Steel Horse Rover

Packing Prototype, Feats of Strength, Sights Set on Test Run #1

15/04/28 at 3.06am   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment
Ready for the road

Ready for the road

I felt a bit like a squirrel this past weekend: Lots of scurrying around to collect bits and pieces from every corner of the house (and every corner of the local Canadian Tire); and hoarding them in a pile for packing. Then, with the help of a very wise subject matter expert, I did a trial pack to see where everything will fit. At this point, it seems I’ll have oodles of space — the top box, in particular, is a lot roomier than it looks. Of course, apart from checking how the sleeping bag, tent, etc. fit on the back seat, we didn’t actually pack much; just talked about the best places to stow everything. Looks great on paper! I’ve posted some photos in Sight / Sound.

While you’re at the Sight / Sound page, check out the new video I have posted. I have received a lot of questions about the bike; so I’ve added a 30-second clip of how Gunther sounds at start up. This was also a test of technology to check whether I could capture / edit video on my BlackBerry and post it to this site — unbelievably easy! <plug> The new BlackBerry Classic is awesome! </plug>

Next up was the Feats of Strength (anybody remember the “Festivus” Seinfeld episode?): Lifting my bike. While I have never dropped Gunther, and don’t plan to, there’s the “what if” factor. As you’ll note from the Bike page, the bike weighs 256kg dry (~275 in it’s current state, full of fuel, oil, and other fluids). Now, it’s extremely well-balanced when upright; a gentle tilt to one side or the other, though, and you can feel there’s some serious weight there. What if the bike goes down while I’m on my trip — not necessarily at high speed; but, say at low speed in soft gravel or if it gets knocked over in a parking lot by the clumsy or unscrupulous? Can I pick it up on my own? It was time to find out: With the help of my expert assistant, we gently laid Gunther on his left side. Facing the bike, I grabbed the handlebar with both hands and pulled up (yes, I bent my knees). When I got it to about 20% to horizontal, I could feel my vertebrae compressing; and didn’t want to risk lifting any further. This, incidentally, is the wrong way to lift a heavy bike (I was just feeling macho — a.k.a. being a dumb-ass.). Next, I tried the correct method of facing away from the bike, grabbing the frame and then walking backward while lifting. It was a struggle; but I was able to get it high enough to get out the kickstand and rest it there. After that, we tried laying it down on the right side. This time, I needed a bit of help (mind you, the bike was on a bit of an incline and I was lifting up-hill). Conclusion: If I do need to lift the bike, and I’ve eaten my Wheaties that morning, I’ll likely be able to right it on my own with effort. That would be Plan B, though. Plan A is to swallow my pride and seek the kindness of strangers. Psssshhhhh — yeah, right; who am I trying to kid; asking for help to lift your bike is like asking for a half pint of Guinness; you just don’t do it. At least I now have an appreciation for how (really really) heavy Gunther is.

Now, onto the first test run: I’ll be heading up to Craigleith Provincial Park this weekend to see how the bike handles on the road while fully-loaded, test out the camp stove, get accustomed to sleeping on the ground, etc. If you’re in the neighborhood, ping me and I’ll put an extra cup of water in the soup. If, on the other hand, you would prefer to participate vicariously (and I wouldn’t blame you given the forecast calls for a low of 6 at night), I will have my Spot Tracker turned on*; and you can follow my tracks as I head up North(ish) and putter around the campsite. This will be the first real test of… well everything before taking the show on the road. Be sure to check back for reports on how things turn out.

*Until I turn it on, you’ll get an error pop-up indicating there are no messages to display

Tent’s too small; but the boots are perfect!

15/04/11 at 11.37am   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment
I have acquired most of the equipment I will need for my journey.

A few weeks back, I made a pilgrimage to Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC); and purchased most of my camping gear–sleeping bag, stove, cook set, tent, etc. As it turned out, the tent I had purchased — The Camper-2 — was on the short side for my 6’1″ frame; and my head was touching one end of the tent while my toes were touching the other. Not good since, as anyone who has camped in the rain knows, if you touch the inside of a wet tent, water seeps in. That said, it’s otherwise said to be one of the higher-quality basic tents for the $169 price.

Wanderer 2

So, this past week, I trekked back to MEC to see about exchanging it for a larger one.‎ Getting a refund was a breeze — I was in and out of customer service in under 10 minutes (that said, I hadn’t used the tent; just set it up indoors). Then, it was upstairs to get a bigger tent. It took a while to find someone with knowledge of the tents / features to help me choose a replacement; and, eventually, when I did find someone to help, we determined the Wanderer 2 would be a suitable replacement (see the image at the right). It cost $100 more and weighs a bit more; but is a bit longer and taller; and it also has a separate, enclose-able awning — perfect for storing gear such as laundry (which you want to keep indoors but don’t want to be smelling as you snooze). Lesson learned: when buying a tent, set it up and lie down in it before leaving the store.

In other news. I picked up my new riding boots from GP Bikes this week. For some time, now, I have been searching for boots that are: waterproof (I expect rain); relatively warm without being too bulky; rise halfway up my shins (helps keep the legs warm and have that classic riding look); include ankle protectors; and are flexible with an aggressive tread so I can wear them hiking in the mountains during stopovers. Finding boots that meet all these criteria is the proverbial needle in a haystack. You’ll find racing boots that have the high cut and protection around the ankles (as well as everywhere else); but the treads are smoother and the boots are sometimes heavier‎. Then there are the lower-cut “adventure” boots; again, though, with a smoother tread (and less protection). Then, there are the “cowboy” boots — great if you’re riding your hog to the saloon (paht-nah).
 GPBikes

As I stood there, staring at the plethora of boots on the wall, mentally calculating the impact of compromises and trade offs, a light bulb began glowing radiantly over the head of Isaiah, GP Bikes’ very helpful sales associate. “Wait — I’ve got just the thing,” he says. “I’ll be right back.” Minutes later, Isaiah returns with a pair of Forma Adventures. They’re perfect — high cut, Italian leather; aggressive tread (but not too aggressive); ankle protection and sturdy construction while maintaining flexibility for walking around; reasonably insulated for warmth (but not somuchso as to cook my feet). Best of all, they are waterproof — check out this submersion test (Part 1 and Part 2). The boots are a bit heavy; but, otherwise, these are the right ones for my trip.
So: Tent; boots. That takes care of most of the larger items on my list. I still have a few bits and pieces to acquire — first aid kit; extra stove fuel canisters (to carry spare fuel for the bike in case I run out on the Alaska Highway); mobile phone holder; and a bunch of other miscellaneous what not. Stay tuned!