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This was the view of the sunrise (too cold to sleep).

Thanks for the trip photos and videos. Sounds great !

Regarding your clutch slipping, in addition to having several mm. of slack in the cable / left lever assembly, be sure to check the adjustment on the little set screw on the lower left side cover, right above the shift lever. There is a small cover, about 1 1/2" x 2 1/2", held on with two phillips screws. Remove that. You will see a screw with a 12 mm lock nut on it. Hold the screw with a screw driver, and loosen the lock nut. Then turn the screw counter clockwise until you feel some resistance. Now turn the screw back clockwise 1/4 turn. Hold the screw with a screwdriver and tighten the lock nut. This sets the clearance for the pushrod that operates the clutch. If there is no clearance at all, then the clutch will slip, even if the friction plates are in good shape.

I know this from personal experience. The lock nut on mine was frozen to the screw, so the adjustment did not respond as the factory manual described. So I thought I should just leave it alone. Found out later that this is critical to the clutch functionality.

I wondered about another adjustment. I had even adjusted the clutch cable to the point where I was killing the bike every time I left a stop because it was grabbing so quickly. I was going to go through the Clymer and check all the adjustments prior to tearing the clutch apart, but that is great to know!

I always feel a little more "brave" in the U.P. when i have my .45, i do not like bears too much. I am heading to Copper Harbor myself in a few weeks.

Nothing like WI and UP countryside.

There are some great rides in my country (Michigan's UP). Don't know why it isn't better known. You have to get off the main highways to really enjoy it, bur once you do , as you have proven, you'll want to come back for more. Even the main roads have their attractons. Like the sand beaches along US2 at the north end of Lake MIchigan and the south shore of Lake Superior. Plenty of small towns with reasonably good eating places and watering holes. Plenty of public and private campgrounds. Not a lot of real twisties but a few fun roads and a lot of side roads with long sweeping curves. Glad someone has rode it and written it up. Fall is a great time to visit for the fall colors.

Norm