HID lights and a Ride to Niobrara

I spent Saturday working with Chuck and Al to get HID lights in my GSA (“Pig” – You have to say it like Farmer Hogget in “Babe”). The lights are in now (cool) and but it looks like I’m going to need a new windscreen because the old one is shot. I remember when Randy, Pig’s prior owner, flipped her on muddy road during a training class. Kind of wonder if this is the same windshield or did Randy replace it before he went to Alaska and then broke that one too? Inquiring minds want to know, but its not important. Hopefully I can find a cheap, newer looking one on eBay.

I also found the auxiliary plug on the dash was not wired very well and fused the wrong way (ground was fused) so we replaced that with a watertight inline fuse while we were in there. We finished up about 4 PM on Saturday and we were all beat. Hopefully we’ll have time to do Al’s LT in the next week or two. I also have a set to place in Strom.

Spring must be here because Sunday (March 15th) was an even more glorious day then Saturday. After calling Shannon to tell him some of great jokes I heard on Prairie Home Companion that morning, I rolled out the K bike (“Dagmar”), checked her over, filled her tires. and started getting my things together. I wasn’t able to find a couple of things, but by 2 PM I figured I better get rolling and forget about the missing stuff for now. I was off to get a cheese or elk burger in Niobrara at the Two Rivers Saloon.

It was nice to be out on the road again, but able 20 miles into the ride near Ponca, NE I realized the error of my plan - riding Dagmar when I intend to sell her was not very forward thinking! The bike still handles great on the long hauls, and one cannot get that her solid planted feeling on the GSA or Strom. I’m really going to miss this gal and am having second thoughts about selling her again. I refilled in Crofton, NE… all the $4/gallon gas from early last fall was gone and I put in some fresh $1.69/gallon gas… for a total of $8.75, wow.

I got to the Two Rivers Saloon in Niobrara about 4 PM and went inside. Strangely Pat, the old owner, was back running the bar. When I asked what happened to Eddie, Pat grumbled something. He said they had a lot of dirty dishes in back and if I really wanted something to eat he was going to have to wash them up and asked if I really wanted a cheese burger. I said the main reason I was there was just to get out for a ride and that a draw of Fat Tire beer would do the trick. Pat kept peering at me from behind the bar, and I have the distinct feeling that he didn’t really want to be there. Wonder what happened to Eddie, the guy Pat sold the bar to last fall? There were about a dozen locals drinking heavly at the bar and the Fat Tire beer was excellent. I rode out of Niobrara about 4:30 and arrived in Sioux City shortly after 6 PM. I rinsed the salt off Dagmar and put her back away.

Trek to Bob's Bar in Martinsburg, Nebraska

Saturday, March 7th was the bi-annual Sioux Falls Autobahn Club ride to Bob's Bar in Martinsburg, Nebraska. It was about 32 degrees in Sioux City and the forecast was 100% rain so everyone decide that 4 wheels beat 2 wheels with ice in mind. Shannon drove and Leta went with us. We left Sioux City and got to Martinsburg about 1:30 PM and the Dale and Gary from Sioux Falls/Canton were already there with a pitcher of beer getting an early start. Bob's is a famous dive which serves some rather well know sized portions. No one was hungry when we pushed back the chairs at about 4 PM and left. It was a nice way to spend a crappy weather day, but just maybe not that healthy.

Dale and Shannon getting down to business

Leta and Gary thinking about cholesterol levels.

Shannon, Dale, Gary, and Leta outside the bar afterward.

Weather Photo from Sioux City this Morning

It was 32 degrees out when I snapped this photo with my new cell phone before I left for work this morning. I don't know if it is visible, but the tree and car are covered in ice. We had our first thunderstorm of 2009 this morning. The cats were unusually absent and hiding in the basement from the storm noise when I left. I had ridden the bike to work a couple days ago, but that wasn't going to happen this morning. One of the old timers at that gym told me to stop riding my bike because every time I do we get a storm within a couple of days.

Maybe this?

Though not photogenic as Shannon, here I am sitting on a used Rocket III at Baxter's Open House Saturday morning. This was a '06 I believe with about 25K on it. It was in pretty good shape, but I'm still looking for a different type of 2-up bike. I'm going to be asking 8K now for my K1200RS and L says she would be willing to sell the Shadow for a 2-up bike too, so I am going to have to get to work cleaning it up.

We had a good time at the Open House. The free chili dogs were a bonus.

Baxter Open House

Shannon eyeballing a Rocket III at Spring Baxter Open House in Marne, IA Saturday.

Weekend Plans Feb 21st

I'm hoping to head down to Marne, Iowa with Shannon L. and Loyd A. after the club breakfast this Saturday to the Spring Baxter Cycle Open House. Whats this world coming to - Shannon has become a huge Triumph fan since he sold his KLR and traded his R1100S Replica in for a new 1055 Tiger last fall. We are going to have to see how he fares on that thing during a real trip.

I rode the new Tiger model twice at Randy's open house in August at Marne, and then once again in September. I almost fell for it myself, but I figured with my We-Strom I had it covered. The new Tiger is really kind of like my We-Strom except its a little bit better ... in just about every way except price and maintenance. Either bike should be great at curve carving.

Upcoming Rides and Rallies of Interest
March 7 - Autobahn Trek to Martinsburg, NE
March 17 BSR monthly meeting at Peaches in South Sioux at 6PM. Ask for the back room when you arrive.
March 28 Bak BMW Victory Open House, 10 AM to 2 PM, Sioux City, IA
April 24-26 IBMWR Blitz to Branson (RSVP) - http://www.ibmwr.org/events/2009/blitz2branson.shtml
May 9-10 BSR Damm Mother's Day Campout at Pixtown, SD. Look for us in the campground below the Dam, the north one was just too cold last year.
May 25 GLMC Bonzai Road Rally, Winona, MN - http://www.glmc.org/
May 29-31 Hiawatha Rally, Money Creek, MN
June 11-14 Iowa Pure Stodge Rally - Its back with a new location - http://purestodge.org/
June 19-21 Team Strange Minnesota 1K - http://www.teamstrange.com/2009/MN1K/
June 26-28 Seventh Annual Bohemian Alps Rally (Triumph Rat Pack), Verdigre, NE
July 3-4 BMW Bash at The Hub, Arkansas, N 36.11346 W 93.12447
July 12 Heart of Iowa BMW Club's annual Ride-In, Isaac Walton League at Ahquabi, Second Sunday of July
July 16-19 37th BMW MOA International Rally, Johnson City, TN
July 23-26 BMWRA Rally, Canaan Valley State Park, West Virginia - http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31225

Testing 1, 2, 3....

Just seeing if my new phone can post a decent photo to my blog using email.

This is a photo of Shannon at last Saturday's breakfast with my new Samsung Omnia cell phone. I posted this photo using the email function. Click on the photo to see the full sized version - It works. Very Cool. I'm back in business again.

Overdue Update…

It’s been another cold winter here in Sioux City. For the last two winters we have not been able to do as much winter riding as we have in recent winters. We have had a lot of snow this year and my over-sized snow blower (thanks Steve B.) has been out more times than I care to remember.

In ’08 Leta got a new-to-her ’06 VFR Interceptor. Ryan sold us her Givi bags and we bought a Givi wingrack for it. She now has a sport touring bike and really is starting to like it. I’m going to look at finding some Heli bars and a bigger windshield for her over the next few months.

In October, I took possession of Randy R’s R1200GSA and how what a bike. It’s a challenging ride for those of us under 6’. The bike has about everything on it I will need including a new final drive, so I’m just looking at some additional RAM mounts for it and some lighting enhancements. I hope to have 4 HID lights on it by spring.

Plans for summer our summer rides coming along. It looks like the BMW national in Johnson City, TN is probably out. We are finally talking seriously about a trip down the Canadian Rockies (Jasper, Banff, Glacier, Yellowstone etc). Dave W. from Fargo and Shannon are also interested. We may even have a chase car for the very first time on one of our motorcycle vacations. I’m also thinking again about some 12 and 24 hour road rallies, the GLMC.org grand tour again and a lot more local camping.

Photos from last years GLMC Grand Tour are here

Details for the ’09 tour are here

Note for Ryan

This is a not so well coordinated, special note for Ryan who recently moved away from Sioux City and us to a bit warmer climate further south.

Picture of Missouri River from viewing area overlooking the wild life area taken frm the north side of river looking south west near Niobrara, Nebraska.

Sharks at Herny Doorly Zoo

Duane taking a photo of sharks at Scott Aquarium at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha at our annual November Birthday outing.

Shannon, Mr. Blues, in his new hat!

West High Homecoming Parade - Shannon's Son

The following picture is of Shannon Leska's son in the West High Homecoming Parade.

IBA Saddle Sore 1000 - 2005 Ride #2

Picture of me and my bike at Culver's restaurant in Two Harbors, MN. This was part of my second IBA Saddle Sore 1000 ride for the year. I did this one to help out my friend Ryan. We rode from Sioux City, IA to Tufte, MN and back home again in about 22 hours. We had about the right amount of stops, but once again my stops where too long. Got to work on that. Route was not conducive to an IBA ride either due to a sizable amount of fall leaf gawking traffic around Lake Superior (The scenery was beautiful, just wish we would have had more time to look at it). My thinking is a SS1000 really should take less the 18 hours with a good route and appropriate number of stops with the correct duration. Although I seem to handle it ok, these 22-hour long rides are kind of difficult.

I'm thinking that maybe buying an auxcellary fuel cell to ride a BBG (1500 mile ride) might be a good idea. May have to wait until the next season to try that ride.

Self Photo, god I look like crap. Need to stop showing people how this works by using photos of myself.