Photo-Fall Equinox in Alaska

Clicking the title will take you to the original blogger Up on Alaska

YouTube Journey to Chaco Canyon

KLR Sacred Geometry

From MODyesseyII

MODessey II, Concept

From Trip_Chaco_2008 March

Your looking at the idea of the fairing system I am going to create for the KLR.

It will be made from Fiberglass while kevlar and carbon fiber re enforced in areas.

Also, it will be modular by design...this is something I have been thinking about for a long time. I want something that would offer protection and style on extended tours, yet be worthy of off road needs. My solution is that the side fairings be removable for playing in the dirt. The rear cargo rack will be removable as well and will take the turn signals with them.

Hot diggidy dam!

From Doohickey

From MOdessey II

From MOdessey II

It is like Sacred Geometry...I will try that out I think

From MOdessey II

Bent Rims

It's inevitable. Bound to happen when you ride day after day of big rocks and at moderate speed.

1. Removed the tire.
2. A cresent wrench was used systematically moving from the outside-in to try and straighten it out. Take care to preserve the bead.
3. File all burrs and deformed material.

I installed the Perrilli MT-21s to the rear, replacing a Maxxis 6006. It has probably been a little over 1,200 hard dirt miles since this change over to when I stopped riding on Sep 2nd.

...The tires are showing lots of wear. I suspect they will need to be replaced in January.

Forgoten Trip to Chaco Canyon

Sewing Projects

There are so many ideas swimming around in this mind, and many of them are sewing projects.
Everything from utilizing multiple thin tool rolls to modular sleeves for my panniers and luggage.
One idea is to find a way is to effectively use and confidently mount two small tool-tubes instead one behemoth. The benefit is clearance for the wheel and less exposure to the terrain.
In order for this to happen, tools and items must be carefully distributed.

I have been working on the tool-roll component and this is what I have come up with so far:

The last pic in the slideshow above will be for the second tube: It will just hold the large wrenches and long tire iron. Intended for longer expeditions, I could leave part of this home on day rides.

The next bit of pics are of what I am calling The KLR Rambo-could-do-it Sleeve.

It is flat and stiff and is intended to stay in the tank panniers all the time. Basically it's a tool sleeve whose contents will allow me to improvise as much as possible, all managed in a way that keeps bulk to a minimum, thoughtfully weight distributed and easily inventoried.

Heres what you got:

1. Duct Tape

2. Two different guages of bailing wire.

3. JB Qwik Weld

4. Super Glue

5. 550 cord

6. Gerber light trail saw

7. EMT shears (sometimes a blade will not do the trick

8. sandpaper, sewing stuff and maybe some rambo fishing hooks, safety pins.

9. Zip ties, small and gianormous

Click the photo box above to view the slideshow.

From Modular sleeves

Recovering Like a Champion

The Heart of a Champion!
That's Champ not Chump, you.

For those that are into this sort of thing, this is so you can get an idea of how long the incision to get to the bones was. Imagine the tied-off ends of the suture-they were painfully cut this recent Tuesday at the follow-up.

After 6 days, I was cleared of the bandages and very little swelling was noticeable.
Dr. Rosales let me know that during surgery he discovered a fracture into the cartilage.

All in all, the bones are very tender but I am sooooo overjoyed to be alive and allowed/able to walk around. Laying on my back for 6-days was incredibly maddening. My body always wants to be doing something. It was a task of sorts. I can walk. 'Nuff said.

Got some tid-bits in the mail today.

A relocation clamp for my left mirror/busted clutch assembly brace.
I ordered it from Arrowhead Motorsports and it got here REAL fast, as usual. I can confirm however, that the rumors of The Studebaker product coming out of Fred's shop are true. Looks good to me though, not all things out of Taiwan are poor of quality. Here's a dialogue going on about the subject on KLRWorld.com

Dual Star's got a unit that is absolutely beautiful, made in the USA.

From Equipment

But they are phone order only and sort of have a reputation for taking slightly longer than the competition to deliver.

EagleMike makes one that the Studebaker is an obvious copy of. His seems to be a little bit harder to locate. Check out KLR650.net forums to find his distributors.


I also ordered ProTaper hardware for my Acerbis RallyPro Handguards. If I had those right off, I likely would not have busted everything on that Low-side last week. Ordered with a hasty standard delivery from Motorcycle-Superstore.

From GPSCity.com out of Las Vegas I received a power cradle for my Garmin Quest. I am fairly excited about this piece of equipment because it allows for the use of an earpiece so the rider can hear voice commands from the unit. Also, I'll be able to free up my 12volt Acc Outlet- which doesn't do too well with the vibrations that are unavoidable during off road pursuits.

Been working the sewing machine for the past few days. Got some stuff to show off.

Tomorrow.

And A Door Opens

I have decided to study Behavioral Psychology.

It came to me during a walk with wonderful Marmu.
I have never considered something in this way...because it did not have a purpose.
All reasons were connected to no servitude.

I don't aim to teach or even to practice...I just want to study it.
What comes of it is up to God for the purpose is not mine.

I will start with my own selection of texts...which would unavoidably lead to classes.

And my applied will be in the Effective Training of Marmu the Dog.

That's it. No other reason. It just dawned on me what lies ahead in these coming chapters.

From Velocitramp

Just Silly

It's past my bed time.

Good night

Photo Dump

Sources:

Rally Pan America
Team Green Dakar

"No Broken Bones" my ass!

Okay so, some of you may recall when last year I was struck head-on by a Tonka-Truck drivin' soccer-mom. The original opinion of the FMC staff was just a "contusion of the foot."

This February I went to see a local podiatric Surgeon about some pain and a bunion that was developing in that foot at the 1st metatarsal head.
His x-rays revealed what the swollen condition of my foot immediately after the accidents hid...a hairline fracture at the head of the proximal phalanges where it meets the metatarsal head--which increased to a full seperation. (here's my scientific illustration)

It was trying to heal itself, but how well and how long it would take was unknown.
And as some of you know, I work on my feet.

So, finally made the decision to get it removed and all sorts of other magik stuffs Dr. Rosales (DPM) recommended.
All in the interest of salvaging its heavy load carrying cabilities.

As far as riding is concerned and guiding...I'm laid up for the next few weeks!
I am not even allowed to think of carrying heavy loads until say February 2009.

If I recover like a champ I'll be on schedule still for the AZT this December 1st.

In regards to the Geocache Rally, I won't be able to ride it with all the players, but wasn't planning to entirely anyway (some body's gotta run it!) All the routing was finished on Tuesday and the hardest Geocaches where placed as well. Three weeks prior to the event I will place the last Geocache containers at their respective locations.
Basically all the ground work is done. Just gotta finish up all the logistics and get all the maps and all the roll-charts a complete status.

...which I now have plenty of time to do!

-Velo

Geocache Rally on Schedule

Just added a link to the right side of this page that leads to The Coconino Geocache DS Rally site.
All official info will come from there.

All blogging will continue on Enduro-Adventures.

Cheers

First Geocaches Posted

Coconino Geocache Rally Players:

Take this link to the first set of Geocache Coordinates for your researching purposes.

I will continually update it with more coordinates.

There will be routing data to download eventually, stay tuned!

We are looking at about 150 miles of offroad without Bonus runs.

Cheers!

Mud Bath

Almost home!

Plenty of falls on toady's test ride...but clear of the sludge.
Placed several of the Bonus Geocache containers today and even discovered a fantastic 4x4 track that connects FS-91 and FS-226 (this is a very good thing!)

Heading home, at the edge of town I was...decided to take a side track detour from the paved road that would lead back. Doin' pretty good, then comes some sloppy muddy goodness, which the KLR decided it was interested in. So it dumps on its side, me along with it.

Anyway, I get her sludge covered mess that she is up from her bath, and she starts right up!

Fantastic.