Who is attending STAR 2016?

[DrTizz]

Going to be doing the grand tour from SoCal to VT...coming across the south, then up the coast going out, across the north and down the left coast coming back.  More slab than is really desirable, but vacation time is a limited resource.

[Brick]

Going to be doing the grand tour from SoCal to VT...coming across the south, then up the coast going out, across the north and down the left coast coming back.  More slab than is really desirable, but vacation time is a limited resource.

Cool sounds like you'll be putting on some miles. which bike and which tires are you running?



Let's Ride!
Brick

[DrTizz]

Going to be doing the grand tour from SoCal to VT...coming across the south, then up the coast going out, across the north and down the left coast coming back.  More slab than is really desirable, but vacation time is a limited resource.

Cool sounds like you'll be putting on some miles. which bike and which tires are you running?

I'll be on the Trophy running PR4 GTs and, almost as importantly, my new Russell saddle!

[stevegrab]

that's Upper Kuba (Mijami) 

Ahh, I don't speak Floridian

We're looking at US6 across Pennsylvania as one possible part of our route from Ohio.

[wardie]

Larry Ward and Nate Davis on their Honda CB 500 X's

Probably up through 6 through Allegheny etc. Not slabbing if I can help it. Coming in by 2pm on Sunday.

I'm a Bridgestone guy running BT 023's.

[aaronengle]

Leaving June 9 with Laura in the sidecar. Slabing until Quebec City. Quebec 138,389 and then the TLH. Short ferry to Newfoundland and then longer ferry to Cape Breton. Plan on arriving at STAR on Sat. The stories we'll have to tell. Aaron

[HawkGTRider]

Leaving June 9 with Laura in the sidecar. Slabing until Quebec City. Quebec 138,389 and then the TLH. Short ferry to Newfoundland and then longer ferry to Cape Breton. Plan on arriving at STAR on Sat. The stories we'll have to tell. Aaron

I'm jealous of you getting to do the TLH. I'd planned on going up the James Bay Road, to the end of the Trans-Taiga Road, and then across the TLH to Goose Bay. From there I planned to head south and wander through the maritime provinces. Alas, life changes and I need to be home a lot sooner than I'd originally thought. It looks like I'll make it to Maine, but probably not into Canada at all. But it's all good. I've got a leg up on planning for the next time I go in the New England direction.

The forum has been really quiet the last few days. I guess everyone's been prepping for the trip northward. I was going to ride a Suzuki DR650S to STAR and then into Canada, but once that got kaboshed, I decided to ride a BMW F650GS. But then I changed tires last week and found an ugly amount of play in the swingarm of the BMW (it has earned it by having ~97,000 miles on it). Now I'm back to the DR650S. And that's good too.

I'm still planning on riding up Jim Randall's and Rick Giddish's (and anyone else who had input into the route) Maine Adventure Trail as far as Vermont. Hopefully I can get there in an appropriate amount of time. After STAR I may go back over to the 'trail' and continue northward into Maine. If I hadn't planned on going to the wilds of Quebec, this would seem like a FABULOUS ride. Now it seems slightly like I'm settling for something, but in truth, it WILL be a terrific trip.

[aaronengle]

We're in Happy Valley-Goose Bay as I write this. All gravel tomorrow w/ rain. The TLH from Labrador City to HV-GB is smooth asphalt and relatively straight. Saw one moose cross the road and Laura says she saw a black bear by the side of the road. Quebec 389 was interesting. Twisty asphalt then so-so gravel followed by deep pothole asphalt, smooth asphalt and finished with washboard gravel. Sliding through switchbacks before numerous RR crossings was fun. Bouncing my fillings loose not so much. Aaron

[HawkGTRider]

I was aware that the TLH was being paved, and that's a big part of why I wanted to go sooner rather than later. I'd rather experience it as a gravel road. But that's just me being me. For the vast majority of people, a paved road is a much better option.
The James Bay Road from Matagami up to Radisson is paved as I understand. However, the Trans-Taiga road is 400 miles of gravel. It may not make sense to everyone, but I was looking forward to that.
I'm glad to hear Quebec 389 is still interesting.

All of the above would be different in a hack. Good for you!

[bcd]

Sounds like fun, Aaron!  Looking forward to seeing you and Laura next week.

[aaronengle]

The first 40 miles of the 510 is now paved. The rest is gravel(or mud) until Red Bay. Stopped in Port Hope Simpson worn out. Rained the whole day with headwinds in the 20s and temperatures in the low 40s. Headwinds made gas consumption interesting. Rolled into Port Hope Simpson with maybe a liter to spare(that's a big quart for us Yanks). I was packing 5 gal. Which l figured would give me 1 gal. to spare( no gas from Goose Bay to there, 255 or so miles). Writing this from the northern tip of Newfoundland. Heading south tomorrow eventually ending in Vermont. Aaron

[HawkGTRider]

Yowee! When you're that far up in latitude, the potential for cold weather exists year around. I'd like to think I'd have been prepared for the range (6.6 gallon tank with 2 extra gallons aboard a Suzuki DR650S), but those temperatures, particularly considering the wind chill, would have been nasty.
Thinking back a couple of years when I went to Alaska in June-July, I pretty much wore my long johns and used my heated grips starting in Wyoming, to Alaska, and then back down to around Montana when I headed for the house. Crossing Montana in late July it finally got hot enough to shed the extra layers.

[Patmo]

Geoffrey......we are used to the mid-south climate where temps are moderate in the winters and just plain hot and humid in the summers.  I remember that when my parents would come north from Florida, even in the summers, they found the evenings up here cooler than they liked and would always bring sweaters.  I've got cousins that live in Montana, Oregon, and southern Alaska respectfully, and they are all comfortable in colder temps than I like.  It's all what you are used to, I guess. 

[HawkGTRider]

Geoffrey......we are used to the mid-south climate where temps are moderate in the winters and just plain hot and humid in the summers.  I remember that when my parents would come north from Florida, even in the summers, they found the evenings up here cooler than they liked and would always bring sweaters.  I've got cousins that live in Montana, Oregon, and southern Alaska respectfully, and they are all comfortable in colder temps than I like.  It's all what you are used to, I guess. 

I'm looking forward to the cooler temperatures predicted for Vermont vs what will be happening in Tennessee. Highs here are predicted to be in the low to mid 90s. In Vermont the Weather Channel is predicting highs around 80, and I expect to enjoy those temps.

[stevegrab]

Geoffrey......we are used to the mid-south climate where temps are moderate in the winters and just plain hot and humid in the summers.  I remember that when my parents would come north from Florida, even in the summers, they found the evenings up here cooler than they liked and would always bring sweaters.  I've got cousins that live in Montana, Oregon, and southern Alaska respectfully, and they are all comfortable in colder temps than I like.  It's all what you are used to, I guess.

It also depends on your physical condition, and um your uh how do I say shape, be it long & thin vs. short and stout   I can generally handle it being a bit more chilly than my skinny friends, but on the flip side the higher heat/humidity leave me really uncomfortable. Just got back from a couple days in New Orleans for work and didn't spend a lot of time outside but it was very hot and humid.  Far worse than Ohio in the middle of summer.
I still haven't looked much at temps in the area for STAR but suspected they might be cooler. Need to decide if I grab my mesh jacket in addition to my regular vented textile like I did for STAR in KY.
See you guys in 10 days