Day 14

Since there is limited internet access, and I haven't taken many pictures since I arrived in Dead wood, here is a list of sites with pictures and blogs of the Rally:

https://picasaweb.google.com/gambler5051/WWR5#

http://vroclinks.blogspot.com/2011/06/deadwood.html

http://sherm363.blogspot.com/

http://skid1850.blogspot.com/

70% chance of rain today, probably won't ride much.

Day 13

Ladies run today.

Weather isn't cooperating, but what is new.

Day 12

Day off of riding.
Chore day, shipping some things home and one load of laundry.

Wish list for bike:
                           Risers to bring the handlebars back to relieve shoulder pain
                           Cut windshield down 2-3 inches
                           Articulated highway pegs that I can reach
                           Shields for the hands

Sat at registration table for the afternoon, great way to see people and visit.

No miles for the day

Day 11

Rawlins, Wy to Deadwood ,SD

Sandy and Mal from the balcony outside my room

Bikes

Wompus washing the only other Green Nomad

Lots of people here already

WWR5 about to start.

Miles for the day = 349                         Total miles =  2880

Day 10

Filmore, Ut to Rawlins, Wy

Mountains just east of Provo, Ut

Name?

Wind farm in Wyoming with mountains behind 

The bike turned over 10000 today!

Miles for the day = 423                                                       total =  2531

Day 9

South Las Vegas - Hoover Dam - Filmore, Ut

Very bad pain day, I'm cutting the trip short and heading for Deadwood. Hoping to arrive on Monday.
Excruciating pain shooting up and down both arms, plus left leg having cramps. How do you long distance riders stand it?

Hoover Dam showing the Memorial Bridge, Visitors Center and drive over Dam

Oh, yea, I ran out of gas right before the junction of I-15 and I-70. Honda VTX rider stopped and had a quart bottle on him. Wasn't enough, but I was able to coast to a stop right behind a State Patrol. Honda took off and Statie took me to the next gas station, filled the donated quart bottle, and brought me back to the bike. THEN followed me back to the station! Amazing!

Miles for the day = 340                                       Total for trip = 2108

Day 8

Palos Verdes - through Death Valley -South Las Vegas

Bad attitude day

Miles for the day = 448                         Total for trip =1768

Day 7

A day off riding. Need the rest. Going to Catalina Island

Similar boat to the one I'm on.

                                                 Double masted

                                               Leaving the harbor

                                           Condos on the side of the hill as you approach the island.
                                          Pretty nice spray from the boat.

                                            Kelp beds

 

                                              They feed the fish to make them come around the boat.

Took a bus trip to the top of the island, one of the views.

Palos Verdes in the distance

Catus garden at the Catalina airport

The Vintage bus for the tour

Day 6

San Luis Obispo to Rancho Palos Verdes

                                       Bit of So Cal coast, Catalina Is in the distance

Popular surfing spot, RV alley along here.

My cousins place - Sisters of Charity in Rolling Hills

This is the "Porch", a place for incoming donations and outgoing goods.

It take two full-time nuns to manage and coordinate this service.

                                        More of the Main house

"Porch"

The driveway I came down!

Chapel behind the double doors

Chapel with a round of a redwood behind the alter.

(Sorry, pic is rotated)

The lower house with a guest suite that I got to use.

View of the Main house from the lower

Mostly running 101 to make up time lost.

Miles for the day = 228                                 Total = 1320

Day 5

It's raining and my bike won't start.

Have a call in to a VERS list VROCer
Have a call in to the local Kawasaki dealer.

When it stops actively raining, I'll check the battery. I don't think that's the problem, but it's a place to start.
I already pulled apart the switch housing, but I can't see any problems there.

Good news is I'm in a hotel room and not on the side of the road.

Lessons learned - try to start the bike one more time before letting the tow guy load it.

After callings four different tow companies I found one that could tow a bike. He was extremely careful and considerate, didn't even comment when the tears started rolling down my face. That's when I knew this bike was truly mine.

Get it offloaded at the shop, tech rolls it in, pushes the starter button and she fires! WTF?
Guy looks at me and says, "The kill switch was on."
.
.
.
I may be an idiot at times, but I KNOW I checked that a dozen times. I think, somehow, taking apart the housing and putting it back on did something. But I should have tryed it one more time before the tow guy loaded.

So no sightseeing today, just got on 101 and ran.

Thanks for the emails and calls, nice to know you care.

Miles for the day = 286                                   Total = 1092

Day 4

Jerry and his wife Carol put me up for the first night on the road.

Jerry is heading off to work.

Thanks for the hot tub, guys. Just what I needed after all the rain and cold.

Redwood National Forest

I stopped the bike and pointed the camera straight up

                                                  Forest floor

                                                      Bit of coast

Very touristy and bad for the tree, but I couldn't resist

Lunch at Abel's

I've never seen anyone use kidney beans in a side salad but it works.

There are two chicken enchiladas in there. Nice presentation.

BIG tree

More forest floor

Stopped in Santa Rosa, CA for the night.

Miles for the day = 308                                                                    Total = 806

Day 3

Send off crew from Battle Ground, WA.

Thanks Wrongway! You have a great family, hugs to your wife!

Lunch

Needed to warm up

I made it to the ocean outside Lincoln City, WA Cold and wet all day.

More beach view

If you look close there is a sea lion on the rock below with hundreds of birds. I missed the actual "Sea Lion Cove"

Lighthouse

Sherm and Pat let me warm up at their house(Coos Bay). Pat served up homemade soup and hot coffee, I really needed that for the final push to Gasquet, CA Thank you for the warm-up!

Miles for the day = 390                                                Total miles = 498