A month in So Cal

[MikeRC]

Or at least it was supposed to be........ 

 

This was my first winter in almost retirement.  So in November I trailered my bikes down to Palm Springs and put them in storage after spending a week riding around a bit and attending the 2019 Death Valley event.   Great time on the (largely abandoned at that time) roads.  

 

 

Busy for much of the winter I was really looking forward to spending the month of March riding to all those places that are too hot when I can usually go south on the bike.  That plus the winter rainfall meant that there might be a decent desert spring bloom as well.  

 

After working for much of February (to pay for gas, tires and accommodation) I flew into Palm Springs March 3rd.  My plan was to loosely follow the Butler maps wandering around Southern California and Arizona following the weather.  The only firm commitment was to "Ramona Days" March 20-21.  At that point the only California cases of COVID-19 that were potential community transmission were in the Sacramento area.  The only travel restrictions at home at the time were if I was coming from Wuhan province, Iran or Italy. 

 

Well, needless to say, all that kind of blew up.  But I had a great 8 days riding on quiet roads and even getting some visiting in.   

 

 

With lots of up and down and back and forth 

 

 

First day was Joshua Tree National Park and Box Canyon Road.  At that point it was still pretty busy in Joshua Tree.   Nice day, great scenery but I never stopped for any pictures.  

 

Next day was the Palms-to-Pines Highway section from Palm Desert to Anza.  

 

 

 

Gave a pass to Josie's Hideout Saloon on my way to Palomar Mtn, East Grade Rd.   Too early to mix alcohol with riding (but dozens of other bikers looked like they didn't agree with that POV). 

 

 

then Palomar Mtn Rd.  There were about 6 vehicles in the parking lot at the Palomar complex. 

 

 

Hale telescope:

 

 

South Grade Rd, typical twisty California pavement: 

 

 

Followed by a little trip into Escondido for a couple of things I needed.  

 

The next morning I was able to met up with a friend in Temecula to spend the day riding.   

 

 

 

We headed up the San Jacinto Canyon, the rest of the Palms-to-Pines Highway, Onyx Summit, Big Bear Lake, Rim of the World (from Running Springs to Crestline) and CA 138 from Crestline to Cajon Junction.  Then headed over to drop down Bouquet Canyon Rd to his place in Santa Clarita.   Great way to go around the LA Basin.  

 

 

With lots of twists and turns: 

 

 

But, I have no pictures because I was just trying to concentrate on keeping on the road while keeping ahead of Piet.  Who felt it was his mission to brake later and dive deeper in every corner   

 

Great dinner and visit that night.  Then off for a little loop on a cool day to my next night in Thousand Oaks.  Up Lake Hughes/Elizabeth Lake Rd,  through Frazier Park, Lockwood Valley Rd and down Maricopa Highway.  

 

 

The next morning I had arranged to meet my niece and her husband in Sherman Oaks for brunch.  They had just moved from New Hampshire in the fall and we hadn't seen each other in quite a few years.  

 

 

What to do after brunch?  Take advantage of the weather and topography and go riding in the Santa Monica Mountains!  Topanga Canyon Rd, Tuna Canyon Rd, Latigo Canyon Rd, Mullholland Highway,  Little Sycamore Canyon Rd and Yerba Buena Rd.  I can't even complain about the traffic (for a Sunday). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I was disappointed by the news that evening that there had been community acquired cases of COVOD-19 in LA and Coachella counties.  Knowing a bit about epidemiology that meant that containment was going to become more difficult.   But I continued on to Morro Bay the next day with a plan to go as far north as Monterey before turning inland to pick up some more gold roads and National Park/Monument stamps.  However, on arrival to Morro Bay I had a couple of urgent emails.  One informed me that my workplace was imposing a 14 day mandatory isolation for workers returning from any other countries (including the US) and the other was from my return airline regarding updated flight change regulations. 

 

Seeing the writing on the wall I stayed on hold for a couple of hours to get the next reasonable flight home and hightailed it back to Palm Springs the next day.  Yippee,  lane splitting through LA 

So now my bikes are roasting in the sun in Palm Springs waiting for the border to open so I can retrieve them.  Luckily it looks pretty hopeful for later in May.  

 

Mike C

 

 

[Bill_Walker]

Well, it looks like you had a good deal of fun while it lasted (speaking from personal experience of most of those roads)!

[LBump]

Thanks for the ride along!  Great skirt-around ride of the basin.  Only way to do it. 

 

If you want to move your baby's to Brea let me know...  

[ESokoloff]

On 5/1/2020 at 9:45 AM, MikeRC said:

Or at least it was supposed to be........ 

 

This was my first winter in almost retirement.  So in November I trailered my bikes down to Palm Springs and put them in storage after spending a week riding around a bit and attending the 2019 Death Valley event.   Great time on the (largely abandoned at that time) roads.  

 

 

Busy for much of the winter I was really looking forward to spending the month of March riding to all those places that are too hot when I can usually go south on the bike.  That plus the winter rainfall meant that there might be a decent desert spring bloom as well.  

 

After working for much of February (to pay for gas, tires and accommodation) I flew into Palm Springs March 3rd.  My plan was to loosely follow the Butler maps wandering around Southern California and Arizona following the weather.  The only firm commitment was to "Ramona Days" March 20-21.  At that point the only California cases of COVID-19 that were potential community transmission were in the Sacramento area.  The only travel restrictions at home at the time were if I was coming from Wuhan province, Iran or Italy. 

 

Well, needless to say, all that kind of blew up.  But I had a great 8 days riding on quiet roads and even getting some visiting in.   

 

 

With lots of up and down and back and forth 

 

 

First day was Joshua Tree National Park and Box Canyon Road.  At that point it was still pretty busy in Joshua Tree.   Nice day, great scenery but I never stopped for any pictures.  

 

Next day was the Palms-to-Pines Highway section from Palm Desert to Anza.  

 

 

 

Gave a pass to Josie's Hideout Saloon on my way to Palomar Mtn, East Grade Rd.   Too early to mix alcohol with riding (but dozens of other bikers looked like they didn't agree with that POV). 

 

 

then Palomar Mtn Rd.  There were about 6 vehicles in the parking lot at the Palomar complex. 

 

 

Hale telescope:

 

 

South Grade Rd, typical twisty California pavement: 

 

 

Followed by a little trip into Escondido for a couple of things I needed.  

 

The next morning I was able to met up with a friend in Temecula to spend the day riding.   

 

 

 

We headed up the San Jacinto Canyon, the rest of the Palms-to-Pines Highway, Onyx Summit, Big Bear Lake, Rim of the World (from Running Springs to Crestline) and CA 138 from Crestline to Cajon Junction.  Then headed over to drop down Bouquet Canyon Rd to his place in Santa Clarita.   Great way to go around the LA Basin.  

 

 

With lots of twists and turns: 

 

 

But, I have no pictures because I was just trying to concentrate on keeping on the road while keeping ahead of Piet.  Who felt it was his mission to brake later and dive deeper in every corner   

 

Great dinner and visit that night.  Then off for a little loop on a cool day to my next night in Thousand Oaks.  Up Lake Hughes/Elizabeth Lake Rd,  through Frazier Park, Lockwood Valley Rd and down Maricopa Highway.  

 

 

The next morning I had arranged to meet my niece and her husband in Sherman Oaks for brunch.  They had just moved from New Hampshire in the fall and we hadn't seen each other in quite a few years.  

 

 

What to do after brunch?  Take advantage of the weather and topography and go riding in the Santa Monica Mountains!  Topanga Canyon Rd, Tuna Canyon Rd, Latigo Canyon Rd, Mullholland Highway,  Little Sycamore Canyon Rd and Yerba Buena Rd.  I can't even complain about the traffic (for a Sunday). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I was disappointed by the news that evening that there had been community acquired cases of COVOD-19 in LA and Coachella counties.  Knowing a bit about epidemiology that meant that containment was going to become more difficult.   But I continued on to Morro Bay the next day with a plan to go as far north as Monterey before turning inland to pick up some more gold roads and National Park/Monument stamps.  However, on arrival to Morro Bay I had a couple of urgent emails.  One informed me that my workplace was imposing a 14 day mandatory isolation for workers returning from any other countries (including the US) and the other was from my return airline regarding updated flight change regulations. 

 

Seeing the writing on the wall I stayed on hold for a couple of hours to get the next reasonable flight home and hightailed it back to Palm Springs the next day.  Yippee,  lane splitting through LA 

So now my bikes are roasting in the sun in Palm Springs waiting for the border to open so I can retrieve them.  Luckily it looks pretty hopeful for later in May.  

 

Mike CIf

Tuna Cyn is a favorite of mine.  
 

Since you neglected to post images, here’s some I took on my commute this morning.....

 

 

 

[MikeRC]

3 hours ago, ESokoloff said:

Tuna Cyn is a favorite of mine.  
 

Since you neglected to post images, here’s some I took on my commute this morning.....

 

 

 

 

Thanks Eric! 

 

Of course I didn't realize it was one way at first and tried to turn in from the bottom.  Had to back track up Topanga Cnyn Rd and really thought I was off track going through Wildwood & Fernwood.   But then the little parking area for the Tuna Cnyn hike came up and it was straightforward from there.  On my way up Latigo Cnyn Rd I really thought I was going to get strafed, but I only saw about a half dozen bikes the whole afternoon.  I would imagine any really long wheelbase bike would have trouble muscling their way up and down those roads.  

 

Mike C 

[ESokoloff]

On 5/5/2020 at 8:02 PM, MikeRC said:

would imagine any really long wheelbase bike would have trouble muscling their way up and down those roads.  

Yeah, I find myself “Cross Controlling” vs “Kissing the Mirrors” on Tuna. 
 

 

 

[MikeRC]

Well, it's exactly a year later and my motorcycles and trailer have been sitting in that storage unit in Palm Springs untouched.   At least I think they've been untouched.  

 

And I haven't been on a motorcycle for the last year, either.  And it isn't looking good for the next few months for the land border to open. 

 

All the white plastic on that GS has probably turned some shade of urine.  The gas left in the tanks should be the consistency of jello by now.   I did disconnect the batteries, but frying in 110º F day after day has probably destroyed them as well. 

Who knows what critters (scorpions, snakes) have moved into the duffel with my equipment?  

My first vaccine dose is booked for 3 weeks from now.  If the Canada entry & isolation requirements don't change I will fly to Palm Springs in mid-May, ride the GS back and do my 2 weeks of at-home isolation.  

 

Hopefully the land border opens by September and I can drive down to pick up the KLX and trailer.  

 

The best laid plans of mice and men. 

 

Mike C