Go West My Son!

I'd be making sure that I would stay hydrated. I don't know how you handle the heat but as I get older it is starting to bother me more if I don't hydrate properly. You are also going to be very surprised at how fast you dehydrate when you peel off the shirts and helmet on the highway. I actually stay cooler wearing a long sleeve shirt and use evaporative cooling [sweat in the shirt] to keep from overheating..the key here is lots of fluids.

Wow, someone that was paying attention. Yes, I am planning on peeling the shirt off and there is a specific reason as to why I want to, this is why I am asking about the types of things that I can bring on board with me. I handle the heat pretty well as it does get pretty hot here in Minnesota during the summer, nothing that I am not use to.

Yeah, FLHT, that's how I learned. I had plenty of money but came up short on common sense! I just jumped on the sickle one day and decided to ride out to the west coast from Ohio. No preparations. Only had a few little glitches along the way, like running out of gas on those looong stretches out in the desert. I reckon here's more gas stations these days.

Overplanning may be just as bad as no planning at all. Anyway, Johnny, I'm sure you and Hot Rider will have a great adventure.

Now that I have the jugs in the machine shop and will be ready by Friday, I am guessing that my bike will be back together here in about three weeks for sure. I just paid for the head work as well.

I have made a plan that I am going to take a power trip out to Deadwood once the bike is back together and has gone through the break in period. Round trip, that will be an 1100 mile ride just to see how Hot Rider will be able to handle the ride. I have all confidence that this will be of no issue, but might as well.

Cool! Nice destination (unless you're an old fart, and take it personal - there is a joke there for some).

We'll be waiting on the after-action report, even though it is months away.........

Not that far out actually. Bike will be back together mid next month and I would suspect that putting on 600-1000 miles will only take me about two weeks to put on.. I am thinking that I may want to do this right around Memorial Weekend at the latest... Joke understood.

Hey Red, your idea about riding north from you when I get out there does sound good.

Here I thought that putting on 600 miles would only take me a week. My bike has been up and running now for two and I barley have 400 because of this foresaken weather that we have been getting. :witsend: Time to move south. Maybe....

I will have to say that I don't think that I am going to have to worry about any kinds of issues with the bike on my way down to Nevada. I am getting excited to see my buddy and hopefully meet up with a couple other Bike Talk members as I am heading that way. I am picking up an atlas here soon so I can get the final rout planned.

Petty soon this weather has to break.:witsend::gah:

So no Garmin GPS huh..

Hey Johnny, I saw this thread late and skipped ahead of most of the posts, so I may repeat someone's points.

If you're riding mostly interstates, 600-700 miles in western states is easy on that bike. If you're gonna go thru CO to see your buddy in Denver, don't miss I70 West as it's the most beautiful route you'll find on the whole trip. You will appreciate the cool clean dry air in July, but DO wear a long sleeve t-shirt at least. UV light is very intense in western states, and you'll fry if not covered.

When stopping for gas, soak your t-shirt in bathroom and keep jacket on for 1/2 hour of riding comfort. A wet "cool-dana" or neck roll is pure luxury on hot days. Wear ear plugs or ear pods with tunes, as wind noise will wear you down quickly. XM radio is best invention ever--never lose signal--crystal clear music or news 24/7.

Sun is much brighter and longer out here too, so have good, dark sunglasses. Days are bright till 9pm. Surprisingly, you will get 50 mpg easily at high elevations, so no need to worry about gas stations, but you won't have big power either.

Hey Johnny, no matter how you run it a 6 to 700 mile day is a 10 hr deal. I would run a light long sleeve shirt just to break the wind and the sun cause it makes a world of difference at the end of the day. Use some gatorade or something like that, stop for fuel every 150 or so, stretch and go and you can cover alot of ground. Traveling into the sun with the wind and you'll have racoon eyes and be peeling skin off your face a couple weeks after the trip which is a good reason for the light long sleeve shirt. If all your doing is making time you can wear pants 2 or 3 days easily. Take all your old socks and such and come morning wipe the bike down and throw them away and go. by the time you get home all your old ****ty clothes are in the trash somewhere else in the United States and the new ones you bought if you bought took their place on the bike. Also if you shop alot stop buy a post office and mail it all home and it will be waiting for you when you get there. Enjoy and have a safe trip...

When I rode the desert in Az I had a modular helmet and a pair of Oakley monster sunglasses.
Had the clear face shield up and didn't git my face burned up. Neither did the OL.

Thanks for the heads up on i70 but I won't be taking that rout. I have decided that I am pretty much going to taking i80 most of the way. I was thinking about seeing a cousin that lives in Denver but decided that I want to get out to Reno as fast as I can. I have decided that I am going to buy a canteen and carry that with me over the shoulder. My wife and I will be taking a test run here at the end of the month to gauge how she is going to be able to handle putting on that many miles in such a short time. I suspect that she will be just fine though. I have the ear buds for the radio as I agree, the wind noise does get a tad annoying after a while so that is taken care of. I have used the wet t-shirt method many times and it does work well. Other gear is taken care of pretty much. The gps is ready to go has been downloaded with the new maps, about ready to hardwire in a power supply for the gps so I have all available charging ports available. I am purchasing an atlas just as a back up. August should be nice riding.

Man Harley makes a leather bag that goes on the rear crash bars besides yer leg. It has a Plastic bottle in it . You can stop and put Ice and gateraide or water in it.
You can pull it out riding down the highway and pull up on the spout and squirt it in yer mouth. Might need yer OL's help to use it.
Also has a small storage pocket on the bag too.
When you stop for fuel, put more ice and water in it.:gah:

Here is the bag on my 08 bike I was talking about
don't know if it fits yer bill or not. But its out of the way.

I don't have rear crash bars.....:roflmao::roflmao::gah:

you want to stay hydrated if its hot. But remember, if you drink too much yer gonna be mak'n more pit stops.:roflmao:

You can order just the bars. They come like that on the Older Electra Glide standards. The ultra limited. and the SE Ultras. They are pretty good to help give some protection to you if the bike goes down or falls over.
I will not ride without front and rear crash bars.
The bike on yer leg will be a trip. And who will be there to help pick it up off you.
I've got in gravel on the bike in the picture. The OL was happy the rear crash bars was on it.
She hit the black top pretty hard.

I hear ya CB. I have struggled with the thought of putting them on ever since I got the bike but have opted not to. Canteen will do for me and the wife, as long as it holds water.

Today wasn't that good of a day as it never is when you have to see people under circumstances that are less than favorable. Today I saw and spoke to my cousin that lives in Denver and during the conversation I mentioned that I am heading out his way in the summer. He had said to look him up on the way. Considering the circumstances as to why we were face to face, I am again considering on changing my rout just so I can drop in and say hello. Days like today remind me that how little you get to see and be a part of peoples lives once life takes over. The older I get, the more importance I am finding it is to keep in touch.