Let's Ride a Motorcycle to Alaska

Chapter 2 has begun.  Yesterday, I hopped on the bike and cruised from Morro Bay to Berkeley, arriving in one piece and kicking off a solo bike ride to Alaska. 

Here's the tricked-out bike. 

Notice the changes from the back-of-the-RV era:

1. New windscreen.  This makes a giant difference on the highway.  My helmeted head is battered by maybe 60% less wind. 
   
2. New seat.  You blow into a straw hiding behind the zipper to give yourself a nice little air cushion on top of the firm and uncomfortable stock seat.  It's a little weird to be slurping on my bike seat in public, but it's worth it.
     
3. Saddlebags!  These two beauties rest on either side of the rear of my bike.  One contains my rain gear and my warm-weather gear.  The other contains my very limited wardrobe for the trip. 
   
4. Luggage rack.  It took a herculean effort by hardware store employee John to help me mount a tiny rack above my rear tire.  It looks less than beautiful, but it appears to function.  Unfortunately, the waterproof satchel I had planned to place on the rack didn't fit well, so it was jettisoned in the final moments before my launch. 
   
5. Backpack (not pictured).  My remaining odds and ends, along with food and water, fit in a small backpack that I put loosely over my shoulders and try to rest on the luggage rack.  I may need to do some modifications to this setup.  

Assembling these modest modifications was a challenge.  Each item takes 3-5 times as long as you'd expect, parts don't fit how they're supposed to, and you need about a dozen alan wrenches to tighten and adjust every part.  Thus far, nothing has fallen off, so in my opinion the effort (with a huge assist from many kind souls like Craig and Dan and John from Ace Hardware) was worth it.  

* * * 

The first ride, mostly up the 101, took me through ferocious Central Valley winds and wild climate changes.  (Giant windmills are not a pleasant sight when you're exposed to the elements.)  It was beautiful and less agonizing than I expected, and I arrived fully intact.  

Early lessons from the journey were abundant.  Here are two.  

It is a shock getting off the bike after cruising at high speeds for 100 miles or more.  My whole body vibrates and tingles.  My hearing does not return for a few minutes.  I have limited sensation in my hands and feet.  This means that it is hard to function as a human being without giving it a few minutes.  I almost dropped my bike when I kicked my kickstand down and got off it -- only to discover that I actually didn't touch the kickstand at all; I completely missed it but didn't notice because I couldn't feel my numb feet.  Lesson learned.  

Quick stops on the bike are nice, but transitioning from driving mode to gas station mode is not easy.  On my first stop, I left my gloves in the gas station and an employee had to run out to give them to me.  On my second stop, I left my backpack (containing money, passport, and other items I'd really rather not lose) in the men's room, and a kind stranger ran it out to me.  I need to pause for a beat to make sure I have my possessions before returning to the bike.  I also have a nasty tendency to leave my keys in the bike after I dismount.  Slow and steady is the way forward here.  

I'm back in the saddle this afternoon for a short jaunt.  Very pleased to be off and running.