Khunajawdge
Toto El Mundo!
Six bikes and riders mustered for the “Ride the Central Coast Mountains on the 31st day of December, 2006”. Rudy, Craig (on a Goldwing 1500) and I met at the Denny’s at Hwy 101 and Los Osos Valley Roads. We briefly discussed the new development with Rudy’s dash on his ’03 FJR, which had gone completely blank. No gas gauge, no temp gauge, no tach, no message, Nada? The bike would start and run and all the lights worked so we decided to continue. Heading south on 101 to the Pismo Outlets, we picked up Barrie (on a Concours) at the Standard there.
The four of us turned east on 166 off 101 for about 30 miles when we came upon a couple of bikes about 10 miles west of New Cayama. Mt Pinos was viewable of in the distance. As we passed them we realized it was Phil (on his V Strom) and Chris (on her K75 Beemer). We dropped the pace and took them in tow until we got to the New Cayama Buckhorn where we pulled in for a coffee break. After we all became acquainted, we discussed the day so far. It was agreed that it was sparklingly clear with temps in the low 40’s. Roads were dry and things were slowly warming up as we rode. After our brief break, we were back on 166 headed east again for our real breakfast stop at Tina’s Cafe in Maricopa. As we dropped down into Maricopa through the sweepers there was a spectacular view of the central Valley all the way to the Sierras. By the time we hit Maricopa in the Central Valley, it was time to peel the electric vests off and layer down.
Maricopa
Tina's
Breakfast was not really outstanding but adequate, the service on this last day of 2006 was a little slow, but at this point, no one was in a hurry. After a long chat and some kibitzing about riding in Mexico and Rudy’s upcoming trip to Costa Rica (He leaves on January 3rd, lucky sap!), we left for gas in Taft. Taft, California is the middle of one of the richest oil deposits on the West Coast.
Back in the 30’s during the Grover Cleveland era, the oil field became plagued with a National scandal called the “Teapot Dome Scandal”. Back then, legislation apparently allowed the lining of a few pockets that never actually developed into the improvements that were originally promised. Maybe some of you had seen the write-up done by Clement Salvadori in Rider Magazine a couple of issues back on his rides through this area? Anyway, today the oil field is in Full tilt. 119 and 33 were the roads that we used to depart Taft heading north.
In McKittrick, one of the best stretches of Hwy. 58 heading west begins. Motorcyclists and bicyclists because of the low volume of heavy traffic that use it have made this road quite popular. It is also in good shape, with parts having been recently re-surfaced. It did however, have some scattered sand here and there in the twisties. The end out of McKittrick is a road for those riders who like to lean and exercise a point and shoot throttle. Rolling on and off, down and up shifting, breaking, dodging in and out of the sunlight filtering through the trees, mostly pulling up hill, Lot’s of variety, I love it! :yahoo:
Past the twisty stretch (the Temblor Range) comes the whoop-dee-doos over Soda Lake and California Valley. These stretches is where you can really twist the throttle a bit, but watch out for cattle in the troughs of the Whoops (don’t ask).
Now comes another great part of this road heading over the La Panza Range. This area is mostly sweepers and is heavily forested in chaparral. It has become overcast and cold, so we stop and re-don the electric vests. Further on, all of a sudden some large black bodies are punctuating the hillside to the north side of the hill near Chama Ranch. They are part of herd of North American buffalo. We stopped and took a couple of pictures.
Heading west, we waved Rudy off as he took La Panza Road returning home, north to Paso Robles, while the rest of us headed west on 58 toward Santa Margarita and 101 for returns to the South. Unfortunately, we were getting barn stale looking forward to New Year’s Eve activities in our respective lives, so we blew off 229 to Creston. This is a perfect motorcycle road, but must be saved for another day.
Everybody made it home OK, so it was a great day in the memory book for the last day of 2006. :clapping:
Your Central Cal Coast scribe & photog,
Khunajawdge
The four of us turned east on 166 off 101 for about 30 miles when we came upon a couple of bikes about 10 miles west of New Cayama. Mt Pinos was viewable of in the distance. As we passed them we realized it was Phil (on his V Strom) and Chris (on her K75 Beemer). We dropped the pace and took them in tow until we got to the New Cayama Buckhorn where we pulled in for a coffee break. After we all became acquainted, we discussed the day so far. It was agreed that it was sparklingly clear with temps in the low 40’s. Roads were dry and things were slowly warming up as we rode. After our brief break, we were back on 166 headed east again for our real breakfast stop at Tina’s Cafe in Maricopa. As we dropped down into Maricopa through the sweepers there was a spectacular view of the central Valley all the way to the Sierras. By the time we hit Maricopa in the Central Valley, it was time to peel the electric vests off and layer down.
Maricopa
Tina's
Breakfast was not really outstanding but adequate, the service on this last day of 2006 was a little slow, but at this point, no one was in a hurry. After a long chat and some kibitzing about riding in Mexico and Rudy’s upcoming trip to Costa Rica (He leaves on January 3rd, lucky sap!), we left for gas in Taft. Taft, California is the middle of one of the richest oil deposits on the West Coast.
Back in the 30’s during the Grover Cleveland era, the oil field became plagued with a National scandal called the “Teapot Dome Scandal”. Back then, legislation apparently allowed the lining of a few pockets that never actually developed into the improvements that were originally promised. Maybe some of you had seen the write-up done by Clement Salvadori in Rider Magazine a couple of issues back on his rides through this area? Anyway, today the oil field is in Full tilt. 119 and 33 were the roads that we used to depart Taft heading north.
In McKittrick, one of the best stretches of Hwy. 58 heading west begins. Motorcyclists and bicyclists because of the low volume of heavy traffic that use it have made this road quite popular. It is also in good shape, with parts having been recently re-surfaced. It did however, have some scattered sand here and there in the twisties. The end out of McKittrick is a road for those riders who like to lean and exercise a point and shoot throttle. Rolling on and off, down and up shifting, breaking, dodging in and out of the sunlight filtering through the trees, mostly pulling up hill, Lot’s of variety, I love it! :yahoo:
Past the twisty stretch (the Temblor Range) comes the whoop-dee-doos over Soda Lake and California Valley. These stretches is where you can really twist the throttle a bit, but watch out for cattle in the troughs of the Whoops (don’t ask).
Now comes another great part of this road heading over the La Panza Range. This area is mostly sweepers and is heavily forested in chaparral. It has become overcast and cold, so we stop and re-don the electric vests. Further on, all of a sudden some large black bodies are punctuating the hillside to the north side of the hill near Chama Ranch. They are part of herd of North American buffalo. We stopped and took a couple of pictures.
Heading west, we waved Rudy off as he took La Panza Road returning home, north to Paso Robles, while the rest of us headed west on 58 toward Santa Margarita and 101 for returns to the South. Unfortunately, we were getting barn stale looking forward to New Year’s Eve activities in our respective lives, so we blew off 229 to Creston. This is a perfect motorcycle road, but must be saved for another day.
Everybody made it home OK, so it was a great day in the memory book for the last day of 2006. :clapping:
Your Central Cal Coast scribe & photog,
Khunajawdge
