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California dreaming & riding

 
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:11 am    Post subject: California dreaming & riding Reply with quote

Been planning for this trip since the end of last year. Our daughter Jen and her fiance Brian moved to Santa Clara, California in May, 2013 when she got an excellent offer for a job.

Fast forward to last Friday- Cathy and I flew west from New Hampshire and now we are on the "left coast"

Did some tourist wandering on Saturday and Sunday including down at the waterfront in San Francisco. Had some great food too. Great to spend some time with them walking around S.F.

But we also came to ride, so.....I picked up the rental K1600GT today. Then as a warm up the 4 of us went out to dinner- of course via the twistiest roads that Brian and Jen know.

Light was fading but here is the fleet



And this is where we ate.



Tomorrow we strike off eastward to meet another MC friend then we all ride to Lake Tahoe to stay in a great condo that Jen arranged.

Stay tuned- we should be posting some scenery, twisty road, good food and friends pictures.

And away we go.........
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Number 6
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alice's is famous Wink
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boxerNZ
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi John
Good to here your using your summer for riding,also your getting closer to this side of the world never know u might make it to nz
Have fun

darryl
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Off the grid
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Location: At the local taco truck waiting for Jo.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great seeing you humps.
Thanks for keeping me alive.
Not sure better riding exists.

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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well as you see, it was OTG that we met and rode with.

So, picking up the story last Tuesday morning- Jen, Brian and Brian's best friend Brian had a tech session in the kitchen to sync their Sena intercoms and finally succeeded.



Loading up the 4 bikes we left Jen and Brian's apartment- they on their 3 600cc bikes and Cathy 2up with me on the 1600.

Heading east out of San Jose on the freeway, we had about 10 miles of dodging the truly insane drivers. Escaped that nuthouse and refueled in Livermore- nice town.



Now on 2 lane roads, we continued east to the OTG homestead, passing lots of vineyards on the way



Very varied terrain and we saw changes from green and fertile to areas that looked like the desert.



Riding through the heat, we made it to Dave's just after noontime.



Some lunch then on our way with the 5 bike, 6 person MC gang Laughing
Next stop? Lake Tahoe.





That is a BIG lake



Not easy keeping up with the other 4 bikes while riding the 6 cylinder behemouth 2up.



About 9pm we found the condo that Jen had rented for the night. MOST of us didn't last too long into the evening. Next morning, the obligatory bright and shiny group picture...



Off we go to ride down the east (Nevada) side of Lake Tahoe. That's Jen just ahead of us.



The Nevada side has very little development, most of it is park (as opposed to the west, California side that looks like a $$$ land grab and homes jammed in between each other).





Quick stop in a turnoff- that's OTG's Tiger in front.



In that same turnoff......... want a picture of yourself with a parrot on your shoulder? They can oblige.



Back on the throttle and movin' on down the lake



Cathy shooting over my head.



Now away from the lake, we are headed south to Yosemite National Park. Got to cover lots of miles to get there. That is snow off in the distance on those peaks.



LOTS of distance





Pictures just do not do justice to what we saw and rode through.



From the left- Jen, me, Brian (Jen's fiance), Brian and of course...OTG





Very windy out on the flats between the mountains.



Jen



Jen's Brian



Brian's friend, Brian



OTG



and on to Mono Lake and Yosemite.



OTG looking and capturing...



Jen and our future SIL, Brian. (He has become a really good and safe rider)



Mono Lake....2.5x saltier than the ocean and increasing.



Now into Yosemite- at least the approach road. DON'T look over the edge.





at 9000' elevation



Now into the park and at 9500' This is AMAZING......



Stopping for a break at 10,000'........anybody feelin' it? We were.



Once again, trying to keep up Laughing



Cathy keeps on her mission- LOTS of pictures




Look for the final episode in a day or two.

Meanwhile, BIG thanks to my lifetime pillion, Cathy, for all the great pictures from the rear seat of an unfamilar bike. And to OTG for being a REALLY good host.

And finally to Jen and Brian for being excellent hosts for our stay in California.
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Scott_Anderson
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looked like a lot of fun.
Last time I was out at Tahoe was '01. Then it was not a bike trip(before I started riding again) but it still was beautiful.
I would like to make it back out to the west coast again sometime soon.
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Flying Duck
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SH: Probably worthy of it's own thread but what do you think of the K16?
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drake,

IF I wanted a sit up style bike, this would be the one.

-EXCELLENT engine. We would come out of slow corners (20+ mph) in 5th or 6th gear and it would PULL.

-the bike we rented had 44,xxx on the odo and all the electronics worked as intended. ESA functioned really well- (2 up w/luggage plus "comfort") and I kept it in "Dynamic" instead of normal or rain.

-Cathy was more comfortable on it vs our K100. Uhoh.............


I like the electronics, the electronic suspension and the ergos. Just can't sit on one more than an hour or so Need to be forward over the bars.

John
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scott_Anderson wrote:
Looked like a lot of fun.
Last time I was out at Tahoe was '01. Then it was not a bike trip(before I started riding again) but it still was beautiful.
I would like to make it back out to the west coast again sometime soon.


Very different riding compared to the east coast. Long stretches of open road and some incredibly tight switchbacks that seem to never end. The climb up to and down from the Mt Hamilton Observatory was amazing.

We will go back (obviously to see the "kids") and do some more riding.
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Flying Duck
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SugarHillCTD wrote:
We will go back (obviously to see the "kids") and do some more riding.


JMHO but next time you go there you should do it in the off-tourista season which is October-April. Mid-week if possible. Much less traffic.
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is what Jen suggested. Things would be green instead of brown and dried up.

The temperatures would be lower too. It wasn't hot at all at their apartment but the trip through Modesto and onto Tahoe was pretty warm.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SugarHillCTD wrote:
That is what Jen suggested. Things would be green instead of brown and dried up.

The temperatures would be lower too. It wasn't hot at all at their apartment but the trip through Modesto and onto Tahoe was pretty warm.


Aye, once we got close to Tahoe and the entire ride south to Yosemite was almost perfect. Pretty chilly over some of those passes as well where there was still snow.

The Tiger thrives in that environment with all those switchbacks. It was some of the best riding I've ever done on any bike....except for my New England trip with Gwen in....2011? 2010? But the Tiger is twice the bike my FZ1 was.

2 things....
1. I had just spooned on a set of PR4s on the Tiger and once I got over the sticker shock (over 400 bucks for a pair!) I am completely enamored with these tires, they deliver. That dual-compound really hooks up predictably in corners and doesn't seem to "fall into" turns like PRs are known to. Money well spent.

2. I always lamented the fact that my Tiger used oil like a K11 brick and got abyssal gas mileage, like 150-160miles out of a tank whereas my friends with the exact bike were getting 220-230. It worried me so much that I had a complete diagnostic check up/leak-down and compression test done at the dealer about 2-3 weeks prior to leaving. Everything came back normal.


During this trip I made it a point to "play nice with others" as it was basically a family outing. Jens Beau Brian took point most of the ride and most of the time rode the speed limit or at most 5-10 over. This is a fucking vast break from how I usually ride, which is massive throttle through corners, diving into turns, bouncing off the rev limiter off starts, etc.
"Controlled chaos" I like to call it.

Well it turns out I got about 220-230 miles out a tank when I ride like a normal human being. Who would've thunk it? Razz
I haven't checked the oil but I'm willing to put money on that I didn't burn a drop, or only a little bit. Turns out my right hand is my worst enemy....and after I got home I installed the Triumph TOR exhaust, which gives the triple a really sweet note and definitely some more grunt in all RPM ranges. Just what I need, more power. Laughing

I love opening shit that comes to my door. It's like a Mini-Christmas.


No way, officer. That exhaust is completely legal! Rolling Eyes
The good news is that it's not that much louder, this text is printed on the inner/upper portion of the pipe, and the pipe looks exactly like the stock exhaust.

My my you are a sexy bitch, aren't you?


Huge shout out to John, Cathy and the entire Sugarhill gang. It was awesome having you guys at my home and be able to (somewhat) reciprocate those years we all crashed at Hungry Lobster. I've had more than a few wayward bikers at my place over the years as it's centrally located between SF/Sac/Yosemite and close to Tahoe/Death Valley/LA/Vegas. But this was by far the best trip I've taken since moving out West.

I've also gained new appreciation on slowing down and enjoying the experience. Not everything has to be a white-line, tach-pegged adrenalin rush.


For the rest of you humps, I promised I would be at the next Hungry Mother, so you guys might want to start counseling now. Twisted Evil



Its been said that Jo passes by Modesto quite a bit in his travels, I've sent him more than a few messages but he never responds. This makes me a sad Panda. Crying or Very sad

Maybe some day.......
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Saltcreek
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Grid, nice t see you're doing well. And John, how does Jen get to look so much like you and still be so good lookin'?
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abreeze
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ditto....? Salt...

OTG, you blow...cant wait to see you on the east coast nxt year..
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK folks, Part 2 of the California trip.

We are still in Yosemite. OTG had bolted for home via the direct route. We were all staying at his home that night and he had to relace his bowling shoes or something like that.















After leaving the park, we rode for a few hours on some of the tightest switchback I have ever seen- 1st and 2nd gear corners.

Finally arriving at the OTG ranch after 7pm. Long day.



Dave was the perfect host- local pizza and beer for the hungry travelers. Next morning, Cathy whipped up some omelets that we washed down with some coffee and juice.
Sad to say goodbye to OTG, but miles to go before sidestands down in Santa Clara where Jen and Brian live.

TWISTY miles......YES!

My favorite sign:





We were in the middle of nowhere. Just miles and miles of curves and the pavement was really good. All the hills are brown from the lack of water.







In the 15 months that Jen has been out on the west coast, I have only ridden with her once- when she came back east for a long weekend. She has become a smooth and predictable rider. (And her future husband, Brian, has become much more confident- considering he has less than 3 years of riding)





As we near Santa Clara and the end of our MC trip, one last set of switchbacks to ride up to the Lick Observatory on top of Mt Hamilton.



View from the top.



Then back down.



Somewhere down there is where J & B call home



Done. We had a really good time and felt very confident riding in the company of 3 twenty-something year olds on their 600s. They are safe riders.
Even OTG was a model of decorum...well mostly...... Laughing


Thanks for "coming along with us"

BTW, all the pictures that Cathy took can be seen at my Flickr site:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21435188@N07/sets/72157645500311172/
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BobZ(IL)
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What an enjoyable thread, great trip, great people, thanks for sharing.

I always thought I needed to ride Europe until riding out west. Been there three times now.
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BobZ(IL) wrote:
What an enjoyable thread, great trip, great people, thanks for sharing.

I always thought I needed to ride Europe until riding out west. Been there three times now.


You are right about that Bob. Our roads back home here in N.H. seem dull now.
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rydor
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Effing epic... thanks for sharing!!!
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SugarHillCTD
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Rydor. It was fun and there were some GREAT roads.

We will be going back for lots more of the same.........
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Steven B
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Next time you are out this way, let us know, maybe we could ride along for a while. We just moved to Wickenburg, AZ. last month - had enough of the Vegas rat race, back to our small town roots.
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