Shakedown Ride to Joshua Tree, Calif, and Back

[James Burleigh]

Friday morning my buddy Kurt and I headed down to Joshua Tree, California, from the San Francisco Bay Area. Then we came back the next day. Total distance was just over 1,000 miles round trip. The purpose of the ride was to get a sense of how many miles we could plan for when we map out our trip this summer. And we wanted to check out some technical stuff like two-way radios.

I was frankly not looking forward to the trip, because I had managed to throw my back out a couple of days before. I was shuflfing around like Walter Brennan on The Real McCoys, and frankly in a lot of pain, for which I was eating Motrin like M&Ms. So I was not looking forward to long hours in the saddle, and anticipated I might have to abort after just a few hours.

JB tells Kurt, "Why, shucks, my back is actin' so poorly we may has ta cancel this here moorcycle ride."

But I was willing to give it a try. But the morning of departure I got a call from Kurt: his bike, the 2000 Concours he bought a few weeks ago, wouldn't start. So he was an hour late getting here after bump-starting it; then we lost another hour+ getting him a new battery. When he pulled the battery in the dealer's lot, I saw the word "BAD" scrawled in white paint across the battery. So naturally I bitch-slapped him, 'cause don't forget this is the guy whose bike wouldn't start when we went riding a few weeks ago with him (when I was on the CBR1000RR).

We were on the road finally by 11:30, with 500 miles ahead of us.

Anyway, the ride came off all right. It turned out it was more painful to stand up than to sit on the bike. Here are a few pics:

Pausing off I-5 for an equipment change:

Joshua Tree, California:

The Joshua Tree Inn:

Room 8 at left, where Gram Parsons died:

Memorial to Gram Parsons outside room 8: Who the *% is Gram Parsons?

I'm guessing that's a Josua tree:

Entering Joshua Tree Ntl Park:

Contemplating all that...

Desert:

Some people climb these things: :blink:

:clapping:

Ran into these guys near Castaic Junction. I guess some jobs are better than working for a living.... Their playground in the distance.

Going off to play:

 

[puppychow]

Great pics!

I would like to know the full story behind how your friend would pull out the bad battery, mark it "BAD" and put the same one back in again? Did he throw away the new one he bought (assuming he did)?

 

[Wee Willy]

Xclnt JB. Looks like the kinda thing I'd rather be doing than what I'm usually doin'.

Right now, tho', I'm kickin' back to some Jerry Lee Lewis & a great Merlot.

I am...

Wee Willy.

Cheers

 

[James Burleigh]

Great pics!
I would like to know the full story behind how your friend would pull out the bad battery, mark it "BAD" and put the same one back in again? Did he throw away the new one he bought (assuming he did)?

He bought the bike used, including a battery that had "BAD" written across it. This was not the first time he fussed with that battery.

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Nice pics...interesting the LEO's on canyon runners.

Golly Geez, seeing Kurt's ride brings me memories of my first MC my '92 Concours......aw well, FJR is the steed now.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Looks like a great ride, despite the battery and the back pain. Can you believe those guys get paid to do what they were doing?

 

[dcarver]

500 miles per day? Is that your new daily number? I find 500 per day over multiple days gets old. I'm more in the 200 range, per CBA recommendations.

 

[FJRONAMISSION]

JB......... I like how you are actually riding out side of your zip code ...... :> You might just

be human after all... ;>

B

 

[marcusorelius]

Ya sure that's a 2000 connie? It looks like the 05 beige one ( 2000 was red, I had a 01 sonic blue)

 

[fjrchooser]

Makes me wonder what the Leo's do for fun now. Nice ride JB. Joshua Tree sure has grown up since I used to blaze through there back in '71.

All that was there back then was a gas station that used to recap car and truck tires out back, and most importantly the turn off to my girlfriend's house on Big Bear mountain.

 

[James Burleigh]

500 miles per day? Is that your new daily number? I find 500 per day over multiple days gets old. I'm more in the 200 range, per CBA recommendations.

It got real old after two days, and we were both glad we didn't have to get up the next day and ride another 500. But the ride did it's work, namely, helping us understand what works and doesn't and how we should plan out our trip. It has made us appreciate what we can realistically do in what turns out to be the 2.5 weeks we have available to us in June. And the east coast is looking more unlikely.

 

[Bugnatr]

Too bad you had all that sunshine to get in the way. A month ago it looked more like this

 

[GunMD]

Well, well, well. All ya'll phuckers spending time in my backyard and nobody PM'd me first? WTF?

Actually, I'm glad you all got to enjoy the desert. Great views out here. But for future reference, do let me know first (or GZ).

 

[James Burleigh]

Well, well, well. All ya'll phuckers spending time in my backyard and nobody PM'd me first? WTF?
Actually, I'm glad you all got to enjoy the desert. Great views out here. But for future reference, do let me know first (or GZ).

F**k, Gun, I didn't even realize you were right there! I totally would have looked you up. We had breakfast at Dennys there right in beautiful downtown 29-P. The guy at the table next to us was sporting a 10- , better make that a 20-gal hat. Was that your Pa? And the place is crawling with Marines. :blink: We definitely weren't in Kansas anymore. Damn. Sorry we missed you.

JB

 

[dustyrains]

Makes me wonder what the Leo's do for fun now. Nice ride JB. Joshua Tree sure has grown up since I used to blaze through there back in '71. All that was there back then was a gas station that used to recap car and truck tires out back, and most importantly the turn off to my girlfriend's house on Big Bear mountain.

They get on their FJR's and ride like we all wish we could if we were immune to getting tickets, as LEO's are.

 

[user 213]

It got real old after two days, and we were both glad we didn't have to get up the next day and ride another 500. But the ride did it's work, namely, helping us understand what works and doesn't and how we should plan out our trip. It has made us appreciate what we can realistically do in what turns out to be the 2.5 weeks we have available to us in June. And the east coast is looking more unlikely.

Nice to see you stretch a little JB. Don't sell yourself short just yet. 500 can be a 8 hour ride if you just sit there and twist that, but it can also be a really relaxed 12 hour day with photo stops, long lunches and plenty of time to play tourist too. On the road at 6 am, off the road by 6 pm and lots of time to be off the bike. Your evening stop is also the hotel location, walk to dinner, enjoy the evening, etc.

The East Coast is only two days away if you want it to be. It's more fun to take some time getting there, but some would argue for strait shot there, then wander on the way back home.

 

[James Burleigh]

It got real old after two days, and we were both glad we didn't have to get up the next day and ride another 500. But the ride did it's work, namely, helping us understand what works and doesn't and how we should plan out our trip. It has made us appreciate what we can realistically do in what turns out to be the 2.5 weeks we have available to us in June. And the east coast is looking more unlikely.

Nice to see you stretch a little JB. Don't sell yourself short just yet. 500 can be a 8 hour ride if you just sit there and twist that, but it can also be a really relaxed 12 hour day with photo stops, long lunches and plenty of time to play tourist too. On the road at 6 am, off the road by 6 pm and lots of time to be off the bike. Your evening stop is also the hotel location, walk to dinner, enjoy the evening, etc.

The East Coast is only two days away if you want it to be. It's more fun to take some time getting there, but some would argue for strait shot there, then wander on the way back home.

Very good and timely advice. Thank you.

 

[dcarver]

ahem. 2 non-CBA days away....

 

[kaitsdad]

ahem. 2 non-CBA days away....

Ya know, there's a forum member that did SD to JAX in one 37 hour day..... does that count?