No chance to get away yesterday after being at Brad’s for over 8 hours getting the shock situation improved.
I started out on my very tip toes. After he changed to a different spring the motorcycle dropped about 3/4 of an inch. After rebuilding the entire shock and adding shims internally it brought the height down another 1/2 inch. While the motorcycle is still taller than it was with the old shock (it should be since Brad thinks I was riding on the spring with no shock absorbing), I’m going to see if I can live with this height. After packing the motorcycle last night it seemed to settle down a little more.
I got up very early planning to leave at first light and headed for the computer to check the forecast. I was somewhat dumbfounded when I saw the latest forecast for Amarillo was for wind 45-50 and gusts to 65 with sand storms. There was no way I was going to ride into that and after checking all options determined I would have to stop before Amarillo so no need to rush out the door. Since the forecast was better for Tuesday I considered not leaving until the next morning — but what if the forecast changed again?
Got out of the house around 11:00 and found out how windy it was after leaving Denton on 380 headed straight west. It was a bad side wind and I wasn’t sure how long I’d hang in there. My jacket was catching enough wind that it was lifting me off the motorcycle seat even after I zipped everything up that I could.
When I got to Decatur and headed more northwest the wind became tolerable from the direction is was blowing. The wind speed was expected to build with the heat of the day — the temperature was in the 90’s by Wichita Falls where I stopped to get fuel and a weather update. Wind in Wichita Falls was 28, 30 in Childress, and 39 in Amarillo so I decided to see if I could make it a while longer.
Fun things on the ride up 287 — I saw a herd of camels (no kidding) and a herd of buffalo with several babies.
The wind was steadily building and what I initially thought might be a dark sky due to rain turned out to be a dark sky due to dirt in the air. Being a hard contact lens wearer I was less than thrilled with approaching that.
After I rode into the blowing dirt and the wind got worse. My mouth was full of grit (lovely) but my eyes were doing okay. Even though it was in the 90’s I decided I better not drink any more water since it required opening my visor.
Several miles outside Childress the wind had gotten so bad it felt a couple times like it was going to smack me over — I was once again headed due west so the wind was no longer angled from behind me, but straight from the side. The air was the color of mud. I called it, found a room, and will watch the evening news to see what they say about the dry line that’s causing all the wind. If I try to look up and down Main St. here in Childress I can’t see very far because there’s so much dirt in the air. I talked to Mike Truel in OKC and he said the line was moving at 60 MPH so I hope it’s gone in the morning. If it is, I’ll be on the road very early to make up some miles.
After not getting the motorcycle back until Thursday and then changing to a shock that made the motorcycle way too tall I’ve adopted an “it is what it is” attitude. I’ll do the best I can and get out to the rally when get out to the rally.
Good news — the motorcycle is now low enough I don’t think I have to get the side stand lengthened (I thought did at the end of the day yesterday) — the bike sits at an acceptable angle when parked and I am able to boost it up when it’s fully loaded. Oh – and it rides a whole heck of a lot better. I’m looking forward to a calm day of riding when I can really focus on the change in the ride rather that holding on for wind gusts.
If the adventure doesn’t begin until the first thing goes wrong, then I’m already on an adventure 🙂 65 MPH gusts — that’s ridiculous.
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