Winter Madness 2010

When did it all start?






The Madness I mean?


I'd say it started just a few months ago after returning to Chicago and jumping into a more "normal" life after a long fall ride. I haven't spent too much time in Chitown lately, being busy on the road working and riding...


I have been very lucky throughout my life, mostly doing things my way and coming out ahead, and rarely dissatisfied with the way things work out.
This year has been different, many things are out of balance in my life, many new firsts, and even a few regrets.
Not that I haven't had some good times this year, it's just a little different compared to the years before.



So is life.



Not doing my normal gigs or just many gigs in general this year put me in place where I'm commuting long miles to jobs not all that satisfying both mentally and financially (when there was even work). Add in the challenges of riding everyday in Chicagoland in December, (the intensely cold and crappy weather didn't help my mental state) and a not so satisfying living situation with a need to be free and SNAP! Holiday Pressures, work, home, life, money. Depression.
And it's not even really winter yet.

I felt like a bird in a cage for some time just yearning to be free to spread my wings and fly. When I say fly I mean ride!

SNAP!

Staying in line with my ONE LIFE ONE CHANCE way of being, I hastily packed my bike a few days ago, cancelled what very little work I had set up, said goodbye to my family and left Chicago the day after I decided I HAD to go. I Needed to go.
This wasn't an easy decision seeing as it's the week before Xmas.... maybe I'll touch on that later on. Maybe not.

Ever want to just say screw it and leave?

We all do right?

That's what I' did, heading back west with very little money and no job, dreaming of warm weather and new opportunities in the near future.
Now granted I did have a good reason to want to be in Sunny California besides the aforementioned reasons, I'll introduce her later on though...


Now a little of The Madness in my head is out of the way lets get moving and get into The Madness on two wheels!


Now, being determined (stubborn or just stupid) I left Chicago when I said I would, unfortunately there was an impending storm to make my departure form the Midwest in December one to be remembered.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 PM CST THURSDAY... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 PM CST THURSDAY. * TIMING...A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND GRADUALLY CHANGE OVER TO A FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET MIXTURE. * ACCUMULATIONS...LESS THAN A QUARTER OF INCH OF ICE BY MORNING WITH ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4-6 INCHES. * WIND...WILL NOT BE A FACTOR WITH THIS SYSTEM. * IMPACTS...WITH THE PRECIPITATION EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING THE TAIL END OF THE EVENING RUSH HOUR MAY BE AFFECTED. CURRENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FOR A STEADY MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL BE LATER THIS EVENING AND WITH THE WINTRY MIX TAPERING OFF TO SOME VERY LIGHT SNOW OR FREEZING DRIZZLE THURSDAY MORNING...AFFECTING THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. &&





Screw it, I'm leaving anyways.

See that twinkle of Madness in my eyes?
That's the spark to the start of the Adventure that lies ahead.
Or is it just The Madness?












Bye bye snow!






I left around 10AM in an emotional departure, riding into The Snow.



This is where I rode 350 miles of single track straight south.
When I say single track, I mean the two feet of wet salty brine on the highway in between ice and snow where the car tires had worked in the salt laid down by the many plow trucks I had been passing. I guess technically it's a double track on tarmac, but I believe it would be real bad if you tried to cross over at highway speeds, making it essentially a single track.

Subsequently, we picked up the life giving salt and became covered in it.




































Eventually the roads became slightly better as the temperature dropped and the snow lightened up - but then the icy roads took over.
My way of dealing with it was to just keep all inputs to the bike very very gentle - little throttle, little brake, light turning, etc. I treated it all like solid ice and rode loose and mellow, no death grip, just kind of letting the bike float around.








Cold, wet, icy, grey, tense, scary, boring, exciting, terrifying, monotonous, cold, etc, etc, etc...

My Gerbings Jacket and G3 gloves combined with the Rukka suit plus good insulated underwear did a decent job of keeping up with the windchill temps around 0ºF.
My big problem was my feet. I couldn't find the Gerbings socks I hadn't used in a long time so my feet were to suffer.
I stopped after 2 hours to thaw out in a diner, and then after another few hours I had to stop at a truck stop and rent a shower to warm up my painfully cold feet.

A few truckers came up to talk to me, some of the comments:

( while walking through truck stop with helmet) " I hope to God you're on a snowmobile!"

(looking at the K60 snowtire on the back) "I'd say that's the tire you should be running right about now eh?"
Ah, the wisdom found at a Loves Truck Stop....

Getting back on the road I finally made it to a wet, cold St. Louis, the gateway to the West.








Being in Missouri the temps rose to a balmy 28ºF as the sun set.
I was determined to go further south, and after a dinner stop at my favorite southern diner I set out to make it to Cape Girardeau.





The temps were dropping fast after dark, and the roads were Icing up. There was a light icy mist in the air, making my face shield quite fuzzy to look through. Not being able to see if I was on ice things were pretty scary.... Crazy scenarios ran through my head, all ending bad.
I finally stopped about 30 miles short of my goal when enough was enough.






The next day I was once again greeted with cold temps and ice on everything, but today would be different. I would cross that imaginary line into the South and away from the brutal winter found in the Midwest.
Even though there was ice on everything the main roads were OK, mostly dry and white with salt. The ice was actually quite beautiful adding a shimmer to every tree and rock.







The GS was looking and running good, even with the never ending little oil leak around the valve cover.














As I rode south, the ice disappeared and the temp went up, now being a nice 36ºF.







As I was happier the further south I was (warmth can do that), it was also hard knowing what I was leaving behind. No Xmas with the family. No security of a home....

Still.
Must.
Go.
No
Matter.
What.




It was somewhere around here where my GS troubles began.
Stopping to get fuel my bike wouldn't start again! :eek1
Dead battery.

I asked for a jump from a guy towing an RV and got the bike started.

Whew!
I better take it easy on the electrics to let the battery charge...

Determined that my second night was to be spent in New Orleans I pushed on after dark.
It started to rain and was around 40º, but at least there was NO ICE!






Making it into N. O. I went into the French Quarter for a look around...
While I was cruising on Canal my superior riding skills prevailed and I killed the engine at a green light.

Click.



Click.




Click.










Click.









Battery dead.




I push the bike off of Canal ( a major road) into the sidewalk on a side street.






45ºF and raining.

Welcome to New Orleans Mr. Adventure....




I flagged down a cab, offering $10 for a quick jump start.... the cabbie kept commenting how cold it was and how could I be riding in this horrible weather....





Eventually I got the GS started, and kept all electrics off.






Knowing something was going wrong I bailed into a shitty part of town to find a cheap motel... but first stopping at a shady gas station to get some beer. SInce I had bike problems it was cold and raining, and little cash, there was to be no night out, just some cheap booze in a cheap hotel....

The bike had been running for at least 45 minutes by now with no accessories and I was faced with leaving it running while I went in or not...

There's no way I'm leaving it running in this super ghetto hood where I was the only white boy for miles...
Needless to say, of course it didn't start when I came out.

Dead GS in Da Hood!

I managed to buy a jump start for $5 from a truck full of people, an interesting experience, but got it going just the same.

Checking into a shady hotel I met the local very large, black prostitutes who where my neighbors.
We chatted while I unloaded my bike, leaving it running with the headlight disconnected to help with the charging.

Once they understood I was not in need of their services and couldn't be hustled they were friendly and we ended up smoking a big Blunt standing around my bike.
Hey, hookers are people too!
At the time it was quite a weird place to be, high, talking with the working women of New Orleans about the economy, the area, the weather, etc....

They went on to work and I ended up shutting the bike down and going to bed. ( the bike did start back up after idling for an hour)...

Bro you bring a new meaning to hard core. one question , have you thought of a charger at night to top off your battery?

I love 'screw it' ride reports. Very inspirational----Keep us posted!

fucking badass!!!


i would love to be able to get on the bike and GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely outstanding. You've just inspired me.

what I55 was like on 2 wheels.

Jeebus...

It was already late and I was tired after such a long day riding in the cold.
The motel was as luxurious as to be expected, and the night came to an abrupt end once I hit the bed.









Luckily the GS started in the cold, wet morning and I set out, taking another spin in the French Quarter to hit a Chase bank. (I had my last paycheck which was post dated - this was it to get me to Cali and support me until I find some work.)
It was somewhat quiet and Bourbon Street was open for traffic. I wasn't going to stay, plus I had a lot of crap strapped to my bike, and while I hardly take the key out of the bike while traveling in rural areas, I had no doubt what could happen if I left my bike unattended here ... I wanted to start moving west now that I was south anyways.





Trying to get off the interstate now that I no longer needed what it had to offer me (safe passage) through the snow and ice of the Midwest, I head west through some of the Bayou's






No Nothing!

(sounds like something to me, nothing don't need no stinkin' sign)












I took a detour down a gravel road surrounded by swamp water, excited to go explore a little.
See, this ride I was going against my light and fast ways. There was not to be much off road adventures, and nothing hard core. Since it was going to be a cold ride I packed heavy, bringing along anything I thought would make this trip more comfortable to camp in the cold. The plan was to htoel it the first 2 nights due to weather, but then go the better route and camp the rest of the way west.
So I was heavy....
As I tested out the bike on the gravel, getting a feel for how she was to handle all loaded up I noticed all of a sudden I had no ABS when the rear wheel locked up. :huh

Shit, what's up with the ABS?
The lights not on, so what the heck?....

Oh, wait, there's NO lights on!
My gauges were dead, along with the signals and computer. :eek1

This isn't good....

I'm now in the Louisiana back country with a half dead GS....

I had thought that my trouble were past me with my battery, thankfully the bike was still running and I immediately set out to get back to the interstate where I could at least get help when I needed it.

Maybe a half hour later I'm back on the highway and the bike is sputtering like it's running out of gas..... exit ahead..... go...... come on baby!.............finally died going down the ramp!

I rolled to about 50 yards from a gas station, and then pushed it the rest of the way.
Not the most stylish entrance I've had.


I called my buddy Ted @ A&S Cycle where I bought the bike for some advice... He emailed me the list of dealers in Houston, about 180 miles west.

Was this a battery problem or a charging problem?

I had already had one battery on this bike replaced under warranty from a sudden failure before, plus all the reports from others with a similar problem lead me to believe my battery had failed.
Currently I was about 10 miles outside Lafayette, LA with a dead bike.

I found a Honda dealer 8 miles away, right off the highway on the iPhone, then asked a guy dressed up in hunting gear for help jump starting my bike.

Eventually I got it started (luckily I had brought an improvised jumper cable that plugged into the tail going directly to the battery) only to have it die after idling for a minute while I got ready to ride.
Doing it all over again we got it started and I took off immediately... and after 5 minutes lost my gauges and lights..... and made it to the Honda dealer!


Turns out they have an identical battery for my bike, only this one has a Honda Logo on it and is made in the USA!





A new battery, drama's over, it's time to camp and get moving west!!!

Using the Oh So useful Campwhere App on the iPhone I found Sea Rim State Park campground on the Gulf of Mexico, about 155 miles from my current location. As it was 3 PM I could be there right after sunset said Mr. Garmin, but if I really hauled butt I could be there in time for sunset...

Texas here I come!

Wicked ride so far....
More please!

Just when I think I've found the baddest, most fearless ADV rider I find another. I need to stop reading faceplant and being such a wuss

Hey if you're headed my way and need anything just holler! Much respect!

I'm in! Been waiting for something like this from you.

Your such an inspiration... living through you once again, Thank you!

when you get to So. Cal... or if you need a place to stay.... Have fun and good luck!!

In Socal we are experiencing the wettest 8 days in well over a decade. This coming Wednesday is supposed to be a record breaker so I guess you have some serious weather fronts heading your way. Good luck and try to stay dry.

he lives here. BUT we will have a welcome home get together over a few beers!

Just amazing that anyone would leave Chicago in December on a bike! I am 2 hours north of Chicago in Wisconsin. My bikes are in a heated garage on battery tenders. They are staying there till March!

Much respect to you, hope your bike troubles are over with the new battery. As anyone buying a Volt or Leaf car will find out, winter is hell on batteries.

It's not gonna make your trek any easier, but this New Yorker was hanging
on every letter of every word you wrote as well as the great photos to go along with the Report. And I'm a news photog by occupation.
There's lots of ride reports on this forum, but yours has the dignity of perseverence and courage, unmatched by most and a ring of truth not easily translated. Talking of smoking a blunt with night maidens in the French Quarter is the stuff of classic literature,.
I'm no pansy but you have real dedication to attempt what you ARE doing.
The rest of us are just hanging on like barnacles under the hull. I for one can't wait for the next installment. You are doing what many of us are just dreaming.
You Go Guy,
NYP797,
Queens, NY

I was cruising along on I-10 heading west totally content, watching the miles countdown on the Garmin 660 to the campground. 160, 150, 140...
It was around 55ºF and sunny, a real slice of paradise compared to the beginning of my journey, or Chicago in the last month for that matter.
So many things going through my head, mostly still wondering why I had left.
I mean, I knew why as I said, but there must be more to it?
I think it was the feeling trapped part that did it.
No, more so the jobs.
Why am I so selfish?












ABS












What the hell? (daydreaming, poof, gone)

















ABS
















Why is my ABS light on?

















ABS


















I knew why but didn't want to believe it.




















ABS




















So, it's not the battery.











Could I be wrong, maybe all the salt has messed with the sensors?.....











5 minutes go by.
















10 minutes go by.
















I then look down to see the gauges were off, and I had no signals once again.
There was no doubt something wrong in my charging system with this new found data.

Well, I decided it was best to keep moving towards Houston while I could, but eventually the bike started to sputter, luckily right as an exit was coming up..... I made it into yet another gas station right as the bike died.

This time I called Gulf Coast BMW, talked with Tammy and fully explained my situation, and my mileage.... she put me on hold "to see what she could do"....

It was around 3:00 PM.

She came back on to let me know that they were going to stay at the shop that closed at 6, with a tech, until I got there to sort me out and get me back on the road!
They were closed on Sunday and Monday, it is Saturday night.
I immediately knew I had gotten lucky and happened upon a great mom and pop BMW shop.
Being thoughtful and throughout she gave me her cell number so I could reach her after hours to coordinate.
I was also told how the bike won't make it all the way there with no charge happening, so the plan was to get a jump and continue on the best I could, then deal with the rest of the way when the time came.


The dealer might come get me if I'm close enough...



I might get on ADV regional forum to ask for help.


There's BMW roadside assistance, but with 47,000 miles on my 09' GS I'm way out of warranty...

What ever, I'll figure it out.

I'm about 200 miles from Houston.

Another kind soul helped me and I got the bike started, this time disconnecting the headlight to squeeze as many miles out of it as I could.



Getting back on the road I just hauled ass around 90mph, getting myself around 35 miles closer before she started to die, again, luckily I made it down a ramp and into a truck stop with my as of lately, usual, rolling in on a fancy, dirty, dead motorbike.

How totally uncool, kind of like when you trip on nothing and then quickly look around to see who was looking and now laughing....




This time I really had killed the battery, and no jump would help.
I was 165 miles from the dealer, too far for them to come get me, though she did offer a # for a tow service. Seeing as I'm unemployed, and on a very limited budget thought I'd explore other options before I paid big bucks for a long miles tow...

I was on my own.

Damn...sign me up for this ride!

OK, so I wasn't quite on my own...




I grabbed my laptop and went into the Loves Truck Stop, determined to get things rolling so to speak. It's times like this that I grow calm and get into Fix It mode - just like when shit hits the fan on a big rock show. Even though it was inconvenient, it's times like this that will be remembered, not the hollow miles I have ahead.





Paying the $4.95 for internet access I logged onto ADVrider and started writing out a post in the Texas regional forum, asking for help.


As I was getting closer to posting I started to think about my previous experience with BMW Roadside.... I mean, since the bike was dead how could the driver look at the mileage?
And even if he did would he know that 47,000 miles meant I was out of warranty?
But did I have an extended warranty?
Who knew?

What could happen?




I have to question The System, nor will I be afraid. No FOX News Fear Hear!





So right before I posted I called BMW Roadside (after I got the # from Ted @ A&S) and gave it a shot..... yes, here's my VIN #, yes it's a 2009 800GS, yes I'm in a safe location.... I've already arranged after hours service at Gulf Coast BMW, so that's where I need to go....

Yes ma'm


No ma'm

Yes, I'll hold ma'm.












Wonderful ma'm!!


OK, I'll be waiting.








Guy's Tow Service would be there in 45 minutes!









Sweet.








I closed the tab and just wandered around ADV for a half and hour, eating some deliciously gross Hardee's gut bomb burger ( my first meal today) when I got the call that Guy's was outside only 30 minutes later!


While waiting I noticed that I had fork oil all over my left boot, upon further inspection the oil was all over the fork and brakes.... great, but you'll have to get in line Mr. Oil leak, I have other things to worry about right now. Take a number and beat it!





The sun was setting quite nicely, it was warm, and I had a ride to dealer where I could get help! Tonight!





Turns out the drivers name was not actually Guy, but Will.
I learned quite a bit about Will, but for now I'll just mention he's actually just been a recover specialist for about a month now.
And didn't have the right the right kind of straps with him.
Hell of a nice guy though.

For some odd reason while I was packing some of my climbing gear was laying around and I grabbed a few 18" slings and some carabiners you might have noticed hanging on the Jesse's... Funny how things like that go down.
So between the two of us we got it loaded and secured.































Will and I got settled in for the 165 mile drive to Gulf Coast BMW.... after we stopped at his Yard to fill up for fuel, "but it's on the way" in a thick Louisiana accent with a smile on his face.






See, Will liked to talk, or at least it was nice having company in the Rig for a change. Since I didn't feel like sharing my story at the time this worked out and I just listened, nodded, and laughed at appropriate times.
You would have never know from the way he talked the talk that he was new at this, but he gave me a nice rundown of all the various jobs he had in his 28 years on this earth. It was actually quite interesting to hear, in between many phone calls from his 19 year old newly married wife.
"honey, baby, yeah that's fine, go ahead, yeah yeah yeah..... OK, hey I gotta go I'm drivin' here! Love you too.... bye baby".... and so on.

It was a quick cross section sample of a fellow American who's life couldn't be more different from my own. We both agreed we'd get along just fine over a beer too.


















It was an enjoyable 2.5 hours for the most part, though the road was rough just like Will had said and I was bouncing all over the place without a air cushion seat like his.
I couldn't complain, considering, though this wasn't exactly the kind of entrance to Texas I had dreamed of while riding through the snow...







It was getting late, and my ETA was 9:30 PM, where Gulf Coast BMW's Owners, Manager's, and a Tech were standing by with a empty lift and a brand new F800GS on the lift next to it to be used for parts as need be.

I felt like a rock star racer getting swept into the sponsors pit to be serviced and pushed on my race west.



I get there, get the GS unloaded and hand her off to the tech.
Will and I say goodbye, and I end up tipping him $20... He had explained how he didn't really make squat on these car club runs, and after hearing his story I thought it would be the nice thing to do, especially if down the road there was a problem with them getting paid from BMW... Merry Xmas Will, it's not much but what I got for ya'.








I was greeted by a small group of people at the shop, all filled with smiles and positive energy... It didn't take long and I had a beer in my hand on top of it all!

OK, so down to business.
It was one of two things, the regulator (a $140 part), or the generator (a $850 part) :eek1

The tech hooked up the new fancy MOSS BMW computer, but was having issues since it needed the bike to be on to talk to it, of course.
I'll spare you the long version, but after swapping of parts and testing it was determined that it was indeed the $850 generator that needed replacing.



Gulf Coast BMW, being a kick ass dealer, had already been communicating with the regional BMW NA Rep about my case, pitching a very true and compelling story about why this should be a good will warranty part. Seeing as I put the last 15,000 miles in a matter of months, and after looking at the long list of problems this bike had experienced, it was hopeful that it could be covered.

But by all legal aspects BMW owes me nothing with this bike.


OK, so there's cheap motel's close by since the dealer is near the airport.... I had 2 days to kill..... and crossed my fingers since if I did need to pay for this $850 part plus labor it would be devastating to my wallet to say the least....


I'm just hoping for a ride to the hotel, but they weren't going to have that...
"You want a loaner bike?..."











well.... yes, yes I would.....









I said I'll put the bike on my insurance, made the call, bike was covered, done!

As we're walking through the showroom, with a big shit eatin' grin on my face, I pointed at the S1000RR and said that one would be fine...

They said don't push your luck!



How about this spankin' new 2011 R1200GS with the new DOHC Boxer?


Well, yes, that would do nicely!





I find myself at another motel with a brand new GS and a few days to kill... as why I took time to start this little story a my Winter Madness Ride.








































































































































































































We shall see what tomorrow will bring, again being lucky, the Regional Rep happens to be coming to Gulf Coast BMW tomorrow so I will get a face to face myself.












The next big thing will be to decide what to do about Christmas.... and how many miles I want to ride in a few days... Or not.

Thank you NYP797, and the rest of the fellows who commented!
It always feels good knowing your efforts are being heard as I try to put people in my shoes for a minute. Even if the shoes are just cold ass wet boots or riding in a tow truck! Not exactly a dream bike ride for many of you.



Cheers, and wish me luck!



Finn