Stretchmark SoCal ride - Check in, pics, and Tall Tales here!

[russell_bynum]

Just rolled in from the SoCal ride with Mark Davis (Stretchmark). Our ride was cut short by a motorcycle accident (not one of our group) on the Glass Elevator. They had the road closed, and it was started to get chilly and windy anyway, so we just decided to bail.

 

It was great seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and doing some sightseeing on some fun roads.

[Huzband]

For those of us that are West Coast challenged, what's the Glass Elevator?

[russell_bynum]

For those of us that are West Coast challenged, what's the Glass Elevator?

 

Montezuma Valley Road aka Montezuma Grade aka S22. It's a breathtaking descent from Lake Henshaw down into the desert town of Borrego Springs. It gives you spectacular views across the Salton Sea and the surrounding desert. It's a pretty fun road, too, but lots of squids like to come out there and race around on it. It's fairly easiy to ride, but totally unforgiving of mistakes like running wide because the edge of the lane is generally a guardrail, a cliff, or a 1,500 foot drop. Apparently, this was the third motorcycle crash today, and the officer said he was pretty sure this guy didn't make it.

[David]

I remember that well from RidingSmart. What a great place. Almost like it's in the middle of nowhere, though in a very populated part of California.

[Bill_Walker]

Home safe & sound. It was great dining and riding with you all, and especially meeting the folks I hadn't met before!

[Couchrocket]

Just got in (1722 hrs.). Sorry to hear about the accident and the shortened day.

 

We got back to my place via the Pala Temecula Road off the 76, and the up the 15 / 215. Got seat jacks installed in Steve Odell's brand new 1150RT -- immediate improvement for him.

 

Wind howling hereabouts. Annoying, but otherwise OK. Left here and boogied across the Ortega to I-5 with Doug (Hazmat) and Steve, had some hot chocolate and a fat pill at Windy's Donuts -- bid them adieu as they hit the slab for Torrance -- and I booked back across 74 for home.

 

Great day.

 

Mark!!! Pleasure to meet you in person! Thanks for giving us an excuse to get together.

 

Good to see the rest of you and to meet some folk I'd not yet met.

 

Fun conversation over breakfast and bench-racing in the parking lot.

 

Fernando... BEAUTIFUL color on the FJR -- and it sounded sweet as you burbled out of the parking lot. Envy... drool... etc.

 

Leslie, good to see you up and about and on the mend.

 

Thanks all for making Steve Odell feel so welcome on his first venture with the group.

[SteveB]

Thanks Russell for putting together a great ride.

Mark it was good to see ya again. I had a blast and really glad I didn't bail after I got the ear plugs out.

[C_Williams]

Made it home about twenty minutes ago, after Roy and I braving some very gusty winds, stop and go traffic on the I 15

Big thanks to Russell and Lisa for organizing and making it such an enjoyable day. Great to see new and old acquaintances

[GelStra]

Back about 4:00PM after following Brian to the major slab and basically Hobie Catting the GS through the 837 MPH crosswind.

Wasn't sure how the day was going to be. After being the Rogaine ad stand-in for the Grey Caballeros, we headed out for a quick run down the wind factory to meet everyone. I was getting really annoyed because I got stuck behind some dude (who looked like he could be one of the other Caballeros) in a minivan. Everytime I'd try to pass him, he'd throw one of his sweater sleeves off his shoulder so he could raise up his Thirsty-two ouncer cup of coffee in some wierd kind of "I have a heater going and you don't" kind of jab. Sheesh. Here's a pic of the perp if anyone knows him and his, frankly, cute GF so we can sneak up and let the air out of his tires:

 

 

Great ride all in all. Thanks to Russell for grabbing that ONE last bit of attention before leaving by demonstrating that, yes, even Eye-talian bikes have a kickstand cut-off. And a big hug to Lisa for letting us get a good look at the CHP's motors. I WAS curious if they had switched to 12RT's yet. Mystery solved.

 

Good to meet you, Mark. You looked just fine on the non-GS. But get home quick to it. I need the reinforcements.

 

Oh, and thanks to everyone for not filling in for Gleno's mission.

[Swag]

What a great day, it was fun chasing you guys through the back roads, it gave me an idea of what my RT will do.

 

Thanks Russell for putting this ride together can't wait to do it again!

[roydog007]

Home safe and sound Lynn had dinner ready when I got out of the shower including a bottle of wine

Gotta love her

 

Had a great time seeing, riding and BS ing with everyone.

Russell and Lisa Thanks for putting this all together, great to see you again

 

Until we meet again

[glockster]

Thanks to Mark for giving us a reason to get together.

 

Thanks to Russ and Lisa for organizing and thanks to everyone for coming out and feeling the love!

 

Only took a couple of pictures today, I was having to much fun ridin'.

 

The group at breakfast

 

One beautiful bike

 

The group at Mother's on Palomar Mountain

 

See you all soon!

 

Looks like I need to reset the calendar!

[russell_bynum]

Thanks to Russell for grabbing that ONE last bit of attention before leaving by demonstrating that, yes, even Eye-talian bikes have a kickstand cut-off. And a big hug to Lisa for letting us get a good look at the CHP's motors.

 

Just doing our part to provide entertainment for the group.

 

[Stir]

Jamie and I...checking in. Nice to see RoyDog, Glockster, Bill Walker and others. Good to see you too Russell. Sorry we missed you Lisa.

 

M

[Bill_Walker]

P.S. My apologies to the group I ended up "leading" for misrouting you and taking you on a little dirt. But hey, we all survived. And remember, that which doesn't kill you only puts off the inevitable!

 

Then again, I just looked at the map on Google, and I still can't figure out how Russell's directions were supposed to get us there! Must be me, since Russell and crew got there OK.

[BrianT]

Was in by 4. Sorry to hear about the crash. Good times and thanks for putting this together.

[90%angel]

And a big hug to Lisa for letting us get a good look at the CHP's motors.

 

For those of you who don't know what Gelstra is talking about (come to think of it, who ever does know what Gelstra is talking about? ), yes, I did get pulled over by a (ironically) BMW-mounted motor officer on our little ride.

 

It seems that the DMV had processed our registration payment ages ago, but never saw fit to send me a new sticker. Russell takes care of such things, so I was blissfully unaware that my tags were 4 MONTHS expired! Our fine officer felt the need to make me aware of it...in front of the entire group!

 

Fortunately, he ran my license, figured out that we had indeed paid our registration, and he did not site me. I made the decision that I should probably bail out of the rest of the ride and take the bike home. Didn't want to run the risk of getting pulled over again and again and mess up the ride for everyone else (although, something tells me they all would have thought that was funny)

 

I hadn't been riding all that wonderfully anyway (pretty tired - been crazy busy stressful at work, so my brain wasn't firing on all cyllanders), so I turned off from the group and headed on home, sulking and pouting the whole time.

 

When I got home, I decided to get the OTHER beemer (the car!) and go up to Palomar and meet the group. At least I could get in some quality visiting! My car is pretty fun to drive too, so I ended up having a fun day "car-sweeping" the group! Totally unfortunate that Montezuma Grade was closed. There were a few in the group that had never had the chance to experience it, and the view would have been phenomenal (it was so clear yesterday!) Oh well. Mark, this gives you an excuse to come back

 

Had a great time in spite of my "brush with the law". Once again, wish I had more time to spend with everyone at breakfast!! I think I managed to say hi to everyone this time, but I never have enough time to gab as much as I'd like! (isn't that always the case with women-folk?!)

[mrduck]

And a big hug to Lisa for letting us get a good look at the CHP's motors.

 

 

 

Didn't none of ya'll get any pictures of that moment???

 

[russell_bynum]

Mark rolled out early this morning in his rent-a-wreck headed for Vegas.

 

We gave him the scenic route through Joshua Tree National Park, then up across the Mojave Preserve through Amboy, Kelso, and Cima before he finally hits I-15 and zips on in to Vegas for his conference. As long as he remembers to get gas in 29 Palms, it should be a fun drive.

[Couchrocket]

Mark rolled out early this morning

Cool... and thanks, Russell, for you guys setting this up. It was great to meet Mark, some more of the folk in the group (including your better half!), and have such a great day.

[GelStra]

Didn't none of ya'll get any pictures of that moment???

Crap, and I had my camera!!! I guess I was too much in Russell's head thinking as a fellow married guy: "Oh, crap, she is gonna rip me a new one!"

[StretchMark]

Sorry for the late reply. They've kept us busy in Vegas at my sale conference.

 

Thanks Russell and Lisa for putting me up for a few nights and organizing the ride. Thanks Steve and PJ for letting me sample the Yamaha bikes. Mucho fun!! Thanks to everyone else for coming out to meet us, Great turn out and a great bunch of folks!! Also thanks to Leslie for also offering her bike. You guys all rock!!

 

Here's a few of my pics.

 

We spent Saturday riding the canyons around Malibu (Encinal, Decker, Topanga, Tuna Canyon Roads, Mulholland Hwy and the Rock Store were all awesome!!)

 

We started the ride from a park where they have the Fernando Award. Not sure what it means, but we'll let Fernando decide how to award it.

 

 

Cool Ariel's at the ROck Store:

 

 

Probably a better view of the Pacific on a clear day but pretty nonetheless:

 

I had a blast riding PJs FZ6 on Saturday. Here it is before the descent to the Rock Store:

 

We had a nice lunch at El Tecolote, a Dick Franz recommendation:

 

On Sunday we met up with a bunch of the group for a ride up Palomar Mtn. Here we are at a pulloff before the climb to the top:

 

And then at the top ready for some warm food and liquids. It was chilly!

 

On Monday, I caged it up to Vegas going through Joshua tree:

 

Then through the Mojave. Definitely a road to obey the speed limit:

 

The off to Hoover Dam to see the new bridge being built. Quite an impressive engineering feat:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great trip. Thanks again to everyone for making it such a blast!

[BeniciaRT_GT]

 

Hey look at that! No snotty nose!!!

 

Seriously, I'm sorry I couldnt' make it down to see you!!!

[Stir]

Was in by 4. Sorry to hear about the crash. Good times and thanks for putting this together.

 

It was an icky weekend. Jamie and I went up the south road to Palomar mountain. Just as we were getting to the top, I saw three bikers ripping down the other direction. My thought was their lines are horrible but dang they are fast. Evidently, one of those bikers lost control, hit a female motorcyclist coming up the other direction. He dies, she is badly hurt. Of course, had I been a minute slower, it would have been me and Jamie.

 

The motorcycle accident on the glass elevator also resulted in a Marine's fatality.

 

Both stories are on nctimes.com.

 

Michael

[90%angel]

Cool pix, Mark!

 

Wow the water in Lake Mead is low!!!

 

We'll have to wander out there sometime soon and see the bridge they're working on...looks pretty cool!

 

Glad you had a good time. We had a blast with you as well! Any time you want to come on back, just say the word!

 

(oh, and Christine! Would have loved to have you over too, chica. Next time! )

[Albert]

Good thing Mark didn't have his little movie camera with him to mount up front. I never knew how bad I looked from behind.