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[JCZ]

Glad you made it home safe....rest up then go clean the bike.

Couldn't rest knowing that bike and trailer were sitting out there looking like it'd ran through a storm.  Had to go clean it as soon as I got it unloaded.

All the way home (especially in those 18F temps yesterday morning) I kept thinking "man, I can't wait to get home....back to that warm weather.....jeans and a t-shirt again!".  I get back to San Diego and find out it's an unseasonably cold week here, the mid 60s.     By San Diego standards, that's freezing cold.

Now Andy & Sherry are down here again this weekend from Nor Cal.  Jon & Susan (Jonga & wasjons) is also donw here this week, from Nor Cal.  They're all going to stop by today to see the new bike and trailer.  I'm blaming them for bringing the cold Nor Cal temps down here with them.

Thanks everybody for the emails, PMs and texts of concerns and thoughts and prayers.  God was listening to all and carried me through without issues.  The bike (completly stock, right down to the exhaust) and trailer both performed flawlessly.  I have to say this is the most comfortable "stock" bike I've ever rode.  No Corbin seat needed, no handling issues, not even at speed in the twisties.  I'm very impressed with this bike!

MAT, Grandpadoc, Andy, Van, Richard Baker and the others that have contacted me about riding.........let's ride!

[rbaker]

So now I will have to get a trailer to ride with you? lol

You did a long and safe ride in a short time 

Glad the heated gear worked for you.....Every time I use mine I just smile and wonder why

it took 50 years to get some.

Richard

 

[JCZ]

Had a slew of visitors stop by today.  Lou & Terry (granpadoc) and Mike (MAT) stopped by mid day.  We rode down the strand to Imperial Beach.  Walked out to the end of the pier and had fish & chips. 

Then Jon (Jonga) & Susan (was jons) showed up.  We walked out to the lawn area by the bay and visited for awhile.  Then Andy (ak) and Sherry, Kerry & Christian showed up.  We all walked over to The Ferry Landing and had dinner at Candela's.  When we got back over here, we quickly realized that Jon & Susan's car had been towed.  I called in a favor with the tow service and got their car back for them....no charge! 

So all ended up well today  Lots of friends visiting, a little riding and an adventure with the tow service.

Richard, you don't need a trailer........come on down!

JC

[ak]

 Dang getting towed Sucks . Man If they towed my 6 hour new car from your place that would ruin my week thinking bout it.Good see everyone Sorry We missed Lou and Terry and the ride to I Beach.  75%n-cal/25%s-cal ,---AK

[kiro]

Glad to learn you're home and all is well JC! Many of us took that ride with you... 

[ultrarider123]

JC, glad you're home, it turned out to be a quick but great trip and you missed most of the rain/bad weather.  Also glad that the new scoot made it without a hitch and you had no back issues.  Enjoy the new bike and see you down the road....

[grandpadoc]

Thanks JC and Babe for riding and showing us your digs, and lunch at the pier was great. Sorry to have missed the rest of the crew.
 
Lou and Terry

[MAT]

 Yes JC, thanks for the great California cold afternoon and it was great to meet Babe, your new bike and trailer are beautiful, what a deal!   

Ride soon, Mike

[JCZ]

Glad to learn you're home and all is well JC! Many of us took that ride with you... 

I've got a few photos on my Nikon and on my cell phone that I'll post once I get time.

After work this afternoon is the DMV to get the bike and trailer registered.

[CVOStreetglide]

I've got a few photos on my Nikon and on my cell phone that I'll post once I get time.

After work this afternoon is the DMV to get the bike and trailer registered.

JC:
Glad you got home OK and your new ride is all you hoped it would be.

Jerry.

[JCZ]

This journey wasn't just from Chip & Nancy's in Matthews, North Carolina to my home on Coronado.  This journey begin a couple of years ago, when I sold my 2010 CVO Street Glide.

At the time I sold that bike, I had major back issues every time I got on it but especially during the rides I really prefer.....the long distance rides.....the journey, not the destination.  I thought I was finally done with riding....for good.  I sold the bike and everything that I owned Harley Davidson related (bikes, parts, clothing & gear, collectables, etc.).

But I have a couple of road dogs that had other ideas.  There was a conspiracy of sorts.  They would come to locations that I'd travel to (even out of state!) with my truck and 5th wheel......but they'd be on their CVOs.  No pressure.....no preaching......no trying to talk me in to anything.  Once in awhile the conversation would come up but no pressure. 






One of my road dogs, Don (ddavidson) bought all my riding gear (Gerbing eXtreme Element heated suit, Nolan helmet w/wireless bluetooth B-4, Screamin Eagle racing jacket and matching gloves, etc.)....stuff that I could not replace today.  He put it all in a storage container up in his attic because he already owned pretty much all the same stuff.

Another road dog (who was convinced that the Street Glide suspension was a part of my problem) came up with the idea "if you have room to keep one of my Ultra Classics down there in Coronado then I'd have something to ride when I fly down to visit my daughter".  Yea.....sure......OK.  I brought the Ultra Classic down and didn't ride it much at all, at first.  But after several months (and having already rode back 400 miles from the Carmel GTG), I realized that I was able to ride and ride further without any major back issues.  I begin to consider....."what if I could ride again?".  I looked at a few bikes here and there but still wasn't convinced.  Several other members of this forum from the deep So Cal area (San Diego area) asked me on several occassions to go for a ride but I just didn't want to rain on anybody's parade if all of a sudden I was in major pain....so I passed on those invitations.  Eventually, I realized I could ride further and further without the Norco pain pills.

Then, somebody posted in the 3rd party for sale board and the rest is history.  Andy's conspiracy of loaning me one of his Ultra Classics for six months.....Don buying up all my stuff and storing it (suspecting that I'd need it back some day).....it all came together and so for the long ride home (literally it was about 2,500 miles.....figureativly, it was about two years) I could really dwell on the kind of friends that I have and be totally greatful to these guys and everybody else that stepped up and helped to make this all happen.  I appreciate all of you! 

So here's bits and pieces of the physical journey home....with my new baby

[sadunbar]

That's a nice story, JC...  What else are good friends for, anyway!      

[JCZ]

A few pics from the road.  As some of you know, it's a long ride when you're knocking down 800-1,000 miles a day and so the states all kind of start blending together and my memory fades of what state I was in with some of the pics.

In that 2 1/2 days I rode through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and finally.....California.

Notice the safety rubber band on my radar detector.....just in case the suction cup doesn't hold.   






I made a mental note the first time I laid eyes on the bike...."man, that cup holder has to go".  After riding across the country using it and being more into comfort rather than the look good, I have to say the cup/bottle holder is probably going to stay.




Vernee drove down to the I-20 junction and met me for coffee at the infamous Waffle House at about 5:00 a.m.  Unfortunately, I was already short on sleep and kind of spacey so I totally forgot to take any pics.

OK, I do know where this pic was taken.....at the Miss. Louisiana state line....




And at 85 mph, a quick, snapshot view while crossing the bridge, looking through the girders.....




and the mighty Mississipp....





Oh yes, I can tell you where this pic was taken, too.....



As mentioned earlier in this thread, I encountered a freezing rain (ice storm?) in El Paso, Texas.  It was very light so I was able to keep moving.  But when I stopped in Lordsburgh, New Mexico that night it was well below freezing.  When I got on the road at 5:00 a.m. it was 24F.








Those that have been around this forum for a few years know that me and my road dogs have rode in below freezing temps before, snow, rain....we've experienced it all.  But I've never rode for hours and hours in this below freezing temps. 

I stopped a couple of hours later for gas at a truck stop in Ariz.  As I walked in the door, the lady behind the counter yelled out to another emplyee across the room "Fred, it's 18F degrees out there right now and it's dropping!".  Even with my Gerbing heated gear, boot insoles, gloves, etc. after hours of this, it was feeling like the heated gear wasn't working.....I was CcccOoooLllllllDddddd!

[kiro]

Neat images JC - thanks for posting! That sure is a fine looking scoot... 

[JCZ]

I would have never connected El Paso, Tex. or anywhere along the Mexico boarder (yes, the boarder fence is within eye sight in many locations along the soutwhest) or anywhere in Ariz. with snow or below freezing temps.  Boy, was I in for an education.

I finally made it the land of seguro cactus but it was still very cold.  I don't think I ever turned my Gerbing dual t-stats down from the "high" setting.

Oh yes, and I did burn up my Gerbind dual controller about 120 miles east of El Paso....so I rode for a hour and a half without any heat other than the seat and handlegrips.  I was able to stop at the world's largest dealership there in El Paso and buy the HD branded dual controller.  I happen to have a single controller and in the future, it will be in the bike or trailer.....just as an added "be prepared" item.












Somewhere back east, I think Texas, I passed this rig.  I passed it again on the freeway just after stopping at the dealership in El Paso and they finally stopped for gas at the same station that I stopped at out in the middle of nowhere, Ariz.  It was two ladys and three kids headed to Legoland in San Diego and they bought this 63 trailer (I don't remember what they said the make is).  They were averageing 80 mph while I was averaging 85 mph.  But they only had to stop half as often as I had to, for gas.  I did feel compelled to discuss the down side of towing a trailer at this speed, especially a trailer this old.  But I figured they didn't want the lecture and had probably already heard it from others so.....it did have a late model axel with shocks and LT tires so somebody had updated that much.








I finally arrived home here in Coronado in the early afternoon and rode it straight out to the water edge for this shot...