Two and a half days...926 Miles... and One Tired ass.

A few years ago my sister in law asked if I had ever been on a bike trip where I did not have to deal with rain.  I thought about it I would come up with a no answer.     This small escape would be  different, and even though the potential was there the last day, the Wooly man listened to me on how to lace through the storms and it paid off.

Day one of this trip was after packing bikes.  And for me it was pack and repack, and get rid of this and damn my Harley's pull  out luggage did not work in my Leather Indian saddle bags, go figure.   It took a couple of hours to find ways for  things to  fit.  Arranging  clothes and stuff in  these bags was  trail and error. After finally getting both of us loaded and gas up it was already after 3 pm and game plan was to ride hard to Rogers Arkansas so two hundred and twenty miles later we find dinner  at the Cracker Barrel and then try to book a room for the night.

  After a good breakfast the next morning we reloaded the bikes and was off to Harley Davidson for Wooly and Indian for Me. We farted around in Rogers and buying our souvenirs we gassed up and headed for the funniest part of motorcycles,  curves and leans and bankies oh my!

  We did twist and turn,  rode east and then south and then north on  county roads. We even found a road  that lead to an old one lane wood bridge.  That when going crossed  the bridge the bridge itself   told you and your bike what plank you would be riding on.

The bossy bridge.

  The squaw handled very impressive in all the paces I was putting her through. Once I came around a nice gentle sweep to find a doe and her yearling waiting to cross the street.  She decided after seeing me on the Squaw to go back the way she had came.  I was glad as I still do not want to end up  road kill. About 2:00 pm  I was getting hungry again and Wooly found a place called T's.  It was bar be que  and I ordered the smoked turkey.  It was a great sandwich, full of smoke flavor and moist, hell it was so good I did not use sauces  on my sandwich.  I did how ever try some on their fries, and preferred the spicy sauce.  It was not to hot on the pallet and had just a kick of spice to wake up the taste buds.

After heading south on 7 for quite a spell we headed back to the east on highway ten to 309.  This was the funniest road we was on all weekend.  Hardly no traffic, it ran up and over Mount Magazine.  Once at the top the view was gorgeous and you could see for miles.

 

From the top of Mount Magizine

After coming out of these roads we headed back east to Fort Smith where we found a small no name hotel to spend the night. Grabbed dinner at the Cracker Barrel and retired to our room for a few  cocktails and a hot shower.

Last day: Get up and pack, by this time I was getting this packing of the Squaw down pat and it was not taking forever to do so.  I ate some cashews for a quick breakfast and handed half the package to Wooly.  I did not want a big breakfast as Wooly has plans to stop for a big lunch.   We load up and head back east so we could ride a few more curves.  And then north up 21 till 412 and back west in to Eureka Springs where we stopped and had lunch at The Rocking Pig Saloon.  I had the Bisson sliders which is a big meal. I did not even eat any of my chips and to be honest would have stopped at one slider but they was to good to go to waste.  Wooly had the loaded sweet potato fries,  and we wash it down with a few brews.

Can you spot the Indian?

From there it was head north on 23 till we hit the Missouri state line where we would head back east to highway71, then 54 over to Fort Smith where we gassed up and took off helmets and then run fast and hard home.
So after a few days almost 1000 miles my but was sore but hey every curve was worth ever minute.

Christmas in July, try August.

So thinking I have either bite off more then I can chew or I have embarked on a new wonderful adventure  Tuesday I picked up my new motorcycle, An Indian Dark Horse.  It is basically a striped down model of the vintage but it is all black.  I loved the look but being me I needed a few things that this model did not come with.  So I pick my bike up and then ride her home where me and Wooly began to make her mine. In other words start putting all those little gadgets on her.

                                           This is what Christmas in August looks like.

So a few gadgets later and  just a few raised voices of over how and what to do first.  And a few hours later,  the Squaw is done.   I will say that I think they made this bike to easy to work on comparing it to Harley.  It is basically two bolts to anything and all allen wrenches, makes a tool kit simple to say the least.

                                               This is the Squaw with gadgets added.


We go for a little putt, about 60 miles so I can get a little feel for her.   This was basically simple sweeps straight roads  and a few gravel roads.    I return home thinking : I added saddle bags (which I think I need bigger bags they look nice but they are small) why did I not throw a jacket in one.  Which as it was getting colder because the sun went down is what brought me home so soon.

Yesterday I went for a block, found some great curves  to see how she handles.  Impressive is the word I would use here.  Wooly and I went to get ribs at our favorite place.  Guy and Mays, it is a little bar about 60 miles south of us.  So we jump on the interstate and b-lined down there,  As this is still a new being broke in bike I was going easy on her and actually doing the speed limit.  Okay maybe once or twice I twisted that throttle.

 When we got there I was still unsure of a few things like how do I get to see my trips meter.  So after backing her into here spot I dug her owners manual out and went inside to get to know the Squaw a little better.   I learned a few simple things about my bike that operate totally different then my Harley's but still simple things like how to adjust throw the 6 different read out screens.  It was a matter of a small push on a small button but I would not have guessed where that button was.  Still thinking Harley instead of Indian on these matters.

I DID A BAD BAD THING???

I did a bad bad thing???  I am not sure yet but some how it feels selfish, irresponsible and finically wrong.   But at the same time it feels good, exciting  and  exhilarating... What did I do that you might ask what could bring all these different feelings and all at the same time ? I went and bought yet another bike.

I had debating weather to go and buy a new bike or rebuild the Submarine (my 2007 Street-glide)?  I thought I had my mind made up to spend about 6,000$ and rebuild the Submarine.  True and balance the fly wheels add some Timken bearings.  Change the cam bore the heads and make her a 107 cubic inch engine.  And maybe a new seat  as I think the one I have is wore down. So 6,500$ and get to start the whole  new engine break in and see what fun and adventure the next 72,000 miles had to offer.

Well Sunday I rode a little over 100 miles to meet some great friends for lunch.  We was celebrating one of these friends new adventure in life.  But that is when it started, one of the guys got a new Indian Chieftain. Basically the Indians  version of the Street-glide.  He was really happy with his exchange and before all of us parted ways he said before you put all that money into your bike go test ride an Indian. As this friend is a gear head and know bikes really well I thought okay I go do a test ride.

I am still not sure if that was good advice or not but I decided to go schedule a test ride on the Indian. I did not think I would get to ride one but the dealer  had a older bike (2014)  model of the bike I was looking at and I got to take her for a 4 mile stretch.  I was amazed at the broader range in the gears.  The smoothness of the big 111cubic inch engine.  The easy braking and shifting, the over all smooth way this big beast functioned.  I think I was hooked. Okay I knew I wanted one but being me I told them I got to sleep on this and will talk with them in the morning.

I tossed and turned thinking over do I really want or need yet another motorcycle.  If I got one where would I store it as my garage is quit full.  Do I want to get rid of the submarine.  She was my very first brand new bike and I still love her.  Do I want a payment or would taking every thing out of the bank be better.  What is the bottom dollar I would take for the Submarine... A lot of question for me to consider, and very few answers that I liked.

The  next morning after coffee I go to talk to Wooly about what I was thinking.  I had come up with what I would take as bottom dollar and what I wanted to do with the Chieftain.  But I also came up with a plan B.  Indian had this model that is  to come out called the Dark Horse and it was what got me looking away from Harley and into Indian at the first of the year.  I loved it almost all black more as a run around town but with a little change here and there I could easily make her a cruiser with leather bags a detachable windshield.  So plan A trade in the Submarine and get a new Chieftain, plan B take the money I had saved  to rebuild the Submarine and put it down on the the Dark Horse and keep the Submarine.

Well I cleaned up the Submarine as I wanted it to look good for the appraisal.  Rode over and said lets try to make a deal.  With the high mileage of the Submarine (their words not mine) they would not offer me what I wanted  for it not even close.  So after going back and forth with the owner it turned out that I was going with plan B.

My new  bike and all the goodies I ordered for her should be here next week.  I also loved that taking with sales and parts that they was not offended that I like to work on my bike and that  the dealership offers  packages for servicing.  80$ for a normal 5,000  mile service and me doing the work would not interfere with the warranty.  They also said that all the parts except for exhaust and the stage 1 was easy to install and that they did not have a problem with me installing them and that they are easily installed.  This is some thing I thought hell yes save me spending 100$ an hour for a mechanic to put on a few gadgets and change out the seat.

I am not sure what my new ride adventures will bring and I am not sure what relationship the future will hold for me and Indian.  I have hope that these company is going to do some thing amazing for the American motorcycle industry.  And hopefully we will have a long happy relationship.   Also  as a side note Wooly says that I got to sell my car to make room in the garage for the new bike.  Well he said sell it or it has to set out side.  I am thinking as I hardly put 500 miles a year on my car I might just sell it.