Reggie's World 2011 - Convergence 1-22-11

Well, I know what you're thinking... It's been almost a week, how can Reggie have not been riding yet?

Truth be told, I have. And this time I had help.

So grab your keyboard, throw on your lid and get ready to ride. Ok, ok, get ready to read (pronounced REED) and gawk at a few pics.

Let's introduce the cast for today's escapade:

Todd aka Highjnx came down from Seattle just to see what the hell I've been rambling about all this time.

Left - Bob aka Leftcoast and Bill came up from Nipomo (a few miles south of where I live).

William - From South Africa but now lives a few miles north of me.

And finally me, Reg71 - Atascadero, Ca, our gathering point.

Bob and I were to be the only VFR riders and as such it was our responsibility to keep the pace such that the Aprilia and 2 beemers could keep up. They did so quite well, and we were sure to tell them how shiny their bikes were often. (this is a necessary tactic when folks are riding on those European bikes.)

Today was a shakedown run of a possible route for the R3 coming up this year. FYI - R3 is new abbreviation for Reggie's Roadhouse Roundup (naming by Derstuka in 2008 and shortened to ease typing. After several requests, I dropped the SLO naming because we are actually located in Atascadero rather than San Luis Obispo or SLO even though we are in SLO county.

Unfortunately, I just don't think this route will work for the purposes of R3-2011. It's just too long. We ended up just a little shy of 350 miles all said and done, and let's face it, that's a tough day for guys who have to ride in one day, then ride all day in the twisties, then back home the next day and ride home. But, on the plus side, we all had a great time. We also snapped a few pics for you.

We began on Hwy 41 and headed away from the water instead of towards as you might expect. We headed out to Creston, CA then stopped for a quick recap of the first 10 miles. Some comments were "perfect road" and "nice" and we were barely out of my driveway. From there we went on 229 as I always have to take new people there. It is a great little stretch of road, and is fairly famous around here. Even though it was a weekend, we didn't see anyone else there. Those of you who haven't seen it, here is an older thread with several pics: http://vfrworld.com/forums/usa-west/6772-hwy-229-pics.html
We were having too much fun riding so didn't bother with pics. Even though it was Saturday, I don't remember seeing another bike until sometime later, on Hwy 58. Some of the comments on Hwy 229 were "F$%ckin Amazing" and "Horrible" spoken in sarcastic tone. I believe it was at this point Highjnx asserted this was some of the best riding he had seen, and we were still less than 20 miles from my house. By this time, I think we had seen 3 or 4 cars out.

On to Hwy 58. We finally started snapping the occasional pic here so I'll try and guess where they were, but for the most part, all I can say is "somewhere on hwy 58 heading east toward McKittrick. Temps were in the mid 60s and it was pretty clear so it was an average day.


William on the silver Beemer and Bill on the Aprilia. (make sure you tell them how shiny)


Bob on the Y2K.


And Todd riding sweep on Bob's big Beemer. K something or other...


A stop on Hwy 58 to take off long gloves and neck warmers and such as the temp came up. 42 miles in. Todd's comment at this point "Holy F%ck!" He seemed to be smiling a lot also. I guess he's just a happy guy.


William and Bill still on Hwy 58. We are in the first portion of it. It kind of climbs up and through broad sweepers, then in the middle there are some long straights including a section called the roller coaster (named for the hills that jump you up and down quickly), and then you climb up even further and then over a small mountain range through some more twisties. Kind of broad arcing corners on the inside, and tighter technical stuff coming down the backside.


Bill with me starting to catch up from behind. Still on Hwy 58. Sometime after this I got past Bill and was farting around apparently not judging well and almost lost the ass end on a 90 degree flat right hand turn. I felt it start to slide and thought I lost it, but then the tires caught again and I let out of the throttle and let the bike stand itself up a bit and drift over to the outside. I was still a little fast so I went ahead and let it coast off into some soft dirt to slow me a bit before getting back on the throttle and riding again. It was a bit hairy for a sec, but then it was fine. Bill happened to be right behind me, and I think he's still trying to figure out how in the hell I stayed up!

Just after that we hit the roller coaster. I am very aware of those hill so I kept my speed below 110 as that's liftoff speed for my bike. Bob misjudged and actually got both wheels off a tiny bit incresing his pucker factor for a few miles, but he managed.


William on Hwy 58.


And Todd in the same spot but with a different camera view.


Me trying to sign "Are you hungry?" to Bob who is too busy to answer cause he's got a camera in his hand.

We cut off Hwy 58 at Reward Rd and caught a few extra twisties, but the road was a bit rougher. Todd intersting enough liked this section of road the best at this point. I guess that big beemer soaked up those bumps better than my Penske which is set pretty stiff.


Lunch break. I had always wanted to try this place and now I have. How is it you ask? Meh. About like any other diner really.



The guys recapping the ride so far and waiting on some grub a dub dub. William escaped the camera somehow increasing my level of suspicion of him being a vampire. I only have pics of him riding and he of course has a helmet. I'm going to have to see if he shows up in my mirrors next time we ride. Oh, and bring garlic.


Hwy 33 heading south.

Just after lunch we headed on down to Taft and topped off the tanks. We were right at 100 miles so far and having a good time.


Me sitting on the side of the road after turning off Hwy 33 onto Cerro Noestre or something like that headed toward Frazier Park.


The view I was looking at when the last pic was taken of me on the side of the road.


A little further in I had to stop and snap another pic...oh, and recycle some water back into the hillside.


We rode on through Frazier Park and up to the top (on this side anyway) of Mt Pinos. There were tons of people on this dead end road. They were all up there playing in the white stuff. we took this pic for those of you who have this stuff all around you right now. See we have it, we just keep it over there in the mountains and go over there if we want to see it.

From there we headed back down and kept going until we found Lockwood Valley Rd and headed right. Now this road was pretty fun except for the sun stabbing me directly in the eyes, and my bike had been running more and more weird after the last fill-up. It was almost as if it was starving for fuel and would start to die, but then catch up and run ok. The higher the RPM the better it ran. Anyway it made for interesting turn when it would bog in a turn then kick in like a powerband from a two stroke.


Bob somewhere on Lockwood Valley Rd.


William sitting by me on BMW and Todd coming around curve on BMW.


Me on Lockwood Valley putting my bike back together after I discovered that my plug into the computer had come loose after I had disconnected my powere commander at the top of Mt Pinos trying to diagnose the weird engine probs.


All of us at the intersection of Hwy 33 and Lockwood Valley Rd. Getting ready for the last leg. Prob around 200 miles in or so by now. Hundreds of curves gone by and prob close to a hundred or so to go. Starting to get more tired and riding much easier. All except Bill who never seems to tire, he just keeps going.


That's where we are headed. Way off in the distance after some curves through the side of those hill on the right, we'll hit some crazy long straights where I usually go 100+. But, the way the bike is running, I'm keeping it under 80 and not too long after getting into the high speed area, I spot the first LEO I have seen today. Good thing I was only doing 80ish. I just roll off the throttle a little and keep cruising. I am doing 75 when I meet him, but out here in the middle of nowhere, even though the limit is prob 55 or 65, he doesn't even bat an eye. He has bigger fish I suppose.

We keep on and then catch 166 and head west back towards Nipomo where Bill, Bob, and Todd head off. Now 166 is Todd's new favorite stretch of road. It's perfect for a slightly bigger bike as it is loaded with high speed sweepers. We're talking easily 100+ mph curves and smooth roads. The only prob is I pretty much always see at least one LEO. Now since we had just seen one on Hwy 33 you'd think you were safe, but there was another headed towards us, but he already had someone on the side so we just kept cruising. My fuel light starts flashing at about 30 miles from Hwy 101. Too late to turn back now. I try to take it easy, but the way my bike has been running, it's gonna be close. Bill heads off to play in the sweepers while the rest of us just kind of flow with it going slightly faster than traffic but staying away from trip digs.

We finally catch back up to Bill at the on-ramp for Hwy 101 and I ask for the nearest fuel. He tells me six miles and which exit and I head straight there. I pull off at said exit and the light is red. My bike dies, I'm dry. Damn! So close. I push the bike across from the left hand to right hand lane then catch the downhill from the on-ramp to coast into the station and fill up! 5.25 gal. The first time I have ever run out on the VFR.

Well, William and I headed on back north threading our way through the traffic whilst the other guys headed home to tell each other lies. All in all it was a good day. I'm always happy to take someone new out on the roads around here. To see that look of discovery in their eyes that I get ever time I find a new road is a fun thing.

Oh, BTW, I have SLOVFRs bike in my garage and he never rides it so if someone want's to fly out to go riding, let me know. (tee hee. let's see how long it takes him to read this post.)

As always, thanks for stopping by in Reggie's World. You may now wipe off the drool from your keyboard.

 

Could be the dent you put in firestone-walkers reserve stock. I have heard that can cause memory lapses. Oh on a side note, terri mentioned she might be up for a trip out to visit you guys as you live close to one of her favorite places. Not that I'm inviting myself but hint hint...

 

No prob. If you get a chance to come down again, there are a lot more routes I have that I think you'd like.

 

FYI: I have been informed bill's bike is a triumph. Now that bob mentioned it I remember that but when I was writing, I completely forgot. My bad.