Day 10,11& 12 – Interstate Riding – Looking for Mountains

January 23rd , 24th & 25th 2015

I woke up on Day 10 to my bike totally covered in frost.  I have finally hit winter at this point to justify the name of my trip.  👍

I have never seen my bike so frosty ever.  Even my wheels were covered.  I waited to leave this morning until after 0900 to allow my bike to thaw and the roads to warm up…they both did nicely with waiting.  I did well just with adding a poly sock liner to my winter socks and heated liner with gloves.  Feet were great and everything was warm too.

I was in Gallup, NM and this is where online friend Virginia set me up at Sandia BMW to see if they could figure out my lack of starting issue and she even got her friend Jim to meet me at the hotel and I followed him to Albuquerque just in case I ran into problems.  SOLO trip most if the time but I will never turn down a helping hand.  Amazing this trip with all the virtual friends out there I am meeting and getting to know.  All because of my blog and FB page.  Truly amazing.

After I followed Jim and we made it to the dealer in no time, I thanked him and off he went with an offer for a place to stay if I needed it.  The moment I stepped into Sandia BMW I was greeted by Drew and John.  Drew says, ” you must be Leslie?”  Thanks Virginia that was seriously funny.  Drew got my info, description of problem and off my bike went into the service bay.

While they were working on my bike a VERY nice man named Tommy came to the shop from his work and took me out to lunch.  Again another “follower” who rides a BMW F800GS ADV model.  We spent a few hours together over lunch swapping stories and back to the dealer I went.  I feel like I am always thanking people but I must..I mean strangers meeting me and me meeting strangers never feels that way.  Such generosity and kindness is overwhelming to be honest.  The best part is this has added such a huge diverse dimension to this trip.  I love that.

John the service manager took me on a tour of the dealer.  They have a very nice comfy customer hang out.  I am a firm believer all dealers should have a place for riders to hang out, free WIFI and beverages.  😉  They also on the second level have a little balcony with faux grass for people who need a place to camp.  Really that is what I was told.  I hardly took any pictures this day.  Not sure why but I saw it.

I love hanging out at dealers. They even had a Frost Blue, stock height 2015 1200GS on the floor.  Seat on LOW…I really like that bike….hmmmmmm

John took me around where they hoist bikes to the second level which is pretty cool to see floor back up stock and you over look the service centre.

When I was at the dealer I got some great pics of my dogs.  An update if you will. I miss them terribly and they are now living full-time with my ex.  Seems they are being well cared for and LOVED.

My beautiful 12-year-old girl Sierra on her new memory foam bed.

And my 14 year-old Xander

I love getting these updates and pictures…my dogs are like my kids.

The most dangerous part of my trip so far has been getting gas in places where it snowed.  No one plows the entrances to gas stations.  So, I had to skate my bike across these mounds of snowy, icy, sometimes slushy areas to get to the pumps.  My heart would pump even though it was just a short distance.  Wakes you up for sure.

Day 11 was a day where I rode to Amarillo to meet Virginia who set me up with Sandia BMW and to thank her.  In return she ended up taking me out for a fantastic steak house lunch.  We hit it off right away and had a good meal and conversations for a few hours in Amarillo.  Thank for everything Virginia once again.

There was a snow storm in this area a few days before I arrived.  Timing is everything from here on in.  I am monitoring the weather systems in this region and on the east coast.  If I can time it right, and the regional weather predictions are correct which they have been so far then I believe I can make it to NY.  I will not do anything foolish nor will I take any unnecessary chances.  I can handle really cold but I do hate black ice which I hit a lot heading into Amarillo.  Not a good feeling on two wheels.  So, for now I will see what the east is doing when I arrive in Florida.

Interstate riding is not that great, we all know that.  It’s good for one thing to make up time.  Having said that I do not like getting stuck between or behind 2 eighteen wheelers hogging the lanes for 10 miles before one can pass the other.  Like watching a slug race with little choices for me to pass safely.

And finally I end this post with a picture Virginia sent me.  I LOVE it considering my day ended with another EWS code and my bike not starting.  After Sandia checked everything possible on my bike..Stator, alternator, load….everything…I still have this phantom issue.  4 dealers later, 2 new batteries I had to buy…still no new ignition ring or solution.  All I have to say about day 12 is WIND.  Riding I-40 was brutal.  The wind for hundreds of miles slammed my left side and there was no chance to ever do shoulder checks.  My neck muscles and left bicep are now officially worked out.

I ended early so I could just chill and let my whip lash heal.  I have been in wind before but not for so long and not such consistent GUSTS.  Heading to Arkansas tomorrow to see mountains again.

I let the bike sit over night and on Day 12, which is today…the bike started and I had no issues for today riding to Oklahoma City.  I was going to have the BMW dealer look at my bike in OKC but decided nope.  Moving on.  Everyone that has looked at my bike has known about the ignition ring issues.  My VIN shows my ring is the latest and greatest.  I think why not switch it out for a new one to try and trouble shoot?  No one has so far but every diagnostic investigation has been done yet no solution.  I can’t care too much about this issue anymore.  I want to just try and enjoy the rest of my trip and maybe one day I can get this resolved.