Monday, April 18, 2011

Back to the lower 48

Wanted to leave early and get a bunch of miles in today. Unfortunately the pump I had with me stopped working while pumping up my tire. So I'm stuck at a rest area with mo pump. I had 4 co2 cartridges that would not seat the bead either....
So I went to bed. At 5:30 I got up and saw that I had enough air in the tire to try to ride it to a gas station or walmart and get a pump. I found a gas station less than a mile away with just enough air in the turned off pump to seat the bead! Sweet, I loaded up and left. 30 miles down the road I felt that the rear of the bike Wasn't right. I stopped and found that I had ran over a nail. I plugged it, pumped it up and moved on. 30 more miles went by and again it felt mushy. Sure enough the plug didn't hold. I pumped it up again and looked for a gas station with a air hose. I found a tire shop,
But they didn't do motorcycle tires, but were happy to let me use the air. I set up shop in back, removed the tire, patched the inside of the tire, reassembled everything and pumped it up....it still leaked!
Again I took off the tire, purchased a big patch and special glue from them, reassembled everything, and it still leaked! Frustrated, I took off the tire, put the TKC dirt tire back on and continued on. By now it was 3:30 and I had traveled less than 200 miles. I was 90 miles from the border and really wanted to be back in touch, so I rode on.
I had been listening to the Bourne Supremacy on my iPhone, so I settled back and turned it on.....nothing !!!
Where was my phone? Sometime from my last gas stop and now, it had broke off my phone holder and was MIA.
I really couldn't believe that just happened. I had nothing else to do but turn around and start looking. It was 20 miles backup to the last known position. Glancing back and forth, I rode up and town a couple of times searching for a black case. Litter linked the road making it hard making anything out. I had the phone in airplane mode because I was still in Canada, so Using the "find my phone" wouldn't work. Then I had an idea. I had been using my Bluetooth headset which would automatically connect to my phone if I pressed a button. I decided I would ride back again pushing the button over and over and see if it would find it.

I had my 4 way flashers on and rode on the side, pushing the button for miles. As I reached about a half mile from where I realized I lost it, the phone CONNECTED!!! I stopped and started walking around in the grass.




There is was in the tall weeds! Dumbfounded I picked it up looked it over and there was not a scratch on it. The case had scratches all over it though. I threw THAT away and continued on happy I could still have an iPhone




This is where I stopped.

I made it to the border, tired and hungry. I ate a sandwich and rode another 100 miles. My Parents surprised me with a hotel that night and I felt renewed after a shower and shave...something I did little of in the past month.
Now off to bed. A long day awaits me!

1 comment:

  1. Have enjoyed reading your blog! What fun adventures! All the best as you continue your journey home. God be with you.

    Karen Ekkens

    ReplyDelete