Winter Ride to view Bald Eagles

[troy]

Wow, I can't imagine riding at that temperature at any fast speed!! You guys must be wearing heated clothing I assume?

Eddie has heated jacket and gloves. I only have heated grips. I own a heated vest, but did not bring it. Stupid. I wear a Fieldsheer suit that is very effective in keeping me warm and dry. My toes were very cold Fri night. Picked up toe warmers at Walmart, so that problem solved. My finger tips are occasionally cold, but nothing too bad. Biggest issue on this ride has been the crazy thick fog. We came to see eagles and we can't even see the Mississippi River.

Eddie had the wisdom to abandon our river town destinations--fog just too thick. We did see a few of them So we hit the hills instead. Great roads out here! We did a lot of slippery gravel today. Lost Creek Road had probably 15 creek crossings and no bridges. At some we had to hop off a solid ice shelf, ride through water, then hop back up ice on other side! Pick a straight line and hit it! The road had several places where it was completely iced over. Oh, and we did the whole thing in the dark!

Had a good dinner in Hermann, MO and a nice B&B to stay at. Tomorrow is gonna be another great day to ride.

[bonanzasteve]

That’s too bad you guys have not been able to see the eagles, but it sounds like you sure have made the best of the situation!

[safiri]

I own a heated vest, but did not bring it. Stupid.

Uhhhhhhhhh ... At leat lie and say it broke! Perhaps shorted out and caused sparks to fly out of your fly so you thought you ought to protect your manhood and ride with the vest unplugged!

[reddof]

I own a heated vest, but did not bring it. Stupid.

Uhhhhhhhhh ... At leat lie and say it broke! Perhaps shorted out and caused sparks to fly out of your fly so you thought you ought to protect your manhood and ride with the vest unplugged!

I hate when that happens. Trying to protect what's important and then sparks start going everywhere.

[troy]

I own a heated vest, but did not bring it. Stupid.

Uhhhhhhhhh ... At leat lie and say it broke! Perhaps shorted out and caused sparks to fly out of your fly so you thought you ought to protect your manhood and ride with the vest unplugged!

This will sound odd I know, but I really did not think I'd need it--the Fieldsheer suit keeps me that warm. Up to this point, my really cold weather riding has either been off-road, where the speed is low, or 15 mile commutes to work. On those commutes to work, that suit keeps me toasty.

Well, turns out the suit keeps me warm for 15 or so minutes, but 70 MPH for several hours and....well, I got a little chilly. But honestly, the only parts that got cold to the point of annoying were toes and finger tips.

On this trip, cold was not my problem--my problem was visibility. Between my breath fogging up the inside and the fog fogging up the outside and the mud from the gravel roads, it was a full-time balancing act keeping my visor clean enough to see. This is the second ride I've been on where I seem to have this issue and the other rider does not---so maybe I need a new helmet. One problem is that I can't leave the helmet cracked open because it snaps shut on it's own after about 30 MPH--then it fogs up with my breath. Mike, how well does that HJC breathbox thing work?

As for heated gear, I'm going to replace my heated vest with a heated jacket liner and matching glove liners. Heated grips don't really do the job when it's really cold. It forces you to try to grip hard around the bars to get the warmth into your fingers--does not really work that well.

Now...about the ride! We had a great time! Like I posted earlier, the original intent to view eagles got side-tracked by intense fog. We did see a couple eagles--which was cool. Eddie really know so much about all these little towns and the rivers--it's like being on a tour with a professional guide giving you interesting tidbits at every stop. He's also a whiz with the GPS and I was impressed at his on-the-fly route creation and following after we ditched the Mississippi river idea.

Helpful notes:

• Room #9 at the Harbour Inn in Hermann, MO includes a "view of the river". Really? I guess if you peek between those 2 buildings, and if it wasn't foggy.
• The heater in room #9 does not work.
• Just because the note on the bulletin board at the Harbour Inn says "The Fredericksburg Ferry is open", it is not a guarantee that the ferry is operational.
• The weatherman has a rather loose definition of "Sunny and 45 degrees".
• Just because the sun set 30 minutes ago and what is left of the "road" is intermittent ice, mud, and gravel with increasingly technical water crossings requiring you to traverse loose gravel bars--do not wuss out. Lost Creek Rd will take you to a highway.
• If you show up at Daybreak Donuts in Louisiana, MO after 1:00 PM, you can get a dozen donuts for only $5. Or, as it turns out, a coke, a cup of coffee, and a couple blueberry-cream cheese muffins for about the same price.
• If you choose to ride a motorcycle when it is around 30 degrees, you receive 2 reactions from people. Some think you are nuts and a rare few give you a big thumbs up or the fist in the air to indicate "rock on"!

[ajayhawkfan]

We made it back. Here is a summary of the First Annual Bald Eagle Winter Ride, 2010.

Total miles: 600
Weather: Average I would guess 35 degrees. The low was 28 the high was 40 and the 40 lasted only for a few minutes. We were in a fog almost the entire time. There are not a lot of pictures because of the fog.

Although we did not see many eagles it was a good trip. We hit a number of fun roads. I don't think either of us well forget Lost Creek Road. It is about 10 miles long in Warren County. It starts near Warrenton, MO and go SW towards Hermann. As Troy said there are 15 crossings, 5 were within 100 yards of each other. The crossing were all challenging because of the shelf of ice that was along the shore on both sides. You had to ride across the ice and then pop up on the ice on the other side. Sometimes the ice broke under the weight sometimes it did not. Once you hit the water it was best to speed up to smack into the ice on the other side. You either broke the ice shelf for popped up on it and then on to shore. It was a challenge for me every crossing.

Besides the water crossings were were a numerous of patches of ice that were anywhere from 5 to 25 yards long. I would stand on my pegs and idle through them If I would give any gas the rear tire would start sliding. It also seemed most of the ice patches were when the road was not much wider then a goat path with a straight drop to the creek below.



It was cold. I did not mind Troy crying about his cold feet but when he asked if he could put his feet on my back that night was too much. I asked for a separate room.

This is want we woke up to the next day.



Here is a scenic view of the Mississippi River......Trust me.



The best eagle picture I was able to take.



There were eagles everywhere, we were told.



When get got of the river valley the visibility improved. If found some wonderful roads.



At night in Herman.



Today along the Gasconade River.



Not seeing the eagles was a disappointment however we made the best of it.

Who is ready to commit for the Second Annaul Bald Eagles Winter Ride, 2011?

[ajayhawkfan]

Helpful notes:

• Room #9 at the Harbour Inn in Hermann, MO includes a "view of the river". Really? I guess if you peek between those 2 buildings, and if it wasn't foggy.
• The heater in room #9 does not work.

It gets very cold in room #9 around 1:30 in the morning and there are no extra blankets in the room.

[safiri]

- The HJC Breathbox works great. If you can't find something like it via your motorcycle store, check out a winter sports (snowmobile) store.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/ ... h-Box.aspx

- As to the visor snapping shut, buy new plastic do-hickeys [base plate] that hold the visor to the helmet ... the helmet part of the hinge. HJC sells them.
http://www.newenough.com/helmets_eyewea ... e_kit.html

I have bought both the breathbox and hinges through New Enough. Two thumbs up to both for winter riding.

Another option besides full jacket and gloves, buy some Hippo Hands:
http://www.hippohands.com/ [I have a pair for my F650 ... they allow me to wear gloves 20oF warmer than the temps would call for] or Elephant Ears http://www.cyclebuy.com/shopping/msr/msr_handshield.htm [I have no experience with these ... you could make something similar out of milk bottles or so I have read. Nope, haven't done that!]


As to your ride ... rock on!

[troy]

Thanks for the info and links, Mike!

I posted the few photos I took in my Picasa Web Album. With the overcast skies and fog, I did not bother to take many.

http://picasaweb.google.com/wolf.troy/201001_EagleRide#

[ajayhawkfan]

The Second Annual Winter Ride to view Bald Eagles is in the planning stage. This year there will be a primary date and a secondary. I'm think sometime in January again.

Who would be interested?

[troy]

HELL NO. You ride once with Eddie, and you'll know what I mean. I'm still walking funny.

I'm in.

[ajayhawkfan]

HELL NO. You ride once with Eddie, and you'll know what I mean. I'm still walking funny.

I'm in.

Maybe we'll see some this year.

[ajayhawkfan]

Only one saying yes? Where is the adventure in you guys?

[troy]

I know one thing that is preventing folks from signing up -- lack of a suitable motorcycle. "Dualsport" motorcycles are not the same as "Adventure" motorcycles. In my mind, your GS1200 Adventure and my Vstrom 650 are "Adventure" motorcycles. These are comfortable machines to ride 75 MPH pavement all day or run gravel roads until the sun goes down. A DR650 or DRZ400 are "Dualsport" motorcycles that I'd not get really excited about running 70+ MPH for more than 100 miles at a time. However, I could ride gravel at 35 to 55 MPH all day long on those dualsport motorcycles. The KLR650 is kind of in a class by itself. While I'd rather ride my Vstrom on a 300 mile day, you can do it on a KLR650--and I have.

I guess my point is, while you can do about anything on about any motorcycle if you have the skill and desire, the percentage of folks with "Adventure" motorcycles is tiny in comparison to the number of folks with "street-legal dirt race bikes" that pass off as "dualsport".

So if you think of the number of RideForum folks with a compatible machine to ride, unfortunately you can't expect many folks to raise a hand for this one.

Surely if you (and you probably have), expand the invite via the KC-based AdvRider threads, we'll have more folks sign up.

Eddie is willing to take a passenger. His only requirement is that you wear assless chaps, answer to "Pedro", and call him "master".

[ajayhawkfan]

I believe a 650 Dakar would make the trip very comfortably.

[troy]

I know how to get folks to sign up....

I guess only the REAL riders--the TOUGH GUYS--go on rides like this in the winter. REAL riders don't post topics like "What do you guys do to winterize your motorcycles?" Winterize?! I put on warmer clothes and ride.

[ajayhawkfan]

[ajayhawkfan]

I have been looking at a map and calender.

I am flexible on the date but am thinking about leaving noon on Friday January 14. Return on Sunday the 16th or on the 17th (Martin Luther King Holiday).

The general route would be include staying Friday night in Louisiana or Hannibal, MO. The next day head south and cross the Mississippi River on the Golden Eagle Ferry. Then cross the Illinois River on the Grafton Ferry. Ride North along the river through Quincy and then cross back across the river on the Canton Ferry. Continue north to Keokuk, Iowa and crossing again. We will then ride north to Nauvoo, IL. After Nauvoo we will cross back into Iowa at Fort Madison. From Madison to Athens, MO (Site of northern most Civil War Battle) and then work our way home.

Some interesting web site:
http://www.greatriverroad.com/pere/pereindex.htm
http://www.historicnauvoo.net/
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ ... d_fort.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ ... %281861%29

[ajayhawkfan]

Note to all:

In the evenings I like to rock out late into the night to the Jonis Brothers in the little outfit Troy gave that includes the pink chaps he likes so much. That tends to keep others up. Being the considerate person I am, I will be in a motel room by myself at night.

[troy]

Note to all: ...

I think "all" is just you and me, Eddie.