Friday, November 18, 2011

666STOC - Kingman, Az - Nov 11-13

I left work at 6:30am on Thursday and headed to San Jose to meet up with my friend Kim at 7:00am for the ride to Kingman. We decided to avoid the mind-numbing I5 experience as much as possible and headed down Hwy 101 then cut over on Hwy 46 to 99 to 58 and so forth.

We stopped for a lunch break at Perkos in Wasco. They were running a chili burger special that was not very good... I focused on the side salad so it was probably the healthiest meal I had the whole trip!


After lunch we hit the road again and finally arrived in Kingman at 08:15 Az time, ~612 miles, a long, long day for me after working all night!

Some of tents and toys in George's back yard




Friday morning we were treated to breakfast prepared by George, scrambled eggs and bacon, orange juice, and coffee. And Mac prepared his famous camp fire biscuits for us as well. 

With the morning feast completed most of the others split up into small groups and went off riding. Since I was still tired from Thursday's ride I was not planning on doing much riding myself. My main goal was to find a supercuts and take care of my helmet hair problems... Sorry, no pictures, let's just say I pretty much got a buzz cut...

I felt so good leaving the supercuts that I decided to head out to Oatman and check out the burros, they really do roam the streets and you'll get swarmed if you give them carrots!







I left Oatman and headed out to Bullhead City where I found a little Mexican restaurant and stopped for lunch. Then I headed back to George's place to relax and do some visiting before dinner.

Saturday morning after another killer breakfast prepared for us by (the other) Kim, (my friend) Kim took me out on a nice little ~300 mile ride along the route he had taken the previous day while moving the Az tag. 

We stopped for lunch at the Bagdad Cafe in Bagdad. Apparently Kim gets caught in pictures about as good as I usually do but it's the only one I took of the building so here it is :)


We stopped to see the "Stone Cold Duck"... Someone has a good sense of humor!


Across the road was the watch for animals sign complete with animals...


We stopped in Wickenburg to see the Jail Tree. Back in the 1800s there was no jail so they chained prisoners to the tree. I'm guessing it was a good deterrent to crime at least in the summertime.



A photo opp along the way back


Saturday night was dinner at Rednecks BBQ in old town Kingman. The ribs were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Then it was back to the Catthouse for a great evening by the camp fire.


Sunday morning I awoke to the sound of rain. Yay! Nothing like breaking camp in the rain. I lingered in my nice warm sleeping bad until 6am when I started packing up everything inside the tent. After that it's a quick easy job with my Catoma tent. I had the bike all packed up and ready to go by 7am.

I ventured into the Catthouse and found Mac making biscuits in the oven - for the first time. And they were good too, no matter what he says to try to get out of it in the future.


In spite of being packed up early we got a late start on our journey home. I met Kim at his hotel at 10am and we hit the road. Fortunately the rain had subsided and as we made our way west it became warm and sunny.

To break up some of the boring ride on the slab we jumped on old route 66 between I40 and Amboy looking for possible tags to use for the new socal tag. Kim spotted this old building with a nice mural. In the end I used a different tag though...


We stopped for lunch at Peggy Sue's Diner just outside of Barstow in Yermo, CA next to I15 and then filled up with gas at a station across the street. Unfortunately, both bikes started missing and hesitating shortly thereafter. No more cheap gas for me! Grrr...

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By 6:30pm or so we hit Buttonwillow and decided to stop for the night. In the morning we filled with some good gas and were fed and on the road by 8:00am.

We stopped at a little tourist trap at Hwy 46 & Hwy 33 that bills itself as James Deans Last Stop where I took this picture for the new SoCal tag.


Then we cut over to Hwy 101 south to go grab the existing SoCal tag on Hwy 58 just outside of Santa Margarita.


After stopping briefly at a Starbucks to upload the tag pictures, we got back on the road to home. We waved goodbye at Hwy 101 & Hwy 880. I arrived safe and sound at my house at just about 1:00pm. 

Trip total: ~1710 miles

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

SeaSTOC 2011 Oct 28-29

I left work Thursday at 6:30am and hit the road for SeaSTOC, at the Salton Sea east of San Diego. Aside from it being a bit chilly at 39 degrees on Pacheco Pass (Hwy 152) and me being a bit tired from working all night, I arrived safely at the Mecca Beach campground at around 3:30pm.



I got myself unpacked and set up my home away from home before heading in to Mecca for dinner at the Mexican restaurant.


Tom's tent poles were accidentally left at home, but he survived with a little rope... Not to worry, his tent poles arrived on Saturday with a friend.


Visiting around the campground: Carole, Larry, Kim, Ken, George, Rick, and Alicia.


Tim and Jay



Mac & Tom

Friday I stayed around the campground visiting, reading my book, and in the afternoon John talked me into going in the water with him. The water was just the right temperature and provided a nice break from the flies that seemed to number in the thousands this year. 


Here's the pied-piper... errr, I mean John:


To get to the water we had to trek through some nice mud, then some barnacles and fish bones... I think it actually helped to soften up my heels.


Yes, I was soaking wet from head to toe. Shortly after this I enjoyed a nice hot shower and some clean, dry clothes.


Mike (left) came all the way from Lompoc to visit for about an hour and then head back to go to work!


After a nice meal prepared by Carole & Mac it was time to enjoy the sunset.



Saturday I mostly relaxed. I didn't feel the need to go on a long ride so I just took a nice easy ride around the Salton Sea and then spent some more time reading.

ST-Owners to the rescue! The poor guy got stuck good trying to turn around. The boys finally helped get him out.


Sunday morning came too fast and it was time to pack up and hit the road for home. Jay and I decided to ride together part of the way home and we started out having a nice breakfast at the Mexican restaurant in Mecca.

We waved goodbye to each other on Hwy 99 just south of the Hwy 46 W exit.

I hit 35000 miles in South San Jose, about 15 minutes from home.

Trip total: ~1189 miles

CalSTOC 2011 Oct 21-22

I left work at 6:30am and met up with John in Gilroy at 7:15am to begin the ride down to CalSTOC. We arrived at Jalama Beach for lunch at around 11:30am, just in time for delicious and huge burgers.

The Jalama Beach Cafe:



The famous Jalama Burger was as tasty as advertised:


And the view from our table inside the cafe wasn't too bad either.


After lunch we headed over to River Park to set up camp. This year the park let our group take over the day use area which was very nice and had lots of room for all of our tents.




Bikes parked at Mike & Cindy's house for dinner:


Cindy sure knows how to put on a dinner, the food was excellent and plentiful!



Saturday morning Cindy made us a nice pancake breakfast before everyone took off riding. I decided to tag along with Bob, Ron, and Mike. We had a nice ride around the backroads of Lompoc, Buellton, and Solvang.

We stopped for lunch at the Longhorn Coffee Shop where Corky joined us on his '07 ST1300. He is 80 years young and he can ride. He was trying to talk me into going out dancing...

Corky, Ron, and Bob:

Mike was the only one of us smart enough to park in the shade:


After lunch we headed off for more riding. Here we at a rest stop on Figeroa Mountain Road (a nice long twisty ride) near Cayuma:


Bob humored us and we made a quick stop in Solvang so I could pick up a birthday present for my niece and Mike could check out the Motorcycle Museum.


Then we headed out of Solvang on Alisal Road where Bob and I did a little geocaching before heading back to River Park. There was supposed to be a geocache at the waterfall in Nojoqui Falls Park but it was nowhere to be found.


Considering all the rain we had earlier in the year I was really expecting more water in the waterfall...


We got back to camp in time for Jeff's awesome BBQ. Lots of nice tri-tip, chicken, and sausages...


Howard from Parrumph, NV enjoying his feast. 


Good food, good friends. What more is needed?

Sunday morning after another nice pancake breakfast by Cindy, I packed up the camping gear and headed over to Mike & Cindy's with Ken, who graciously volunteered to help me out with my 32000 mile valve inspection.

Gigolo getting a little blow job to help cool him off...


After Gigolo cooled down the valve inspection was completed and all valve clearances were in spec! 


Mike and Ken putting the plastics back on, with David looking on.


Once they were done buttoning Gigolo up, I said my farewells and thank yous, and then David and I headed towards the bay area on Hwy 1. Somewhere just south of Carmel David had the need for speed and I lost sight of him. I arrived safe and sound at home at around 9:00pm.

Saturdays trip total: ~103 miles
Trip total: ~681 miles