NorCal ride to see SoCal gang 8/20- 8/22

[VEGASRIDER]

This get together was so Epic that many are changing their Avatars. Lot's of great Pics! Wavex, time to change yours!

The final stretch was just pure awesome. Going down the Banning Grade on California Hwy 243 from Idyllwild. The elevation was 7000 feet and we descended down that mountain in about ten miles or less. Seem like it only took 5 minutes.

I wish I had a video camera of Cali Rider, Wavex and PowellB leading us down that final run. All in perfect form going down and following the same line all in unison. Spacing was consistent. It's so cool seeing all three riders going around a corner. It was just an awesome sight. You guys can freaking ride! :thumbup: But I already new that!

 

[CHEMIKER]

Here are my photos (I blame my tardiness on extreme technical difficulties LOL):

Lefty sharing the benefits of sunscreen

This is Vegasrider. Can't tell exactly what he's doing here, but chances are he's letting Belmont Brewing Co know what his exhaust sounds like...

Jerry telling Mark how if he'd only been faster, he'd have been fine..

Talking about whether or not Cliff really bought an SV1000

Bikes in front of the Yeti

Tailgate!

Overlooking the valley on 33. What a great road, with an amazing view!

The steed

Pano shot of the same view

 

[Lefty]

Sorry, ignore this post and see the one below.
I'm just a moron sometimes..:spank:

 

[Lefty]

Chemiker (Travis) and I getting ready to leave his
house in San Jose Friday morning for the epic ride.
Not only is Travis' bike always cleaner than mine, so is his garage.

I've never appreciated a pitcher of a good IPA
as I did at Friday night's welcome dinner, after
splitting lanes for 45 minutes in L.A. I don't think
I've split lanes for 45 minutes in my entire life!

Saturday at the top of Palomar. In this picture
you see Mark making his case for taking over
as the sweeper in our group. The committee
o.k.'d the appointment which Mark would regret
later in the day when we got to Borrago Springs.

Here's the reason Mark shouldn't have been the sweeper,
he would have already been down the mountain before the
CHP arrived.

 

[DefyInertia]

I hate you ****ers!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Glad everything worked out....when's the next one????

 

[CHEMIKER]

Great pics John! Don't forget the fun we had lane splitting on the way home too! Not another 45 minutes, but certainly not welcomed after many hours of riding...

Thanks again to you and Tailgate; you guys are great riding buddies and I can't wait to hook up again!

 

[Lefty]

Sunday morning Chemiker, Tailgate and I got out of town early to beat the traffic, which there wasn't any of. We got to Ventura for breakfast in just over
an hour. With tanks and stomachs filled we headed for Hwy 33.

As Travis said in his post, Hwy 33 was spectacular. Hardly any traffic, only one LEO at the bottom, and except for a little silt on the road now
and again it was perfect. Here's another pic of the boys and where I managed to drop my bike when getting off it.

While I had no idea where Travis and his GPS were taking us, we ended up going on some great out of the way roads.
We finally decided to pull over and ask some locals for directions.

They told us to go this way..

Although it took us over 11 hours to get home, we wouldn't have changed a thing. We went on some roads that were fantastic that we probably would have never found without going off of the beaten path. I was certainly glad I had Travis and Stacy as riding pals on the way home. :thumbup:

 

[Lefty]

Great pics John! Don't forget the fun we had lane splitting on the way home too! Not another 45 minutes, but certainly not welcomed after many hours of riding...

Thanks again to you and Tailgate; you guys are great riding buddies and I can't wait to hook up again!

Thanks for your help today with my uploading problems. Still learning, but hopefully my picture posts will get better.

Yup, I new that stretch of stop and go traffic from the Monterey exit to Morgan Hill would be waiting for us. :Flip:

 

[Jblk9695]

I bet all the locals could tell you is where the MOOvie is:rof::rof:
Great photos guys, love the back country roads you were on:thumbup:

Jerry

 

[Goop]

Beautiful pics of the ride home! That looks like some fun ridin'.

 

[Wavex]

This get together was so Epic that many are changing their Avatars. Lot's of great Pics! Wavex, time to change yours!

The final stretch was just pure awesome. Going down the Banning Grade on California Hwy 243 from Idyllwild. The elevation was 7000 feet and we descended down that mountain in about ten miles or less. Seem like it only took 5 minutes.

I wish I had a video camera of Cali Rider, Wavex and PowellB leading us down that final run. All in perfect form going down and following the same line all in unison. Spacing was consistent. It's so cool seeing all three riders going around a corner. It was just an awesome sight. You guys can freaking ride! :thumbup: But I already new that!

I like my avatar! Plus Janette had made it all big and nice for me so if I change it now it'll be tiny again... :Flip:

That doesn't take anything away from this great weekend though... it sounds cheesy as hell, but I really love all of you guys and I can't believe how well we all get along considering the size of the group and the variety of people in it (we have young guys, old guys, squids -someone kept revving his engine everywhere we went :rof:-, ppl from all kinds of background, etc)... the FZ6 does attract very cool people I guess!

oh and I agree, that last stretch of road coming down from Idyllwild was a perfect way to end the day... great views of the valley, great road, little traffic, and smooth spirited riding.... all the ingredients for pure awesomeness :rockon:

 

[DefyInertia]

Although it took us over 11 hours to get home, we wouldn't have changed a thing. We went on some roads that were fantastic that we probably would have never found without going off of the beaten path.

What way did you end up going? What did you take between 33 and 101?

 

[CHEMIKER]

What way did you end up going? What did you take between 33 and 101?

58. It had a couple of miles of sweet twisties West of McKittrick, then miles of desolate meandering goodness! We cut out the HWY 25 side trip and just took 101 the rest of the way. Still beats taking I5!

 

[Lefty]

What way did you end up going? What did you take between 33 and 101?

We ended up taking Hwy 58 from 33 until we hooked up to 101 at Atascadero.
We had to compromise some on your suggested route Nate, in order to keep the time shortened to a doable length of time. I only wish we had stopped to take more pictures on the way back. :spank:

Dude, you beat me to it Travis.

 

[DefyInertia]

58. It had a couple of miles of sweet twisties West of McKittrick, then miles of desolate meandering goodness! We cut out the HWY 25 side trip and just took 101 the rest of the way. Still beats taking I5!

We ended up taking Hwy 58 from 33 until we hooked up to 101 at Atascadero.
We had to compromise some on your suggested route Nate, in order to keep the time shortened to a doable length of time. I only wish we had stopped to take more pictures on the way back. :spank:

Dude, you beat me to it Travis.

I figured. Taking my suggested route would have been a serious - ride hard all day with minimum breaks - committment.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

I figured. Taking my suggested route would have been a serious - ride hard all day with minimum breaks - committment.

Sounds like my kind of ride...:thumbup:

 

[CHEMIKER]

I figured. Taking my suggested route would have been a serious - ride hard all day with minimum breaks - committment.

Yep. And in the end, we realized we're not nearly as hardcore as you :bow:

That reminds me - how's the dog? :Flip:

 

[Cali rider]

...That reminds me - how's the dog? :Flip:

Great question, Travis.

Don't forget, you owe me some of that home-brew of yours.

 

[Goop]

Great question, Travis.

Don't forget, you owe me some of that home-brew of yours.

What a minute, Travis is a home brewer? Oh man...how about some FZ6 Stout?

 

[CHEMIKER]

Don't forget, you owe me some of that home-brew of yours.

Yep, kept your addy, and will get some out this week.

What a minute, Travis is a home brewer? Oh man...how about some FZ6 Stout?

Haven't brewed a stout, but my specialty is robust porter, it was even featured in a beer blog yesterday. I like it better than stout anyway. Next batch might just have to be dedicated to the forum!

/end threadjack