Mad Maps run to Benton Harbor

The lovely view of I-80 heading to the Indiana border!!! Today's ride was a test run of a route of MAD MAPS design on there Chicago day trips. It begins in the area of Indiana dunes on RT.12 and runs all the way up to the ST.Joes and Benton Harbor area.
Jim on his klr on RT.12 and my camera was not happy and left me with a blurry picture........This is what you do with a blurry pic, you have fun with it!!
Hanging out just north of the Warren Dunes warming up on coffee and hot chocolate.
Did I mention the day started out at 40 degrees. It did get warmer after 10am.

All the yachts pulled and winterized. Note: the brick road out to the ST.Joes light house, you can't tell but the road was very wavy.
ST.Joes light house is located in Tiscornia park. N42 06.919 W86 29.240


This guy was nut's, I love my toy's and activity's but it was 50 degrees and the wind chill had to be 40 degrees. The positive side for him was he had the place to himself.
That runway is the original way out to the lighthouse. It's about twenty plus feet above the water. That would be a tough walk in ten below zero in the snow.

Even gang members love the light house!! :)
Jim very sad we could not go into the lighthouse..



Stooges only about a half mile from the lighthouse and pretty good burger. Was recommed my Mad Maps..
What better place to knock out two birds with one stone..
I don't think I would want to taste the BBQ!

The route suggested from Mad Maps was good on the way up the lakefront. The return route brought us down through some really crappy neighbor hoods. Also some very slow and congested large towns. The good part was it was cool out so we didn't have to sweat through all the stop and go.
I have a Mad Map from the Deals gap area and it's night and day between how the routes are done. For the Chicago day trip I give the two routes I tried a D- for both running into congested areas. Also they didn't list things to see anywhere near the route Don't spend money on buying it.
The Deals Gap version is worth every penny. I've done two of the routes on that map and were a blast. They list gas stations and plenty of food options. Next year I'm hoping to head down there again and knock out two more of the suggestions.

Ride to Clinton Iowa to hit the boat!! :P

I haven't been out on a longer trip for a while since I was under the weather it seemed like every weekend in August. Jim invited me on his traditional gambling run. This was a fun simple trip, straight out to Iowa. Met up with Jim and Tom in sugar grove at the airport.
Had some breakfast in Shabbona IL. Nice little place that was jammed so we hung out at the counter seats. Our waitress was awesome as she was more sarcastic than Jim, very entertaining.
The best part was the twenty something guy talking to us telling about how he owns the bar down the street. He then gets up and says "well gotta go clean the bar and smoke a bong". Little surprised he was so open with that.
Sorry about the buggy pictures, I thought the camera wouldn't pic it up so bad.
Anyways the price of gas kept going down all the way to Clinton. Lowest price I think was $2.49.
Clintion's new welcome sign.

They closed the boat and now it's on land and being used as a showboat. Snore!!
They did post directions for the new casino farther down RT.30....

The Killers waiting for a street light. There's nothing going on in Clintion.
The new casino, it's on dry land. They must of passed a $$law$$ to dump the boats..
The wind farm along HWY 30 buy Paw Paw. I had KLR and hit the gravel road to get closer pic's.
The typical country picture, with bugs!! :)
I think they want me to STOP NOW!!
Maybe one or two more rides this year. You can only hope.

Breakfast and a short trail ride!

This morning I got to meet a new klr rider named Peter. He found me on KLR650.net and seen we live near each other. Very nice guy and definitely looking to hang out with him some more.
My buddy Jim met us up at the Pancake Cafe.From L to R. Peter, Jim, and me, Jon. Thanks for the pic Peter!!
Jim looking lost and can't find his bike!! :)This trail is along the I&M canal and were not really allowed to be on it. The thing is they built I-355 extension by it and have not put the no trespassing signs. It starts in lemont and ends in Romeoville at 135st. About 6 round trip because you have to back track due to a gate on the Romeoville side. Surface is all gravel and crushed limestone with some big dips.
I don't really know what that abandoned broken machine is for, maybe some type of gravel hopper??
As for the front fork mod, I would do it again. No more fork dive and feels planted under the brakes. Off the road the forks may be a little harsh over high speed bumps but there never bottoming out like I had them doing before. Very cheap mod with great results!!!

Progressive spring compared to stock and Kawasaki lack of real grease!!!! :(

Well after a full year of owning a bike with poor front suspension it was time for improving. The KLR stock is very bad while braking, tons of dive. To the point of running out of travel. I'm hoping the Progressive springs help this out. You can see in the pic below the stock spring on the right, it's short and evenly coiled. On the left is Progressives, almost double the length and coiled tighter at the bottom.

The manual states 135mm of fluid from the the top of the fork with the spring out and fully compressed. They sell a nice tool that does measuring and removing excessive fluid in one shot. I know I would use this tool like three time in twenty years so I made this simple tool.
Poor bike, all faceless!!
Kawasaki Ticked me off with this!!! Nice rusty, pitted steering races and most likely causing my high speed wobble or weave. I also have this wobble when transitioning the bike through fast turns left to right or vice versa. For now there going to get very well greased and preloaded. Winter will be a perfect time to order and install new bearings and races.