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Rad 'n Doc Travel the World
And so the journey begins.....
I've always loved long trips on a motorcycle, and after meeting Austin Vince at a Round the World presentation about his home made movie "Mondo Enduro" at BMW Motorcycles of Escondido a few years ago, I got the bug of possibly doing a round the world trip myself. I also hosted about 15 motorcycle travelers at my home over the last 4 years, some of them on their own round the world trips. I was inspired by all the people I hosted, and continued to attend round the world trip presentations at local shops whenever I could...including Simon and Lisa Thomas, Allan Karl, and Sam Manicom. In February of 2015 there were some changes in my life and I realized I should start planning my own journey around the world. I had just adopted a dog (Doc Holliday) 3 months earlier after my last one passed, and I thought "what should I do with my new dog" ? I contemplated getting rid of him, but I just could not do that. So I started researching traveling with a dog and found Kuhjunge's round the world trip report on ADVrider, where he and his girlfriend were traveling with 2 bikes and 3 dogs in a sidecar. Also got referred to Stan McGhee in Germany, who travels with his wife and dog all over in a sidecar. I asked them specific questions, like if the extra time, money and effort involved with taking a dog to other countries was worth it, and if they had to do it again, would they do it with a dog. Both said that it was well worth it, they would do it again with a dog, and a dog will often enhance your trip and even open doors for you in many places. So, I started researching what is needed for entry into other countries with a dog, found a travel site called "PetTravel.com" which is a wealth of information, and decided Doc Holliday was going with me. First thing was to decide what bike to buy for this journey. I wanted shaft drive, parts availability and reliability with good power. There were only a few choices in my mind...BMW 1150 or 1200 GS, Yamaha Super Tenere 1200, an older Airhead BMW GS and maybe a couple of others came to mind. One night, a friend Ed (Shafted) and I were sitting in our favorite fish taco bar in Ocean Beach, discussing my plans and what bike to use. I didn't like the fact that on an older Super Tenere, you cannot turn off the ABS and the newer ones have too much electronics like suspension adjustment, etc. The newer BMW's also have too much electronic suspension, canbus and ABS. An older Airhead to me, doesn't have enough power for a heavy sidecar rig and they also have weak electrical systems and alternator. Ed said, "you know, about a 2003 BMW 1150GS "Sport" Model would be just about ideal"...no canbus, no ABS, slightly lower first gear. He happened to check Craigslist later that night and found one an hour and a half away, with only 9500 miles in showroom condition...I said, "I'm going to buy it this weekend, whether or not I use it for this trip". So that's what I did. Next step was start looking for a sidecar builder. I contacted a few around the country and chose Chris Canterbury of Boxer Metal, in Chico, CA. The design process and commissioning of the sidehack build started in August of 2015. Wheels, subframe and leading link front end were ordered from EZS Sidecar in the Netherlands. The parts arrived in December at LAX in Los Angeles and I happened to be working in LA that day, so I picked up the crate and later that week, drove the parts and the bike up to Chico in the truck with Doc. Commissioning the build on a handshake. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...180327-1-L.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_180034-L.jpg Doc Holliday was jumpin' for joy.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_095031-L.jpg Some pix from later on, during the build process..... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...7_152706-L.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...7_152644-L.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...7_152637-L.jpg to be continued... |
The rig was close to completion in early August, so I got a one way rental up to Chico, took my riding gear, tools and Doc with me to go pick up the rig from Boxer Metal. Here's a few pix of Chris working in the shop...I helped him work on it some, and I got to know the workings of a lot of it while I hung out as he put on all the finishing touches.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_014915-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_015012-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_015137-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_024201-M.jpg Custom solar panel, much more efficient than most you can buy....powerful enough to charge laptop, has a controller inside top Jessie Luggage case, with USB ports, and also constantly charges bike battery. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_024210-M.jpg Doc is a big boy....the body is designed to my specifications, so he can fully stand, turn around and lay down sprawled out inside the chair....after 2 attempts, he got in on his own... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_130227-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0250_001-M.jpg Chris working on the wiring.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4158_001-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...2_134218-M.jpg It's a beautiful thing....accessory board inside the chair.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_141045-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_141052-M.jpg Dinner time... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...3_201848-M.jpg Had to go here one night.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_175608-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_180655-M.jpg Chris getting ready for the first test ride after completion.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_131345-M.jpg Chris showing off how to get "the chair in the air" ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_140657-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_140659-M.jpg Test ride with me in the chair, looking up at Chris as the pilot... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_144437-M.jpg I had to test ride in the chair to make sure it was safe for Doc, check out wind noise, etc. My first ride on the rig.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_161142-M.jpg Getting ready to leave Chico for the ride home... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_201218-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_201649-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1921_001-M.jpg |
The ride home from Chico down the I-5 was hot....I had to stop every hour to let Doc cool off, give him water and sometimes find a place where we could go inside with air conditioning...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...6_131757-M.jpg Doc chilin' on a cool floor... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4315_001-M.jpg Our rig draws a lot of attention, people taking photos of it all the time, coming up to talk to me....this guy wanted to follow me down the road a ways, make sure I was OK...that was cool of him. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...7_100445-M.jpg Another rest stop on the way home.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...7_165846-M.jpg Had a couple of going away get-togethers with friends.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4510_001-M.jpg It was a few weeks before I was actually ready to get out of my rent house, have a big yard sale to sell most of my belongings and finally get out on the road....more to come. |
Before I left San Diego, I attended a couple more round the world presentations by Simon and LIsa Thomas, and Sam Manicom. At Sam's presentation, he introduced me to Bonzai Becky and Andrea of Motoventuring.com...2 wild and crazy chicks who rode their DRZ400's to South America. Becky said if I needed any graphic work for Blog, stickers, etc. she'd be glad to help so I took her up on the offer. My friend Shafted and I met them both in Ocean Beach for fish tacos....we had a blast. We came up with a blog name....RadnDoc.com (but I will no longer be using that blog, too much work and cost per year).
Becky soon came up with a cool sticker design and ordered me 500 so I can hand them out to people I meet on the road.... L to R, Ed, Andrea, me and Becky https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-..._resized-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...icker-01-M.jpg I finally got on the road on September 4th...My first night of the trip, I made it to Fullerton, just 2 hours from San Diego...my Airhead friends invited me to stop and see them as my first official stop of the trip....here's a pic of my friend John's old Airhead with an original Steib sidecar on it....John has quite a colleciton of bikes, ALL Airhead Boxers.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5057_001-M.jpg As i was hanging out with my friends in Fullerton, I mentioned that the rear luggage section of the hack was sitting way too low fully loaded....John and I looked at it closely, and he mentioned he had a friend who is a really good welder...we decided to cut the rear section off the sidecar subframe and raise it 5". In the process, before I had it welded, I somehow shorted some wires and the bike would not run. I fixed the fried wires but still no power with key on.*I had to take the bike to Irv Seaver BMW to analyze the problem....they had the bike for 2 1/2 weeks before finding and fixing the problem, just a burned out ignition switch. In the meantime while bike was in shop, the Airheads were having their yearly Kings Canyon campout, so I decided to rent a car so I could attend the rally. Did some good hiking with my boy Doc in Kings Canyon and the Seqouia Nat'l Park area.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...9_080930-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...9_081205-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...9_081849-M.jpg I've been to see the giant Seqouia trees many times and still never get tired of them.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...9_083758-M.jpg The Airheads at the group campsite... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00001-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00003-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00008-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00009-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00012-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00014-M.jpg Doc crashed out after a busy day.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_114655-M.jpg |
Great thread and great photos! The photo with Doc jumping for joy is priceless :)
After reading this, I really feel that it is time for me to buy a dog and travel with him, sounds like a lot of fun! :) |
On the way out of Seqouia National Park, I took the 23 mile drive up to Mineral King...all the times I had been to Seqouia, never went up here...I'm glad I did...great views.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_144414-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_171623-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_172239-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_172452-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_172742-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_174049-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_174835-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_181134-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_175613-M.jpg Stopped to check out this guy crossing the road...dropped a quarter for size comparison. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...1_190620-M.jpg Video of the Mineral King Area.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...173210-640.mp4 |
Back in Fullerton, I ordered Doc some "Rex Specs" K9 goggles...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_154753-M.jpg Had to get some electrical parts, and while there, Doc got a buddy to play inside the store.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...114309-640.mp4 A short hike in the hills of Fullerton.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_182327-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_182408-M.jpg Finally, got my rig back from Irv Seaver's....time to ride ! *Went up to Carpinteria to join the Airheads for a Tech Day at Martin's shop... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_134815-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_134547-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_134709-M.jpg My friend John who was my host in Fullerton, working on his 1941 or around that year, BMW....cool bike ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_134843-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4932_001-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_170243-M.jpg Went to Carpinteria Beach...there is natural tar oozing out of the cliffs...the Indians used to use this for their canoes. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_154214-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_154224-M.jpg Troy, Sherri, Doc and his new girlfriends... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_174009-M.jpg Our accommodations for the night in the parking lot.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...4_222129-M.jpg Had a great time with my Airhead friends and met new ones. |
The next day, took a ride to check out the Montecito Motor Classic Car and Bike Show....lots of nice machinery....I took loads of photos, but here are a few of my favorites...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_120651-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_120843-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_120857-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_121246-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_121304-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_122108-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_122331-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_122511-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_122956-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_123011-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_123027-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_123745-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_123759-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_123834-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_124035-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_124044-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_124107-M.jpg Video of the bikes..... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...121545-640.mp4 After the motor classic, took a ride thru Santa Barbara, then up into the mountains near Ojai....it was pretty hot that day, Doc was exhausted....took an hour break in the shade, then had dinner at a nice Italian joint in the mountains. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_155725-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_155543-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...5_184201-M.jpg The end of another good day. |
Finally, this day actually felt like the real start of my trip....heading north to the Sierra Nevada mountains up Hwy*395. At*a gas stop in Pearsonville, I heard something that didn't sound right from my front end...I carefully examined the wheel and brake calipers....found a couple missing bolts and loose bolts on the calipers. Luckily, I stocked up on spare bolts, nuts and washers before I left. I had all the bolts necessary and soon was on my way.
Funny how Doc guards the rig....I don't think anyone will mess with it. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_033057-M.jpg I stopped in Lone PIne for a room at 3am. Next morning, met some English folks renting Harleys and touring parts of the USA... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_085932-M.jpg In the lobby of the historic Dow Villa Motel, I saw a cute girl in riding pants...figured she had to be on a bike, so went outside and met Thomas and Helene from Germany...they are touring the USA, Canada and South America 2 up on an F800GS. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_111727-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_111807-M.jpg Lobby of the Dow Villa Motel...famous movie area, lots of memorabilia.... https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_123936-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_124009-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_124202-M.jpg Five Bold Women....oh yeah ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_131955-M.jpg The view across from the motel...Mt. Whitney and the Eastern Sierra Nevada...I've been addicted to these mountains for years ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_142747-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_142802-M.jpg Not a clear shot, but that's Mt. Whitney....highest mountain in the contiguous United States, elevation 14,505 feet. Had to go to the Alabama Hills, Movie Flats...love this area...many westerns and other movies were filmed here...plus, a chance for riding off road ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_142853-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_143457-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_143507-M.jpg Let the dirt roads*begin !! *I've been waiting for this...the first time really riding off pavement with the rig. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_143538-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_144156-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_144226-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...0_144410-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00058-M.jpg The old runway at Manzanar, where they flew in Japanese Americans during WWII and put them in relocation camps, similar to concentration camps. https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00059-M.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00060-M.jpg I love exploring dirt roads, and I'm really loving it with this rig ! https://photos.smugmug.com/Sidehack-...DSC00061-M.jpg More to come from the end of this day.... |
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