I did three trips this summer: one for fun (SD, ND, MT, WY, etc.), and two for conferences: FL (and then to IN for a wedding), and then RI via VT. My '04 Bandit now has over 67,000 miles. I take good care of it, so I hope there's 67,000 miles more left!
On the way home from RI on Friday, I stopped in NJ to see a friend from college. I left NJ around 6 AM on Saturday and got to Washington DC around 9 AM. Somewhere near Lorton on I-95, the traffic was bumper to bumper and barely moving. I rode on the shoulder for a few miles and a State trooper pulled me over but let me go with a warning. A few miles more, and I had all I could take (plus, the bike was overheating). I got off I-95 at the US-17/Warrenton exit. At the gas station, I was talking to a guy on a Harley who said he came north from Winston-Salem and that the traffic southbound extended to about 10 miles north of Richmond!! THAT'S 80 MILES OF BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC!!! Holy feck!!!!
Needless to say, I continued north on US-17 and then to US-15 south. I figured I-64 back to 95 would get me by the traffic, and it did. I was in a bit of a hurry to get home, but the extra 3 hrs. on the road wasn't too bad all things considered.
I just took the side racks off the Bandit and returned it to its commuting garb.
I'd reeeeeally like to ride it to Alaska next summer...
