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Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:52 pm
by bdaughdrill
Folks:
Finalizing preparation for the cross-country run (NYC-LA in the Triking. My co-pilot, trusting soul that he is, has never seen or sat in one. He is in Boston and is meeting me in NYC. He is looking for someone with a Triking in the Boston area who is gracious enough to allow him to sit in it and maybe take a brief ride so his first introduction is not going down the high-way at 70 with me. Alan, you are welcome to relay my contact information directly to any enquirers.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:35 am
by DSU475
Hi,
The Register records an owner in Vermont. I only have an address for them at present, google maps says they are approx 180 of our English miles from Boston. With a bit of luck they will read this and email me their contact details on tisileclay@gmail.com. If this doesn't work i will send a letter with your contact details via snail mail.
My regards,
Andy.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 3:58 am
by EricStarmer
Maybe you should wait until next summer to do this - it's already getting frosty at night some places on your route, and even though I love my Triking, it's probably the last vehicle (apart from a motorcycle) that I'd want to be driving on a slippery road. Also, I'm not sure how much you've driven your Triking, but maybe you should get some fairly long trips "under your belt" first, as I just completed a 250 mile trip on a freeway in my Triking, averaging around 60mph, and going 60 or 70 in a Triking for long periods for me is more tiring than in a "regular" car, because you're so close to the ground that everything seems to go by much faster, and you need to be more "aware" all the time. This was actually good for me in some respects, because I have a tendency to get drowsy when driving long distances in a car, but definitely not in my Triking :-)

Not trying to be negative, just think it's a pretty big thing to take on in a fairly new vehicle without a lot of preparation.

Maybe you're not in your 70's like me, though, and still have the carefree enthusiasm of youth :-)

Good luck !

Eric

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:40 pm
by DSU475
Hi Bill,
I have emailed you contact details (email address) for the owner in Vermont, hope this helps,
Regards,
Andy.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 2:55 pm
by bdaughdrill
Eric:
Wise words, no doubt and all those points already have been carefully considered. Our goals, in actual order are: (1) don't hurt anyone else; (2) don't hurt ourselves; (3) finish; (4) achieve our goal. In everyone of the rides I've ever done, safety remains my first focus.

I've made several multi-hundred mile trips in the Triking already as shake down cruises post construction, including a couple of 250+ entirely on the freeway at freeway speed. I've already logged more than 1,000 miles myself and routinely ride motorcycles on 800-1000 mile days so am accustom to the tiring effects of wind, etc. over a long day (and the need to stay hydrated). The co-driver who is joining me has already made the trip multiple times in an enclosed car, this will be his first in an open cockpit, so we each bring a different level, different nature of competency to the equation. We've checked route from NYC to LA and, presently, lows are estimated to be above 40 with the exception of Flagstaff AZ which is above 8000 ft in elevation. It will likely be in the mid 30s but should still be warm enough that ice on the roads should not be an issue. Mid Oct is, for me, the cutoff date, this year. It was run in 2015 in a Morgan in December which was reported to be miserable. I've built mine specifically for this trip and added features like the wider auto-tire in the back to give me a bigger contact patch, a bulkhead behind the engine to eliminate the wind tunnel effect Trikings normally experience, side insulation to help modulate temperature within the vehicle, reserve tanks, etc. It is, no doubt, a herculean task and, while I'm younger than you, not by much (52), Co-pilot is in his 20s so hopefully his youthfulness will add the extra energy. We avoided spring because you are more likely to encounter weather and summer because an air-cooled engine in the summer is simply NOT as happy.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 2:55 pm
by bdaughdrill
Thanks Andy. I passed it along and my guy will reach out to him.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 4:24 pm
by EricStarmer
Sounds like you're definitely prepared - didn't realize that you had that many miles on your Triking, as I thought you'd only recently completed it. Doing 800-1000 miles a day is definitely out of my league - guess I shouldn't judge others based on my own (in)abilities :-)

Will look forward to hearing about your trip - in the meantime, good luck with your endeavor, be safe, and I hope you're successful and take the record away from the Morgan !

Eric

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:09 pm
by bdaughdrill
Eric, It's about 3-months old. It has been my every Saturday morning date. Drive, try to break it, come back and addresss whatever shook loose, clean it up and start all over again. It is being transported to a shop in Brooklyn which has wrenched on a number of cross country adventurers and they have a full list of components they will check torque on, inspect, etc., before we leave. The space behind he seat is filled with extra oil, tools, plugs, wire, tape, inner tube, air pump and the like, and the glove box with wiring diagram and shop manual. Gas stops mapped and confirmed every <300 miles. Cold weather gear laid out. Been planning this for 3 years and contemplating for a decade. But yes, it's intimidating as hell starting out.

No good story started with, "so I had this idea that I'd seen done a dozen times, that is probably pretty easy..."

Love fades, scars heal...glory is forever

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 3:55 pm
by DSU475
Bill,
I'd probably include a UJ and rear UJ carrier bearing in the spares kit, oh and a spare fuel pump.
Andy.

Re: Owners in Boston Area

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 5:51 pm
by Weg
Very best wishes for the trip Brian.
A really fantastic undertaking that leaves me stuck in the Fens.
When do you hope to depart?
Cheers
Tony