGHT size socket I needed and was told 30 mm. I bought a 30 mm and went to the bike. No, it was too big. I took a rubbing and we rode back to NAPA. I bought a 27 mm 12 point not thinking and went back to the bike. It was pointed out I should be using a 6 point due to the torque. Then I couldn't find my wallet. Thinking I might have left it at NAPA, we rode back there. NO, no wallet. Back to the motel I start looking every where. I eventually find it between the seats of the car. We rode BACK to NAPA and exchange the 12 point for the only 6 point which is deep impact.

After learning I don't have a 17 mm hex, I walk all the way to Advance Auto and the ONLY way to get the size I needed I had to buy a whole set of large hex sockets. I asked a local young woman if she could give me a ride back to the hotel if she was heading that way, which she did.

Holy shit what a cluster!


The damage was worse than I expected. It fractured the final drive housing. In looking through my pics I learned I never took a pic of a destroyed yoke. I made a few phone calls to Anton Largiader and Drake Smith, my two K-bike Gurus, for advice as well. Knox youtubed how to get the broken yolk out of the final drive after nothing else was working. So I reattached the final drive to the torsion bar, re-seated the bearing race to protect the roller bearings and with a 3/8" extension wedged in there I used the breaker bar to tap it out.

These were the only pics I could find on my cell. The zip ties were from the attempt to pull it out before we learned how to tap it out.









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[Shoganai]

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The housing is not a wear part and the bellows will cover it so basically the FD is still good enough to ride for another 93,000 miles.

The good news was it was kinda early on a Friday. I called the EuroSports in Ashville, NC with part numbers and a CC and said 'whatever it takes I need this on Saturday'.

While I was cleaning parts, I got a message that two of our riders went down in the same turn. Gary went over the mountain some 50+ feet and was badly injured. Curtis though hurt was able to pilot his bike once it was pulled back onto the road.


Slowly over the next few (days) hours riders drifted back to the motel and news of Gary trickled in. He had broken his pelvis in two places, his clavicle and his lower leg. His wife was driving up form FL and he was going to have no less than 2 or 3 surgeries to pin and plate him back together. To add insult to injury, he also totaled his brand new FJR.


I was pretty done for the day both emotionally and physically. I was deeply sad about Gary and Curtis and depressed about my own woes.
So I called it a day and broke out the McCallan's.

Saturday arrived and as I awaited word about the replacement parts, I focused on cleaning out the metal shavings.
Saturday was also ride day number two for the remaining riders although Ron stayed at the motel while other were breaking up into smaller riding groups.



Top - Ron, Matt, Johnathan
Middle - Knox, Tom, Brian
Bottom - Jim, Curtis

Curtis's bike. They were able to zip-tie it back together enough to ride.











Scott, Matt and Felipe D.




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[Shoganai]

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Tom and Victor



Les



Les



Felipe



Matt



Tom



Scott



Scott



Dennis



Dennis



Dennis



Dennis



Knox



Knox



Ron's oil seal replacement.




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[Shoganai]

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Father and son.








Chilling out.



Pointing and grunting.



U.D.





When I heard the parts were in, I contacted Steve who was in Hampton, TN and he and DevilDog rode there, picked them up and brought them to me in Bryson City, NC.


While waiting for him to arrived I continued cleaning parts and getting things ready to put it back together. Then I lost a bearing race! Ron and a few others started helping me look for it. If I didn't find it, there was no way in hell I'd be able to re-assemble the bike. My kingdom for a ring of metal that I could wear on my pinky finger! I was carefully looking through the stuff in my room when Ron arrived outside and said, "I need a tire and I'm a little short on cash". Well I knew he needed a tire. I replied, "How much? Will cash do"?

He then held up the pivot pin with the race STILL attached!

Some-ov-oh-bitch! He got me!

The pivot pin was so damaged the race wouldn't come off so I walked the ACE Hardware for a file to remove the mushroomed end. It was then I was glad for thinking ahead and ordering all the drive shaft surrounding bits and pieces. A new pivot pin was on it's way! (The ONE thing that was back ordered were the bearings and races in the drive shift housing, see above)


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[Shoganai]

When Steve arrived, he with 4 others picked up my bike and put her on the sidewalk out of the on and off rain. He helped me put it back together correctly and without him I don't think I would have done it correctly. I really mean that. I would not have known how to align the two universal joints or how to check and correct the pivot pin depth or even remove the broken drive shaft from the housing.







Ron keeping a watchful eye on progress.



All done. Bless her little K1100RS heart.





He also test rode it for me.





Devil Dog (John) had already left over an hour before we finished so it was just Steve and I. I had already paid up for my stay at Rose Wood because at that point there was no way I wasn't going to spend the rest of my time riding with my husband.

I said my goodbyes and got in a few hugs for the guys there (not all had returned from riding) then hastily loaded my bike.

The ride was good, the roads fair and the weather ok, but I was beyond exhausted and something else I couldn't put my finger on.


We arrived late to the ADV event. I had had a bad prior 2 days with the broken drive shaft when the universal joint failed catastrophically within 5 miles of the start. I had spent $1150 I didn't expect to, had inconvenienced a lot of people AND didn't get to go on the ride I so wanted to.

Moody, exhausted bitch would be the best way to describe me.  I didn't have the emotional energy to engage with people well.

I just wanted to decompress. I was in fact fighting back tears and trying to not snap at anyone. So I focused on getting my stuff repacked correctly, found my shampoo and soap then took a very much needed shower.

Walt, God bless him, came to the cabin to visit. Hell, if his enthusiasm doesn't cheer you, you might be dead.
I then felt well enough to walk up the hill and I was glad I did. I deeply enjoyed seeing my very dear friends again.
I was honored to sign my first ever IBA witness form for my friend Sarah's Bun Burner ride.

I can't do crowds anymore so I apologize for not going up to the big fire. More than a dozen or so is all I can deal with anymore and I cannot do loud at all.



Again, please forgive me.

Walt, Steve, Roy, John and Pansy



I dedicate this Non-Ride Report to my husband because he has it tough living with a hard headed woman.

Steve and my "big brother" from The Great White North Jim





Hard Headed Woman - Cat Stevens
(sorry about the ads)




Ride it like you stole it, after you wrench it like you broke it.

-Shog

[johnny]

thats whack... and why i repkace my drive shafts every 80 thousand miles...

j o

[mystic red]

Thanks for the ride along...sorry there was wrenching involved....the pics were GREAT!

[Elipten]

Great report, glad you are okay.  It could have a very serious event.  This is why you have to replace the sealed u-joints and grease the bearings.  Get Bruno to machine the driveshaft with circle clips so you can pull the u-joints and grease them.