Ride to Lebanon NH

So there aren't many nice warm days left here in New England, but today was one of them. I really should be CS&S but I just can't bring myself to do that W stuff on such a beautiful day. So I got on the scooter and decided to take a little spin up through New Hampshire and then maybe cross over someplace into Vermont and go west till I hit Rt 100 and then snake down 100 home. Rt100 is the central N/S byway, that is an absolutely beautiful road that goes from the top to the bottom of Vermont.

It was what I call a "fender pointer", meaning not a real solid plan, but just go where the roads take me. Well, going north for me in NH means western NH, along the NH/VT border which separates the states with the Connecticut River. Just a gorgeous day, mid 60s, and clear sky and no real wind. A great day for riding.

So, where does the bike take me? damm!



So I figure I shouldn't park on front without going in, so I go in and see Penny and Lauren and we have a nice chat. They are always so pleasant there. Must be nice to work at a lace where the customer comes first.

So I say hello and they ask if I need anything and I say no, I just came to Lebanon for the eye candy and I was going to the Harley Dealer next.. and then to the 4 Aces for lunch. So off I go to my next destination.



So I stop at the HD store, but they aren't giving any freebies away these days. They do have catalytics too, but no one seems to like what they do for the motorcycles, except well... the EPA.

So off to the 4 Aces.. which is a cute little diner on the edge of town just before you cross the bridge into Vermont on Rt 4.



While there I take some pics of the nick nacks. No wood stove in this Worcester Diner, but they do have some interesting philosophy quotes on the menu boards.



Where was she when I was single.



So time to turn west and then south. If you're wondering what the fall foliage is like up there.. it's pretty gone by. I drool at all that wood though.



Pretty part of the world.



If this all seems like a long way of starting a thread about Soapstone stoves and places you can buy them then I could prolly be called guilty of that.

Mods should feel free to move this thread if need be.



I can't wait to start burning my "new to me" Woodstock Fireview.

 

Awesome post, Steve.

How did you create that effect on the photo of your new stove?

 

Brian, they told me they are up doing the Steal Union testing this week.

I got that effect using Photoshop, > Image > Adjustment > HDR Toning

 

Excellent! Maybe they'll get my stove out not too long after that. (I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas!)

I just emailed Tom and asked him about clearances on the Steal Union.

 

Great post Steve.
I miss my bikes.....never had a Harley though.
That would be an awesome ride.
Brian, I know you will, but don't forget pics and stuff once you get the stove.

 

Love the stove picture!!!! You must be running a 6 speed on your Harley? Forgot what year they went from 5 -6 , but those RPM's look low compared to the speedometer. I heard the 6 spd is awesome...

 

Charlie, the 6 speed is fantastic, but didn't really work well until I did a stage 1 with a PowerCommander to richen the Air/Fuel Ratio so it had some grunt at a lower end. Now I can cruise at 65 at 2200 rpm all day long and the bike is perfectly happy. Prior to that tuning the bike needed to be going 75 before you could get into 6th because you needed to be above 2500 rpm for any power.

It was 2007 that they went to the 6 speed and 96ci. Now they are all 103ci. but even though they add displacement, it's not more power, it's just more displacement to make up for what they lost due to the EPA restrictions.. but of course it causes more heat too.

Yesterday my bike ran all day long around 225'F at the head and about 185'F oil temp, which is excellent, but stock bikes will run 350'F at the head and 250'F oil temp when cruising. That's why they had to go to liquid cooling, it's just too hot, both for human comfort, and for any decent power output and never mind engine longevity!

 

What Harleys are liquid cooled?

 

The top end harley Ultra Limited and also the Harley Ultra CVO are the first bikes to have liquid cooling to the exhaust port in the heads. The radiators are hidden in the lower fairings as is the overflow container. They do a pretty good job of hiding all of the hoses and hardware to implement this. But, how will they do it in bikes without lowers?

 

Hi Dennis, the position it is in right now is the closed position. It doesn't go up and further and the bypass is completely closed when I open the top and look down into it. I figure to leave it that way when the stove is stone cold, to minimize warm house airflow out the chimney. Does that make sense?

I actually tried giving an extra nudge.. the clutch on my Honda needs that extra nudge for the last half inch.. but it doesn't do a damm thing on this stove. Does that sound right?

 

Wow, that must be fun when you have to get in there for something.. Looks tight..

 

When you push it up you should feel the mechanism come up and over center, like a detente, feeling it snap closed.. Like it has now put tension on the bypass cover holding it shut... The PH just lays closed on its on weight , the Fireview detentes shut. When you push up on the handle it needs a little pressure when it stops, you will then feel it click shut.. when you not burning I would just push the handle up until it's closed and not locked into place to save the gasket from being under constant compression..

 

I can see where that is going to add 60 or more minutes of labor to a lot of basic maintenance work. Things like changing the oil filter will get even harder and messier, if that is at all possible?!

 

Aha, I hadn't noticed that and I guess I brushed right over it in my first pass at the Operation section of the manual. It solidly "clicks" into place and as Charlie stated below compresses the bypass gasket to make a very positive seal. Wow, nothing sloppy about this stove at all!

 

Got it Charlie! I must have brushed right by that first time through the manual. I'm glad you guys caught it.

Thanks!!

 

That Backwoods Savage has one keen eye I must say . Someone else had issues with their Fireview , turns out they weren't clicking the bypass shut.. Nothing sloppy about that stoves is right... I consider that the Harley of the Woodstock stoves.. Cut n dry , a very well designed stove... You'll love how simple it is to run... they kept that stove stove simple, easy to service, etc. Always just keep a little pressure on the bypass handle towards you when your closing it, just slight.. if you push it when closing the hardware catches, not meant to push in.. someone else posted that and I found that to be true... Let us know how the first full burn goes...

 

I am having another little break-in fire this AM, just to get the chill off. I am amazed at how easy it is to control the start-up, and then the steady state heat once started. Much more controllable than the monster in the living room I used to have. (when I got that thing up to cruise, it would chase us from the room unless it was below 15'F outside) My wife was giving it all sorts of compliments this AM as we sat and enjoyed the pretty burn and sipped our French Roast.

Gonna' be a fine winter!

 

Thanks Scotty.. I think you'll find I am an active contributor even if not the expert on burning and hoarding that our esteemed buddies are out here. But I am pretty good with a camera.