Great Ride!

[h2olawyer]

Well, today was the 8th annual Timberline to Timberline ride.  (I've done 6 of them.)  From a church in east Ft. Collins to the Alpine Visitor's Center in Rocky Mountain National Park.  Only around 80 miles for that part of the ride.  The Alpine Visitor's Center is at an elevation of over 12,000ft.  Nice to be with a bunch of other riders and we took some of the back roads.  The road inside the Park is currently under construction from where they close the road in winter on both sides of the park, a distance of around 40 miles.  They've roto-milled most of it and there is about 15 miles of dirt & gravel on the west side.  So, that was a really slow part of the ride.

Lunch in Grand Lake - patio with nice shade umbrellas and huge glasses of iced tea - with a very attentive (and cute) waitress keeping them full.  The cheeseburger was awesome (swiss & bacon) and the deep fried corn nuggets were even better than that!  From Grand Lake, we went on to Granby for fuel, north over Willow Creek Pass to Walden (a road familiar to the 25th anniversary attendees).  I stop for fuel in Walden, too - even though it is only 50 miles from Granby.  It would be a 150 mile ride without the stop and there are no chances for fuel between Walden and home.  Better just not to worry about the fuel situation.  Next time, I'll carry a gallon or two of fuel with me and skip the Walden stop.

From Walden, we went over Cameron Pass and down the Poudre Canyon.  The canyon on Sunday afternoons is really busy with lots of slow traffic.  But, I finally found the riding groove again and managed to get around many of the slow runners.  Just had to re-learn to relax!   ::)  Stopped again in Poudre Park for a Gatorade and a stretch break, then on into Ft. Collins.  Left home at 9 this morning and got home at 7:30 this evening.  Total ride distance was just about 280 miles.  Lots of breaks along the way but I'm still pretty beat.

Bike ran good for most of the ride.  Just after going through the National Park entrance station, I had a fuel starvation issue for 10 seconds or so.  Then nothing until I turned into the Alpine Visitor's Center and the bike died.  Started right up and I got parked.  No major issue.  We took a few photos and the large group broke up.  Most came back down into Estes Park and a few went west, like Jim (Interceptor rider & friend of 40 years) and I did.  After the bike died @ the Visitor's Center, I had no more problems at all.  Part of the road between Granby and Walden is some long straight (boring) stretches - about 22 miles of them.  We covered that section in less than 15 minutes.   ;D

So, I think the carb cleaner and the high speed cruise finally cleaned out the low speed circuits in the carbs.  I have power down low again and no lower RPM stumbles.  Really smooth roll on power through the corners, even at 4K RPM.   8)  Just needed to get some miles on her again to work out the bugs.  Stator still running strong &  I'm finally over 1000 miles on it.  So, it looks like I had a total of 3 bad R/Rs bought new.  One was an Electrosport and the other 2 were OEM type.  No wonder it was a bugger to figure out.  This Electrosport unit is behaving nicely.  The bike isn't running as hot anymore, either.  it did hit the top of the green in the slow road construction zone but stayed at the 1/2 mark the rest of the day.  Kept the fan running 100% of the time.

Looking forward to some more rides this Summer!

H₂O

[funkamongus]

Sounds good!! Congrats on getting her set up right!! You'll both be very happy!

[h2olawyer]

Thanks, funk - but nothing really to set up.  Same bike I've had for 26 years.  Just needed to get out and stretch her legs a bit & get the minor crud worked through the carbs.  Just haven't ridden much in the last year because of the new astro hobby.  She turned over 17,000 miles on this ride.  Around 12K since '03 (when I found ROV).  Hope to get to around 20K on the odometer by the end of this riding season.

Finally got to where I was last year, when I figured out how to truly relax while riding.  My cornering speeds are much quicker than they used to be.  Now, I just need to get out riding more.   ;D

H₂O

[Night Vision]

..... Now, I just need to get out riding more.   ;D

stretch her legs this a way  ;D

[h2olawyer]

Could be fun!  Not likely this year, but I may be looking for a longer tour next summer.  Since I've ridden with some of the CROV guys, I am seriously considering heading eastward for my next Vision sojourn.  Maybe across our Northern border into Ontario or possibly down South to check out the Dragon.  Just loose ideas for now . . .

Now that it looks like I have longer stator life (finally) and wouldn't likely need to change it out a couple times on a long trip, some tours are definitely in the future plans.  Going to do a couple overnighters this summer in the Rockies just to make sure the stator gremlin has finally found someone else to bother.  Want to check out Yellowstone and the Tetons - never been there.  Would make for a nice 5 or 6 day ride - plus I have relatives in Pinedale & Jackson, WY I could impose on for a night or two of hospitality.   ;D

I have two large star parties to attend later this summer - Weekend Under the Stars in early August @ Fox Park, Wyoming and Okie-Tex, near Kenton, OK in early October.  So, I'll be fitting a Colorado Passes ride between the two.  Any later, like October & I risk running into serious possibilities of heavy snow.

H₂O

[Tiger]

I am seriously considering heading eastward for my next Vision sojourn.  Maybe across our Northern border into Ontario.... H₂O

:) You know that your always welcome here my friend... 8) 2011 Spring Ride perhaps... :-\

              8).......TIGER....... 8)

[don_vanecek]

Nice Robert, I can actually picture in my mind some the places you talked about. I remember having perhaps two ten second starvation issues during the 25th anniversary ride that gave me a brief second of "oh sh-t, not now" but like yours they quickly went away and the V ran fine all the rest of the time.

So,...how long would it take us to go to Ontario and back...of course two extra days for you.......aw, I don't have a passport.

Changed my fork oil a few days ago and put in SW springs, can't say as I notice much difference....had to chuckle at myself,was cleaning the garage and in a box I found a YICS box and the chrome looking outer piece, did the vacuum test, it was no good, I must have bought a new one back in the 80's, don't remember doing that.   

[h2olawyer]

Passport prices are increasing - over $100 now!  I don't have one, either.  Plenty of time to get one if I decide to head that way next summer.  I figure 4+ days from my house to Ontario - or add a couple more and go to the north of Lake Superior, to see some more Canadian scenery.  No matter what, there would be lots of flat, straight miles between here & there!

At least you now have a spare YICS box to fix and have ready as a replacement.  No waiting when your current one begins to leak.   ;D

I won't be riding over Rocky Mountain National Park again until the road work is finished next summer.  Just too many miles of rotomilled & gravel surfaces.  Wouldn't normally mind it too much, but the switchbacks on the west side of the park are currently a combination of gravel & mud.  Makes for a pretty slow ride.

H₂O

[Rick G]

better than the 300.  to renew my alien card next year.
I looked in to citizenship, but with the fees and cost of multiple trips to Phoenix , with motel and eating out,I probably can't afford it .
I took the pre test and passed  with flying colours, I should after 52 years.

OK , obligatory ride content. I rode up to the Golden Corral Tuesday, for the route 66 riders meeting and filled out an app. to join. It was so hot I didn't even wear a jacket.