Up in Smoke Tour proceeds

[Faster n’ U]

Logging many miles and states in search of quality herbs despite continued (needed) rain. 
 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Faster n’ U

[Pauly]

Are you givin' me a hassle, man?!

[bowdog]

envious!!

[Bad324]

now that's my kinda trip, looks like a blast!

[Faster n’ U]

Back in Ohio for the holiday and to do some maintenance on the bike. 
 

 

[Faster n’ U]

I’ll be here in Wilmington Ohio on the 20th to connect once again with my friend Sam Manicom as he gives an enchanting presentation about his motorcycle travels in Africa. Hope to see some of you there!

After that we’ll be attending VMD at Mid Ohio!
 

 

[2talltim]

FYI you can go back to your @Danimalaccount if you want. It's been unlocked for a while now.

[Faster n’ U]

Nah. No one GAF here anyways lol. 
 

thanks though Timmy

[Faster n’ U]

Back in Ohio, just beating the record floods in Vermont. After weeks of rambling around the states in the NE, I grew tired of riding and camping in the rain. In my travels I’ve camped just about everywhere but packing up wet shit day after day gets old. 
So back to Ohio is was, where I’m staying at my friend Donnie’s place in Amish country just south of Wooster. Here I’ve been resting and ordering needed parts for maintenance on the bike. New air filter. New plugs after a valve inspection (all in spec after 74,000 miles!), fresh brakes out back, fresh fork oil and seals, new chain and sprockets and she’s ready for more. 
But with most of the country west of the Mississippi experiencing record heat I’m reluctant to head West to the states there. Besides it wasn’t long ago I was living in Denver in a wheelchair, waiting for the endless series of surgeries on my crushed leg, and smoking a lot of quality weed.

So the next leg will be into Canada, leaving in a week or so. I’ll be camping and fishing all along the way. I just replaced my Kelty tent that I camped with through 22 countries with a larger, lighter single-wall, single-pole teepee design. I’ve also upgraded a few other pieces of my well-worn camping gear with nice new shiny stuff.

 

So let’s see how good Canada’s weed is!

 

 

 

[AlanSmith7]

It seems like you guys really enjoyed. I wish we can post videos also.

[Faster n’ U]

Words cannot describe what approaching 100k miles on this bike feels like. 
Far different that other bikes I’ve known, regardless of their accumulated mileage 

[marlboro man]

Looks like a blast ! I’d be scared to take it in the ass from Sasquatch in them sticks

[Tonik]

22 minutes ago, marlboro man said:

Looks like a blast ! I’d be scared to take it in the ass from Sasquatch in them sticks

You would be fine, Sasquatch have tiny dicks.

[Faster n’ U]

The Canada travels have ended. As far north as you’re allowed to go in Quebec before being turned back because of large fires (just south of Raddison and Hudson Bay) while riding long days on rough dirt and gravel roads, my bike had a major motor malfunction. I knew something bad was wrong and even suspected the actual cause (gear holding primary drive gear into shaft came loose, spun out to grind against the inside of the clutch cover and the destroyed the key and key way on the main shaft) but she still was running strong and I was over 150km from any cell phone signal, motel or help (aside from the occasional logging truck) so I decided to go for broke and rode Sunny till she died at a motel in southern Quebec. From there obtained a rental truck and drove her back to Ohio. 
Over 80,000 extraordinary miles. Many many borders crossed. Fantastical places visited and countless wonderful people met and friends made in many countries. Hard to be mad even though the experience sucked and was stressful. 
I’m back at my buddies place in Wooster. Will tear into the bike to see the whole carnage soon. 
In the meantime, I located yet another 2011 DR650 at a dealership with only 582 miles on it. Sunny is also a 2011 and had 62 miles when purchased in 2018. I’ll be picking up the new bike Saturday in PA and then spend the Fall and Winter prepping and combining the two bikes to get ready for riding to BC the Yukon and Alaska next spring. 
 

 

[durk]

Glad you made it to the hotel and back home safe. Update with some photos of the carnage please. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by durk

[Tonik]

I brought a broken bike back from Canada in a U-Haul once. It is not fun, you feel alone...lost...hopeless. It really sucks until you get across the river.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Tonik

[Pauly]

Here's to another 80k miles. 

[Faster n’ U]

Failed main bearing

here is a piece of the cage in the oil

 

 

[Gpaw]

Wow

[Faster n’ U]

5 minutes ago, Gpaw said:

Wow

Yeah. Over 80,000 miles carrying a load all

the fuck over. Not terrible for an air-cooled

single IMO. 
 

Sunny 2.0 will be built slowly and with care and knowledge of what worked and what needs tweaked. Her first test will be Spring 2024 with a full-bore trip to the NW Territories, the Yukon and all of Alaska. Any of you dreaming of riding Alaska, It’s a place where support can be vital so let me know if anyone’s interested. 
 

[Danimal]

Sunny 2.0 is nearly complete. 
I flew to Denver to attend services for TG Woody Witte, owner of Woodys Wheel Works in Denver who had recently passed away. The day I arrived in Denver I became terribly ill and ended up in the hospital for four days being treated for acute pancreatitis. Man that was fucking painful. Just discharged yesterday.
And I missed the services and memorial ride. Hundreds attended the ride from all over the world. Woody had a great influence in the world of overlanding motorcyclist. It began for sure with him creating wheels that can withstand years of abuse without fail, but evolved into his mentorship and deep friendships with so so many world travelers. Myself eventually included. Aside from supplying me wheels, he gave me a place to live for 18 months while recuperating from having my leg crushed directly after returning to the US from a year long lockdown in Brasil. Even with his own health failing he tried to take care of me in my wheelchair. It was symbiotic. When Woody heard that Sunny had died in Quebec, he not only was instrumental in helping find the low-mile DR that is now 2.0, he offered to buy it for me, wanting the original Sunny to have a place in his Museum above the shop. Not having the funds to totally recreate the bike from scratch, I declined both offers and bought it the next day myself. 
And here I sit now in Denver, getting on a bus tonight back to Akron. Thinking of him and our times together, and trying to think ahead to more crazy travels and next Spring’s conquest of Newfoundland, the TCAT, then north to Tuk and Alaska and the Arctic Circle. Woody approves. 
 

 

[MSerfozo]

Is that seat cover made from the Javelina that smashed your leg?  😀

[Danimal]

No, it came from a pile of skins being sold at a gas station in Southern Argentina. It was much bigger for a while but has gradually tattered. I assumed it was sheep. In that area were tons of guanaco, a kinda cross between a llama and a deer. Pretty sure it’s not lamb. Last year when deciding to keep it or ditch it, I got a steel comb and tore into it and pulled off a ton of wool along with lots of dirt. That tattered it even further, but it’s still plenty big and now nice and soft and not matted any longer. It’s got a lot of miles on it 

 

[mello dude]

Dude...I see you changed your name back to Danimal.. I think it suits you better.. 🙂

[Danimal]

Any of you guys considering a big ride up north in the spring let me know. 

I’ll be heading NE to Newfoundland, then west across Canada on the TCAT (Trans-Canadian Adventure Trail, 70% dirt across the country. Similar to BDR routes but a bit easier until the extreme NW territory ) to Tuk and then Alaska on the new bike and it’d be cool to not be solo the whole way this time. I’m getting older and the breakdown in Hudson Bay kinda made me rethink things a bit. ( I’m sure the feeling will pass once I’m back on the road)

Not a sprint.