Bigdog if you want to ride along let me know. I was leaving around 10 - 10:30. The run along the Kankakee River only takes only a couple hours starting in Joliet so you will have plenty of time to get home by 2. If you want we could meet at same place as last week.

 

Hey now...My bike is still ready to go...but I'm not.
The past few sunny days have beendriving me crazy. I'm dying to ride, but my back says no.
I usually feel better after riding, but the combination of Darvacet and Flexiril isn't too biker freindly!

 

Sorry your under the weather Bro. back injuries are the worst. Take care and we always have next year.Or if I decide to break the trailer out mid-winter.

 

Dv102 must have just missed you, check the board around 9:30. I'm going to see how the weather looks. Sounds like a nice ride. Chat later.

 

So guys...how was the ride out to Kankakee? Did anyone go? The ride I ended up doingwith that church group was prettygood. The route was nice...rode a few roads I've neverdone before, so that'salways a plus. And of course, I have those roads all filed away in my head for future reference...ha ha! The best part of the ride was down Route 2, along the Rock River...really nice colors peaking right now. The brunch at White Pines State Park was ok...it was a huge buffet. Food was pretty decent, but it was a bit pricey ($18 per person). Not sure if I'd go back to eat there again. My personal favorite in that area is still the Fifth Alarm Firehouse Pub in Byron...great food and biker friendly. It wasdarn chilly when I left my house at 7:45am...of course,I was plugged in so that helped somewhat. But myfingertips still went numb. And as soon as the sun startedgoing down, it got cold really fast. Sure sucks losing daylight by 5pm...[:@]....I'm already counting the days until Spring!

 

Sounds like a good ride, I always enjoy the ride to white pines although haven't don it in about 10 years. I rode by my lonesome down the Kankakee, It was a bit frigid when I started out but was definately relaxing. When I got on the west side of the river the wind was gusting pretty good but all in all it was a good little short ride. Like you I am already thinking of next spring. I am taking the wife and going to do the Blue Ridgein May and then a solo trip July or Aug through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

 

Wow...your planned trips for next year sound great, dv102! I've done the Blue Ridge twice now...can't go wrongthere. But I'm particularly interested in your other trip - the one to CO, WY & MT. Do you have a rough idea of the route you'll betaking? I'm planninga similar trip for either next summer or2009.Some ofthe areas I'd like to hit include San Juan Scenic Byway which includes the "Million Dollar Highway" in CO, Beartooth Highway, Yellowstone,Tetons, andthe Bighorn Nat'l Forest...but I haven't figured out a good route that would enable me to loop through all those areas without missing anything. I'd love to hear what route you have planned...if you have one.

 

dv102 sorry about not getting back to you. I got up and out to start cutting the south forty and lost track of time.Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for our Xmas pictures my lovely bride arranged. That solo trip sounds awsome, I'm dying to go somewhere about the same time. I was thinking more like doing upper Maine and then down the coast and come back up 57 or something like that. I got out a little and man are those heated grips post toasty (hehehe) no cold fingers here(just kidding linda). Sound like you guys both had a great ride. The cold weather is just starting and I think I'm having withdrawls. I'm thinking maybe I can set up the dyno with a dvd and can ride in the buiding?

 

No problem bigdoghd, I ride along the kankakee river probably 3 times a month to unwind from work, it only takes me a couple of hours to do so I was home by 12:30.
Linda, I do have a rough idea of what route to take although I never looked at incorporating in the San juan and million dollar highway, looks pretty good though so I may have to rethink my routes. The route I was looking to do was Pikes Peak then to Rocky mountain National Park (via 24-40-34) then over to the tetons and yellowstone although I would like to stay out of the traffic there, then to beartooth and if time allows I want to go noth to galacier and hit the going to the sun road. Head on to 90 and go through SD take a detour through spearfish canyon and the badlands (can't pass them up with paying them a visit) then home. Problem is I will need to do it in 10-12 days, but the beartooth (I had to cut it out this year so it is the main goal. So I may have to drop off some. But I got plenty of time to plan it out.

 

Wow that sounds like an awsome ride. How many miles a day do you think you'll have to do, it sounds like your covering a lot of ground.Now this will be a solo ride....no wife? I think I could do that if a bought a new zumo 550 or had linda riding with us.