Riding the Shovelhead Cross Country

renchinrider · November 12, 2018, 06:20:30 PM

I'm taking advantage of today's rainy day at home to catch up a few of the writings I've been putting off. I rode the Shovel to Sturgis and back in September, but haven't had time to write my ride report. Here's at least the first portion.

I spent most of the summer rebuilding my old 1974 Harley Super Glide so I could ride it to Sturgis to see the Motorcycle Cannonball at their midway stop. I was at the Cannonball's midway stop in 2014 and 2016, and I hope never to miss one in the future. Therefore, I booked a room in Sturgis the same day that Cannonball event owner Jason Sims posted the route and stops.

It wasn't until May that I decided to ride the Shovel, however. For more than 2 years, I've been buried in a project resurrecting our old farmhouse, and my entire life as a motorcycle junkie has been shelved :'( :'(. But then I read an article that Motorcycle Cannonball participant Erik Bahl shared from AMCA. The article chronicled the arrival of "Shovelhead Liz" (a rider well-known in AMCA and Shovelhead circles) at an AMCA swap meet in North Carolina. Her old shovel had blown a head gasket enroute to the meet, and Erik had shared a pictorial story of her overnight repair of the motorcycle in a barn at the swap meet site.

OK: I was shamed. If Shovelhead Liz was tough enough to ride her old Shovel all over the country, rebuild it overnight in North Carolina hit the road again at the AMCA meet's conclusion, then surely I could get my Super Glide back in shape to make it to Sturgis and back! It was time to quit with all the excuses, and get my old bike back on the road...It had been too long! :-[ The Shovel was going to Sturgis, and my project was launched!

The story of preparing the bike is in "Vintage" below, at https://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=2907.0.

I finally had the bike ready to go 1-1/2 days before it was time to leave. I did a 70-mile shakedown ride, came back with no problems noted, and set about loading the bike for the trip. Game on! :P

My plan for Day 1 was to travel from Huntsville to Lebanon, MO--645 miles. I planned to keep my speed around 55~60, and take it easy. Over the years, I've found that the engine's vibration smooths out pretty well at that speed. So, to cover that distance, I would need to leave early.

Just before 6 the next morning, I rolled the bike out to the road, kicked her hard in the flank...

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And headed out down the road before any of the neighbors were too badly disturbed by the rumble coming out of the straight pipes! :D

[url=https://flic.kr/p/P6Dtjg]

renchinrider · November 12, 2018, 08:19:47 PM

One of the great things about starting out early is missing the morning commuter traffic. It seemed no time at all and I had crossed I-65, traversed Decatur, and was enjoying cool overcast skies and minimal traffic on AL20, then U.S. 72 on my way to Florence/Tuscumbia...

...then across the Mississippi line...

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...and on to Corinth. There, I turned north on U.S. 45. Soon I crossed the Tennessee line...

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and continued north until my first fuel stop in Selmer, TN.

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renchinrider · November 12, 2018, 08:37:35 PM

By this point, I realized this was going to be a different experience than making the same trip on my modern, easy-ridin' Road King. The old Super Glide isn't quite as ergonomic, and it vibrates so much more. But it was also more exciting. At the gas stop I felt compelled to check the oil, check for leaks, check the chain tension, etc. With the Road King, I check the oil in the morning before I take off, and rarely feel the need to check anything else besides tire pressure!

I left Selmer and continued north on U.S. 45 until I reached Jackson. There I turned and headed west on U.S. 412/I-155 until I reached the intersection of I-155 and I-55N. It was time for another gas/snack/rest stop in Hayti, Missouri.

From Hayti, I traveled north on I-55 until I reached U.S. 60, and then traveled west/northwest on 60 and other lesser roads...

[url=https://flic.kr/p/29h8Yb9]

...finally reaching Lebanon, Missouri! ;D I had met my goal for Day 1!

I had researched lodging options in Lebanon before the trip, and I headed directly to the historic Munger Moss motel on Route 66. I rented a room and settled in for the night. The trip was going great! :)

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I walked back toward downtown Lebanon to get some food, and happened onto a very interesting group of riders at the motel next-door. Thinking they had come to Missouri for the Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest, I approached them. It turned out they were a group of riders from the U.K. and Italy who had traveled from their home countries to Chicago, rented motorcycles, and were tracing their way along Route 66! They said they were having a blast traveling the country. After some conversation, I wished them well and continued on my way.

renchinrider · November 12, 2018, 09:13:35 PM

After a great night's sleep, I was ready to get going again. I had set my route and schedule in order to visit Lake of the Ozarks Bike Fest before bearing west and riding to Junction City, KS. It took no time to cover the 35 miles from Lebanon to Camdenton, MO...

...then on to Osage Beach...

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