Think I'll go for a ride...

[pdxfj]

Haven't had much of a summer here in Porkland.. rained well into July..  With the short summer season this year there hasn't been any time for riding since I've been buried in house projects.

So I think I'll take off in the morning and head east through Oregon and Idaho.  Then turn south into Utah.. stay a couple of nights in Utah.. make one of those nights in Mexican Hat.  Then continue on down into Arizona and stop in Sonoita for a while.

Once I've had my fill of Arizona, I'll head back north, then west at Phoenix.  Make a stop in Palm Desert and see how Pat is doing.  From there make my way north back to Porkland.

Should be an interesting loop.

[rktmanfj]

Pics... we need plenty of pics.

Taking Spot with you this time?

[Mark Olson]

well hell ya Garth  get out and ride.

If you end up anywhere near sacramento , throw a shout out .

[RichBaker]

Let me know when you're going to go thru Tucson, if I don't have to work we should be able to get together....

[pdxfj]

Made it into Salt Lake yesterday night.  No so much a fun ride after dark, though thunderstorms and such.  Got pulled over only about 45 minutes into my day (Monday).  Turns out both my tail lights had burned out.  I just checked the damn things a couple of days before.  Thankfully no ticket, but spent a while on an off ramp in the rain and dark swapping tail light bulbs.  Good thing I tossed a flashlight in my tool case.

Looks like I'm going to be on the edge of more thunderstorms today and will get better as I get further east.

Pilot Road 3 I had put on the back is a very nice tire.  No surprises and grips really well.

Rich, I'll be going through Tucson on Wednesday afternoon on my way to Sonoita (about an hour from you).  I'll be there through Monday so I'm sure we can figure something out.

Here's the link for the Spot tracking.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0i83kAQ0qJ3KaJWYnplqbCV7oXmIHhTDf

I'll get a link for pics when I get some up.

[Marsh White]

Our friend Garth just dumped his FJ about 2 hours north of Mexican Hat.  He said the wind got him.  He is continuing riding on to Mexican Hat tonight.  Apparently he and the bike are mostly okay but he needs to borrow a right hand mirror for an 86-87 FJ to finish out his trip.  He will need it over nighted to an address in Arizona and will of course pay for shipping, etc.  Does anyone happen to have one they can loan out for a week or two?

[racerrad8]

I will have one on the way.

Randy - RPM

[FJmonkey]

Thanks randy, I could send mine but the Right one has the weight knocked loose and expanding foam decaying and seeping around the glass. With your mirror Garth won't sound like a conga band sitting at a stop light.

[pdxfj]

Well as Marsh stated, I dumped the FJ today. 

Was buzzing along at about 70 or so and had been fighting wind and thunderstorms all day long.  Not really tired, but a bit wet and a little chilly.  Totally alert, but looking forward to reaching Mexican Hat and taking a long break.

A huge gust of wind came up and blew we across the highway.  Totally unexpected, and thankfully there was no oncoming traffic and by some miracle a turnout.  As soon as the wind hit and I was moving sideways across my lane I let off the throttle and started braking.  When I entered the turn out (which happened to be a road) there was some fine gravel and I locked up the front wheel since I was on the front brakes.

The bike started to move into a high side, but I let off the brake a bit and got the front wheel turning again but it was still wanting to high side.  Finally I wrestled the handlebars around enough to stop the high side and damn near had the bike totally stopped when it went down on the right side.  Virtually no speed left and I was able to hop off as it was falling.  Bike slid less than a foot.

A guy in a truck behind me a ways stopped and helped me get the FJ back on its feet.

Only damage is the right hand mirror and some scrapes on the engine bar.  FJ fired right up, after checking a few things and texting Pat and Marsh to see about getting a mirror I was on my way back down the road.

So I'm totally fine.  In Mexican Hat.. Just had a nice steak dinner and now know what Klavdy and others meant by the wonderful showers here at the lodge.    IIRC I had a bit more water pressure than what Klavdy showed in one of his videos. 

I managed to get a few pictures today, and will get them posted up once I reach my destination.  Have my phone tethered to my laptop right now and it's not too speedy of a connection.

Have less than 500 miles left and will gain an hour of time as soon as I cross into Arizona, so no huge hurry to get out of here in the morning.

-Mr. Bean

[pdxfj]

got in touch with Randy and he's sending the mirror.

Thank for the assistance Marsh and Randy.  I owe both of you a few beers. 

[Pat Conlon]

Good deal Garth, glad you and your bike are ok .

The winds in that part of southern Utah are treacherous. Rest up. Watch out for the storm cells that sweep in. You will se them come in. I got caught in one out in the 4 corners area and had no cover at all, totally exposed. I wanted to crawl under a tumbleweed.
That's dangerous country out there. Beautiful but dangerous.

Enjoy Monument Valley at sunrise....or sunset, when the low sun casts shadows on the rock faces.....

Also until you get to Kayenta, keep your radar detector on, the tribal cops don't like white guys who speed....check that, they just don't like white guys period. 

Thank you Randy.    Pat

[RichBaker]

Made it into Salt Lake yesterday night.  No so much a fun ride after dark, though thunderstorms and such.  Got pulled over only about 45 minutes into my day (Monday).  Turns out both my tail lights had burned out.  I just checked the damn things a couple of days before.  Thankfully no ticket, but spent a while on an off ramp in the rain and dark swapping tail light bulbs.  Good thing I tossed a flashlight in my tool case.

Looks like I'm going to be on the edge of more thunderstorms today and will get better as I get further east.

Pilot Road 3 I had put on the back is a very nice tire.  No surprises and grips really well.

Rich, I'll be going through Tucson on Wednesday afternoon on my way to Sonoita (about an hour from you).  I'll be there through Monday so I'm sure we can figure something out.

Here's the link for the Spot tracking.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0i83kAQ0qJ3KaJWYnplqbCV7oXmIHhTDf

I'll get a link for pics when I get some up.

I work Wed. nite (leave the house ~4PM), but have Thurs. and Fri. off....  sent ya a PM.

[FeralJuggernaut]

Enjoy the 191 between Alpine and Morenci in AZ.   Extra vigilence on animal detection and avoidance on that section.  It is worth the trade off, animals for cars! 

[Medi]

I have an original right mirror after I did a CRB mirror mod. Let me know if you need it.

[Mark Olson]

YO Garth I got a mirror for ya .

I am gonna try to call you now.