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Ride report Bean Blossom, Part1
Quote from Guest on July 3, 2004, 7:43 pmBob's Beam Blossom Trip
Part oneSo that others will know and be able follow along with a map, I will describe the route which I will follow. Find Cadillac Michigan and the 131 expressway. My trip will begin just south east of Cadillac in the town of Evart Michigan. Take US 10 West to Reid City, then turn South on US 131. Just south of Kalamazoo the express way ends but 131 continues on south. I will pick up US 12 and turn west at the town of Mottville. Then turn south on MI103 which will become Indiana route 15 at the state line. My route will run through the towns of Goshen, New Paris, Milford and filially to Warsaw where I will stay at a friends home for the night.
In the morning after a leisurely breakfast, the trip to Bean Blossom resumed at 10 AM with a turn to the south on Indiana route 15. My friends had told me about a lovely covered bridge in the town of Roann so I turned west on IN Route 16. The bridge was well kept and I photographed it and continued going west on Rt 16. At Rt 19, I turned south and continued on through the village of Chili to US 24 on a nice divided highway to US 31 where I turned South for another 75 miles. I gassed up before I hit the expressway 465. Again, friends told me that the east 465 east was torn up from heavy storm damage so I took the west branch around Indianapolis and took US 31 south for 15 miles. At the town of Franklin, I tuned west on Rt 44 for 6 miles to pick Rt 135 South, which would bring the megapolis of Bean Blossom Indiana. The ride on Rt 44 and 135 were heavily filled with hills and delightful twisties!
Now for the ride report.
I ride a 1980 Yamaha 650 which on this trip just turned 20,000 miles on it. The hack is EASY RIDER and is about 30 years old. I had purchased this sidecar this year and mounted the hack myself. The help of the club was invaluable. Several members had assisted me in reengineering the front mount, the lighting, and mounting lawn mower battery. The battery box was located between the bike and the sidecar in a medium sized "Ammo can". The battery box also houses an air compressor and an auxiliary connector for 12 volt. Using J-B Weld, I mounted a fuse block and switches in the lid of the ammo can. I welded on a vent and connected the battery cables so that the thing will be dry when going down the road.
Also I mounted a pair of used Baits Hard Saddle Bags my self. The club has been a major help to me by guiding me through the ton of stuff that a man needs to know … even how to ride the sidecar safely! Several have become my friends even though I have never have met you!
The sleeping bag, ground cloth, and tent were in the nose of the sidecar. In the "trunk" of the sidecar was my jacket liner (I was wearing my MC jacket), 3 quarts of 20 / 50 oil, hat, maps, water, the dog's dish and 30 pounds of ballast. The right saddle bag contained both cold and hot weather clothing. The left bag contained First Aid, medications, towel, shaving kit, my tools, electrical tester, caned dog food, can opener, and room for some things which I would purchase. (like the Frog Togs rain gear, compass for the bike and etc.
At 9 am, Wednesday June 23, 2004 Bob finished packing and kissed Mary my wife goodbye and pulled out of the driveway. My dog Toby was in the sidecar and was excited, "whoopee we are going by-by again! "Bean Blossom here we come!
By the time I hand driven 15 miles, I knew that I had to adjust the sidecar rig just a "little more" as the rig was pulling to the right. So I rode to my friend Calvin's place just north of Big Rapids to borrow a crescent wrench (yep, I had forgotten it). I had to take 2 more turns out on the big 3/4 inch bolts which will give me "more lean out". Soon I was on my way once again.
The most direct route was on the expressway 131 South. I was traveling at 55 miles per miles and there was "no problem." However, by 11 AM it was apparent that I needed to adjust the TOE IN as the rig was still pulling to the right. I pulled into the rest stop just north of Grand Rapids Michigan and borrowed a c
Bob's Beam Blossom Trip
Part one
So that others will know and be able follow along with a map, I will describe the route which I will follow. Find Cadillac Michigan and the 131 expressway. My trip will begin just south east of Cadillac in the town of Evart Michigan. Take US 10 West to Reid City, then turn South on US 131. Just south of Kalamazoo the express way ends but 131 continues on south. I will pick up US 12 and turn west at the town of Mottville. Then turn south on MI103 which will become Indiana route 15 at the state line. My route will run through the towns of Goshen, New Paris, Milford and filially to Warsaw where I will stay at a friends home for the night.
In the morning after a leisurely breakfast, the trip to Bean Blossom resumed at 10 AM with a turn to the south on Indiana route 15. My friends had told me about a lovely covered bridge in the town of Roann so I turned west on IN Route 16. The bridge was well kept and I photographed it and continued going west on Rt 16. At Rt 19, I turned south and continued on through the village of Chili to US 24 on a nice divided highway to US 31 where I turned South for another 75 miles. I gassed up before I hit the expressway 465. Again, friends told me that the east 465 east was torn up from heavy storm damage so I took the west branch around Indianapolis and took US 31 south for 15 miles. At the town of Franklin, I tuned west on Rt 44 for 6 miles to pick Rt 135 South, which would bring the megapolis of Bean Blossom Indiana. The ride on Rt 44 and 135 were heavily filled with hills and delightful twisties!
Now for the ride report.
I ride a 1980 Yamaha 650 which on this trip just turned 20,000 miles on it. The hack is EASY RIDER and is about 30 years old. I had purchased this sidecar this year and mounted the hack myself. The help of the club was invaluable. Several members had assisted me in reengineering the front mount, the lighting, and mounting lawn mower battery. The battery box was located between the bike and the sidecar in a medium sized "Ammo can". The battery box also houses an air compressor and an auxiliary connector for 12 volt. Using J-B Weld, I mounted a fuse block and switches in the lid of the ammo can. I welded on a vent and connected the battery cables so that the thing will be dry when going down the road.
Also I mounted a pair of used Baits Hard Saddle Bags my self. The club has been a major help to me by guiding me through the ton of stuff that a man needs to know … even how to ride the sidecar safely! Several have become my friends even though I have never have met you!
The sleeping bag, ground cloth, and tent were in the nose of the sidecar. In the "trunk" of the sidecar was my jacket liner (I was wearing my MC jacket), 3 quarts of 20 / 50 oil, hat, maps, water, the dog's dish and 30 pounds of ballast. The right saddle bag contained both cold and hot weather clothing. The left bag contained First Aid, medications, towel, shaving kit, my tools, electrical tester, caned dog food, can opener, and room for some things which I would purchase. (like the Frog Togs rain gear, compass for the bike and etc.
At 9 am, Wednesday June 23, 2004 Bob finished packing and kissed Mary my wife goodbye and pulled out of the driveway. My dog Toby was in the sidecar and was excited, "whoopee we are going by-by again! "Bean Blossom here we come!
By the time I hand driven 15 miles, I knew that I had to adjust the sidecar rig just a "little more" as the rig was pulling to the right. So I rode to my friend Calvin's place just north of Big Rapids to borrow a crescent wrench (yep, I had forgotten it). I had to take 2 more turns out on the big 3/4 inch bolts which will give me "more lean out". Soon I was on my way once again.
The most direct route was on the expressway 131 South. I was traveling at 55 miles per miles and there was "no problem." However, by 11 AM it was apparent that I needed to adjust the TOE IN as the rig was still pulling to the right. I pulled into the rest stop just north of Grand Rapids Michigan and borrowed a c