Pic Heavy 2016 Ride Report - 40 Days Following the Front Wheel

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin, what was the price of gas on that lonely road ?

I remember, cause it was pretty high...$3.19 for 91 w/ 10% ethanol

Awesome pictures Mary & Kevin, the Misses and I are really enjoying your trip.

We've hiked in Zion a couple years ago, it is definitely one of great national parks we have.

Thank you! Yes, it is an amazing place.

Kevin and Mary, thanks for taking time to keep us up to date on your/our trip. Sometimes when your out on those backroad the services get far apart and the little voice tells you "I told you to stop at that last station". Thanks once more for all the pictures and keep riding safe and by all means have fun!

I've had enough close calls over the years, plus, I must be getting a bit more mature...lol...I stop when there's gas, and if it's a long way, I keep it under 70 mph to get better mpg.

I used to pretty regularly fill up the 5 gallon tank with 4.9 or 5 gallons, and the 6 gallon tank with 5.9 to 6 gallons. One time I filled my 3.3 gallon tank with 3.4 gallons after sputtering the last 10 miles to the gas station.

Not any more. On this trip I've filled the tank with 2 & 3 gallons a bunch of times.

Glad you're enjoying the pics!

Hey man, that's 520 pennies richer!!

Yep! The pennies add up! ThumbUp

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 14-

Today we're headed for Meridian, Idaho. About a 400 mile ride to Marys' mom's house.

Leaving out of the motel in Ely, NV, it's 139 miles to the next gas station in Wells, NV.

15 miles into the ride it is all straight road, in front of us...

...and behind us.

Yep, we're in the shade of some clouds, with snow covered mountains straight ahead & to the side of us...

...we've never ridden this part of Nevada before. It is all around 5000 feet elevation, and we have mountains on either side with snow on them in June...

...being as our only experiences in Nevada has been the Vegas area, the roads to Death Valley & the Mojave Desert, we are pleasantly surprised with the ambient temps of the mid 80's and seeing so much snow!

Less than two hours later and we are in Wells at our first gas stop.

Back on the road it is more straight flat road, as far as we can see, behind us....

...and in front of us. We're still seeing snow, having mountains on either side.

A hill And a curve. An unusual combination in these parts.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 14 Continued-

Pretty soon we're passing thru Jackpot, NV. The last city before Idaho. There's a gas station here...I only saw one. But we have over half a tank and Twin Falls is only about 50 miles, so we roll on thru.

Almost as soon as we cross into Idaho there are no more mountains on either side of us, and the temperature starts creeping up.

By the time we hit Twin Falls, it is getting close to 100* ambient. The TG is running great, but any ambient temp over 96* or so and it is hot. Mary has been keeping the mesh jackets wet, but it is so dry they don't stay wet long.

I had forgotten about this trick feature that the GPS has. This is the summary when we hit Twin Falls, ID.

After gassing up, we parked ourselves on some cool grass under a tree and had our sandwiches.

Leaving out of Twin Falls we crossed the Snake River.

Shadow pic-

We saw rain in the distance several times, but none of it ever fell on us.

Mary in the mirror-

The speed limit is 80 mph, and I was rolling at 82-85 mph for quite a while.

But the air temp got up to 104* and at that temp the faster you go, the hotter it feels.

Mary asked me to slow down to under 70*, which was more tolerable for her.

She has a "cool vest", but neither of us thought about it.

Here's one of the last pics she took before arriving in Meridian.

Here we are! Air conditioning!

We're in Meridian for a few days now, visiting and catching up on the Ride Report and business...changing oil, cleaning oil filter, etc.

Kevin

 

[consitter]

Once again, thanks for the pics. I feel like I'm riding right along with you guys. I just don't have to feel all the heat.

 

[Dave59]

Kevin and Mary, thanks for the great reporting and pics! Ride safe!

 

[ol' school]

Kevin and Mary, thanks for the great reporting and pics! Ride safe!

+ThumbUp Totally agree! Enjoy checkin' out your ride report every day! Stay safe!

 

[desertclassic]

Super trip. I have to figure out the trip report on the gps. Jim

 

[DK Custom Products]

No Ride Report today.....too tired.

Kevin

 

[flyswatter]

Really enjoying the ride reports...Ride alert and stay safe....

 

[geezerglide11441]

No Ride Report today.....too tired.

Kevin

Come on Kevin, "Cowboy Up"!! epper: Just returned from Bryce/Zions/North Rim/Cedar Breaks/Kolob Canyon and Sue and I had an awesome time!! Only thing we missed was hooking up with you guys!! Maybe next time.

Bike ran awesome and I got 32 to 37 mpg with two up, very satisfied the way the bike is running. Only need to get my AC changed when you return.

Take care you two, and ride safe!

Roger

 

[DK Custom Products]

Once again, thanks for the pics. I feel like I'm riding right along with you guys. I just don't have to feel all the heat.

Kevin and Mary, thanks for the great reporting and pics! Ride safe!

+ThumbUp Totally agree! Enjoy checkin' out your ride report every day! Stay safe!

Super trip. I have to figure out the trip report on the gps. Jim

Really enjoying the ride reports...Ride alert and stay safe....

Thanks guys, glad you're enjoying...I always have energy when riding.

Come on Kevin, "Cowboy Up"!! epper: Just returned from Bryce/Zions/North Rim/Cedar Breaks/Kolob Canyon and Sue and I had an awesome time!! Only thing we missed was hooking up with you guys!! Maybe next time.

Bike ran awesome and I got 32 to 37 mpg with two up, very satisfied the way the bike is running. Only need to get my AC changed when you return.

Take care you two, and ride safe!

Roger

hahaha, yeah, I pansied out last night.

Glad y'all had a great time. Sorry we missed you.

Talk to you when I get back.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 15-19


We've been in Meridian, ID for a few days.


Been catching up with family, doing a lot of work with Devin via phone and email, catching up some on the Ride Reports.


The other day Mary and her mom went to the World Center for the Birds of Prey.

They had a good time and talked about it all evening.


Here are a couple of pics-

Yesterday we met up with Trent & Marione at 9am for a spectacular ride and some great conversation.


Last year Barbara BinIdaho rode with us, unfortunately she is out of town and we missed meeting up with her.






Trent & Marione. Good people!

Here we are being escorted out of town. :icon_smile:

Headed for the hills at 9:12 am. 56*, that helped wake me up...I am NOT an early riser. lol

It's not long before we are clear of the city. Amazing how much good riding there is, literally within minutes of Boise/Meridian.

Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway. Fantastic ride...

...both the road and the sights!

It's 56* still, I doubt they want to tump over into that water!

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 15-19 continued-




We swapped up for a while. Trent told me to go til the stop sign then turn right. Mary taking a pic behind us.

We are getting out of the high desert, and up into the trees...

...another look back as we continue climbing...

...we've been in the high desert since we hit Utah, over a week ago. It is good to see trees again, and the road is great, a lot of fun.

Mary takes a pic, thinking, "what are they looking at?"....

...Oh, that's a long ways down!

You know those signs "Falling Rocks"? I've seen a thousand of them, but the most I ever see is a few rocks here or there on the side of the road.


This big rock had fallen, crossed both lanes of traffic and came to a stop on the far side of the road! There were a bunch of smaller ones still in the road.

Took another stop at the side of the road. Trent & I are looking at...

...just a little bit of the road we had just ridden.

By this time it had warmed up to around 70* and was sunny. Beautiful day. We stood at this lookout and talked for a while. I think it was Marione that turned around and said something to Mary about that's a good shot of the trikes. Gotta agree! Time to ride some more.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 15-19 Continued-




As we moseyed back to our rides, Mary got a pic of a two wheeler riding by-

Swapped back with Trent leading the way.

This hill is steeper than it looks!

It is a blast riding behind Trent...he knows the road well, and, like myself, he likes to speed up thru the curves!

Absolutely perfect riding day! This is the kind of day Idaho could use to get people to move here.

I took well over an hour of video, but this next link is just a 30 second clip of how much fun we were having going thru curve after curve.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT.






Coming into Idaho City....

...we stopped at Trudys Kitchen for some lunch and good conversation.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 15-19 Continued-




Leaving Trudys Kitchen we were not 5 minutes down the road when I hear a clanking...

...Yep, horn bracket broke Again! This is the second time on this bike.


Ever since 2014 I have seen a slew of these brackets breaking...rarely heard of one breaking prior to 2014 models. They are made in the USA, they are the same design and gauge as prior years, the must be using cheaper metal!


I un-hooked the wires, and put it in the trunk...rarely use it anyway.








While we were eating lunch it warmed up to a perfect 76*, here we are back rolling again...view thru the windshield.

It's not long before we are back into the high desert...

...passing by Mores Creek, which looks more like a lake to me.

We had an absolutely great 6 hours riding and chatting with Trent & Marione. Only wish it could have been longer.




----------


5 of the last 6 years we have come to Meridian for family visits. It has become part of my personal tradition to pick up a set of spark plugs from the High Desert Dealership, which I did a few days ago, and installed Saturday.


Today we are a bit less than halfway thru our trip, mile-wise, so decided to change the oil and clean the permanent filter.


Pulled into some shade behind Auto-Zone...makes it easier to turn in the old oil.


Plus they usually have a special for a drain pan/roll of towels and funnel for less than $7, in case you don't have access to them. I am still using the same drain pan, hand cleaner, carb cleaner (for the permanent filter) & funnel that I bought 6 years ago. I just clean them up nice, set it on the shelf at Marys moms, and they're there waiting for me the next year.

It is SOOOO nice to pull the filter with it being relocated.

Put the cleaned filter back on and drained the oil from the tank.

Put the plug back in, dumped the oil into the tank, put the old oil in the empty bottles.


Oil & filter change on the road in less than 30 minutes.




That's it for now. We'll be headed to Missoula soon...going a different route (courtesy of Trent) than we've gone before.



Kevin

 

[ol' school]

More awesome pics through some pretty country!!! ThumbUp

Ride safe and enjoy yourselves!!!

 

[DK Custom Products]

More awesome pics through some pretty country!!! ThumbUp

Ride safe and enjoy yourselves!!!

Amazing riding country!

We will, thank you!

Kevin

 

[Ed Hobgood]

Kevin, I really like where you added in the video. Looks like you and Mary are having a great time.ThumbUp

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 3-




Finally getting back to our second day in the Ozarks.


What a blast we had riding with old friends and some new ones.


The Ozarks are a Riders Paradise...if you like sweepers and twistys!


Getting ready to roll out-

On our way. This is the first time we've stayed at The Hub, very cool place-

What a way to start the day, curve after curve...

...there was one other trike, a Can-Am, then a mixture of HD's and Metrics, with a couple of BMW's thrown in.

Thank you for the heads-up. All the riding today was great, but when you see this kind of sign, you know that there is something extra special in store!

I think we say 3 Slingshots today. They certainly are getting more popular.

Endless curves!

Somebody, I'm not sure who (John?), thought we should take a break from riding and see one of the scenic tourist attractions. It was supposed to be a .6 mile walk...

lol, it might have been .6 miles as the bird flies...but we were walking downhill all the way there, and uphill ALL the Way Back!




BUT it was an amazing place! Glory Hole Falls. Water from a stream flows thru a hole in the top of a cavern, and then continues on down stream.

Take a look And listen to it by Clicking HERE.




More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 3 continued-


Paul showing us the waterfall. :icon_smile:

It was pretty warm out, but nice and cool in the cavern.

The way out...

Leaving the cool temps behind for the long trek back uphill...

...I did not know if my foot was going to hold out for the walk back, but it did amazingly well.


Back at the top, ready to twist the throttle to move forward, instead of slogging uphill by foot. lol

Back in the wind!

Two 10 MPH twistys in a row!

Larry, thoroughly enjoying the ride!

Another couple of "Fun Ahead" signs!

A nice hairpin corner from down low.

13 of us pulling into the Ozark Cafe for a great lunch!

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 3 Continued-


Bike down in a downhill hairpin curve. He's ok, just a bit sore, bike is ok, just scuffed up a bit. Stopped just a few feet short of a long drop-off!

Not too long later, we're back rolling thru the hairpins.

Narrow bridge...

...btw, I have no idea where we rode today. John always picks great routes. We had a blast riding thru thousands of curves!




We stopped at a scenic lookout...we've been here before, I remember it...but I don't know where it is, except it is not far from Jasper (Donna!)

Babygirls GPS took her in circles around Jasper, AL. She now has a phobia about towns named Jasper. Ok...there was a bit more to it than that, but we had a lot of fun crossing thru Jasper more than a few times these couple of days.

"Very Crooked and Steep" translated means "Super Fun Road Ahead".

What a great day riding!

The last little section of road before getting back to The Hub.

That's it for Day 3!




I was really hoping to get caught up on Day 3 & 4 today. It looks like Day 4 will be another day though.


Kevin

 

[ol' school]

I am sure I can speak for everyone on here by saying, Happy Birthday Mary from the gang here at Trike Talk!!!

Enjoy your day!!!

 

[kybigmac]

Happy birthday Mary!

 

[Gorilla]

Happy Birthday Mary the better looking one

 

[Zammy]

Happy Birthday Mary !!!

 

[consitter]

Happy Birthday Mary the better looking one

+1

Happy birthday from one Gemini to another (my birthday was yesterday).

 

[geezerglide11441]

Happy Birthday Mary !!!

epper: Happy Birthday from Oregon Mary!! Have an awesome Birthday and tread lightly on the cake!!

Roger

 

[BillR]

+1

Happy birthday from one Gemini to another (my birthday was yesterday).

+2
And from another. Happy Birthday :wave4::clapping: