Modern Vespa

Until we hit the heat! It's the hot plains at the tail of the run I've been most concerned about.

You'll never hear me complain about the heat. It's a bit of a novelty where I come from.

Bill x

Heat is tolerable... Heat plus humidity... Ack. I was sweating at 330am this morning in Tennessee.

As I recall you had some special ventilated riding gear for the heat in 2012.

I saved a picture.

whoops.

Day 6 time lapse, Country music today...

''

Sorry that happened, but this image is going to make a killer screen saver!!!

I have never been so cold as I was today, especially at the pass at Steamboat Springs. Sleet, fog, rain, cold and wind make for an uncomfortable boy.
Very happy to have made it to the end. What a day.

Be glad it wasn't 10 miles past Stemboat towards Kremling where it was snow or sleet . Hope you made it safely to Dillion.

I froze my fingers off. My waterproof gloves are not and going over Rabbit Ears pass it snowed/sleet and I got ice on my visor. Road was warm enough that it melted instead of freezing. Had 3 hours of rain today. Had to say screw time and stop for coffee to thaw my hands before I got frostbite. Switched back to my elk skin gloves which were wet but still warmer than the soaked "waterproof winter" gloves. I went by the hotel in Dillion to complete checkpoints for the day before heading to my house in Breckenridge. When I got home I shucked out f my wet clothes, dropped my jacket in the dryer and hit the shower to warm up. I am now sitting by the fire with a bowl of beef stew from the freezer and coffee heavily laced with Baileys Irish Cream.

If anyone needs a nice dry and warmish place to do repairs my garage is available. Old as Dirt and Will are on their way over to pick up Wills BV so he will have a scoot to ride in NOLA.

But Occifer, it's only a Moped...

Welcome to Colorado.

Your time lapses are great Dave.

Thanx.

R

That would be Rabbit Ears Pass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_Ears_Pass I've driven over it many times, bicycled it once, and was looking forward to scooting over it this year. Can't say I missed the cold though.

I can't help with the variator but I think AF1 gave me a GTS belt instead of the Sports City one. And OAD die finely has a GTS belt.

It was damn cold! Glad you made it home to a warm fire.

I briefly considered stopping at Pug Ryan's but I was so cold I just wanted to get home and into some fleece. I'm sure you all appreciated the fire there but I think the food is better at the Arapahoe Cafe next to the hotel.

Stay warm, it is supposed to stop snowing here in Breck by midnight. I'm thinking of a late start to let it warm up a bit.

Thanks, now can you turn the heat back on.

It was definitely one of the coldest, wettest, dreariest days I've seen. Word of advice, don't buy FrogToggs online from someone who can't spell Frog or Togg. They are mostly waterproof, just not when they get wet.

I've got 3 GT200 belts, and will put your next variator on so it doesn't come off again.

Didn't end up with a ticket I hope? We had pretty good success talking ourselves out of those jams in early Cannonballs.

Moto they work if you have rain gear underneath them. Hey did anybody see Yano frozen by the side of the road ? I don't think she has enough clothes for what you guys went thru today. Be careful everyone . Nearing the end

yesterday in Wyoming a woman did ask if we were with the group of people riding mopeds from Alaska to New Orleans. I told her that out of 300 Million people in the US, only 28 were crazy enough to try it.

After yesterday, I was worried that it would get too hot and included my evaporative vest in today's gear.
didn't need it.

The master (Maroy) at work...

WOW, Cannonball. What a great event! My wife Linda is riding with some of the best scooterists in the country. Now, she is hardcore and this is right up her alley. I know half of the riders and I know she knows all of them. To share what they are going through is truly an honor amongst scooterists.
As much as I miss her, I am proud and envious of her journey. As the days click away I can't wait to see her at the finish line. I miss her dearly and love that she is willing to take on and enjoy Cannonball. I can't wait to see you in NOLA Linda, be safe.

You've all been through tough terrain and rough weather. Incredible!

Last chance to speak up if you want me to bring you anything to Ulyses.

Can't wait to meet you all.

Gah Dave, that sucks - brings back memories I got two tickets on the CBR 2012 and I was driving a support truck.

But to be fair you were driving at 95 mph.

Bill xxx

I'm sure Dave was nearly there too...

Agreed , he doesn't hang around does he.

Do you miss it Doug ? I know I do.

Bill x

I think I'd love to ride on it now. Ideal ride would probably be a BV200 or BV250. Perhaps a Hodna SH150i but we digress. Go Cannonballers!

Yesterday was so nice, we had to be cursed with this rain and snow and freezing temps today...
I may have cursed myself a bit extra by bringing my normal mesh gloves with me today, "just in case it gets hot." HA!

Saw 3 police cars today, 2 as we were leaving Pinedale and 1 just before the first climb up the now Cannonball infamous Rabbit Ears Pass.

I had to give up my last leg today in the Pass. Shortly after making the first climb, the weather turned. Rain and fog so thick I could only see about 5-10 feet in front of me. Found a safe spot to pull over and then a nice wind came by and blew out a lot of the fog so I decided to continue slowly. Then the rain turned into giant pieces of sticky, clumpy snow. Now I could no longer see anything out of he windshield. Pulled over once again and tried to wait it out a little. It only got worse. So I decided to call it because I would much rather arrive in NOLA in 1 piece, and we prepared to load it on the truck. Poor Dad was so cold! He had decided to wear shorts this morning. I was cold too, but I still had all my riding gear on. As we were pushing the scoot up the ramp, we got stuck (probably since both of us were to the point where we could no longer feel our fingers and I was shivering uncontrollably) and some guys on Harleys happened to be going by and pulled over to help. Thanks to them, Ol' Whitey was in the wheel chock and ready to get strapped in for the ride to Dillon in seconds. I didn't even get their names, but I will be forever thankful they showed up when they did.

Saw some buffalo today. I'm also fairly certain I ran over a squirrel. Saw something small and dark run in front of me then I felt a little bump under both my wheels. I feel kind of bad, but I d i dint even have time to react.

Yesterday 3 antelope darted out into the road in front of me just before the Idaho border. There was a big semi coming in the opposite direction and I thought for sure he was going to get them, but they all made it safely across.

I'll buy a rear tire from you so bill dog has something fresh when he flogs this thing back to Phildelphia next week.

I prob won't check this again between now and Ulysses so no big deal either way. Just thinking ahead.

Always good to have fresh rubber I believe.

Right I'm off to London so I can catch my flight to NOLA in the morning.

See you all soon.

Bill x

This is what I woke up to in Breckenridge this morning. Not sure what they got in Dillion overnight but everyone goes through Breck today. I get to do it twice. So I'm going to leave late today since in theory the sun is coming out by 8. No snow on the road but it looks a bit shiny so I want traffic or sun to wRm it up a bit before I get on it.

Muffs are going on my scoot before it leaves the garage today. Layers everyone. Today we finish the mountains and end the day in Kansas.

It is hard to beat a GT200.

Looks like a cold start for the cannonballers today but spot checking ahead it should warm up nicely. PM showers in Ulysses. Have a good ride today.

Sun is now out but it will be at least an hour before it starts hitting the roads. Today we go over Hooiser Pass nearly 12,000' elevation.

My scooter was totally iced over, like a glazed donut. Waiting for hotel coffee to be done any minute and rolling out.

A Vespa Gelato ?

Bill x

Heat index was 110 in nola yesterday. Definitely will warm up for you nicely in the next few days. 8)