BarryBeemer Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Thanks to those who "steered me straight" about the best way to traverse California. It truly was the ride of my life. I've been riding my RT for less than a year...just about to turn 9K. I had so hoped to make the Christmas party in Pleasanton, but work nixed that idea. Being from Seattle, I had even pre-positioned my bike in Sacramento for the big event. I just arrived in the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego. Here the RT will stay for the winter and I'm looking forward to frequent visits for riding. But enough about me........... Started out in peasoup toolie fog on Wednesday morning on I-5. What a drag that would be to be that stuff for hours. Thanks to several folks on this site, I took the Santa Nella cutoff to Hollister (152). I climbed out of the valley and was above the fog in minutes. It was "clear and a million". 25 South was beyond my wildest imagination. When I saw the yellow sign for twisty roads I perked up. Then I saw the sign below it...."Next 38 Miles"!!!! What a delight! I can't describe it anywhere near as eloquently as Dick did in his 2002 Party Review. 198 West was the next fun segment over to 101 and back to civilization. The only thing that made 101 tolerable was no fog and anticipating Hwy 58. From the looks of the AAA map, if 25 was fun then 58 would be even better. Sure enough, the variety of twisties, sweepers, straightaways, roller coasters, elevation changes, made it so sweet. I saw 2 pickups headed back West and not a SINGLE vehicle in my lane for those 82 miles. The Soda Lake road turnoff was tempting, but the 5 mile dirt segment was an unknown. Since I was solo, I kept on going. Transited Bakersfield without much problem and stayed on 58 over Tehachapi, pulling into Mojave at sundown. What a feeling of elation to have experienced so many different varieties of riding over a 10 hour period. Found a Best Western a pulled in for the night. As I walked to the Roadhouse for dinner, I passed a KTM dealership. I didn't know that I would be spending time there in the morning.... After a good night's sleep, I loaded up the RT and did my safety check. Lights....checked, signals.....checked, front tire......checked, rear tire.......19 PSI???!!! Couldn't be! Oops, there it was! A sheet metal screw was firmly embedded. Must have picked it up in the last few minutes of the ride coming into Mojave. Drats! I limped it to the Shell station, filled the tire, and rolled one more block into the KTM dealership. Paul, the mechanic, was great!!! Didn't try to sell me a new tire (didn't have one I wanted anyway), wouldn't plug it (for liability reasons), but sent me across the street to an auto parts store for a tube of Slime. He removed the tire, since the RT would not have fit thru the shop door, injected the Slime, pumped 'er up, reinstalled and sent me on my way. He wouldn't take a thing for his time, so I bought a few more CO2 cartridges and a dispenser just in case I had to use my RT toolkit contents on the side of the road.......still had 220 miles to go! More desert riding on 58E and 395S prior to joining the rest of humanity on the 15 freeway to Rancho Bernardo. The tire held its pressure the whole way. I don't know how many times I gave thanks for the fact that the puncture didn't happen in the middle of nowhere with only jackrabbits to give me advice, for Paul and his servant's heart at Mojave KTM, and for safety all along the way, and for the comraderie (sp?) of the BMWRT.COM and the fabulous route suggestions that made this ride so special. Link to comment
Tool Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Barry, the Moto-Gods were smiling on you this trip! Give a shout when you're planning to return to Rancho B. That's about 25 miles north of ol' Tool's Toolshed, and right near the jumping off spot to some good roads in SD County. But maybe you already know that. If so, don't TELL anyone! Link to comment
Montana Hoon Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Barry -- Congrats on the trip and the report. You've got a nice writing style -- looking forward to hearing more. Link to comment
daryll Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Glad we could help make your trip more enjoyable. With members spread out all over it is so easy to say "What's a fun way to go from point A to point B" and you'll get great answers. Riding down the 5, what were you thinking? Link to comment
algover Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 I don't know if it just doesn't get mentioned, or is overlooked by folks. Barry, you don't need to cut over to 101 when you reach 198 at the end of 25! Turn EAST for 50 or 100 yards, and continue on south to San Miguel. I'm not sure what that road is called at this end, Apple Blossom Lane, or something like that, but you can't miss it (not like there are a LOT of roads there ). At the San Miguel end (on 101) it's called Indian Valley Road. It's not quite as nice as 25, but a lot more fun than 101! Make sure you have gas, as there are no services between Hollister and San Miguel (some 100 miles). Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 Peter, I've got to second you on that one! Les and I followed Jerry Mather down that way home from the Party--what a sweet road! Can't wait till they do a proper paving job on it--have to keep checking it out from to time to time just to make sure! Barry, See my response in your tire thread. Come on the rest of the way down (you've come this far . . . ) and we'll scare up some more "Dry-Town" hoons to give you the ten-cent tour! LET'S MOTO!! Link to comment
algover Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 Jamie, that is the route I was telling Leslie about at the Xmas Party. 'Glad you all got to try it on the way back! Link to comment
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