After arriving home yesterday I popped off a few emails to let people know what’s up. This morning I got an email from Mac, my friend from Iowa who rode to Alaska with me last summer. We had a pretty good time on our hacks even though we encountered plenty of adverse weather & bad roads along the way. Here’s his email and mine to him, they’ll give you an idea of what I’m considering.
From: Orville McInroy
To: Larry Parmenter
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 7:06 AM
Subject: Trip
LL
Dang, kind of a bad start, just glad you were able to hold the heavy bugger up without damaging the saddle bags like I did. Look at the bright side, it was a good thing you came to the realization that you were too heavy when you were just a day out instead of two weeks later. When I carry my camping gear on my two wheeler, being a little top heavy bothers me too , however I don't carry as much as you and don't have to oil any chain so that helps. Sounds to me like if you want to camp and carry all that gear it is side car time again.
Whichever way you go you have plenty of time as you started out earlier then you had originally planned on. Just kick back, have a toddy or two, give Linda a hug and start out again. You have already learned one lesson of the road.
Mac
From: Larry Parmenter
To: Orville McInroy
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: Trip
Hi Mac,
Thanks for the thoughts & sage advice, I'm glad as hell it didn't go all the way over too, what a miserable deal that would have been.
I really like traveling with the hack, not only for the all the stuff I can carry but I also like not having any limitations on places I can go. Yesterday morning as I was laying out the day's route I spotted a ghost town on the map in NV. I wanted to go see it but then noticed you have to travel on miles of gravel road and then backtrack or continue on with even more miles of the same before reaching tarmac. With the sidecar I wouldn't have hesitated but with the Ninja fully loaded there was no way and maybe not even if it was lightly loaded. And the Ducati, not a chance, I'd never take that pretty girl down a gravel road.
Traveling as far as I intend on this trip means I'm going to encounter lots of similar opportunities and I'd hate to miss them. It almost sounds like I'm talking myself into the 3-wheeler, doesn't it? And all that camping gear... And the kitchen sink can go too!
Maybe the clincher is it's roadworthiness. After the dust settled from our Alaska trip I took it to the local Yamaha shop and had all the worn out and missing bits replaced plus a tune up and full lube job. The tires are the ones I put on in Fairbanks and they look pretty good but I might have to change them somewhere along the way. That wouldn’t be so bad and maybe I could take a set with me like I did last time.
Man I'm leaning towards the hack this morning....
Best,
LL
From: Orville McInroy
To: Larry Parmenter
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 7:06 AM
Subject: Trip
LL
Dang, kind of a bad start, just glad you were able to hold the heavy bugger up without damaging the saddle bags like I did. Look at the bright side, it was a good thing you came to the realization that you were too heavy when you were just a day out instead of two weeks later. When I carry my camping gear on my two wheeler, being a little top heavy bothers me too , however I don't carry as much as you and don't have to oil any chain so that helps. Sounds to me like if you want to camp and carry all that gear it is side car time again.
Whichever way you go you have plenty of time as you started out earlier then you had originally planned on. Just kick back, have a toddy or two, give Linda a hug and start out again. You have already learned one lesson of the road.
Mac
From: Larry Parmenter
To: Orville McInroy
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: Trip
Hi Mac,
Thanks for the thoughts & sage advice, I'm glad as hell it didn't go all the way over too, what a miserable deal that would have been.
I really like traveling with the hack, not only for the all the stuff I can carry but I also like not having any limitations on places I can go. Yesterday morning as I was laying out the day's route I spotted a ghost town on the map in NV. I wanted to go see it but then noticed you have to travel on miles of gravel road and then backtrack or continue on with even more miles of the same before reaching tarmac. With the sidecar I wouldn't have hesitated but with the Ninja fully loaded there was no way and maybe not even if it was lightly loaded. And the Ducati, not a chance, I'd never take that pretty girl down a gravel road.
Traveling as far as I intend on this trip means I'm going to encounter lots of similar opportunities and I'd hate to miss them. It almost sounds like I'm talking myself into the 3-wheeler, doesn't it? And all that camping gear... And the kitchen sink can go too!
Maybe the clincher is it's roadworthiness. After the dust settled from our Alaska trip I took it to the local Yamaha shop and had all the worn out and missing bits replaced plus a tune up and full lube job. The tires are the ones I put on in Fairbanks and they look pretty good but I might have to change them somewhere along the way. That wouldn’t be so bad and maybe I could take a set with me like I did last time.
Man I'm leaning towards the hack this morning....
Best,
LL
I vote for the hack!!!! No question in my mind....check my last blog post...it addresses the situation! jupiterhack.blogspot.com Doug Smith
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input Doug, the email I've received is running 100% favorable for the hack.
ReplyDelete