Morton to Kennewick Roundtrip Ride pt 1

Moto-camping In The Gifford Pinchot National Forest

 

April Ride In Lewis County

Taking My Dad's ashes Home- Road Trip 2022; Camping Gear Acquired

 

I have been replacing some of my camping gear with newer items that are either smaller, lighter in weight, or in better condition than my older camping gear for use on the trip.  Today, a new camp axe arrived, and along with the folding entrenching tool, small sheath knife, and LED folding lantern, my new gear is pretty well complete.  I am planning on purchasing a military mess kit for cooking, and a small single burner hiking stove.  But other than that, I pretty much have everything I am going to need.  My sleeping bag and tent are in plenty of good enough condition to use for this trip.  Especially since I plan on staying in Motel 6's once we hit the Great Plains.  I just can't see camping with no shade in late Summer on the Great Plains and getting roasted in the tent unnecessarily.

I am planning on using my old Navy seabag to carry most of what I am taking that won't fit in the saddlebags, and I still have a Kuryakin T Bag that will mount on the back of the bike.   Between the seabag and the T Bag, I can't think of much else I will be needing to pack for this trip.  The Navy trained me long ago how to fold and stow my clothes and gear effectively.  

Since this is a bike trip and not a car trip, weight is a serious factor.  The last thing I want to do is to overload the bike taking things I won't really need.  So I will continue to go over the list of gear between now and next Summer as I get things ready to go.  Eliminating the items I won't really need and lightening the load for things that I will.

Since we will only have a very few days to visit family I haven't seen in nearly five decades, I want to pack as light as possible so that I will have the option of pushing on further some days during the ride.  I really would prefer not to be making 12-14 hour days, but pressing 8-10 may just be in the cards.  But we won't know for sure until the time comes, and we are actually on the road each day.  I just want to keep as many options open as possible.  As it is, most of this trip will be made on Interstate Freeways.  As much as I find them boring, we just don't have the time available to make the trip taking two-lane highways for the entire 5,000 miles plus distance.  If we weren't restricted to only a fourteen-day time frame, things would be different I am sure.  But it is what it is, and we will just have to deal with it.

While I have the rough route laid out, we may have to adapt it due to unforeseen circumstances that the future may put up as obstacles to be dealt with.  things are in flux, and will no doubt remain so for a while yet.  The fact that I am also going to be running for the Legislature again in 2022 means I've had to postpone the trip a month so that I would be here campaigning in the weeks just prior to the Primary election instead of being out of touch with the campaign during a critical time.  I have faith that things will work out as they should.  Whether that is how I want things to be or not, I just need to be prepared for as many possibilities as I can.  Without trying to be prepared for every possible scenario, which would overload the bike and make the whole trip a burdensome adventure.  I'll keep you all posted.

Catch you on the road sometime...

RoadTrip 2022: Gathering Supplies

 

Since I know that I will be camping at least half of the time during this trip, I know that I will have to pack camping gear that can be loaded onto the bike.  Some I already have, and I am going through and acquiring more that will be of better use for on a bike than what I may have.  I am still going through things I have and deciding what I need, and what I don't.  The tent is rather old, but still in good shape, and is easy enough to put up and take down, and stores one the bike easily enough.  I have picked up a new folding entrenching tool, a new knife, and a folding solar-powered LED lamp that I can pack under the cargo net so that it can be charged during the day as we ride.  I have also bought a new hatchet to replace the old heavy one I keep in my camping box.  It will be much lighter on the bike than the old one and on a long journey, the light weight will be a benefit.  

I have a sleeping bag that is suitable, and an extra blanket rolled up with it for any nights that might require a little more warmth for these old bones.  Clothes I am not too worried about, as the Navy taught me how to fold things small enough to leave plenty of space, and I will have plenty of time between now and the time we leave to get anything I need if something wears out.

The one thing I am looking for is an old-style mess kit.  The pan, plate, and utensils are self-contained and small enough to easily fit into a saddlebag or my old seabag strapped to the sissybar.  A small backpacker's stove and fuel are on my list to buy.  But beyond that, at least at this point, I have everything else I will need for a long 14-day long road trip.  Although, as I continue to get closer to our departure date, I am sure I will find something that I just can't do without, or that I have to replace something I already have.  I am sure I will find things in my first-aid/survival pouch that probably needs to be replaced.  But I will deal with that when I go through it in the coming weeks.

It's funny, but the more I get things ready for this trip, the more excited I become for it.  It is going to be an adventure and with my grandson, and friends who have said they would like to ride along for at least part of it, it ought to be one to remember for the rest of my life.

Catch ya on the road sometime...

Roadtrip 2022-Nick's Chopper Is Up

 Yesterday, Nick and I made a 4-hour roundtrip from Morton to Yakima, Washington to pick up a voltage regulator he needed for his chopper.  Even though the sky was blue, and it was beautiful out, it was still only in the low 30's when we left Morton.  By the time we had made it to the top of White Pass at 4,500 feet elevation, it was 19 F, and we were both glad to be in Nick's nice warm Subaru WRT.  We made it down to the frigid and arid eastern Washington town of Yakima and he purchased his voltage regulator.  Both on the way over to Yakima, and the return trip back over the Cascade Mountains, Nick was describing what he wanted to do with his chopper "Shock Therapy" so that he could take it on the run to Chicago with me next year.  

He is planning on installing a dual bag air suspension system for his seat to make riding the rigid framed chopper easier over the 5,000-mile distance.  Also, he is going to work on getting everything rewired and repainted as part of the package.  I was happy to see how into making this trip with me that he has gotten.  I am still going to be getting Gypsy ready, just in case, as well as Tennessee Whiskey.  But more on them later. 

When we got back to Morton, we replaced the voltage regulator, and Nick rerouted his fuel line to get a little better flow rate.  Then, he rolled Shock Therapy out of the garage, and I climbed on Tennesse Whiskey.  Even though the sun was just dropping behind Peterman Hill, and the chilly temps could already be felt dropping, we rolled out for a circuit around Morton before topping off his tank and going out for a little test ride.  Instead of telling you how things went, I'll let the YouTube video I created last night give you a better idea of how things went.  I hope you enjoy.

This is going to be a fun trip.  One I can tell I am going to enjoy making with my grandson.

Catch you on the road sometime...

RoadTrip 2022- Parts Are Coming In

As the time begins to creep closer to the ride beginning, the parts have begun to arrive to get the preparations moving.  Today, I received a new kickstand/footpeg/gearshift mount that should solve that issue with Gypsy.  Then it should be a simple case of replacing the starter breaker, and she should be ready to ride.  From there we can look at what needs to be done to her to get her roadworthy for the trip.  After Gypsy gets this bit finished, she will be temporarily replaced on the lift by Tennessee show she can get a new tire mounted.  

I have also begun to gather up things for the trip itself.  On Tuesday. I received a new trenching tool, fire starter, and folding solar-powered LED lantern.  

The basic camping gear is already set, for the most part.  I am going to look for a couple (metal) mess kits for cooking with.  Along with a small single burner stove for cooking and making coffee.  Pretty much everything else is good to go.  

Things are looking good so far.  At least on our end.  I am truly worried about some new travel restrictions coming down that would limit the ability to make the ride on the limited schedule we have.  But so far, so good.  This is looking to be a historic trip for Nick and me.

Catch ya on the road sometime...

Road-Trip 2022 Laying Out The Plan

 As far as planning the route to take my father's ashes back to Illinois, it was rather simple.  Ride US 12 until it junctions with I-90 in Missoula, Montana, and basically follow it most of the way east.  Dropping down into Iowa and heading due east to Chicago.  Laying out the overnight stops wasn't too difficult either.  Using Google Maps to estimate 7-8 hours of riding each day.  In that way, if we were making good time, we could continue on farther if we decided to.  We would be camping in state parks or national forests along the way.  Staying in Motel 6's on some nights in areas with limited camping availability.  

When we reached Sturgis, South Dakota, we have actually planned on staying two nights.  Using the one full day to sightsee and take in a few historic locations in the area.  It'll have been 42 years since the last time I was there, and I doubt I'll be around in another 42 years, so I plan on seeing some of the sights I missed in 1980.

I say "we" because my grandson, Nick has said he wants to go with me and has even already spoken with his employer about taking 14 days off to make the trip.  That is why the schedule is 5 days to Chicago, 4 days there, and 5 days back.  It may mean we face a long 12 plus hour day on that last day back, but it will be worth it to see family, friends, and countryside I haven't seen in many years.  The trip back is a little straighter than the eastern route, running through Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon.  But it adds the benefit to stop by and see dear friends outside of Salt Lake City, and swing past the legendary and hallowed ground of the Bonneville Salt Flats on the way back home.  The last night is currently planned to be in Burns, Oregon.  The map shows the route from the crossing the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, but we very well run north into Washington and cross over White Pass and drop back into Morton that way.

Working to get bikes ready to make a 5,000 mile round trip in 14 days dependably is going to be an effort.  But then so is getting bodies ready to make such a trip.  It will be a little bit easier mentally if some friends who are considering riding part of the way make the trip as well.  One couple wants to ride with us to Sturgis, and another couple from Wisconsin are considering visiting Colorado before meeting up with us in Sturgis and riding east to Illinois with us.  I am also trying to convince my cousin to ride out to Sioux Falls, Iowa, and ride back to Illinois with us the next day.  We have time to make those arrangements, and others with friends along the way.  But so far, everything seems to be working out and at least appearing to go well.  I am hopeful it will continue to do so.

Catch ya on the road sometime...

Road-Trip 2022, The Backstory

 

My name is Brian Lange.  In very early 1991, I was having some health issues, and having difficulty getting them diagnosed.  After recovering from a serious case of pancreatitis, I began having Grand Mal seizures, and the search for the cause of those began.  At the same time, on the first day of the original Gulf War against Iraq, my father died suddenly.  He was cremated, and my oldest brother took his ashes and stored them.

It was only a couple of weeks after that I was diagnosed with a type of tumor between the two halves of my brain almost directly behind my eyes.  It was removed on Valentine's Day 1992.  Because of the damage that had been done to my brain by the tumor, I had lost nearly half the strength in my left side (I am left-handed), I couldn't talk for nearly 6 months.  Also, I had lost much of my dexterity in my left hand, and I had developed memory issues and would forget words, and what I was even doing.  The Drs. told me that because of the ongoing seizures, I wouldn't be able to ride a motorcycle or even drive a car.  It took me nearly 13 years to recover enough to go back to work, drive, and ride a motorcycle again, which I eventually was able to do.  However, by that time, my wife had become disabled due to issues with her liver that would lead to her death in 2018.

I ended up with my father's ashes and had intended to take them back to Illinois and spread them there where he had grown up, and his family was.  But it seemed that work, bills, and life, in general, seemed to always keep that plan on the back burner.  It always seemed to find itself lower in priority than work needing to be done to the house, the car, the motorcycle, etc.  After I lost my wife in 2018, I lost my home, and nearly everything.  I am back on disability with a bad back, and heart failure, among other issues.  Time is growing short, and I truly feel that I need to raise this up on the priority scale and complete this task.  

Since my father used to ride before he joined the army before World War II; and then started a family, and the riding blood runs through me and several members of my family, I thought it only fitting to take Dad on one last ride home to his kin.

There is much to be done to prepare for this ride.  I truly believe this will probably be the last great ride of my life, and I can't imagine a better purpose behind it.  The route has been generally laid out.  The 30,000 foot level of planning has been done, and the time has come to begin acting to bring those plans to fruition.  Collecting the materials I will need to actually have during the trip that I don't currently have, preparing a bike to make the journey, and getting myself physically and mentally prepared to complete the trip.  While I have the actual trip budgeted out, it is the preparatory costs I am uncertain about at this point.  But knowing that, I expect to be able to get those costs taken care of, and to work through to the conclusion of this effort.

I'll be posting here, on a Facebook page that I have created about this effort called "Taking My Dad's Ashes Home".  In time I plan on also posting updates as part of my YouTube channel revitalization.  until this starts gaining momentum, take care, and may 2021 be a better year than 2020 was.

Catch you on the road sometime...

Road-Trip 2022, Taking My Dad's Ashes Home

A dear friend of mine is planning a 6-month long ride through all 48 states this year.  Bless her heart, and I wish her the best in this journey.  The more I thought about Teri going on her big trip to raise awareness for mental health issues, which riding can definitely help in some aspects, I got to thinking about how long it had been since I had gone on a long ride myself.  The last ride I took of any real length was one of around 1,200 miles or so and stretched out over 4 days.  Nothing hard, but it was the last time I had ridden even close to anything "long", and that was in 2009!  One of the things that got me thinking of making one last big ride was the realization that this month it will have been 30 years since my dad had died.  I have been talking about taking his ashes back to Chicago and spreading them there over the graves of his parents and brother.  Well, the inspiration of my friend Teri and her ride has gotten me to decide to make that trip next year.  Why next year?  Because it will take me at least that long to organize and fund the trip.  I have to get a bike ready to make a 4,500 plus mile roundtrip, gather family who ride to go with and raise the funds to be able to actually do the trip itself.

It is going to require a lot of planning.  I have the route tentatively laid out, and another of about the same length as a return.  It is still going to have to be fined tuned, including designating; fuel stops, motels or campsites, etc.  It means getting a bike set-up to make it over the Rockie Mountains, twice.  New tires, oil changed, and several other changes so whichever bike I make the ride on, I can have faith she will get me there.  

This also means that I have to go back to work, at least part-time, in order to cover the expenses and pay-off Tennessee.  If I decide to take Gypsy, I will need to buy a transmission for her off of E-Bay or Amazon, as that would be cheaper than rebuilding her current one that is so worn it leaks even with new seals.  If I take Tennessee, I will have to lower the seat height and replace the air-suspension that leaks.  So either bike is going to need some significant expenses to be made ready to make the trip.

Planning things like; distance between fuel stops is going to depend a lot on what family members or friends ride the various legs.  So, in the last month or so, I will know whether we will be refueling every 100 miles or more like every 150 or so.  Even the return route isn't fully carved in stone.  I might bypass Nevada completely, and just come up through Idaho and eastern Oregon, and return home over White Pass.  That has yet to be finalized, and probably won't be for some months.  I have to keep my priorities in order.

All that is in the future.  The priority to plan and organize is subordinate to getting back to work, and getting the funds raised to be able to make the roughly 4,500-mile roundtrip.  The bikes both get about 40 mpg, so I used 30 mpg in a 5-gallon tank to figure the number of fuel stops, and $5/gallon to figure fuel costs.  Depending on who rides with me, food could run from the simple gas station variety fast-food fare to at least one restaurant meal per day.  The same goes for overnight accommodations.  If it is just me, I would be spending time in campgrounds, with maybe a cheap motel 6 for a shower along the way.  

Even with these things in mind, I estimate that I should be able to make the actual trip itself for a shade over $4,000.  That doesn't include new tires, etc., that the bike will need to be able to safely make that length of a trip.  So I definitely have to find a job that I can do with my bad back and a bad heart.  At my age, I seriously doubt that, unless things improve drastically financially speaking, this will probably be my last great motorcycle road-trip.  I'll make smaller ones, but this will be the last multi-thousand miler that I can expect to make as things are.

I know that my postings here have been sparse over the past few months since I didn't win the election.  But this will give me something to write about and keep people updated with things much more interesting than being in near-constant lockdown due to the COVID in 2020.  Now you at least have a rough idea of what I have in mind, and what I will be working to bring to pass in 2022.  So, I am putting my faith in God that I will be able to get the goals I set accomplished.  Through hard efforts, prayer, and working through some mechanical issues, I should be in Chicago in July of 2022.

Keep following the updates on here, and soon I plan on doing video updates on my YouTube channel as well.

Catch you on the road sometime...