Pre scriptum: it happened about month ago - I finally translated it to
English.
Hello,
Friday 7am. Alarm clock is trying to wake me up. Okay ALF - I tell
myself - one more hour will not hurt but I remember I made the
arrangement with myself for that trip. It is cold - something around 47F
- at least up to weather.com - it has been while since I have been
checking weather on the computer instead of looking thru the window :-).
Forecast is not promising - some rain in the morning. My areostich
roadcrafter is proved to not to be waterproof. there is a long trip
ahead of me with a goal of making it in 2 days although I have a spare
one which is Sunday. There are two objectives: demo ride some Buells in
Milwaukee and first of all I wanted to say - ride around the Lake
Michigan. Touch Lake Superior if possible and ride as many back roads as
seen on horizon. This is one of my dreams before leaving Chicago for
good. I still have plenty of second thoughts - so many unfinished things
to do. However I have never regretted riding instead of doing home
duties. And always when I give up on riding I have a mental hangover
later. So I go.
9am - kickstand goes up. and rain down. fortunately I just cut through
it quickly to north were forecast was much more promising. First stage
ends at Buell/HD in New Berlin nearby Milwaukee. The demo ride was
arranged earlier and I could not wait. I want to try out something very
tempting which is Buell Ulysses. I like about it almost everything as it
links sport, adventure, 2up and light off-road skills. This time I
checked 3 times I took my D/L (last time I realized 180 miles away from
my home that it is not with me what pretty much prevented the demo ride
:-). I meet Steve too. All goes quick. I am sitting on Uly. The 10 miles
of short ride is very impressive. The machines is swift and feel light.
Suspension eats up all road irregularities as well as train track. As
thet would not exist. Excellent. However that 7KRPM? Can I get used to
it? The honest answer is no. After returning to dealership there is a
surprise waiting on me - 1125R. We take off again and well - what can I
say - it is nice. But neither my skills nor the demo ride rules nor the
route let me to open it up. Again - it is D675 which resonates with me
hart. Two weeks later - I receive a nice brochure from Buell - thank
you. I will call you, do not call me.
Wis-con-sin is just beautiful. In spite of low temperature the ride is
very fine. And now an observation: I am very surprised that
motorcyclists just to not wave back. Is it because I am on the sport
bike? Probably not because when later I reach deeper areas of Michigan
HD beat me to wave. So it is not a bike I ride on. Another observation:
I counted 7 dead dears on the shoulders, 4 in Wisconsin on very short
distance and rest of them just along the route. The most unexpected is
that those were the last spots were I could never anticipate them. Sick
animals. This is the risk I have accept.
Entering Michigan is like going to a paradise. The landscape changes,
everything is like more pampered. Not sure why - cheese land is also
nice - perhaps the reason is that I started rolling along the shore.
Which means more $$$$$. I also reach a decision point what to do about
Lake Superior. I have better feeling how much time is left so I can
allow more improvisation. I go there. Perhaps last chance to see it in
the foreseeable future. Additional temptation is the road 35 with many
curves on the map. Indeed, it is such in reality. I deserve some
pleasure, do not I? Landscape changes again, nice empty areas with
130MPH stretches. I have to be careful - my Givi topcase is rated to 120
but km/h. It is just pure mega super amazing ass kicking cool hot
experience. I do not mean 130MPH of course but the fact I ride alone
like a wolf in that emptiness. Finally I reach the Marquette Town, find
a room and head out to Prescott's Island recommended by the motel owner.
She says it is gorgeous. It is. It carves memories in my brain simply. I
also start taking first pictures.
Second day. Wake up at 6am. Finish up remainings of the pizza from the
supper. But I am still sleeping. Until it is 7am and I am effectively
awoken by state trooper. Actually it was her asking how fast I was
going. I say 55MPH in 65MPH. She replies I was clocked at 70MPH. Well I
slowed down too. Can you imagine sleeping at 7%MPH. It ended up with
very nice verbal warning. My driving record is clean and shiny as a some
HD motorcycles - I work hard to keep it this way and now collect the
effect of my hard work. From that point on I just slow down and try to
keep it at 5MPH over the lmit. And another observation: as long as you
ride straight roads it really does not matter whether it is 55 or 95MPH.
And you save on the fuel - my FZ-1 set a record on this trip with 50MPG.
The curves are different story. Okay, but let's change the subject.
I am still in the paradise. That feeling is my main comrade now.
Everything is so gorgeous and so wild. The God is great. And those curvy
rivers in the forests. And the virginity of the forests and meadows.
Such experience will be with me until reach the middle of the state.
Time goes fast and I am suddenly on the Mackinac bridge. After that I
fill up on the smallest gas station I have ever filled up and have a
lunch in - what a surprise - Polish Inn. To be honest - good but not the
best.
And now it is the real surprise. The tunnel of trees. And 230 miles of
very twisty roads. This is what I waited for a long long while. The road
in trees is very deceptive. A lot of washouts, gravel, sand. I take it
easy. It can catch you off guard easily. Gradually it gets more
civilized though. Suddenly my GPS asks me to take an unexpected turn.
WTF? I follow it and we (I mean my faithful FZ-1 and myself) wind up in
the gravel road. I have never rode on such - do not want to back up
either. Interestingly the bike is quite stable. I keep my legs spread
but from yard to yard gain more and more self confidence. We cut it like
a knife a butter now. After a mile or so I yield back to the main road.
What happened - later it turned out that when making the way points
beforehand I did not use detailed enough scale and pointed on the some
auxiliary path. BTW, I use TomTom and there is an excellent piece of
freeware: http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php . Try it out. And *THE
REVELATION* of the trip comes to me: I can take FZ-1 to Alaska. And I
will. This way poor $120 GPS saves me many many $$$$$$ as I do not need
1200GS :-). Again the very strong feeling that Someone is with me.
230 miles of the curves slowly ends up. There are some secrets I will
not tell anyone - no, no troopers :-). You will find out what when you
ride that route. Eventually I end up on the real highway. It is getting
late and cold like 48F. I make it to South Heaven, have the best blue
cheese hamburger in my life. there is yet 150 miles to my house, close
to 10pm and cold. I can find a motel, no problem but the desire to
challenge myself is grater then common sense and this way I enter the
last stage of the race with myself. To keep things safe I lock my
autopilot on the truck and slowly but surely roll to home. Another thing
is I just do not want to meet one of the big sick animal from the
surrounding forests. BTW, I counted about 15 troopers on my way so far.
Here is the sketch of the route http://tinyurl.com/62yr7d . It was 1252
miles with 2/3 made the second day. I did it. Could not be more happy.
One of the objectives was some kind of endurance test. I rode 14h on the
second day with small breaks. It is interesting how fatigue affects how
the body and mind react. And one of the greater things - after some time
I felt some kind unification with the machine. Dismounting was very
painful as a divorce if I can say that. Riding hour after hour after
hour after hour after hour after hour optimizes your smallest and single
movements. All becomes a single flesh. Wow.
Here are pictures: http://tinyurl.com/4q27ef .
--
Best regards, AlFire
> Pre scriptum: it happened about month ago - I finally translated it to
> English.
> Hello,
> Friday 7am. Alarm clock is trying to wake me up. Okay ALF - I tell
> myself - one more hour will not hurt but I remember I made the
> arrangement with myself for that trip. It is cold - something around 47F
> - at least up to weather.com - it has been while since I have been
> checking weather on the computer instead of looking thru the window :-).
> Forecast is not promising - some rain in the morning. My areostich
> roadcrafter is proved to not to be waterproof. there is a long trip
> ahead of me with a goal of making it in 2 days although I have a spare
> one which is Sunday. There are two objectives: demo ride some Buells in
> Milwaukee and first of all I wanted to say - ride around the Lake
> Michigan. Touch Lake Superior if possible and ride as many back roads as
> seen on horizon. This is one of my dreams before leaving Chicago for
> good. I still have plenty of second thoughts - so many unfinished things
> to do. However I have never regretted riding instead of doing home
> duties. And always when I give up on riding I have a mental hangover
> later. So I go.
> 9am - kickstand goes up. and rain down. fortunately I just cut through
> it quickly to north were forecast was much more promising. First stage
> ends at Buell/HD in New Berlin nearby Milwaukee. The demo ride was
> arranged earlier and I could not wait. I want to try out something very
> tempting which is Buell Ulysses. I like about it almost everything as it
> links sport, adventure, 2up and light off-road skills. This time I
> checked 3 times I took my D/L (last time I realized 180 miles away from
> my home that it is not with me what pretty much prevented the demo ride
> :-). I meet Steve too. All goes quick. I am sitting on Uly. The 10 miles
> of short ride is very impressive. The machines is swift and feel light.
> Suspension eats up all road irregularities as well as train track. As
> thet would not exist. Excellent. However that 7KRPM? Can I get used to
> it? The honest answer is no. After returning to dealership there is a
> surprise waiting on me - 1125R. We take off again and well - what can I
> say - it is nice. But neither my skills nor the demo ride rules nor the
> route let me to open it up. Again - it is D675 which resonates with me
> hart. Two weeks later - I receive a nice brochure from Buell - thank
> you. I will call you, do not call me.
> Wis-con-sin is just beautiful. In spite of low temperature the ride is
> very fine. And now an observation: I am very surprised that
> motorcyclists just to not wave back. Is it because I am on the sport
> bike? Probably not because when later I reach deeper areas of Michigan
> HD beat me to wave. So it is not a bike I ride on. Another observation:
> I counted 7 dead dears on the shoulders, 4 in Wisconsin on very short
> distance and rest of them just along the route. The most unexpected is
> that those were the last spots were I could never anticipate them. Sick
> animals. This is the risk I have accept.
> Entering Michigan is like going to a paradise. The landscape changes,
> everything is like more pampered. Not sure why - cheese land is also
> nice - perhaps the reason is that I started rolling along the shore.
> Which means more $$$$$. I also reach a decision point what to do about
> Lake Superior. I have better feeling how much time is left so I can
> allow more improvisation. I go there. Perhaps last chance to see it in
> the foreseeable future. Additional temptation is the road 35 with many
> curves on the map. Indeed, it is such in reality. I deserve some
> pleasure, do not I? Landscape changes again, nice empty areas with
> 130MPH stretches. I have to be careful - my Givi topcase is rated to 120
> but km/h. It is just pure mega super amazing ass kicking cool hot
> experience. I do not mean 130MPH of course but the fact I ride alone
> like a wolf in that emptiness. Finally I reach the Marquette Town, find
> a room and head out to Prescott's Island recommended by the motel owner.
> She says it is gorgeous. It is. It carves memories in my brain simply. I
> also start taking first pictures.
> Second day. Wake up at 6am. Finish up remainings of the pizza from the
> supper. But I am still sleeping. Until it is 7am and I am effectively
> awoken by state trooper. Actually it was her asking how fast I was
> going. I say 55MPH in 65MPH. She replies I was clocked at 70MPH. Well I
> slowed down too. Can you imagine sleeping at 7%MPH. It ended up with
> very nice verbal warning. My driving record is clean and shiny as a some
> HD motorcycles - I work hard to keep it this way and now collect the
> effect of my hard work. From that point on I just slow down and try to
> keep it at 5MPH over the lmit. And another observation: as long as you
> ride straight roads it really does not matter whether it is 55 or 95MPH.
> And you save on the fuel - my FZ-1 set a record on this trip with 50MPG.
> The curves are different story. Okay, but let's change the subject.
> I am still in the paradise. That feeling is my main comrade now.
> Everything is so gorgeous and so wild. The God is great. And those curvy
> rivers in the forests. And the virginity of the forests and meadows.
> Such experience will be with me until reach the middle of the state.
> Time goes fast and I am suddenly on the Mackinac bridge. After that I
> fill up on the smallest gas station I have ever filled up and have a
> lunch in - what a surprise - Polish Inn. To be honest - good but not the
> best.
> And now it is the real surprise. The tunnel of trees. And 230 miles of
> very twisty roads. This is what I waited for a long long while. The road
> in trees is very deceptive. A lot of washouts, gravel, sand. I take it
> easy. It can catch you off guard easily. Gradually it gets more
> civilized though. Suddenly my GPS asks me to take an unexpected turn.
> WTF? I follow it and we (I mean my faithful FZ-1 and myself) wind up in
> the gravel road. I have never rode on such - do not want to back up
> either. Interestingly the bike is quite stable. I keep my legs spread
> but from yard to yard gain more and more self confidence. We cut it like
> a knife a butter now. After a mile or so I yield back to the main road.
> What happened - later it turned out that when making the way points
> beforehand I did not use detailed enough scale and pointed on the some
> auxiliary path. BTW, I use TomTom and there is an excellent piece of
> freeware:http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php . Try it out. And *THE
> REVELATION* of the trip comes to me: I can take FZ-1 to Alaska. And I
> will. This way poor $120 GPS saves me many many $$$$$$ as I do not need
> 1200GS :-). Again the very strong feeling that Someone is with me.
> 230 miles of the curves slowly ends up. There are some secrets I will
> not tell anyone - no, no troopers :-). You will find out what when you
> ride that route. Eventually I end up on the real highway. It is getting
> late and cold like 48F. I make it to South Heaven, have the best blue
> cheese hamburger in my life. there is yet 150 miles to my house, close
> to 10pm and cold. I can find a motel, no problem but the desire to
> challenge myself is grater then common sense and this way I enter the
> last stage of the race with myself. To keep things safe I lock my
> autopilot on the truck and slowly but surely roll to home. Another thing
> is I just do not want to meet one of the big sick animal from the
> surrounding forests. BTW, I counted about 15 troopers on my way so far.
> Here is the sketch of the routehttp://tinyurl.com/62yr7d . It was 1252
> miles with 2/3 made the second day. I did it. Could not be more happy.
> One of the objectives was some kind of endurance test. I rode 14h on the
> second day with small breaks. It is interesting how fatigue affects how
> the body and mind react. And one of the greater things - after some time
> I felt some kind unification with the machine. Dismounting was very
> painful as a divorce if I can say that. Riding hour after hour after
> hour after hour after hour after hour optimizes your smallest and single
> movements. All becomes a single flesh. Wow.
> Here are pictures:http://tinyurl.com/4q27ef .
> --
> Best regards, AlFire
Great ride report and nice scenery in your photos, Andy. Thanks for
sharing.
You wouldn't have wanted to be down in AZ today, It was 112 and a
friend, his son ( Bryan & Troy met them) and I were out in my AC'd
garage changing oil, filter, cleaning & lubing the chain and best of
all pulling off the wheels to change tires. We found a place that
still does mounting and balancing for $10 a tire, so we had 4 tires
changed while we ate at Wendy's in Mesa. That should be it for most my
maintenace for the next year at the rate I've been riding (weekend
warrior in the canyon you rode or Apache trail). We may go out in the
morning if we get up early enought to avoid most the heat-:)
Andy, don't take recent criticism from one of our regulars badly. He's
a ggod guy like most of us, most of the time and I know you, have met
& rode with you so I know you're no posuer.
BTW, are you still planing on leaving the Chicago metro? If so, will
you be moving to PHX as you said the enterview went well and you have
friends that live here?
Bob Nixon..
Bob Nixon wrote:
>
> Great ride report and nice scenery in your photos, Andy. Thanks for
> sharing.
thx you (and others) for reading it ...
> You wouldn't have wanted to be down in AZ today, It was 112 and a
> friend, his son ( Bryan & Troy met them) and I were out in my AC'd
> garage changing oil, filter, cleaning & lubing the chain and best of
> all pulling off the wheels to change tires. We found a place that
> still does mounting and balancing for $10 a tire, so we had 4 tires
> changed while we ate at Wendy's in Mesa.
they charge $35 per wheel in Chicago - at least could not find something
cheaper. one more reason to move down there :-).
112 does not scare me as long as nights are much cooler. I checked
weather in PHX and that 111/Sunny, 111/Sunny, 111/Sunny sounds like a
mantra.
> Andy, don't take recent criticism from one of our regulars badly. He's
> a ggod guy like most of us, most of the time and I know you, have met
> & rode with you so I know you're no posuer.
This is fine. I wrote before - last thing I look here for is that
everybody agree on everything and are so ultra nice to each other like
people waiting in line for a coffee at Starbucks. Yack.
> BTW, are you still planing on leaving the Chicago metro? If so, will
> you be moving to PHX as you said the enterview went well and you have
> friends that live here?
Can not tell anything until it gets official. But all is very promising.
XML Sitemap
> English.
> Hello,
> Friday 7am. Alarm clock is trying to wake me up. Okay ALF - I tell
> myself - one more hour will not hurt but I remember I made the
> arrangement with myself for that trip. It is cold - something around 47F
> - at least up to weather.com - it has been while since I have been
> checking weather on the computer instead of looking thru the window :-).
> Forecast is not promising - some rain in the morning. My areostich
> roadcrafter is proved to not to be waterproof. there is a long trip
> ahead of me with a goal of making it in 2 days although I have a spare
> one which is Sunday. There are two objectives: demo ride some Buells in
> Milwaukee and first of all I wanted to say - ride around the Lake
> Michigan. Touch Lake Superior if possible and ride as many back roads as
> seen on horizon. This is one of my dreams before leaving Chicago for
> good. I still have plenty of second thoughts - so many unfinished things
> to do. However I have never regretted riding instead of doing home
> duties. And always when I give up on riding I have a mental hangover
> later. So I go.
> 9am - kickstand goes up. and rain down. fortunately I just cut through
> it quickly to north were forecast was much more promising. First stage
> ends at Buell/HD in New Berlin nearby Milwaukee. The demo ride was
> arranged earlier and I could not wait. I want to try out something very
> tempting which is Buell Ulysses. I like about it almost everything as it
> links sport, adventure, 2up and light off-road skills. This time I
> checked 3 times I took my D/L (last time I realized 180 miles away from
> my home that it is not with me what pretty much prevented the demo ride
> :-). I meet Steve too. All goes quick. I am sitting on Uly. The 10 miles
> of short ride is very impressive. The machines is swift and feel light.
> Suspension eats up all road irregularities as well as train track. As
> thet would not exist. Excellent. However that 7KRPM? Can I get used to
> it? The honest answer is no. After returning to dealership there is a
> surprise waiting on me - 1125R. We take off again and well - what can I
> say - it is nice. But neither my skills nor the demo ride rules nor the
> route let me to open it up. Again - it is D675 which resonates with me
> hart. Two weeks later - I receive a nice brochure from Buell - thank
> you. I will call you, do not call me.
> Wis-con-sin is just beautiful. In spite of low temperature the ride is
> very fine. And now an observation: I am very surprised that
> motorcyclists just to not wave back. Is it because I am on the sport
> bike? Probably not because when later I reach deeper areas of Michigan
> HD beat me to wave. So it is not a bike I ride on. Another observation:
> I counted 7 dead dears on the shoulders, 4 in Wisconsin on very short
> distance and rest of them just along the route. The most unexpected is
> that those were the last spots were I could never anticipate them. Sick
> animals. This is the risk I have accept.
> Entering Michigan is like going to a paradise. The landscape changes,
> everything is like more pampered. Not sure why - cheese land is also
> nice - perhaps the reason is that I started rolling along the shore.
> Which means more $$$$$. I also reach a decision point what to do about
> Lake Superior. I have better feeling how much time is left so I can
> allow more improvisation. I go there. Perhaps last chance to see it in
> the foreseeable future. Additional temptation is the road 35 with many
> curves on the map. Indeed, it is such in reality. I deserve some
> pleasure, do not I? Landscape changes again, nice empty areas with
> 130MPH stretches. I have to be careful - my Givi topcase is rated to 120
> but km/h. It is just pure mega super amazing ass kicking cool hot
> experience. I do not mean 130MPH of course but the fact I ride alone
> like a wolf in that emptiness. Finally I reach the Marquette Town, find
> a room and head out to Prescott's Island recommended by the motel owner.
> She says it is gorgeous. It is. It carves memories in my brain simply. I
> also start taking first pictures.
> Second day. Wake up at 6am. Finish up remainings of the pizza from the
> supper. But I am still sleeping. Until it is 7am and I am effectively
> awoken by state trooper. Actually it was her asking how fast I was
> going. I say 55MPH in 65MPH. She replies I was clocked at 70MPH. Well I
> slowed down too. Can you imagine sleeping at 7%MPH. It ended up with
> very nice verbal warning. My driving record is clean and shiny as a some
> HD motorcycles - I work hard to keep it this way and now collect the
> effect of my hard work. From that point on I just slow down and try to
> keep it at 5MPH over the lmit. And another observation: as long as you
> ride straight roads it really does not matter whether it is 55 or 95MPH.
> And you save on the fuel - my FZ-1 set a record on this trip with 50MPG.
> The curves are different story. Okay, but let's change the subject.
> I am still in the paradise. That feeling is my main comrade now.
> Everything is so gorgeous and so wild. The God is great. And those curvy
> rivers in the forests. And the virginity of the forests and meadows.
> Such experience will be with me until reach the middle of the state.
> Time goes fast and I am suddenly on the Mackinac bridge. After that I
> fill up on the smallest gas station I have ever filled up and have a
> lunch in - what a surprise - Polish Inn. To be honest - good but not the
> best.
> And now it is the real surprise. The tunnel of trees. And 230 miles of
> very twisty roads. This is what I waited for a long long while. The road
> in trees is very deceptive. A lot of washouts, gravel, sand. I take it
> easy. It can catch you off guard easily. Gradually it gets more
> civilized though. Suddenly my GPS asks me to take an unexpected turn.
> WTF? I follow it and we (I mean my faithful FZ-1 and myself) wind up in
> the gravel road. I have never rode on such - do not want to back up
> either. Interestingly the bike is quite stable. I keep my legs spread
> but from yard to yard gain more and more self confidence. We cut it like
> a knife a butter now. After a mile or so I yield back to the main road.
> What happened - later it turned out that when making the way points
> beforehand I did not use detailed enough scale and pointed on the some
> auxiliary path. BTW, I use TomTom and there is an excellent piece of
> freeware:http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php . Try it out. And *THE
> REVELATION* of the trip comes to me: I can take FZ-1 to Alaska. And I
> will. This way poor $120 GPS saves me many many $$$$$$ as I do not need
> 1200GS :-). Again the very strong feeling that Someone is with me.
> 230 miles of the curves slowly ends up. There are some secrets I will
> not tell anyone - no, no troopers :-). You will find out what when you
> ride that route. Eventually I end up on the real highway. It is getting
> late and cold like 48F. I make it to South Heaven, have the best blue
> cheese hamburger in my life. there is yet 150 miles to my house, close
> to 10pm and cold. I can find a motel, no problem but the desire to
> challenge myself is grater then common sense and this way I enter the
> last stage of the race with myself. To keep things safe I lock my
> autopilot on the truck and slowly but surely roll to home. Another thing
> is I just do not want to meet one of the big sick animal from the
> surrounding forests. BTW, I counted about 15 troopers on my way so far.
> Here is the sketch of the routehttp://tinyurl.com/62yr7d . It was 1252
> miles with 2/3 made the second day. I did it. Could not be more happy.
> One of the objectives was some kind of endurance test. I rode 14h on the
> second day with small breaks. It is interesting how fatigue affects how
> the body and mind react. And one of the greater things - after some time
> I felt some kind unification with the machine. Dismounting was very
> painful as a divorce if I can say that. Riding hour after hour after
> hour after hour after hour after hour optimizes your smallest and single
> movements. All becomes a single flesh. Wow.
> Here are pictures:http://tinyurl.com/4q27ef .
> --
> Best regards, AlFire