Getting ready

Well, we've been planning for this at KawaNOW "staff meetings" for almost 12 months and the time is close. KawaNOW started as an online group/message board and I became involved way back in 2006 when Robert "Trip" Hilliard first started it for owners and enthusiast of the Kawasaki Nomad. I had just begun the process of buying a new bike, a 1600 Black Nomad. Back then there were only a few of us and it has now grown to over 1600 members in the US, Canada, and Europe. This rally thing seemed like a pipe dream way back then but as the site grew it seemed to become more and more of a possibility and now it's happening.

Got all the maintenance done on the bike. Fresh oil, everything checked and double checked. Trying to start packing now. I am pretty sure I will have plenty of room in the two saddlebags (with removable liners), my t-bag, and am going to put a cooler on the back seat to keep water/snacks/insulin in.

The weather forecast has improved and it looks like it will be sunny and highs in the low 70's while we are in Custer. I sure won't mind leaving this 90 degree/90% humidity we are having in NC right now for some nice 70degree days. Going to have to get the leather out of the closet and take it too since the night time out there is just in the 40's and 50's....that jacket and chaps take up all my packing room.

Got new raingear because I am sure there will be rain somewhere on this trip....and my old raingear has some mileage on it Had a GREAT friend offer to loan me his Garmin Zumo 450 GPS to take on this trip and he even shipped it down to me several weeks ago. I think I know how to use the thing pretty good now and have all the routes out and back in it, as well as the scheduled rides once in Custer. Also has an MP3 player so I have about 6GB of mp3's to listen to for the rides. I think it's around 600 songs.

Got some new rain boot pullovers for the boots too..would hate to havewet feet for a week if we got caught in a downpour. Got a new cup holder too, Kruzer Kaddy, to keep hydrated. A cup holder on a motorcycle.....go figure. Long trips like this will get you dehydrated before you know it though so this will help in between stops.

I had an extra saddle and had it customized with memory foam a few weeks back at MeanCity Cycles. So far I have put about 400 miles on it to break it in and, while I thought the stock seat was pretty good, this seems amazingly comfortable. We'll see if I feel the same way after 3500+ miles, but I fully expect to.

I am riding out with Amy and Mike. Amy is coming to Greensboro from Greenville on Thursday, June 11 and is staying here. We plan to leave here around 8am on Friday morning and meet Mike (who lives in East Bend NC) in Yadkinville NC around 9:00 - 9:15. From there the plan is to ride to just north of Nashville and stay in Whites Creek for the night. It's FanFare in Nashville that weekend so if we aren't too tired, we may sneak downtown and see if we can catch a free outdoor concert. We are meeting 3 or 4 other members of KawaNOW from Florida there and they will be riding along with us.

Saturday we plan to ride to Kansas City MO where we will meet a couple other members at the hotel.

Sunday we plan to ride to Ogallala, Nebraska where we will meet 2 more members that will join our group out.

Monday morning the plan is to leave and meet one more member about an hour up the road and then continue into Custer and be there early Monday afternoon.

The actual rally is Tues/Weds/Thurs. We have planned rides to the Badlands, Devils Tower, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, and few other places I can't recall right now.

The plan to return is for Friday Morning to head east across South Dakota and stay in Fairmont, Minnesota. Saturday to Chicago, IL. Sunday to Ashland KY/Huntington WV. Monday morning the last 300 +/- miles to Greensboro.

Don't know how well I will do with keeping this update, but hey, it's worth a shot. Will try to put pictures and what went on each day.