How I celebrated graduating.

Chupacabra

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As most of you know, I recently graduated from college. I had saved a chunk of change and bought my FZ6...Straight Cash Homie...

I decided back in December (through the frigid months) that I was going to congratulate myself by riding my motorcycle across the country to head to California and back. Plans changed due to a job restriction and I instead went to my hometown outside of Houston, TX which took me about 10 days round-trip.

I committed to staying at premium hotels when not with friends or family and eating good meals and drinking good beer after I arrived at my destinations.

Puluke pictures by chupacabratx - Photobucket

I documented as much as I could, but due to trying to keep my stops limited mid-ride, I didn't take too many photos...okay I took about 300

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First stop was in Kansas City, KS overnight
Second stop was in Norman, OK overnight
Third stop was in Dallas/Austin- toured Cowboys Stadium and endured the 102 degree temps with 99% humidity then I was off to Austin to stay overnight
Fourth Stop was in my hometown of Rosenberg, TX after 2 days in Austin and I stayed for 2 days and saw an Astros game (terrible year)
Fifth stop was in Texarkana, TX overnight
Sixth stop was in Jonesboro, AR for 3 days and saw everyone on my mom's side of the family
Seventh stop was in St Louis, MO and I joined Geoff (Geoff) and Krid80 (Dirk) for a fun dinner and great memories
Eighth stop was in Iowa City, IA overnight
I was home by 4pm the next day after a pleasant ride on backroads in very welcome 80 degree sunny temps

Longest day of riding-
12.5 hours
Norman,OK to Austin,TX
temp was over 100 ENTIRE TIME

Traffic Tickets-

1-Hempstead County, AR
Arkansas State Trooper- Corwin Battle
85 in a 70 ($150 fine)
I was actually going 92-93 mph :blowkiss:($280 fine)

Best gas mileage-
53.4 mpg
Iowa City,IA to Owatonna,MN

Most memorable moment-
Jacket catching on fire next to State Trooper
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Sugar Land, TX
He gave me his business card and lent a helping hand
Thank you Trooper Eric G. Robinson!

Top speed on trip- I don't condone or endorse speeding on public roads
127 MPH
Kansas Turnpike
Had to pass 3 semi's on the left and checked speed as I got to the last one:ban:

Meeting Geoff and Dirk for dinner in St Louis was pretty cool. They are some awesome dudes to hang out with and the roads in Missouri are really therapeutic.
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Order Left to Right: Dirk (Krid80), Geoff (Geoff), Jason (Chupacabra)
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Order Left to Right: Dirk (Krid80), Jason (Chupacabra), Geoff (Geoff)

From the trip I realized the long road ahead:
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Overall, it was a challenging and exciting ride that allowed me to be myself again.
Thank you all for reading.
-Jason B.
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This did happen, it was loaded, and my friend is a local police officer (in Texas, of course!)
 

chomorro

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Nice read and looks like an awesome ride!!!

Just dont bring that magazine clip to CA, its definitely illegal here cop or no cop LOL.
 

Humperdinkel

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First of all Congrats on graduating :cheer: :cheer: & now I thank you for a brilliant trip report :thumbup: Great to see you could catch up with some other forum members :D

Now tell me , how did your jacket catch fire ?? :eek:
 

dxh24

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I agree, i think the "Jacket-on-Fire" story needs to be told!

Looks like a great trip! thanks for sharing.
 

Chupacabra

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Great Stuff! Question, did you ever take the girl from the Tilted Kilt with ya :D

I was so tired from the ride that day that I didn't want to have a beer (safety) just to hook up with a girl...and potentially have a child that lives in St Louis:eek:
 

Chupacabra

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I will share the jacket fire story once I get to work so everyone can know what happened.

Geoff and Krid80 already know, but they are SWORN TO SECRECY
 

Caesar

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I wanna know if this ride was done on the stock seat... bc my seat is a pain in my ass ;)
 

Chupacabra

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"How my jacket caught on fire" by Jason B. AKA Chupacabra

After I arrived in my hometown from Austin at around 1:30pm, I wanted to stop by the church I went to and visit. The pastor asked if I needed anything and I said a shower would save the day. Remember, Texas at the end of June is 99-102 degrees daily. We chatted for another hour or so and caught up with one another before I was heading to my friend Brian's job. He works about 25 minutes from the church and I was meeting him at 5.

It was super duper duper duper hot and since we were heading to the Astros game that night, I didn't want to be wearing hot and sweaty clothes and smell gross, so I secured my jacket (or so I thought) on my Ogio tailbag and headed out from the church.

The time was about 3:45 when I left and I decided to ride through old neighborhoods on the way to Schlumberger (Brian's job) to burn time. Needless to say, time wasn't the only thing I was burning on the way.

I pulled up to the intersection of Grand Parkway and Highway 90 in Sugar Land to see a Texas DPS Officer on the left. The light turned red and I naturally stopped and glanced over at the officer next to me. His cowboy hat and my helmet made eye contact and then the cowboy hat quickly pivots to focus on the back of my FZ6. So, I then whip my helmet back and see heavy black smoke billowing from my bike. I turn around and kill the bike and his window is now rolled down-

He shouts "I THINK IT'S ON FIRE!!!"

I shout "ME TOO!?!"

I put the kickstand down and get off the bike and run to the back and see that my jacket slid onto the exhaust and hit the metal muffler so I grab the sleeves and lift the coat up so the neckhole is facing me...ORANGE FLAME greets me, so I throw the coat on the ground and start stomping it out. Officer Robinson starts stomping with me and the jacket is laying on highway 90, smoldering but not on fire any longer-

He looks to me and says "Are you alright?"

I respond "I'm fine"....

Officer "Man, I'm glad, I thought you were going to blow up, then we'd have a real mess"

I laugh and thanked him for his help

Officer "Wow, that jacket looks expensive"

Me "It was"

He offered to recollect our thoughts at the nearby McDonald's so I tossed the crumpled and warm leather in the back of his squad car and we went to the parking lot and talked for a few minutes and I told him about my trip. He looked at me like I was crazy for riding the FZ6 from MN especially at the end of June, and let me know if I needed anything to give him a call. When I explained I was from the area and back to visit, he chuckled and said "What a welcoming ceremony you just had?!"

Officer Eric G. Robinson, you represent what being an gentleman truly is. He departed and I rode home with a (somewhat) wearable jacket.

Oh I forgot on the first post, the trip total was 3032 for mileage


I wanna know if this ride was done on the stock seat... bc my seat is a pain in my ass ;)

I was able to ride with a Corbin and my trusty AirHawk 2.
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Chupacabra

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I have the same touring screen, how did it work for you?

It worked amazingly well. ZERO buffeting at 80-90 mph and no need to tuck throughout the entire trip.

Bug deflection was adequate, but I'm 6'2" and I would say another inch would prevent this from happening:
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ELIZABETH

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Looks like a great trip! (well, BESIDES the flaming jacket!) :BLAA:

Sorry I didn't get to join you at the Tilted Kilt. Maybe on your next trip through! :D
 

Chupacabra

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Looks like a great trip! (well, BESIDES the flaming jacket!) :BLAA:

Sorry I didn't get to join you at the Tilted Kilt. Maybe on your next trip through! :D

I was looking forward to having you join us too! I might plan on heading to Jonesboro this September, but I'm def going to cage it. Either way, when I roll through St Lou, I will inform everyone.
 
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