Lightning
Just got it firing!
After my on going quest to find a EV-T for the wife and I, I finally found one at the right price up in ST. Paul, MN. Price was right, mileage was right... every thing was a go. Dealer even was willing to pick me up at the airport. Booked my plane ticket and for some reason could't find any flights that were direct, they all seemed to have odd connection. I wound up going to the Indy airport at 4:30, departed at 5:30 to Charlotte, NC. I was lucky because my connecting flight really wasn't much of a wait, soon as I got of the plane the other one was starting to board so I could ask for better timing. Back on the plane to MN and a wonderful 2hr flight that I couldn't take a nap on... new bike jitters I guess. I finally land about 10AM my time so you can see I have been on the go for a bit and didn't get much sleep the night before... more of a nap.
The dealer was waiting for me at the arrivals area and easily found each other short introduction and off to the Guzzi. We actually mad a pit stop at another dealers store real quick so I could pick up a helmet... I didn't feel like lugging one around on the plane. Anyways he said they had better prices and a better selection that what they had at his store. How cool is that!!! We arrive at the shop and there is the pretty 03 EV-T sitting out front and then I really get excited. Exchange some paper work and I am off for a test ride. Took the bike out for about 15 mins and I was truly impressed by the handling and the linked brakes didn't pose much of an adjustment as I thought it would. When I got back from my test ride we finished the paper work up and I was off to a nice 2 day trip the the midwest. Get to see some country I have never seen before. B)
BEGIN DAY 1:
Plotted my course and it looked like US-52 ran all the way from ST. Paul into Indianapolis, figured this would be a good road, lots of places to stop and I just didn't feel like running interstates. Also gave me options just in case I felt like going some where else, you never no under these conditions if the bike wants to go somewhere else and who am I to argue with the bike. Had a nice leisurely ride into Iowa and stopped every so often just to top the bike off and down a bottle of water. The north part of Iowa was what I imagined, corn, tractors, and the occasional overpowering smell of a pig farm, still pretty non the less. Now I will add this about the people in Iowa, everyone waved at me... and I am not talking about passing bikes. Amish people in buggies, people in cars and trucks, people on the side of the road. That was a nice treat and surprised me a bit even though I am used to complete strangers waving at people passing by up here in Indiana but this was a whole new level I have never experienced before.
Now about 70 miles north of Dubuque is where 52 starts running parallel to the Mississippi basin, the road and topography change dramatically, just beautiful. I rolled in to Dubuque about 7PM and started looking for a hotel. At this point I am beat and doesn't matter how comfortable the EV-T was my body was just exhausted. Found a Holiday Inn Express and walked in looking like hell... got a room and then got the cost, $130!! Ouch but at that point I just didn't feel like getting on the bike and looking around a town I have never been in before to find a cheaper hotel... I am that tiered. Ahh, shower, food, change of clothes.... might be worth the expense at this point.
BEGIN DAY 2:
I woke the next morning and opened up the window to check on the bike... still there
However its raining, oh this is going to be a fun day... no rain suit, just my leather jacket. Made a cup of coffee and went outside to have a smoke and survey the weather. I called the wife and asked her to get some details, she reports back.."Its going to get worse". At this point I run back in get another coffee and woof down some breakfast and finish packing up a few things. Loaded the bike up and away I went heading back on 52 out of Dubuque. It wasn't raining hard but just enough to make it slightly miserable considering the gear I was wearing.
About a hour down the road I am getting close to Illinois... and it's still raining. Now I will say if you are ever on 52 and cross the Mississippi around Sabrina, IL.... pay very close attention to that bridge. It is 100% metal grate deck with the plates staggered, was not fun crossing while wet. I have never had any issue with ridding on metal grate before because its all over on the brides in FL. This one was a little hairy and spooked the hell out of me since it runs all the way down to the stop sign. Braking down hill on wet metal grate = not fun. :woohoo:
Now Illinois reminds me of everywhere else in the Mid-West, corn fields and cool little towns but I felt like I was in GA too. Its ok after the first hour or so but it feels like you never can get out of it.... I refer to places like this as "Time Taffy". Some places through TX are like this as well but if you ever drive and it feels like an hour but only gone 20 miles or 100 miles and it felt like 15 mins... you have experienced "Time Taffy". The rain is still spiting off and on but I am getting close to the edge of the front so I know at some point I will get some dry weather before the end of the day. At this point I am just going as fast as conditions will permit since my Father-in-law is meeting me somewhere down the road. Some where out east of Dixon, IL there is a huge windmill farm out there. had the urge to go joust them on the Guzzi... inner Don Quixote coming out I guess. Now I followed 52 though Joliet, IL since the old man said he would be on that road... don't go through the outer part of Chicago area... traffic is terrible.
I finally get get out of that cluster and stop off for some gas, maybe lunch and check the phone... the old man is at the IL/IN border n 52. I figure well I'll skip lunch, can't be that far down the road. Asked a guy and he said 25 to 30 miles... ok not bad. 70 miles later I find IN and the weather is dry.. Time Taffy!!! Anyways after the hook up we continue on 52 passing yet another HUGE wind farm just NW of Laffeyte, IN. AT this point I am hungry since I have not ate anything so I decide to cheat, about 65 miles from home I-65 was looking like a good idea. Blast in to the house about 7:30 and was a good thing I took 65 the rest of the way, was getting tired again.
Anyways taking a road trip on a new bike through places you have never been through before.. just great. Somewhere down that highway I found out that I was not riding the best performing bike I have ever owned, but it didn't matter. It just felt right and I still have not put my finger on what it is but have some odd sense of pride owning a running Guzzi now. I guess that is the magical attraction that most people will never understand unless they own a Guzzi. Not the longest trip I have ever made but I was able to pack about 800 miles on that maiden voyage... so I think I am off to a good start.
Aaron
The dealer was waiting for me at the arrivals area and easily found each other short introduction and off to the Guzzi. We actually mad a pit stop at another dealers store real quick so I could pick up a helmet... I didn't feel like lugging one around on the plane. Anyways he said they had better prices and a better selection that what they had at his store. How cool is that!!! We arrive at the shop and there is the pretty 03 EV-T sitting out front and then I really get excited. Exchange some paper work and I am off for a test ride. Took the bike out for about 15 mins and I was truly impressed by the handling and the linked brakes didn't pose much of an adjustment as I thought it would. When I got back from my test ride we finished the paper work up and I was off to a nice 2 day trip the the midwest. Get to see some country I have never seen before. B)
BEGIN DAY 1:
Plotted my course and it looked like US-52 ran all the way from ST. Paul into Indianapolis, figured this would be a good road, lots of places to stop and I just didn't feel like running interstates. Also gave me options just in case I felt like going some where else, you never no under these conditions if the bike wants to go somewhere else and who am I to argue with the bike. Had a nice leisurely ride into Iowa and stopped every so often just to top the bike off and down a bottle of water. The north part of Iowa was what I imagined, corn, tractors, and the occasional overpowering smell of a pig farm, still pretty non the less. Now I will add this about the people in Iowa, everyone waved at me... and I am not talking about passing bikes. Amish people in buggies, people in cars and trucks, people on the side of the road. That was a nice treat and surprised me a bit even though I am used to complete strangers waving at people passing by up here in Indiana but this was a whole new level I have never experienced before.
Now about 70 miles north of Dubuque is where 52 starts running parallel to the Mississippi basin, the road and topography change dramatically, just beautiful. I rolled in to Dubuque about 7PM and started looking for a hotel. At this point I am beat and doesn't matter how comfortable the EV-T was my body was just exhausted. Found a Holiday Inn Express and walked in looking like hell... got a room and then got the cost, $130!! Ouch but at that point I just didn't feel like getting on the bike and looking around a town I have never been in before to find a cheaper hotel... I am that tiered. Ahh, shower, food, change of clothes.... might be worth the expense at this point.
BEGIN DAY 2:
I woke the next morning and opened up the window to check on the bike... still there
However its raining, oh this is going to be a fun day... no rain suit, just my leather jacket. Made a cup of coffee and went outside to have a smoke and survey the weather. I called the wife and asked her to get some details, she reports back.."Its going to get worse". At this point I run back in get another coffee and woof down some breakfast and finish packing up a few things. Loaded the bike up and away I went heading back on 52 out of Dubuque. It wasn't raining hard but just enough to make it slightly miserable considering the gear I was wearing.About a hour down the road I am getting close to Illinois... and it's still raining. Now I will say if you are ever on 52 and cross the Mississippi around Sabrina, IL.... pay very close attention to that bridge. It is 100% metal grate deck with the plates staggered, was not fun crossing while wet. I have never had any issue with ridding on metal grate before because its all over on the brides in FL. This one was a little hairy and spooked the hell out of me since it runs all the way down to the stop sign. Braking down hill on wet metal grate = not fun. :woohoo:
Now Illinois reminds me of everywhere else in the Mid-West, corn fields and cool little towns but I felt like I was in GA too. Its ok after the first hour or so but it feels like you never can get out of it.... I refer to places like this as "Time Taffy". Some places through TX are like this as well but if you ever drive and it feels like an hour but only gone 20 miles or 100 miles and it felt like 15 mins... you have experienced "Time Taffy". The rain is still spiting off and on but I am getting close to the edge of the front so I know at some point I will get some dry weather before the end of the day. At this point I am just going as fast as conditions will permit since my Father-in-law is meeting me somewhere down the road. Some where out east of Dixon, IL there is a huge windmill farm out there. had the urge to go joust them on the Guzzi... inner Don Quixote coming out I guess. Now I followed 52 though Joliet, IL since the old man said he would be on that road... don't go through the outer part of Chicago area... traffic is terrible.
I finally get get out of that cluster and stop off for some gas, maybe lunch and check the phone... the old man is at the IL/IN border n 52. I figure well I'll skip lunch, can't be that far down the road. Asked a guy and he said 25 to 30 miles... ok not bad. 70 miles later I find IN and the weather is dry.. Time Taffy!!! Anyways after the hook up we continue on 52 passing yet another HUGE wind farm just NW of Laffeyte, IN. AT this point I am hungry since I have not ate anything so I decide to cheat, about 65 miles from home I-65 was looking like a good idea. Blast in to the house about 7:30 and was a good thing I took 65 the rest of the way, was getting tired again.
Anyways taking a road trip on a new bike through places you have never been through before.. just great. Somewhere down that highway I found out that I was not riding the best performing bike I have ever owned, but it didn't matter. It just felt right and I still have not put my finger on what it is but have some odd sense of pride owning a running Guzzi now. I guess that is the magical attraction that most people will never understand unless they own a Guzzi. Not the longest trip I have ever made but I was able to pack about 800 miles on that maiden voyage... so I think I am off to a good start.
Aaron
