Started off out of Montreal. Way too familiar high way, took the 720 west down till it turned into the 20, then the 401.. Nothing much exiting yet exept from the few msn messages and phone calls from friends. The road to Toronto is pretty boring in it self.
I saw a sign saying Niagara Falls turn here, so I said to myself: ” What the Hell! Let’s go check that out!”
So here I am right now, writing this down just downstream of the falls. That thing is Huuuge, I knew it was huge, I knew it wasn’t the highest waterfall ever… But I still got blown by how WIDE the thing is. By night, it’s lit by huge spotlights from the shore coloring it like a rainbow. The air around is very humid. It feels like it’s perma starting to rain but it doesn’t rain. The tarmac is wet everywhere near. The strip just up the cliff is very US-like, I mean, there is 2-3 casinos on the same street, a Hard Rock Cafe, LOTS of neons hehe you get it?
The gear’s holding up. It felt good to get out of the saddle though today. The body’s not very used to it yet. It’s a tough start, roughly 800km. My bike is PACKED (see picture) But it doesn’t feel as heavy as it looks. The only two Issues I have right now is;
- the tank panniers, I’ve placed them up front as much as I could and they ended up hurting my knees a bit since I had my knees lined up with them, pushing them from their side towards the front of the bike, thus creating pressure.
- The fuel tank is small. That I knew, But I almost ran dry like a sundried tomato at one point since 3 gas station in a row were closed down for reconstruction (the better serve me they added on the sign!! basterds!) I remembered and can now confirm that the fuel light goes up at 0.7gal left. So we have a 2gal tank…. we burn 1.3gal and light goes up… It’s almost like it goes up at half tank. If you are like me and like to gas up as soon as the light comes on upgrading to the 3.1gal tank from IMS will almost double your full to fuel light mileage haha! And my Rotopax of fuel is really just emergency as it sit pretty much under all the luggage.
Speaking of the IMS tank, it really sucks I am missing out on this deal. I almost wanna call someone in BC to have it delivered there so I can swap then. (Yeah i think i’ll do that.)
My bike is making a weird sound in 6th gear too. But only when loaded with all the stuff.. I took it for a spin around the falls without the stuff and it wasn’t doing ”Teh sound”… Here goes nothing trying to write a sound haha.
The bike does: WaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA!!!! (Shift up) WaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAA!!! (Shift up) Normally.. That’s like the normal sound ok?
Now, with the luggage, in 6th gear it does: WaaaWaaaWaaaWaaaWaaaWaaaWaaaWaaa Its subtle, and there is no WaaWaa like vibration, it’s just sound. Doesn’t do it in 5th, only in 6th with luggage. I take the luggage off and it’s fine… Ideas? Might be chain slack related. I’ll keep a ear out for that tomorow. (edit: found it! Low pressure in rear tire was doing it.)
It’s allready 11h pm and I still havent figured out where i’m going to ride tomorow. Either I pass north of Lake Erie or south of it, go by Detroit, or go by Buffalo, then Toledo, Either ways (hopefully) ending up in Chicago. We’ll see. That’ll be it for tonight! See you guys later!
Photo from today:
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