Epic Adventures, One Day at a Time

Last August, in Kennebec, SD, Bob and I were on our way home from Sturgis Bike Week. We met 4 people from New Hampshire and hit it off immediately with them. It didn’t take much convincing to get us out there for Laconia Bike Week and stay with them. As I write this, we’re in a hotel in Syracuse, NY, on our way home from Laconia.

And here’s our story: 

We were so exhausted the night before we left, I was determined to chill and not get ready to leave at the crack of dawn. We’re on vacation finally, and I need a little break before I start rushing around. Got a pretty late start. We stopped at the first oasis in Illinois and got the I-passes. I have both our bikes registered under my pay-by-plate account there, but that won’t work in the other states. Guy says we’re good to go and they’ll work in every state. As bad as Chicago traffic was, I can’t complain. I’ve been in worse. We got all the way to Indiana, I-passes didn’t raise the arm at the tollbooth. They didn’t work all the way across the state. We had to duck around every tollbooth. Got off the tollway at the Ohio border, onto a 2-lane country road. It was actually a state highway. Getting dark and cold real fast, and deer everywhere, we headed back to the tollway.

8 am day 2: Apparently, Illinois takes up to 48 hours to get the transponders into the system. I’m not waiting another day, so I called the Ohio tollway place and was told just grab a ticket and pay at the end and we went for it. But at the first toll they worked! We got to Cleveland, missed my turn to stay on I-90. Head back to our route. Got to somewhere near the PA/NY boarder and Bob’s bike keeps losing power. I found an auto store nearby and got him a battery. Got to Buffalo for the night.

Day 3: made it to Worcester, MA and Bob’s bike is dying again. Our friends live just over 2 hours away and Laconia is 45 min beyond that. I called our friends and Traci Beaurivage, president of the New Hampshire Motorcycle Rights Organization and a dear friend. They all jumped to the rescue! Our buddy Joe, took about 5 min to find a trailer and truck and he’s on the way. It’s 52°, dark, winding mountain roads, and the roads are wet from rain. I’m following the trailer going 80 mph in heavy traffic that keeps cutting me off. This is not my idea of fun, but we made it.

Day 4: the guys pull Bob’s fairing off, found a short and fixed it. Let’s ride! After a few miles, Nope, still dying… Okay let’s get the $300 voltage regulator. And FIXED! Let’s ride! NOPE, not fixed. FRUSTRATION! SICKNESS! 4 guys and myself, brainstorming what the heck it could be. What’s that buzzing? What’s that clicking sound? New battery is dead and won’t charge. Killed the new battery because that’s the only thing powering the bike until she starts dying again. She’s running 15-16 volts and it should only be 14ish. Wiggle the wire in the voltage relay switch (breaker) and the power fluctuates. Okay let’s try that…Everywhere is closed.

Day 6: get the breaker and another new battery installed and LET’S RIDE! WOOHOO! It worked! Had an awesome ride thru the mountains. Stopped for some fresh New England fish, had a few beers at the house and off to bed.

Day 7: it’s raining, and we have to go home to make the Hummer in 3 days. Left early afternoon and did touristy stuff thru Vermont. Black Cherry is fixed and we’re heading home! Despite all of the bad about this trip, we definitely loved the trip. Never pass up the opportunity to go on an epic adventure! You’re missing out on the best part of your life!

Becky Zarling “Quiver”