After yesterdays clear blue skies and hot, this morning was heavy overcast and very light rain. After quickly packing up the camp before things really got wet, I headed for Lake Louise. Here is the poor view of the lake from a small bridge by the hotel. Like many other locations within Banff, this place was overrun with tourists and enough cars to justify parking attendants. After taking a few photos (none of them came out due to the low clouds) I headed out of the parking lot. And the bike seemed noisier than usual and there was quite a bit of "popping" in the exhaust on the right cylinder.
Before heading onto the highway, I stopped to investigate and saw this, a broken weld on the exhaust system. The next town was Golden, BC, and I was directed by the nice folks at the visitor's center to a local iron works shop. I stopped in and they dug around to make sure that they had the correct rod for stainless steel. I removed the exhaust header and they welded it up probably sturdier than the original weld. When I was putting on the mufflers, a bolt for the right muffler clamp broke off and after digging around, I found something that would work. But not good enough.
It started to really pour once I got back on the road and between the rain, low clouds (poor visibility), road construction, and tons of traffic, it was pretty tiring.
About twenty miles down the road, I heard a "clank". I looked down and saw that my right muffler decided it didn't want to remain attached to the bike. I stopped and eventually got the muffler back from the side of the road but the part where it slips over the manifold was deformed. It probably got run over by someone. Fortunately, I had a hammer and pry bar and eventually had the muffler sort of attached again. Not wanting it to fall off again, I ran a hook from the back to hold it forward. It doesn't slide far enough into the manifold to allow the clamp to actually do anything. But it works for now.
After all of this bending over, crawling on the ground, rain, etc. I was pretty sore and tired. I saw a sign for Canyon Hot Springs and that sounded really good. Since it was still raining, I went ahead and picked up a cabin for the night as it wasn't that much more than a campsite + swimming. And, it has Internet...
Posted with Blogsy
I hope you have a better day today. I hope you find another good wifi campsite. Maybe next time you call I won't be in Lowe's trying to figure out how to fix the kitchen light and we can talk better. I love you!
ReplyDeleteWell, that doesn't sound like fun. You've gone from a tour on three wheels to an adventure, just like that.
ReplyDeleteHope the hot springs weren't too over run with people.
The problem with the popular spots are they are just that, tourists and so many people that they aren't enjoyable any more.
The hot spring were fine, not too crowded in spite of it being almost Canada Day. I think the Ural is patched up enough to continue...
DeleteNow when you are stopped for an hour and SPOT is still on I wonder if you are having bike troubles, or if you forgot to turn it off. Warm, not hot, here, with slight rain.
ReplyDeleteThat was probably when I was pounding the muffler back into shape...
DeleteWhat a misadventure Richard, good thing you are mechanically talented. Hope that is the last nuts and bolts and broken parts post you have to write.
ReplyDeleteIt's a Ural, I have no misconceptions of this being the last broken bolts. But I think that I should carry a small supply...
DeleteA true ural adventure now. you retrieved parts from the side of the road. :) enjoy the hot springs.
ReplyDeleteAt least it was large enough to find and I was able to pull over after hearing it fall off.
DeleteI suppose if some of these "tests" didn't happen you might be disappointed. Stay safe and enjoy the easy times.
ReplyDeleteI could use less disappointments. ;-)
DeleteUsually, it's the left muffler that somehow comes off or gets knocked off as its the lowest point on the rig when on rough terrain and leaning left. As to the welding required, that's not something I've had the pleasure of, yet. You think it could be the stuff they put on the roads during winter in AK?
ReplyDeleteWhen I pulled the headers off, you could tell that the tubing was pretty thin at that point. I'm thinking that your friend that put in an aftermarket header may be on the right track...
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