"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

     WELL...once again I wanted to get to Anchorage in time to check into a motel, unload the bike, and then go the BMW dealer here (The Motorcycle Shop) in the hope that I could drop off the bike so they could get started changing the oil and replacing the rear brake pads. Sometimes there has to be a balance between what you need to accomplish and enjoying the ride. As it turned out I left Haley AK at 7:15 under a cloudy sky, and the clouds only got worse. As a result few pictures today. I just kept riding to see if I would ride out from under the cloud deck. As it turns out I didn't.

Riding under the cloud deck. Chilly, but no rain yet!

     As I rode I began to notice a vibration in the bike. It felt like I was running over small ridges: thump, thump, thump, ect. As I slowed down it became more apparent, as I sped up it seemed to diminish. As I rode I tried to figure out what it could be: the road, the tires, the rear brakes, wheel bearings? I needed to get this sorted out before I left Anchorage.

     "...just a thought..." When I started motorcycling many years ago the equipment was not as good as it is today. Rain suits often leaked, or made you sweat profusely. Saddle bags didn't hold much, and weren't "very" water proof. As a result often you rode through rain all day, getting wet, and then, when you set up your tent or checked into a motel you had damp clothes in the saddle bags to put on instead of the wet ones from the ride. Today saddle bags are much more water tight, and often they are detachable. You can just unlock them from the bike and carry them into the hotel, ect. The problem with that is that the saddlebags have been out in the weather, just like the rest of the bike. They are very dirty, just like the rest of the bike. The answer is to use saddle bag liners. The saddle bags keep them dry and clean so you don't make a mess in your motel room. Also, if the saddle bags do leak a little they keep your stuff dry. Believe me it is one of the simple pleasures after riding in rain all day to put on a set of dry clothes. As my ex-father in law used to say, "...it costs very little more to go first class."

Saddle bag liners: keeping your stuff dry and your room clean.

     I arrived in Anchorage around 1pm. I checked into the Sockeye Inn, unloaded the bike, and headed over to the shop. There a very nice young lady remembered our conversation over the phone, asked me to leave the bike there so they could get started on it. I called a taxi and got a ride back to the motel. I got a call from the dealer saying that they found that a wheel bearing in the rear wheel was bad, and that they had the bearing and the rear seal they needed to complete the repair.

Kriner's Diner, my kind of place! Simple but good food.

     Later I crossed the street from the motel to have dinner at Kriner's Diner. After dinner back to the hotel, do some laundry, watch a movie and get some sleep. Hopefully the bike will be done in the morning so that I can take a ride out to Seward. It's supposed to be a nice ride. We'll see!