April 08 Trip - Day 3

Day 03
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Santa Barbara, CA
50 miles

Today was a much needed day of rest (at least from the bike). My parents and I got up early and had breakfast in the restaurant at the Doubletree resort we were staying at.

They graciously drove me to a nearby OSH (hardware store) where I bought an assortment of torx bits (I could NOT remember what size the valve cover bolts were). Deciding that dirty fingernails and weddings do not mix, I held off on actually pulling the cover until that evening.

Steven and Allison’s wedding was casual and comfortable. I saw a few friends that I hadn’t seen in several years. After a short ceremony, we mingled on the lawn of the park. Dinner was a tri-tip, rib, and chicken BBQ (in CA that means grilled :P ) with traditional Santa Maria fixing’s (potato salad, green salad, beans, garlic bread).



Back at the hotel, I sat next to the R1200ST in the dark. With the light of an LED headlamp, I pulled the left valve cover off. As I suspected, the “donut seal” around the spark plug shaft was misaligned. It was now slightly malformed. I cleaned it and reinstalled it, hoping that it would at least slow the leak.