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2010 is upon us!
I hope all had a great year of riding and a wonderful holiday
season. I am really looking
forward to the next year. We
have a lot of great events and programs to look forward to.
To start off, the upcoming “See the USA With
the AVA” passport program previewed in this issue's
Voyagers' Voice will launch with the March/April issue with an
application and all appropriate information.
I am looking forward to this as it will be a great complement to
the AVA, and other affiliates are signing as endorsing this program and
will list it on their websites and in their magazines.
The net proceeds of this program will go to a charity to help
supply our troops overseas with personal items they badly need that are
not supplied by the military.
There will also be regional rallies and our big international rally in Holiday Valley, New York in July to enjoy. I am really looking forward to this as things are shaping up very well, and I am hoping for a record attendance. This is a beautiful part of the country with a lot to offer. One thing I would like to remind everyone about is that we are only 70 miles from the Canadian border. So, for those of you who do not have passports or passport cards, now is a good time to do the paperwork and get one for your summer travels. (there is info and a link on the Rally page to get information on costs and how to do this- webmaster).
I would also like to issue a challenge to everyone to bring new members
into the AVA in 2010 and let them see what the Fun & Friendship of the
AVA is all about! Things are
looking up for the AVA. A
lot of exciting things are happening, and I would truly like to see our
membership grow. Again, I look forward to the upcoming riding season. And I look forward to seeing all of you this coming year. We are the greatest group of people on the face of the Earth! God bless you all and I hope to see you in New York in July at the rally!
May the Fun & Friendship of the AVA be with you! Sincerely, Duane Ash (email), Chairman of the Board
When I got my VV1700 I was thinking I would not ride when it is too cold to be uncomfortable or in the snow. I have not managed to do that in my previous several bikes as I would usually go on trips early or late in the year. When I planned this trip I knew it would be a possibility I wouldn’t make the Wisconsin part of the trip. As the time approached I kept checking the weather in Wisconsin. It was looking OK, but when the time arrived a cool front was coming into Colorado and bringing rain. Wednesday morning dawned with clouds over the mountains, but sunny here in the basin. By the time I left at noon it was cloudy all over and not very warm. I put on my electric jacket liner and winter jacket and insulated over pants and headed north. I stopped in Carrizozo for gas under cloudy skies and drizzle. As I filled up, the drizzle turned to sleet and snow. I headed north and the snow got worse. The landscape turned white, but it never stuck to the road. I had to reach around the fairing to wipe the snow off so I could see. I rode thru snow for 70 miles to Vaughn where it quit and the skies actually cleared for a while when I got to Santa Rosa. That lasted for about 100 miles and then it got dark and started raining again.
What a beautiful time of year, cool crisp mornings with the leaves changing this first weekend of December. What a great day for a ride BUT remember to dress properly in layers for the afternoons warm up. This year our local Toys for Tots ride ESCORTED 1400 bikes, all shapes and sizes, from every riding class. If anyone has never ridden on this type of ride, its one you can never relax during, from the start there is congestion...
...The first group I rode with was about 25 bikes most of which
I’ve ridden with before so you know who you can trust and who you give
extra room to. Our ride leader did not have a radio or any mirrors that
I could tell.
Leaving the parking lot started ok till we hit the first
traffic light where the leader and the first four bikes made the light
on yellow which split the group.
Being the first bike at the light the job was
passed of joining back up...
...The escorted ride proved to be all that was expected from the first turn watching riders form to stagger formation to single file to I don’t know where I want to ride maybe center track to maybe right maybe left. Then onto the interstate wide open throttle seventy to eighty mile per hour to catch up then hard braking to all stop. Unfortunately three bikes locked up rear wheels slid and got into each other, from the skid marks liked like they all did a 360. (read the rest of the story in the Jan/Feb Voyagers Voice)
Happy New Year!!!! Can you believe
it is 2010 already? I apologize for
missing the last column as I had this pneumonia thing and actually missed 6 days
of work. Never had that happen before on an illness. A couple of surgeries kept
me out for awhile.
Since I am not very mechanical...I prefer to fix/replace/repair once and be done with it. That is why, for example, I bought an Odyssey battery. Instead of replacing the OEM unit every other year, I can replace it every 5 or 6 years. Same with oil.
I recently replaced my brake lines with the newer braided type.
Spent $140 or so, as I recall. And I used Amsoil synthetic brake fluid. I
figure I am done with brake lines...
...I'm sure not one to spend money extravagantly (just ask my ex-wife), but one place I won't go second rate is brake lines. For performance and longevity, the braided stainless lines are simply superior to the OEM style hoses.
Half Moon Bay
Campout
The weather
is warm, no sea breeze, and blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds.
I’m sitting on the picnic table looking out at the ocean waiting for
NorCal campers to arrive. Half Moon Bay doesn’t get many days where
it’s warm and no sea breeze. I didn't wait long before Monte
arrives, riding his Voyager pulling a utility trailer. We greet and
chat awhile then we both set up our campsites. Before long I bid
Monte bye-bye since I have to be in San Mateo. After work Trisha
heads over to the campground to see Monte. On the way she sees a
Voyager at Tres Amigos Mexican restaurant and stops to find Monte
who just finished dinner. Friday morning I see Trisha off to work and head over to the campground to meet Monte. Monte lives just north of the LA area, so yesterday he rode about 350 miles to get to the campout. Today we were to go to see some sights in San Francisco. Instead we stay at the campground and BS and set up the NorCal banner. On Thursday I went to the hardware store and bought some PVC pipe. Monte and I used it to make a frame for the banner. As afternoon came on so did the wind. At first it wasn’t bad. Ernie and Lisa arrive riding the 2009 1700 Voyager fully loaded. Marvin and Shirley arrived, riding what Marvin has built using his old Voyager and Ray Walls Voyager. We’re all standing around looking at Marvin’s Voyager. He is showing us his floorboards and the heel toe shifter that he made with parts on hand. Marvin and Shirley start setting up camp, again Marvin made the trailer and the tent that mounts on top of the trailer. As the afternoon becomes evening Trisha shows up and the wind is getting stronger...(read the rest of the story in the Jan/Feb Voyagers Voice).
What's in the Latest
Voyagers' Voice Magazine:
As you can see, there is a lot of information packed into each Voyagers' Voice issue, some of which is highlighted on this website, other information is available only through the hardcopy magazine. If you're a member of the AVA, you're kept up on the latest and greatest for Voyaging everywhere, if not, you should seriously consider a membership to the AVA, there is no place where you can get more info on Kawasaki Voyagers specifically, and touring in general, for more information, visit our membership page or contact the AVA office. |
