Sunday, July 08, 2007
Friday was dedicated to changing out the filters on the ‘Bird, one air filter, one fuel filter and two fuel/water separator filters and also checking out the Racor gauge to try to find out why it has never worked. I got everything accomplished but found out that there was what I think is a check valve in the vacuum line coming from the fuel filter line to the Racor gauge that is blocked and is not allowing any flow of pressure in either direction, thus the gauge will not work, I will check further into this when I get home, as it in no way should effect the performance of the engine.
My buddies arrived at Columbus, Mont. About 40 miles from here, so I drove up there to have dinner with them at a local restaurant and I had one of the best steaks that I have ever had there, plus the company was great.
Saturday was our day to ride up over Beartooth Highway again and since we would not start until they got over here to pick me up late in the morning, the temperature was already in the 70's, so I decided to just wear my DRAGGIN’ SHIRT an open weave Kevlar long sleeved shirt with a T-shirt over the top and no jacket, but I would bring along my leather vest. The DRAGGIN’ SHIRT along with my Kevlar lined DRAGGIN’ JEANS are made of KEVLAR material, similar to bullet proof vests and are designed to reduce road rash in the event that you happen to fall off of the bike, I wear them all of the time, unless it is cold enough for me to wear my leather pants, not chaps, but full leathers. The ride over to Cooke City was great with slightly overcast skies and a 30% chance of rain, for late in the afternoon, after crossing the summit, we stopped and I decided to put my vest on as the temperature was beginning to get a little colder. We arrived in Cooke City and stopped to eat at the same restaurant that I had eaten brunch at on Thursday, the food was great and filling, so we decided to do some shopping before we headed out on our return trip to Red lodge.
After topping off the gas tanks on our bikes we headed for Red lodge, back over Beartooth and the weather started to look threatening with obvious rain clouds coming from the west and also forming over the higher peaks. We stopped so that Sandy, Karen and John could put on sweaters and jackets, but I still felt OK with what I had on and since I didn’t bring a regular jacket, and all that I had extra to wear was my rain gear I felt OK. As we approached the summit the cold front started to come through with gusting winds and cold rain, but not bad enough to stop to put on the rain gear yet, as long as we kept on moving, but the further we went the colder the wind got , even if it was still in the lower 60's wet wind is cold, the open weave of the DRAGGIN’ SHIRT was not blocking that cold wind at all!! I managed to duck down further behind the wind screen on the bike, but there was no way for me to signal Sandy, who was in the lead that I wanted to pull over and put on at least my rain jacket and I couldn't’t safely pass him and then pull off my self, so we rode on to the rest area, about 20 miles from Red Lodge.
We pulled into the rest area and put our rain gear on just in time as it started to rain a little harder, it sure felt good to put something on to at least break the wind. After our short break we headed to Red Lodge in a light rain, that almost came to an end by the time we got further down the mountain and closer to Red Lodge. Sandy, Karen and I stopped in Red Lodge to do more shopping and get some coffee and ice cream and the windy cold front followed us in to town a few minutes later, John headed for the motel in Columbus and after our short break and some coffee and ice cream, we headed to the KOA, where I would leave Sandy and Karen, take a short nap get up and then do some laundry, then get things ready to leave for Livingston on Sunday. I awoke after my SHORT nap four hours later and decided that I would do the laundry first thing in the morning, before I headed out for Livingston.
So later today I will be heading for Livingston and finding out if changing the filters on the ‘Bird has solved the problem, I’m hoping that it did.
My buddies arrived at Columbus, Mont. About 40 miles from here, so I drove up there to have dinner with them at a local restaurant and I had one of the best steaks that I have ever had there, plus the company was great.
Saturday was our day to ride up over Beartooth Highway again and since we would not start until they got over here to pick me up late in the morning, the temperature was already in the 70's, so I decided to just wear my DRAGGIN’ SHIRT an open weave Kevlar long sleeved shirt with a T-shirt over the top and no jacket, but I would bring along my leather vest. The DRAGGIN’ SHIRT along with my Kevlar lined DRAGGIN’ JEANS are made of KEVLAR material, similar to bullet proof vests and are designed to reduce road rash in the event that you happen to fall off of the bike, I wear them all of the time, unless it is cold enough for me to wear my leather pants, not chaps, but full leathers. The ride over to Cooke City was great with slightly overcast skies and a 30% chance of rain, for late in the afternoon, after crossing the summit, we stopped and I decided to put my vest on as the temperature was beginning to get a little colder. We arrived in Cooke City and stopped to eat at the same restaurant that I had eaten brunch at on Thursday, the food was great and filling, so we decided to do some shopping before we headed out on our return trip to Red lodge.
After topping off the gas tanks on our bikes we headed for Red lodge, back over Beartooth and the weather started to look threatening with obvious rain clouds coming from the west and also forming over the higher peaks. We stopped so that Sandy, Karen and John could put on sweaters and jackets, but I still felt OK with what I had on and since I didn’t bring a regular jacket, and all that I had extra to wear was my rain gear I felt OK. As we approached the summit the cold front started to come through with gusting winds and cold rain, but not bad enough to stop to put on the rain gear yet, as long as we kept on moving, but the further we went the colder the wind got , even if it was still in the lower 60's wet wind is cold, the open weave of the DRAGGIN’ SHIRT was not blocking that cold wind at all!! I managed to duck down further behind the wind screen on the bike, but there was no way for me to signal Sandy, who was in the lead that I wanted to pull over and put on at least my rain jacket and I couldn't’t safely pass him and then pull off my self, so we rode on to the rest area, about 20 miles from Red Lodge.
We pulled into the rest area and put our rain gear on just in time as it started to rain a little harder, it sure felt good to put something on to at least break the wind. After our short break we headed to Red Lodge in a light rain, that almost came to an end by the time we got further down the mountain and closer to Red Lodge. Sandy, Karen and I stopped in Red Lodge to do more shopping and get some coffee and ice cream and the windy cold front followed us in to town a few minutes later, John headed for the motel in Columbus and after our short break and some coffee and ice cream, we headed to the KOA, where I would leave Sandy and Karen, take a short nap get up and then do some laundry, then get things ready to leave for Livingston on Sunday. I awoke after my SHORT nap four hours later and decided that I would do the laundry first thing in the morning, before I headed out for Livingston.
So later today I will be heading for Livingston and finding out if changing the filters on the ‘Bird has solved the problem, I’m hoping that it did.
# posted by John Finn & Buddy & Cally Cat @ 1:18 AM 
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