09 BMWMOA Gray TN

[Bodenny]

Barbara and I were joined by Dennis O. and O.J. for the ride to the09 BMWMOA International rally. We left on Tuesday and arrived Wednesday afternoon. 617 miles of good weather and scenery.

Wed morning turning into a gas station I did not see a landscape rock the size of 2 fist. I missed it with the front wheel but the rear one flipped it up and there was a resounding metallic sound against the rear drive unit. There was no indication of any problem till we got to the rally and somebody walking by left a note on the motorcycle indicating fluid leakage on the rear wheel. The first though was brake fluid but Sunday I noticed oil on the drain plug. Last year I had two friends have rear end problems out west and spent a lot of time and money getting home. Never break down in a National Park, the Park Service requires you to use a particular wrecker service. No competition so a very high towing fee, typical of any service that the government wants to nationalize. Sunday I tried to find a Wal Mart to buy some 90 weight oil for the rear end with no luck. My 19 mm socket was home on the workbench which I have since corrected. I was leery of putting pressure on the drain plug because I was not sure if there was a crack around the plug or the threads were damaged. There is not a lot of oil in the rear end (6+ oz) and I was not sure what I had lost. I was beginning to think about using vegetable oil as a emergency fix. Monday morning I found a Wal Mart and added about 3 oz. I put another oz in on the way home. I drain, refilled, new crush washer and 40 miles no indication of leakage. Did the rock loosen the drain plug or did I not torque it, never to old to learn a lesson.

Back to the rally, I worked Thursday morning at the registration with Shawn, Saundra, O.J., Dennis and Darrell and had a great time. It was nice to see a lot of new people and several ECRiders. The BMWMOA site has a forum http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38042 from the P & M (piss and moan) crowd with a lot of negative comments who forget a rally is a bunch of volunteers camping in a field. This was my 34th National and Barbara's 32 and the worst rally that I attended was great. Sunday we rode to the Biltmore in Ashville, NC and took the Behind the scenes tour which I really enjoyed. the heating system, electrical, the vaulted brick sub floors, servant quarters and passageways. We had dinner with Barbara's friends from many years ago. Monday we rode to Lebanon, TN so we could go to the Hermitage, (Andrew Jackson's home) for the tour. We just finished a recently published book on Jackson so we thoroughly enjoyed the area. We left at 10:30 and rode home. It was a good decision, Brad rode home from Lexington Wednesday in a steady down pour.

Planning for 2010 in Redmond, OR, the 01 rally was great and anxious to go back.

[dhoemann]

Sorry it took awhile, got a little distracted with that work thing.

Darrell

[Onderdonk]

Is that Bob Jimenez hiding back there?

[dhoemann]

Why yes, he was hanging out in the beer tent. seemed surprised we recognized him.

Darrell