| Author | Message | ||
     Desert_uly |
I am not quite sure how he accomplishes it, but after reading Crusty's ramblings (and snippets of course)I have a desire to purchase a small tent, jump on the Uly and head for the mountains, set up tent, lay out sleeping bag and wait for thundershowers to start. | ||
| Mnscrounger |
Crusty, No one on this thread would DARE hassle you for riding a non Buell/ EBR product to an event. You have done more hardcore riding in the last year of your postings, than many black leather wannabes do their whole dang life. After meeting you face to face, I marvel even more about your positive spin on most everything. In your postings you mentioned the many personal social, and even health challenges you have faced while living as you call it "a tramp" yet you jump right back in and do it again and again, as far as I can tell for nothing more than the camaraderie of like minded people, and a few more smiles to add to your collection. I believe that's called fellowship. We need more of that in this world. | ||
| Pwnzor |
What he said ^^^^^^ | ||
| Ourdee |
Crusty, No one on this thread would DARE hassle you for riding a non Buell/ EBR product to an event. Uh well, Except to draw attention to a puddle under your HD.  | ||
| 86129squids |
... he DID mention an oil leak. NBD, par for the course on a HD. Old school peeps realize that's just an easy way to watch and keep fresh oil in the bike.  | ||
| Crusty |
It was a puddle of water.  However, back in the '80s, I was working with a kid who rode his Sportster like a madman to work every day. The old mechanic/ welder slid out one morning, and poured oil on the pavement under the kid's bike, then came back into the shop and went back to his welding. At break time, the kid went out, and almost had a heart attack. We laughed about that for a long time. (Message edited by Crusty on June 05, 2016) | ||
| Crusty |
Briefly Yesterday, I left Wisconsin. I’m back on secondary roads and now, I’m feeling like it’s Right. I sat in a McD’s while a passing shower did its thing in Delavan, WI, then I headed west toward Iowa. I was planning to visit with Matt and Lorraine (and maybe have lunch at the Czech restaurant and this time, ask that waitress out). However, when I called Matt, he told me that he’s on the road and won’t be home for two weeks. So I’ll stop on my swing back next month. So I’m aiming for Colorado. I called Susan last night, and she has a spare room for me. I’ll have to put up with a playful new kitten that she just got last week. Cool! Susan also told me that it’s been in the low 90s there, and it’s supposed to be like that for the foreseeable future. Low humidity, low 90s, abundant sunshine; I don’t know if I can stand it, but I guess I’ll force myself to put up with it. This Mickey’s has the news on, and it has no electrical outlets. The news is disturbing me, and not being able to charge the laptop is another negative, so I’m going to stop short. If I get the chance, I’ll write more later. I’m hoping to find a cheap motel tonight. If I do, I’ll write more then. | ||
| Greg_e |
You need a car charger power supply for your laptop so it can charge while you ride. | ||
| Crusty |
Highway 61 Again OK; I’m in a quiet McDonald’s in Carroll, Iowa that has an electrical outlet by my table. I can finish this in peace, I hope. I like Iowa. It’s not as flat as it appears from the Interstate. On both the east and west sides of the state, near the rivers, it’s pretty hilly. People here seem friendlier than in other states. It just feels like a healthy place to live. I’d consider moving here if it just didn’t get so freakin’ cold in the winter. I came across Wisconsin yesterday on state routes 81 and 11. As soon as I crossed over the Mississippi, I got on U.S. Route 61 for a short way. Highway 61 runs kind of parallel to the Mississippi River and it goes from Wyoming, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana. One of these days, I’d like to ride it from one end to the other. Anyhow, Rt 61 joined with Rt 151, and I took that to Anamosa, Iowa and set up my tent in Wapsipinicon State Park. There was a Rudabago a couple of sites over and the group of guys there had a ’74 Honda 750, CB 360 and a 71 BMW R 50/5 with trophies on display. There was a classic/vintage bike meet there and they won plaques for their bikes. They invited me to join them, and we all sat around the fire shooting’ the bull for a couple of hours until I went to bed around 10:00 or so. They were pretty good guys, and I enjoyed our bull session. One of them (I think his name was Steve) was quizzing me about my Uly. He’s got his eye on one, and wanted to know how much I’d liked mine. After our conversation, I’m pretty sure he’s going to buy the one he was looking at. Both Steve and one of the other guys (Jim?), loved the way the Hepco & Becker bags look on my Roadster. Since I am pretty proud of my bike, that just stroked my ego a bit. From Anamosa, I took Rt151 to US Rt 30. I’ll stay on Rt 30 all day long. I hope I can find an affordable motel tonight. I’d like to sleep in a bed. I think one night a week in a bed is not unreasonable. I might even turn on the TV and watch something; though I probably won’t find anything worth watching. I’ve been here long enough; time to put on more miles. | ||
| Etennuly |
That is cool meeting up with folks like that! I would probably have been up all night shooting the shit with them. At one point I was going to buy a new CB 360 but somehow my first road bike became a well used 1974 Honda 750. I recall it was four years old when I got it in 1978. It had 14,000 miles on it and it was seemingly worn out. The shocks and forks were leaking, the brakes and rotors were shot, the chain and sprockets were toast as were the tires, and every thing that had chrome on it was tainted with just enough rust that it could not come off. The rust went on to include the exhaust pipes that rusted through at the joints where the header pipes turn into mufflers. Could have been a lack of maintenance, all of that went along with having never been washed also. Sold it a year later and got a brand new 1979 CB750F. THAT was a beautiful machine! Sorry John! Back to your wonderings! | ||
| Crusty |
Cruisin’ The Heartland I rode on US 30 nearly all day, yesterday. I had a very relaxing and enjoyable ride. I almost watched my odometer turn 50, 000. I saw 49,999 but I was distracted and didn’t see it turn. At one point, I stopped along the side of he road to take off my Darien jacket and put on my mesh jacket. Two different people stopped their cars to see if I needed help. That was in less than 5 minutes. People out here have great values. I got a room at a Super 8 in Columbus, Nebraska for the night. The shower felt so good it should be taxed. (Yeah, I know; it probably is. That’s why it costs so much to rent a room.) I got a good night’s sleep and slept until 5:00 this morning. I did try to watch TV. I found one of the Lord of the Rings movies and saw about 32 seconds of it before I nodded out. I woke up a short time later just long enough to hit the power button on the remote, then I was out again. I was talking with Dondi last night, and realized that I’m close to the Geographical Center of the Contiguous (conterminous?) United States. So I’m headed south on US 81. I’m going to stop in the little chapel there and have a word with Bill. For years, Bill and I would joke that we were going to leave Boston and Los Angeles and meet there. We were planning to stop there on our trip across the US. I can’t pass it by. After that, I’m going to head to Russell, Kansas to have lunch at Meridy’s Restaurant. Terri and I ate there on our trip to Colorado in 2005, and the food was wonderful. It’s hard to find 91 octane gas around here. I put a couple of gallons of Ethanol free regular (87) in at the last fill up. The bike seems to be running just fine. No knocking or pinging that I can hear. I remember reading that if you mix a gallon of 87 with a gallon of 91 you wind up with two gallons of 90+ . It’s not linear. I don’t know that for certain, but the bike doesn’t seem to mind. I passed by Buckley city Park in Stromsburg, NE this morning. it looked like a really nice place to camp. I almost regret having stayed in the motel. If I’d known about it, I would have gone there, instead. It really looked inviting. After having stayed in the Ag Park in Columbus last year, I wasn’t about to stay there again. The Ag Park made the Super 8 really look good. Tonight, I’m hoping to stay in the City Park in Phillipsburg, KS. I hope it’s a good one. Later. | ||
| Tootal |
John, when my brother and I were heading for Sturgis last year we went through Iowa. We too had to put in the 87 octane but, as you say, it was real gas. The Uly didn't seem to mind in Iowa, but in South Dakota it started to complain and we had to search out some premium. The Iowa gas was definitely better quality! | ||
| Greg_e |
Do they have 93 gas or is 87 all you can get? | ||
| Crusty |
You can get E 85 or 87 | ||
| Crusty |
Bics, Zippos and Some Great News One of the conversations I was involved in during Homecoming was about the fact that if there’s a problem with one of the new Sportster transmissions, you have to completely tear down the engine and split the cases to fix it. It would be cheaper to buy a used engine than to fix the problem. Back in the late 70s or early 80s, Harley ran an ad with a picture of a Bic disposable lighter standing beside a Zippo lighter. The gist of the ad was that just as Zippos were designed for long term ownership, Harleys were also designed with the same goal. They weren’t “Disposable” bikes like the Japanese competition. Well; I guess that the bean counters at the MoFoCo have decided that it’s better to save five bucks per engine by not putting in a “Trap Door” so that the Tranny is a Casette type. Personally, I think that philosophy sucks. As much as I enjoy the Roadster in all its rubber mounted glory, I don’t think I’ll buy another one. Just for that reason alone. I prefer durability and ease of maintenance over disposable. I hope Erik and Co. hurry up and release a “Gentleman’s Express”. The tour I took at the factory showed me all I need to know about accessibility. I’ve been wandering secondary roads all day, and I’m loving it. There a big bicycle ride going on. It’s called Bikes Across Kansas, or something like that. I think it a state wide ride. There were hundreds of bikes on US Rt 30 as I was heading for the Geographical Center of the US. There were also a few dozen riders at the Monument. The two times I was there last year, I was pretty much alone. Not today. Da joint wuz jumpin’! After I left the Center, I made my way south towards Russell. I stopped in Smith Center and got a cup of Gatorade to try to stay Hydrated, then hit Rt. 281. Lots of spraying going on. I’m not sure if they were spraying fertilizer or pesticide or what, but there were a lot of farmers out on tractors spraying something. Whatever it was, I couldn’t smell it. I saw quite a few deer in the fields, but none were close to the road. I made it to Russell a bit after 2:00 and stopped for lunch at Meridy’s. I give this place a solid five stars for both quality and value. I got a grilled chicken sandwich, and it was superb. It doesn’t look that special on the outside, but don’t let that fool you. If I’m within 100 miles, I’ll go out of my way to eat there again. The food is that good. Just as I sat down here to write this, my phone rang. It was my Cardiologist’s office calling to tell me that my Nuclear Stress Test showed no problems. My heart’s working like it’s supposed to. Wah - Freakin’ - Hoo!!! I’m so happy I could dance! I had some nervous anxiety that was residing in the background the whole time since the test was ordered. Now I can relax and just enjoy the ride. Well; I suppose I should get back on the bike and head for Phillipsburg and set up camp for the night. Tomorrow, I’m heading for Berthoud and NRHS. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Cool good news, man! Keep the shiny side up! | ||
| Buellish |
That's good new John,enjoy the ride indeed! | ||
| 86129squids |
Schweeet! Keep on truckin', RoadCrust!  | ||
| Pwnzor |
I am so jealous... John, will your travels be taking you anywhere in Southern California? Specifically, Ventura. If you're within a couple hours of there, you MUST stop at Andria's Seafood & Fish Market They are to fish and chips what Jim's is to BBQ. Possibly better. I used to drive 2-3 hours through traffic to eat there on a fairly regular basis. Big slabs of beer-battered halibut (or other fish of your choice) and a pile of thick fries. Home made clam chowder to die for. All the fish is straight out of the nearby waters with very few exceptions. There is great beachfront camping nearby, and just a little ways north is the town of Buellton. Head straight toward the ocean from there and you'll find Jalama Beach Campground which is awesome for tent camping. Spotty cell service, but they have a general store with everything you need right there on the premises, and if you time it right you can see space launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base | ||
| Kmbuell |
Awesome news about your heart. that little voice can get some rest now. Keep eating those chicken sammies. They will help too. Ride, rinse, repeat! | ||
| Zac4mac |
Had a world famous visitor today. He should be crossing the continental divide about now. Ride safe and thanks so much for stopping by. (Message edited by zac4mac on June 07, 2016) | ||
| 86129squids |
How the hell did he get "down under" that fast?!?!?  | ||
| Zac4mac |
Interesting. That's the first time I added a photo by e-mailing to myself to get the size down. Sure didn't expect it to be upside down... He's not back in Oz, he's in Colorado!!!  Z | ||
| Zac4mac |
Try again  Finally, right side up. Z | ||
| Pwnzor |
Guys, try this free photo editor, it works from any web browser, no need to download and install software | ||
| Crusty |
Colorado Yesterday was an interesting day for me. It started out with a bit of “justifiable” anger. I pulled into the Valero gas station in Hays, Kansas to get gas. 87 octane was $2.03, but the price of 91 was $2.99. $0.96 more! To add insult to usury, they wanted $0.10/ gallon more if you used a credit card. I got ticked off and filled the tank with Regular. The bike ran fine. I’m not against somebody making a profit, but excessive greed sets me off. Anyhow, I rode into Colorado and made my way to Berthoud and NRHS. I met Buellie Dan and Zac4mac and spent a couple of very enjoyable hours talking about (what else?) motorcycles. Both Dan and Zack are in my Good Guys folder. Zack is the kind of guy who explains something, and it sounds simple. Then you realize that it’s something nobody else has thought of, and that it works really well. (they didn’t set those Land Speed Records strictly by luck) He was open and pretty forthright about his porting secrets. If I ever decide to get head work done, I want him to do it. There’s one other employee, who does machining and other stuff, but I’ve forgotten her name. She seemed like a very nice person, but I didn’t get to talk with her very much. I don’t know why I’ve gotten so bad with remembering names; I’ve tried for years to not forget, but every trick and technique I’ve tried hasn’t helped. Anyhow, I left around 5:00. The sky was looking pretty ominous, and Zack had pulled up the weather radar on his phone. There was one particularly nasty looking area just west of Denver, but it didn’t look that bad in general. So, I geared up and Zack took a couple of pictures (one of me alone, and a selfie of the two of us) with his cell phone. I’ve never taken a selfie, and that was the first one that I’ve been in. I seem to be back in that frame of mind that I was in last summer when I didn’t feel like taking pictures. I’ll have to work on that. I started south towards Denver and I 70 west, and ran into the rain sooner than I expected. All right, I’ll come clean; I’m a wuss. I chickened out and found a cheap motel by a truck stop. I spent way too much on a room and holed up. The good news is that I slept like a baby. The bad news is that when I took the right saddlebag off the bike, there was oil on my muffler and rear sprocket. When I looked closer, I discovered that it was shock oil. The shock absorber is leaking where the lower eye is welded to the shock body. Ah, sh*t. Now I need to buy a set of shocks. Oh well; they were on the list of eventual improvements. I guess eventually came quicker than I expected; kinda like that thunderstorm. Right now, I’m in the mountains not too far from Evergreen. I hope to be in Montrose this afternoon. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
So the steel body of the shock itself developed a little crack? | ||
| Tootal |
Well Crustmeister, the news of your heart health highly overshadows the leaking shock. I know it's a pain but small in comparison! You might try and find a motorcycle junk yard and just pull one off to get you down the road a ways. When I was visiting with NeedsO2 in Colorado I had my right fork start leaking and I had to cut my vacation short and limp it home. A shock is much easier to deal with, especially since you have two of them! | ||
| Greg_e |
The chances of finding a stock unit that someone took off are very high, I'd turn to the local craigslist and see what's up. Also visit the dealer and see if they can help you out. | ||
| Damnut |
John, there are a bunch of used shocks on Ebay for about 25 bucks. I can order one and have it shipped to your next destination if you like. I think your bike is an 06 but not positive. You can catch up with me later at the WVBR. Let me know. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0& _nkw=06%20sportster%20shock&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition =4&_trksid=p2045573.m1684 (Message edited by Damnut on June 08, 2016) |
