wheatonFJR
...
Warning...this RR contains lots of words. If you hate words, or words are not your friend, I have a "pictures only" RR over here...clicky
2011 Kali Trip – Wheaton and Airboss do Kalifornia
Prologue
Riding out to California...did I really do this?? I'm doing a ride report...so I must have.
This trip seemed to actually start happening/getting off the ground in my mind when a certain dcarver urged me a year or so ago to fly out sometime and ride one of his bikes. He promised to show me the good roads around Creston. Don is the one that got this going in my head. I didn't really feel like I could take him up on his offer...but the idea stuck. Doggoneit, I'm gonna get out there one way or another...and real soon, too.
Then again, I probably wouldn't have made this leap if I didn't have that prostate cancer scare a couple of years ago (get yourselves checked guys)...this made me realize that my days are numbered and who knows how many riding seasons I have left...I know I don't, so I gotta take advantage if and when there's an opening.
Then again, I probably wouldn't have made this trip if it weren't for my dad. Not that he likes motorcycles, because he doesn't. But he made one of those offhand comments that you make as a parent when you are joking around with your kids. That one comment in 1971 started me on the road to motorcycle touring. I was 12 and we were in our brand new (to us) 1969 Olds Vista Cruiser wagon (pull up a chair...this might be a long story) and stopped on Roosevelt Road at a traffic light on Lambert Road in Glen Ellyn, IL...we're sitting there at the light, kitty corner from DuPage Honda...full of motorcycles. My dad says, "Hey, we could sell this car and tour the country on motorcycles...what do you think?!" I knew in the back of my mind that my dad was joking, but the thought made me smile inside and intrigued me. Wouldn't THAT be fun!!! Thanks Dad for the unintended inspiration!
First there was the FJRForum thread last fall asking what was the best time to come out and visit. I got lots of assistance on that thread. Then, came the unintentionally long thread telling people WHEN I was coming out, and does anybody have ideas for roads, and it sure would be nice to see a few of you out there as I'm passing through. Little did I know how big you Kali riders do it up, how helpful you guys are for road suggestions, how much a certain Tyler Risk would work to plan all the gatherings, make arrangements, and plan meals. I have a new bunch of friends out on the west side of the country...thanks to all of you. Though the thread took many twists and turns, it kept me entertained during the winter months when warm temperatures were a distant memory from months before.
Well, let's see what I got in the photobucket that I can whip out for everybody...
Two other riders signed on to go with me to visit you crazy nutters...but one had to bow out.
We were down to Goober and Gomer...
Part1 – Heading Out: Beginnings, and the Southwest...Day 1 to Day 4 (Wheaton to Goleta)
Day 1 – 14 May, Saturday, Wheaton to Denver, 900plus blahbiddy blah miles.
Bike is packed up. Hope all is in there...man, there sure is a lot of stuff. On a two week trip in May, you are going to get all kinds of weather. You could have temps from the 20s to the 100s. Will it all fit on the bike?
Yep. All packed up the night before.
Now I got up at 3:45am CDT...that's 1:45am PDT for you left coasters, to get up and get going down the road. I checked Chicago Tribune radar, and they showed patches of little measly green rain on the radar in Illinois before meeting up with airboss...nothing big. So I put my water resistant gear on and packed the real rain gear in the duffle.
I was fine until western Illinois when I crossed the river that Ronald Reagan was a life guard in...then it started pouring...and pouring some more. Now I was going to meet up with airboss in about 30 mins, and this stuff should quit soon, right? No such luck. I was getting all sorts of wash from the Semis pretty soon and felt like I was in the inside of a dishwasher. With temps in the 40s. Soaked. By the time I got to Walcott, IA at the WORLD'S BIGGEST TRUCKSTOP, my teeth were chattering inside my helmet. I think I was getting hypothermic as I started losing fine motor control skills...I grabbed the brakes on the off ramp and skidded the bike, almost dumping the bike in sight of Karl.
I am posing with a smile in my first picture, but it was a forced smile.
However, I have been on enough trips to know that this first day will likely be one of the hardest legs of the trip, so buck up – things will get better. Plus, this is the first day of an unknown odyssey...what's more exciting than that?
Karl's beginning of the trip photo
With that thought, Karl and I went inside, got a coffee, the "Usual" breakfast, and warmed up. Before heading back out on the bike, I put on the full rainsuit and other clothing on. I warmed up by 3pm...still wet to the core.
Karl also showed me an unintended hitchhiker he found on his bike.
Who will weep for this bird? I will. I did. Gone too soon.
Zigged when it should have zagged. A lesson for me out there...there are bigger things waiting to hit me out there, if I don't use good judgement. I have a lot of miles to ride on this trip. I want every one of them to be fun, but I want to make it home as well.
At our first rest stop in Grinnell, IA. Karl gave the bird a quick funeral.
Iowa had lots of hills and farmland, Nebraska was drier as you got west with ranches. The Platte River fed the Cottonwood trees and the Junipers the water that they needed. Karl was leading most of the way with his radar detector...he latched onto an Audi A8 in Nebraska and wouldn't let go. Nebraska melted away before our eyes. High buffeting crosswinds and high speeds made for low gas mileage...mid 30s.
Once we got to Brighton, CO, northeast of Denver...we did some extra loops, as airboss just could not get enough riding in...especially nice as it rained for the whole last hour of our ride as well. My gps said that I got about 990 some odd miles in that day. Tired. Checked in.
Now, we were using economy motels on this trip for my benefit...airboss is independently wealthy. But this motel was low on the economy motel scale...with the scale as follows:
5 – clean, nice interior and exterior
4 - clean, not so nice interior and exterior
3 – clean?
2 - scary
1 – Mommy? Mommy!
Gravel parking lots, lots of ruts...I felt like I got my dirt road fix for the day before even leaving the parking lot. That's okay, every other motel on this trip was better than this one. We ordered out Domino's Pizza for delivery...I was starved. It hit the spot.
Drying out my wet clothes and gear
Gonna try the GoPro helmet cam on the snowy mountains tomorrow...
Day 2 – 15 May, Sunday, Denver to Tropic, UT, about 515 miles.
Karl trying to tell me something in the motel parking lot...I have no clue what he's saying…
We waited until later in the morning, 9:45am MDT to leave the motel as this would allow more time for the mountain pass temperatures in Colorado's front range to rise above freezing. We were thinking about the recent snows melting onto the roadway and refreezing overnight. Karl timed it just right as the temps were 34 degrees at the pass he says. It was foggy and very cold up at the top of the mountains...couldn't see too well...so worried about those behind us not seeing us. I was behind Karl and not wanting to let him disappear in the fog. We passed some Harley riders who were making their way up the mountain at a more ginger pace...they must have been cold, as the doo rag on one of them was the thickest doo rag I've ever seen. He may even have had an electric doo rag on for warmth. Hope they made it okay, never saw them again the rest of the day.
Seriously, though. The heavily snowed front range was a thing of beauty. Amazing beauty. I may never see anything like that ever again. It was just one of those moments you have on a motorcycle...I don't think I would have perceived it the same way on a car. I think this whole trip would have been different in a car looking though the windows...seeing, but not seeing what I see from a motorcycle. However, my memory is all I have of that moment...my first attempt at the GoPro was a failure. No footage.
The sweepers west of Aspen Pass were fun...yahoo!
Construction in Glenwood Canyon prevented us from enjoying those. We stopped there alongside the Colorado River to gear down as the temps were warming up and blue skies were seen above.
Rafters
Karl putting away some gear
I still have my sweatshirt on...I remember how chilled I was the previous day
Overlook in Utah
I then tried something on this trip...photos on the move with a camera on a lanyard
It saddened me to realize that I really sucked at doing that...even in an easy interstate section...it was also taking too much of my concentration. That experiment was it for me...no more camera shots on the move for me. Ever.
What is it with the Germans and the American southwest? They're everywhere. At the gas stops, at the restaurants, motels, everywhere. Interesting.
BTW, EVERYBODY who rides a bike must do US 12 to southern Utah. Requirement if you have an M license. Period. That was like sex on wheels…between the scenery, the sweeper curves, it is just awesome. More than awesome. One of my favorites on this trip.
Scenery started getting really nice as we got closer to Bryce…
As with everything, the lights and shadows make everything a little more interesting
On the way down US 12 towards the end of the day, I did come upon a free range cow just off the road in a curve, followed by a deer darting across the road, all in the same curve. I slowed down a notch after that.
We arrived at the motel in Tropic at 8:30pm MDT. We were told that the restaurant nearby closed at 9pm, so if we wanted any dinner...we better head over right away. We did. Enjoyed a rack of ribs and Karl enjoyed a steak. I had a nice glass of locally brewed dark draft. Excellent capper to the day.
Days 3 and 4 coming soon...
2011 Kali Trip – Wheaton and Airboss do Kalifornia
Prologue
Riding out to California...did I really do this?? I'm doing a ride report...so I must have.
This trip seemed to actually start happening/getting off the ground in my mind when a certain dcarver urged me a year or so ago to fly out sometime and ride one of his bikes. He promised to show me the good roads around Creston. Don is the one that got this going in my head. I didn't really feel like I could take him up on his offer...but the idea stuck. Doggoneit, I'm gonna get out there one way or another...and real soon, too.
Then again, I probably wouldn't have made this leap if I didn't have that prostate cancer scare a couple of years ago (get yourselves checked guys)...this made me realize that my days are numbered and who knows how many riding seasons I have left...I know I don't, so I gotta take advantage if and when there's an opening.
Then again, I probably wouldn't have made this trip if it weren't for my dad. Not that he likes motorcycles, because he doesn't. But he made one of those offhand comments that you make as a parent when you are joking around with your kids. That one comment in 1971 started me on the road to motorcycle touring. I was 12 and we were in our brand new (to us) 1969 Olds Vista Cruiser wagon (pull up a chair...this might be a long story) and stopped on Roosevelt Road at a traffic light on Lambert Road in Glen Ellyn, IL...we're sitting there at the light, kitty corner from DuPage Honda...full of motorcycles. My dad says, "Hey, we could sell this car and tour the country on motorcycles...what do you think?!" I knew in the back of my mind that my dad was joking, but the thought made me smile inside and intrigued me. Wouldn't THAT be fun!!! Thanks Dad for the unintended inspiration!
First there was the FJRForum thread last fall asking what was the best time to come out and visit. I got lots of assistance on that thread. Then, came the unintentionally long thread telling people WHEN I was coming out, and does anybody have ideas for roads, and it sure would be nice to see a few of you out there as I'm passing through. Little did I know how big you Kali riders do it up, how helpful you guys are for road suggestions, how much a certain Tyler Risk would work to plan all the gatherings, make arrangements, and plan meals. I have a new bunch of friends out on the west side of the country...thanks to all of you. Though the thread took many twists and turns, it kept me entertained during the winter months when warm temperatures were a distant memory from months before.
Well, let's see what I got in the photobucket that I can whip out for everybody...
Two other riders signed on to go with me to visit you crazy nutters...but one had to bow out.
We were down to Goober and Gomer...
Part1 – Heading Out: Beginnings, and the Southwest...Day 1 to Day 4 (Wheaton to Goleta)
Day 1 – 14 May, Saturday, Wheaton to Denver, 900plus blahbiddy blah miles.
Bike is packed up. Hope all is in there...man, there sure is a lot of stuff. On a two week trip in May, you are going to get all kinds of weather. You could have temps from the 20s to the 100s. Will it all fit on the bike?
Yep. All packed up the night before.
Now I got up at 3:45am CDT...that's 1:45am PDT for you left coasters, to get up and get going down the road. I checked Chicago Tribune radar, and they showed patches of little measly green rain on the radar in Illinois before meeting up with airboss...nothing big. So I put my water resistant gear on and packed the real rain gear in the duffle.
I was fine until western Illinois when I crossed the river that Ronald Reagan was a life guard in...then it started pouring...and pouring some more. Now I was going to meet up with airboss in about 30 mins, and this stuff should quit soon, right? No such luck. I was getting all sorts of wash from the Semis pretty soon and felt like I was in the inside of a dishwasher. With temps in the 40s. Soaked. By the time I got to Walcott, IA at the WORLD'S BIGGEST TRUCKSTOP, my teeth were chattering inside my helmet. I think I was getting hypothermic as I started losing fine motor control skills...I grabbed the brakes on the off ramp and skidded the bike, almost dumping the bike in sight of Karl.
I am posing with a smile in my first picture, but it was a forced smile.
However, I have been on enough trips to know that this first day will likely be one of the hardest legs of the trip, so buck up – things will get better. Plus, this is the first day of an unknown odyssey...what's more exciting than that?
Karl's beginning of the trip photo
With that thought, Karl and I went inside, got a coffee, the "Usual" breakfast, and warmed up. Before heading back out on the bike, I put on the full rainsuit and other clothing on. I warmed up by 3pm...still wet to the core.
Karl also showed me an unintended hitchhiker he found on his bike.
Who will weep for this bird? I will. I did. Gone too soon.
Zigged when it should have zagged. A lesson for me out there...there are bigger things waiting to hit me out there, if I don't use good judgement. I have a lot of miles to ride on this trip. I want every one of them to be fun, but I want to make it home as well.
At our first rest stop in Grinnell, IA. Karl gave the bird a quick funeral.
Iowa had lots of hills and farmland, Nebraska was drier as you got west with ranches. The Platte River fed the Cottonwood trees and the Junipers the water that they needed. Karl was leading most of the way with his radar detector...he latched onto an Audi A8 in Nebraska and wouldn't let go. Nebraska melted away before our eyes. High buffeting crosswinds and high speeds made for low gas mileage...mid 30s.
Once we got to Brighton, CO, northeast of Denver...we did some extra loops, as airboss just could not get enough riding in...especially nice as it rained for the whole last hour of our ride as well. My gps said that I got about 990 some odd miles in that day. Tired. Checked in.
Now, we were using economy motels on this trip for my benefit...airboss is independently wealthy. But this motel was low on the economy motel scale...with the scale as follows:
5 – clean, nice interior and exterior
4 - clean, not so nice interior and exterior
3 – clean?
2 - scary
1 – Mommy? Mommy!
Gravel parking lots, lots of ruts...I felt like I got my dirt road fix for the day before even leaving the parking lot. That's okay, every other motel on this trip was better than this one. We ordered out Domino's Pizza for delivery...I was starved. It hit the spot.
Drying out my wet clothes and gear
Gonna try the GoPro helmet cam on the snowy mountains tomorrow...
Day 2 – 15 May, Sunday, Denver to Tropic, UT, about 515 miles.
Karl trying to tell me something in the motel parking lot...I have no clue what he's saying…
We waited until later in the morning, 9:45am MDT to leave the motel as this would allow more time for the mountain pass temperatures in Colorado's front range to rise above freezing. We were thinking about the recent snows melting onto the roadway and refreezing overnight. Karl timed it just right as the temps were 34 degrees at the pass he says. It was foggy and very cold up at the top of the mountains...couldn't see too well...so worried about those behind us not seeing us. I was behind Karl and not wanting to let him disappear in the fog. We passed some Harley riders who were making their way up the mountain at a more ginger pace...they must have been cold, as the doo rag on one of them was the thickest doo rag I've ever seen. He may even have had an electric doo rag on for warmth. Hope they made it okay, never saw them again the rest of the day.
Seriously, though. The heavily snowed front range was a thing of beauty. Amazing beauty. I may never see anything like that ever again. It was just one of those moments you have on a motorcycle...I don't think I would have perceived it the same way on a car. I think this whole trip would have been different in a car looking though the windows...seeing, but not seeing what I see from a motorcycle. However, my memory is all I have of that moment...my first attempt at the GoPro was a failure. No footage.
The sweepers west of Aspen Pass were fun...yahoo!
Construction in Glenwood Canyon prevented us from enjoying those. We stopped there alongside the Colorado River to gear down as the temps were warming up and blue skies were seen above.
Rafters
Karl putting away some gear
I still have my sweatshirt on...I remember how chilled I was the previous day
Overlook in Utah
I then tried something on this trip...photos on the move with a camera on a lanyard
It saddened me to realize that I really sucked at doing that...even in an easy interstate section...it was also taking too much of my concentration. That experiment was it for me...no more camera shots on the move for me. Ever.
What is it with the Germans and the American southwest? They're everywhere. At the gas stops, at the restaurants, motels, everywhere. Interesting.
BTW, EVERYBODY who rides a bike must do US 12 to southern Utah. Requirement if you have an M license. Period. That was like sex on wheels…between the scenery, the sweeper curves, it is just awesome. More than awesome. One of my favorites on this trip.
Scenery started getting really nice as we got closer to Bryce…
As with everything, the lights and shadows make everything a little more interesting
On the way down US 12 towards the end of the day, I did come upon a free range cow just off the road in a curve, followed by a deer darting across the road, all in the same curve. I slowed down a notch after that.
We arrived at the motel in Tropic at 8:30pm MDT. We were told that the restaurant nearby closed at 9pm, so if we wanted any dinner...we better head over right away. We did. Enjoyed a rack of ribs and Karl enjoyed a steak. I had a nice glass of locally brewed dark draft. Excellent capper to the day.
Days 3 and 4 coming soon...
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