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OldKneeDragger
Tue Apr 6th, 2004, 11:09 PM
Is everybody too busy riding or just dreaming of the next ride :lol: After the little day ride with GSL, it has got me back in the mood for maybe a couple of day rides back to back :shock:

So Will, did you give up on your B2B? Kinda crazy with us almost in the center of the country. You end up having to do the equivalent of 2 B2B's just to get one documented.

I'm sure you've seen the short list of those who did the B2B insanity (24 hours)... even better, the list of B2B2B Insanity folks (2)!

A B2B2B should qualify you for a BBG3K at the same time :D :D

The folks that live near the border sure have an advantage. Un fortunately you can't start in the center and ride to one border, then to the other and come back to the start to call it a B2B2B even if it is the same roads and same time.

Logistically, it a chore trying to figure out a clever way to minimize the overhead associated with these rides (distance to and from the start/end) and the extra nights away from home required. Got any good ideas?

Player 2
Wed Apr 7th, 2004, 11:13 AM
I'm thinking about a 10 day trip or so to British Columbia in June or July. We've got 100 acres outside of Cranbrook, BC so I was going to head up and visit for a couple of days and then spend a few more riding the beautiful roads around the area....

GSL
Wed Apr 7th, 2004, 07:34 PM
Hey Ron,

Nope, I haven't given up on the B2B. In fact, I'm thinking about doing one very soon. Sometime around May 1st or 8th. After that, I'll be pretty low key, doing day rides or dirt rides while getting ready for the TCGold (launching the end of May).

Wanna go B2B? I think my former B2B partner has lost interest in IBA type rides. And rumour has it that Senoir Kneebone will accept two former IBA certified riders photograping each other (riding together) at the border crossing as well as receipts from the adjacent country side and the US side as proof of the border crossing... Not sure how legit that is... Getting real witnesses at the Mexico border sounds like the biggest hurdle in the ride.

Anyway, ride up to Canada on a Friday, ride B2B on a Saturday, and ride home on a Sunday.......... :D :D

Also, I'm kicking off an "NP Silver" starting this weekend. In grand style, it will begin with Arches and the Canyonlands... 8)

towneh
Wed Apr 7th, 2004, 08:32 PM
I've been working on the details for my B2B; to address the complications of witnesses on the Mexican border, I plan on starting there first. I've got relatives in San Diego who tolerate my motorcycle habit.... I'll make a reconn-crossing to setup a witness and alternate for the next day! The Canadian witness doesn't include a language barrier... :lol:

**the riding partner witness scheme sounds great** Perhaps I could convince one of my previous witnesses in San D to join me south o' the border.... :D

I'm hoping to have all my stuff in order so that i can head for San D. at the end of June. (aux lamp brackets and wiring, radar detector and stand, update packing list, etc.) a change in the weather pattern would be nice!

safe trip,
henry ;)

GSL
Wed Apr 7th, 2004, 08:39 PM
FYI to all who are considering a B2B.

I will be in San Diego for a business conference and some R&R, Aug 6-15 and would be happy to witness anyone attempting a west coast B2B in that time frame.

There is also the MTF Tourer's Assistant listing and the IBA certified witness listing for options. It's actually failry easy to find someone willing to witness in San Diego and Vancouver. Lots of MTFers in both locations. Not so with Montana...

Cheers!

towneh
Wed Apr 7th, 2004, 09:06 PM
hello Will,

any witness resource is a good thing... Harry and I used data from MTF and it was invaluable; always nice to know where the fuel is !!! the witness listings were great for getting willing witnesses at unusual times (i.e. San Diego departure was at 10pm). I will see how things go; perhaps August would be a more realistic time frame for the B2B :idea:

as for Coutts, Montana.... the personnel at the 24hr Port of Entry office say that they are more than willing to witness. :D

-another adventure- 8)
henry

OldKneeDragger
Fri Apr 9th, 2004, 06:51 PM
Just got back in from Vernal... Seems the storm that was there earlier this week is here now, but I guess we need the moisture.

Will, what would you think of starting from Mexico instead of Canada? I have some friends in Las Cruces that we can probally recuit for witnesses. Besides, I have ulterial motives :roll: (B2B2B)

Of course if you are stuck on a Canada start then I will rethink...

Where in Canada are you planning on crossing?

btw, Yamaha found a stuck check valve on my vent line on the tank. Maybe that problem won't come back.

towneh
Sat Apr 10th, 2004, 01:53 PM
finished the wiring for my aux lamps; one step closer to being ready for departure! the new escort 8500 x50 will be made public on the 15th and i'll probably do a preliminary pack tomorrow.

here are some pictures of the busa with blinders!

in the light...
http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/uploads/mvc001s.jpg

in the dark...
http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/uploads/MVC004S.JPG

no-drug-running,
henry

OldKneeDragger
Sat Apr 10th, 2004, 04:26 PM
Looks good :) Nothing like a nice set of flame throwers to clear the way. What kind of light are you using and how much power do they require? Does the Busa suffer from the same problem as my zx-12 being somewhat anemic as far as power output from the generator (yes, it uses a generator instead of an alternator - good for reving but not much for crusing)

I ran with some HID replacements for my stock headlights and then a set of small driving lights mounted on the mirrors. Even still, I don't think I was able to light the road as well as a stock gold pig... I mean gold wing ;)

So far, I'm pretty happy with the stock lighting on the FJR1300...

towneh
Sat Apr 10th, 2004, 10:10 PM
Lights are pretty important to me. The Busa has a 3-phase alternating current generator. It generates an output of 400 watts @5k rpm. The auxilary lamps are Night-Cutters by Saeng TA. They use special DOT approved blue-ion lights with relays. Each bulb draws 4.5 Amps @ 55 Watts.

I will avoid heated grips and vests to make sure I've got enough light to stop those nocturnal critters in their tracks (jack-lighting). I saw their beady little eyes locked into a transfigured stare and they stayed put till I passed. Leaving San Diego at 10pm on the way to Houston made the lights very useful. I think I'll wait for a warmer evening to try them out.

later,
henry

GSL
Mon Apr 12th, 2004, 06:38 AM
Hey Ron,

Yeah, a Mexico start works for me, but that may cause a change in date or start time.

The advantage of a Canada start is daylight/sunlight/warmth for a morning start and then hitting New Mexico (relatively warmer than Montana) at night.

If we do this soon, I would prefer a Canada morning start or a Mexico evening start.

If we wait until summer, then just reverse that idea... ;)

I'm thinking of a northern crossing at Scobey, MT/East Poplar, Sask. From there to El Paso is sub-1400 miles, mostly non-Interstate. A North Dakota crossing and a ride thru the Black Hills would put it just up over 1400 miles and make it a lot more, uh, "interesting" ;)

Will

OldKneeDragger
Mon Apr 12th, 2004, 01:11 PM
Good thinking Will :) I'm thinking that if we start in Mexico it would be easier to minimize the time at the border since the clock wouldn't start till we found the receipt and/or witness. If we get somebody lined up or can do the picture thing between us then that is out the window. If the picture thing would work then I would make a strong pitch to cross Mexico at Santa Teresa where the traffic and lines are MUCH shorter. The only problem is that there is no place on the Mexico side for 10 or 20 miles where one could get a receipt.

Riding Mexico to Canada you have to ride close to 1000 miles to get back home at the end... hence it might be a little easier to talk you (and me) into continuing the rest of the way back to Mexico for the B2B2B :)

I like your thinking of finding alternative routes where the freeway doesn't dominate the ride :) The distance may not qualify for the BBG3K but there would be plenty of time for rest and we might as well have some fun along the way.

Is that border crossing open 24/7? Many I found are not ... That could play in as a significant part of the equation.

Maybe if we watch the weather and keep an open mind it will become obvious when everything is just right ;)

GSL
Mon Apr 12th, 2004, 04:46 PM
The Scobey crossing was 7am - 9pm when we were going to do it last year. It wasn't an issue because we were planning on starting there and knew that El Paso was a 24 hour crossing.

If we start in Mexico, we may want to plan for those hours for the CAN crossing or choose a different crossing, although I like the mileage part.

hmmm....

OldKneeDragger
Tue Apr 13th, 2004, 07:19 AM
Ok, I like your idea... so pick the date and send me the routing details and we will follow the plan :) I'd like to arrive in El Paso in the morning but not so early that we have to put up with all the low life night activities :roll: The border crossing in El Paso are averaging about 20 to 30 minutes of delay but that is coming out of Mexico and not into. http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/

GSL
Tue Apr 13th, 2004, 06:08 PM
Ron,

What's your opinion of the "quickest" way to get from Las Vegas, NM, to El Paso? Is it to stay on I-25? Or take the back roads down thru Vaughn, Carrizozo, Alamogordo, etc.? I was assuming Vaughn for the .est file I'll be emailing you.

For a north-to-south route:
I'm thinking we could head up to Saskatchewan on a Friday morning (April 30 or May 7), or maybe go up to Fort Collins or Cheyenne on Thursday night. Arrive in Coronach, Saskatchewan, on Friday night, scoping out an appropriate date/time stamp. Sleep in a bit Sat morning and sweet talk the folks at either the Coronach Hotel :guinness: or the Country Boy Motel (sorry, that just sounds :gay: ) to sign our papers. Then it's 12 miles to the border, a peaceful crossing, and then high tail it thru Scobey, Montana, a place that pride's itself on "travel around the area is less minutes than miles" ;) (their words, not mine, from their website). ;)

After Scobey, it's 2-lane high western plains Montana and Wyoming (naturally, these will be scouted on the trip up north for potential problems) before getting back on I-25 down to Las Vegas.

After Vegas is your call, you being the NM expert. :up:

We'd get into El Paso early morning-ish on a Sunday. I'd prolly catch a catnap and then be back home by Sunday night.

If you want to try to work out a trip plan that is south to north, that's cool too. We'd just need to do our hotel sweet talking via phone before getting up to Canada. Best days for me are a Friday-Sat-Sun combo. I typically work 1/2 days on Friday or I can always pack the hours in on a Thursday night.

Also, I may decide to take the SL on this trip (just because it's been feeling left out lately, and I'm saving the GS tires for Canada in May), which means I gotta stop every 170 to empty the gas outta my non-plumbed fuel cell.

OldKneeDragger
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 02:10 PM
Sounds good! My only suggestion would be to see if we can minimize the interstate travel and move it over to the two lanes. It sure cuts down on the droning and really doesn't cost much as far as time.

So, do I need to bring my ninja to keep up with the Aprilla? Oh those are such pretty bikes... :) :) :) I really get off on the Itallian styling :)

GSL
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 05:47 PM
More two lane roads? :up: I like the way you think!

Let's try to source a hotel on the Can side (based on your revised .est file)...

:D

Well, if ya take the Ninja, you gotta make it fair and take off that fuel cell, eh?

OldKneeDragger
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 06:01 PM
Not that we were overly fast or anything but we were extreemly lucky on our last ride. Regardless of which bike I take, it's going to have the radar detector this time... whoops... I don't think they are legal in Saskatchwan :(

So when do you want to do this? This weekend and the weekend of May the 8th would be very bad for me... Otherwise, I'm wide open. I may take the FJR just so I can put some more miles on the Pilot Road tires. I want to know that a fresh set will carry me to Anchorage (via Fairbanks) here in a couple of months. Based upon the wear so far, I'm not at all convinced.

OldKneeDragger
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 06:55 PM
We probally need to set the start by where we can find a motel on the Canada side.. From my recollection, most of those border towns are not much more than a couple of houses in the country and a sign on the side of the road. I think you had a motel in mind... getting to the two lane shouldn't be that big of a challenge ;)

GSL
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 08:31 PM
Research for my TC Gold says that radar detectors ARE legal in Sask. :up: Not that we need them.... ;)

Anyway, I'll start calling Can hotels and come up with 2-3 options.

I'm game for the weekend of the May 1-2, if the weather cooperates. I'm running up to the Badlands this coming weekend (working on a NP Silver) so I can scout some roads in the area.

I've tentatively got a ride planned for AZ Highway 191 on May 15-16, but nothing is set in stone. After that, I'd be looking at mid-June for a B2B.

GSL
Wed Apr 14th, 2004, 08:36 PM
Hey, since you're going to Alaska this summer, are you going to start working on a NP Gold? :up:

Would love to have a partner in crime on those long weekends when a run to a Missouri National Park is "filler".... :D

GSL
Sun Apr 18th, 2004, 06:17 PM
So Ron,

What weekend is better for you?

Just got back from the Black Hills. I like your route thru! :up: Any further east in Custer State Park would suck away at the clock. We hit a ton of traffic and it was still off season. Also, had to stop and park the bikes for about 5, waiting for some buffalo to get out of the road. We didn't really feel like helping them along or spooking them, being 3 times the size of my bike and 5 times the weight (and way more grouchy). :o Also, Custer State Park is too twisty to make time on (10 mph corners, a few one way 8' wide tunnels, and one 270 degree loop overpass in a space of about 100 feet). And lots of gravel still on the roads.

As for Can border towns, we might be able to go a hair east of your suggestion and stay in Estevan. Come across at Can Highway 47, North Dakota State route 21 (if it's paved). Actually, I'm back to riding the GS, so paved or not works for me. :P

What do ya think? 2 weeks from now or 4?

OldKneeDragger
Sun Apr 18th, 2004, 06:58 PM
Sounds like you had a good trip to the badlands np... :) How many np's do you have logged so far and when did you start chasing them? I need to read up on that one. Is it only np's that count (not forests, monuments, or any of the other that are administerd by the np program)?

I think I just ran into a bit of a conflict with the first of the month. My daughter and her husband are moving :) So I guess it's going to be the 4 weeks and that is going to start cutting into the prep time for your TC and my Alaska endevors. :?

GSL
Mon Apr 19th, 2004, 08:08 PM
Well, I started last weekend on the NP Silver. Bagged Canyonlands and Arches, both in Utah.

This past weekend I got a little more agressive and bagged Scottsbluff and Agate Fossil Beds in Nebraska (including the California Trail, Oregon Trail, Pony Express Trail, Mormon Trail), Wind Cave in South Dakota, Fort Laramie in Wyoming (including the associated trails), Bents Fort in Colorado, and Capulin Volcano, Fort Union and the Santa Fe Trail in NM.

That's, uh, 6 states down and a dozen or so stamps. Total needed is 25 or more states and 50 or more stamps. I think the 50 stamps is gonna be the easy part. And I orginally thought the whole thing was gonna be easy, until I started planning out the rides. The reality is, there are only 22 states west of the Mississippi (not counting Alaska and Hawaii). So unless I go to Alaska, which I'm not planning until 2005, I gotta get east for at least three states. With that in mind, I decided to go for the Silver and make 2 of the 3, Florida and Maine, picking up one more somewhere in between.

Since May 1st is out for the B2B, I may make a run out to IL, IN, KY, and TN, to get some more states on the list. Also, I've always wanted to go to Mammoth Cave in KY. How's THAT for a weekend ride? :D

OldKneeDragger
Tue Apr 20th, 2004, 08:26 AM
Thats hard core dude :lol: With rides like that, a little junt across Canada is probably going to seem easy :D

I'll try to catch up with you when things settle down here a little.