Boney's 2009 motorcycle extravaganza!

[Marty Hill]

Way to go Tom. Watched the vidio...no way I could ever ride with you!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Well, the unoganized, unofficial Bay Area Riders Forum milage contest ended this week. At stake was a whopping $10 gift card to the official BARF bench racing and posing sponsor, *$. (that's Starbuck's for the non-BARFers and BARFettes.)

 

This was a one bike show, and I had a promising run at the title knowing that Death Valley Daze was in the middle month, but heavy rain in February and loads of distractions put the damper on my effort. I was only able to double the milage I put on the bike in one weekend in January.

 

The start:

 

And the end:

 

For a grand total of 2976 miles. Half of the winning bike's mileage.

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Well the tank guard project has been sidlelined by the VW cooling system project. Parts of the VW are spread across the work bench like a salvage yard buffet. Waiting for parts to arrive has sidelined the VW project, so there's only one thing to do. Ride.

 

My last riding report suggested that severe drought was in store. February brought an uncharacteristically large amount of rain. Enough, actually to get us out of the woods regarding actually running out of water but not enough to prevent our third drought year in a row. Oh well.

 

On may way west, I detoured down a little mostly forgotten road with a few good curves in it. Officailly, this is Highway 116, also known as Stage Gulch Road to the locals, but the only people who use it any more are those that are "following the signs" or navigating by paper map. Even the GPS's know that Adobe Road is faster.

 

Moving on through Petaluma I marvel at how the late 19th and early 20th century houses dominate some of the neighborhoods. Petaluma was once the chicken farm capitol of the Bay Area. The soil here is sandy enough so that it doesn't stick to their feet. With the new "free range chicken" law in California, the farmers may return again to this area, since they must now take all their chicks out of the cage and let them walk about.

 

Further west into Marin County the landscape is lush and green.

 

I'm tempted to stop at the Cheese Factory and grab some take-home. The Brie that this oldest-cheese-manufacturer-in-the-country produces is amazing. The rest of it is pretty good too. I don't mind sitting around their grounds and enjoying the solitude either, but today the KTM is calling. I stop long enough to get the sign, and keep heading west.

 

The next rise brings a view of the Nacacio Resivoir. The sweepers around the lake are fun, but the cops like to hide here too.

 

 

Returning to civilization via Lucas Valley Road then following the edge of the San Pablo Bay whilst headed east, I looked back to a nice scene of Mt. Tamalpias. Of course I stopped to take a picture:

 

And then back into town, where I discovered my neighbors had a new weed-eater, or two.

 

I suppose they're fertilizers too.

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Last week I got an "I'm going to ride" message from one of the guys. I figured, "I wan't to ride too," and took off to meet them at Cow Mountain. That place is the subject of a lot of dirt riding this time of year because it has good drainage and soil and dries out quickly. This makes clean up at the end of the day much better, but also means less environmental damage to the trails.

 

There was a good selection of bikes on hand. My KTM 640 A, a DR400, a DR650, and a KTM 250 thumper with a big bore kit. I wish I could remember the designation of the KTM, but I can never keep the E's, C's, X's, and W's, sorted. Kinda like the harleys on the model numbers, I suppose.

 

TireBiter:

 

CaptainHuggie:

 

Yours truely:

 

Gillafunk:

 

Coming up the ridge:

 

I thought you had the map!

[Kathy R]

Your efforts putting this thread together are sincerely appreciated by me. I really enjoyed feeling as if I was nowhere near my livingroom. Thank you and please keep going. My best to Gabby.

 

[TEWKS]

Your efforts putting this thread together are sincerely appreciated by me.

 

Me too!

 

 

Pat

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Easter dawns early today. Up at 3:30, I'm geared up and riding by 04:00. Gabby is following in the car to the Buckeye Roadhouse where she'll jump on as pillion and we'll head up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais.

 

The Easter Sunrise Ride is a Bay Area standard, and has been occuring for an untold number of years. There's rumor that it all started with a bunch of Brit Bikes years ago, but now there is no "ride." Everyone just meets and rides.

 

Riding the twisty, sometimes switchbacking road in the dark with a pillion whom one can make carsick in the daylight is sometimes challenging. Smoothness was the name of the game, but I still jumped every time we passed within feet of the deer grazing at roadside glades.

 

Because we were going to be slow, we setout ahead and marvelled at the cacophony of noise coming up the hill.

 

A short walk around the east side of the East Peak and we waited for this:

 

 

 

Who is that dork?

 

 

 

Happy Easter.

 

After another smooth ride down the hill, pulling aside in my lane regularly to let the faster bikes pass, we stopped for coffee and pound cake. Gabby and I parted ways at the car where I continued on to work.

[Bullett]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

It's a roaster today. A high pressure system is parked in the area, leaving us with higher than normal heat and no wind. A perfect day for the AMA testing at Infineon (Sears point for the rest of us) as it is usually just like this when the races are here.

 

A too-short ride gets me at the gate just after 9:30. Wandering around the pits, paddocks, and track I managed to get a bunch of mediocre pictures and videos. And a sunburnt neck.

 

The trailers all lined up:

 

It took me a while to get my panning fast enough to keep up, and I was still behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Down in the pits, it was all business.

 

 

My lens isn't long enough to capture the good stuff that takes place out on the track:

 

 

 

 

In the paddock new brake pads and tires were fitted:

 

 

And out in the middle the local Supermoto Pros were doing a little show and tell:

 

 

A little Q & A durning the lunch break:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Paul_Burkett]

Way cool, even the videos are exciting.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Last year I took a GPS track from some guys at ADVRider and modified them into a ride. The point: to ride all the way around the bay in a day. It seems easy, you see, as the San Francisco Bay is circumnavigated by freeways, highways, and byways.

 

What if? That's the big questions. What if the ride entailed some of the best Bay Area riding?

 

"It can't be done" is the common answer. In fact, last year we proved that indeed, if you take a big bite, you may not be able to chew it. Proof. The fact that the guys over at ADVRider never finished it is further evidence that perhaps it's not possible.

 

Today's adventure was to pair down some of the roads, as obviously there are too many, and ride it- adding in the tops of the three Bay Area peaks.

 

Warm weather is the name of the game. Unseasonably warm, but cooler than yesterday. I'm still nursing that sunburn on my neck from yesterday's trip to the racetrack, but today I didn't forget the sunblock. My goal is to make time, so the picture stops are less frequent than usual. By the end of this little tale, you'll understand why.

 

Here we go:

 

A short ride to the west takes me to Pt. Reyes Station. Here I stopped for a piece of Coffee Cake and half a cup of coffee (don't want to have to make too many potty breaks you know.)

 

While I was sitting there, a few guys from The City rolled in. They were taking a before work run. I had hoped for some intel on Panoramic Drive but no luck, they came up Hwy 1.

 

Running down 1 toward Mt. Tamalpias the temperatures fluctuated between just right and a bit cold. I had the liners in my coat, but not my pants. At Bolinas-Fairfax Road I took a left and connected it with Ridgecrest road for a rare- not closed because it's not fire season- tip toe in from the north. What a fabulous road. Maybe I'll go back and take pictures when I'm not trying to keep an average.

 

Up at the top of Mt. Tam, I had to take the liners out of my coat. It's 9am and I'm roasting.

 

Down the front side of Mt. Tam, the temps cooled again, and while I was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I thought that maybe taking the liners out was a mistake. Oh well, I'm just gonna deal with it.

 

To keep the average up, I cut down 19th Avenue in SF and then down 280 to 92, then west to Skyline Blvd. (Hwy 35) I followed Skyline to Alice's, then kept going, making a right turn at Hwy 9.

 

Riding down the back side of 9 I got in a groove and was making some pretty good time. It all came to a halt just up from Felton where the trimmers were adjusting the trees alongside the road. A quick cut over to 17 from Felton and I was headed back over the pass into the Bay Area again. I stopped at Summit Road and took a picture with my phone. Maybe I'll dig it out and post it here.

 

Here it is:

 

I shot across Silicon Valley on the freeway and started for Mt. Hamilton. But first, lunch.

I stopped again, for some Tacos. I can't think of the name of the shop. Maybe I took a picture with the cell phone.

 

I did!

Tacos:

 

Then, I saw an interesting cathedral that NEEDED to have it's picture taken. I don't know the details.

 

Up the hill to the Lick Obervatory on top of Mt. Hamilton:

 

I can't leave out the road that brought me here:

 

Dropping off the backside of Mt. Hamilton, I wound down San Antonio Valley Road, passing an 18 wheeler with some heavy metal plates on it. What it was doing up there, nodoby but the driver knows.

 

Gatoraid at the Juction. I didn't stay long as the locals were freaking me out.

 

Running up Mines Road was a piece of cake. Last year when we came through it was freshly Chip Sealed- complete with a layer of loose gravel. Much better this time. North through Livermore and past Blackhawk I came up the south end of Mt. Diablo. The roads are in find shape up here, and if you bought a pass at Mt. Tamalpias this morning, the ranger says I'm good to go for Mt. Diablo too!

 

 

Not to be deterred by the afternoon sun, I set my sights for Napa County. Luckily, northbound traffic on 680 was relatively light and I was able to maintain a good pace all the way up to Cordelia. Suisun Valley road and Wooden Valley Road took me up into the hills where I connected Montecello Road, Capell Valley Road, and Berryessa-Knoxville. Here's a shot at the bridge:

 

Pope Valley Road took me to Angwin where I re-fueled for the second time, just to be sure, then I rolled easy down "the trail" across Oakville Cross and over the Oakville Grade/Dry Creek/Trinity Road combination back into the Sonoma Valley.

 

 

Here's an interactive Google Map of Today's Track.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Here's the map:

Click it to open an interactive version.

 

[Bill_Walker]

I'm gonna steal Tom's line: Über worthy!

[Marty Hill]

Tom, looks like a great ride. I went to Alice's last may and intend trying the Bovine when I go up the coast next month.

[Spartan]

Great route. Thanks for the tale.

[Lmar]

Nice pics and nice bike!

[Traveler1]

Great ride Tom - thanks for sharing.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Last Tuesday I met up with Cory, who rides an HP2, and we set out for the hills.

 

By the time we reach Clearlake Oaks our hands are practically frozen and we're midly hypothermic. No big deal, we'll be warm soon.

 

 

Our first trail winds among the fallen trees left over from the summer storms. Someone has been clearing them, in little bits.

 

 

But this trail is perhaps officially closed.

 

 

Creek levels are high average for this time of the year. Not bad, but cold.

 

 

So as not to be bored with the "same old ride" we opt for a route that takes us over to Lovelady Ridge. The road is on the paper map, but not the GPS, and shows as a dotted line on the GPS Topos. This is always a prescription for adventure.

 

A few rock gardens and some truely wonderful high-speed rollercoaster ridgelines brings us to the Little Stoney OHV area.

 

 

Tell my wife I love her if I don't make it!

 

 

The pictures will never do the steepness of the terrain justice.

 

 

We dropped about a thousand feet in maybe 2 miles. Sharing hesitation at the top, the further down we rode, the more bold we became, eventually not even scouting each steep section as we approached it.

 

Success!

 

 

A short lunch of PB&Js by the creek and off to the hills again. Empowered by our decent from the ridge, we chose another, Crackerbox Ridge, to connect us with the route home.

 

Half way up we encountered 5 guys riding true dirt bikes going the other way (down) they all had a "WTF?" look on their faces as they went by. Imagine encountering a 1200cc monster and a wannabe rally bike in the middle of your favorite hill climb.

 

At the top:

 

 

Then around into the shade:

 

 

On the other side of Goat Mountain were some meadows we had last seen in the fall dryness. They look good in green.

 

 

 

Sticking with the ridge theme:

 

 

Clearlake from yet another angle:

 

 

The last bunch of miles we traded lead, stopping to shoot the action pix:

 

 

 

Then a long pavement slog back to the house.

 

[SageRider]

Thanks for sharing, Tom....

[Kathy R]

Really nice. Thanks!

[Spartan]

Don't stop.....this is a great thread and tales.

[Paul_Burkett]

Tom, this is getting better with each installment. Thanks.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

200+ miles today.

 

Lunch with a bunch of F'nF's at Alices then Hwy 1 to Tomales before turning east.

 

Beautiful day- not one picture.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Off to the dentist today. I ran a few errands ahead of time and still ended up with a few minutes extra. Against my normal habits, I stopped off at Jamba Juice to fill up on something somewhat substantial that wouldn't clog my teeth and be a pain in the butt for my dentist.

 

While inside, someone had parked his 950 Adventure next to my 640 Adventure.

 

 

All Star Donuts is one of my favorites. When we lived in the city and Gabby worked not too far from here, I'd walk over in the mornings and get coffee and a donut. Just 'cause I could.

 

On the way home I stopped at the ever-touristy vista point located just off the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. It wasn't too crowded, but I overhead at least 4 different languages in the few minutes I was there.

 

 

The view wasn't bad:

 

 

Just below, in Horseshoe Bay, the Coast Guard keeps a few vessels.

 

 

On the left is our local 47' lifeboat. On occasion, one can find it doing drills and sometimes rescues inside the breakers at ocean beach. Some of the more impressive qualities of the boat are the twin 435 HP Detriot Diesel engines, 200 nautical mile range and it's self-righting construction. Word is that one of the lifeboats up on the north coast capsized once in big surf and suffered only minor damage and no loss of crew. Can I drive one, please?

 

Just below the view point, on Ft. Baker Proper the old parade grounds are going to meadow.

 

 

Out at the point the view is spectacular.

 

 

If a couple were so inclined, they might get an assemby permit from the Park Service and get married on a bluff right above where this shot was taken.

 

And every once in a while, someone sails a city out to sea.

 

 

The rest of the ride was uneventful.

[Marty Hill]

Tom, beautiful pics!

[TyTass]

Just went trhu all of your stories, pics, and video. I wanna be like you!

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to share!

[Lmar]

Beautiful pictures!! Looks like a nice place to visit.

[TEWKS]

200+ miles today.

 

Lunch with a bunch of F'nF's at Alices then Hwy 1 to Tomales before turning east.

 

Beautiful day- not one picture.

 

Tom, you almost lost us with this one! We'll have no more of this um... no picture stuff.

 

 

Pat

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

So it's been what? 3 weeks since I've posted anything?

 

With much sadness I must report that I haven't been doing much riding in this perfect weather. A week and-a-half ago, I took the tank of the RT for the start of some routine maintinence. I just finished it up the other day and now have 100 miles of commuting on a much better running bike under my belt.

 

For those who do their own maintinence and don't know about Beemer Boneyard, they sell complete 12k kits for about half of the dealer's price, and it's all non-BMW labeled OEM parts. Check 'em out.

 

So, the first day the bike gets metal quick-disconnects and a fuel filter.

 

Then that was it for a week. There was a lot going on and of course there were some mandatory obligations. Let me tell you, if you haven't seen the new Star Trek film, you should go right now.

 

In a marathon session, I finished all but one item on the list, and fixed a couple others. Here we go.

 

Vacuum leak discovered:

 

Effect on combustion confirmed:

 

Valves adjusted:

 

Cam Chain Tensioner updated:

 

GS intake tubes and Cat Code plug installed (by all tests so far, this may be the best mod ever!)

 

Throttle body sync:

 

New Brake Pads installed:

 

 

Brake wheel circuits flushed:

 

Transmission oil changed:

 

Final Drive oil changed (no bits and pieces!)

 

Oil and filter change. No pix.

 

All that's left is the Rubber Chicken Oilite Bushings instal for the final drive pivot bearings. Maybe tomorrow...

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The loaner tool expires tomorrow. Here's a quick pictoral of today's events:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then I started reading the directions and forgot to keep taking pictures.

[Jacqueline]

The bike is looking good! Do you want to go to Alaska?

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

The bike is looking good! Do you want to go to Alaska?

 

Yes, I do. Unfortunately I have lots of obligations between now and the time you get back.

 

Have fun, take lots of pictures when Richard gets Hyderized.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I took the bike for a test ride today. I had to return the tools I borrowed. A quick little ride turned into a loop that just kept getting longer everytime I came to an intersection. Finally, I made it to R&Js house to find it locked down. Richard was at the hardware store.

 

In the mean time I let myself in (with permission of course) and while kicking back with my feet up amongst the motorcycles in the best man-cave I know of, I discovered a "to do" list in the garage:

 

 

He seems pretty determined to get 'em all done.

[Twisties]

[KMG_365]

[ . . . ] I discovered a "to do" list in the garage:

 

Hmmmmmm, it looks like the printing on that lasts line is different from the rest!

 

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Note to self:

 

Never let UN-trustworthy and truly shady characters into your house/man cave unsupervised.

 

My friend, you will pay...

[Whip]

Boney my man, your drinks are on me.

 

Torrey XVIII

 

 

 

 

[azkaisr]

Now that is funny

[KMG_365]

Boney my man, your drinks are on me.

 

Torrey XVIII

 

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Several people in the fire department have season tickets for the Giants. It's my turn to use them, so I went into the city to pick them up. While I was down there I stopped at Scuderia West and picked up a couple of oil filters for the KTM. It takes two, you know.

 

Anyhow, the entire ride is not very exciting, as I make it at least twice a week. Remarkable today is that June Gloom has left us since a high pressure system finally built up in the area. That and the Circus is coming to town. Figuratively, not literally.

 

NASCAR is at Sears Point this weekend (that's Infineon to you non-locals) and with it comes the circus. After the ducks have left, after the last swan has flown away, and after the last red-shouldered blackbird has left it's nest, they harvest the field and park the motorhomes. Just in time this year, since there's still a little bit of mud in the low spot.

 

I'd say that the "50 Acre Lot," in the foreground of this picture is about 30% full and the rest of them about 5%:

 

Extra big "whole enchilada" panorama.

 

Sorry for the poor quality but I only had my little 4MP elph on the bike today.

[ian408]

While I was down there I stopped at Scuderia West and picked up a couple of oil filters for the KTM. It takes two, you know.

Mine only needs the one...but I stopped at Scuderia on the 20th to pickup my Ready To Race pack. Sorry to have missed you.

 

 

Sorry for the poor quality but I only had my little 4MP elph on the bike today.

 

To work around that, you can zoom in a bit and make two or three rows. A bit harder to stitch but it does improve the quality.

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Been out riding with a couple of characters.

 

We definately have a tale to tell. More later.

[Jacqueline]

Couple of characters, is correct! Great picture! Looking forward to the tale.

[azkaisr]

Good to see you guys out and about!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

7 Passes, 1 Day

 

This ride bear fruit from the Bay Area Riders Forum, which consists mostly of local squidly types who post pictures and tales about their LONG rides. Usually it's something involving Hwy's 9, 35, and 1 beginning and ending in the South Bay. Braggadocio's mention about their riding the entire tank of gas without getting off the bike- maybe 125 miles. Usually they start and end with a posing session at *$ (that's Starbuck's for the text challenged) or Alice's.

 

Needless to say, the Sport Touring Sub-Forum over there gets little action, even though there is some presence from those who rode the Cal24 and do multi-state tours. I try to be encouraging to, and tolerant of those who post (in the Sport Touring forum) about their "first long ride" from SF to Sacramento.

 

Not long ago there was a thread about riding some passes in the Sierra's. Lucky for us, there's a guy on the BB who lives up in South Tahoe and was riding the passes on the day they opened. First hand road conditions are always nice. So as the thread progresses in a perverted reverse "name that tune" manner including the number of passes that a person can ride in a day, I developed a completely realistic route to ride 7 of them, if you count a little known out-of-the-way pass.

 

You can imagine the fallout.

 

Having accomplished the Bay Rim Ride, I was confident. I talked to Richard (Benicia_RT_GT) and Barry (barryNmarin) and a date was set.

 

We were meeting at J&R's at 06:00. When I showed up at 3 minutes after the hour someone was giving me the look-at-my-watch and tap-my-foot performance.

 

I had excuses, you see, there were beautiful early morning views:

 

And a car in the ditch/water (it's behind the CHP cruiser.) I've got to learn the timing on my old digital camera's shutter.

 

After coffee and a bit of hanging out, we hit the road. But not before waiting for you-know-who:

 

Richard and Barry, I invite you to post your tales here as well.

[barryNmarin]

Well, my photographic talents don't compare to Boney's so I'll plug in a few along the way as Boney tells the tale.

I also passed the car in over the shoulder and into the bay. Turns out the ambulance and CHP were about 5 minutes away. So I arrived at R&J's at about 5:40am.... early but Richard was up and had the coffee ready. And yes, Boney was a tad bit late but definitely within tolerances.

I was a bit nervous about going out with these wildmen but they took it easy on me and we had a great day.

 

 

 

Ok, Boney back to you, its your tale.

[KMG_365]

After coffee and a bit of hanging out, we hit the road. But not before waiting for you-know-who:

 

 

 

Dude, I feel your pain!

 

 

 

[azkaisr]

This is gonna be good

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Richard didn't bring any photographic or videographic equipment.

 

Don't believe anything he posts- he doesn't have proof!

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Barry says "Let's get it on!"

 

 

Don't let his sandbagging catch you off guard. When I rode home with him from Death Valley waaaaaayyy back in January, I could tell he'd be up for the challenge.

 

To make the ride for breakfast as painless as possible, we shot down I680 then out 580 to 120 and into Sonora. It's just over 100 miles. Along the way I bust out my trusty little Elph and start throwin' down' some over-the-shoulders of my fellow riders.

 

 

 

Clearly there is more that I need to work on besides just the shutter timing.

 

And then there was this guy who should never have let himself be filmed while being passed by BMWs.