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KZ_Rage wrote: Wow! Ok, this is getting all over the place here.

If there is going to be a second flag coming from the west then that is up to everyone to put in their opinion I guess. Even if there is a second flag coming from the west the likelihood that the west flag will have to be mailed is still pretty great. In either case the chances of this getting completed in 2012 depends on the number of riders and their time to move it no matter if there is just one or two flags. Even with two the odds of this getting done this year are about the same as if there is only on, I'd say at best 50/50.

If two flags then why not 3 or 4? The Canadians could run one across the great white north before it actually is the great white north! The boys in the south could run another one so as to avoid the 100°+ temps. Four flags would have this done before August! Is that the point? To just get it done?

The point IMHO to not loose track of, is trying to get the flag into as many members hands as possible. Participation was always the main goal, a KZR fellowship that had each rider adding their own name to the same flag so that each subsequent rider had something of the entire KZR fellowship in their hands when it came to them.

The debates over the type of bike, year of bike and all of that are valid discussions that all should have a say in for this relay. Let's just not loose track that we are all in this together with one goal.

good posting....I'm down for a ride on the KZee. Right now I'm going for some of that Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, or some of that Tennessee small batch....which one can I have being a KZ rider from 'Sippi??? :whistle:

I was not actually suggesting that we open the relay to other types of bikes just that I would prefer the flag traveled on 2 wheels.

Let's just not loose track that we are all in this together with one goal.

OK - and just for the record, in your view, exactly what IS that "one goal" - and how is it intended to be accomplished...?

Gary - K7GLD wrote:

Let's just not loose track that we are all in this together with one goal.

OK - and just for the record, in your view, exactly what IS that "one goal" - and how is it intended to be accomplished...?

Well I refer back to Ed's first post about it...

"The relay could start in one of the states in a “corner” such as Washington State, Florida, Maine, or California and wind its way to the next adjacent state then the next, etc. until at least one rider in all 48 states had passed the token."

The goal was to be consecutive state to state, with one token, to get that token into each state and into the hands of at least one rider in that state. That would be the goal of the relay in essence, the implied reason was Ed's referencing Trianglelaguna’s “does anybody here actually ride” posting to get us out to ride and possibly meet other members, that is a fellowship based on KZ ownership.

The way Leg#1 and the subsequent legs were being planned as well as implemented, this is how it has been up to this point.

KZ_Rage wrote:

Gary - K7GLD wrote:

Let's just not loose track that we are all in this together with one goal.

OK - and just for the record, in your view, exactly what IS that "one goal" - and how is it intended to be accomplished...?

Well I refer back to Ed's first post about it...

"The relay could start in one of the states in a “corner” such as Washington State, Florida, Maine, or California and wind its way to the next adjacent state then the next, etc. until at least one rider in all 48 states had passed the token."

The goal was to be consecutive state to state, with one token, to get that token into each state and into the hands of at least one rider in that state. That would be the goal of the relay in essence, the implied reason was Ed's referencing Trianglelaguna’s “does anybody here actually ride” posting to get us out to ride and possibly meet other members, that is a fellowship based on KZ ownership.

The way Leg#1 and the subsequent legs were being planned as well as implemented, this is how it has been up to this point.

OK - and as shown by subsequent posts, there was the assumption by many, that the flag would go ALL the way via "Vintage KZ bikes" - but we have increasingly been advised of the very likely need to use USPS or similar transport to fill "holes" in bike coverage, and in some instances, the possible need to use other than the generally assumed representation of a "vintage" KZ bike - plus the added likelihood of significant delays in the flag transport, as the flag gets stalled at various USA locations, meaning the project could easily take 2 or more years to complete...

And THAT is what much of the more recent posts are now discussing - what WAS the "original plan" has in some minds, changed significantly...

BUT, we're all friends here - and there's room for discussion, and alternate suggestions - nothings carved in stone...

i hope im not too late:( if yall need someone to do an ohio run im down

I don't know if this has been suggested. (I jumped from page 1 to 35). Maybe pass along a digital camera as well to record the passing of the object. I know every road in Massachusettes. Mark

blipco wrote: I don't know if this has been suggested. (I jumped from page 1 to 35). Maybe pass along a digital camera as well to record the passing of the object. I know every road in Massachusettes. Mark

I recommended it months ago, as well as a log book. Not sure either one ever was acquired.

bradley77 wrote: i hope im not too late:( if yall need someone to do an ohio run im down

We can always add another to the route, put your dot on the map (there's instruction for doing this earlier in this thread or you can PM me your location and I'll add you to it) and we'll work out a route when we get the Leg#1 to Leg#2 hand-off settled.




As for your changes John, I'm open minded to the majorities will for what happens in the west or other issues outside of Leg#2, just know that nothing changes in Leg#2 as the folks in this leg are already committed to moving the original flag forward as planned to whichever Leg#3 rider it will eventually go to, after that we will have the knowledge that we had fun, met other riders and passed the flag along the same as Leg#1 had worked their best at accomplishing. I for one do not take away from their accomplishment!

Just as a note, the mailing the flag was not something that has been discussed more as an option recently, it goes back to the early planning part of this relay before the flag even got produced. There was a lot of desire not to do that but level headed reasoning in dealing with the reality of the logistics overruled that desire. Mailing it isn't to speed it up, it is only to bridge gaps in logistics. We have tried to stick to the original plan as much as possible and not get in a rush just for hastes sake.

It has always been the hope to avoid mailing but the realities are the west is far too open to expect riders to ride for days to get it to another rider. The gaps have filled some but not entirely. Even Leg#2's reversing the route will keep us from mailing it like originally thought due to the original plan was for it to reach the Newfoundland rider as Leg#1's end, there simply was no good way to loop it back to Leg#2 without backtracking it through the several of the same riders that got it up there in the first place. The recent loss of relayers in Leg#1 has made the need to mail it to Leg#2 less of a necessity if we can get it to Canada in a reasonable manner by riders. If that rider isn't on a KZ then the majority will have to quickly decide if another Kawasaki other than a KZ is better than mailing it or that mailing is more inline with what the original intent was for the relay.

I know it is tough to be on the west coast and reading about it moving toward you ever so slowly but I can't believe anyone thought it would be that much faster than it has been so far. The dot's might look close on the map but those are hundreds of miles and people have jobs, lives and other things that might make the flag have to sit another weekend before it moves again.

koolaid_kid wrote:

blipco wrote: I don't know if this has been suggested. (I jumped from page 1 to 35). Maybe pass along a digital camera as well to record the passing of the object. I know every road in Massachusettes. Mark

I recommended it months ago, as well as a log book. Not sure either one ever was acquired.

The log book has been acquired. Just about everyone has a digital camera in their phone, no need to add another one.

I am opposed to the 2 flags from opposite directions idea. Eds' original posts should be re-read to understand the intent.

I would like to see this done this year. However that seems unlikely. That's OK though, as long as progress is being made on a regular basis. I'd not like to see it stalled out because some one who was holding the flags bike crashed or got sold to pay the rent. If some disaster like that occurs and no riders are close enough to pick up the flag then shipping it would be OK by me but not to fill a hole in coverage. The wide open spaces can be filled with riders who are willing to stand the misery of a long ride on a sport bike or cruiser. If that rider can't be found maybe then a non-Z1/KZ vintage Kaw could jump in.

This relay would be a lot simpler to coordinate if we were riding touring bikes. Long distances are a piece of cake on a Voyager or a 'Wing. Alas, we are riding antique sport bikes. I know my KZ1000 is not very comfortable on long rides without the Windjammer out front. My hat goes off to those riders covering hundreds of miles a day to get the job done.

So lets dig those windscreens out of the attic, bolt 'em on and ride.

*sigh

Am I really going to have to offer to ride all the fk around the country to get this done?

Because I will. I'm serious. I've already ridden from Albuquerque to Iowa, and once I get some new bits bolted on, I've got no problem blasting around the country if I've got a destination, so long as my funds hold up (unemployment extension FTW!).

I'm currently in Iowa City, I ride with a surplus Army sleeping bag and that's about it. I don't care where I sleep, I'll put in 600 miles in a day, and my '83 KZ1100A3 doesn't mind so long as I keep oil in the crankcase (you should see my left boot...).

What I'm trying to say is, LETS GET THIS DONE! I'm also supposed to be the ABQ handoff for leg 3/4, but if this takes forever I'll have to, you know...get a job, probably here in Iowa :sick:

So unless anyone else wants to volunteer for 2 parts of this trip...well, I'll throw down and ride wherever I gotta go to help get this done. Hell, I can probably even raise some funds for gas $$ from friends if I have to. Sorry if I come off as a bit pushy, but when I bought this bike I fully intended to ride it anywhere and everywhere the tickled my fancy. 500 miles ain't ****, forgive my enthusiasm but seriously, I logged 650 miles in one day on my way to Iowa, through Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Didn't break a sweat. So, umm, let's do this. Git 'er done!

Also, this talk of seasonal weather...pssssh. My KZ is all I got to get me where I'm goin. If we get the northern states taken care of, the southwest is great for a little November/December riding. Lol. It's all about the layers.

Okay, that's as motivational as I get. I'm going to post this to my facebook thingy, and try to raise a little support from the Harley crowd. Let's show them old coots how the Kawi guys do it!

koolaid_kid wrote:

blipco wrote: I don't know if this has been suggested. (I jumped from page 1 to 35). Maybe pass along a digital camera as well to record the passing of the object. I know every road in Massachusettes. Mark

I recommended it months ago, as well as a log book. Not sure either one ever was acquired.[/quote

Koolaid, didn't mean to steal your idea. I saw this thread for the first time late last night.
As for long didtance, I have a KZP with plenty of rubber and a recent valve adjustment. I rode my ZRX cross country, the KZP is more of a piece of cake with it's barn door faring and giant solo seat.