I made it!!!!!! (with pics)

5782 Views 24 Replies 16 Participants Last post by crazymf, May 3, 2005

crazymf

Discussion Starter · Apr 30, 2005

8

Hi Guys,
Well, we made it back alive! First of all, hats off to Greg Spinnati(spelling?). Your sales experience was top drawer friend. I'll recommend your dealership to anyone.

Greg drove on his own time an hour south of Lima to pick my wife and myself in Dayton, Ohio after hours, took us back to the dealership to view the bike, and then delivered us to a hotel for the night last Thursday. On Friday morning, he picked us up at the hotel and we went over to the dealership to finish the purchase. As he knew we were riding it back, he made sure it was serviced, cleaned and ready to go. He helped me tweak the handlebars and floorboards to fit. Then we were on our way. In the rain.

South to Kentucky to get below the rain and snow that was forcast last week in Ohio. We actually rode out of the rain last Friday and had 1.5 hours of decent weather. My wife went to see the Kentucky Horse Farm and we were on our way again, east to Indiana. Got to Shelbyville, Kentucky and got rained off the road. Got under a veranda at a Holiday Inn Expess to just miss a big hailstorm and a tornado warning.

Next day on west through Indiana and St Louis. Terrific sidewind from the north, 50's temps. Stayed at Columbus, Missouri. Next day to Kansas City and went north to just south of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Had to wrench on the bike a bit refastening a belt guard and tightening the rear suspension.

Next day west to Gillette Wyoming after stopping in Sturgis for an hour or so at the bike museum. Big sidewind all day again, 50's temps.

Next day to Helena, Montana after seeing the Little Bighorn battleground for a couple of hours. My wife thinks Custer was an a**hole now. Big sidewind, brutal. Cruised at 85-90 for 2 days straight. Rolled up to 120 and punched it to see there was much left. There was, but that's fast enough for me, no more.

Tried to get out of Helena the next day and no luck, too much snow.
Next day we went anyway. Temperature was 25 and there was ice and snow on the passes to Great Falls. Cold and snow squalls all day to Lethbridge. Winter driving on a bike. I must be a crazymf.

Today, cold and snow squalls all the way back to Edmonton. I am so glad to be home. Bike is great. Trip was great. Worst weather I've had to endure overall on a trip.

I bet we never saw 20 bikes in the states on the whole trip. They were all at home where I wished I was I guess. This trip will really make me appreciate the nice days from now on. The whole trip was 2800 miles in 6 days.

Bike is awesome.

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1 - 20 of 25 Posts

HAWK88

· #2 · Apr 30, 2005

Congrats

Crazy

Congratulations on an astounding ride!

Not sure I'd be up to that one in the Summer. Glad you got to see some sights as well. Wish the weather had of been a bit more accommodating for you.

Well done!

ride Safe!

HAWK88
Jack Phillips

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TJzz4

· #3 · Apr 30, 2005

:capwin: :biker:

Geezer

· #4 · Apr 30, 2005

Crazy:

I would be "DEAD" by now if I took my wife on that kind of ride. :lol:

My hat is off the the both of you :capwin:

Geez

Glenn B

· #5 · Apr 30, 2005

Congrats and glad you made it back ok. Cold and snow sucks and you must have a very forgiving wife. (And I thought mine gave me lattitude)
Glenn

millionaire_4

· #6 · Apr 30, 2005

I made it

Carzy,
Also glad to see you made it back in 1 peice. You are no longer a virgin!
May 7, 2005 (Saturday) is the annual Motorcycle Awareness Day parade. in Columbus, Ohio This meets from 10;30 - 11;45AM. Tha parade starts at Cooper Stadium and is escorted by the police to the State House. If you can think about joining us. Depending upon the weather there is usually between 500-5,000 bikes.
Dave in Columbus.

PS, if your work hours are somewhat flexable, we can play hookie and ride alittle.

MBFsupport

· #7 · Apr 30, 2005

Wow that sounds like a real adventure. Glad you made it back safe. Sounds like your ready to ride with some friends on mine.

http://www.f6valkyrie.info/elefantentreffen.htm

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crazymf

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 30, 2005

Holy cow!!!
Those guys are NUTS!! I'm guessing they got there and got dumped on because you can't obviously ride through that.

I'd love to come back to Ohio, but it just took me a week to get home from there.

My wife is a pretty hardy soul. Anything done together is worth it for her. Besides, it was supposed to be way nicer.

Oh yeah, I had a bit of fun with an HD rider in South Dakota. Brutal sidewind, I'm cruising along at 80 anyway weaving around like a madman. I pass this rest stop where a lone rider on a Road King is pulling out. I blow by him in the left lane and wave etc. I never thought he'd try to ride with us. A couple minutes later I see his headlight getting closer. I wicked it up to 90 or so. He's actually staying with me. I still stay at 90 up the hills and he falls back a bit, gains back on the other side. Finally he pulls up just behind us just before a long grade. I pull it up to 110 and no more Harley. After the hill I resume my 80mph and a couple of miles later I pull off for gas. He cruises by us and won't even wave. Whoops.

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MBFsupport

· #9 · Apr 30, 2005

I have a lot of fun with kids around here. I'll be cruising down the road and I'll see a car coming up pretty quick so I'll kick it up a little bit and then let them get right up next to me and I'll the secondaries and just blow out of there. Then I'll slow down and let them pass me, I usually get a thumbs up when they go by.

1stgear

· #10 · May 1, 2005

I just gotta laugh at that one Geezer....I'd bet dead right now if I took my wife on that kinda of a ride......it should read I WOULD BE DEAD IF "I" DID A RIDE LIKE THAT!!!!! LMFAO !!!!!!!!!! Yahoeeeeeeeeeee!! Steve

crazymf

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 1, 2005

Think what I felt like......

2500 miles from home, a week to get there, and a continental crappy weather pattern developing. I think I CAUSED that weather last week somehow. If I'd have had a choice, I would have done anything else, but my flights were booked so away we went.

I drank a lot at night to warm my gizzard back up.

critter

· #12 · May 2, 2005

Crazmf and your wonderful lady, Well done. This is an amazing ride. New bike, just a T-bag, really bad cold weahter. My hat is off to both you and your wife. What do they say, just about anyone can share a relationship, and just about anyone can share a bike, but it takes a special relationship to share a bike for any extended period of time. Does not even talk about bad weather. Beautiful bike too.

Did you take off the chrome dash inserts on purpose? They really reflect the sun sometimes, I am thinking of paining mine black. I use a tank bag that covers them up too.

Please tell me about your driver backrest. Looks big.

Any Lessons Learned on riding across states and country on the Boss? I am all hears, I just took out the ear plugs.
Regards,
Critter
Seabrook, Texas

crazymf

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 2, 2005

The bike didn't come with tank inserts and after your observation, I probably won't order any. I sure did a royal screw up yesterday though. Went to wash the bike off and when I thought I was working a stubborn bug off the fairing, poof, 3 inches of paint peeled. I was washing into a hole. First blood and it's self inflicted, sh*t.

Drivers across America were generally courteous to us. Only here at home in Alberta were they pushy and ignorant. We love the western interstates with the 75mph speed limit. I went 80-85 mph most of the way and a cop still passed me once.

We wore all the clothes we owned including raingear all the way home. I'll be looking forward to all the drooling here locally though because there aren't many Hosses around. I've never seen one around Edmonton although there's supposed to be one. Overall we just enjoyed being away from the business and made the best of it.
thanks
stu

Boss Man

· #14 · May 2, 2005

Stu,
Is that a Corbin seat and backrest?

crazymf

Discussion Starter · #15 · May 2, 2005

Yes it is. It's plenty firm, but after a bit it's ok to sit on for an extended period. I got used to it and so did my wife.

502WingMan

· #16 · May 2, 2005

Holy cow!!!
Those guys are NUTS!! I'm guessing they got there and got dumped on because you can't obviously ride through that.

Crazymf,
they got there on purpose ! The "Elefantentreffen" is a clasic for almost 50 years here in Germany. It ususally takes place in the bavarian forests by the end of January. Lots of campfires and whiskey needed to get through that kind of a weekend :lol:
Peter

crazymf

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 2, 2005

Well, that's just about as crazy as around here when they have golf tournaments on frozen lakes in the winter with orange balls. it's the drinking mainly that counts there too.

MosaV8!

· #18 · May 2, 2005

great write up bro... whatta adventure... i'll buy first round when we meet up ....

MosaV8!

Bryan Ward

· #19 · May 2, 2005

Crazy mf (Stu).

I was thinking about you the other day because the weather was bad here and I was wondering how you were doing. I was hoping that you wouldn't call to see if I wanted to ride up to Edmonton with you. But if you had, I would have.
I like the fairing. You almost need one up here with the 9 months of winter and 3 months of cold weather we get.
There is another Boss Hoss in Edmonton. It's painted yellow and is a 2003 I believe.
Congratulations on the new bike and I'll watch for you on the road.

Bryan

crazymf

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 2, 2005

Bryan,
I stopped to see Barry and he went for a brief ride on my bike. Even around town he was whining about the cold. I joked a bit about calling you, but with the weather, there's no way anybody should be riding unless they had to. If you did come I would have wondered about your sanity. I did have your number with me....

I got home about 4:30pm last Friday in the snow. I was down to 30mph and couldn't have made it another mile down the road in the blizzard. The snow was all the way across the pavement and it prceeded to dump about 4 inches on us into the evening.

Whiskey was needed and appreciated at that time.

I will absolutely call you to ride this spring some time and am looking forward to meeting you.
thanks
stu

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