My main route home is 3 lanes east and 3 west, center median, 45 mph speed limits, with a separate last left turn lane set of lights into the neighborhood does not trip with my bikes. Years past I arrived at the intersection and the traffic control workers had the box open. We talked and they set the light to trip with the bike I was riding. Years have passed and someone has reset the light, and it no longer sees any of my bikes.

Now I try to watch to see if I might have a car behind me to trip the light as I come to a stop. If not, I just go straight thru, ride about a 1/4 mile east to a opening in the median, and make a u-turn to go west. Then come back and turn right to go north 2 blocks to my house. Problem with not tripping the light and stopping, means I need to make a right turn now across 3 east bound lanes to go south, not smart. Then I need a u-turn back north to the light, that will not trip either. But then I can take another right on red to go east, do the u-turn in the median to go west. Now going west I can make a right on red to go north. Real pain in the rear, but with 3 rights on red I can get home when I can’t make one left turn.

I have started making an earlier left turn thru the median, and then cut thru private parking lots to get to my street. Not better or safer, or legal, maybe?

Mudslinger is an inter rear fender extension to help keep the rear shock, and battery clean. It also will help so much to keep your legs and boots clean. Several companies make them, the hard plastic seem likely to load with dirt, I have a soft rubber one that never seems to load up. It must flex and loose mud and dirt as I run over bumps.

Having had both GS’s and GSA’s, I like the GSA for the better wind protection from the big tank when at speed, and the need to almost never be the guy needing gas soon. When I have known I was going off pavement, I elected not to carry a full tank of gas. We rode Copper Canyon, half tank full worked well.

Two times I’ve bought a bike, sight unseen, from people met on a forum.

First was a fly and ride R1200GS. Got picked up at airport, a lunch, and help to ship all the extras home. I then enjoyed a 2000 mile 10 day ride return from Atlanta to Ft. Worth.

Second was a pickup in CO, after the seller had all the service and back warranty work caught up on his 650X Challenge. Seller met us a couple hours south of his home on our route to help us, loaded on our trailer. Spent a week riding in Ouray and then some days in NM on our way home.

Both sellers were straight up, helpful, and things worked out really well on both deals.

I look for bikes in far away locations, as a chance to fly and ride new areas on my way home.

I enjoyed my 2000 mile wandering around on my way home. Forgot to mention, that a GSA that I had been looking at was on my route. The dear wife said I really should at least go by and see about it, and try to make a deal. I called that seller, arranged to see it the next day and made him an offer. He did not take it, so I turned north towards MO to ride northern AR and see a friend. Two days later the GSA seller calls to accept my offer. So I called a friend to fly to Little Rock and ride the GSA home. He and I had a great time, riding new to us bikes around AR, and finally to Texas.

I ended up with two GS’s and a GSA, and lots of parts and farkles. Spent the next week reorganizing the farkles. Ended up selling one GS on Wed. off the driveway to a guy driving by. Sold the other GS on Sat. to a friend after a couple of hours test ride for brunch. Came out of the deal with a GSA under warranty, all the upgrades I was going to put on the first GS, and we all had a great trip as well.