April 08 Trip - Day 05

Day 05
Monday, April 7, 2008
Cupertino, CA to Death Valley, CA
475 miles

It was a parade of the Beemers as Carolyn led me out of her subdivision this morning. She was on her way to work. I was on my way to motorcycle paradise.



As I visualize it, there are three valleys heading south toward the Central Coast. US101 is the western-most, for those with destinations along the coast. I-5 traverses the Central Valley, with the lion’s share of travelers. Running down an incredibly scenic and rural valley between them, CA-25 is an almost deserted road that sees only local traffic…. And motorcyclists/sports cars.

In the 60 miles between Hollister and CA-198, it is not uncommon to pass only 15 other vehicles. Cell service is very spotty. It’s just you, your motorcycle, throttle-tempting straights, vertigo inducing curves, and scenic California country-side.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

























CA-25 terminates at CA-198, a busy thoroughfare between US101 and I-5. (CA-198 later continues on to climb into Sequoia Kings Canyon NP, an incredibly steep switchback-fest)

I turned east onto CA-198, immediately gaining serious altitude climbing over a pass. This road is a roller coaster! Unfortunately there is always so much traffic that it’s hard to find good places to stop.





Reaching the Central Valley, I got on I-5 for the grind south toward Bakersfield and CA-178 (Walker Pass).

Early spring conditions limited my choices for crossing the Sierras. Most of the really fun passes will still be choked with snow for a few more months. Walker Pass is the first open pass south of I-80 (Donner Pass).

The pass follows the Kern River up to Lake Isabella. I’ve never taken this road, so my first inkling that it was going to be fun was the view of the huge opening in the Sierra foothills.



The Kern River canyon was a typical river canyon, with curves hugging the hillside and great views of the water rushing over the rocky riverbed.







Like many Sierra passes, the flora changed noticeably as I crossed. Lush and grassy on the western slopes, desert plant-life took over on the eastern side.





Crossing the Panamint Mountains, I started to feel hot. I‘d been wearing my liners all day, but with very few miles to go and the sun getting low in the sky, I didn‘t want to take the time to pull them out.

I stopped at the park entrance to add another sign to my growing collection.



With my destination for the night so close, I had a hard time stopping to see the attractions. This was exacerbated by the park service’s frequent use of signs reminding travelers to “park off pavement.” Yeah. Fat chance. I don’t THINK so!









Very ready to call it a night, I stopped at the Furnace Creek Market for some bottled water, peach iced tea, and a sticker for the R1200ST before setting up camp. My Jetboil made short work of the water for my backpacking food. I was soon sleeping comfortably in my tent.

April 08 Trip - Day 4

Day 04
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Santa Barbara, CA to Cupertino, CA
341 miles

Waving goodbye to my parents, my first attempt to leave the hotel parking lot resulted in a stalled bike and a sheepish grin.

I started (successfully) the day’s ride by heading up and away from the coast on San Marcos pass (CA 154), a badly-kept secret shortcut of US101. It had been foggy and overcast on the coast, but as soon as I got on the other side of the first set of mountains, sunny blue skies greeted me.







California’s famous golden hills are green this time of year, but there were lots of patches of golden poppies, bright yellow mustard flowers, and waving blue lupine.





Coming down off the pass, I followed US101 to Pismo Beach. Just a few blocks from the ocean in “downtown” Pismo, Splash Café makes the tastiest, most wonderful clam chowder in the world (in my opinion).

My college town, San Luis Obispo, is just 15 miles up US101. Price Canyon Road, an alternate route from San Luis Obispo, runs inland through rolling hills. Back in college, when I had my Honda 80cc scooter, I would pack a bag with textbooks and ride down to the coast for an afternoon of studying on the beach, always punctuated with a sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder with seafood topping.

At just 11:30, the line was already out the door.





My plan for the day was to hug the coast all the way up to Santa Cruz. Back in college I would do this run as a weekend lunch ride, so I knew that Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo to Cambria was fairly boring. I had planned to liven up the route with a short trip inland to a couple of very special Central Coast roads.

I headed north to Santa Margarita. CA58 always makes it onto lists of the “Best Roads” in California. I’ve run it many times, but it’s always nice to revisit, even if only for a short distance. I like to think that the engineer who designed this road liked motorcycles.





Turning north onto CA227, I swooped and curved through rolling green hills. This road is unique in that it is one of very few numbered California state highways with no center line. Care must be taken in the many blind curves to stay to the right. This undulating, twisting road is a roller coaster. Due to the narrowness, there were very few spots where I felt comfortable pulling over.





I finally headed back toward the ocean on CA46. It was definitely wildflower season along this road.







I don’t think I’ve ever taken so many pictures along Highway 1. When I was in college nearby, it was a regular weekend ride for me, nothing hugely special. Many of the curves and distinct sections were like old friends. I vividly remember all the times I stopped for coffee at Ragged Point, gas at Gorda, and lunch in Big Sur.





The elephant seals were out in force north of San Simeon.





The fun really begins north of Ragged Point. The coastal mountains fall steeply into the Pacific Ocean, making for a thrilling ride hugging the slopes.















The vista point turnout overlooking Big Creek Bridge is a traditional stop for me. I always park the bike in the same place and take the same shot. I’ve got photographs of all my bikes (except for the scooter and the new GS of course) at this exact spot.





I’ve actually already got this shot of the ST, but I just had to grab another. I love this bridge. Really, I love all the 1930’s coastal bridges. The arches are so graceful and beautiful.

I slowed to pass through Big Sur and then crossed the Bixby Bridge (another delicious ‘30s structure). I’ve always considered this the end of the fun part of the coast road until you get north of San Francisco. The traffic between Big Sur and Carmel makes this stretch either a “passing fest” or a 2nd gear “hope the bike doesn’t stall following this RV” ordeal. I opted for a little bit of passing, a little bit of following.

From Carmel to Half Moon Bay, Highway 1 is mostly straight with a few stretches of freeway. I had been considering running all the way up to Santa Cruz and taking CA9 over into Saratoga, but I decided in the end to cross via Soquel-San Jose Road. This less well-known road through the redwoods has long been one of my favorites.

I would be staying the night with my friend (and motorcycling idol!) Carolyn (“Bluepoof” on several motorcycle forums). I arrived at her house around 6pm. After unpacking the bike and changing into “street” clothes, we chatted about cats and moto-camping gear until it was time to go to dinner.

We met about 12 members of Sport-Touring.Net at the “New Saffron Club” in Mountain View. All of us opted for the buffet, enjoying various curries, vindaloo, and other Indian dishes.

Carolyn, her husband Peter, and I finished off the outing with a trip to a local Asian supermarket. There, next to durian and taro popsicles, just down the aisle from the fish balls (yummy?), Carolyn stocked up to satisfy her sudden mochi craving.

April 08 Trip - Day 3

Day 03
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Santa Barbara, CA
50 miles

Today was a much needed day of rest (at least from the bike). My parents and I got up early and had breakfast in the restaurant at the Doubletree resort we were staying at.

They graciously drove me to a nearby OSH (hardware store) where I bought an assortment of torx bits (I could NOT remember what size the valve cover bolts were). Deciding that dirty fingernails and weddings do not mix, I held off on actually pulling the cover until that evening.

Steven and Allison’s wedding was casual and comfortable. I saw a few friends that I hadn’t seen in several years. After a short ceremony, we mingled on the lawn of the park. Dinner was a tri-tip, rib, and chicken BBQ (in CA that means grilled :P ) with traditional Santa Maria fixing’s (potato salad, green salad, beans, garlic bread).



Back at the hotel, I sat next to the R1200ST in the dark. With the light of an LED headlamp, I pulled the left valve cover off. As I suspected, the “donut seal” around the spark plug shaft was misaligned. It was now slightly malformed. I cleaned it and reinstalled it, hoping that it would at least slow the leak.

April 08 Trip - Day 02

Day 02
Friday, April 4, 2008
Lordsburg, NM to Santa Barbara, CA
788 miles

I watched the sun rise in my mirrors as I jetted across New Mexico.

The desert was cold at dawn. My flaky thermometer (which can usually be trusted below 80 degrees) told me that it was in the mid 40s. I pulled over on the side of I-10 to close jacket vents, insert liner, and swap my summer gloves for the lightly lined Racers. As I was pressing the right side case closed, a NM highway patrol car pulled in behind me. I gave him a thumbs up, but he got out of the car to ask if I was ok.

“Yup! Just freezing!”

He nodded and continued on his way. I saw him again about a mile down the road, twinkling away behind an SUV.

Feeling a little more relaxed this morning, I got off the highway at the Texas Canyon rest area in Arizona for some pictures of the spectacular rock formations in the area.







Having breakfasted early on a granola bar and gas station cappuccino, I was starving when I reached Gila Bend at the turning point of the I-8 Phoenix bypass. For the last 20 miles I had been fantasizing about a McDonalds Filet-o-fish sandwich (guilty pleasure). Unfortunately, I had neglected to take Arizona’s inobservance of DST into account and it was only 10:30. The restaurant was still serving breakfast. I did not feel like breakfast. I settled for a chicken biscuit and a hazelnut iced coffee, eating my “lunch” outside on a sunny patio in view of the R1200ST, which had also just eaten.

While gearing back up, a fellow traveler stopped to chat about bikes, traveling, and sunny Arizona days. Walking away, he said “Be careful. There are a lot of crazy people out there.”

“Yeah. I think I might be one of them.”

There were several slow construction zones on the state highway leg of the bypass. I started to wonder if I would have done better to just ride through Phoenix.

An attendant waved me through the agricultural stop at the California state line. While doing all those family road trips growing up, Mom always pressed us to finish the apples and oranges before reentering California. I remember the last day of our trips as being an orgy of fruit-eating. I don’t remember the check stations being staffed the last several times I crossed the state line inbound.

I passed the 1500 mile mark at 5pm Central time (1.5 hours to spare) near the San Bernardino county line. Having achieved 1500 miles in 36 hours, I moved on to my next challenge: Los Angeles area Friday afternoon traffic.

I’ve long maintained that learning to commute in the Bay Area made me a better, more aware rider/driver. I got to put that statement to the test today. Nearing Redlands, traffic rolled to a standstill. I took a breath, dropped some gears, and dove for the dashed line. I was only moving about 10-15 mph, but risks were coming at me faster than they do at any speed in twisties. Every single car had to seen, evaluated, and monitored as I passed. I watched for gaps that a car might dive into. I watched for fluctuations in the width between cars.

I’ve never liked lane sharing the BMW with side bags on. The bike defines “Wide ass.” I had to be very careful in evaluating what gaps I could safely make it through. I pulled into the lane several times to let narrower sport bikes pass by.

I think I understand why riders who live in areas that don’t allow lane sharing are so skeptical of it’s safety. Having not split in over 2 years, *I* found it very scary. It was hard to believe that there was a time when I did it daily without stressing.

After about 2-3 miles of splitting, I passed the burnt out hulk of a passenger van that had been slowing traffic. The freeway sped up and the HOV lane started a few miles later. It was mostly continuous all the way to Pasadena. It was *so* nice to have HOV lanes actually worth the pavement they’re made of.

Traffic slowed again through Ventura, but not enough to try more lane sharing. I had already ridden over 700 miles that day and I just wanted to avoid the stress.

The characteristic scent of eucalyptus welcomed me to the coast. With 20 miles to go, I had to pull over for gas (beyond empty on the gauge). I inserted my liner and swapped gloves after paying $3.95/gallon for premium.

Dad waved me into the parking lot of the resort we were staying at. He and Mom had been tracking me on the SPOT and knew when I would arrive.

Today was Mom’s birthday. I had carried her birthday present (from her three lovely daughters) all the way from Texas. She seemed very happy!



After taking a quick shower and changing out of riding clothes, Mom, Dad, and I went down to the Santa Barbara harbor to have a seafood dinner and gaze at the Pacific Ocean.

April 08 Trip - Day 01

Day 01
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Houston, TX to Lordsburg, NM
918 miles



The skies were still dark as I made my departure. The R1200ST and I hummed down I-10, making good time yet very aware of speed limits. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many highway patrol as I did this morning between Houston and San Antonio. LEOs were everywhere! Camped out in ditches, hiding by on-ramps, or just twinkling away as they made someone ELSE’s morning a little more miserable.

I zoomed through the San Antonio area on Loop 1604 just after 9. Morning rush hour was almost over, barely checking my progress.

At my second gas stop’n’snack in Junction, TX (around 11 AM!), I noticed some oil seepage on the left valve cover. During my third stop (in Ft Stockton, TX) it had made itself known with light oil splatters on my boots, pants leg, and sidecase. Analyzing the trail, I decided that the “donut seal” (as Jim VanBaden calls it) had not sealed properly when I reinstalled the valve cover after I did the valve adjust last weekend. I always carry spare oil, so for now I’m watching the oil level. I’ll try to get a chance to pull the cover and reinstall it either in Santa Barbara or at a friend’s house in the Bay Area. I’m assuming that the “donut seal” may easily be ruined at this point. I’m thinking it might be a good idea to call a BMW shop in Santa Barbara (?) or Las Vegas (assuming they’ll be open on Tuesday) to see if I can get a replacement. I can install it…. I just need the part.



The weather had been mostly cool all day. I caught a few sprinkles in the Hill Country, but nothing that inspired me to swap my summer gloves for the waterproof ones. The skies cleared in the afternoon and the temperature rose into the 90s (according to my temperature guage, which can’t always be trusted).

Somewhere in west Texas it occurred to me that an undocumented Saddlesore 1000 (1000 miles in 24hours) was very attainable, or if not that, a Bunburner (1500 miles in 36 hours). I just need to make 1500 miles by something around 4pm Pacific time tomorrow and *I* at least will know that I’m capable.

El Paso was as polluted as ever. I was a little concerned because I was going through around 5pm. It turned out that my only delay was a 5 minute backup as my side of the freeway rubbernecked a particularly spectacular accident that had shut down the other side.

A mini-whirlwind rocked us hard near Deming, causing me to reevaluate my plan. It was starting to get cold and dark clouds hovered over the horizon.

Somewhere between Deming and Lordsburg I abandoned the SS1K idea. The main factor here was that I didn’t want to have to find a motel in Tucson in the dark (I hate staying in large cities). The sun was still in the sky when I checked into a motel in Lordsburg, NM.

Westbound Flight

Lately I've had my share of being crammed into a coach class airplane seat with headphones jammed into my ears playing loud tunes to drown out the noise of rushing engines. I've jetted over the country, staring wistfully out the window at puffy clouds, colorful terrain, and twinkling cities dotting the horizon.

When I heard that my long-time friend Steven (fellow super-involved 4-Her, fellow dorm resident advisor, college roommate, and at one point in my life almost like a brother) was getting married in early April, my first thought was to look at airplane ticket prices. After looking at my calendar, my next thought was a long and considered "Hmmm."

The wedding was to be in Santa Barbara, CA. The following weekend was the Sport-Touring.Net Region 2 meet in Alpine, TX (almost halfway to California). The wheels turned (swooped through curves?) in my head as I contemplated my available vacation time and probable early spring conditions (negating the really good stuff in the Sierras and Rockies).

I finally decided to skip the flight in favor of loading up the R1200ST for an 11-day western US excursion.

In a few minutes I'll buckle up and take off on a grueling 1600 mile 2-day interstate blast to California. The return trip will be a little more relaxed. I'm going to drift up the coast and visit some friends in the San Francisco Bay Area before heading east into Utah and New Mexico. I just need to land myself in Alpine by next Friday.

I'll try to post updates nightly... but I can't guarantee nightly internet access. Enjoy the flight!