New helmet

Finally arrived and fits perfectly!

Hjc cl-17

headset installed easily as well. Fits pretty nice

There and back again

My laziest trip plan ever. This is how I will get there. To go home, I'll go the opposite way. I wonder why we only have 5 followers after all this time.

Trick of the day on myself

Ordered new boots. Went with the Durango square toed harness boots. I know these were popular with "bikers" but reviews said they were comfortable.

I open the Cowboy looking box and see this:

So after the snarky sweater vest post I have put my foot in my mouth.

Melissa responded semi-panicked to my audible groan.

I'm a tool. 

Boots feel good though.

It's funny...

...all those scowling bad ass bikers that hang out at the dealership and pose in their black shirts and jeans(biker uniform)

Aren't riding in 23°F, let alone the 40°F in the afternoon.

This dork rides in a sweater vest and pleated slacks.

I'm wearing my work clothes to the next swap meet.

Resolutions for 2016

Kind of cheesey, but I think these will be good goals for me to try to achieve in 2016.

1.  Been 3 years of eating right, lost 60 lbs. I will pick up some sort of exercise regimin that will help me get rid of back aches and other pains associated with "getting old". Not looking to get rid of having a Dad bod, just doing maintenance for future fun.
2. More than 1 bike trip this year. Last year was fun, but only one bike trip. There is more to explore. 
1. The memorial day trip is booked. just have to focus on surviving for another 5.8 months.
2. The Michigan saddle sore 1000. 
3. Mayor's work related tunnel of trees ride.
3. Figure out the electrical gremlins on the XL125, Jake thinks it is his bike and constantly asks about it.

      4. Michigan camping trip redux. Spend the free time I get from graduating with my wife and kids
      5. Find Nick Offerman's shirt from his American Ham special. Rivals the Mayor's rose skulls.

    6. Work on the bikes with the kids more
    7. Post more

Modified BRP route

Google Maps has an issue with a portion of the BRP south west of Asheville, NC. The Tunnels are not showing up as tunnels, but dead ends. So I have to break this down.

We enter the Blue Ridge just over 1/3 of the way shown on the above map. 3.5 hours 129 miles to the end point. The end point and the beginning of the next map leaves a tunnel filled gap of about a mile or two.

 Scale changes:

Picking up this takes us to Asheville, roughly where we found the BRP again the last time. 27 minutes, 17.7 miles. We will see if Richie is still up for meeting us for some lunch. He has some good bike stories and was taking motorcycle trips from NY to all over back in the 60's on 400s. I think you'll like him. He's a good guy.

 Scale changed again:

Wandering back to Base 1hour 51 minutes 75.5 miles. Boone highlighted on the screen shot. Possible base of operations for the next trip to the area.

Roughly 2 hours back to base from Asheville. This route gives us about 6 hours of drive time, which knowing us(and the possible introduction of Rich) we can fuck up and add ten hours of being lost or wandering to.

Highlights I think would be great to stop and see:

• 417 Looking Glass Rock is visible from many spots on the Parkway starting at Mount Pisgah.
• 420.2 Shining Rock Wilderness is the largest Wilderness in North Carolina with 18,483 acres (74.80 km²), 25 miles (40 km) of trails and peaks over 6,000 ft (1,800 m). The Wilderness is named for Shining Rock.
• 420.2 Black Balsam Knob is a grassy bald with panoramic views just outside of the Shining Rock Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest. The Wilderness also includes Cold Mountain.
• 422.4 Devil's Courthouse is a rugged exposed mountaintop rich in Cherokee traditions.
• 431 Richland Balsam is the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet (1,845 m). There is a self-guiding trail that passes through a remnant spruce-firforest.
• 451.2 Waterrock Knob provides a panorama of the Great Smokies, visitor center, trail, comfort station, exhibits.
• Mile 469 Southern End of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with U.S. 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Reservation near Cherokee, North Carolina.

Installing Hayden M6 primary chain adj

Installing Hayden M6 primary chain adjuster on Liberace.

After drilling out the top manual shoe adjuster mount bolt and getting lucky, everything went together well. Didn't get pics of it in the primary, because I had to button it up quick and didn't think about it.

This top screw was a bitch:

Test drive and leak check seems good!

More on the upcoming trip and resolutions later. Need to clean up that brp post from a few days ago.

2016

First post of the year!

Received my extended ram-mount arm for my nerd setup. Geeked for the next road trip! Now I can take pics on the road without seeming the top of the headlamp.

Resolutions and installing anautoadjuster for the primary chain to follow.