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These are mainly photos from road trips I've taken, short and long | |||
| '85 V65 Magna January 3, 2004 |
 | The First Ride of 2004 The CA 49 Twisties On the first Saturday of the new year, 2004, I took a solo ride through the low Sierras along one of my favorite strips of asphalt, CA 49 from Coulterville to Mariposa. It was clear, sunny and cool. I bundled up and had a sweet leisurely ride. | |
| '85 V65 Magna |
 | My new 1985 V65 Magna My friend Emily models with my newest V4 acquisition. That makes 4 Magnas now, 3 of them are V65's. Somethings wrong with me!! | |
| Archive | |||
| '03 VF750C |
 | La Grange A quick trip to Merced, CA. up 132 through La Grange and Snelling and then into town via CA HWY 59 | |
| '03 VF750C |
 | Mocassin Water Works Another trip to Merced. Up 120/108 towards Sonora & Yosemite. I proceeded up the "new" 120 twisty grade (road photos) to Groveland to fill up the tiny Magna tank. Back down the twisty grade to the Mocassin Creek power station (Junction 120 & 49) where the Magna photos were taken. Then down CA HWY 49 past Mocassin (no gas) and a right turn at Coulterville (no gas) onto 132 (1 Exxon). A left at La Grange (no gas) to Snelling (gas). With a quick finish down HWY 59 into Merced. | |
| '03 VF750C '01 VT750CD Shadow ACE |
 | Crabtree Road My buddy Todd, on his 2001 Shadow ACE 750, and I went for a drive into the foothills above Modesto. We started out Yosemite Ave which becomes CA HWY 132. Just past Roberts Ferry Bridge, we swung left onto Crabtree Road. A nice secluded run that is deteriorating at a ridiculous pace. I rode it in April and the road was good. Now you must watch for the chewed spots - yikes. The one lane bridge in the photos still seems to be in decent condition. We followed it through - it changes name three times though, and ends as Willm Road - to the 120/108 Hwy. At the crossroads we swung left back to Oakdale, then Riverbank, and back into Modesto. 'bout a 60 mile trip in 1.5 hours. | |
| '03 VF750C |
 | Beautiful Yosemite Friday Cruised to Yosemite on a Friday to ferry my friend Darrell and his "campers" to their trail head. I jammed out of Modesto on the now familiar CA 132. Blew through La Grange (been there done it) and sped to Coutlerville. Ran down the twisties along the CA 49 till I met back up with CA 120. Did the switchbacks of the "new" grade to the fuel break in Groveland. The long sweeping turns and pristine asphalt along the 120 to the Yosemite gate made for some awesome high speed cruisn'. Once in the park (Federal land) I stayed mostly in the requested speed zone. The slow pace allows for taking in the scenery with out risking life and limb (or stopping). Met D and the Gang at the main store. Parked the Magna at curry and drove the Expedition to Glacier point. The crazy hiker people hopped out (photo). We snapped some Half Dome, Nevada Valls and Vernal Falls. It rained on us for ten minutes. They started walking the long way to Half Dome while I power expeditioned back to CurryV. Me and the Magna did a lap around the valley, photoed Yosemite falls. Was in need of gas. Since the big Y valley no longer has a fuel stop, I headed back up the CA 120 to Crane Flat for gas. Then I flew up towards Tuolomne Meadows. Damn it's beautiful up there in Y. About 6:30 started back down the hill, using 120 all the way back to Modesto. Honked at the Honda Sport Touring Club gathered in Hogdon Meadows hotel parking loot. They waved. Nice trip. Think I'll do Y again this summer. | |
| '03 VF750C |
 June 28, 2003 All Photos | To The Coast & Back My friend Darrell saddled up the 84 V65 Magna and I rode the '03. With the bikes outfitted for a possible two day, we headed out of Modesto on Crowslanding road at about 9:00am in the Ponch & John configuration (side-by-side). It was a gorgeous day. We cruised through the west side farmland to the I5 where we went south, to Santa Nella (fueled). We crossed the Pachaeo Pass on the 152, and veered left at the 156 and passed through Hollister. We went south a few miles on the 101 when we reached it, then headed west again when the we found the 156 portion heading for the coast. When we hit the town of Marina along the coast, we hit a cold fog bank. Since our plan was to cruise the 101, this was disappointing. But as we approached Monterey, the sun broke through and the beauty shined. We motored casually through Monterey and stopped for lunch just up from the Aquarium and Cannery Row at "Archies". A quiet, relaxing brunch on the porch in a cool sea breeze can't be beat. We then gripped the coastline down through Monterey and into Pebble Beach. We skipped the $8.50 per bike 17 mile drive (sheesh), and opted for Hwy 1. We took a side trip through Carmel By The Sea to see if Clint was home We put some more fuel into the ever empty '03. Then we took of down the beautiful coast run of Hwy 1 with its views and twisties. We immediately found the fog and cold again. But we were loving it anyway. We spent some time in turn outs doing the OhhAhh thing. After tight costal cliff turns, pine tree lined lanes as dense as cave walls, open meadows, hills of seaside scrub and quaint ocean views, we arrived in Cambria. After fueling up, we took a break for some grub at Round-Up pizza in the Hwy 1 Business area in the north of the "town". Darrell and I traded bikes at this point for something different (an to change seating positions). We took the pass between Cambria and Paso Robles. Half way between we drove into a wall of heat. The temp difference between the coast and the inland furnaces, I mean valleys, was instant. A change of 25 degrees in a few hundred feet. Once in Paso Robles we headed north on US101 for twenty miles to San Miguel where we left the beaten path for a trip into the Cholame Hills. After a quick top off of the tanks (this next leg was going to iffy for "services" for a while), and apply some more sunscreen, we weaved or way through tiny San Miguel and found (with some verbal assistance) Indian Hills Road - a road pretending to be two lanes. This lead off into the parched costal mountains. For being a tiny, narrow road in the middle of nowhere with no traffic - it was in good shape. It was amazing how desolate it can get in the middle of California. Darrell, leading, was on a killing rampage! Final totals - 4 squirrels, one bird in flight and he thought about taking out a BIG cow. During this leg we came across a huge canyon in this back country. Kinda surprising. We reached the end of Indian Hills Road and were dumped onto H198. 100 yards up the 198 was the start of the H25. This was a road made for motorcycling. We forced our fuel concerns out of our minds and took off down the 25. Nice wide lanes (only 2), excellent (recent) paving, virtually no traffic and lots and lots of turns of various diameter, angle, combinations, elevations. I'm sure there was great scenery, but I saw none of it. I was fully focused on the ride. Great motoring experience. As we coasted into the first gas station we'd seen in 96 miles, Darrell ran out on '03. After fueling up, we took a leisurely trip into Hollister for some Ice Cream (and settled for McDonalds McFrozen Goopy Stuff with chunky junk mixed in) and a half our break to rest our, ah, saddle sore rumps. We saw Corbin as we left town (they were closed) The final run was back over Pacheaco Pass on H152. We passed the I5 and toured through Los Banos. Then a left at the 59 up into Merced. We wrapped it up Merced at about 9:00pm - that's 12 hours of riding and just over 525 (hot, twisty) miles. Probably a little too much for one day. | |