bgross
Recusant Infidel
After reading George's Border to Border Insanity RR, I'm almost embarrassed by my little RTE.
I guess I'll just rationalize it with "apples & oranges".
----------
We had signed up for the forum gathering in Sparks, had our reservations at the hotel & plans to visit relatives in East Bay and were excited. Then we realized that my bride's knee & shoulder issues - post surgical rehab notwithstanding - would make the trip... Not Fun.
Being the Luckiest Man Alive, I couldn't help smiling when the CFO suggested that I take a "consolation ride", solo.
Enter Miss Tyler's Big Sur Lunch Ride on 15 June.
I rolled out of the driveway at 0400, topped off the tank, and was on the road at 0410. I prefer to avoid traffic & having to actually SEE the L.A. Area in daylight. I'm sure there are plenty of nice places to live, work & play in L.A., I just can't see them from the freeway!
After transitioning onto the 405 at the El Toro "why", I made great time and switched onto the westbound 101 just as the dawn was sneaking in.
The June Gloom's effect narrows the temperature difference between day and night and makes for comfortable riding weather, though when the 101 dropped down into Camarillo I could tell that it was about 3-5 degrees cooler. Still very nice - and virtually no traffic.
Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Seacliff aka Landslide, Carpinteria, Montecito, and then Santa Barbara.
I arrived at my first planned fuel/restroom stop in Santa Barbara at 0630 - 165 miles in 2:20.
I fueled, visited the men's room (yeah, Old Men's room), had a cup of coffee and phoned home: 30 minute stop! Good thing this wasn't "on the clock".
Back on the 101: Goleta, Isla Vista, Gaviota & the turn north and elevation change as I heat toward Beautiful Downtown Buellton. The June Gloom & change in dew point contributed to annoying condensation on my helmet's face shield. Externally, a finger-swipe several times a minute was sufficient. Internally, my breath kept fogging the plastic. My decade-old helmet doesn't have anything like a pin lock, so I kept popping it open so I could see. Then took the exit in Buellton and inserted a folded piece of paper to keep the shield cracked open and clear.
By the time I passed the exit for Los Olivos the "dew" had begun to abate. Smooth sailing through Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and my next scheduled fuel/pee stop in San Luis Obispo. Though it had only been 105 miles, I wanted to have a full tank for the ride up to Big Sur & back - 210 miles, and the only fuel is sold at places where you need a hostage negotiator or a mortgage broker to buy fuel.
There were several signs scattered along the streets in SLO, directing vehicles to the Cal Poly Commencement. But being early on Sunday morning I took the absence of traffic to mean that either the ceremony was the day before or later in the day. Either way, still no traffic!
The ride past Morro Bay and Cayucos began to stir memories of the last camping trip about 7 years ago (San Simeon Beach State Park) and many others over the years - honeymoon, anniversaries, and others. Good times stretching back decades.
Figuring that I was about an hour ahead of schedule, I almost stopped in Cambria to take photos for my bride. But the thought came that I should allow extra time for slow moving RVers on the road ahead. In on weekends in the summertime it's not unusual for some behemoth to enjoy "leading the parade" - a half mile line of vehicles with no option but to enjoy the scenery at 15 mph.
But not today! The few vehicles that I saw were mostly southbound. Plenty of opportunities for me safely to pull over for a photo-op.
And then it happened.
As I rounded a right hand curve, a solo southbound bicyclist went down - HARD.
I quickly scanned my mirrors to verify that there was no one behind me and hit the brakes, pulling to the right shoulder.
Shoulder. Right. It was a 12" space between the fog line and the wall of crumbling rock that towered above.
Still no vehicles... And not a hint of movement from the downed rider.
Kickstand down, scan for vehicles, dismount, look at motionless rider, another scan and cross the street.
Glad that I was wearing hi-vis clothing, I waved off the first couple vehicles so that the riders's feet didn't get run over: he was laying diagonally with his helmet against the asphalt curb below the guardrail and his feet and lower legs across the fog line.
As I was removing my helmet, the rider began to moan & move, and another northbound motorcyclist - a couple on a Goldwing trike with trailer - pulled up and stopped opposite us, offering help. I asked him to park ahead of my bike and direct/calm southbound vehicles as they rounded the corner.
The bicyclist had rolled over onto his back in a dorsal recumbent position. I told him to lay still while I got my first aid kit.
When I returned he was sitting up. So much for clearing the c-spine!
The next 15 minutes were a flurry of activity with other bicyclists (seemed to be an organized event going on) and motorists stopping. No cell service to be had.
I rinsed his badly scraped knees and covered them with 4x4s. He complained of what he thought might be a shoulder separation. He's gonna have one helluva headache: the top of his helmet was destroyed.
Ultimately a northbound camping couple agreed to transport him south 8 miles to the event's lunch stop where they had a paramedic on duty. His fellow cyclists helped load him into the front seat of the pickup truck and I gave clear instructions that the driver should tell the medics 1) LOC = 30-60 seconds; 2) no c-spine clearance or head-to-toe assessment done.
Whew!
One of the bicyclist asked for my email and I asked him to let me know about the rider's condition.
Back on the bike and the beautiful ride to Big Sur. About 5 miles up the road I was passed by a southbound first responder unit; a few minutes by a southbound ambulance. The rest of the ride was scenic, fun and memorable.
I rolled into the parking lot at the Big Sur River Inn shortly after noon and had the pleasure of meeting Miss Tyler, and the nice group of riders from the forum and from South Bay riders. There were a great variety of motorcycles to look at - and talk about - both before and after lunch.
Lunch was in a gorgeous, picnic-like setting on the grass by the river with live music and perfect weather. Can't wait to do it again!
The ride home was just as much fun, without and crashing bicycles, and not much traffic until Santa Barbara. There my Garmin (a lowly 2595) suggested an alternate route which took me along the waterfront by the harbor. Then it was back to the freeway and an hour of stop & go and lane-splitting. More traffic in Woodland Hills, then (merciful) darkness through the L.A. Basin and home.
By far the biggest surprise of the day was the last tank of gas. I refueled in SLO and skipped the Santa Barbara stop in favor of getting ahead of the traffic. I kept looking at the fuel gauge and delaying a stop (there's NO place like home) and waited for the reserve to kick in. I was 18 miles from home when the countdown began, so I just waited.
When I got home (2130) and filled the tank it had been 255 miles - and there was still a gallon left in the tank! Over 46 mpg on a tank where I didn't use the CC at all.
730 miles for lunch? Oh, hell yes!
Did I mention that I can't wait to do it again?
Thanks again, Tyler.
--------
BTW, the Fred Flintstone tire was flawless @ 33psi.
I guess I'll just rationalize it with "apples & oranges".
----------
We had signed up for the forum gathering in Sparks, had our reservations at the hotel & plans to visit relatives in East Bay and were excited. Then we realized that my bride's knee & shoulder issues - post surgical rehab notwithstanding - would make the trip... Not Fun.
Being the Luckiest Man Alive, I couldn't help smiling when the CFO suggested that I take a "consolation ride", solo.
Enter Miss Tyler's Big Sur Lunch Ride on 15 June.
I rolled out of the driveway at 0400, topped off the tank, and was on the road at 0410. I prefer to avoid traffic & having to actually SEE the L.A. Area in daylight. I'm sure there are plenty of nice places to live, work & play in L.A., I just can't see them from the freeway!
After transitioning onto the 405 at the El Toro "why", I made great time and switched onto the westbound 101 just as the dawn was sneaking in.
The June Gloom's effect narrows the temperature difference between day and night and makes for comfortable riding weather, though when the 101 dropped down into Camarillo I could tell that it was about 3-5 degrees cooler. Still very nice - and virtually no traffic.
Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Seacliff aka Landslide, Carpinteria, Montecito, and then Santa Barbara.
I arrived at my first planned fuel/restroom stop in Santa Barbara at 0630 - 165 miles in 2:20.
I fueled, visited the men's room (yeah, Old Men's room), had a cup of coffee and phoned home: 30 minute stop! Good thing this wasn't "on the clock".
Back on the 101: Goleta, Isla Vista, Gaviota & the turn north and elevation change as I heat toward Beautiful Downtown Buellton. The June Gloom & change in dew point contributed to annoying condensation on my helmet's face shield. Externally, a finger-swipe several times a minute was sufficient. Internally, my breath kept fogging the plastic. My decade-old helmet doesn't have anything like a pin lock, so I kept popping it open so I could see. Then took the exit in Buellton and inserted a folded piece of paper to keep the shield cracked open and clear.
By the time I passed the exit for Los Olivos the "dew" had begun to abate. Smooth sailing through Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and my next scheduled fuel/pee stop in San Luis Obispo. Though it had only been 105 miles, I wanted to have a full tank for the ride up to Big Sur & back - 210 miles, and the only fuel is sold at places where you need a hostage negotiator or a mortgage broker to buy fuel.
There were several signs scattered along the streets in SLO, directing vehicles to the Cal Poly Commencement. But being early on Sunday morning I took the absence of traffic to mean that either the ceremony was the day before or later in the day. Either way, still no traffic!
The ride past Morro Bay and Cayucos began to stir memories of the last camping trip about 7 years ago (San Simeon Beach State Park) and many others over the years - honeymoon, anniversaries, and others. Good times stretching back decades.
Figuring that I was about an hour ahead of schedule, I almost stopped in Cambria to take photos for my bride. But the thought came that I should allow extra time for slow moving RVers on the road ahead. In on weekends in the summertime it's not unusual for some behemoth to enjoy "leading the parade" - a half mile line of vehicles with no option but to enjoy the scenery at 15 mph.
But not today! The few vehicles that I saw were mostly southbound. Plenty of opportunities for me safely to pull over for a photo-op.
And then it happened.
As I rounded a right hand curve, a solo southbound bicyclist went down - HARD.
I quickly scanned my mirrors to verify that there was no one behind me and hit the brakes, pulling to the right shoulder.
Shoulder. Right. It was a 12" space between the fog line and the wall of crumbling rock that towered above.
Still no vehicles... And not a hint of movement from the downed rider.
Kickstand down, scan for vehicles, dismount, look at motionless rider, another scan and cross the street.
Glad that I was wearing hi-vis clothing, I waved off the first couple vehicles so that the riders's feet didn't get run over: he was laying diagonally with his helmet against the asphalt curb below the guardrail and his feet and lower legs across the fog line.
As I was removing my helmet, the rider began to moan & move, and another northbound motorcyclist - a couple on a Goldwing trike with trailer - pulled up and stopped opposite us, offering help. I asked him to park ahead of my bike and direct/calm southbound vehicles as they rounded the corner.
The bicyclist had rolled over onto his back in a dorsal recumbent position. I told him to lay still while I got my first aid kit.
When I returned he was sitting up. So much for clearing the c-spine!
The next 15 minutes were a flurry of activity with other bicyclists (seemed to be an organized event going on) and motorists stopping. No cell service to be had.
I rinsed his badly scraped knees and covered them with 4x4s. He complained of what he thought might be a shoulder separation. He's gonna have one helluva headache: the top of his helmet was destroyed.
Ultimately a northbound camping couple agreed to transport him south 8 miles to the event's lunch stop where they had a paramedic on duty. His fellow cyclists helped load him into the front seat of the pickup truck and I gave clear instructions that the driver should tell the medics 1) LOC = 30-60 seconds; 2) no c-spine clearance or head-to-toe assessment done.
Whew!
One of the bicyclist asked for my email and I asked him to let me know about the rider's condition.
Back on the bike and the beautiful ride to Big Sur. About 5 miles up the road I was passed by a southbound first responder unit; a few minutes by a southbound ambulance. The rest of the ride was scenic, fun and memorable.
I rolled into the parking lot at the Big Sur River Inn shortly after noon and had the pleasure of meeting Miss Tyler, and the nice group of riders from the forum and from South Bay riders. There were a great variety of motorcycles to look at - and talk about - both before and after lunch.
Lunch was in a gorgeous, picnic-like setting on the grass by the river with live music and perfect weather. Can't wait to do it again!
The ride home was just as much fun, without and crashing bicycles, and not much traffic until Santa Barbara. There my Garmin (a lowly 2595) suggested an alternate route which took me along the waterfront by the harbor. Then it was back to the freeway and an hour of stop & go and lane-splitting. More traffic in Woodland Hills, then (merciful) darkness through the L.A. Basin and home.
By far the biggest surprise of the day was the last tank of gas. I refueled in SLO and skipped the Santa Barbara stop in favor of getting ahead of the traffic. I kept looking at the fuel gauge and delaying a stop (there's NO place like home) and waited for the reserve to kick in. I was 18 miles from home when the countdown began, so I just waited.
When I got home (2130) and filled the tank it had been 255 miles - and there was still a gallon left in the tank! Over 46 mpg on a tank where I didn't use the CC at all.
730 miles for lunch? Oh, hell yes!
Did I mention that I can't wait to do it again?
Thanks again, Tyler.
--------
BTW, the Fred Flintstone tire was flawless @ 33psi.
