184 Days Until Departure, Dry run with HD crowd.

I've never much cared for riding in large groups.  When you can't pass someone who is doing 10 under because it would split the group...it may be time to quit riding in the group.

Had a nice ride to the Ocean Shores, WA, with a buddy who's club was putting on a poker run.  The visiting with folks at the stops was nice but as the ride progressed the number of bikes continued to climb.  Snzzzzzx.  I had enough of moving in formation at USNA, I don't need more now.

When we got to the hotel on the beach all the HD riders pulled into the lot. I kept riding straight to the beach.  The speed limit on the beach is 25 mph.  Turns out you can do a wicked power slide between 10 & 25 mph.  Big old smiles in the sand.  Just for hoots I rode the bike over a log on the beach.

The ride back was MUCH better because it was just KP and me riding at whatever pace we liked on whatever route we liked in perfect weather. =)

As much as I don't like formation riding.  I think there are a couple things Jim and I can do to facilitate non-verbal bike-to-bike communication.

Last piece of luggage arrives this week, a Beta bag from Wolfman.  A rotopax 1 gallon fuel tank should be with it.  With those I'll be able to do a complete packing and go for a dry run with Jim when he arrives in a couple weeks.

202 Days until Departure. Spanish and y Espagnol

Jim and I are both working on our Spanish for the trip.  I have no prior experience with learning Spanish.  I have good comprehension of French from 3 years of study.  Mostly that is just confusing me since when I can't figure out how to say something in Spanish my brain wants to default to French.

Biggest lesson learned so far:  The verbs convey much more information in Spanish than in English.

Jim y yo estamos trabajando en nuestro español para el viaje. No tengo ninguna experiencia previa con el aprendizaje del español. Tengo una buena comprensión de la lengua francesa a partir de 3 años de estudio. Sobre todo que se me acaba deconfusión ya que cuando no puedo encontrar la manera de decir algo en español de mi cerebro quiere por defecto al francés.

Mayor lección aprendida hasta el momento: Los verbos transmitir mucha más información en español que en Inglés.


I used translate.google.com to generate the Spanish.  The good news is that I can read and understand it.  There is hope that I'll be able to do more than order a beer and find gasoline.

205 Days 'till Departure. Farkles

I bought the 2007 Adventure S with 4000 miles on it.  I am the 4th owner.  When I looked at the bike I told the guy selling it that I needed to talk to my wife about it.  He said "You'll never buy it then.  None of us (the two prior owners were friends of his) asked our wives."  My immediate thought was, yeah, and in 4 years none of you had ridden it on any "adventures".  I've had the bike for 1 year this month and I've put almost 5,000 miles on it.  Gerry, one year, 5,000 miles vs. Three other guys, four years, 4,000 miles.  I win! And that was only having fun.

The bike came with several farkles already.

Already on or with bike:
     Wings Exhaust
     Saito Heated Grips
     Caribou Side Cases
     KTM Low Seat (Gave this one to Jim)
     Corbin Low Seat
     Air horn (Not sure of brand)
     Stock and high windshield (I cut down the aftermarket shield and use it)
     Stock and 1 tooth smaller countershaft sprocket (I reinstalled the stock)
     Centech AP-1 aux power panel (not installed, but now in the space there the ABS isn't)
     KTM Hard Parts crash bars
     KTM Tank Bag

Done since purchase:
     Removed SAS and installed Black Dog SAS blanking plates.
     Installed Garmin 655 (XM antenna in right fairing)
     Flapectomy
     Canisterectomy
     Move air horn to  canister location
     Installed high fender and fork guards (note, the S and R suspensions have different mount points on the forks for the guards)
     Installed BMW style aux power on left side.
     Black Dog skid plate
     Black Dog side stand reinforcement
     F-109N Quick Oil Drain Valve
     CJ Designs Footpeg extensions
     KTMTwins foam pre-filter.

208 Days 'till Departure. My Riding Suit!

My riding gear arrived today.  I bought the jacket used and saved about $400.  I had the jacket refurbished at Aerostich, which was surprisingly affordable.  I purchased a new electric liner that zips in, because it is cold on the Altiplano.  The pants are the matching Aerostich Darien pants.

The jacket is nice and comfy now.  The pants will need some breaking in.