- Oct 28, 2001
- 4,704
- 0
Considering the number of challenges, roadblocks, and the last minute decision that I must go on this ride, it was awesome!
So many times trying to get ready for this weekend I kept muttering "this ride is just not meant to be". The dirt bike gods did not seem to be with me.
- Made decision late Thursday to just do it! I hadn't planned on going up, but Napper needed his panties back.
- The bike from the engine on back was in pieces. Lingering winter project that just didn't get done. Fine - I'll take a comp day on Friday and put it back together.
- Get a call from my customer Friday morning- big problems. Spend all day Friday downtown Detroit working on problem. Go to son's basketball game after work. Get home 8pm, have dinner; bike is still in pieces. Flip through service manual. All righty then!
- 1:30am bike is back together except for seat. Can't find bolts I removed this past November. 2am - bolts found in fender bag!
- 2:15am: Realize that I'm missing small clip for carb cable. Try and start bike - it runs! Decide that clip must not be that important.
- 2:30am: Back trailer in garage to load bike and gear. Close barn door on trailer. Start pulling out onto drive way. Loud bang! Get out and realize that emergency release cord from garage opener was closed in barn door. Pulling trailer pulled the cord, and 1,000lbs garage door releases and crashes onto top of trailer roof. Only fell about 8" - no damage. Get out ladder and try and reattach chain on opener.
- Go to bed at 3:30am. Wired/excited, can't sleep right away. The wind is howling, and it is raining hard. Power goes out at 5:30am. Smoke/CO2 alarms start beeping, and wake me up. Get up shut them down. Lay in bed, realizing that without power, my alarm will not go off at 6:30am.
- No power = no oatmeal and no coffee. Keep thinking.... this just wasn't meant to be! Realizing that I stayed up most of the night to make this ride, I head out on the road. All the bad karma must be gone.
- Drive 2.5 hours, at times through icy, windy rain.
- Pull out of Pinconning gas station with coffee and breakfast in hand, and start heading west on M61. Suddenly, the heavens parted, blue sky emerged, and the sun tried peaking out.
This ride today was meant to be!
Thanks to everyone that helped make it happen!
So many times trying to get ready for this weekend I kept muttering "this ride is just not meant to be". The dirt bike gods did not seem to be with me.
- Made decision late Thursday to just do it! I hadn't planned on going up, but Napper needed his panties back.
- The bike from the engine on back was in pieces. Lingering winter project that just didn't get done. Fine - I'll take a comp day on Friday and put it back together.
- Get a call from my customer Friday morning- big problems. Spend all day Friday downtown Detroit working on problem. Go to son's basketball game after work. Get home 8pm, have dinner; bike is still in pieces. Flip through service manual. All righty then!
- 1:30am bike is back together except for seat. Can't find bolts I removed this past November. 2am - bolts found in fender bag!
- 2:15am: Realize that I'm missing small clip for carb cable. Try and start bike - it runs! Decide that clip must not be that important.
- 2:30am: Back trailer in garage to load bike and gear. Close barn door on trailer. Start pulling out onto drive way. Loud bang! Get out and realize that emergency release cord from garage opener was closed in barn door. Pulling trailer pulled the cord, and 1,000lbs garage door releases and crashes onto top of trailer roof. Only fell about 8" - no damage. Get out ladder and try and reattach chain on opener.
- Go to bed at 3:30am. Wired/excited, can't sleep right away. The wind is howling, and it is raining hard. Power goes out at 5:30am. Smoke/CO2 alarms start beeping, and wake me up. Get up shut them down. Lay in bed, realizing that without power, my alarm will not go off at 6:30am.
- No power = no oatmeal and no coffee. Keep thinking.... this just wasn't meant to be! Realizing that I stayed up most of the night to make this ride, I head out on the road. All the bad karma must be gone.
- Drive 2.5 hours, at times through icy, windy rain.
- Pull out of Pinconning gas station with coffee and breakfast in hand, and start heading west on M61. Suddenly, the heavens parted, blue sky emerged, and the sun tried peaking out.
This ride today was meant to be!
Thanks to everyone that helped make it happen!