It has been a busy and productive couple of days.
Last Thursday I got up early and went to Vermont to see Charlie and get a few details sorted out.
My list has gotten shorter but one major item remaining was a few minor modifications to the aux fuel system. My fuel cell uses a pump with a spring loaded check valve which is supposed to prevent any siphoning or flow through the system when the pump is not on. I feel it is very important to have precise control over when the fuel is transferred and on my run up to the Cabot Trail I discovered that on the interstate fuel will flow to the main tank. I also had an issue with the cap as the threads were too fine. The first time I saw it I thought it would be a problem but it took cross threading the cap in Maine to prove my point. This is why I am doing as many shakedown rides as possible to find these sort of issues.
I left a little later than I planned and I got to Vermont around 9am. Charlie and I got started and by 2pm we had a petcock and a new filler neck installed on the aux tank. This is great. When my reserve light comes on I know I have used 5 gallons and have two remaining in the main tank and 4.3 in the cell. At this point I can calculate current consumption, then dump in the extra gas.
Unfortunately we were not able to resolve the issue with the J&M system. I can hear everything wonderfully, however I can not place a cell phone call or get a response on the CB. Charlie and I confirmed the installation yesterday with no luck. I am in the process of deciding exactly how important communications are (vital if you ask) and what to do about it. J&M has a “unique” way of doing business and so far they have been helpful but not really effective. Today I need to decide if I am going to ditch the JM stuff and put in something else, or just go with what I have.
After spending quality time with Charlie I headed down to Heath, MA where my local club, the Yankee Beemers were having their annual Damn Yankees Rally. This is always a good time and since I was in the neighborhood I thought I would drop in and put up my tent before heading back to RI for the night. This way I could roll in Friday and not have to worry about setting up. I needed to get back to RI for some work (waiting for the UPS man actually) Friday.
My weekend included plans for some serious training, Sled Dog style.
One thing that is difficult to practice is riding somewhat fatigued or trying to simulate the way we feel on day 9. The Sled Dogs have prefected a method for emulating this feeling, the key ingredient is to have a destination of 500 or more miles away for the following evening, then proceed to consume mass quantities of “training beverages” the night before *and* limit yourself to under 5 hours of sleep. This also works best if you sleep on the ground too.
I executed this method to perfection by the use of Stella Atoris as the training beverage of choice and also were around people who became more difficult to converse with as my friend’s “accents” became somewhat variable as the session progressed. At about 3am my coach said I was done and at 8 I was up and at em. I won’t say I was my normal hyper self I tend to be first thing so I was a bit casual about my departure.
I had a lovely day putting down 550 miles in 95 degree heat on the eastern seaboard, riding from Heath, MA to Norfolk, VA. The NJ turnpike still sucks.
The bike ran great, the fuel cell worked as it should and life is grand.
Except I still can’t make a goddamn phone call.