09 Jan, 2010

I said the last post would be the last. I lied.

I learned that a really cool video was done during the Sturgis in Asia trip and wanted to share.

I leave Korea today and, really, this is the last post

06 Jan, 2011

So we have come to the end of my tour. It is a bitter cold morning here, and the movers came and packed up my stuff. the bike has been crated and hauled away. Thus ends this Blog.

If you ever have the opportunity to come ride in Korea, do so. It has been a wonderful experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. To all the friends I have made here, thank you for having me as a guest in your country. One day I hope to return and see you all again

Bones Out

12 Dec 2010

Damn it is cold.

I kept repeating this yesterday as I was riding up to Seoul to got to a friends farewell party. it was 35F (2C), clear skies and dry roads. I bundled up, but my hands still got cold. It was typical stop-and-go insanity. I do know that I am ruined for riding in the States. It took me a good bit to thaw out, but was worth the ride up.

It was good to see the Royal Enfield Clubs guys again, they are always a hoot. it was also good to see off Jonas before he flies home to Denmark. the Party was a blast, lots of good food (both Danish and Korean), LOTS of Beer and a night of great conversation.

Getting up this morning and after a hearty breakfast supplied by my good friend Wilton, I knew it was going to be a cold one coming back. And what I later found was that I was absolutely right. it was bitter cold.

The bike ran like a champ after sitting for the better part of a month. she did not want to start and it took a good 15 minutes to get the oil warmed and pressure to stabilize, but she ran down the road happy as a lark.

I am getting near the end of my tour here. I am not averse to riding in the cold, wet and nasty, but it will some get to a point where it is just dangerous. I leave here in about a month and can honestly say this has been some of the best motorcycling I have had in years. I will keep this blog open until the Bike is packed up and loaded, just in case I get a good day to go ride between now and new years.

12 Oct, 2010

After the last trip it has taken some time to get things repaired. I had to wait on parts from both the U.S. and the U.K.

So today I took a short ride south on Little Hwy 1 to Cheonan with my Friends Bob and Ryan. We had lunch at a little Vietnamese Noodle place.

While we were walking around I saw a sign for Terrarosa Coffee, that alone is a reason to go back.

like I said it was a short ride. the clutch felt fine. the Jetting and timing seem to be a little off. but the riding season is winding down. the weather was foggy and overcast with temps in the 60's

18 Sept, 2010 Part III

getting near the end of the day we start going up these really well maintained mountain roads. canyon carving and switchbacks like I have only seen in SoCal on the Hansen Dam rides. I am like a kid in a candy store. The Triumph is just loving this and I am loving it even more. I have been babying the bike up to today and she is begging me to cut her loose. I did learn that even with the lower geared sprockets I am running she will hit the ton+. The RE's try to keep up, but it ain't happening unless I let it.

that is at least up until my clutch disintegrated. Coming up the last mountain, I started to notice some slip in the clutch. at the summit, the was nothing left. upon disassembly I found that all The screws holding the backside of the cush hub backed themselves out and it chewed the hell out of the clutch basket. it is salvageable, but my riding day was done. Had to pay a farmer to haul me 80 miles back to the house.

This is a good enough time to talk about the brotherhood of the motorcyclist. As much as I will never understand the cultural nuances of the people here in Korea, I can honestly say that the Royal Enfield Club of Korea are some of the most stand up folks that I have had the pleasure of riding with. When I broke, they went out of their way to help me fix it, even riding 30Km to the next town to try to find 15/16ths socket. When they could not source a tool, they got me a truck and driver and made sure that he did not rob me blind. And they stay with me on top of a mountain after dark even as it started to get cold. As much as I have read about RUB's and Posers that have flooded the roads with their stupidity, guys like this reaffirm my belief in humanity.

18 Sept, 2010 Part II

On the way to the Beach we stopped at a roadside attraction a cave. the Northeast part of the country is littered with limestone cave systems. this one was in the middle of town. it was cool as it was a creative means of getting out of the heat. I am grateful that I was issued a helmet because at 6'1", I bashed my noggin at every opportunity

We arrive at Mangsang Beach, near Donghae. Beautiful white sand beach on the Sea of Japan. One of the group, strips his clothes off and runs into the ocean wearing nothing but his skivvy shorts and a smile. there are families present, kids, grandparents and no one seems to care that a grown man is running around the beach in his underwear. Good times.

Our next stop was the Terarosa Coffee Company in Gangneung for a cup and a snack before hitting the twisties on the way back to Seoul. I am a bit picky when it comes to coffee and these folks did not disappoint. A cup, a Baguette Sandwich and I am ready take on the world

18 Sept, 2010 Part I

This is going to be a minimum 3 part blog because so much happened today and I got a lot of pictures and even if I did have to ride back to the house in a truck it was still a fabulous day.

I learned last week that the event was cancelled, but that the RE Club was still going to tour the countryside as they had already booked and paid for a cabin. they had planned on riding a bunch of roads in the Northeast side of the country. I had to work late on the day that they were leaving Seoul, so my plan was to blast the 130 miles across the peninsula as soon as I got cut loose.

I set out a 2:30 am with the clothes on my back, a leather jacket and a camera figuring that I would sleep when I got there. I Also figured the quicker I got there, the quicker I could get some sleep. I averaged about 60 MPH and got there 2 and a half hours later. This seems slow, but given that the speed limit on most non-toll highways in Korea is 80 KPH (49 MPH), i made pretty good time. Upon arrival, I was able to grab a spot of the floor and catch a couple hours much needed sleep.

Once the sun came up the cabin became a buzz of activity. The Sturgis Folks screwed up big time. the weather could not be better. Clear blue skies and sunshine, what more could anyone ask for.

We headed out to grab some breakfast. a tradition breakfast in Korea is nothing like you'd expect. Bimbop is a steamed vegetables on rice with some fried egg and a spicy paste that will peel paint if you let it sit long enough. Choke this down, gas up ($25 for a tank of gas) and hit the road. Next stop, the beach.

I really am not one to ride with a big group. I have always just kind have done my own thing. I also speak very little Hongul (Korean). So it stands to reason that I would have no clue what all these hand and arm signals mean. it was like they were having a conversation or something. I got the basics, go right go left, stop etc, but that was about it.. it took me a little while to settle into their groove.

If you are wondering why they are wearing masks, the speed cameras that are everywhere only capture the front. since bikes do not have plates on the front, the only way to identify the rider is to cross-reference the face picture with the DMV License photo. No Face, No Ticket.