Closure

Now that the 2018 Prefrontal Tour is over (and it's been raining like hell all day) it's time for the "closure episode", e.g. reflections and ruminations from the road. We saw a lot on the round-trip, and it was interesting to compare one state to another during our journey. Some interesting statistics - days away: 18... miles traveled: 7,637... average miles per travel day: 408... most miles in a single day: 610... altitude traversed: 279,333 feet... top speed: 101 mph (it was a long desert highway honey, I swear)... typical average speed: 70 mph... most frequently sighted sleeping animal: white-tailed deer... where most sighted: Nebraska... best scenery, twisties, and roads (quality): California... worst roads (quality): Iowa, by a long shot! The tour, for me at least, was made possible by a variety of gear including the bike. Aside from the travails with the reverse mechanism, I came to appreciate the cruise control on those 500+ mile days, the adjustable windshield to limit buffeting, and the cowl-mounted driving lights for visibility. I added a Utopia backrest, Mick-O-Pegs highway pegs, a throttle palm rest, and a beaded seat to maximize the number of positions I could take, increasing comfort and limiting cramps. The First Gear riding suit and Bilt boots were top notch and affordable, and the Pinlock face shield and ear plugs made for better visibility and reduced fatigue respectively. After 18 days, I still feel like I have the ear plugs in, but at least I don't have ringing ears or reduced hearing. The suit took a beating from cold, heat, rain and that black micro-fine dust that pervades the road - (what is that stuff?) - but it performed admirably and I was warm without even having to wear jeans or thermal liners underneath. Under the covers, the LD Comfort brand is highly recommended by long-distance riders, and I can attest to that, although with the riding suit, you don't have the seams or the binding action of jeans that tend to cause chafing on long trips. As for that reverse mechanism, the instant I pulled into the garage I pressed the Reverse button several times and the bike whirred backward each time as it should, so perhaps that's sorted, but I don't intend to find out when I'm that far away from home again! Onward and upward. Who's in for 2019?!

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