Day 41 – Costco?

Date: 07/12/2016 Tuesday
Starting Location: Shelton, CT
Intermediate Location: Orange, CT
Ending Location: Shelton, CT
Starting Odometer: 13,322
Ending Odometer: 13,373
Mileage Driven (2 days):  51 Miles
Mileage Total:  6935 miles
Today’s MPG:  40 mpg
Total Average MPG:  41 mpg
States Visited: CA, NV, AZ, UT, NM, CO, UT, WY, ID, WY, MT, WY, SD, MN, WI, MI, WI, IL, IN, OH, PA, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH, MA, CT (22 States so far)

Progress So Far

it’s approaching the final 2 weeks of this trip, and I’ve been finalizing the routes to the Rally in upstate NY, and from there, to visit some friends in Va, and then on to South Carolina.  I’ve started to give you a list of the states that I’ve visited, but I thought that it might be more easily understood to show a map of the states visited to date, and which states are still to come.

The map below shows the states visited in Green, the states that have not been visited in Yellow, and the states that I’m likely to visit in a light green.

I can’t live without Costco

Well, the statement above is simply not true.  I’m sure that I can live without Costco, but apparently, I just don’t want to.

About 3 weeks ago, i started noticing that my prescription sunglasses are no longer getting clean.  I’ve tried cleaning them with soap and water, lens cleaner, and even some of the “Scratch removal” substances that I’ve got, but none of these techniques or tools were able to clean the glasses.  So, I examined them more closely, and noticed that the amber coating on the lenses was showing surface cracks.  It is this coating that provides the contrast that I need when driving my car on the track, and in other situations where high-contrast and clarity are needed, and it seems that the coating has simply warn out.

The glasses are about 3 or more years old, and I’ve been told that this can happen with polarized, chromatic lenses.  So, rather than complaining about it, I decided to just solve the problem.

These glasses cost about $500 when I ordered them 3 years ago, and I didn’t want to spend another $500 on a new pair, so I went to Costco to see how their eye-care division works.  As it turns out, it works pretty well.  I was able to get a new pair of glasses, fitted with the brand of lens called “Transition Lenses” and I added the tinting that is appropriate for driving, and I also ordered them as progressive lenses.  All in,  including the eye exam, these new glasses cost me about $325, instead of the $500 that I paid for the last set.

These new glasses will arrive at my new home at about the same time that I arrive.  So, now I can enjoy my ride, knowing that I’ve got another set of glasses coming shortly.

Final Countdown – Another rain-soaked day is on the horizon

The trip to the rally is about 400 miles in length.  In addition, I have a dinner engagement, and I want to try to stop in at the rally and check-in when I arrive.  So, I’m expecting to travel about 440 miles, which is a pretty long day.

I checked the weather feeds and discovered that it looks like it will rain in Shelton until about 6AM, and then it will clear.  It is also supposed to rain in NY at my destination beginning at about 2PM.  So, in order to address these two fronts, I’ll need to be ready to leave Carl and Robin’s place at 5AM.  I’ll need to get up at 4AM, and I’ll need to pack the bike the night before.

So, tonight, I’m packing the bike, putting everything on it, except for the clothes that I’ll wear in the morning.  I don’t know how this plan is going to work, but given the weather forecasts, it’s the only plan that seems to work.

Wish me luck…

Footnote

This post is actually being written on the 15th of July, but I’m behind in creating these posts, and I want to maintain the chronological order of the posts.  Sorry, I’ll explain why I’m behind in the next post.