Super Tenere 1200. AZ to BC

[Ray Hyland]

So I just set out on the big blue beast. Stopped in Vegas for the night. $17 for a nice clean hotel (Palace Station). Thank you Matt Scott who's Google-**** is strong.

The Yamaha is running knobbies so I will look for opportunities to get off the slab but it will be a lot of highway over the next couple of days.

I am also testing some new Icon 1000 gear. So far it looks and feels good. The Stryker rig is nice. You can take off your jacket in the heat and still have full armor.

More to come whenever I have a web connection.

Ray

 

[Scott Brady]

It is a pretty sweet machine. I have enjoyed riding it and it is better on the dirt then expected.

 

[taggart_lumpy]

Awesome!

Good luck sir!

 

[Christophe Noel]

Have a good ride, Ray!

 

[Ray Hyland]

So hours of endless pavement were killing me. But since I am on my own and the bike is over 600 pounds I didn't want to go down the soft sandy trails that spiderweb off the main track. That's when I noticed that there was a fence inspection track that parallels the highway. Ok so it's not the Dakar, but I figured it would give me some more experience with this beast on loose surfaces, and yet it's mostly hard dirt and gravel, not sand. Finally, if I did dump it and couldn't lift it, I would only need to walk about 30 feet to flag down a car to help me lift the bike.
So I spent about a half hour riding the track on the pegs before switching back to the slab. What a fun and simple way to break up the morning ride. I will need to remember this for the future.
Oh, and I didn't drop it. ;-)

 

[Ray Hyland]

So, Mercury is 48 million miles away at its closest point. I figured I'd come back again when I had some jerry cans....

 

[Ray Hyland]

Although I probably could have got all the supplies needed for an interstellar trip from these guys...

 

[Ray Hyland]

Ok lunch and coffee are over, back on the road.

 

[Ray Hyland]

And this is why you always buy gas where you find it. Assume the last chance gas station will be closed.

 

[Ray Hyland]

So I woke up feeling like I went 3 rounds with Mike Tyson. The constant gusting cross winds all day yesterday were punishing. I decided today I needed to get out of the wind. I left Reno and headed towards Susanville CA. This put me into the twisty roads through the pine forests enroute to Mt Shasta. I stopped a couple of times for a drink from my water bottle and just enjoyed the sounds of the forest and even a peaceful little brook where I chilled out and had a couple of granola bars to tide me over to lunchtime.

big trees

Lassen Peak in the distance

Mt Shasta in the other direction

Peaceful snack spot

Another view of the little brook

Parking by the brook.

I followed the small road all the way to the town of Mt Shasta, where I had a late lunch at the Black Bear Deli. Their Clam Chowder and Avocado Chicken club sand which were really good although the food was a bit slow.

 

[Ray Hyland]

So in just over two days I have ridden over 1000 miles in these new Elsinore boots from Icon1000.
I am impressed so far. They have a line of buckles so you can get them custom fit, and then you can

 

[Ray Hyland]

Oops posted too soon.
You can use the zip for easy entry once you get them fit.
Comfy, and good support. Not the protection of an MX boot but a good road boot that you can still wear off the bike.
I think they could benefit from some additional ventilation though.

 

[Ray Hyland]

When I left Arizona the weather was hot and I was happy I had my lightweight gloves.
When I was crossing Grants Pass in Oregon at 6am this morning I was wishing for something warmer. On my way west to the coast I stopped in some random town to buy coffee and warm my fingers. The good thing about OR and WA is that EVERYONE makes good coffee.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Thanks for posting the pics, Ray. Looks like a nice trip. Have fun with the fam!

 

[Cabrito]

I like the old school ExPo sticker on the pannier.

Have a good ride...