Update and riding gear!
Updates:
....and the there were two......
Bigdog9191999 (also known to some outside the forum as "Steve" - hereafter "Bigdog") is coming along! Yes folks - there is someone else around here crazy enough to drop everything on almost no notice and ride 1500 miles just for the hell of it. Even more unusual, by some strange convergence of the moon and stars, BOTH my wife and Bigdog's have given the green light to the trip.:thumbup:
Now I know what you're all thinking...... We don't know what we're doing. Well, like me, Bigdog is TOTALLY prepared for the ride in that (1) he's interested in riding 1500 miles, and (2) he owns a motorcycle (in his case, a beautiful Triumph Tiger - the bike I'd almost certainly buy if I could stop buying gear for my FZ6!) Just because we've never actually ridden together, or even met shouldn't matter should it? We spoke on the phone today and I didn't detect an ounce of 'serial killer' in his voice, so we should be all set, right? As we stop for 5 minutes every couple of hundred miles I'm sure we'll get to know each other better......we might even find out each other's LAST NAMES by the end of the trip
But seriously folks. We've gotta try.
I also joined AAA today (including their plan that covers bikes). What the hell....now that I have full coverage for towing, I'll probably never need it. Right?
Now for some more pics....my gear:
Jackets:
(1) My trusty leather jacket from Hudson Leather in Ohio is my favorite. It's heavy and has a liner. I'm comfortable to down below freezing with it on. Above 70 it gets hot.
(2) Firstgear mesh-tex jacket. It's supposed to be water resistant with the liner in, but I wouldn't trust it. Good from 65 and up. I'll probably use this during the day.
(3) Firstgear rain jacket. Tested it once and it works. It's even got a hood to keep rain from getting under your helmet. It'll probably get tested on this ride.
Now boots and pants:
(1) SIDI OnRoad boots - love these things. I wish I'd had them on my last ride. They do get warm in temps over 80, but they're absolutely, positively 100% waterproof (assuming water doesn't run down your legs and into them!)
(2) LD comfort shorts (long ones on the left side, short ones on the right side). These wick away moisture and make long rides much more comfortable. You can also wash and dry them in minutes. Mine are nearly worn out - having suffered from being worn on kayaking trips and trips into the rainforest.
(3) Firstgear HT Overpants II - these riding pants are great. They get warm at temps over 85, but I always wear them. The liner makes them waterproof (or at least close) and they're great in very cold temps (good to well below freezing in my experience). You can also zip the Firstgear mesh jacket to the back of them, which holds them together nicely.
Some additional stuff for the bike:
WD-40, Chain/cable lube, Tire pressure gauge, paper towel, LED headlight, tire plugger kit, and Slime compressor (I have it rigged to plug in under the seat to an SAE plug that runs to the battery). Hopefully I won't need any of this stuff. I have a Scottoiler, so I shouldn't even have to oil the chain if it holds up. I need to add some electrical tape, duct tape, something to clean the windshield, and the owner's manual to the pile.
Some additional stuff for me:
Helmet: Nolan N-102. It's a bit heavy and not that quiet, but it's a flip-up, which is WONDERFUL on long trips. It also has a sunshade which flips down - saving stops to change glasses/visors.
Left of the helmet are earplugs, my iPhone, an iPod, and cheapo earphones. You can also see the Garmin Zumo GPS. To the right of the GPS is the SPOT satellite tracker (bright orange box). The SPOT, GPS, and my camera all mount to the bike (I'll show where in a future post).
Just below the SPOT is a balaclava for cold days (rarely needed if temps are above 45) and my mini tankbag.
At the bottom on the right you can see my Camelbak water supply. It holds 3L, although I can't fill it much if I want to put it in my tankbag. I've also included a bag of banana chips, and I'll probably buy some jerky. Having something to eat and drink is really helpful on long rides. Water is especially important as dehydration can become a big problem after hours on the road.
On the bottom left is my selection of gloves. It includes Fieldsheer waterproof gloves (these are truly waterproof, but have a thick layer of thinsulate which makes them HOT), a pair of cheapo mesh gloves (good for temps over 70F), and my trusty leather/deerskin/thinsulate gloves made by Hudson Leather (good for temps between ~40 and 70F). At the very bottom you can also see a small bag. This contains a pair of Fieldsheer overgloves. They are supposed to make any gloves waterproof.
Missing (for obvious reaons) is my camera, which will be coming along for the ride. It's a Pentax point-and-shoot W30. It's fully waterproof, so it's perfect for this kind of ride (the SPOT and GPS are also waterproof). I'll be taking pics along the ride this time - something I regret not doing last time.
If we were stopping longer, I'd consider bringing a bike cover of some sort. Apparently, theft rates are lower is thieves can't actually see your bike (or at least exactly what it looks like anyway). In our case, the bikes probably won't even have a chance to cool off let alone be stolen.
Keep in mind, except for basic safety gear, NONE of this stuff is really necessary. On my last ride, all I had was one jacket, an old pair of boots, the riding pants, and the tankbag (mostly empty). I was fine.
In an upcoming post, I'll review the bike - including mods for the trip.
