50cc in October?

[Explorer]

Good luck Buddy Oh have some fun while your at it  

[mike goodwin]

Good luck Andrew.
If possible give us your departure time and place.
DonT be surprised if the HOV lanes on I-10 thru Houston are closed due to some weird construction that they have been doing so they can charge us for using the damn thing or some such.
Anyway it looks as if you will be departing during the weekend so you should not have any real issues here.
If you have any questions about Texas such as fuel or motels please get in touch with me.

[Specter]

Good luck and have fun!  Can't wait to hear about it when you get back.

[Andrew]

Good luck Andrew.
If possible give us your departure time and place.
DonT be surprised if the HOV lanes on I-10 thru Houston are closed due to some weird construction that they have been doing so they can charge us for using the damn thing or some such.
Anyway it looks as if you will be departing during the weekend so you should not have any real issues here.
If you have any questions about Texas such as fuel or motels please get in touch with me.

Ok Mike please tell me of the gas/fuel, As I understand it the fuel supply to the gas stations is back up (fuel shortages due to the hurricane and subsequent refinery shut downs)  This is something that has got me thinking, am I doing a Herculean challenge?

BMW-K and Ksann I reread your trip reports (some good stuff there thanks )
   After reading I have decided to leave on the trip eastward at a much earlier time than previously planned. I normally wake up at O'dark thirty (between 4 & 5) so 5 AM seems like a good time to be off (beat the morning rush as well as set up for the coming nights rest art a reasonable hour)

  Off to get the new tires spooned on tomorrow, then only two more days of work to go

[Slonishku]

Good luck, Amigo. I look forward to hearing about your adventure!

[mike goodwin]

Andrew i dont think you will have any fuel issues as everything is some what back to normal here.
Do you have a fuel cell or are you just using the bikes fuel tank??
What sort of mileages are you trying to attain between fillups??
When i did my 50cc i was on my 01 Bandit 1200s that had a 5.3 gallon tank and was averaging around a 170 miles between fuel stops.
How far are you trying to go on day one??
Make reservations at a motel ahead of time!!!!!
After all it is the weekend you will be traveling.
If you are stopping in Texas for your first days rest let me know where and i will dig up a phone number of a place to sleep for you if you need it.

Looks like great weather,at least around here it's been absolutely gorgeous for two straight weeks.
Of course i cant enjoy it as i have been working seven days a week and will be doing so for the next two weeks no thanks to that bastard Ike.
I'm jealous.

[BigLou71]

Good luck.  a 50cc is on my list of things to do.... soon.  

[mike goodwin]

Good luck.  a 50cc is on my list of things to do.... soon.  

It's a great ride Lou.

[torags v2]

 

Starting from the West.

My time to cross country is early March, I like to go to bikeweek. The weather from the CA border (on Rt 10) to Houston is about 30 degrees at nite. It's almost 1000 miles. I figure you have to leave San Diego about midnight to get thru that section during daylight hours. The weather warms closer to the Gulf.

I've had two 50CC attempts. My first attempt was without a heated liner (STUPID!) and I lost my key (always take another ignition key); took me 66 hours from SF. I had to end riding early and start after sunrise because of 29 degree temps.

The second one I had a Widder vest (better), but even then I had to slow to 75 during 30 degree temps at nite. Then I hit a deer carcus at 1am in west Texas and blew the trip.

So there are two disincentives to that section for nite riding.

I'm going to try again in 09.

October is fine, just plan for weather (cold & rain) as a priority with big city traffic avoidance secondary.



 

[Andrew]

"i dont think you will have any fuel issues as everything is some what back to normal here."
Thanks for relieving my stress on the fuel availability Mike

"fuel cell or are you just using the bikes fuel tank??"
I am using the stock fuel tank (6.1 gal) and carrying along a small fuel can (3gal) just in case.

"What sort of mileages?"
Normally on the slab with the C/C set at or around 65 mph I can squeeze out 45 to 50, that puts me in the 225 to 250 (maybe less depending o headwind) with a nice cushion to spare.

"How far are you trying to go on day one??"
First day ??? Junction TX is the mid way, but I may stop at Ft Stockton depending on how I feel. I am considering Ft Stockton to avoid going through the mountains at night, lots of deer this time of year (well maybe they are a year round issue but if I can avoid Bambie why not)

I will be heading out on Monday morning, Originally the plan was to wait until the morning rush had subsided (10/11 AM) but that puts me in TX at the wrong time. Being that I normally wake up all toooo early, I am now planning on hitting the road at around 4 AM. This way if I am lucky I should be in Ft Stockton around midnight (TX time) I have my fingers crossed on that one. Also with 6 hours sleep that puts me back on the road at dawn (or there about)

Today is going to go real fast (lots to do) Friday and Saturday well they are work days so I know they will fly by, heck that puts me on the road even sooner

[mike goodwin]

Hmm....Well i guess you leave when you leave but leaving on a Sat. morning would make life much,much better because there will be no big city work day traffic(think Houston).
Are you leaving from San Diego??
The reason i ask is because as i type this i am looking at my 50cc log sheet and the distance from the all night fuel station in Ozona Texas(Town and Country store) which is 110 miles east of Ft.Stockton is 1,077 miles from the Shell station on Voltaire street in S.D.
So FT.Stockton is only 967 miles from the Pacific.
Not far enough for day one without making a herculean ride on day two which will have you doing a near BB1500 Gold at 1398 miles.
I did my first leg from Jax Beach Shell station to Ozona Tx. which was 1300 miles.
Made day two much easier especially after 6 hours of sleep in Ozona.

About the deer.
Actually from Van Horn on to San Antonio you should keep a very wary eye open but the deer really get thick from Ft.Stockton to San Antonio.
Remember Texas has a 65 mph night time speed limit so you wont be over driving your headlights but beware as Texas has recently started patrolling west Texas much more than the days of past.
Oh yea,Texas will last you for 878 miles.

Andrew...I edited the mileages i mentioned earlier as i was to fast with my fuzzy math.

[ksann]

COME ON Andrew!!!!!!





(dang, if I can do it, you will have absolutely no problem)




ken

[mike goodwin]

Well i guess he's on the road by now.
Anyone know exactly where his departure was from??

[Lawn Dart]

Andrew stopped by last night for a brief spot of dinner.  The Rider left to bed down in San Diego and by now, should be some 3 hours into his Journey.


Gooooo Andrew!

[mike goodwin]

Andrew stopped by last night for a brief spot of dinner.  The Rider left to bed down in San Diego and by now, should be some 3 hours into his Journey.


Gooooo Andrew!

Now we know!!
He must be almost in Yuma by now.
Go Andrew!!

BMW-K...Did he indicate where he was going to stop for rest tonight??

[county]

Go Andrew....go.

[mike goodwin]

Andrew i hope you have a good rainsuit because it's raining pretty good here this morning.
Good luck.

[ksann]

Andrew i hope you have a good rainsuit because it's raining pretty good here this morning.
Good luck.

'stich, so he now has a wet crotch, actually, that fits into TMI.




Go Andrew........



ken

[mike goodwin]

'stich, so he now has a wet crotch, actually, that fits into TMI.




Go Andrew........



ken

My stich dont leak.
Go Andrew.

If he made it to at least Ozona Texas yesterday he is probably between San Antonio and Houston right now.
I hope so because or freeway traffic gets a might bit busy around 3:00 P.M. cst.
And it's 1:00 p.m. as i type this.

[greench440]

Shouldn't he be there by now?  Andrew hope you made, don't keep us hanging.