Route 380, Texas

Might not be many more posts after this, it'll be hard to post without a laptop. I was riding west on 380 two nights ago and I lost my right saddlebag going about 65mph. The car behind me stopped me and told me I lost it 1 or 2 miles back. I rode back and forth down the road but nothing. I got off the bike and walked in the weeds for 4 miles back and forth, nothing. Lost my new laptop, negatives from a wedding, a ton of personal photos, a $200 check, my checkbook, phone charger, camera batteries and charger and little random camping stuff. So bummed about it. I met some people and stayed at their house for the night and went out looking again the next morning. Still nothing, set up camp around noon at a picnic area and sulked for a full day. Rode all day today, got out of Texas in Roswell n.m. Tonight. Trying to forget about all my shit.

Texarkana (Texas Side)

It's been a while, but here are some photos from the Texarkana motel I was stuck in for a day waiting out the rain.

Roaches in the shower

From this morning right before I left, I dropped my bike while strapping stuff to it and broke off my mirror and shattered my key and the ignition switch, so pissed about it all day.

For $25 I got the shittiest motel I've ever been in, there were so many roaches I was afraid one was going to crawl in my ear when I was sleeping.

The TV only stayed on with a dirty Q-tip ... so good.

Smokey Mountains and Chattanooga, TN

Here's some photos from yesterday going through the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.

Whatever kind of huge mountain bug that was, my face came out of nowhere on him

Currently on top of Lookout Mountain right on the border of Georgia and Tennessee and the rain finally hit, packed up my tent with 15 minutes to spare, just waiting it out in this tourist trap.

I really have no idea how many people are actually looking at this, so I'll say, if you post me your address on here or email it to Dan@DanEberly.com I'll promise to send you a postcard.

Exactly What I Was Afraid Of!

I'm in a coffee shop charging my phone and still have a lot of time to kill so I'll tell you what happened to me yesterday. 


I was concerned before I left philadelphia that only 2 things could stop me on my trip, if a Clutch, Front Brake or Throttle cable would break.  Yesterday, the 21st, I'm going through a small town called Canton between Ashville and Waynesville N.C. and right in the middle of main street my clutch cable snaps leaving my bike in 2nd gear. I was able to coast into the middle of the road before the bike stalled, but I was stuck in 2nd and couldn't push it. I stood there for maybe 20 minutes getting all sweaty and nervous and mentally preparing to stay in this town for the next 3 days.  After about 20 minutes of trying I finally got the clutch lever pushed in while clicking the bike into first and then neutral so I could at least roll it.  I pushed the bike to an auto shop across the street and asked them if they could order me the part, they couldn't but they gave me the number of a guy outside of town who could.  I called the guy up, he said he couldn't order the new cable but thought if I got the bike to him he could rig something from another cable.


I was stuck about 3 miles from this guy on the other side of town, I had 6 traffic light to go through and one huge hill to push the bike up. if I called AAA to have it towed it probably wouldn't be for at least 2 hours before I got the bike to the shop and I assumed he closed at 5 or 6, it was about 2 or 3pm. 


So I started pushing the bike loaded down with all my bags and wearing my helmet. I made it past the traffic lights through the center of town and took a 20 minute break, I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to push it up an incline. I started again and very slowly powered my way up the hill. I was on the sidewalk away from traffic but could barely squeeze between telephone poles and the rock wall to my right. it took almost an hour to get it up that hill but I coasted all the way down the other side to 'The Max Cycle Shop' 


Max, the owner of the shop was able to pull off my old cable, lubed my front brake cable (it felt like it was binding inside) and went to work rigging my old cable to fit with a cable he had for a 4 wheeler.  It took him a couple hours but he got a new cable on there and rigged to work my clutch, it was amazing, I was prepared to camp behind his shop for the next couple days and he had me out of there in 3 hours. It also gave me an opportunity to ask a bunch of little questions that I've been thinking about. 


One question I had was 'why am I  only getting 35-40 MPG?' I thought maybe I was leaking some gas out of my gas cap, it could be evaporation or was the bike running rich?  He checked the seal on the cap and said it seemed like a tight fit so he stuck his finger in my exhaust pipe and his finger came out black, turns out it's running rich, the plugs were also full of black carbon.  So now what? it's kind of a bad sign, I should check my air filter when I get a chance, the filter could be clogged and it's not giving the bike enough air. It could also mean that my valves are a little out of adjustment, or my jets on the carburetor are a little too high.  I checked the Carburetors first, it being the easiest fix, I didnt want to get into valve clearances just yet. the jets for higher speeds were set at 130, already a pretty small opening but he had some 125's in the shop to exchange to lean the carbs out a little. I kept my 130's in case I should ever need to go back to them, the Mikuni Carbs are great for being able to adjust the jets.  I will need to check my valves ASAP, I'd like to talk to a BMW guy before I do it though, and I'll need to pick up the right set of feeler gauges. 


So I paid Max $80 for all his work and the new cable and went on my way.  I'm currently in Waynesville NC, it's about noon and my ipod is finally charged. Headed southwest from here. 

Smokey Mountains - Waynesville, N.C.

Camped last night behind a Walmart parking lot and under this train bridge, outside of Waynesville, N.C.

Last night was great, cooked up a pork tenderloin under this bridge with some rice, carrots, cheese and italian bread. I attracted a few Raccoons from the smells, they stayed away all night but I was nervous one would get bold and dig around in my stuff next to me while I was sleeping. Again sleeping with the Pistol made me feel much better, I dont think I would have been able to actually shoot a raccoon or possum if he put his nose in my face.

I had a cop shine a flashlight down on me in the middle of the night though, said he was looking for someone. I showed him my ID and he was cool with me staying there for the night.

Outside of Ashville N.C.

Slept on top of this Bulldozer the night after I left Sylvia's, had a terrible sleep, covered in dew the next morning, and my bike was parked up the hill and a little too far away from me for comfort. I was on edge all night from the trucks pulling in the quarry next door, but I woke up at 9am and went fishing for an hour before I packed up all my stuff.

Oct. 16th, Virginia

Moncure, North Carolina

Sylvia, Brendan, Levi and Eli

DC in the Rain

In the hammock behind a senior center outside of DC. Forgot my little pillow and my sleeping bag is too small and for some reason sleeping outside in the rain really freaks me out. I bet I'll feel really great tomorrow morning though.

ACCESSORIES

EVERYTHING PACKED:


1971 BMW R60/5
Two Olympic saddlebags with rain covers, a Wixom topcase, two small headlight bags, and a duffel across the back seat.

Motorcycle things
Impact drive with bits, needle nose plyers, dyke clips, assorted screwdrivers, zip ties, stock tool kit, feeler gauges, allen set, full helmet, jacket with 2 liners, stock manual, chilton's troubleshooting guide, small brass hammer, inner tube patch kit, lube, gorilla glue, duct tape,  6 Caribbean-er clips, scissors, rags, leather lotion,

Camping Gear
Hennesey hammock, the cat's meow sleeping bag, jet boil stove with coffee maker, small spatula, jet boil cooking pot and 2 fuel canisters, assortment of powdered condiments, condiment packets, coffee, BB handgun with CO2 and 1000 BB's, Solar charger, container for 12 eggs, tuna and bread, can opener, fork knife spoon, first aid kit,  headlamp, 2 led flashlights, handkerchief, rain jacket, rain pants, emergency blanket, sweet condensed milk,  a 1 gallon bag of water, a 16 oz water bottle,  camping towel, small regular towel, thermal shirt, 2 wife beaters, travel fishing pole with tackle box, sunflower oil, 3 small bungees, large water proof bag, sew kit, brillo brush, small tarp,

Personal Stuff
Sunglasses, cell phone, ipod, headphones (3 pairs), 2 pairs of pants, hoodie, flanel, 1 button down shirt, 3 tee shirts, 3 pairs of socks, 1 pair of riding socks, 5 pairs of underwear, 2 pairs of long johns, long sleeve sport shirt, cosmetic bag (nail clippers, q tips, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, 2 washrags, safety razor with blades, small scissors) 1 pair of boots, 2 pocket knives, fuji 645 camera with film, canon 5D camera with cards, batteries, case and card reader, Mac Laptop with case and power cord,  phone charging cable, wallet with passport, small scarf,

Prospect Park, Brooklyn N.Y.

Fishing with Cait in Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Didn't catch any fish, but grabbed a turtle off a log.

Headed back to Philadelphia tomorrow for a day and then off to Chicago, or maybe North Carolina

Got a Court Summons in Brooklyn that night for walking around brooklyn with a knife...I past two beat cops on a corner, nodded a hello, they stopped me and asked me what i had clipped in my pocket. I showed him a little pocket knife, he asked what for, I said camping, he didnt believe me and gave me a summons. Now I've gotta go to a court in New York and find out how much I have to pay ... Fuck Me.

Amherst Mass.

2nd day of my trip, sunday Oct. 4th.

Badminton, Sleeping in the Hammock over the swamp, shooting beer bottles out of the sky with the BB gun, climbing up one of those power line towers that look like figures and watching the sun set with Kareem.

TRAVEL POLE

Fuck Yeah!

First Day: Oct. 3rd

Left Philadelphia at 1pm for Amherst Mass. to stay with Kareem and Eva for a few days.
Caught in the rain. Tried to make a Man Man show at 9pm. A 6 hour trip in a car took me 10 hours on the bike. Decided to just take the highways all the way up to make the show. The rain soaked me thoroughly, and it turned into one of the most harrowing trips I've ever taken on a bike: Riding at night, in the rain, on the highway, in heavy traffic, could hardly see the road because my glasses and face mask were fogging up and wet, and my new cup of coffee blew out of my cup holder and exploded all over my chest. The ride started in the best way possible but turned into a bummer really fast.

Arrived at about 11pm soaked and cold and missed the show.  My new $25 rain pants just let water in around my crotch where the water pooled up on my seat.

$8 for Tolls
$10 for two sonic burgers and a coffee
$23 to fill up gas tank twice