Week 30
This is VicToRia's thirtieth week home, and this week I did some more riding.
This is VicToRia's thirtieth week home, and this week I did some more riding.
GSXR-Freak (John) from the SoCal Sportbikes forum decided to get a ride together for Martin Luther King Day. I decided I would join in and I invited some of the local riders that I know to attend as well. We decided gather up at the Union 76 station in Castaic at 9:30 am. I got there a bit early and decided to get my customary pictures. Already present was GSXR-Freak, Highdiver (Bryan), Vyshtia (Dawn) and CBR Riding Fool (Mark)
After a little bit of a wait, Reduc (Pete) and my buddy John (AAA) arrived. We were ready to leave when GSXR-Fresk got a call from Racerxlilbro (Brad) that he and ProfWacko (Jack) would be arriving to join us in about 25 mintues. We decided to go ahead and wait it out. Once they arrived and we got passed the informal introductions, we hit the road.
We hit Lake Hughes Rd. first. I had just done this road 3 weeks ago. I remembered it well and was able to keep a good pace behind our riding leader Highdiver. GSXR-Freak was regulated to providing the directions because he was riding his wife's Honda Hawk instead of his GSXR-750. The fuel pump went out on his GSXR-750, so he provided the directions while Highdiver set the pace. And it was a good pace.
We stop along Lake Hughes Road to make sure that everyone was okay when we noticed that GSXR-Freak didn't seem to be arriving as quickly as we thought. Highdiver and I turned around to find out what had happened. After a few corners we saw GSXR-Freak
and AAA coming around the corner. After turning back around GSXR-Freak waved for me to come over to him. As I rolled up he to told me:
"Here's your wallet. I hope everything is in it."
"Doh!!! My wallet!!"
I checked my jacket pocket and sure enough it was unzipped and my wallet was not there. He handed me my wallet and I checked it's contents. Everything was there. GSXR-Freak had saved the day (for me at least).
We then continued along until we reached Elizabeth Lake Rd. We carved our way along this road while GSXR-Freak and Highdiver did a few wheelies for our entertainment. From this point I lost track of what exact roads we were on but my GPS did map them all out for me in case I want to go back later (and I will). I do know that we made our way to Angeles Crest. The last time I was here things didn't work out so well for my fellow riders. I decided to back my pace off a bit . . just in case. When we reached Big Tujunga, Racerxlilbro and Reduc had to take there leave to attend to their families.
We were running a bit late to meet up with PG_Rider (Paul) and his friends at Newcombs Ranch but weren't too far behind. We boogied our way to Newcombs Ranch in time enough to have lunch with PG_Rider and his buddies from work. For being my personal hero, I bought GSXR-Freaks lunch for him (thanks again buddy). After lunch, we waited around for a while for 1-of-a-kind (Heather) to show up. It started to take longer than we expected, and PG_Riders buddies had already taken off so he headed down Angeles Crest with us. We would look for 1-of-a-kind and her brother on the way down since none of us could get any cell phone reception at Newcombs Ranch.
Once we made it all the way down to the Shell Station in La Canada, we all decided to part ways and go home. I wasn't really sure how to get home from there so GSXR-Freak said that I could follow him down the 210 Freeway until I reached the 118 Freeway. Once I reached the 118 freeway, I knew how to get home from there. I waved goodbye to GSXR-Freak and gunned it home so I could drop the bike off, get my Jeep Cherokee and pick up my boys from their Grandparnets house.
My overall round trip was over 240 miles and I enjoyed almost all of them (except the freeway stuff on the way to the gathering and on the way home). Thanks gang for one hell of a time. And GSXR-Freak, thanks again for finding my wallet.
Wait!!! Don't go yet. I did some more riding this week with some of the gang from the SoCal Sportbikes forum.
We all met up at the Rock Store at 10:00 am. I ended up being a bit late because I ran out of gas. I just got the bike back from the shop. It was in for it's 24K mile service and to get the new D.I.D. X-Ring Chain and Sprocket Specialists front and rear sprockets installed. The shop discovered that my rear cylinder was running too lean so they put a bigger main jet in it. This significantly changed the range of VicToRia, so I thought I would be able to make it to a gas station near the Rock Store but ran out before I got there. After pusing the bike for about a half mile I was able to find an gas station and get underway.
Once, I finally arrived I got some pictures of the SCS gang and we headed out to carve up the 166 turns of Latigo Canyon Rd. Once we made it down to the bottom of Latigo Canyon, where it intersects with PCH, we all stopped to make sure everyone made it down safely. After getting a head count and some more pictures we headed up PCH to Neptune's Net. We stopped at Neptune's Net for a quick snack and something to drink and decided to tackle the 188 turns of Yerba Buena Rd.
We stopped part way on Yerba Buena to make sure that everyone had made it up safely. PG_Rider (Paul) took some pictures of AdoSpeed (Adrian) and I praising his R1 and the skill he demonstrated on it. I also took some more pictures and PG-Rider decided to let me get a picture of what everyone got to see of him all day, his ass. We then saddled up and headed the rest of the way down Yerba Buena until it reach Decker Canyon Rd. We took Decker Canyon Rd to Mulholland Highway. We then took Mulholland Highway all the way back to the Rock Store.
Once we reached the Rock Store, just about everyone decided to head for home. I hung out with BabyGirl (Michelle) and we checked out the scene at the Rock Store for a while before we decided it was time for us to head home as well.
Another great day of riding, no one went down and everyone one got a chance to ride at their own pace and meet each other face to face.
