The first Pharaoh’s Challenge is in the books. A few folks had things come up at the last minute, so it was just Amber and me (CB). We got a bit of a late start, and sort goofed off at some of the stops; so it was a full 13 hour ride. I think it rained in some parts of southern Illinois, but we managed to stay clear of it. Most of the ride was a bit on the muggy side, although there were some sections where we passed through cooler areas. The route had some pleasant surprises for us. Grapevine Trail/Road down in the southwest corner was a late addition to the route. It turned out to be a really pretty ride; and much more enjoyable than the Olive Branch/Cairo section it replaced. The National Cemetery in Mound City and the Trail of Tears marker were somber stops, and it felt appropriate to pause in respect. We decided to stop for a late lunch in Metropolis. Near the Superman statue is a “Pizza and Dots” restaurant. It used to just be a Dippin Dots franchise. The food was good. By the time we got to the General Store in Bay City it was closed. And by the time we got to Tunnel Hill the light was fading quickly. When we walked up to the tunnel it was pretty dark and spooky. Bats were zipping back and forth inside the tunnel. All in all it was great fun. Right at about 300 miles. AFTER ACTION REVIEW 1) This was my maiden voyage on the KLX250S. It performed like a champ. If I were to critique anything about it I’d say the seat is really uncomfortable. Maybe a Corbin replacement is in its future. It took some getting used to being back on a carbureted bike. With all the fancy electronics on its dash it sure would be nice to also have a fuel gauge. 2) I printed the directions on note cards and clipped them to the mirror stem. I augmented these with the map function on my phone’s GPS app. This system worked well. But, I think if I’m leading any future Pharaoh’s Challenges that I’ll plot the route into the phone’s GPS as a series of connecting destinations. Not only would it be easier for me, I could share the coordinates with anyone who has a GPS rigged up. I’m sure that would make it easy for anyone to accurately follow the route; with or without me along. But, the written directions are accurate and available as well. 3) This was also the first ride wearing my new Fly dual-sport helmet. It works well, but it did feel like it loosened up a bit. It makes me wonder if I should have gone with the next smaller size. 4) No matter how much you try to avoid it, there always seem to be flooded areas. The Devil’s Backbone Park was flooded. We also had to ford a flooded (but very shallow) street in McClure. 5) It’s hard to stay hydrated! I should have worn my CamelBak. Also, some sort of salty snack is a good idea. Fortunately, Amber packed cold water and some chips. Thank you, Amber! 6) Gas stops are somewhat rare along the route; and if you’re picky about pay-at-the-pump big-name franchises they’re even more rare. Start topped off in Carbondale, and if you’re close to needing gas don’t venture beyond a decent looking station (such as those in Chester and Metropolis). You could also consider a short detour over the bridge to Cape Girardeau if your bike is getting thirsty down in the southwest area. 7) Watch out for deer as it gets later in the afternoon. We had several run across the road in front of us. 8 ) The route is not completely “50cc friendly.” This is mostly because of the journey parallel to the Mississippi River on Route 3. Traffic seems to be impatient and in a hurry there. Unfortunately, there’s no paved alternative. Even at our pace we were passed a number of times.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:17:42 +0000
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