West Fest ’08 – on my way

I'm glad they were "simple" biffs...........


Beautiful pics....I really do need to go ride those passes for myself.

Wow!!

Riding in those mountains must be Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I definitely will have to make it out there!!!

Great pictures!

What do you shoot with?

Hi Chris, got home tonight after riding three days post WF with an expert guide.
Hope you've made it home or are close. Dean

I left Telluride headed for Lake City after putting a little JB Kwik on the most obvious crack in the valve cover (thanks, SRA for the loan of the JB; I won't be leaving home without some again ).

I decided to take a road route back to Lake City. I figure that if I had to resort to a tow, I'd probably be better off having a truck pick me up from the side of a highway rather than on Cimnnamon Pass or Ophir Pass.

In the 140 or so miles back to Lake City, the GS blew out 2.5 quarts of oil.:eek1 I kept stopping and checking it and adding oil. I routed through Montrose and up 50.

I came up behind Medicine Creek and a couple of other advriders on US 50 and followed them for a while.






I had decide to take the Blue Mesa Cutoff to get back to Lake City, so I turned onto it. It was a fun route. Fast and smooth with good sights along the way. Take a look.




See the oil all down the side? My boot and lower pants leg were also drenched.








As I was coming to the end of the road and back to the highway, who did I see? The Medicine Creek gang.


I missed the meal and the WestFest closing ceremonies, so you'll have to go elsewhere for those pics.

The next morning I took the valve cover off and patched it. You've already seen those pics.

Here's the bike loaded to head home.


A mile from that spot, I knew that I wasn't put of the woods yet. The bike was leaking badly.

I went to the car wash on the way out of Lake City and washed the bike to get a better look at the actual source of the leak. It was leaking around the bolt. I tried silicone. I called my dad and told him I was waiting on some silicone to cure some and told him the story. He said, "You shoulda used JB Weld." He was right. It leaked all the way to Poncha Springs, near Salida, where I decidedf to stop in with katbeanz and Larry and use the JB. I patched it and accepted their hospitality to spend Sunfday night with them. (Thanks , Dean and Larry. ) We went to dinner with RamZ.
Afte breakfast the next morning, Larry and katbeanz headed out to ride with RamZ and a friend of his and I started heading for home, hoping the JB had sealed the oil leak.
It's not pretty, but it has held for 2000 plus miles. If I had been smart enough to check/adjust the valves while I had the cover off Sunday to patch it from the inside, I would just leave it for another 4k.






katbeanz




I stopped by Hayduke's shop, but I was too late Sunday and too early Monday. I'll order my new "Safety Third" stuff from the website.


I headed out of town on US 50, which runs along the Arkansas River.











Since the JB weld was holding the oil in , I decided to run over Skyline Drive in Canon City and up Phantom Canyon Road east of town.

Skyline Drive


This rig was in Canon City.





Phantom Canyon Road
















I went about halfway up Phantom Canyon Road and turned around when I saw a sign stating that there was roadwork ahead.

I got back on the highway and headed east.


"I'm just a gigilo..."


I met this guy, Lynn (Len?) at the Kansas Welcome Center. We talked about common interests, then headed back out on the highway. It was nice to meet you, Lynn, and I hope that the rest of your trip to your father's 88th b-day celebration was a good one. I'd love to see those Ossas, Bultacos, etc., some day.






I got a new tire in Wichita... (Thanks, Mid America Powersports!)


And routed myself toward my sister's place near Huntsville, AL.

The route took me through Tulsa.


They love me in Oklahoma.



I stopped at a Motel 6 in Van Buren, AR, where I met advrider evedrake (Heidi), a BMWMOA Aambassador who was participating in the SPANK Rally. She had done a lot of riding in a few days, including a Reno to Atlanta to Florence, Alabama, run -- 1700-plus miles:eek1 -- in about 36 hours on her F650GS, "Scout."






I arrived at my sister's place Tuesday afternoon and enjoyed a visit with her, my brother-in-law Carl, niece Emma and nephew Hank.


Hank, who is five, drew this for me within a few minutes after I arrived.


We looked at some pictures.


They seem to have lost me in Alabama.


I headed for home and bypassed Atlanta.


It was good to be back on my native soil.


I rode by the house and my wife's car wasn't there, so I started heading out the route I knew she'd be driving home on to meet her on the road. She called a few seconds later, and I stopped and answered the phone. She was just a few minutes out, and I decided to head to the house and wait for her in the driveway. While I was waiting, I noticed a note on my DR650 and checked it out. To make a long story short, I am probably buying a Ural for a very good deal.

While I waited for Mary Elizabeth to arrive home, I also took some final trip photos.

Home, sweet home.

Back where she started.


Total trip mileage (not counting several hundered miles in a U-Haul and in a rental car -- and not counting the distances I rode CCRyder's and katbeanz's bikes. Incidentally, my real top speed was 103. I don't know why it sometimes shows a speed I didn't do. ).


Mary Elizabeth arrived.

It's a wonder I ever leave home.


Thanks for joining me on the trip. I hope you enjoyed the report.

All the best,
Chris

NHWR,

I shot a Nikon D1X (borrowed, essentially) -- mostly with the 80-200 lens on 200 -- and my little Sony Sureshot point-n-shoot (nearly 5 years old). I'm going to have to give the Nikon up soon, though.

All the best,
Chris

Dean,

I made it home yesterday (Thursday) with no further trouble. I'm glad you and Larry made it safely back and had a good time.

All the best,
Chris

Kevin,

Nothin' hurt but my pride. And a valve cover. And a couple of turn signal lenses. And a PIAA grill. Oh, and there's a small ding in the tank from the PIAA.

And, yes, you do need to ride those passes. Take the DR -- though YOU could probably ride them on your Yammy tour bike.

All the best,
Chris

Hey Chris,
Thanks for sharing your trip with us Also,glad you are home safe and sound. Hope to see you at NCN08 if not before

so, now you're back we can do a Saddlesore ride, documented. i like this icon.

Hey Chris. I just found your report. I'm glad I got to meet you. Your photos are really great! Inspiring, even. Your attitude with all the hassles you encountered is encouraging. Thanks for helping me at Westfest!

I love the photo of the deer running. Really great!

Kristi,

Thanks for the kind words. It was great meeting you. You know, sometimes you gotta pay to play. (And in this case, pay and pay and pay.) I decided a long time ago that it is just more simple to roll with the punches when you can. Sometimes, I even remember that decision.

All the best,
Chris

Great report, Chris!


Looking forward to the next time our paths cross.

Good stuff, Chris. Good to see you out west, and I'll look forward to our next chance meeting on the BRP.

Thanks to katbeanz for getting this photo that Larry took on our ride.


All the best,
Chris

Thanks Land for the great narration, photos and moto-vation. These posts help aleviate the cabin fever that sets in around this time of year.