Reliving the thrills of 2008 ...

(Photos by Rob Tayloe and Dennis Bethel)

Saturday, July 13, 2008 was supposed to be a warm day in Ohio and points west as Rob Tayloe (#66024) and I set out early, headed toward Wyoming, he on his red 1994 R1100RS and me on my blue 1988 R100RT.  The afternoon promised thunderstorms in Indiana and Illinois, so it was quite a surprise when the heavens opened up on us just an hour and a half from home.  Through my wet foggy visor I saw Rob take the off ramp to the last rest area in Ohio, but I couldn't follow him.  I was stranded just short of the exit by a drowned coil.  After making cell phone contact, Rob rejoined me beside the highway.  We made a tent over the bike, and dried the water from the ignition parts, to no avail.  I called Len Kerkhoff (#91654), proprietor of Autobahn Craftwerks, and he said he could help, if I could get the bike to Cincinnati.  I called AAA, and was told it would be a while, but a truck was on the way.  Eventually Rob got the opportunity to take an evidentiary photo of my bike on a truck.  The AAA mechanic was careful loading and towing the bike, providing the kind of quality service that Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance author, Robert Pirsig, spent years trying to describe without defining. We were back on dry roads not five minutes from where we got drenched. That's Ohio weather for you.

            Of course the bike started right up when off the truck, but close inspection revealed extensive cracking of the coil due to the quenching effect of the cold rain.  Len had already pulled a pre-owned part, and, since I had not previously performed that particular task, he let me do the change-out under supervision.  He was tuning up a custom-built race bike that he and friends had built from a 1954 500cc BMW Airhead engine, and a vintage R50/2 frame. A few weeks later at Bonneville, Len set a new mark of 92mph competed in the Altered Vintage Gas category, while his friend Eric reached 104mph competing in Semi-Streamlined Vintage Gas.

It was mid-afternoon by the time we were back on the road, riding to a little west of Indianapolis before more storms put an end to the first day's fun - about 200 miles short of our planned overnight.  We finished off Indiana and crossed Illinois by mid-day Sunday, but it was a hot ride across Iowa, mostly on US 30 because the super slab was no fun for bikes.  Soon we came upon David Adler MOA (#98183) whose K1300LT had broken, and would have to go back to Chicago to be repaired.  Not being sure he would make it to Gillette, David asked us to carry the Chicago BMW Rider's banner there for him. Rob assured him it would fly in Wyoming, snapped a picture, stowed the flag, and we were off again. 

            At the end of our 720-mile second day, in 100 degree heat, we reached Sioux City, back on schedule, but just a tad stressed.  Along the way, we met many friendly folks and downed a lot of water and Gatorade (often wearing the water for the evaporative cooling effect).  Monday took us across SD, and through Sioux Country, via 46, 18, 73 and 44 to the Badlands.  We visited Wall Drug then camped out in a garden shed, complete with bunks and A/C, at Interior, SD.  The next day we rode the Badlands again, and the Blackhills, visiting Mt. Rushmore and Sturgis, where we met up with Everett Stallcop (#80660).  Everett is an Ironbutt rider from Tulsa, OK, who plans to reach 100,000 BMW miles this year on his K1100LT, but he was on his Yamaha FJR1300, which was wearing BMW Roundels over the Yamaha badges.  He got a few double takes when he told curious Beemerphiles it was a "prototype".  Everett had been charging around North and South Dakota catching Capitals and "I've been everywhere" photos while we saw the sites in Iowa and SD.  We collected Sturgis BMW tee shirts as proof of our visit to the famous Harley town, before finding dinner at a local tavern.  The next day, Wednesday, we rode the Needles Highway, in Custer State Park, and stopped at the Crazy Horse monument and Devil's Tower before pitching tents at the rally site in Gillette, WY.  Wednesday evening at the rally was doubly exciting; first a water line running between tents came apart and a geyser erupted as we and our newly introduced neighbors were sharing stories and cold beverages.  Then we were introduced to the exciting nightly Wyoming summer evening north-wind blow, though the rain missed the rally site that night.

            As it turned out, David did make it to Gillette on Thursday, to find that the banner he entrusted to Rob was already hanging from the Chicago Rider's tent.  David's story of how he was able to arrive just one day later than planned is remarkable.  After Rob and I left him, David continued calling locals in the BMW MOA Anonymous Book, but most had already left for Gillette.  Suddenly, David says, a Jeep pulled up, and the driver jumped out and said, "Mr. Adler, I am a Deputy Sheriff in the local county and a DEA agent.  May I see your license, registration, and proof of insurance?"  As David was retrieving the documents, he noticed that the "Sheriffs" license plate began with the letters KTM.  He burst out, "you're pulling my leg - you're an adventure-rider".  "Yep, we Iowans just don't want any redneck Illinoisans to come over and plant some bad weed with our good corn".  David says this was the start of a new friendship.  The "Deputy", Ray, who wants to remain an unknown Good Samaritan, lived just one mile from where David was broken down on US 30.  He volunteered to go home, attach his trailer to the jeep and return.  David spent the night with Ray's family, treated them to dinner, and slept on a blow up mattress in the living room.  David learned that Ray was not only a rider, but he raced motocross bikes and was an avid ATV enthusiast.  His pictures and awards filled his computer room - and then his garage.  Typical Beemers are known to have several bikes in their garage, and Ray was no different - but he also had several ATVs, which were still covered in mud from some recent fun time. 

David's goal was to rent a truck the next morning, Monday, load up the bike, and return home. Trip cancelled, or so he expected.  Ray woke him about 6AM, and informed him that he had already called in to take a vacation day so he could transport him and the bike the 150 miles home to Aurora, IL.   After all, the bike was already strapped to the trailer, and he and one of his sons thought that it would be an adventure.  So these Beemers took David and his LT home; but that wasn't all.  They then tied David's GT to the trailer, and took him and the GT back to Cedar Rapids, from which David continued to Wyoming on Tuesday.  David later found out that the LT had a blown clutch that banged a hole in the clutch housing.  The bike was sent to NJ for repair, and recently made it home with replacement engine, clutch, transmission, and rear drive from a donor LT.

            The 36th Annual BMW MOA International Rally was not as well attended as the last three, but it was well organized and we had a good time.  Rob, Everett and I worked a shift at the main gate, and earned our early entry and straw cowboy hats.  Rob and I took advantage of the oil change garage, and after two more nightly wind storms it was time to head home.  Everett had more freedom than did we, and he continued west into Montana, and Idaho, then south through Utah to Boulder, Colorado for the inaugural FJR1300 rally.

            The ride south on US16 and 85 in WY was pretty, but cross winds and tar snakes didn't let Rob or I focus as much on the scenery as we would have liked.  Turning east on US 26 took care of those issues, and we were able to enjoy the Bluff views while following the Platte River in Nebraska.  Next day, as we continued across NB and part of Kansas, I became more concerned that the new-for-the-trip front brake pads were causing more and more pulsation during stops, though it was barely noticeable when the brakes were applied at speed.  Finally, as we were ready to stop for the night in Missouri, I concluded that the problem wasn't bad brake pads at all; the steering head nut had backed off just enough to allow the steering head to shake when the brakes were applied.  If ever I experience front brake pulsation again, I will check the security of the steering head nut, as well as smoothness and run-out of the brake rotors before jumping to potentially dangerous conclusions.

            We got a room at Cameron, Missouri, and it was my turn to find a Samaritan in the Anonymous book.  It was Sunday evening, and we knew it was unlikely that we would find a bike shop open on Monday.  Finding a fellow rider that possessed the needed tools and who would be willing to come to my rescue seemed like a long shot.  Proving again that being lucky (or an MOA Member) can be better than being good, we were able to reach BMW MOA Ambassador, Pat Burch (#8480), who lives nearby.  Pat, in true Ambassador-style, made calls to several area BMW riders, and soon called back to tell us that Cliff Elkins (#86300) would be over to help.  Cliff arrived on his pretty white rescued 1988 K75 with Hannigan RS fairing, brandishing a big wrench (36mm), hammer and punch (for the slotted head bearing torque nut).  Rob and I had already stripped the RT as much as required for the job, and before long the old airhead was fit again - no pulsation now.  Cliff refused my offers of payment and dinner, as he was glad to help and had already eaten.  What wonderful people you can find by just dialing a number in the BMW MOA directory.  Rob took pictures, as I thanked Cliff, we exchanged contact information, said good night, and Rob and I went for our own dinner.  We had good food and a fun chat with a very friendly waitress at a local diner, then topped the tanks and hit the sacks.

            We arrived back in Ohio on Tuesday, catching the sites in Hannibal, Missouri along the way.  Thanks to Samuel Clements, Mark Twain (a hotel as well as a pen name), Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and riverboats figure prominently in that Mississippi River town - we got photos of all of them. 

            I was back to work on Wednesday, no longer pining about not having enough time to ride Beartooth Pass and visit Yellowstone, since the mountains would not have been a good place to be with a lose steering head, and besides, Pat and Cliff were in Missouri.  I was thankful to have had quality time with old and new friends, and the old RT.  Rob and Everett had been great riding companions, and the people we met were priceless.

            A few weeks later Rob released, on DVD, an entertaining video and sound production, documenting our trip with an end-to-end slideshow, and several on-bike movies shot in the Badlands and Blackhills using Rob's helmet and bike mounted cameras.  I didn't get another chance for a significant ride before winter arrived to Ohio, so I reminisced several times with Rob's DVD.  I also finally got around to reading Zen and the Art, and then Zen and Now, by Mark Richardson.  I would recommend both to anyone interested in riding, relationships or the meaning of quality.  I began a search for my next Beemer, and on March 7th found the one for me near Pittsburgh, PA, a pretty Titan Blue Metallic 1990 K75S, well preserved by its two former owners.    

            All of you who have gone away on your bike for a ride taking you several days from home will understand that the above is a superficial summary of our trip.  Long rides are challenging, and you can spend many hours alone with just the road, the bike, and the thoughts rolling round in your head.  You experience things that you can't really experience any other way, and probably wouldn't want to.  It can be hot, wet, cold, scary and tiring all in one day.  Go for a week or longer, and you are almost guaranteed to experience all those things, and more.  Friends and family who don't ride will listen to our retellings and ask, so why do you keep doing that?  They don't understand that you just explained it to them.

            Plans for riding my newest Beemer to either the BMW MOA or the BMW RA national rally in July (hopefully both) are underway.