Well, I know it's not much of a distant or glamorous destination, but I'm finally on the road. After all the preparation it's hard to believe that I'm actually doing it. It's a little bit terrifying. After all the anticipation, as much as I've looked forward to this trip there was actually quite a bit of sadness in my departure today. I've had a lot of fun living with my brother and I really believe I have about the greatest group of friends that any person could ask for, and it's hard to leave that behind.
Loading up the bike was interesting. It took about a half an hour to figure out the best way to secure everything on the bike. Even so, I'm not certain I've really found the best way to pack everything into the bags. It seems to be fairly balanced; there's no wobble in the handle bars and it doesn't seem to drift to either side. Having the tank bag seems to provide just enough front end weight to keep it from bucking like it did when I only had the side bags and the tail bag mounted. I still need to stop at a dealership and get the suspension stiffened up a bit I think. The bike gets pushed around a lot more by the wind with all the extra luggage, and I can hear the engine working harder to keep up the same speeds, but it still has plenty of zip to it.
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Bro, I will be keeping tabs on your blog and looking forward to your accounts.
ReplyDeleteTake care, BR
The longest journey begins with the first step.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Uncle Bear
Forgot your driver's license.....But what good is a roadtrip if you haven't forgotten something you really need?
ReplyDeleteHave a good trip dude. I'll be watchin' your journal. Ya hear that BR... he said it's a journal not a blog! ;)
ReplyDeleteAs you ride off on your existential quest, I'm reminded of a line of transcendental verse from Thoreau's Walden that has never left me since I first encountered it.
ReplyDelete"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Greg
Eat at Della's in Grants Pass. Great breakfast's...if you're heading to the coast via 199 it's a beautiful ride. The Smith River and Redwood forest can be chilly in the morning, but once to the coast it warms up. If you have any needs in the NW give me a ring.
ReplyDelete