What goes around comes around... Dublin to New york

hi...

T.REX63 said:
Hey Oisin, any idea what your planned route is going to be from where you are to New York?

All the best :thumb2
Click to expand...

Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, then follow highway 6 into new york I guess.....

again I'm still holding out that Brittney spears will fly me back to Los Angeles at some stage in the trip for a few months horizontal jogging..... i still think theres a shot! :-)
 
The Last Country..USA...Hello Montana!

<table><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz8_GhDq9I/AAAAAAACQoI/iHEoAczw2Rc/s800/DSC_0120.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz9AR5uTXI/AAAAAAACQoU/YknAWJ3hdj8/s912/DSC_0121.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz9V8hn3LI/AAAAAAACQn4/e7Hf1WyCxx0/s912/DSC_0129.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz9yHqWksI/AAAAAAACQow/BIec1AL6QrM/s912/DSC_0139.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz-FiV4aOI/AAAAAAACQpI/Kzy00c5LOsU/s912/DSC_0146.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz-hMxYJQI/AAAAAAACNwM/Gn0OP2LHkBk/s720/DSC_0158.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz0MIcmslI/AAAAAAACQrc/ExQw8y0xhxg/s800/DSC00336.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz0Qj4BPEI/AAAAAAACMss/tYbXFyCDUR0/s640/DSC00341.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz0ShSJfdI/AAAAAAACMtA/br_EfjhRu7c/s640/DSC00343.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz0WxmajkI/AAAAAAACQrs/AScsl_oIbT4/s912/DSC00348.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz0qT3KEqI/AAAAAAACMwY/GboNOIH3m74/s640/DSC00370.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz-72tHFgI/AAAAAAACNyo/_Qs6_dCBKyw/s720/DSC_0167.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz--xcJ7AI/AAAAAAACQqs/7CZBy91OooQ/s912/DSC_0168.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz_kf39sbI/AAAAAAACN18/Spg-2KOV7oE/s720/DSC_0179.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0AB1pHctI/AAAAAAACN44/HIQ0tYixdYg/s720/DSC_0190.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0AOTxV7hI/AAAAAAACN6Y/cJavPnfUha0/s720/DSC_0196.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz1JShrWxI/AAAAAAACM0U/UvibdDYtlxo/s640/DSC00400.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz1chn6QxI/AAAAAAACM24/3uGOK5RoZ7Y/s640/DSC00417.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0A_mNJRgI/AAAAAAACN_Q/NK0h6xvd6dQ/s720/DSC_0214.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0BPR-MFaI/AAAAAAACOA8/1drJevdGv6s/s720/DSC_0220.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0BSSXB-0I/AAAAAAACOBQ/-RFVRp12eGs/s720/DSC_0221.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0BppUVRDI/AAAAAAACODQ/35P2PJMxWFI/s720/DSC_0229.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TE0B7Ksi_wI/AAAAAAACOFM/jg9W8N-uYcQ/s720/DSC_0236.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz2PU8dxgI/AAAAAAACM7Q/H82cI82p9SI/s640/DSC00450.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz2lBpoDHI/AAAAAAACM9c/uNS5Wfj1Qc0/s640/DSC00466.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz2mrc9WKI/AAAAAAACM9k/dnK0LQw8pxY/s640/DSC00467.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz20cJ5QEI/AAAAAAACOZE/aPZcKb7YDJ8/s640/DSC00476.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz3SUmgF3I/AAAAAAACNBw/NBv6g5KCILA/s640/DSC00498.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz3Tcg1Q_I/AAAAAAACNB4/_xia5oGGHvg/s640/DSC00499.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz3-SiOi9I/AAAAAAACNEs/GRBseesMOvA/s640/DSC00521.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TEz4LqGNh6I/AAAAAAACNGA/sZC0XifeoW4/s640/DSC00530.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHVvXFt-I/AAAAAAACPr4/g2S6BOm9Q-g/s512/IMG_0831.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHWwCrmnI/AAAAAAACPsU/phM7HNU6YdA/s640/IMG_0834.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFEKgRbXRpI/AAAAAAACOgw/WxdgJHOrB3c/s640/DSC00531.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFEKhSWY49I/AAAAAAACOg4/LIFhvpWvIC8/s640/DSC00532.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></table>

So the country list was: 26 countries...
Canada,USA,Mexico,Guatemala,El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ireland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, Japan (3 hour train ride, and two internal flights! so it counts!), then back to Canada and now finally the USA.

I can feel the end coming on, almost like you were in a gorgeous warm bath but you accidentally kicked the plug out and no matter how hard you try you can't stop the water running away.

Not sure why I used that analogy, its a long time since I was able to fit into a bath. The whores who design both baths and bathrooms obviously aren't aware there are people over 6ft in Ireland.

Y'know when you'd see a scene in a movie were a dude is shagging a dudette in the bath...well you'd always here me saying...that'll never happen to me! ...

I've always been very envious of small little women who get to take those bubble baths...y'know the ones where you cant even see any water..just bubbles.... and all them oul candles burning in the bathroom....I'd love to go in with a huge bucket of freezing cold water and throw it over them!...and roar something appropriate like...."where did you put my duck!!?"..... and if there's any guys out there who regularly take a bubble bath.... well I'm very happy your now able to get married in California.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/04/federal-judge-overturns-californias-sex-marriage-ban/

Anyway...I rode south towards the border with Montana and had picture postcard weather the whole day. It was my third time riding Glacier National park and the first time that it wasn't lashing rain so I'd a great time.

Given the time of year the roads are full of bikers and RV's and I started bumping into people who were starting to make their way to Sturgis.

As the evening was waring on I said I'll head for Hungry Horse where I'd a very strange experience. I stayed in the same Motel as Ewan and Charlie did and there is a scene where it shows the room they were in so i went over and took a picture of it for the hell of it. Well, then a woman came down to me and asked "Why are you taking a picture of the door?"... I was going to try for something like...."eh 57 is my favorite number!" but told her why. Then she said that her sister had died in that room a year to the day ago and that she was here to kind of say a last farewell. They put her sisters ashes in the river nearby and they were going kayaking to say good luck.

Well, there was nothing to be done but get a six pack and get all liquored up. She was nailing the vodka like it was apple juice and when I'd finished the six pack I said good night before the world started spinning.

Take care
Oisin
 
Good to see the suns shining for you. Just don't know what all us GSers are going to read when your epic journey comes to an end, hopefully you can put a book or a DVD together will all the those quality images in.

John
 
Glacier National Park amd Montana are feckin gorgeous and probably my favourite state:D

Nice pics Oisin and brings it all back............
 
The Last Mongolia Video...

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Oisin said:
So the country list was: 26 countries...
Canada,USA,Mexico,Guatemala,El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ireland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, Japan (3 hour train ride, and two internal flights! so it counts!), then back to Canada and now finally the USA.
Click to expand...

Ironic your list seems to have omitted Mongolia of all places !! :augie
 
Red Lodge Montana....Trip Across the Beartooth

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I've asked a lot of people who I've met on the road what is their favorite state in the USA, and in any top three, Montana is almost always there. This is my third time to visit it, and I know I'll be back.

I left Hungry horse a little after 9am and took a meandering route in a southerly direction. I wasn't in any rush, the goal today was ride until my ass hurt, then find a motel, get a six pack and watch the sun set.

I threw away my Alpine stars riding pants, they'd a hole in the crotch which was great for cooling down my "town Halls" but I was afraid I'd catch my lad in the wheel spokes. On top of that it was water proof and was just too hot for the conditions. Jeans from here on in....One of the first things I missed about those pants......they stopped you getting a wedgie......I must have stopped 20 times to pick the shorts out of my crack.

As I went through the small towns some of which I'd been through only a year previously it was pretty obvious that Crystal Meth was starting to cause severe damage, there were grim Murals in prominent places in lots of the small towns.

The sun shone all day and in a couple of places the sky almost looked burnt, you can see it in the pictures above....odd looking eh?

Towards the end of the day I was back on the Beartooth highway and everyone who I talked to was recounting the story of a family that were mauled by a Grizzly bear that night just outside Cooke City. They were camping in a campground....

http://www.kbzk.com/news/fatal-grizzly-attack-in-cooke-city-still-under-investigation/

The Beartooth highway is one of the most scenic routes you imagine, and the towns either end of it Cooke City and Red Lodge are wall to wall bikers, mostly Harley riders. The people in Montana are a wary bunch, friendly up to a point but the conversation always seems to dry up pretty quickly.....

I came across an add for a car wash, you can read it above....if you want your hole vacuumed this is the guy to call! :-)

The only other thing of note was I saw a dead rattle snake which had been flattened by something or other....

And so ended another gorgeous day.... man I was sooooo due rain!

Take Care
Oisin
 
Montana looks amazing........definately on my list of places to visit!
 
Wyoming...

<table><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFESKdvUvVI/AAAAAAACQvs/7yvNhGbTGOg/s800/DSC_0093.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFESM4DLTDI/AAAAAAACPLk/6BJS3xn8UnQ/s720/DSC_0094.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFERz4EcHpI/AAAAAAACPJI/IE4lJT9hAVg/s720/DSC_0085.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFER4MaPXCI/AAAAAAACPJo/YfRZpUm5QRk/s720/DSC_0087.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFEMYykeo2I/AAAAAAACOuY/844Ult6H9TY/s640/DSC00647.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFEM1e2qKTI/AAAAAAACOxs/n63TxPTKZnc/s640/DSC00683.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFJT9pL3AYI/AAAAAAACPRo/g32l4rS5iyE/s720/DSC_0004.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFJcKJOmURI/AAAAAAACPSI/fx6MwcV6w0w/s720/DSC_0005.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOE1VWCmNI/AAAAAAACPTI/voH-5dXQh4Q/s720/DSC_0006.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFIoNFehI/AAAAAAACQwI/P1FnmmKGiNo/s912/DSC_0013.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFOFWfrRI/AAAAAAACPVM/O2ojZSiZI2k/s720/DSC_0014.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFXBQUA5I/AAAAAAACPVw/3fpV02mqRic/s720/DSC_0016.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFa9XTtxI/AAAAAAACQwg/Ikd12u3oExY/s720/DSC_0017.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFkvyVtlI/AAAAAAACQxU/SmK3l4M1sVw/s912/DSC_0021.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFoTaojkI/AAAAAAACQxc/ad6oFuv9us0/s912/DSC_0022.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOFo4uBQKI/AAAAAAACQxk/9I_NBVr262E/s800/DSC_0023.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOF2v-8NVI/AAAAAAACQxs/vU03HqNVDwk/s912/DSC_0028.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOF70-zvRI/AAAAAAACQx0/FMkRfHkMcTU/s800/DSC_0031.jpg"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOF96QM6lI/AAAAAAACQx8/OVvc9SDqZwE/s800/DSC_0033.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOGBjD8BMI/AAAAAAACPa0/vg-LuUQWFDA/s720/DSC_0035.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOGDKmEgDI/AAAAAAACPbI/qPcWr4KmnRE/s720/DSC_0036.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHfVzt1hI/AAAAAAACQyM/7UnNMUU710U/s640/DSC00705.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHmqleinI/AAAAAAACPxM/STz2tA9tUoc/s640/DSC00730.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHm_yDxbI/AAAAAAACPxU/7AsGj1h43B4/s640/DSC00731.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHsfDHWJI/AAAAAAACQzM/nbVP1FJCuaE/s640/DSC00746.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHywTtexI/AAAAAAACP1M/ig7wjjitogY/s640/DSC00760.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHzUa4r7I/AAAAAAACP1c/2SrUQrJ8DoI/s640/DSC00762.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOH0gjGjHI/AAAAAAACP10/n15Ch0A7HSg/s640/DSC00765.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOH1AOwSVI/AAAAAAACP18/UQNW5JO5L7U/s640/DSC00766.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOH2IS5UkI/AAAAAAACP2U/gX4K3NHVsUo/s640/DSC00769.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOH-vM9owI/AAAAAAACP5U/sajFjw1rWr0/s640/DSC00792.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOGmLggibI/AAAAAAACPhM/OXMntkvzrZw/s720/DSC_0059.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIHiicE5I/AAAAAAACP8A/5-G0CTdQEk4/s640/DSC00810.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHAvvg9VI/AAAAAAACPmQ/Sm1quv_M0w0/s512/DSC_0077.jpg"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHINYODBI/AAAAAAACPoM/Bd644xUEGh8/s720/DSC_0084.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr></table>

I was having a ball just riding around in Montana and on into Wyoming. I skirted through bits of Yellowstone Park under blue cloudless skies without a care in the world.

The last time I was here I almost X-rayed the place I took so many pictures, in some ways I used to think that I had to get the picture to prove I was there. As you ride around Yellowstone you can see Queues of people all doing the same thing, waiting to stand by the sign while they get their picture taken, isn’t it crazy?

Can you imagine the conversation….. “So where did you go on holiday?” …

”We went to Yellowstone” …

” I don’t ****ing believe you …you’re a liar…....prove it!”

At which point the person whips out the picture and says “Ha Ha….see I’ve got a photo…..now…stick that where the sun don’t shine”…

I can almost see god in heaven smacking his forehead saying…. “Reckon it’s about time for a plague”

I made my way to Cody Wyoming where I stayed for the night and met some really cool folks (Mr and Mrs Pat Murphy would you believe!) who had travelled all over the world including Russia and large parts of Africa. We went out for Mexican grub and yapped the whole night away about all sorts of things.

The next morning I needed to get back on some rough roads, it was time to ante up on the adventure side of the trip so I took some dirt roads which led to Geological centre’s. Hmmm….is it just me or is the clutch acting up. After an hour and a very fluffy feeling clutch I said I better get back on the asphalt.

The rest of day revolved round riding through beautiful canyons, I really didn’t know that Wyoming had so much stuff going on, and compared to the regions around Yellowstone park its relatively empty, with almost no traffic on the road.

I passed through some really tiny towns, "Emblem" with a population of ten was two blinks of the eye, and "Shell" a little further on a mere one flick of the head to the right and left.

The only downside is wearing the jeans and with the heat... I think I may be contracting a case of Monkey butt.

Over and out
Oisin
 
The big trip

Hi
I just stumbled across you and all your posts, they are fantastic-looks like your having a ball.
I admit too seeing your first post and thinking 'he won't keep all the photos up'. More fool me:blast.
Keep up the posts and enjoying yourself
travel safe:rob
Chod
 
Up to Mount Rushmore...

<table><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGaUWyrObI/AAAAAAACRFc/oANMVrEPdmk/up%20to%20Sioux%20Falls%20South%20Dakota.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIXkWoa5I/AAAAAAACQAc/3RK0F06NNVw/s640/DSC00843.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIYyFudWI/AAAAAAACQA0/EziYrVoZbcI/s640/DSC00847.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIahcXMhI/AAAAAAACQBc/qe5PPNXfFE4/s640/DSC00852.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIc9mohHI/AAAAAAACQCE/LFl6mBB5k78/s640/DSC00857.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIdZRikbI/AAAAAAACQCM/46vrsQu7hqE/s640/DSC00858.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIeLQSflI/AAAAAAACQCc/uC9SE4t7A80/s640/DSC00860.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIeRGOsCI/AAAAAAACQCk/hVuxZ4G6scY/s640/DSC00861.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIgxFa6NI/AAAAAAACQDk/y0cF-Pw-g18/s640/DSC00868.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIjSRUz8I/AAAAAAACQEk/QTyVl83cIGA/s640/DSC00883.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIkTL0H1I/AAAAAAACQE8/niOgYW1DgTE/s640/DSC00886.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIl8iMfcI/AAAAAAACQFg/Hbj_skkrO1g/s640/DSC00890.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIrym2qPI/AAAAAAACQHk/jQzP2b577Ng/s640/DSC00906.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOItCVMYwI/AAAAAAACQH8/kPOEJSg7FoY/s640/DSC00909.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOIuDKIGMI/AAAAAAACQIc/07UwQRNw3Gk/s640/DSC00919.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFOHTz9DKaI/AAAAAAACPrg/TslPn0oeFl0/s800/DSC_0096.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbdQ6d2ySI/AAAAAAACQbs/JT0SiP2hrHo/s640/DSC01027.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbdTtHh9ZI/AAAAAAACQb8/XkbyHjckhGs/s640/DSC01029.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbdBufvWwI/AAAAAAACQZc/iGKGtjX6Klg/s640/DSC01009.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbdKtc8_YI/AAAAAAACQa4/dkW-Ln70SNw/s640/DSC01019.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbc6qa6OII/AAAAAAACQYI/MUII75et1vs/s640/DSC00999.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbctjUznVI/AAAAAAACQWA/B1cKJ3Gn2VQ/s640/DSC00982.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbcozYsScI/AAAAAAACQVk/c7Ln2huRZNc/s640/DSC00979.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbcqCHCcHI/AAAAAAACQVs/bX9YFZkFE7A/s640/DSC00980.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbcRz5KwUI/AAAAAAACQT0/1rhwwOx5yX0/s640/DSC00964.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGX3A3rufI/AAAAAAACQ5k/84vEKMkjJ_E/s720/DSC_0002.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGX8cWc0zI/AAAAAAACQ6U/JO7TYRKuJhE/s512/DSC_0005.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYIUq-IoI/AAAAAAACQ7c/jkQiqsiip5g/s720/DSC_0009.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYJCOZsLI/AAAAAAACRGg/MOPX6dSNp5E/s720/DSC_0009.jpg"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYEdIa3DI/AAAAAAACQ7E/CFwnJyJDpTI/s720/DSC_0007.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYQl_DemI/AAAAAAACRGY/2FNn5hwyqNo/s640/DSC01066.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></table>

Well things started to get a bit crap from this point on.

My rear tire was squaring off big time, I suppose it had 11,000km on it at this stage so it was due a change, I was looking at it wondering...hmmm will it make it to Minneapolis where I planned to get it serviced.

Anytime I stopped for a cold drink and there was a biker there I's ask there opinion, the general consensus was that I was fine.

The second problem was my clutch, every now and then it was sticking, either wouldn't go into Nuetral or just wouldn't change gear and eventually it started making a whirring noise....a whirring noise you say?....yes a whirring noise.....just say Whir.....and hold that R till you choke..and you'll get the general idea.

The bike had over 50,000 miles on it and after the punishment it had taken over the Pan Am, Mongolia and Far eastern russia I reckoned it was shaping up to shit the bed at any moment. I decided that I couldn't go through any small towns, i had to try and minimize any and all clutch movements and just hope and pray it would get me to Minneapolis.

So what followed was two days on the Interstate....straight, hot, unchanging...it was like having to watch a soap opera. I tuned into the TV show Dynasty every week for years hoping some bird would get the tits out....this was something like that, except nothing ever happens on the interstate....which makes it much like Dynasty I guess.

Quick little repeater rant on American TV. One of the nights there was so much violence on the TV I was "holy ****"'ing like a whores bastard. From dudes getting crushed under a container and them showing the body, to serial killers burying people and every manner of gore imaginable... just gruesome stuff. But can you see the female form ..? nope!...nada...not a boob, not a bum, not a bush, nada nada nada. Let me roll out a really big....."whats up with that!"

Well you might say... I thought you had a laptop with you...why not just look up some porn?..well any guy will tell you...its not the same.....the TV is better. In Ireland the first look we ever got at that sort of thing was the carry on movies...and even to this day...guys in Ireland will sit through those movies to get a goo at "Barbara whats her face"'s backside in the shower.

Anyway...where was I...long hot boring roads...

With the clutch in such bad shape I'd to skip the bad lands but did make it to Mount Rushmore....and let me say what every person who has ever seen them says...."Jaysus they're way smaller than they look on TV"

Rushmore is close to a town called Keystone, which is a place where Capitalism vomited all over a town. You have never seen so many hotels, arcades, souvenir shops, in your entire life.

After that...I just kept on riding......hoping Sam Gamgee would hold together....it was only 1800 miles..... cmon....hold together....at least get me to Minneapolis

Over and out...
Oisin
 
she be right

By the time you read this you will be at the dealers I reckon, but as long as the tyres not showing canvas no problem,I always max mine out and had no probs:thumb:augie
Image0380.jpg
thats easy 1000 miles after there was no tread pattern left.
they are tougher than people think they are.:aidan
 
Oisin

you are now in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance territory. he set out from Minneapolis in 1968
 
Beartooth Video

The video clip and soundtrack are magic. I keep rewatching it and its a real feelgood movie. Superb ! Brilliant !
 
Up to leaving Minneapolis...

<table><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMGwwsb8SI/AAAAAAACR0g/Txj-IOB55zE/up%20to%20fremont%20ohio.jpg" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYXND5PDI/AAAAAAACQ8E/DvZdU8S4SmA/s640/DSC01071.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGYzqUrKjI/AAAAAAACR78/dFRjmJj_1Sw/s912/DSC01079.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMJI-NfoHI/AAAAAAACR3g/gXkkE3UMU_Q/s512/DSC01032.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMJRtnb3KI/AAAAAAACR3o/_7SU1d0vyHI/s640/DSC01033.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMJfqMKT5I/AAAAAAACR38/M_RcEjJDgiY/s640/DSC01035.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMJwDqnxpI/AAAAAAACR4k/mxbd6HRXr1o/s640/DSC01038.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMKXEInYnI/AAAAAAACR5E/wqhZjJnwKGE/s640/DSC01042.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMKpOtNrKI/AAAAAAACR54/eRyLtpyEcBg/s640/DSC01048.JPG"></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMKwiwmqHI/AAAAAAACR6Q/bkqnlW58OyY/s640/DSC01051.JPG" WIDTH = 700></tr></td><tr><td><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGMLMuMMidI/AAAAAAACR7Q/CXT2BMvHuHw/s640/DSC01057.JPG"></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TFbczHE0H5I/AAAAAAACQWw/NNB1lZlWQFA/s640/DSC00988.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr><tr><td><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8x5h-fHHXiI/TGGY8T2SqFI/AAAAAAACQ-U/PLmeljtbyLk/s640/DSC01089.JPG" WIDTH = 800></tr></table>

The folks living in south Dakota are a very friendly bunch. I made my way to the town of Sioux falls and while I was in getting a milkshake I met a guy called Jon who was also driving a GS. Himself and a few buddies were over in nearby bar having a few beers and invited me over. A group of seven or eight of us sat outside making the most of a seemingly never ending happy hour.

There was a real mixed crowd in the bar, everything from 21 to 70 years of age and there were lots of bikers coming and going outside, DUI is very much alive in South Dakota!...

The lads were telling a story of how one of the guys got really drunk and as he was driving home was puking to his side and just kept on driving while he was puking... We were all howling laughing.

The guys were telling me that every road in the state...and they do mean every single one...either runs north to south or east to west...the whole place is just like one big grid.

The next morning I went to Minneapolis. The guys had directed me to Leo South a BMW dealer on the way north to Minneapolis and I duly stopped there to get a new back tire, an oil change and to figure out what the hell was up with the clutch. The guys took me straight in and of course when I tried to show them what was up with the clutch the bike behaved itself like there was never a problem. We chatted it over and said it might just have been a bit of dirt or something like which shook itself loose, sounded good to me and off I went up to Minneapolis to visit my buddy Mike Bond and his family.

I got to within 3 miles of where I needed to get to before the clutch packed in big style. It wouldn't change gear and the gear lever was just flapping. As always when you break down there was a pile of traffic behind me all looking at me like I was buttoned up the back.

I managed to get the bike to neutral and into first and the bike bucked like it was rodeo horse till I got to the motel. I'd got there on Saturday and I'd be stuck until the Monday at the earliest. If you've to change a Clutch in a BMW motorcycle your talking a minimum of a 1000 Euro and thats just for the labour so I Wasn't looking forward to the outcome. I talked to the guys and told them that the bike only had to make it to new york, and then another 50 miles from Dublin airport to portarlington, they are the only miles the bike will ever see...so if they could keep things to a minimum that would be appreciated.

While I was kicking my heels I hooked up with my buddy Mike Bond and his family. We worked together for two years with Intel in Portland, he left there to become a doctor and is now based in Minneapolis. I was telling him about the bribing routine in the Ukraine...."So is this a big problem ($50)..... or a small problem ($20)? and it became the running joke for the weekend. I asked him whether or not he got to do many TUBES as a doctor. He said "Tubes?" I said yeah... Totally Unnecessary Boob Exams...

Dan Mckenzie a biker from southern Minnesota popped up to say hello and while he was there we even found the time to fix a woman's car, in fairness it was only the battery..but I'm pretty sure when I'm retelling this story to my grandkids It'll be an engine rebuild done with out bare hands.

I got the bike back and the mechanic went through the problem, that it wasn't fully fixed but it should be enough to get me home.

There isn't a whole pile in the way of scenery when your stuck on the interstate which you can probably tell from the pictures above.

I packed up and left Minneapolis on the way to Chicago when while pulling in to get some gas I noticed the final drive was sweating oil...... "you bastard!!"

Over and out
Oisin
 
Up to leaving Pensylvania...

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While I was in Minneapolis I got a mail from Bob Aalbue in Chicago saying to come on over and to stay in his place. I've never really done this, in three massive trips I've never stayed in someone's house who I haven't either met before or talked to on the phone....so the head starts going....bet this dude is a serial killer....just my luck...I'll be decapitated and kept in the fridge with less than a thousand miles to go to New york.

As usual, there was no need to worry, Bob was one of the soundest men you could meet. He invited a couple of his buddies over to share a beer and we'd a great time. One of his buddies Will is a police officer who used to serve with the army and had some great stories about Europe and Honduras as well as lots of climbing stories. We stayed up supping beer till almost 1am which was a good innings when you consider we started at 7pm. Bob and will are planning a run up to Churchill in Canada which involves a 150 mile trek on train tracks..... good luck with that one lads :-)

The next morning Bob escorted me to the interstate....and I was on my way again....thanks a mill for the hospitality Bob!...and if your ever in Ireland look me up!!

The states get very small as you go east and it seemed like every couple of hours I passed through another one. Illinois, Indiana, and then Ohio.

My plan was to take highway six the whole way into New York, it would mean I could go slow and preserve the final drive and it would also get me off the interstate...and the early going was fine.

When I passed into Ohio I started to notice some of the most insanely fat bastards I've ever seen. Now I'm carrying a fair bit of storage myself so normally I'm not one to talk, but all of these people were a minimum of a hundred pounds over weight. Several had to be strapped at the knee, some couldn't even fit into the chairs in the restaurants, one person I saw had to be pulled out of a booth in a diner....it was like someone had hit the fat bastard switch.

Highway 6 was turning into a nightmare....it was quickly becoming the worlds largest suburb and by the time it got to Cleveland it was a parking lot so I got back on the interstate to get the city behind me. The countryside in this part of the world is nice enough, its not particularly photogenic though, you never really see anything thats worthy of taking a picture of.... I remember remarking to myself...dude you just passed through the entire state of Indiana and didn't take a single picture.

I stopped for the night in Fremont and got a note from Chris Dawe in Pennsylvania...offering me a place to stay when I got there. I took him up on the offer and arrived in his place in the early afternoon.

Chris has hosted a heap of motorcycle adventure travelers in his time and knows exactly what your looking for. Some cold beer, somewhere to wash you clothes, some grub and a great chat. Chris lives with his Mother who is 84 years old, although her outlook and the way she talks and goes about day to day living is more like a 50 year old, she was a great laugh. Chris stuffed me full of grub and beer and was a great host.....

Later on that evening we took the bikes out for a spin round the lake....and then out the back of his house where he has 88 acres to burn your bike around in.....

I only had 160 miles to go to New York, the clutch felt like it was going to go any second and I kept on thinking I heard the final drive making some strange noises or other....surely both of them had another 160 miles in them...

New york tomorrow...Since leaving Ireland in April, I'd done over 20,000 miles on the bike....

take care
Oisin
 
...Start Spreading the news...

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Chris rode with me to the interstate and thankfully the bike seemed fine. It was 90deg and the heat was murder so I pulled over for a soda which is when I noticed the final drive had leaked out what remained of the oil in it, or close to it I reckoned. Thankfully it was beside a garage and there was a mechanic close by. I gave him a shout, he said he didn't know much about motorcycles, especially BMW's but Bob Allbue had given me a procedure for filling up the FD so with that in hand we filled it up and did a botch job to get me to New york which was only 90 miles away....

I got back on the road and as I got closer and closer to New York I'd love to say that I was welling up with excitement but I wasn't..... there were too many bike problems to enjoy the ride in. The clutch was acting the bollix, the FD had me nervous but I reckoned it was ok, ..and the heat meant that if I hit traffic the bike would be overheating in no time.

Well as it happened, it was the George Washington Bridge that was my eventual undoing. I hit the tail back from the bridge about two miles back and with all the clutching involved in riding through stopped/slow moving traffic the clutch finally went tits up......on no other place that the George Washington bridge in mental traffic. The only thing that saved my blushes was that one of the lanes was was traffic coned off so I could just move the bike over to the side. I checked the clutch oil...there was no leaks....checked the hose down to the connection point...it was fine too.... I did the glorious mysteries of the Rosary hoping it was just air in the line...and tied the clutch lever the full way back hoping the air would come to the top. The bike was overheating also with the heat so the break would at least get that cooled down.

After about ten minutes and 50,000 Glances at "Ponse features Hughes" from passing New yorkers the cops showed up....

I just told them I was broken down....I explained the story...but made out like it just happened so I didn't have to answer the ...."What the hell were you doing taking a limping bike in New york city traffic"

They asked where I was from ....blah blah....where I had been...in fairness they were great.... I told them I was 15 minutes from home... I only had to make it to ...the ship-my-bike guys in Long Island....

I told them...this may go...like be ridable..... in a minute....and told them what I thought the problem was... so fair balls to the them....when I started the bike and was able to get it in gear they followed me down the long Island expressway till I got off near where I was headed....

The bike spluttered and jumped as I drove up to the shipping company...but it had got to new york and so had I!

I stripped off the clothes I was wearing, gave myself a wing wash with some baby wipes and the lads in shipmybike.com dropped me to the train station where I'd catch a train into Penn Station in New York. As I was buying the ticket I noticed a bar across the street....I toddled over....sat up on a high stool......and wet the back of my throat with two celebratory Sam Adams.

I got to Penn Station and got a Taxi to East 63rd steet where Derval o Connell had organised a place for me to stay...hadn't seen her in over 2 years...so we'd heaps of gossip to catch up on.....

So thats it almost over bar the shouting....

The only deed left to do is fly home to Ireland and ride the bike back to Portarlington where the will be retired and placed alongside Sam Gamgee 1, the bike I did my first Pan American trip on.

Its only 51 miles..... it should be ok..

So there'll be about another 3 posts, the getting home bit, and also I have a couple of video's I wan't to cut and share with you covering from Bruges to Barnaul in Russia....

Take care
Oisin
 
Oisin
Congratulations on making it to NYC! What an amazing trip and fantastic reports and photography. Safe home from the States....
Barry.
 
Well done big lad :thumb

I'm happy for ya .... yet so sad, daft innit :tears
:beerjug:
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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