...day 2.

Yesterday was supposed to be day 1, and it was...except that I was planning to leave at 8am. At 7:52 am I got a call from work...help needed (I do netsec for Vanderbilt U). So...6:45pm, and I'm on the road. My plan is to ride to and through Deal's Gap, on to Bryson City where I have a room reservation. I get to Maryville (45 min. from the gap) and I lose a front wheel bearing. Choices: stay in Maryville (big town) where tomorrow (today) it will be Labor Day weekend and everything will be closed...or, forge ahead, ride through the gap with a wandering scary front wheel, limp it in there, try to beg a bunk from a sympathetic rider with space, and hope Wheeler's (local shop) will be open because it's a huge bike weekend there, and then hope they have a bearing.

I choose the latter.

Just as I get to the serious twisties...rain. Hard rain. So, I rode through Deal's Gap in pouring rain at midnight with a scary wandering front wheel. I do not recommend this. I made it, was unable to beg a bed, so I got out my bedroll and 'slept' on the cement under the pavillion. Luckily for me, the story gets better from here.

I wake up and go into the restaurant for some breakfast after a nice hot shower. I still feel like *** after a trying day/night and struggling to sleep on the cement, but hey, it's another day. I look up from my eggs, and who do I see across the room? One of my racing buddies, also from Nashville. I haven't seen him in 2 years, but there he is, and he's there with his truck and trailer, and offers to trailer me to Wheeler's...which he does. Awesome. Are they open? Of course they are...one of 3 Sundays a year they're open. Bearing? Why, certainly! 2 hours and $60 later (he even rebalanced my wheel) and I'm on the road.

I found some great roads, just stopped somewhere off I81 in VA, about 9 minutes too late to avoid getting soaked, got a room. Normally I'd forge ahead, but after my day/night I'm exhausted, so I'm gonna recharge, dry out, and hit the road whenever I wake up...maybe 4am or so.

I'll post more later with some pics if anyone is interested...now I must eat and sleep. Next stop, Atlantic City!

Just thought I'd share...thanks for listenning!

 

Sounds like an adventure! Hope things go better the rest of the trip.

 

having great luck on a ride like that makes it all the better ............have fun
ride safe and post us a few pics when you have a chance.

 

Oh chit, man! You ran the dragon in the rain.... with a screwed front bearing? LOL!!
I'm glad the guys at Wheelers hooked you up, and I'm glad you found a buddy down there....

Could've been much worse. Good thing that bearing didn't completely crap out on you!!

Better luck to come, brother.... I promise.

 

Ok I have to post it everyone has said it.



Hope you have a great uneventful ride the rest of the way.

 

That's one more thing to ask my mechanic about. Did he lube the wheel bearings when he swapped out the tires?

 

I was going to repack mine when I put the new tires on. I should have just gone ahead and ordered new bearings just in case they need replacing. Can never have to many spares of anything ya know.

 

You can't lube or repack them...they're sealed bearings...just fyi.

Ok, so no more nutty adventures/failures. I made it to Atlantic City and made enough money playing poker to pay for the whole trip, so that's good. My chain is shot, so I called ahead to a dealer in MA I know and got a chain and sprox lined up...gonna put them on tomorrow. I'm now in Western MA, having arrived no worse for the wear on Wed. afternoon.

Today it's up to VT with the fam (wife nad kid flew here last week) to attend my cousin's wedding, then back on the road, this time with my Dad on his Valk. Interstate.

I've got some pics, and I'll post in more detail later on if anyone is interested. THe CBR soldiers on!

Here's one pic of the bike loaded, at a gas stop in VA on Monday.

 

Ahh great pic man.........look at that and she runs on diesel too
Well seems like you are enjoying yourself .............rock on brother and
make a complete fool of yourself at the wedding ......that's what there for ..

I love VT ...........beautiful ............send some pics when ya get there

great to hear ya got your sprox and chain lined up and waiting for you too.