STC-II -- Back Home again

Note: There are more pictures from STC-II in a few other places:

• On the BMW-LT Forums
• A few more on the forums
  
• Steve's Webshots pages
  

(Click on any picture here for a full resolution view)

There were lots of bugs to wash off, but the ride back was good (if comparatively boring after the roads around Iron Horse MC Lodge :-)). STC-II was a good time!

My 2 Light Trucks; both can carry a load. The camping gear is in a duffle held down by DeSantis straps from Raffy (www.motogear4you.com). The blue bag is a dry bag from Dicks (shoes, towels, and other stuff I wanted dry). Top case had PACKED clothes for 5 days and all sorts of temperature ranges - all in Desantis' Beemer Bags (first trip with them - I really liked using them). The right (CD) case carried biking equipment and clotes (rain suit, gloves, etc.); the left case had my toiletries, camera, spare parts, extra bungees, etc.

I _really_ over packed. I didn't use any of the colder weather gear.

To keep the duffle from "oozing" into the driver's space, I strapped things together inside - the tent bag, cot, camp mattress, and sleeping bag. The cooking utensils were held together in another waterproof rafting bag inside the duffle.

The duffle was pretty full, and it was a challenge to squeeze the bag to get the seat straps connected...

... especially the left side strap - it could have been 6 inches longer. Raffy has forwarded this to DeSantis - the straps should have both been equal length. It didn't affect me, but if you get these straps, be sure to check their length. It all worked regardless - and the straps are a bargain, and just wonderful for daily (gym bag) use.

The straps connect under the front top case bolts, and run under the rear seat. You can get them here: Strap & Go (last item at bottom of page)

STC-II -- Riding w/ Gallop'n Galpin

Susan Galpin
577 Huskey Mountain Rd.
Lacey's Spring, AL 35754
256-498-3772

• Former Road Racer
• Former MSF Instructor
• Former High Milage Competiter and winner.
• Presently: "Queen of Quick"
• Instructor @ Ralleys or individually in GA mountains during summer months.

• Remember ==> riding a motorcycle is a Controlled FALL and that fall is managed with proper Gear Selection & Throttle Controll!!!
• ON throttle the bike STANDS
• OFF throttle the bike FALLS
  

For me (and I believe several others) the highlight of STC-II was Susan Galpin's presence, and the opportunity to talk with her, learn from her, ride with her. What a great person!

To her credit the worst of riders (ce n'est pas moi, n'est-ce pas?) as well as the best all learned a lot and became (I'll speak for myself: much) better riders. If you want to ride better, get in touch with Susan.

On Thursday morning Susan took a few of us (those w/ tread on their tires) out to Deal's Gap and the Tail of the Dragon in the rain (at times torrential). I had been riding somewhat stiff in the mountains this week, and even though I wasn't fast, I was leaned over more in the rain than I had been in the dry. It's about the control that horsepower at your rear wheel gives, pushing rain out of the way. I did the entire road in 1st gear (which on the K1200LT - Susan quipped "LT" stood for "Light Truck" - will get you past 60MPH). The trick was smooth transitions from deceleration to acceleration in first gear.

Just a little rain... until we started up the Tail...

Lunch: Comraderie and story time after the ride.

Britton was (to my knowledge) one of the few that managed to keep up with Susan.

Ok, remember this:

Gear Selection versus Speed (Throttle Control)

1. Too Low Gear + Too Low Speed ==> FALLS
2. Too Low Gear + Too High Speed ==> BRAKES
3. Too High Gear + Too Low Speed ==> WOBBLE (my badness early in the week)
4. Too High Gear + Too High Speed ==> DRIFTS OUT
   

Moral: 1 & 2 can transition to good spot, 3 is not in control, but 4 will get you into this kind of trouble:





Fortunately, Bill didn't seem hurt (put an ice pack on his left knee). Susan gave him a ride back to camp so he could get his truck & trailer. We stayed behind with the bike, and helped load it (it wouldn't roll, as you can see!). I think Susan might have showed Bill how it was supposed to be done on the way back to camp, but I can't be sure - when I asked how the ride back was , Bill just dropped his jaw *grin*.


Dinner after all the excitement.

My cousin, Larrysa, complains of gardening with her 55 year old knees.

Susan was on the road race circuit (the only woman motorcycle racer when she started, I think she said) until age 47, and now at 60... well, if I could keep up with her I'd date her *grin*.

You can find some of Susan's routes at MileageSlaves.com

STC-II -- Field Trip to Wheels Through Time (Dale Walksler's Museum)

Wheels Through Time Museum
P.O. Box 790, Maggie Valley, NC 28751
828-926-6266
http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com

Larry, Buzz, Britton and I headed out to Wheels Through Time Museum. Larry said this was a museum that used to be in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Well, it was about 70 miles, and a great ride out. The museum had running motorcycles, and some cars. How's this for a throttle linkage:

A most elegant looking Indian:

And some more Indian engineering feats - a power tobogan:

and an outboard:

I walked by and said "I know this trike; I think I know the guy that built it too...." although the memory was a bit fuzzy. Then, "Hey - aren't you Dale?"

I'd known Dale back in Glen Ellyn. I worked at Glen Ellyn Auto Parts w/ Tom Nelligan and Al Nichols, Skeeter Anderson, the Cicero brothers...; Dale was really into bikes, and trying hard to get Harley to give him a dealership. They wouldn't in the Chicago area, but finally did in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. I remember going down with a group of guys when Dale moved down there - he had a really nice Victorian, with a wrap around porch. I didn't know him that well, and hadn't seen him since. Apparently he started Wheels Through Time in Mt. Vernon, and moved it to North Carolina.

In the 70's, when we used to go out to 'party' Dale would go to his garage, building one bike or another until midnight. It's still his passion. It was good to see him again, and still enjoying what he does. Dale keeps everything running, and rides most things too. Dale has completed some record-breaking tasks that the bikes were built for, but through a fluke of fate not able to complete - until they get into Dale's hands.

Check out the museum (online or in person). It's a not-for profit organization. Great guy, great experience.