Dr. Rich's Magical Presidents Day Ride

[Khunajawdge]

[quote name='madmike2' date='Feb 2 2008, 06:

Asides, yuh be wantin me tuh start hopin fer rayne en tuh gits mah voodoo dolls en suchm er whut?

Put them away Mike, nobody needs rain on President's weekend!

Hope the weather clears and stays, so we can ALL have a nice ride!

 

[Bluestreek]

Lets get that klr ready to go. If the FJR isn't ready ride that. Maybe I will even ride mine so ya won't feel alone bringing up the rear.

 

[James Burleigh]

Asides, yuh be wantin me tuh start hopin fer rayne en tuh gits mah voodoo dolls en suchm er whut?

Don't make me haveta pee on you! :glare:

 

[Dr. Rich]

Asides, yuh be wantin me tuh start hopin fer rayne en tuh gits mah voodoo dolls en suchm er whut?

Don't make me haveta pee on you! :glare:

Hans.... We are all getting older... so a gentle reminder if you are going to pee on him, unzip your pants first!

 

[James Burleigh]

Hans.... We are all getting older... so a gentle reminder if you are going to pee on him, unzip your pants first!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[Dr. Rich]

I checked the extended forecast on Accu-Weather this morning and it predicts that Sunday the 17th will be cool but sunny... Polish up your bike, air up your tires, check your oil level, treat your S.O. nice on Valentines Day and get ready for the best twisty ride you have been on. Madmike.... don't weenie out on us.... Rich

 

[HYCLE]

Do you work for MBUSA, HCycle?

No, I work for an indpendant shop in Vacaville, CA.

We are a Bosch Authorized Service Center and I work on just about anything. One day it might be bad ignition coils on a Ford F350 and today will be headgaskets on a Mercedes 560SEC.

You have to keep current with all the new technology on cars. This next class is focused on the fiber optic network and the other half dozen networks that control the car. The most common problem recently is the network stays active too long after you shut the car off and kills the battery. If you thought your home computer was slow to shut down, how about anywhere from 18 min to 1 hour is normal on BMW and Mercedes.

One model of Mercedes uses a large battery in the trunk to run the computers and a small battery under the hood to start the car.

See you on the 17th.

Mike

 

[madmike2]

Madmike.... don't weenie out on us.... Rich

A couple of salient points:

1) I need a motorcycle to ride (I'm NOT bringing the pickup).

2) IF I get the bike back on Sat., I still need to mount tires and wire my electronics.

[SIZE=8pt]I suppose I could try and find a used Bandit......(NOT)[/SIZE]

Lets get that klr ready to go.

Great idea, Steve, but I haven't turned but a very few bolts on that bike. The parts just got here and I have to play the old "remove and replace" game. THEN it has to go to my friends shop to have the bracketry straightened and welded. Not a likely scenario. Too many things were put off during my extended "inability" period.

 

[NightShine]

Many of us will have a three day weekend on February 17th. I am putting together a ride that will start in Fairfield, go over through Napa, up to Pengrove and then...
< pick up riders waiting for us -- or at gas station >

Left onto Old Redwood Hwy

Go over Hwy 101 to Chevron gas station

This Chevron station is just a mile or so from my house. So I'll join you guys there at, what? 10:15? 10:30?

Cheers!

 

[Dr. Rich]

Many of us will have a three day weekend on February 17th. I am putting together a ride that will start in Fairfield, go over through Napa, up to Pengrove and then...
< pick up riders waiting for us -- or at gas station >

Left onto Old Redwood Hwy

Go over Hwy 101 to Chevron gas station

This Chevron station is just a mile or so from my house. So I'll join you guys there at, what? 10:15? 10:30?

Cheers!

I would say you're pretty close... By the time everyone meets at Starbucks and has a short cup of Java, we should be away by 9:30. It shouldn't take more than 45 minutes to get over to Petaluma to the Chevron Station. It is usually a pretty quick trip though Napa and Sonoma. See you next Sunday. Bring your thoughts on NAFO with you. This will be a perfect time for everyone to share routes and insights about getting there and back. Rich

 

[broodwich]

Do you work for MBUSA, HCycle?

No, I work for an indpendant shop in Vacaville, CA.

We are a Bosch Authorized Service Center and I work on just about anything. One day it might be bad ignition coils on a Ford F350 and today will be headgaskets on a Mercedes 560SEC.

You have to keep current with all the new technology on cars. This next class is focused on the fiber optic network and the other half dozen networks that control the car. The most common problem recently is the network stays active too long after you shut the car off and kills the battery. If you thought your home computer was slow to shut down, how about anywhere from 18 min to 1 hour is normal on BMW and Mercedes.

One model of Mercedes uses a large battery in the trunk to run the computers and a small battery under the hood to start the car.

See you on the 17th.

Mike

Ah, CANBus stuff. Sounds interesting.

 

[HYCLE]

Do you work for MBUSA, HCycle?

No, I work for an indpendant shop in Vacaville, CA.

We are a Bosch Authorized Service Center and I work on just about anything. One day it might be bad ignition coils on a Ford F350 and today will be headgaskets on a Mercedes 560SEC.

You have to keep current with all the new technology on cars. This next class is focused on the fiber optic network and the other half dozen networks that control the car. The most common problem recently is the network stays active too long after you shut the car off and kills the battery. If you thought your home computer was slow to shut down, how about anywhere from 18 min to 1 hour is normal on BMW and Mercedes.

One model of Mercedes uses a large battery in the trunk to run the computers and a small battery under the hood to start the car.

See you on the 17th.

Mike

Ah, CANBus cannibus stuff. Sounds interesting.

fixed it for you

 

[HIGHLANDER]

OK, let me add my two cents in here.......

First I think it's great others are finally stepping up to the plate and organizing rides...reduces the stress on us old farts to come up with new ride plans !! Good to see the Dr organizing rides and JB ( although his ride was highjacked by the Sac crew !! :lol2: )

That said I feel it's important to stress PRE RIDING the run. The leader does have a little responsibility to run a clean pace / route. If you remember last year I stressed over and over in the planning thread to be carefull over the Hopland grade as they dump crushed cinder gravel on the road to combat ice. Hoplan was only a 20 minute portion of the route.

If you also remember one rider strayed two inches out of the cager tire tracks and went down in the gravel. :nono:

I can be 100% sure that from the bridge on Skaggs, where the Stewart portion starts, all the way to the coast they'll be cinder gravel laid down. Your looking at over an hour single tracking through the gravel. Everyone please watch out through there, it'll be 1st and 2nd gear stuff with light throttle control. ( This is why I didn't include it in last years run ).

Prerunning should be mandatory for ride planners otherwise we'll end up like a run someone planned last year that ended up in miles of gravel road construction and goat trail detours. It takes more than picking a bunch of roads from a map to end up with a ride successfull and safe ride. It also sounded like JB's hijacked run wasn't the cleanest either if I read between the lines correctly.

I'm not trying to piss in anyone Wheaties here, just concerned about everyone safety, especially the Two-up's in the gravel.

Another tip is for the lead planner to update the first thread with a list of who's going on the run, it'll create more interest in the ride.

Ride safe y'all, I'm not sure if we'll make this one, maybe for lunch if the lunch spot is nailed down :hyper:

 

[Dr. Rich]

OK, let me add my two cents in here.......
First I think it's great others are finally stepping up to the plate and organizing rides...reduces the stress on us old farts to come up with new ride plans !! Good to see the Dr organizing rides and JB ( although his ride was highjacked by the Sac crew !! :lol2: )

That said I feel it's important to stress PRE RIDING the run. The leader does have a little responsibility to run a clean pace / route. If you remember last year I stressed over and over in the planning thread to be carefull over the Hopland grade as they dump crushed cinder gravel on the road to combat ice. Hoplan was only a 20 minute portion of the route.

If you also remember one rider strayed two inches out of the cager tire tracks and went down in the gravel. :nono:

I can be 100% sure that from the bridge on Skaggs, where the Stewart portion starts, all the way to the coast they'll be cinder gravel laid down. Your looking at over an hour single tracking through the gravel. Everyone please watch out through there, it'll be 1st and 2nd gear stuff with light throttle control. ( This is why I didn't include it in last years run ).

Prerunning should be mandatory for ride planners otherwise we'll end up like a run someone planned last year that ended up in miles of gravel road construction and goat trail detours. It takes more than picking a bunch of roads from a map to end up with a ride successfull and safe ride. It also sounded like JB's hijacked run wasn't the cleanest either if I read between the lines correctly.

I'm not trying to piss in anyone Wheaties here, just concerned about everyone safety, especially the Two-up's in the gravel.

Another tip is for the lead planner to update the first thread with a list of who's going on the run, it'll create more interest in the ride.

Ride safe y'all, I'm not sure if we'll make this one, maybe for lunch if the lunch spot is nailed down :hyper:

Dave... I appreciate your thoughtful approach. I personally have ridden the route several times with the Breakfast Riders. My plan was to ride it this weekend and make sure that everything was exactly as I remembered last summer. I don't recall the route being gravel at the time and if it is now, the route would not be safe. Because of the recent weeks of rain, road conditions may have changed. I will find out this weekend.

I will update the rider list tomorrow. I actually was waiting to see if the weather would hold to see if we could go. Thanks again for the thoughts and it would be great if you would join us. I can honestly say I have never ridden behind another bike that was two up that was a smooth and controlled as you are. Thanks again. Rich

Here is a list of the riders as of Feb 6th

Rich

JB (AKA.. the Urinator)

Hycle and Terri

Broodwich

Exskibum and Judy

Madmike2 (maybe)

JWhite 518

Bluestreek

UberKul and maybe Christy

Ric in Sac and Karen

Nightshine

Highlander (maybe)

 

[jwhite518]

Thanks guys for the leadership. As someone who has organized group rides I understand and appreciate the effort that goes into it. Actually I think it's not very much fun doing this stuff, because you're always stressing that nobody crashes, or gets lost, and that everyone is having fun, and that the pace is just right, etc etc. So again, thank you Dr. Rich! I'm definitely in for next Sunday.

Question: Since I am a GPS nerd, I have input the route into Garmin. Would anybody else like an electronic copy in advance so they can load their machines?

 

[broodwich]

Who is riding from the Sacramento Aree? Do you guys want to meet somewhere prior to the offical meet in Fairfield?

I created a route in Google Maps for this ride. I hope it's correct. I create routes in Google Maps all the time, but I never created one based on someone elses directions. I checked it over twice and I think I got it right but someone else should verify this route before we consider it the "offical" route.

I hope you guys don't mind that I did this. I'm a visual person and I wanted something to reference.

Updated: Google Maps Link

Below are the original directions but I have inserted the Google Maps waypoints for your reference.

[A] Leave Starbucks on North Texas in Fairfield at 9:00 amGet onto Hwy 80

to Hwy 12

(merges with Hwy 121)

Right onto Arnold Dr (there is a 76 gas station here if some want to join us at this point)


Left onto Hwy 116


Right onto Adobe Rd


Right onto Adobe Rd (when it turns into Frates Rd) to Pengrove


< pick up riders waiting for us -- or at gas station >


[C] Left onto Old Redwood Hwy


[D] Go over Hwy 101 to Chevron gas station

 


Leave gas station


Right onto Stony Point Rd


[E] Left onto Pepper Rd


Right onto Tomales-Petaluma Rd ( If you want we can go by the Wildflour Bakery in Freestone... If you have never been there it is a treat... All stone oven cooked breads and apple cinnamon rolls)


Right onto Hwy 1 north


[G] to Bodega Bay and FOOD (recommend the Boat House Restaurant or the Crab Shack on the Commercial Wharf) Need to gas up in Bodega Bay.

 


Leave food going north on Hwy


Right onto Stewart's Point Rd

 


it changes to Skaggs Spring Rd


it changes to Dry Creek Rd at Dutcher Creek Rd

 


stay on Dry Creek


Left onto Canyon Rd


under Hwy 101


Right onto Geyserville Ave

 


Left onto Hwy 128


(pass Ida Clayton Rd --sigh)


to Calistoga

 


[J] Left onto Lincoln Ave (downtown)


Right onto Silverado Trail


Left onto Hwy 128

 


Right onto Hwy 121


to Wooden Valley Rd and home

 

[James Burleigh]

...If you have never ridden Skaggs Springs Road from the coast to Dry Creek, it is rated as one of the best twisty roads in California.... The real fun is Skaggs Springs Road!

Y'all got that one right, Doc. Here's some video I shot of SSR last summer: Skaggs video.

How about breakfast at 7:30 at this I-Hop:

I-Hop

1601 N. Texas Street

Fairfield, Ca

 

[Dr. Rich]

...If you have never ridden Skaggs Springs Road from the coast to Dry Creek, it is rated as one of the best twisty roads in California.... The real fun is Skaggs Springs Road!

Y'all got that one right, Doc. Here's some video I shot of SSR last summer: Skaggs video.

How about breakfast at 7:30 at this I-Hop:

I-Hop

1601 N. Texas Street

Fairfield, Ca

Hans---

Loved the video.... I wonder if the boys back east that are snowed in will be envious of the clear warm weather we have recently gotten. I have never ridden the "Dragon" but I can't imagine it is any more challenging or fun that 50 miles of twisty road that winds up and over the coastal range from the coast to Sonoma. Meeting at the I-Hop is a great idea. See you there. Rich

P.S. The map that Broodwich did is perfect. It is exactly like the one that I have copied to pass out on Sunday morning.

 

[broodwich]

P.S. The map that Broodwich did is perfect. It is exactly like the one that I have copied to pass out on Sunday morning.

Great!

 

[Bike Effects]

Please add Bike Effects to the list of attendees.