NorCal/SoCal ride 2011

[Lefty]

Do not take the 405! it will be closed on the 16th and 17th for construction, should be one BIG mess.
Planned July closure of the 405 Freeway - Los Angeles Times
So plan accordingly:thumbup:

Jerry

Thanks for the heads up Jerry. Will the 405 be open on Friday the 15th?
Getting out of town on Sunday won't be a big deal to avoid the 405..

P.S. Are you going to be able to make the Friday night dinner?

 

[Jblk9695]

They may start on some sections of the 405 on the 15th so I would try and avoid the area.
I plan on the Fri dinner, I'll see ya then:thumbup:

Jerry

 

[Cali rider]

Thanks for the heads up Jerry. Will the 405 be open on Friday the 15th?
Getting out of town on Sunday won't be a big deal to avoid the 405..

P.S. Are you going to be able to make the Friday night dinner?

The 405 will not be closed on Friday as you arrive in the afternoon so it has no impact on your travel plans. However, it will be busy everywhere so I would not bother with going 405/91 and just come down the 5. You will have to split traffic anywhere in SoCal on a Friday afternoon...

As for Sunday departure, here is a map that will avoid the nasty congestion and get you in to Ojai at the bottom of the 33, point B on the map is a gas station:

Buena Park/Ojai

 

[DefyInertia]

I've been spending some time looking at the route down and I'm getting excited about it. I've never been through the Carrizo Plain before but have seen lots of great pictures. Anyone familiar with the area?

Probably already pretty burnt by this time of year, and my proposed route will require some graded dirt roads, but I'm due for some adventure.

As for Sunday departure, here is a map that will avoid the nasty congestion and get you in to Ojai at the bottom of the 33, point B on the map is a gas station:

Buena Park/Ojai

Much appreciated, John.

 

[Tailgate]

I see that plans are gelling. Looking forward to another epic ride down/up California. BTW, I visited the Ducati factory (had a private tour guide) in Italy---quite the experience. Will be nice when I don't have to dodge the scooter maniacs around here.

 

[pkoosa]

Hey guys, just a heads up work on the 405 will begin as early as 7pm in case you may be making into LA later than expected.

"The freeway fun will begin as early as 7 p.m. on July 15, when workers start barricading ramps on both the southbound and northbound sides between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. Lanes will start shutting down at 10 p.m. to ensure full closure by midnight. Workers will lay a 6-foot-deep bed of sand under the Mulholland bridge to protect the roadway from scrapes and gouges as 45,000 cubic feet of beams, girders and debris start coming down. The freeway is slated to reopen by 5 a.m. on July 18."

405 closure: Anticipating a traffic nightmare, officials spread the word about 405 Freeway closure - Los Angeles Times

 

[Tailgate]

I still would like to know how Caltrans got wind of our itinerary. I hope nobody thinks it is coincidence:

 

[Tailgate]

hey Tailgate, are you really from Sac? How often do you cross the Vallejo area? 'hope I get a chance to meet you and the rest who are active here. Newbie rider here, so that's an advance notice to you, lol.

Why not not get aboard?

 

[Lefty]

I still would like to know how Caltrans got wind of our itinerary. I hope nobody thinks it is coincidence:

Not to scare anybody but on the drive home today from Oregon, a flashing CalTrans message sign as far north as Yreka said "Bad traffic expected in the L.A. area 7/16-7/17 due to construction" and that's 600 miles away L.A..

Doesn't scare me though, I'm ready to ride! :BLAA: :rockon:

 

[Tailgate]

Not to scare anybody but on the drive home today from Oregon, a flashing CalTrans message sign as far north as Yreka said "Bad traffic expected in the L.A. area 7/16-7/17 due to construction" and that's 600 miles away L.A..

Doesn't scare me though, I'm ready to ride! :BLAA: :rockon:

Yeah, (and I know this is starting to get off topic) I don't like hearing people whine just because they got caught up, for example, in a massive 48-72 hour traffic jam. If they can't take it like a man, they should just get out (but the next off-ramp may be an estimated to be 13 hours away). Folks, this is where--at least in the great state of CA---your motorcycle can get more envious looks than a $200,000.00 Ferrari.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

From my personal experience not being able to split here in Nevads, for the most part in California, there is no such thing as traffic delays when you're on a motorcycle. Between the use of the car pool lanes and splitting traffic, you pretty much can get where you want to go without huge delays.

Back in May, I left El Segundo (LAX) California at 4:00 pm.on a Wednesday back to Vegas, 290 miles door to door. Took me 4.5 hours. I would not have been able to do that if I were in a car, even if I was car pooling.

 

[Motogiro]

Got my new BT-016 Pro's on with fresh oil, cleaned and lubed chain and a scrub-in/ shakedown this morning coming up....:thumbup:

 

[Wavex]

John and I rode up to Big Bear and back through ACH today to check the roads... we got wet up in the mountains... quite refreshing! Some amazing roads John picked for the big ride...

 

[Lefty]

Thanks for the scouting report David and John. :thumbup:

One week to go and we're finally off for SoCal. :BLAA:
Travis and I have decided to take Nate's route #8 on the way down next Friday.
364 miles, 6.5 hours, tons of HWY 5: MAP 8

Stacy, you could meet us in either Coalinga or Kettleman City and ride the rest of the way down together. We should be be at either of those between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m.

The ride back is still undecided, so what do you NorCal boys want to do? I'm up for anything on the way back since time won't be a factor on Sunday.

 

[Goop]

Friday night dinner in Buena Park - Hof's Hut Restaurant
Lefty (John)
Chemiker (Travis)
Tailgate (Stacy)
DefyInertia (Nate)
Cali Rider (John)
Marke14 (Mark) Hopefully - Marks 1st drink is on Lefty
Wavex (David)
racebrooks (Randy)
Jblk9695(Jerry)

Saturday breakfast at Mimi's 1240 North Euclid Street Anaheim
Lefty (John)
Chemiker (Travis)
DefyInertia ( Nate)
Taligate (Stacy)
Cali rider (John)
pkoosa (Patrick)
Wavex (David)
racebrooks (Randy)
Motogiro (Cliff)
Goop (Bryan)

Saturday Ride
NorCal
Lefty (John)
Chemiker (Travis)
Tailgate (Stacy)
DefyInertia (Nate)

SoCal
Cali rider (John)
Jblk9695(Jerry)
pkoosa (Patrick)
racebrooks (Randy)
Motogiro (Cliff)
t1j2f3 (Todd)
Goop (Bryan)
Wavex (David)

Nevada & Others
VEGASRIDER (Kenny)[/QUOTE]

 

[VEGASRIDER]

John and I rode up to Big Bear and back through ACH today to check the roads... we got wet up in the mountains... quite refreshing! Some amazing roads John picked for the big ride...

So John, what were your MPG figures for this particular ride? LOL..

Thanks for the scouting report David and John. :thumbup:


The ride back is still undecided, so what do you NorCal boys want to do? I'm up for anything on the way back since time won't be a factor on Sunday.

I will seriously consider riding back with you guys part of the way if you decide to go up Ojai. I'll just peel off at Frazier Park ontop of the Grapevine and work my way back to Vegas, where the beautiful 110 degree awaits.

 

[Lefty]

Hey Kenny,
I think that route is at the top of our list and we'd love to have you come along if we take that route. Just waiting for Travis, Stacy and Nate to check in....

 

[CHEMIKER]

Our trip back home last year was great - it was a good mixture of "fun stuff" and "getting home". I don't have the route handy, but it included 33 in Oaji which was really fun. I'm up for doing something similar if not the exact same thing. I wouldn't want to take more time though, it's nice to get back to the family after a long weekend.

What was our time last year for the ride home, about 10 hours?

 

[Lefty]

Our trip back home last year was great - it was a good mixture of "fun stuff" and "getting home". I don't have the route handy, but it included 33 in Oaji which was really fun. I'm up for doing something similar if not the exact same thing. I wouldn't want to take more time though, it's nice to get back to the family after a long weekend.

What was our time last year for the ride home, about 10 hours?

I'm with you on this one Travis. :thumbup:
I think it was about 10 hours but we did stop for a sit down breakfast in Ojai and lunch somewhere I don't recall. The hwy 33 route was pretty awesome though..

 

[Tailgate]

Hey Kenny,
I think that route is at the top of our list and we'd love to have you come along if we take that route. Just waiting for Travis, Stacy and Nate to check in....

I'm game for whatever pans out. Count me in (unless it's slabbing back home on scenic Int. 5).

Hope VR joins us for a segment. Sooner things are finalized the better. Can't wait (this is my return).