Finally picked up my Drifter/Road trip from hell

[49Reo]

Nice bike. One thing about it, you will never forget that road trip. It might cause you to wake up in a cold sweat every so often though....

What are the plans for the fender; replace, or go to a body shop and wave it repaired. I was talking to a fellow here in town a while back, he owns a body shop, he said it is amazing the products out there for doing flawless and strong repairs to todays plastic body parts.  Hope the rest of your year perks up!

[moosewing3]

Sounds like a plan. Don't have any pics of the damage yet.

[CDNRatMan]

  I could not see any damage. Perhaps some close ups?

That sounds like a really fun trip, so the next time I am through Tamworth, I can drop in for a visit, or better yet, once I get to NorthBrooke, stop for lunch and then call you and met up at Beaver Lake for a bit of a ride into Kingston.

Bike looks really good though........

[moosewing3]

Couple more pics of my new baby

[moosewing3]

Finally got to go pick up my new baby, 1999 1500. Seemed a simple enough proposition, drive from Tamworth Ontario to Cape Cod, pay the nice people, load the bike and come home.  Stop 1. Duty Free to exchange my Can. $ for greenbacks, raped to the tune of 14% even though the going rate is 8% that day.Should have taken this as an omen.
Stop 2 & 3, unscheduled, my US Tracphone is out of minutes, hit up Wal Mart and reload, Watertown NY, drive 15 minutes up the hwy and GPS completely dies, beyond hope. Next Wal-Mart, Syracuse, new GPS.
Stop 4 Finally get rolling along nicely, I'm no longer going to be on the Cape shortly after lunch but I should make it there before the U-Haul closes at 4:00. Actually arrive where I need to be an hour early, yay!. dRIVE AROUND AIMLESSLY FOR 45 MINUTES AS THE NEW gps keeps re-routing, arrive at U-haul 3:45. Hook up trailer, running lights don't work, screw with that for half an hour. No luck. Give up, resign myself to only driving back as far as I can before dark.
Stop 5. The sellers house. Meet two super nice people, very helpful. We get the bike load it in the trailer with my awesome Condor wheel chock, makes a bike falling over impossible. So when I ordered the trailer I checked the wheelbase measurements, the super cool skirted fender I bought this bike for apparently adds another foot to the length. Door won't close. F&%k! Take the stand out lock the bars,ratchet strap ten ways from Sunday with the bike angled in, door closes. Forgot my locks at home. It's ok I have a full tank of gas and only 2 hours of sunlight, I'll grab some when I stop.
Stop 6. Wal-Mart, Auburn Mass. 2.5 hrs and not nearly enough miles away from the Cape. Run in quick, grab a three pack of locks. Open the trailer to check bike. My new baby is lying on her side next to the broken strap and many little pieces of the back fender. Quietly sit on the floor of the trailer and have a smoke while I collect myself and not go on a spree of unbridled rage. Right the bike, restrap differently with brand new straps I buy thinking that maybe I can sue Wal-mart when these ones break first use as will surely happen the way my luck is running. I find a hotel, check in, and sleep.

Day 2  Wake out of a sound sleep at 5:45 with the startling thought, what if the bars got bent? Throw on clothes go to the parking lot check the bike in the daylight, all good, except that fender is still broke. Weep a little, go have breakfast. Gonna hit the road, should be no stops today, should make US export control way before 4:00.

Stop 1. On the road by 7:15 gonna crush it, make it as far as putting the truck in gear before the assortment of yestedays road food wants out. Back into the hotel, I've already checked out. I proceed to pretty much destroy the lobby toilet, sorry Hampton Inn. Now I'm on my way. Traffic is somewhat slow leaving Mass. I have to supress an overwhelming urge to stop at every service center and check on bike. Finally give in at last Mass exit. bike is fine, I gas up, this should take me well past Syracuse. I get back on the raod ready for the home stretch, it's not even 9:00 yet, woohoo!

Stop 2. I go about 15 miles on the NY throughway, round a bend and see vehicles in front of me all stopping, I notice amber lights of a work crew, and something odd in the right lane which is empty, about a quarter mile up. What is it? Is that smoke? I ask as a geyser of flame shoots into the sky. A semi is burning away in the right lane and a passing road crew has wisely closed the left. Troopers nor fire crews have arrived yet. Having been a volunteer fireman for 10 years I recognize this scenario and begin to search the truck for something to use as a pillow. I call US customs and explain the situation, they graciously agree to leave my paperwork with the CBP officers. Actually get moving after 75minutes, pretty good. Cruise uneventful till 40 miles outside Syracuse, here my new GPS insists that I will save much time getting on secondary roads. Dear Garmin-suck it!

Stop 3 Border, actually nmade it by 3:00, cross with just the usual to-do.

Stop 4 My bike shop, boys all have a laugh at me breaking my fender as they help me unload. Should have my safety done by next week. The way the weather is I should be riding by August. See pics below.