RX3 Touratech Rally, Plain, Wash. 2015

rjmorel · 06-30-2015, 02:44 AM

So this past week I rode my RX3 to the Touratech Rally. Around 806 miles total, all of it in 90-114 deg heat. Went from Walla Walla, Wa to Plain ,Wa via Hanford Nuclear Reservation ,Vantage, Wenatchee, Leavenworth to Plain. If there is a " middle of nowhere" Hanford must be it. Hot ,dry and barren. Picture the buzzards circling over head just waiting.
Average mpg was 67.8. High 73mpg low 54 mpg. Traveling to and from the event was 55-60 mph on the GPS which was around 69-72 on the speedo. Temp bars were constantly at 3. Was a trip from water hole to water hole as the heat made me stop every 1/2-1 hour to rewet my cooling vest and soak my helmet liner. Cooling vests are a Godsend and are summer's answer to heated vests in the winter. Without either , the ride is not pleasant.
I should of rode my NC700x as it was quite a workout for the RX3 but you know what? It never complained, started happily every morning and became my buddy as I was headed home through the 114 degree temps realizing if the bike quits out here, I'm a goner. Hour after hour the bike would just drone along happily. The only time I wished it were my NC700x was on long uphill's going over the passes. Then I would just down shift to 5th and get in the slow lane behind trucks and let the cadgers and BMW's pass me by. In this heat I saw 6-8 cars along the road with their hoods up and tongues hanging out over heated. The RX3 reminded me of the "little engine that could" and would climb over the top of the mountains and be ready for the next one.
I told myself that on this trip with the heat I would ride the Zong like it was meant to be ridden. No Dakar style bashing up rock strewn, silt dust filled 2 track. I wanted to stay on nice pavement and just enjoy tootling around. Well so much for that idea as I did have a little adventure trying to find a friend.
Lots of pics , so I may do this in several installments.
My buddy patiently waiting

•Rattlesnake Mountain the highest mountain in the United States without any trees on it. In 1956, the Army installed a Nike Ajax missile base on the southeastern end to protect the reactors. 1st RX3 to visit Rattle Snake Mountain.

Heading down into the Columbia River crossing, reactor in the distance.

B Reactor the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built. The project was commissioned to produce plutonium as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Now a National Historic Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Reactor Can you feel the heat? 1st RX3 to see B Reactor.

One of the fenced gates around Hanford to keep bad guys out.

I told ya so

I couldn't help myself and just had to reach through and touch the inside of the fence post. Which I've probably paid for a million times with taxes paid. 1st RX3 to be thrown in jail

Bridge at Vantage, Columbia River

I think I found all 24 HP the RX3 had on this trip going up mountain passes. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...nly-half-done/

Did I die and go to heaven? Only shower at the rally for around 1000 people.

Ta Dah, here we are. 1st and only RX3 at Touratech Rally

More later as I have time to load pics, rj

06-30-2015, 02:44 AM	#1
rjmorel Join Date: May 2007 Location: Warshington Posts: 928	RX3 Touratech Rally, Plain, Wash. 2015 So this past week I rode my RX3 to the Touratech Rally. Around 806 miles total, all of it in 90-114 deg heat. Went from Walla Walla, Wa to Plain ,Wa via Hanford Nuclear Reservation ,Vantage, Wenatchee, Leavenworth to Plain. If there is a " middle of nowhere" Hanford must be it. Hot ,dry and barren. Picture the buzzards circling over head just waiting. Average mpg was 67.8. High 73mpg low 54 mpg. Traveling to and from the event was 55-60 mph on the GPS which was around 69-72 on the speedo. Temp bars were constantly at 3. Was a trip from water hole to water hole as the heat made me stop every 1/2-1 hour to rewet my cooling vest and soak my helmet liner. Cooling vests are a Godsend and are summer's answer to heated vests in the winter. Without either , the ride is not pleasant. I should of rode my NC700x as it was quite a workout for the RX3 but you know what? It never complained, started happily every morning and became my buddy as I was headed home through the 114 degree temps realizing if the bike quits out here, I'm a goner. Hour after hour the bike would just drone along happily. The only time I wished it were my NC700x was on long uphill's going over the passes. Then I would just down shift to 5th and get in the slow lane behind trucks and let the cadgers and BMW's pass me by. In this heat I saw 6-8 cars along the road with their hoods up and tongues hanging out over heated. The RX3 reminded me of the "little engine that could" and would climb over the top of the mountains and be ready for the next one. I told myself that on this trip with the heat I would ride the Zong like it was meant to be ridden. No Dakar style bashing up rock strewn, silt dust filled 2 track. I wanted to stay on nice pavement and just enjoy tootling around. Well so much for that idea as I did have a little adventure trying to find a friend. Lots of pics , so I may do this in several installments. My buddy patiently waiting •Rattlesnake Mountain the highest mountain in the United States without any trees on it. In 1956, the Army installed a Nike Ajax missile base on the southeastern end to protect the reactors. 1st RX3 to visit Rattle Snake Mountain. Heading down into the Columbia River crossing, reactor in the distance. B Reactor the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built. The project was commissioned to produce plutonium as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Now a National Historic Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Reactor Can you feel the heat? 1st RX3 to see B Reactor. One of the fenced gates around Hanford to keep bad guys out. I told ya so I couldn't help myself and just had to reach through and touch the inside of the fence post. Which I've probably paid for a million times with taxes paid. 1st RX3 to be thrown in jail Bridge at Vantage, Columbia River I think I found all 24 HP the RX3 had on this trip going up mountain passes. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...nly-half-done/ Did I die and go to heaven? Only shower at the rally for around 1000 people. Ta Dah, here we are. 1st and only RX3 at Touratech Rally More later as I have time to load pics, rj Last edited by rjmorel; 06-30-2015 at 03:16 AM.
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