Nevada
As I roll into Las Vegas, I pull into a parking lot to get my bearings, I put down the side stand to get off the bike, and crash!, I am on the ground with the bike on top of me.
The sidestand bolts have broken. I need to fix this, as it is very difficult to get off the KTM without it. The seat height is 37" and my ass is 3" closer to the ground than the seat. I have been dismounting the same way you get off a horse, and the strain finally got to the sidestand. No worries, Sportsman Cycle Sales is nearby, and technician Steve Gabbert is able to drill out the busted bolts and get the stand back on. Meanwhile I practice dismounting without using the side stand until I get it right. While Steve fixes the stand I use the opportunity to change my rear tire for an OEM Bridgestone (OEM for a Suzuki), I am hoping this tires lives up to its crappy tire that lasts forever reputation, as quantity (as in distance) over quality will be more important.
I stay in las Vegas for two days, and Laughlin for three. The room in Las Vegas was cheap because it was a crappy motel. Never stay in a motel that accepts cash only :-) Laughlin was cheap because the owners want you to use all your bucks in the casino. This works for me, because I don't gamble (with money anyway).
Laughlin is a very new city, founded in the 1960's as an alternative to Las Vegas, and it fulfills this role very well. It is more like the Las Vegas I remember, it really is in a timewarp. Directly across the Colorado River is Bullhead City, Arizona which is in a different time zone (mountain) adding to the whole timewarp illusion thing.
There is lots of interesting stuff to see and do, but all the time I am there the wind is howling at 30 mph (50 kph), and it is no fun being outside, especially on the bike. Nevertheless I get to some petroglyphs, and see some SCORE off road racing. Motostorm fans, this is the real thing, they did not make it up.
I have posted some more pictures from Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Glamis Sand dunes on my picasa site
The sidestand bolts have broken. I need to fix this, as it is very difficult to get off the KTM without it. The seat height is 37" and my ass is 3" closer to the ground than the seat. I have been dismounting the same way you get off a horse, and the strain finally got to the sidestand. No worries, Sportsman Cycle Sales is nearby, and technician Steve Gabbert is able to drill out the busted bolts and get the stand back on. Meanwhile I practice dismounting without using the side stand until I get it right. While Steve fixes the stand I use the opportunity to change my rear tire for an OEM Bridgestone (OEM for a Suzuki), I am hoping this tires lives up to its crappy tire that lasts forever reputation, as quantity (as in distance) over quality will be more important.
I stay in las Vegas for two days, and Laughlin for three. The room in Las Vegas was cheap because it was a crappy motel. Never stay in a motel that accepts cash only :-) Laughlin was cheap because the owners want you to use all your bucks in the casino. This works for me, because I don't gamble (with money anyway).
Laughlin is a very new city, founded in the 1960's as an alternative to Las Vegas, and it fulfills this role very well. It is more like the Las Vegas I remember, it really is in a timewarp. Directly across the Colorado River is Bullhead City, Arizona which is in a different time zone (mountain) adding to the whole timewarp illusion thing.
There is lots of interesting stuff to see and do, but all the time I am there the wind is howling at 30 mph (50 kph), and it is no fun being outside, especially on the bike. Nevertheless I get to some petroglyphs, and see some SCORE off road racing. Motostorm fans, this is the real thing, they did not make it up.
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