Cube Zombie » Trip Prep

Trip Planning

Jake — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:23:20 +0000

There really isn't anything that makes me happier than trip planning. Motorcycle trip planning that is. I love the entire process from looking at Google Maps trying to find a place to go, to actually planning the route. I try not to over plan b/c having done that before I felt locked into doing everything I had listed and it was a vacation full of stress. Now, I just plan the initial route to get to where ever it is that I'm going and the route back (usually going a different way that I went). Leaving days at the destination open to exploration.

Now don't get me wrong I do look for stuff to do at the destination, but instead of "yes I will go to X" it's more of a note filed away of stuff to see if I don't find anything else more interesting.

In Other News

Jake — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:57:00 +0000

I'm heading down to FL this week for a conference. I'm taking the bike and planning on doing a bit of camping before the conference and possible after. I think the hotel has a gym. If not I'll be focusing more on running. Food choice is going to be ... interesting..Did I mention that the conference is at Epcot Center? Yea..Wish me luck!

Off The Grid

Jake — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:00:17 +0000

I'll be off the grid starting 9/3 - 9/6. I'll have my Spot Tracker with me up and running.. If you're so inclined you can follow me via my tracking page. I promise when I get back I'll do a trip report and post pics in a coherent fashion

Back in a few days!!

A Good Trip?

Jake — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:12:25 +0000

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This is every Red Hat office in NA...I think I could make the trip...Now to try and get management buy-in

All Systems Go

Jake — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:55:29 +0000

Got a new battery installed this morning and then rode the bike back over to the dealership to have them check the charging system and make sure everything was where it should be. It seems that I did blow the high beam but I was able to pick up a replacement while I was at the dealership. I'm planning on heading out ~2p EDT. I did plan for a couple of hotel nights just in case I ran into really bad weather or something else unexpected. I plan on riding at least 400 miles today and then probably getting a hotel if I can't find a campsite close by..

More to follow..Until then here's the bike all packed up.

Update

Jake — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:15:30 +0000

Well...There is definitely something else wrong..I'm hoping it's just a fried battery but even after 2hours on the battery tender it's not charging. As soon as I take it off the charger there's no power again.

I'm going to head to the dealership early tomorrow morning and try and pick up a new battery. Fingers crossed this will work. If it's not the battery then it's something in the electrical system which I can't afford to have fixed and still go on the trip. So if the battery doesn't fix it then the trip is over before it gets started..

More Voltage Regulator Drama

Jake — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:55:38 +0000

So the regulator got here at 5:30pm the day before I'm supposed to leave (thanks for nothing UPS). I get it installed go to start the bike for a test ride and I turn the key...Nothing..Not lights,No Nothing..*sigh*

So I've got the battery tender hooked up to it now. I let it charge for 30min and then turned the key again and finally got some weak indicator lights..I'm just hoping the batter is dead. I'll probably have to let charge overnight and then see how it goes in the morning. I'm fully expecting to have to buy another new battery..As of now I'm still planning to leave tomorrow..6:30am was what I was shooting for but it will probably be later than that. Especially if I have to go to the stealership to buy a new battery..If it comes to that I really hope they have it in stock. With the way my luck has been going that will be the next hurdle.

Part Update

Jake — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:56:16 +0000

It was finally shipped Tuesday. I paid for 2nd day air which would put it here today..But the site I bought it from sent it 3 day select...So that puts it here Friday as long as UPS doesn't decide to lose it..It should be at the house when I get home from work so I can get it installed and do a test ride to make sure that does infact fix the issue. If it's fixed then I'm good to go to leave Saturday morning. If it doesn't fix it, well, I will not be a happy camper. :-/

Technical Snags

Jake — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:56:43 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I started having problems starting my bike. It was like the battery was dead and just didn't have enough juice to crank. Upon pulling off the battery cover I noticed that the battery was quite deformed and swollen. I removed it and went in search of a replacement. Sufficed to say no one has that type of battery in a 50mile radius of Raliegh except the Stealership which, of course, is closed on Sunday and Monday. After paying for a new battery and getting it back in and the bike back to normal I thought nothing else about it..I checked the battery on the 7 day mark and it had no issues.

Fast forward to today. I took a pretty long ride and at stop lights I noticed a rotten egg/dead animal smell. Once I got home I tracked it down to the battery. Looks like the battery has been overcharged and got so hot that it has deformed now and was venting out of the top. After doing some searches online I found several people who've had this exact problem. It looks to be related to a bad voltage regulator/rectifier. I've pulled the battery and the old rectifier out and the new one should be here Tuesday. I'm hoping I can salvage the battery but I may just order a battery and have it sent to Brian's house in MS so I can change it out when I get there. (btw..Brian can I have a battery shipped to your house? ).

I've been kind of waiting for something to go wrong and now that it has I'm not as stressed about it as I expected to be. Hopefully this will fix this issue and I can go about my business..We shall see..

6 days left.

Proposed Route For Trip

Jake — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:11:53 +0000

View Larger Map

Total Miles:3,175 miles
Total Ride Time:3 days 4 hours

This route could change but I have 16 days to make it in so I shouldn't have a problem..