cowpuc

Still here doing the Prayers Up and Blessing Down routine my good friend:thumbsup:!! Cant wait to hear the good news of how it all went Fool!!

If you have time and a couple extra bucks, grab an extra fuel pump (used is fine as long as it works) to put in your maintenance department to do a quick change if necessary - no sense in spending precious ride time trying to repair the old one if the points go. Carry a good supply of tie-wraps (I call them motorcycle bandaids). Carry an extra small flashlight in your MD too, sharp knife, a 16 inch pair of Channel Locks (my favorite tool of all time, doubles as a weapon if needed). Other than good LONG screw drivers (double as pry bars), 4 feet of gas line, small amount of Duc Tape, little tube of hand cleaner and a couple grease rags - your maintenance department sounds great! Going alone I would take my bike out, find my perfect sitting position (for me its leaned way back resting against a sleeping bag, bars folded back into a "Chopper" position). Get a old windshield and cut it down so the air flows just over your head at speed. Should end up with a good 4 inches of open view over the top of the shield. Make a spot to carry a gallon of water and an extra gallon of gas (or two). For clothing, dont forget to pack a Balacalava, couple extra old Hooded sweatshirts your gear sounds good.. Your headed to the mountains, explore em mornings to 1 pm, and after 4 in the afternoon. Seems like mid day is when they like to go into weather mode.. Personally, I dont think really really good biking begins till ya get on the west side of the rockies in most area's - just talking sheer biking pleasure! Gotta get out of the humidity and BUGS!! That said, I would CTFW my way down to Flagstaff from Gunnisonto, ride 89a down to Jerome AZ but go no farther to avoid massive heat, turn around and reride 89a back up to Flag, up to the west entrance of the Grand Canyon, out the east gate and up to Page, into Utah and across to the North Rim then up thru Kanab, out thru Zion. After you break out onto I-15 from Zion, check your calendar - you should still have 11 days of riding left. Go north to Cedar City and then head west across Area 51 (Nellis), cross into California thru Yosemite NP, cross over to Hwy 1, stop and visit the fine folks gathering for Venture West in Yureka. Ride back thru Bend Oregon and grab come out thru Yellowstone and Cody Wyoming before heading south toward home. The only place living out of the saddlebags and dropping the tent in one of "our" type of campgrounds will be California - not exactly a user friendly state. I dont bother with campgrounds but, I have also been notified several times when road side sleeping there that its not legal in Cali - life is a little different there.. Once you get above Bodega Bay along Hwy 1 this seems to back off some.. GET ER DONE CHA!! Where ever you end up, please dont forget the 's to cover your butt when ya get home.. You know how some of our friends here are - it would be a shame to have covered all those miles and then have no proof that you did!!! Another thing, no idea if your into gaining an official "Iron Butt" status thing like a lot of these fine folks here have done.. If you are, trips like you are talking are prime candidates for earning that badge. Gurantee you will have at least one 1000 mile day (probably more) if you ride sun up till sun down - especially if you tend to loosen the reins on that gorgeous Venture when she gets into the open in the desert - they do love to run!!! LET ER BUCK CHA!!

Gravel roads or two tracks?

HEYYYYYY,, OUR YAMMERDAN IS BACK TO HIMSELF!! Sure sounds like there is plenty enough left of Silver to Trike her out!! Sent your winnings from the MD drawings home with Skid Dan - what you won could be a good start to the trike project!! LOTS of smaller bike deals on Craigs right now, stuff is going dirt cheap! So,, what are we looking for? Probably not a Hardtail chop:missingtooth:. How bout a 750 Honda Shadow type of scoot? Seen one recently sell for 1600 with less than 10k on it - guy started at 3400, worked all the way down to 16 before it finally found a rider.. LOTS of Evo Harley's out there too for well under 4 if you wanna go there again:big-grin-emoticon: Tip and I spend a lot of time on our Honda Helix, scootering (its a fully automatic couch with 2 wheels) is a BLAST and, that type of scoot would be a perfect therapy machine IF you dont mind people pointing and laughing a little:missingtooth: Brother, THIS is sooooooooo much more fun than talking about all the medical stuff!! Keep healing and WELCOME home Dan!!! Missed ya..

Oppsss,, just read your last post about it being about looking for work!! SOunds AWESOME!!!! Wish you NOTHING but the best in locating that perfect job Cha!!

Ah, 15 days? Thats a fair amount of time, guy can cover a LOT of miles in 15 days Cha - sounds like an epic in the making!!:clap2::dancefool: Few quick questions before I make any suggestions.. You riding alone on the scoot or doing one up? Got others on bikes going with ya? You planning on making the "ride" the adventure (sun up till sun down) or more of a stop and spend hours looking at museums and stuff? Any problem putting that Meenards tent (good choice by the way) to its paces sleeping in Cemeterys, at abandoned gas stations and out on the desert/prairie floor?

Starting early for you my friend!! Prayers Up, Blessings Down!!

I know in California what Z is saying is true but here in Michigan, or should I say, the insurance companies I have dealt with concerning matters like this in Michigan, will no way no how pay out on Homeowners when it comes to Auto.. No idea if Randy Land has No-Fault (Michigan does) but if it does, my gut tells me No Comprehensive = Insurance Company could care less about fixing cars for any reason...

NICE PB!!! REAL NICE!!

My cousin crashed his 1100 Virago while we were out playing and he busted his collar bone. They gave him the choice between the sling or having surgery and having a small plate put in. He chose the plate cause they said it would heal a lot faster.. It worked great Dan!! I highly doubt they could do that to ribs though and maybe they are counting on you staying down for a few weeks to give it all time to heal... I know it takes a lot (I spent over a year in a body cast after 5 back surgeries and THAT almost killed me and I could actually get up and walk around!!!) of determination but YOU have it bro!! Give it time!!

Oh, by the way, like Tanker, I too LOVE riding with a cut down shield. If you cut it down to where the air flow is just clearing the top of your head you should end up with a good four inches of view over your windshield - PERFECT FOR RIDING SINGLE BUT TERRIBLE IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A PASSENGER - especially if caught in or rain or hail!!!

Tweeks is an 83 with a fair amount of ride time on her and she still has the stock original shield. This has only been possible by using Plast-x (found very inexpensive at Walmart). I have tried many many methods of spiderweb/scratch/haze removal throughout the years and, bar none, Plex-x has been the best of the best.. By the way, Plast-x also comes in "kit" form with buffer and all that = more expensive. Buy the cheap refill squirt bottle, apply in small swirls with clean left over kitchen towel, remove with clean kitchen towel BEFORE it drys on shield (opposite of wax). Takes a little elbow grease but this stuff works awesome!! Now that I think about it, if I remember correctly, I think @Eagle Eye and I played with a scratch on his shield a little bit while he was visiting us.. Maybe he will chime in about his perspective of this stuff.. I am an off the wall experimenter and have also found I can safely use Rain-x on my old shield because of my use of Plast-x (Plast-x easily removes any fogging associated with Rain-x) BUT - my shield has NO original thin plastic coating on it and I would advise testing the Rain-x in a small area should you decide to try using Rain-x after using Plast-x too!! Hope this helps! Puc

OUCH my friend,, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! Randy, was this all the result of storms or something or just a tree giving up its roots?? BROTHER - THAT IS TERRIBLE!! Sorry to read about this but very very glad no one was injured!! Wish I was closer,, got a chainsaw that hasnt been ran since we moved and stopped burning wood and it needs a good workout!!

What da heck bro,,,,,, I cant even imagine that!! I have had a couple broken ribs and remember vividly how painful they were WITH WRAP!! I cant even imagine 7 and no wrap:scratchchin: Praying for you my friend and looking forward to your complete healing!!

PB, as you know - I am a Michigander too I spent a fair amount of time searching for old coal mines (came home with the coolest old Coal pic axe strapped to the side of my bike and the coolest coal miners cap) down yonder and worked my way up the Blue Ridge afterwords and, like your wife - am not a real ick-spressway lover (LOVE her choice of verbage) so maybe I can help. 250 heads southeast not to far from Don's in Oberlin (Tip and I came home from the International last year on the route too - it was still awesome!!), as I recall it is just west of Dons. Jump on the 250, keep CTFW till ya get to 220, ride 220 down to Roanoke, grab the Parkway just outside of Roanoke and head toward Cherokee. By the way, I know there is soooo much to see and do down there but, memorize this,, Red River Gorge,,, this Red River Gorge,, one more time,, Red River Gorge.. If you have the time and wanna spend some time away the hulabullou of Severville, The Dragon and the Great Smoky Mt NP on your way home,, check out the Red River Gorge area!! PS - always read the fine print: This completes Puc's fulfillment of his side of this contract.. Consideration for fulfillment of PB's portion of this contract shall be fullfilled by PB taking and sharing LOTS of:photographing:'s of the journey he and his wife embark on. This contract shall not be void or altered, even if PB and his wife so choose to ride a different route or even in a different area of the country.. Notary Public: Puc's Ink Great State of Michigan Seal of approval: HAVE FUN,RIDE SAFE, LIVE FREE!

Ahh o',, did you forget to tell the Dr's you were a member of VR Dan O? Had they of known they probably would have given ya the next size smaller of rib wrap!! I am so thankful to have you back onboard brother! How's the shoulder/collar bone? Prayers Up and Blessings Down Yammer!!

Mr. and Mrs. Eusa1, THAT is soooo fantastic:thumbsup:!! All the world loves the lovers - CONGRATS to the both of you on this awesome occasion!! With your talent, betcha that Bride of yours has the prettiest Diamond cut of them all!

And dont forget to be thankful that Fool's White Wash Machine is FINALLY tucked away for the summer!!

OUTSTANDING RBIG!!! CONGRATS!!

CONGRATS JEFF ON FINALLY GETTING IT ACCOMPLISHED:thumbsup:!! Try to dream about getting that new rocket of an RC Plane finished and flying while your knocked out!! Prayers Up and Blessings Down headed your way my brother!!

An interesting thing happened during the course of marring off our youngest daughter recently. Being as it involved a lot of our extended family, I was asked by one of them who hadnt seen me in a while (lots of them - for obvious reasons - steer clear of me) what I was going to be when I grew up.. I shocked myself as the word "Dead" instantly came out.. That person just shook his head and walked away.. It's nice to have family members and friends like you Fool who actually dont want me to change - THANKS FOOL!!

Tried to put a message on that link but it wouldnt let me so I will put here what I wrote: """TOTALLY AWESOME!! Wishing you folks nothing but the greatest time of your lives on this unbelievable adventure!! Hats off to both of you for doing this - you are amazing!! Puc""" I LOVE the whole view a spot idea!! THAT is wayyyyyyyy cool!!! It looks like Phil is in North Calgary at this time !!! Hey Phil, ride safe out there and hoping you enjoy every second of every day on the bike my friend!!

Ya know, one of the great things that I have always loved about our family here is that a guy can truly be himself and not have to fear not being loved anymore,, right?

It is soooo good to read your posts Dan!! THANK YOU for keeping us up to speed on how things are going brother!! Prayers still Up and Blessings still Down!!