Motorcycle Journeys Trip Logs

Author: Gale

  • Narrowing down on motorcycle

    After looking all over the western United States,  ironically it looks like the best motorcycle available for Jean-Francois is a 2006 R1200 GSA in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that was owned by a fellow member in BMWDFW rider group. The motorcycle has everything on it Jean-Francois wants except a GPS. It has been meticulously maintained by the owner and has about 24,000 miles on it.

    Here are some of the add-ons:
    Ohlin Shocks front and rear
    Fastway pegs
    Staintune Stainless Exhaust
    Full Skid plate and center stand protection
    Stebel Horn  (i.e.  LOUD)
    Centech Fuse block for accessories
    Headlight protection
    Extended handguard protection – Touratech
    Handlebar risers – Adventurers Workshop
    Additional cylinder head crash bar protection – Adventure Design
    Touratech guards for vulnerable areas – throttle body, rear brake cylinder, front oil cooler
    Rear “hugger” to protect shock from mud and dirt
    Throttle lock
    Upgraded headlight and side lights
    Rear blinking stop light
    Clear turn signal lens
    K&N air filter

  • On the road maintenance

    I occurred to me that approximately 12,000 miles means an on the road oil change and the possibility one or both of us may need a new tire.

    I needed an oil change so I used the tools I carry on the motorcycle with the exception of the socket wrench to get the drain plug out and a torque wrench to tighten the drain plug to spec.

    I ordered a tire lever with 24mm box wrench from Touratech and a 3/8″ socket adapter to go with it. That should complete what tools I need for an oil change. I plan to stop at a discount store an buy a cheap plastic oil pan that I can discard when we’re done. I’ll take an oil filter with me.

    I did a check for BMW motorcycle dealers in that area and found one near Halifax — Atlantic Metroplex — that will be our only BMW motorcycle option in the part of Canada we’ll be traveling.

    I am a member of the BMW MOA and will be carrying their Anonymous Book so we might be able to find someone with tools that will help us out if the need arises. I also suspect the members of the RidetheRock.com forum would help us out while we’re in Newfoundland.

  • MapSource for US

    I’m not sure what to plan for the US. I would like to hit the national parks in New England particularly the Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park area so I found a list of the best campgrounds in the New England states and added waypoints for the best of those.

    Jean-Francois mentioned an interest in following the Appalachian Trail and sent me a link to a forum thread that discussed a MapSource route. I found the route on it has so many waypoints it’s hard to visualize.  I used the strip map provided on the National Park Service website (http://www.nps.gov/appa/planyourvisit/upload/APPA%20Map.pdf) to add waypoints and then in Topo mapped a route that was cross country (not on roads). I then switched over to City Navigator and found the roads closest to the cross country trail. You can download my Appalchian Trail MapSource file at http://www.motorcycle-journeys.com/current/routes_maps/routes_maps.html

    I have the National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways & Byways so I map a route in MapSource for each of their recommended routes in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

    The MapSource file for the New England scenic routes and camping spots is also at http://www.motorcycle-journeys.com/current/routes_maps/routes_maps.html.

  • Side trip to Labrador for JF

    Jean-Francois told me he would like to make a run from Baie Comeau north into Labrador to Churchill Falls. He said it’s deep gravel that I would not like so he will leave me where there is good whale watching to keep me busy while he’s gone.

    I have added it to MapSource and it’s an additional 1035 miles round trip.

    Since I hate to miss out on things I did a little research to see what I could find out about the route and if I might be able to do it. One man described it as a deep gravel road with turns so tight you can see your own tail lights. I’ll stay in Baie Comeau.

    New trip totals for JF:
    Land miles –                           12,198.10
    Water miles (ferry rides) –      694.60
    Total miles –                           12,892.70

  • MapSource for Canada

    It’s ended up being an interesting project to enter the worksheet list into MapSource. I would do a find within MapSource and many of the places didn’t exist so I would have to go to an internet search. Some didn’t come up in an internet search, so I would have to go back to the books and read up on the area and find things on the internet that are located around them. There were a few that I simply couldn’t locate.

    Some the items on the worksheet were general information or duplicates so I ended up with 247 waypoints in the Canadian provinces alone.

    The next step was playing connect the dots with the waypoints in a logical itinerary that would flow.  I have worked at this for about a month and  have 262 waypoints (I have run across more things to add) on 47 routes. I have entered comments for almost all waypoints explaining their importance. A worksheet of the waypoints with comments and coordinates is available at http://motorcycle-journeys.com/current/routes_maps/routes_maps.html.

    Grand totals round trip from Texas:

    Land miles –                           11,163.10
    Water miles (ferry rides) –      694.60
    Total miles –                           11,857.70

    Need I mention how glad I am Jean-Francois is going?

    The Mapsource file can be downloaded at http://www.motorcycle-journeys.com/current/routes_maps/routes_maps.html.