I have now had 3 months to reflect on the saddlesore ride and have had the opportunity to test out some items that were niggling away at me during the ride. Writing the series itself was more than somewhat cathartic. It also allowed for a thorough lessons learned session as I reviewed my notes and replayed the sequences of the events. This edition will focus on those thoughts, solutions implemented, and new variables that were subsequently introduced which need further testing.
"Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.."
My dad was doing a lot of commuting back and forth from Philly to Western VA about 15 years ago after his employer of 25 years locked the doors one night and moved to china.
He found a "new" song on his ride with the title above. He thought I may like it. I stopped short of telling him that was the "pot smoking hippie music" he railed against for 20 years when I lived at home back in the day. I was the bigger man and smiled, knowing I won the music taste battle. The song does have a point though when taken out of context. Whether it is a long commute in a cage, or 700-1000 mile stretch on 2 wheels, company in your noggin is good. In my truck, I have Sirius radio and love it. I like music that isn't necessarily standard after burning through the classic rock stations for so many years. Jam on, blues, dead, bluegrass it's all in the variety. Singing east bound and down 40 times in a row to yourself may be fun, but pulls the sanity question into play after a while.
Solution is unquestionably the Sena smh-10. I purchased one a few weeks after the trip and can't even fathom how I did without. Pairs easily with my phone, great sound and phone calls work if I need them. I'm a buyers remorse kind of guy, not here, not a bit. My friend Drummond got one as well and it excels in coms mode as well. Highly recommend. Sold my brother on one as well for his new scooter. Now I just have to haul on up to NH to check it out.
Lights, cameras, action.
Tiger lights suck as documented earlier. Got some 1600 lumen led's from Komy on ebay. Mounted low and outside on the sw motech crashbars. Love them.
Iron butt?
Not so much. I love the stock seat. I can move on it and no real pressure points. 1000 miles showed the weaknesses. I resolved to make a big purchase if I finished successfully. Id need help if I was going to do 5,500 in 7 days this summer. Researched extensively and founds lots of options for custom builds. Everything kept pointing back to the Russell day long if you wanted to for it right. Figure there was no chance for finding a good used one so resolved to drop $600 plus dig around for a blown out seat for the pan. In my search for the pan, lo and behold I ran into a guy willing to part with his. It was exactly what I was looking for and saved likely $350 in the end. Seat is all it is cracked up to be. Longest trip so far was 750 miles in a day for a tag on the Ohio border. Felt as good as I did when the day started.
Worlds toughest riders...
Not sure what I think about that line. I'm not one of the toughest by a longshot. Part of me suspects some tough dude is going to take exception to it. I used to be physically tough when I played rugby in college, now, not so much. Saddlesore is a mental toughness thing however, and that I still have.
