My Ride Is Over For This Year - I WILL be back!!!

My ride is over - for this year...

I suffered a water-pump failure. 

It took two days to get the parts. 

In the process of fixing the water pump, the clutch actuator arm broke. And of course they didn't have one in stock and can't get one until Tuesday or Wednesday. They did try to weld it back together, but it's aluminum and the repair can't be trusted. 

The trip is not over. It's not a loss. I will persevere.  I've learned a lot and determined that my choice of bikes may not have been the optimum choice. None of the modifications I made failed except one small bracket after the bike went down the third time. I experienced two spectacular crashes and twice the bike decided to lie down and take a nap when I was remounting. I made the five water crossings without incident. The trail is steeper and rougher than depicted in any of the YouTube videos. 

All in all I had a wonderful time on the trail and learned a lot. 

I'm renting a truck and hauling the bike home. I will effect repairs and make another attempt next year. Maybe with the same bike or maybe with a 250 or 450 which may be a better choice. 

The bike suffered several mechanical failures due to age and metal fatigue. It's an old bike. Don't diss old bikes or old riders, we've endured more than most of you have and don't give up easy. 

Like I said in an earlier post, "Failure isn't falling down, failure is in not getting up and trying again."

I have not failed...I have not given up. I will conquer the TAT. I will be back next year. Anyone want to do it with me next year feel free to contact me on my blog, Facebook, or at my email address:  fhgaylor@yahoo.com

Best regards and Semper Paratus!!!

Never a dull moment when an old guy is riding an old bike on old trails across America...begs the question, how far will I make it?

Never a dull moment.

This morning I get up, pack my gear, and while warming up the engine before checking the oil I'm servicing the chain. Oh wait, what's that wet spot under the left crankcase cover? It's not oil. What could it be? Oh it's a pretty turquoise color. Oh crap, I have a water leak. Hmmm that ain't right.

A couple phone calls and texted photos to EuroCycles and it's determined to be a failing water pump.

So I call the nearest BMW Dealer, Pandoras European Motorsports in Chattanooga. They are gracious and tell me to get the bike in and the will VOR parts from Germany. People are real friendly and a nice place to hangout.

Stay tuned - not sure where I'm going from here, or when.

So, my lovely wife makes reservations for me at the Courtyard Marriott in downtown Chattanooga...now is that true love or what.

Pandora's loans me a 2010 R1200GS Adv like the one I have, but this is a red, white & blue 30th anniversary edition to get to the Marriott. Pandora's is going out of the way to get me back out on the TAT.

Thank you Pandora's - top notch service, just like EuroCycles...oh, and they know Arron...small world...

TAT day 3 (2nd day on the Trail) Tellico Plains to Ducktown, TN

TAT Day 3 06 08 2016

Departed Tellico Plains this morning with the thought in mind from having read other blogs and watched YouTube videos that the tough part of the day would be the 5 Water Crossings –  I was sorely mistaken, the water crossings were the easy part.  Just stay in the middle of the tire tracks or the old wagon wheel ruts as the case may be going in and coming out on the other side, and there’s no problem.

And a photo for Larry Munch, owner of Munch's since 1952 and featured on Dinners Drive In's and Dives...Munch's is on 6th St South in St Petersburg, one of my favorite hangouts...

Unfortunately, the remainder of the day was a MAJOR pucker-factor going up and over the mountain.  These damn Tennessee hill country people sure like to make their mountain roads a pain in the @ss.  Basically nothing more than a Jeep trail - not a Humvee, but a Jeep. The road was narrow, rutted, and had granite outcroping sticking up and large stones or rocks that could deflect a wheel and.... Well, I don't wanna think about the and - lets just say that I renewed my faith in God.  Probably to keep the Revenuers away from any stills that may be hidden in the woods.  Anyway, I made it.  Didn’t take any pictures as I just wanted to keep moving.

I was on the trail alone today, I did see one SUV pulled over to the side of the road – it’s not hunting season, so your guess is as good as mine what he was doing out in the middle of no-where.

My progress is admittedly slow, as I’m a street-rider, NOT a dirt-bike rider and I didn’t have the time or money to attend BMW’s Off-Road Riding School or RawHyde Adventures Riding School. The last time I spent anytime riding dirt was irrigating my Uncle's farm outside of Thermal, CA in the Cochella Valley, and I was 18 then - that's 44yrs ago.  I would highly recommend that if you are going to attempt an off-road ride of this scale that you get some sort of formalized training.  I’m winging it and learning by the seat of my pants. Believe me, it would have been time and money well spent – in fact after I finish this trip, you can bet that I will attend formalized training to break some bad habits I’m sure I’m developing and to learn some much needed skills.

I have no idea what’s in store for tomorrow, I still have to go over maps and install tomorrows GPS tracks…hopefully, I’ll be somewhere in Mississippi by the end of the day.  Progress is slow and steady.

Well, hang in here with me and we'll see if I can make all the way to Oregon - I understand the Mountain passes in Colorado are still snowed in, so I may have to bypass that part - that is if I get that far.

Oh and the 2005 BMW F650 is running flawlessly (when I keep it upright).  Thank you EuroCycles of Tampa Bay and especially their Master Wrench Robin for making sure the bike was sound and dependable - I've been beating the crap out of it, and it's going to need some TLC when this is all over with. But the F650TAT is just a plugging away...

Later!!!

Today was an uneventful day as TAT days go…didn’t get on the trail at all.  I needed to effect some  repairs from yesterday’s excursions in Valley of Mud Snot – that’s what I’m going to refer to it…cuz, it was slicker than snot on a doorknob – that should give you all a good visual…and we all want to avoid snotty door knobs, unless you’re a kid, and you create snotty door knobs, but I digress.

So today I got up, separated out necessities and camping gear.  I’ve decided in my advanced years (I am 62 ya know), sleeping on the ground after spending half the day getting thrown off the bike, crawling in the mud to unpack it, l and having to pick it up by myself, well, I deserve to be pampered. So I’m hoteling it the whole trip – I can, I deserve it…I’ve earned it…ok, so I’m a wuss…but a comfortable wuss…damn that went down the rabbit hole.

Ok, so I separated stuff out…went to a UPS store 40+ miles away, and shipped back 26.9 lbs of camping gear and other items I felt I wouldn’t need. Then unpacked the backpack and everything that was in it is now in the grey dry bag safe and sound.  The ONLY thing in the backpack now is my 3 liter Hydrapak…and I’ve got room!!!! Yeah, I’m not locked into one position.  I can now stand up on the pegs if I need to…I can also scoot back on the passenger seat!!!! Oh, how comfortable was that. 

Now off to the big-box store Home Depot to buy some metal strapping and metal shears so I can repair some broken mounts. Home Depot was nice enough to let me pull the bike into the shade of the building while I worked on the bike – their parking lot had NO trees, and it was hot. 

That repair done, I’m off to find a replacement mirror for the broken one I threw in the trash this morning at the hotel.  Oh, that was a mistake…the first motorcycle shop I stopped at had a full machine shop and he ask me where my broken mirror was…I said I threw it away – too bad he says, I could have re-threaded it for you…would have been a couple inches shorter, but I don’t have any 8mm threaded mirrors. Doh!!!! Ok, memo to self – don’t be so quick to throw things away, they may be able to be salvaged.

By this time, it’s mid-afternoon, and too late to get on the TAT, so I head to Tellico Plains to stay at Tellico Lodge – if you’re ever in the area – this is the place to stay…The owner is very gracious and knows a bit of useful information on the TAT and the 3 water-crossings I’ll be doing tomorrow – even showed me some videos of the proper path through the water crossings, while I patted his 10yr old boxer Rambo on the head – sweet dog. Tomorrow, we’ll see how I handle the crossings. I’ll probably unload the bike and walk my gear across, then ride the bike across – there are certain things that I can’t afford to end up in the water even though they are in dry bags.

The cabin I’m staying in is quite spacious and nice – well worth the price of admission.

So as I’m unloading the bike, this rather distinguished gentleman walks up and inquires if I’m from Tampa as he saw the Eurocycles sticker on the frame and the BMW Riders of Tampa Bay sticker on the cowling above the gas tank. So I strike up a conversation with Wes and his lovely wife Nancy.  I said I was from St. Pete…he tells me how he’s a tugboat engineer delivering barges of 100,000 barrels of gasoline from Houston to Tampa weekly…I thanked him for the gas…eventually we got around to talking about past experiences – he’s an ex-Coastie and was on the Valiant out of Galveston where the Blackthorn was homeported and he knew a bunch of guys on the Blackthorn – small world as I was involved in the recovery of Blackthorn.  Then he tells me he was at CG Radio Station New Orleans 1980 – 1983…I was stationed in New Orleans at the time and knew he CO.  So we swapped lies and sea-stories…I tell ya, what are the odds that you run into someone that you have so much in common with not only from 36 yrs ago, but today we both ride motorcycles (I did back then), and he has a beautiful Harley Davidson Electra Glide that they rode from Anniston, AL, where they now live. Really great people - but aren't all Coasties - especially Engineering Coasties...

At this point in my travels, I’m not sure which I’m enjoying the most, the solitude of riding the backroads and trails, or the people I’ve met. Contrary to popular belief, I really am a people person – they don’t know that side of me at work – I tend to keep a lot of my co-workers at arm’s length, but when I’m out on the road…Oh, how much I need this trip...

An uneventful day as TAT days go, but a wonderful day none-the-less.  Everyone has been so helpful and accommodating and friendly along the way.  I hope to stay in touch will all of the people I’ve met along the way, Bob & Martin in Andrews, and Wes & Nancy here in Telico Plains.

Not sure I will be able to complete the TAT all the way to Oregon, that’s my plan, but as things break and have to be repaired along the way, and I get delayed due to weather or breakdown, I’m meeting some wonderful people and having a wonderful time.

That’s all for now, wanna call home and talk to my 3 lovely daughters (I spoke to my wife before starting this diatribe…)

TAT Day 1 06 06 2016

TAT Day 1 06/06/2016

Before I start todays blog, I want to say that yesterday evening, I met this wonderful couple from Indiana that have a rail car and travel around the country and ride the railroads with it.  Bob is an ex- motorcycle racer and we had a wonderful evening swapping stories.  In his day, he did hare scrambles – now, that’s racing not for the faint of heart.  I won’t go into detail about hare scrambles, but do yourself a favor and google it – crazy stuff.

Departed Andrews, NC today, and it’s been raining in Andrews for two days.  This morning was clear, so I decided to go for it. I got up, had a light breakfast, met an interesting gentleman named Martin who used to ride a BMW /5 back in 1972 and he was interested in my BMW chain-slapper.  We exchanged pleasantries over breakfast and when I got ready to leave, he took a photo of me in the parking lot, txted to me and said he would be interested in following my blog.

So I’m off, and about a mile into the TAT, I decided to do a photo-op…that was my first mistake of the day, but not to be the last or the most exciting.  I stopped to pull out my cell phone and decided to put the side stand down – I did mention it had been raining for two days, and you guessed it – even with my wide sidestand foot, the bike went over. Ok, I meant to do that – not really, but hey, stupid is as stupid does.  Made mental note to find dry spot to stop. Anyway, I digress…I step off the bike as it’s going over and somehow the left rearview mirror snapped off.  I had to unpack the bike that I had only packed 30 minutes before to get it upright. Repack take my photos and I’m off. Ah, not so quick there hot rod…It starts, but as soon as I put it into gear, it dies – damn Germans and their sidestand safety cutoff switches…so now I’m back on my belly in the mud looking for it – awe, there you are you little devil…it came disconnected…reconnect it and I’m off.

Several hours later, I stop in Robbinsville, NC had a bottle water, talked to the store owner and a couple bikers that were there…they noticed the mud and said I was nuts – and I said “and your point is…” They asked where I was riding too, and when I told them, yeah, they said I was “really nuts…” Hey, at least I’m consistent. If you follow the reality TV show about Moonshiners, you’ll recognize the store…and while I was there, the star of the show drove up, bought something and left about 2 minutes later – damn missed getting an autograph. 

The store owner asked where I was headed and I told him I was riding the TAT…he said the road would be like concrete – he lied…A couple hours later I’m in mud that’s literally as slippery as snot and all of a sudden the bike does a 180 and slams down on the left side. So, you guessed, I find a clearing about 20-30 yards up the road, take all the gear off the bike and stage it there, and go back and lift the bike upright again, and in the best MSF basic rider course fashion straddle walk it slipping the clutch into the clearing, turn it around on hard back and load it up again for the 3 time today. You see a pattern forming here? Mud slick as snot and my Hidenau K60 Scout knobbies are packed and slippery.

Ok, so back on the bike and with my feet as outriggers and straddle walking in first gear for what seemed like ever, I’m out of nature’s mud-snot factory in the Cherahola Valley…

Oh, but it’s not over yet…there’s one more…this was on a very steep incline coming up out of the Cherahola Valley…on the side of the mountain to left it’s straight up, and to the right it drops off several hundred feet, and what does my trusty steed decide to do? No, you’re wrong buzzard breath…it doesn’t want to lie down, all of a sudden it gets traction, the front wheel reaches for the sky, spins 180 degrees to the left and ends up wheels up at about a 30 degree angle – hey, at least it decided not to pitch my ass over the cliff…so…there I am again, crawling around in the mud (there’s a theme there somewhere) taking everything off the bike.  Staging it up the road 10 yards, then dragging the bike down off the embankment.  Ok, but now remember I said it spun around 180 degrees so now its facing down the hill I want to go up.  Sidestand down…and pivot the bike 180 degrees on the side stand, pack it up, get on it, and continue on my ride.  Oh, did I tell you I hate gravel – I really hate gravel…it’s like riding on frick’n marbles. 30 miles of marbles later, I’m back on hard pack…then pavement, into town so I can write this blog, and you can laugh your asses off at me….Oh, the stuff I do to entertain people…All total, I think I did about 100 miles on the TAT today, just think, only 4700 more to go – I think I’m going to have to ask for more time off from work…At this rate, I won’t be in Port Orford, OR until Thanksgiving…

Anyway, that’s all for now, I hope you found my first day on the TAT entertaining…but it wouldn’t be Adventure Riding, if sh*t wasn’t happening…

And here's the bike after a day of abuse on the TAT...

Departure Day

Well, I finally made it out of the drive way.  Departed about 0715 today.  I rode up the Suncoast Expressway to Ponce de Leon and then North US19 through Crystal River and Chiefland.  At Chiefland, I picked up US129 through North Florida and George.  I stopped this evening in Commerce, GA.  Beautiful ride - no Interstates except I275 to get out of St. Petersburg & Tampa.  I've never ridden a bike this small that far. And, ok, I’m overloaded.  With my fat butt and all the tools and parts, damn thing looks like a pack mule or dromedary. Handling is a little sketchy and brakes...damn, slow down and don't get too close - overloaded like this, the damn thing will give you some exciting moments stopping if someone in front of you does something stupid. As soon as I can find a Pack-n-Send that’s open, I'm getting rid of a bunch of stuff. That’s all for now…tomorrow I ride the last couple hours to Andrews, NC and head out on the TAT!!! Ok, time to get a shower, clean my riding gear and get some shut-eye, tomorrow is the 1st day on the TAT!!! I'm stoked!!!

Post 2 Friday 06/03/2016 - ready to rock & roll

Post #2. 06/06/2016

Ok, so I’m missing my original departure date by over a week, and my secondary departure time by several hours (if not a full day).

It’s hard to believe I started planning this trip well over a year ago. I bought the bike 11 months ago, and have been working on it consistently and studiously  ever since to get the “right” gear, the “right” parts and try and turn a mostly street oriented BMW F650GS into what I now refer to as the F650TAT.

This photo shows the bike as it was when I purchased it.

Not a bad little dualsport F650GS (Gelande Strauss = offroad street).  However definitely a street oriented bike.

Below is as she now sits waiting for departure.  I’ll try to go over the modifications and give credit where due.

New windscreen by MRA www.mra.de, BarkBuster Storm Hand Guards provided by www.TwistedThrottle.com

Headlight protector by TouraTech www.touratech-usa.com

Clearwater Lights driving lights from EuroCycles of Tampa Bay – great people and they went above and beyond to advise and help me with this project and make sure the bike was off-road ready and safe www.eurocyclesoftampabay.com

Side stand foot by yours truly – it’s shaped like a camels hoof – never leave home without your “camel toe”… J

Again, the Clearwater LED driving lights did I mention they were bright – I’ll burn your retinas out on high beam!!! Whahaha…

Holan crash bars from www.advmotorrad.com

Heavy duty fork spring's, fork protectors, engine skid plate and frame skid plates by TouraTech www.touratech-usa.com

Foot pegs by Pivot Pegs, provided by TouraTech, as well as new shift lever and rear break lever

Rear shock custom ordered by Ted Porters BeemerShop www.beemershop.com from TouraTech

Also rear master cylinder protector, chain guard, chain guide all from TouraTech, www.touratech-usa.com

RockFox pannier mounts modified to hold RotoPax fuel and water cans all from www.TwistedThrottle.com

RotoPax mounted to RockFox Pannier mount – aluminum mounting bracket by your’s truly.

Giant Loop Tillamook bag (grey bag) mounted on top of Giant Loop Great Basin U-bag. www.giantloopmoto.com

Green Rock Straps from www.eurocyclesoftampabay.com

Tool Tube from www.TwistedThrottle.com  (the black tube with the TAT sticker on it.

Fandango Tank Bag by www.giantloopmoto.com

Wheels by http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/

And lastly, my office for the next 5 weeks:

On the left is a roll chart from Moose Racing from www.transamtrail.com

Along with their roll chart, maps in the tank bag, and GPS tracks installed in my Garmin 665. Now about the Garmin – it is connected to my helmet via InterPhone F5MC Bluetooth helmet headset and my old archaic iPhone 4 is synced to the Garmin.  The Garmin also has Weather Radar via Sirius Radio and Red Light warnings – yeah, I know where all those nasty red-light cameras are in the USA.

Next is my helmet and backpack:

Helmet is Shoei VFX offroad helmet with Oakly goggles.

Kriega R30 Backpack by www.kriega.us

Attached the left shoulder strap is my Spot Tracker www.findmespot.com so my wife & daughters know my whereabouts every 30 minutes.  It also has a button to GeoSat to activate First Responders in the event I’m in critical shape and need evacuation.

I previously posted a photo of me in partial riding gear, and after I get geared up for departure, I will get a selfie and post that on my next blog.  But for now that’s about it.

Again, I would like to thank all the vendors, and shops that made this possible.  If I’ve forgotten anyone, it wasn’t intentional; there are just so many people that have been involved and so many wonderful people in the motorcycling community that answered all my stupid questions along the way.

I would like to take this time and opportunity to thank my lovely wife Pam, by beautiful daughters Cassandra, Jennifer, and Catherine for their understanding and being supporting of my obsession this past year to get ready for this trip. You ladys are the light of my life, the wind under my wings, and i truly love you to infinity and beyond and back.  

I would also like to apologize to all my friends and acquaintances with my obsessive talk about this project and the trip. Oh, and my poor co-workers, I’m sure they are glad that I’m finally out of the office and on the road so they don't have to listen to me anymore.