Puppychow's California Adventure...

[redtail]

Wow, I feel famous! Thanks for report.

I got my inspiration, to hang a camera around my neck, from you that day. It's a little tricky to turn on with gloves, but well worth it when you come home with pictures!

Besides, I couldn't post a report of my ride without some pics. I incurred the wrath of Shiny-Parts-Up, for that blunder last time. Even had to go buy a better camera.

See you soon!

 

[Tree Doc]

Wow, I feel famous! Thanks for report. I got my inspiration, to hang a camera around my neck, from you that day. It's a little tricky to turn on with gloves, but well worth it when you come home with pictures!

Besides, I couldn't post a report of my ride without some pics. I incurred the wrath of Shiny-Parts-Up, for that blunder last time. Even had to go buy a better camera.

See you soon!

:lol: Yeah, Sam is "catchy" in that way. Let's say he's "well configured" and I'm talking about his bike ergos! I, too, am in search of a solid lanyard for my camera. I've carried it that way before but on a spindly little thing I can't trust. If it's in your bag, you won't reach for it and we miss a lot of good photo-ops.

 

[puppychow]

Took a short ride on Friday with a friend who rides an ST. It was a Del Mar -> Palomar Mountain -> Julian and back home route. My friend knows some nice back roads, without much traffic, I don't know which roads these were, I was just following him around, but some of those had some nice little McMansions...

... and some Casino's, for a second I thought I was in South Lake Tahoe or Reno...

It was fun until we got to Escondido (bleh), but the roads opened up once again after that, we took S Grade up Palomar Mountain and I had the major butt pucker of the trip.

We were going up the S Grade switchbacks at a reasonable pace and this kid in a ricer Acura Integra comes barreling down the mountain, my friend was past the corner already and I was about to enter it just when I see him approaching the corner, he swings into the turn as I start to move away, his rear tire oversteers and I am thinking this is it...fortunately for me it snaps back in line and he continues his death wish run down the mountain...Phew - close call!

We reach the observatory safe and sound..

This would be a good website to check out the history of the Observatory if you are interested... Palomar Observatory.

They had some interesting snippets on display at the Observatory, which is now also an Museum. It took them 11 years to polish the 200 inch mirror for this telescope. They were able to cast the 200 inch mirror on their second try and then spent 8 years polishing it (not including the interruption from WW II, which also resulted in training almost an all new workforce after the war was over). The mirror then took 2 days to transport up the mountain and then it took another 3 years once installed to polish the mirror for focus...

It was hard to take pictures inside the observatory, lighting, reflection etc made it really hard for most of the shots to come out, so I am sharing the ones which did turn out...

Before the days of air conditioning, the astronomers would sit in their “cage” through long hours in the night and it used to get very cold. When I was visiting in the daytime, the temperature inside the dome was about 42 F, so you can only imagine what it would be on a cold winter night…solution? 24V heated suits, think these would make good LD comfort suits?

From Palomar Mountain we headed towards Lake Henshaw on our way to Julian, you can see a glimpse of the lake in the background.

We are here…

We had a late late lunch in Julian, I was starving and the BBQ was good, there were some Renegade Rebels in attendance, but they left town before we did, on our way back from Julian we stopped at the Julian Pie shop and I found the bad-asses loading up their Goldwings/Cruisers into a massive trailer in search of the next town to “terrorize”…

Parting shot of the day… “Silly Yuppies trailers are for boats”…

Ahh almost forgot, on the way back from Julian, ditch Hwy 67 past Ramona and get on Highland Valley Road instead – two thumbs up!

PS – I am waiting for some pics of the Del Mar sunset from my friend, it was his camera and I think the shots were gorgeous, he hasn’t found the time to send them to me, so I will post them when I receive them.

One more combined ride report to come...

 

[BwanaDik]

Before the days of air conditioning, the astronomers would sit in their “cage” through long hours in the night and it used to get very cold. When I was visiting in the daytime, the temperature inside the dome was about 42 F, so you can only imagine what it would be on a cold winter night…solution? 24V heated suits, think these would make good LD comfort suits?

I guess there's nothing new under the sun!

Excellent report! Waiting for the Grand Finalie

 

[puppychow]

It was getting to the end of my trip, I will skip the report on Saturday as there was no motorcycling on Saturday and what happens in San Diego stays in San Diego and to protect the innocent and all that hog wash...what I will say is that by the time I left San Diego the next day for my return journey, it was already 1:15 PM in the afternoon and I still wanted to fit in Hwy 33 and Hwy 166 into my route to Arroyo Grande, where Tree Doc was waiting for me. Google map said 6 + hours, I was hoping I could do better, but which also meant very few picture stops...

Approximately 3 hours later I was exiting Hwy 101 onto Hwy 33, I saw a Blue FJR this day (Sunday, May 2nd) heading south out of Hwy 33 as I was heading north around 4:15 or 4:30PM. Hwy 33 was a total blast, Almost everyone was heading south and going back home and I was the only one headed north and I had a clean run all the way through, I was being very selfish lapping up that road porn and only stopped once to snap a token picture of that deliciously winding road...

In no time I was past the twisty, windy parts onto the straight stretch racing towards Hwy 166. Some of the scenery passing me by reminded me of Nevada...

Hwy 166 was boring until I reached the fast sweepers, no LEO's in sight on a Sunday evening - just perfect....it even seemed as if I was closer to the sun somehow, the camera doesn't lie...

Rolling into Tree Doc's driveway right about 6:30 PM or so, made good time

Such a stand-up guy, welcoming a riding brother he had never met before with big smiles and gracious hospitality, both him and Mrs Tree Doc were such a joy! He had brought his 27' trailer out of storage just for me and set it up with heating, hot water, nice big comfy bed and a refrigerator full of beer! :clapping:

They took me out to a great Mexican Restaurant for some very good eating, drove me around Pismo Beach that night to show me the hot spots and then back home for more beer and motorcycling stories and next days ride planning before I retired to bed...

We started our ride Monday morning around 9AM, after Tree Doc made me a hearty breakfast of Tri Tip, Scrambled Eggs and Toast, can't thank him enough for his hospitality!

Here is Tree Doc leading the ride on his beautifully farkled SV650S sport-tourer.

Not many pics from this day as Tree Doc was filming with his GoPro. The plan was to avoid Hwy 101 as much as we could, so the route we took was Hwy 227 (Carpenter Canyon) to San Luis Obispo, from here we slabbed Hwy 101 to Hwy 58 exit and then caught the one lane Hwy 229 to Creston. Hwy 229 is where I passed Tree Doc after we made our way around a snake sunning itself on the road and I believe this is the road on which Tree Doc started lusting for the FJR!

Not sure which road this pic was taken...

From Creston, it was Hwy 41 back to Hwy 101 and then the quick slab to Indian Valley Road, another one lane beauty which we rode all the way to Hwy 198 / Hwy 25, by this time my homing beacon was strong and I was just racing home so again no pictures, but hopefully Tree Doc got some good video he can post.

We parted ways near the Hwy 198 / Hwy 25 junction, good to ride with you Tim! Ride again sometime soon I hope!

I had ridden Hwy 25 heading south the last time and it is just as fun heading north (whad'ya know?) :yahoo:

I was in Hollister in no time and stopped for lunch.

From Hollister, I retraced my steps back home, good to be home.....

....but how do I clean this crap off?

 

[Bokerfork]

What more is there to say after a ride report of this quality?

Who needs Old Michael?

Great report. Looks like you had more fun than is allowed around here.

Many thanks.

Mark

 

[sportsguy]

Wow, I feel famous! Thanks for report. I got my inspiration, to hang a camera around my neck, from you that day. It's a little tricky to turn on with gloves, but well worth it when you come home with pictures!

Besides, I couldn't post a report of my ride without some pics. I incurred the wrath of Shiny-Parts-Up, for that blunder last time. Even had to go buy a better camera.

See you soon!

Hint - your camera will probably go to "sleep" if you just leave it turned on. Most do this after a minute or two to conserve the battery. To wake it up, you usually just press the shutter button once, then the camera is ready to go, no firgging around with on/off switches...

 

[Tree Doc]

:dribble: That Sammich!!!

Bacon has never looked so healthy!

 

[rushes]

Great report!

....but how do I clean this crap off?

Try Wisk laundry detergent as a pre soak...

 

[Tree Doc]

I have a bottle of Woolite and use warm water just for that purpose. If your sled is nicely waxed, Woolite will soften and cut the crud but won't take the wax off the finish like regular detergents.

 

[James Burleigh]

 

[puppychow]

:rofl: :lol2: :thumbsupsmileyanim:

 

[puppychow]

:dribble: That Sammich!!!
Bacon has never looked so healthy!

You should have accompanied me to Hollister - Hwy 25 was in perfect condition and very light to no traffic!

 

[old Pilot]

I'm beginning to hate you California guys. Nah, I'm just jealous. Nice pics & report, thanks.

Oh, and now I realize why people look at me oddly when I walk into a store with my Multitech on and flipped up :wackosmiley:

 

[MojaveFJR]

Awesome ride report.

Ya didn't miss much on Foxen Canyon. Used to be an CBR954 up that way which would terrorize that road about 4 times during the weekend as there was nowhere else to ride a sportbike that would do it justice.

Nice ride report.

 

[Wee Willy]

....but how do I clean this crap off?

Steel wool.

 

[puppychow]

Steel wool? Are you serious WW? I used Meguiars Gold car wash and some hot water and towels to soak and then it came off very easy. Washed the bike yesterday and waxed it too - it looks pretty again!

 

[FJRBluesman]

Puppychow - Excellent ride report!!! :yahoo:

Looked like a great time. Redtail is a good guy, met him last year on a ride up to the central coast.

You were in my backyard, but I wasn't available. If I could recommend next time you're around Malibu, do Malibu Seafood on PCH for lunch, great food!!! Decker and Latigo are a blast I love those roads in the Santa Monica Mtns.

Glad all went well and you had fun.