Subscribe in a reader

More schtuff...

Finally, I am able to check off SOME stuff of my extensive checklist ..check, check, check.

- Camping axe for splitting fire wood

- Shovel for digging myself out of the mud

- Lightweight air mattress, actually floats on air

- Micro hammock, maybe I want to sleep between two palm trees somewhere on a tropical beach instead a 5-star hotel

- 121 piece Deluxe First Aid kit, inflatable nurse included

- Water purifier, turns water in to beer

- V-Lite camping stove, for whipping up gourmet meals in the middle of nowhere

More shopping tomorrow. Ahhhhh, I love shopping :-)

 

 

 

-

-

I love new stuff..

Today, I received what could potentially be a life saver in an emergency situation. It's a satellite device called InReach Explorer by DeLorme.

With the DeLorme AG-008727-201 InReach Explorer Two Way Satellite Communicator with Built in Navigation, I am able to ,

Create or view a route, drop waypoints, see my tracks, and navigate with the on-screen map view.

  • View route details such as trip distance and bearing to destination. Equipped with a digital compass, barometric altimeter and accelerometer.
  • Plan my route online ahead of time, including waypoints, and share it with family and friends to follow along and watch my progress.
  • Send and receive 160-character text messages with GPS coordinates to cell numbers or email addresses worldwide and post updates to social media.
  • Trigger an SOS, receive a delivery confirmation, and communicate back and forth with our 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center.

This device will have a special place on my handlebar or wherever I go.

More gadgets are on order and set to arrive this week. Very very exciting...


A day at the auction...

A bit off topic, but adventurous. I heard about this mysterious auction. Actually, it was not an auction for Crystal China or Steiff teddy bears...it was an auction for military tanks, believe it or not. Sounded interesting to me, I never been to such an thing. So I saddled my 1150 GSA and rode to this estate in Portola Valley. When I arrived at the location, I found two large warehouses full of German, American, Russian, British tanks, amored personnel carriers, cannons, amphibious vehicles amongst other war toys. The actual auction took place in a crowded white tent with an auctioneer screaming numbers. I stuck around for an hour or so, took some pictures and headed on out to do some shopping for my upcoming journey to South America...and no, I did not buy a tank.

20140712_112853.jpg
20140712_112905.jpg
20140712_112932.jpg
20140712_120020.jpg
20140712_113339.jpg
20140712_114806.jpg
20140712_121516.jpg


Introducing...my new BMW R1150 GSA

Unbelievable, but after months of scanning through a website for off-road enthusiasts, called ADVrider.com, I found what I think is the perfect ride for my journey. A 2003 BMW R 1150 GS Adventure, black, only 6500 miles, 2 previous owners, in excellent shape. Lots of add-ons, such as a Garmin GPS, luggage boxes, Camel Toe side stand etc.

The bike was located in Phoenix, AZ, but previously registered in California by the original owner which turned out this made it much easier to re-register the bike in the Golden State.

 I decided to fly to Phoenix the night before, stayed at a cheap hotel near the airport and view the bike at the owner's residence the following morning. Scott, the seller, picked me up around 8.30. After about a 30 minute ride, we arrived at his residence in Chandler.  And there she was, sitting in the garage, shiny black, majestic, ready to go out for a test ride. It turned out that Scott really hadn't ridden the bike much since he had purchased her in 2012. But the battery was on full charge and all electrical equipment worked. Some engine oil had to be added and off I went for a short ride down the residential streets.

20140701_200037.jpg

After the test ride I was convinced, this is the right bike for my Crazyride adventure. Scott and I agreed on a price, vehicle title was exchanged and before noon, I was blasting on my newly acquired ride in 110 F desert heat toward Los Angeles. After spending a night at a friends house, I continued up the California coast in frigid temps north to San Mateo. The bike performed beautifully, the long ride was comfortable and everything worked as it should.

Now on to my next task....preparing for the crazy ride south...2 month to go... 

 

 

 

Having second thoughts...

...not about my trip, of course, but about my bike choice. So far, I have been primarily researching the BMW R 1200 GS. But here and there, I am reading and hearing about the Yamaha Super Tenere, a rugged bike built for Adventure, similar to the GS. 1200 cc, with all the trimmings, large capacity fuel tank.

Actually quite a bit less expensive, too. the Super T is actually very popular in Europe, and made an impression at the Paris-Dakar race (now known only as the "Dakar"). But then again, shall I squeeze my German ass on a Sushi machine rather than a Bratwurst bomber? It's like rooting at the World Cups Germany - USA match for the US (June 26th, 13.00).

But then again...why not. I keep my options open for now.


Monday night in Oregon...

For several weeks now, I've been scrolling through Craigslist and hitting up dealers in search for the perfect Adventure bike. I started looking in the Bay Area, then widening my search to other California cities and beyond. Two days ago, I came across a 2007 BMW 1200 GS with lots of extras. The bike had 57k miles, ABS and seemed to be in perfect condition, as the owner, Nathan, promised in his CL ad. After a few email exchanges, I arranged to meet him in a town between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA, where the bike was garaged. In a phone conversation, I explained to him, that I would fly to Portland, rent a car and drive to Centralia. My plan was to give him a deposit in exchange for the pink slip and pay the balance when picking up the bike. In addition, I ask him, if he was willing to store the bike until the end of the month. He agreed.

On the phone, I noticed that Nathan didn't seem to know much about his bike. Should I be  concerned? I was still determined to see the bike for myself.

The very same day, I find an ad for a 2007 BMW 1200 GS Adventure in the Portland section of CL. Damn, this is exactly the bike I am hoping to find. In "Ready to go" condition, only 33k miles on the clock, with BMW aluminum panniers (side cases). Price, well let's just say, it's within my range. The ad was still fresh. "I'm in luck!", I am thinking, as I am shooting the owner an email. The bike is still available. Yeah!! The plan is the same, fly to Portland, rent a car and drive to Hood River, where this bike is located. I just have to tell the guy in Centralia, I am no longer interested in his bike. What the hell, I want the Adventure! Piece of cake.

So now, I am all fired up, telling the "new" guy my plan and ask him to provide the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), so I can check the service history of the Adventure. BMW keeps such records on file. He does, but he also tells me that the bike is NOT a 2007, it's a 2006. He mixed up the year with his wife's bike. WTF?  "Hmmm", I am thinking, "now that changes the price downward a bit". No big deal, I can negotiate that when I see him in person.

I am driving to SFO as fast as I can. Hopefully, I get a seat on the first 50 seat RJ (Regional Jet) to Portland. Not so fast. Plane is full, no standbys getting on. I stay calm. Still early in the day. No need to panic. While waiting, I am thinking to myself "Does the Adventure have ABS (Anti-block locking system) and ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment)?". Who better to ask than the owner himself.  He response to my text: "ABS yes, ESA no".

"Ok, good", I am thinking, "Bike's got everything I am looking for".

It's 6 pm now. I am on the plane to Portland, a short 1.5 hour flight, a 45 minutes drive to Hood River on 84 along the Columbia river. Beautiful. I arrive at Johns house around 9. All neat and tidy, nice. The bike must be just as clean. I am getting excited. He and his wife are welcoming me, a few jokes, and he leads me to the garage where the bike is parked. Bike looks good. I immediately notice that there is no "ABS" on/off button on the handle bar. And when John turns on the engine, the ABS self-control red light is not flashing. Strange, does that mean, no ABS? "No ABS?", I ask. He response with a "Yes, I think so, I don't know". Okey dokey, let me take this horse out the barn and give it a proper test ride. We'll find out real fast, if your bike has ABS or not, buddy. Sure enough, when I applied the brakes during the ride, the rear wheel locked up. ABS is designed to prevent lock up in order keep the bike maneuverable during a hard stop. An important safety feature.

MY mood is dark as a rain cloud now. Coming all this way to see the bike is ok. But being lied to by the owner of the bike, twice? Upon return from my test ride, John still insists he "thought" his bike had ABS. "I never checked, and I never had to use it", he says. Is this guy on drugs? You don't know, if YOUR bike has ABS or not? What else don't you know about YOUR bike, John? 

NO DEAL. 

Slightly disappointed and tired, I am walking back to my rental car. Glad I didn't buy this bike.

Another Craigslist fuck up. Getting tired of this.

And my hunt continues...