thebaldgeek

As we took loads from the apartment to the house, I began to notice just how much of a slope the driveway at the new place has.
I was thinking ‘Hmm, thats going to be unfun going down that backwards on the bike’.
Yesterday was the first time out, and it was a little bit of a hand full, but we went straight down and it sort of worked. The problem with going straight down is that you then have to push backwards hard to get it up onto the road.
This morning I thought I would try going diagonal, that way, I would be going at the road at an angle.
Well, angle is right, the right leg is a little short to the road, so, yep, you guessed it, over she went.
Blah. And because it fell to the right, I had to lift it up hill to get it back on its feet. Not a nice lift when going that way. Now I know why I had heard so many stories of guys spinning them on the mounts so you lift it from the easy way……….
Anyway, no damage done (to the bike) and I will continue to experiment on how to get out of the garage….. watch this space.

We got Terry his gun parts, totally underwhelmed with the whole ‘Black Friday’ sales thing. There are about 10 things on sale in the whole shop, we went to two different shops and it was the same deal in both. Mind you, there were zillions of people and they had shopping carts piled high of things that were not on sale, so, once again, I am left baffled by this country and its citizens.

As threatened, Amy and I went for a ride.
As usual, she requested corners.
As usual, I suggested Palomar.
As usual, she said no. (Her reason was that she had done that one already).

We ended up going the 60 miles (96km) to Palm Springs.
At the end of the desert run, there are some absolutely gorgeous corners as you descend into the valley floor where Palm Springs gulps water and pretends to be livable.
The run out is not so bad, had totally forgotten that you spend a lot of it on a plateau, as a result, its not exactly warm. To say we froze our butts off, is a major under-statement.
Anyway, other than heaps of traffic, the run out was fine. As you get near the decent, the view perks up remarkably. I need to take some video of the ride, or photos from the bike, there are very few places to stop safely and take photos.
Its a like a moon scape, there is almost nothing growing, there are huge rocky mountains as far as the eye can see. In the distance there was a huge mountain that had a cap of snow, below the peak was the cloud line, it was one of those WOW moments.
The bike, as usual, was super smooth. Both Amy and I commented on how quite and smooth it was at different times. I have no idea what a ‘magic carpet ride’ would be like, but I suspect that the bike is a pretty close first.
The trance was pumping out the speakers, Amy and I really like listening to it that way. We have the intercom on, and the CD playing out the speakers. Amy tells me that she gets a nice thump thump in the arms and back from the beat from the rear speakers. (Speaking of speakers, Opto are going to give every one a $100 gift voucher. I am going to get one for Wal Mart (its there or Cost Co) and buy the speakers I have been eyeing off for a while. They are Pioneers, should be a really good upgrade from the standard Honda ones. Im pretty excited about it as I was not expecting it, and it means I dont have to spend any of the money I have been saving for the lights. I am really looking forward to getting a garage, and over a few nights swaping out the speakers).
Its really hard to describe how nice it is to be floating along, trance music blaring, chatting to your daughter while passing through some of the most amazing senary you have ever seen…… Pitty we were both shivering from the cold…… Like Amy said, we had a great ride and learn’t something (I already knew, but had dismissed).

So, the corners. Yes, it was worth the run out. We slipped past the last car, and let the bike have its head. Oh wow. Its like its on rails. Cranked over, but still doing about 60mph (95kph) it just floats around the huge sweepers that take you down to the desert floor. They almost go around 360 degrees, so you get time to really feel and enjoy the corner. A very short straight, and you are into the opposite sweeper. There are tight ‘S’s between rock cutouts and fish hook turns that have you down a gear. Its about 7 miles of face splitting smiles.
Amy really loves the corners, shes hooting and laughing as we flip from corner to corner. She knows to sit still, so you can dial the bike in and not have it do anything unexpected as the weight on the back does not wiggle around. Its a pleasure thats hard to compare with anything else.

We got to the bottom. Stopped and stretched our legs for a bit, tried to get warm, gave up, got back on the bike and did it all again.

120 miles, (193km’s), every one of them a joy. I really do need to get out on the bike more often (I have ‘missed’ three months of after work rides (AWR), and it shows, I need to set myself the clear goal of going once a month no matter HOW I feel (cause no matter how I feel, I can be sure that it will be a lot better when I get off the bike after a few hours)).

Thanks for saying ‘No’ to Palomar Amy. It was a fantastic ride. Thanks for sharing with me and the still as yet un-named bike.

Its hard to call it work…… Its so much fun, Im surprised that its legal.
Well, Ok, thats probably pushing it, but I have to say, I have not even really started, but I am really enjoying my job as a docent at Mount Palomar Observatory.
One of the really good things about the ‘job’ is the super commute.
I take the bike every chance I get…….and here’s why;

Click here for a 1024×768 (114kb) version, and here for the full resolution version (4mb).
(I put the smallest version in (32kb) the blog so my Dad would not cop a big download on his satellite internet….. Hi Dad!).

How did I get said photo you may well ask……. As it happens, the road up to Mount Palomar is so popular with the bikes that different photographers park themselfs on the side of the road and take photos of pretty much everything heading up or down.
I pulled over after seeing him, and got his business card. It lead me to his web site, jpimagery.com and from there, you just select the date you were there and buy your photos.
Somewhere out there in Internet land, there is another photo of me from trip up the day after Labour Day, I plan on stopping at every one I see and get their card to try and find that photo.
I also want to get one of me scraping the pegs, Amy tells me that sparks come off it when I do, I am interested in seeing if you can see said sparks during the day (she saw them in the night from my last after work ride way too long ago).

I hope to get the lights updated soon to HID (More on that when it happens) and also there is a small chance I might be able to get a tire pressure monitor. I am really excited about all that, but am also trying to calm myself down, as, beleive it or not, both upgrades look like they are going to come from Australia. (A topic for a future blog). It could take some time, but hopefully before the end of the year.

I am planing to take my first after work ride in the dark tomorrow night…… more on that no doubt in the next few days……..

Got to love long weekends!
Two rides in two days! (Thanks Stacey and Freddy).

I figured since I did my Monday ride on Sunday, I would try and do a ride that I had slated for an AWR, but had run out of daylight for this year.
The Rim of the World, no really, that’s what its called!

Its a straight 50 minute shot up the 215 freeway to get to the start of it. We left at 10 past 8, so there was not much traffic. This was good. You may not twig, but this was my first time on an LA freeway on the bike…….. More some other time. Perhaps.

The entree is all uphill sweepers. Nothing flash road wise, but the view. Wow. Before long (like in about 15-20 minutes) you are at 5000 feet, and the view back into the valley is amazing.
We took a left turn and went around Lake Arrowhead.
If I had to pick somewhere to retire, this would be it.
Its the most beautiful little town and lake. Tall trees, amazing homes cool summers and feet of snow each winter. I will take Freddy back on this ride, I know she will love it. Perhaps I will have the video camera working by then……
Anyway, trust me, its a beautiful town with a really nice feel to it.
From there, you get back on the Rim of the World Scenic Byway and its hard not to smile. The views are amazing.
The high school is well named. Terry has decided that it would be ok for us to move up there if we needed to on the condition he can go to that school.
Into Big Bear. Meh, its very touristy, big, and for some reason the lake is not as spectacular as Arrowhead.
Anyway, the road really gets going after Big Bear.
The photos dont go close. On the way down, the best views, we just could not find a spot to pull over and take some photos, so you just got to trust me when I tell you the views and road are just amazing.
Corner after corner Terry and I would just burst out with ooo’s and ahhhhrrrr’s. There was a bit of traffic, so the bike could not get its head of steam up, which is just as well, as the view would have been missed.
On the road I set a new personal altitude record. 8460 feet. Thats 2.578 km’s!!!!!
I have no idea how, but I plan to go back on a new moon weekend and see what the stars are like from from up there. Im guessing they will be pretty good! There are a few camp grounds, so thats my best bet. Tent or RV. See how we go.
Once off the mountain, its a hot desert run home.

Great ride. Glad that Terry came, and he is too.
Was not a ride ride like Monday, but it was a pretty day out. I am looking forward to taking Freddy back over the exact same route some Sunday (soon, before it gets cold and snowy, although that would be nice to see) soon.