Mike's Excellent Adventure

[Gadzooks Mike]

Now that I've got a 16 tooth front sprocket installed and the needle shim mod completed, a gel seat pad for my "old man" butt, and the bike is broken in with 3500 miles, it's time for a road trip. So the end of June will find me heading north from Alabama to Michigan to watch a Tigers game, see a few "Muffler Men" (www.roadsideamerica.com), and basically have a time. I do plan on going through Hell (it's a city in Michigan) which means I will have gone through Hell to see the game, of course, and I will be in Hell on wheels and - well, all of the usual puns will fit here. In fact, one of my work mates told me to take a handbasket with me.... Anyway, the trip is roughly 2000 miles round trip and will take me through lots of small towns, as I'm using two-lane roads exclusively.

Now for the questions: I'm not going to be able to clean and lube the chain for about 1000 miles. Any problems with that? Anything I can do (wipe it off with a dry rag and lube it?) to help? It's summer, and way too hot for my leather jacket. But I'll need something on my arms to keep from cooking them while on the road all day. What sort of summer wear do you all ride with? How about gloves - full or half-fingers?

I'm sure to have more questions later, but I think that does it for now. But if there's something I didn't mention that you think I should know, feel free to yell. And for all the help, I'll make sure that I find a cold beer in Hell to drink to you all!