paulmbowers

Well done sir.

Is Thing open to Sunrise now?

The late model phones can get damaged- the magnets in the camera's stabilization unit can get scrambled. But other than that, the environment is no different for a Montana, which is designed for hiking, not motorsports. Ruggedized phones are cheap when compared to single-purpose GPS units, and the phones offer a wide range of other functions. Were I to go on a long trip with my dog, I'd buy and equip two phones, one as a backup. Should one phone get damaged, swap the sim card and you're up and running. Yes, it's important to get a solid mount and charging system- lots of ADVrider upgrade pathways for that. There's a learning curve to all these devices, and if I were to invest what little time I have on the planet to learn one system or the other, I'd go with the phones.

No problems here- Basecamp is Garmin's software and it's not the best, but that's not a Mac limitation. I've been connecting my Montana to my Macs for years. HOWEVER. I'd still be investigating using an Android-based as well- lots being done on that platform and that's the future of GPS navigation.

I had a filter sock on my 500 for a few years- never caught a thing. When it finally separated from its holder-thing at the fuel neck, I just threw it away. Had another on the aux tank of the 990- same result, trapped nothing, remained clean.

I long ago melted down all my trophies for the gold and funded a small town's Boy's and Girl's club for about a decade.

It's been a LONG time since I rode Fred, but there is a gate, and for me it was closed about half the time. Easily circumvented, probably closed for trucks only. It's a great route, probably worth riding UP Thing to the gate and back out to La Posta.

Doing the bottom end too?

What a character! Hi right back...

I'd 100% consider using a button head capscrew INSTEAD of the OEM countersunk bolt. The countersunk bolt has the advantage of not protruding, but since that segment has a reputation for cracking, I'd leave it as is and use the buttonhead. BTW: They do crack, but I've never seen one fail. My RFS bike had a crack for a long time and many (many) mishaps.

Drill/tap subframe to relocate the ground strap from the battery- try the backside of the crosspiece, tucked away from damage from the seat. Use existing tapped hole to run additional #12 or #10 ground wire from subframe to starter mounting bolt.

And thank you for keeping this going for those of us who've donated, and for those that will do so.

Tom's your guy for sure.

Trust is earned. You have. So far. www.whereisbowers.com is no secret.

I send an email about every year to those with whom I ride regularly. It's copied to several trusted folks, including my family members and is cc, (not blind cc) so that everyone can contact everyone else easily. The email has a photo/description of me, my bike, the plate number, and includes the links to both my SPOT map and my InReach, from which messages can be sent directly to me. I tell the recipients (and they might actually do it!) to save that email. In the event of an event, a simple reply-all to that email will activate the entire network. Or, if appropriate, one of my trusted buddies can contact my family members directly. Some of my friends (who trust me, the list is short) have sent me their SPOT or InReach links which I add to their contacts in my phone/computers. Should a situation arise, I can have that map available easily.