Hey now lets not start the name calling.....
Have a safe trip and enjoy the riding up here man....Wish we could meet up and do some riding...but my fun $$ just went dry having to buy a new rear end for the truck! Enoy the ride and above all be safe man.

 

Sorry man, you know how those silly Red Sox fans are !!

 

I had a bit of a blast traveling to and around New York state. The trip there and back was mostly a straight of 1,000 miles on day one and the rest on day two. First trip I took several interstate systems to New York. Return to Oklahoma, I took I-81 to I-40. Trip to NY was 1,420 miles. Return trip was 1,720 miles. On my return trip near Nashvile, TN, I hit a string of servere thunderstorm. Storms had gusts of 50~60mph winds and wash-out rains. I was able to drive through it, until I came across an accident where a house on a tractor trailer missed its turn and blowed into a bridge. Blocked all 4 lanes for about an hour. And just after I passed it, another storm was brewing ahead and called it quits for that night. Next day afterwards, temps were just raising like crazy. I started the morning at 70*F, by the time I hit Oklahoma, it was 105*F.

As for my stay in New York. The weather was not so nice. I did my best to go trail riding between the rains and to go walleye fishing. Unfortunely, luck did run out on one ride. I took off in nice sunny weather, a few hours later, thunderstorm and pouring rain. I tried to take cover under some trees until the rain got so heavy, it did not matter what tree you were under, you were going to get wet. So I blasted through the trails on the KLX through pouring rain and forming mud puddles. Got to the highway, and breezed on home at 55mph. By the time I got home, the rain had stopped and I was soaked to the bones with water.

On another adventure. I was blasting down the railroad bed from Bernhard Bay to Central Square. I came across another KLX rider. Thou I didn't stop to talk, it was kinda of nice to see another rider with the same bike. One thing I didn't know about, when you get to Central Square, the railroad bed goes away and there a huge water puddle in the bend. I almost tempended, but decided not to. The other KLX rider and his buddy passed me at that point and they went around the mud hole. I followed suit, seeing they were heading in the direction I needed to go. I get to a y-split and go right, only to find one of the riders taking a leak. One of the riders told me, "Its only mud through here", and he pointed out where I can go to hit I-81 and take the roads. Took his advice and went on that direction. One problem with that route. Another mud puddle stood between me and the road. And there no going around it since it covered the entire field. I dared to drive through it. I get about half-way and the klx just sinks in up to the engine. I wammed the throttle wide open and rooster tailed the bike out of there. I got muddy, but at least I was back on hard surface.

One thing I did find out about motorcycle riding. The KLX handles differently than an ATV. One example is when trying to go up hill on very loose dirt. The rear tire tends to dig in then to drive up through. Also gravel can be harder to handle than sand.

Forgive me about lack of pictures. I was too busy having fun.

 

Sounds like you had a nice adventure. Riding in storms builds character

Mike

 

I'll sort the parts of photos out by posts. It will be easier to keep track.

These are the photos of the road trip. I got kinda of a habit of taking photos of the state border signs. Also, a few photos of the Nashvile, TN accident.

Another story I would like to add. My dad and grandpa were giving me sh*t about my Ford Ranger. Well the jokes on them. No sooner then I arrive, the Chevy Blazer my mom drives starts to leak coolant from the heater core. My Grandpa's Celebrity blows a hole in the muffler and a tail-light goes out. Then when tracing a problem on trailer lights, I find the problem is on his S-10 trailer wiring. Then on Sunday, the day before I leave, my dad's Buick back home left my mom stranded at JCPenny with a dead battery. This should teach to keep their mouths shut about my Ford. So what if I carried a toolbox with me. All the tools were used to fix their vehicles, not mine. Over 3,000 miles, and not a single problem. Thou lacking power, can't complain when getting 25mpg when crusing in a truck.









You know when you are in the middle of no where when the only vehicle, besides you, is a mile behind you.




Nashvile, TN accident. I took these shots quickly as I was passing by. But that silver thing on the last photo is what got caught under the bridge and caused the backup. It lasted an hour, but was funny talking to the truckers on the CB.




As a mechanic on vacation. You never do stop being a mechanic. This what I had to return home to fix on the Blazer. A $40 heater core that could have cost $1200 to replace if I had let the dealership do the work. But 8 hours of my time is worth it.

 

This one is mostly photos of a fish hatchery. And a few others.




These are the holding tanks where the little fingerlings can grow-up safely. After so long, they get moved to outside holding tanks where they get feed by on-demand feeders. The fish hits a rod and food drops out. As you can tell by what on the tank, these are steelheads.



In this process, the fish are literally sqeezed to get them to release their eggs and seamen. And then sorted for release. But I guess the female fish don't get so lucky. Because they will die after releasing the eggs. They get sent for processing.



Lures and what appears to be rainbow trout (correct if I am wrong).


My grandpa use to own one of these. Until his brother left water in the block during the winter and killed it.


The fishermen true boating. Nothing beats fishing in a steel haul boat with a 9hp outboard and 3 generations of the family in one boat. I have to say, fishing did suck. Went for waleye, caught nothing but bass and perch.


One of those family outings. Got to see this.

 

Okay, these are probably the photos you want. More on the KLX than anything else. I also did some video recording. But the video is so blockey, that I will leave it out.


Before any adventure can begin, gotta off load the truck. And a nice little hill always helps in the process.




This is where I started to learn what I can take on and what I can't. It took me serveral tries before I was able to conquer to hill. The hill had to be a good 30* or more and is entirely of loose soil that goes deep. Third try I got stuck and started to bury the rear tire trying to go up.


I took this shot from the railroad bed just before a bridge. Last time I was here, that beaver dam was not there.



Shots of the family property. This is tree stand #2. My grandpa is the one that mostly shots from it. Theres 2 more and 1 extra one that I wasn't told about until later. And there is a creek that flow in the back. One slight problem with the creek, it flows between two hills. The KLX had plenty of grunt to make it and it gave the KLX a good bath. Thou my legs were soaked.


The things you find in the back woods.


This is one of those, "Oh sh*t" moments. If I had been driving insanely through the woods, I could have been very well been at the bottom of that.



After a goods ride, its a good thing to have the KLX dirty. And just encase anybody asks, theres a Chevy Nova under the tarp. And it still runs. My grandpa bought it new and mod it out some.


Unfortunely, all good things come to an end. Heres the KLX all strapped in before the long trip back home. I left the mud on it as kinda of a badge of honor. But the Tennessee rain had to wash some of it off.

Videos: Okay, I upload the few that I thought were at least okay.

Tree stand #2


The drop off and right before I got soaked in the rain.


You can see one of the many creeks that I had to cross. I was originally going to cross with the camera rolling. But then I got this really bad feeling as if I going to drop the camera into the water, so I stopped recording.

 

Nice pic's man...The salmon river falls are the coolest by far...they are about 15 min from my girlfriends house!!! Glad you had a good time here!!! And glad you made it to and from with no problems!!!

 

Nice trip. A little bit soggy, but better than working.

The springs on my Ford Ranger sagged with a full bike in the back. Instead of air bags, I had another leaf put on the springs for $200. Did the trick. I sure like this motorcycle carrier that attaches to the trailer hitch. Good price too. Why are there so many things to spend money on.

I found loading the bike easier if I used the motor to move the bike up onto the truck bed while I stepped up on a mini step ladder.