Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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261 miles today, just my son and and I, Road King and an Ultra Classic. Another trip to Chester's in South Bend. For some reason, no one else came, could have had something to do with the forecast of rain, high winds, and snow down to 500'. Actually turned out to be a pretty good day, in between the rain storms, the sky would turn blue, and it would warm up a bit. I was a bit worried when I saw the snow in the foothills, but the road we were on never got high enough for the slick stuff to be a problem. We didn't push the speed, just cruising along in formation. He has turned out to be a good rider, and we have very similar styles. Makes for a nice ride.
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"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
-Doug Larson
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joeystoy
Oceanside, NY
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Joined: 07/29/2005
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Sunny and warm (59 degrees) yesterday on Long Island. Knocked off work at 2PM hopped on my 1984 Honda V30 Magna and headed for the beach. It was a great ride through Long Beach then onto the Loop into Jones Beach State Park. It's a terrific stretch of about ten miles along the ocean all the way to the Captree Boat Basin. On the way back I stopped at Field 6 for a cappuccino (from the machine in the snack bar). The placed was mobbed. I've never winterized my bike in the 22 years I've had it. Looking for a new bike this winter. Any opinions on the Honda VTX 1300?
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innerzinc
Orlando, FL
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Joined: 02/07/2006
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howsit2003 wrote:...well, that was fun...must have racked up the better part of 100 miles or more....I park..cut the engine.....and listen to the silence....
This was by far the most interesting ride I've ever read. Thank you so much for sharing. Now I need to go for a ride like that. Soon...
~Zee
http://innerzinc.com/inneroutings/
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Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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Thursday afternoon, work running late, I called the time, and am going to be late! Skies are blue, forecast is good, and bikes are everywhere. I finally get free and come out to find 1 Harley and 2 Gold Wings waiting. All good riders, this will be nice, Conway Pub, here we come. I figured a quick blast up the freeway, then food and the slow way home. Everyone is agreed, and we roll out of town. I-5 is the usual mix of idiots and slow dogs, and since when did riders coming at you quit waving. Lot of riders out, going both ways, good day to be on 2 wheels. Both sides of the street in front of the Pub are filled, even mix of bikes and cars, not really surprised to see, this place has a rep for good food. When we left, there was a Blue Knight sidecar rig, 2 tone Peace Officer Ultra Classic, with the rig painted to match, looked great. Now the good stuff, light traffic, dry roads, east bound from Conway. Gotta go , more to come....
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urbancowboy
SoCal
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Joined: 02/26/2006
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Rode to Carlsbad, Ca. from Long Beach on a Suzuki SV1000. Beautiful outside as usuall. Had breakfast at some little hole-in-the-wall, drank 3 cups of coffee and had to piss every 15 minutes...very unpleasant with a v-twin under your bladder. Had a blast though. My butt also started to cramp on the way back. Got to get a gel seat soon. See ya...
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Socalrider85
Riverside, CA
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Joined: 03/31/2004
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Friday the 3rd I had an appointment to get the first tune up for my new Victory. (Which is bad a** by the way). Since appointments are hard to come by and I did not want to cancel I decided that I would brave the chance of rain.
My ride down (about 70 miles from my home) was very nice, with the clouds giving way to bright sunny skies. I stopped at a restaurant to get breakfast, one of those places that you don’t know if its gonna be good until you try it. Luckily it turned out to be great with some of the best hash browns that I have ever had.
The ride back however was a different story. The storm that I had beat that earlier that morning decided to catch up with me. Pretty much the second I go on the freeway it started to rain. Seventy miles later and some hairy moments here and there I was thankful that I made it home with nothing more than frozen feet hands and legs. All and all it was a crazy trip that I don’t ever want to do again.
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RB Jones
Burlingame CA
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Joined: 03/11/2006
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Finally, a break from a month of rain in the Bay Area. Wife and I joined the 3 Mission Run put on by Dudley Perkins Harley in San Francisco. About 50 bikes showed up. Not a cloud in the sky, high of about 60. We rode to Mission Santa Clara, located at Santa Clara University in the city of the same name and on down to Mission Santa Cruz. Whole trip was about 192 miles. Man it looked great to see and hear all those bikes cruising down 101 at 70 mph. We got split up temporarily in Santa Cruz when the ride captain took a wrong turn, but most of us found our way to Carpos in Highway 1 for a rendevous and burgers. Most riders headed up the Coast Highway 1 back to SF but a few of us went back over the mountain and up I-280. Twenty mph headwinds created some trouble but overall it was a wonderful day.
Ride On,
RB
2005 Lava Red Sunburst Road King Classic
1967 Metalflake Blue Triumph TR6R
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Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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Sometimes life is good. My wife is flying from Madras into Portland this evening, and wants me to meet her before she drives to Salem. So, I am going to leave early, ride to Ilwaco, get some really good chowder, cross into Astoria, and head into Portland on 30. My riding buddy has the same itch, but he will probably cross the Columbia at Rainier and head into Longview, then north.
The bike is clean, I still have a credit card, going for a ride!!!
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Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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What a great day for a ride, temps in the 60's, a few clouds in the sky. South on the freeway, when you have someplace to be, no better way than the Interstate. My goal is Portland via Long Beach, and I can't wait to get to the 2 lane. WSP Motors are out on the I-5 corridor on their black and white BMW's, so traffic is running slower than normal. (Why do some drivers slow down below the limit when they see a trooper, do they think they are gonna get credit for being good????) Finally get to Olympia, turn north on 101, and then west on 8. Traffic is light, and I am running 12 over, passing a few, getting passed by some. Come around a corner, and see the car ahead checking up, 2 more troops, one in a plain wrapper Impala, with cover plates. OK, maybe I should stay within 10 of the limit. Air is warm, hawks are floating on the thermals, way higher looks like an eagle, also just circling, effortlessly. I drop down into the Chehalis River valley, road is smooth, sky is clouding up some, but still warm. Exit to Montesano, and the 107 cutoff to 101. 107 is a blast on a bike, elevation changes, banked curves, good sight lines, but not today. Couple of slow dogs holding everyone up, and no one driving anything with enough HP to pass. I work my way thru the lines, and finally get a stretch where I can knock off about 6 in a row. Say what you might about my Ultra Barcalounge, it still has the torque and handling to make a confident pass. Of course I am almost to 101, so it is down to the limit, and easy does it. I start following a very good driver in a Mercedes, he is making good passes, and showing good judgement in the curves. Obviously knows the road, and how to drive that car. We come upon a motor home dragging a car, but he moves right, and gives us both a clear shot at getting by. By now the rain is coming down, and I am dropping speed. Too many trucks to take a chance on an oil slick. The Merc disappears in the distance. The Brooklyn Rd detour is still in place, it is hard to believe that folks live back in these hills, some places look like retired military, not a blade of grass out of place, everything neat and orderly, and others look like if they ever cut the grass, they would find several more cars. I half expect to come around a corner and find folks sitting on the old couch in the front yard, waving at people as they drive by. Don't laugh, if you ever ride thru the hills of Kentucky, you will see that, and I figured I better wave back! Since the road is being used as an approved WSDOT bypass, it is marked better than you would expect, and where the surface goes to crap, they have actually posted warning for motorcycles. Nice touch! Finally back on 101, and south into Raymond/South Bend. The sky is getting darker, and the temps are dropping, time to weather up. I am glad I did, the rain just gushes out of the sky as I leave South Bend. It is coming down so hard that it is soaking thru my neck gaiter. Oh well, I click on the heated gear, and keep on going. I am running 20 over thru here, road is mostly straight, some hills and gentle curves. I pass a trooper coming towards me, must be my lucky day, it is raining so hard as to make the radar useless, and I figure he doesn't want to get wet talking to me. I reach the intersection with 4, and make my decision to bypass Long Beach, and head east, for Naselle. The rain lets up as I slow for the school zone, which runs the length of the town. The first restaurant is closed, so I continue to Oh Carols. A shot of hot ham and bean soup, and some yakking about Harleys, and I figure it is time to roll on. I check the weather radio, and the front has moved on. South to Astoria, as always, crossing the Columbia is an awe inspiring mile long ride. Freighters in the channel, tugs prepping for another run. Astoria is still a sea town, with an excellent maritime museum.
Whoops, gotta go do some work, later....
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Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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Pt. 2:
The city fathers of Astoria want you to take a long look at their town, can you imagine a posted speed of 20mph? Lots of cool shops and stores, I never noticed the Danish Bakery, I will be back another time for that. Guess it was a good idea to slow down. OR 30 eastbound is very busy, and doesn't follow the river exactly, rather it goes up and down along the ridges of the Coast Range, and the drivers here are very aggressive. Posted at 55, that is just a suggestion, as you come up on the passing lanes, I thot I was moving pretty good at 80 uphill, I passed a Jeep Cherokee. Apparently, I insulted him, because on the next up grade he went by me like a bat outta hell. Of course, we both caught up to some slower cars, and had to drop down. I was curious what he would do next, and after a few miles of negotiating around the slower vehicles, he passed on the down grade. It is legal along these stretches, signs state "Yield Center Lane to Uphill Traffic" So, off he went, I can just imagine the surprise some driver would experience, coming up a grade, catching up to tractor trailer, and moving to the center lane, only to find a set of head lights coming at you. I did not partake of that particular legality. And, after all that, when I exited 30 at Rainier, he was about 1/4 mile ahead of me. As you drop off the Coast Range ridge, approaching Rainier, you are overlooking the Lewis and Clark bridge where it crosses the Columbia. This bridge was built in 1929, and designed by Joseph B. Strauss, who also designed the Golden Gate Bridge. From HistoryLink.org:
On March 29, 1930, the Longview Bridge (later renamed Lewis and Clark Bridge) opens. The bridge crosses the Columbia River between Longview (Cowlitz County) and Rainier, Oregon. It is a cantilever bridge, at the time the longest and highest in the country. It is 8,192 feet long. The roadway spans the river 210 feet above the water, and the top steel spans it at 340 feet. The designers claim that any vessel then in existence, including a fully rigged clipper ship, can pass under it.
The bridge is also a falcon nesting site. When you ride across this bridge, it can be a white knuckle ride. You are way up in the air, and the wind will move you around.
Because I was running a little late, to meet my wife for dinner, I chose to cross back into Washington, and just blast down I-5, into Portland. If you have time, I would strongly suggest staying on OR 30 and coming into the older part of Portland. It is a very pleasant ride, with plenty of places to stop, including a park outside of a moth balled nuclear plant.
While I was waiting for her, a truck driver came over to visit, turns out he lives one town away from me, and just got an almost new Softail, 05 with 1000 miles. Will be looking for him at one of our numerous Thursday rides.
Wife was spending her working week in Oregon, so it was nice of her to invite me to dinner, and then she was off to Salem. I cruised north on I-205, then I-5, home by 10:30. 432 miles total, avg. mpg 38.5. Sitting in the garage with the door still open, smoking a cigar, double shot of Yukon Jack melting some ice cubes, I can't believe what an overall good day it was. The Harley is tinking and clicking, as it cools, and I am thinking, Friday is looking good, no work, couple of friends already said they are ready to ride, rain or shine, and I can't wait to get on the road again. Life is good!
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