Kui Xi He

Couped up in Colorado without seeing the nature that makes this state so great has been crushing my moral. I need to get out of grand junction! I need to feel my lungs gasping for air. I need to be on the move!

I couldn’t get anyone to go with to take the short hike up Mt. Garfield today, actually, outside of work I don’t know anyone! I didn’t have much of a choice but to go myself. I woke up at 430am expecting to hop off super early to get some good pictures of the sun cresting over.

Negative on that! My body did not want to wake up, but after 10 snoozes later, I manage to drag my lifeless body off of my bed…by bed, I mean sleeping pad! This has been my bed for the past 3 weeks, an REI Lumina 40 on a blue pad on a hardwood floor. Took some getting used to, but it’s been pretty cozy. I didn’t expect to need this bag when I purchased it, but boy has it come in handy! (click to read more!)

On Tuesday morning, I got my crankshaft nut from motohio and cranked that baby on there. I buttoned her up and thumbed the starter. I was nervous beyond belief. Happy to finally get back on the road. The first few cranks went…and it just kept spinning. I had spark, but the timing was out. The belts checked out. The crankshaft was timed. There was spark at the right time. But there was a taping sound and after a bit of snooping around, it seemed like the piston was hitting the valve.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The monster is dead (I should of probably named her). After 32,000 miles and several trips across many states, she has finally died. I feel like machines are always reincarnated. They die, but always have a chance to come back to life. Be it a watch, a computer, or a motorcycle. They always come back if you put time into them.
I had no choice but to leave her in Columbus and return for her later.

With the end of that chapter, I flew out of Columbus to Grand Junction that afternoon. It was awkward leaving my bike behind. It has been years since I’ve left her behind. And this would be the longest time I went without a bike.
I had 30 minutes to pack and rush to the airport. I literally shoved all my stuff into two book bags and got a ride to Port Columbus Airport (port???? Wheres the water mate!?).

This trip has already been more than I expected.

Jay (metallimonster) has been a very good host, especially since I am now stuck in ohio (more on that later). He’s been absolutely patient and really chill about the breakdown I had on my bike. Much thanks to him and his fiancé for letting me crash at their place for the time being.

I hopped on my bike around 11am and expected to be in Indianapolis by 1:30pm. About 5 miles from metallimonsters house, my bike shuts off. Just dead. The bike had no throttle, no power at all. I just floated to the side on the emergency pull off lane and I thumbed the starter. Nothing but WHRRRRR. Clutch is engaged, the starter is spinning, so is the clutch But nothing.

I called up jay and asked him to meet me. I did the basic run down of any combustion engine and I faulted it with no spark.
Luckily just two days prior I added full coverage for my bike including road side assistance, and it wasn’t long before a tow truck came and towed the bike back to metallimonsters house where I could dig deeper into the matter. (click to read more)