At 3 AM Friday morning, I set out on a personal quest of mine that I’ve had for some time. Due to time and/or weather, just haven’t had the opportunity. Friday was it! Great weather and my trike was all prepared. (Fresh oil, new rear brakes and new rear tires.) I set out to do 1000 miles in less than 24 hours. I had carefully set up a route, and knew the points (or every major highway change) that I had to get gas to prove (with the gas pump receipt) I was there at a certain time.
I left from home in Savage, MD, and headed to the south west corner of Virginia, before heading north and slightly northeast to Morgantown, WV, then on up to Hamburg, PA (through Frederick, MD and Harrisburg, PA) then back home. By the <st1:stockticker>GPS</st1:stockticker> log, the ride came out to 1090 miles in 21 hours 40 minutes. This “qualifies” me for the Iron Butt Organization’s ride called Saddlesore 1000. This ride was on my bucket list.
But the ride was not without incidents. First of all, half way through the ride, parts of my rear brakes fell off (disappeared!) which I discovered was due to an oversight by my friends and me improperly re-assembling the rear disk brakes. [There two keepers left off, that went through the pins which hold the brake pads inside the calipers.] I made the decision to continue without any rear brakes, but due to hills of WV and other incidents along the route, I eventually destroyed my front brakes also.
If that wasn’t enough excitement for the trip, about 10:30 at night, hemmed in by traffic on the left and no shoulder on the right, at 65 mph I hit more than half a semi tractor-trailer tire. My trike about flipped but came down with the left wheel badly skidding. I thought I had a blowout, but come to find out the tire (on the road) jammed a rear crash/safety bar against the left rear tire, and it would barely turn. I pulled into highway median/ crossover, and with a flashlight in my mouth, laying on the ground and cold hands, in about 30 minutes I was able to remove the offending chunk of steel tubing and continue on my way.
I successfully completed the route, though the last 100 or so miles I had to be very very cautious in stopping, downshifting as much as possible, before I applied the front brakes (or what was left of them.) It was a pretty ride (the weather could not have been more perfect) and interesting, even if I had not had the two unfortunate incidents. I don’t think I’m up to the next progression, which is the Bun Burner 1500 (miles) in 36 hours, though, I think . . . . . . .. Well anyway, in all, I had fun and for the most part enjoyed the trip.
I left from home in Savage, MD, and headed to the south west corner of Virginia, before heading north and slightly northeast to Morgantown, WV, then on up to Hamburg, PA (through Frederick, MD and Harrisburg, PA) then back home. By the <st1:stockticker>GPS</st1:stockticker> log, the ride came out to 1090 miles in 21 hours 40 minutes. This “qualifies” me for the Iron Butt Organization’s ride called Saddlesore 1000. This ride was on my bucket list.
But the ride was not without incidents. First of all, half way through the ride, parts of my rear brakes fell off (disappeared!) which I discovered was due to an oversight by my friends and me improperly re-assembling the rear disk brakes. [There two keepers left off, that went through the pins which hold the brake pads inside the calipers.] I made the decision to continue without any rear brakes, but due to hills of WV and other incidents along the route, I eventually destroyed my front brakes also.
If that wasn’t enough excitement for the trip, about 10:30 at night, hemmed in by traffic on the left and no shoulder on the right, at 65 mph I hit more than half a semi tractor-trailer tire. My trike about flipped but came down with the left wheel badly skidding. I thought I had a blowout, but come to find out the tire (on the road) jammed a rear crash/safety bar against the left rear tire, and it would barely turn. I pulled into highway median/ crossover, and with a flashlight in my mouth, laying on the ground and cold hands, in about 30 minutes I was able to remove the offending chunk of steel tubing and continue on my way.
I successfully completed the route, though the last 100 or so miles I had to be very very cautious in stopping, downshifting as much as possible, before I applied the front brakes (or what was left of them.) It was a pretty ride (the weather could not have been more perfect) and interesting, even if I had not had the two unfortunate incidents. I don’t think I’m up to the next progression, which is the Bun Burner 1500 (miles) in 36 hours, though, I think . . . . . . .. Well anyway, in all, I had fun and for the most part enjoyed the trip.
orag:
