Sunday, January 17, 2010
Ride to Ojai, Hiway 33 and Frazier Park
Saturday Morning 01-16-2010 started with meeting Ken at Denny's and as I rode into the parking lot there was Charlie and Johney as well. Turns out Charlie was just meeting with us before a trip to Wrightwood but made for a nice little meeting with the 4 of us. We rode over to the Best Buy parking lot and met up with Luis and Minita on their V-Star 1300. I have it all mapped out so off we go with me in front, and Johney as tail-gunner. We arrive in Ojai and Johney takes the point. Highway 33 out of Ojai is a serious road for motorcycles especially the sport bike riders. If you are bored with Ortega Hwy then this is the road for you.
Everything goes quite well, although at one of the early tight curves I did need to lean more than I had anticipated as the road tightened up and it's good to know I did not panic or do something dumb and just pushed on the bar and rode it out. This is not a road to let your mind wander or lose concentration as we soon find out.
There are a couple tunnels and then it opens up into a wide valley area for a couple miles.
Inside a tunnel.
At the turn-off to Lockwood Valley Rd. first johney turns, then I follow with Luis and Minita right behind me, but I hear a strange scrapping noise and there's a horn blowing so we pull over. Ken is down in a heap on the curve onto Lockwood. There is gravel there and I noticed it when I made the turn. We run back and a motorist in a truck has stopped and Ken is sitting on the road with the bike facing sort of back where he came from. Some sport bikers come up and offer help and we get the bike upright and I start it to move off the road.
Ken is helped up and seems in fairly good shape due to wearing a heavy jacket and the engine guard did it's job as well. There is not a scratch on the windshield, muffler or even the engine guard, but the right mirror is gone and right foot peg on the guard is gone also. Scratches on his saddlebag, and broken right grip plus it's tweaked and needs loosening and moved up.
It's rideable and Ken says he can continue so after a thorough check on him and the bike, off we go with some extra care and concern for how he is doing.
Johney and I run back and snap a couple pictures of the scene and discover a very fresh single skid mark giving us a possible indication of how it might have happened. We really are not sure what actually happened.
We stop in Frazier Park at a Mexican Restaurant for burrito and lunch of various selections.
We head back on the 5 Freeway to our home ports about 105 miles away. The return is uneventful including a quick stop at a Jack-in-the-Box and then home. Ken is having some pain put can keep going as long as he doesn't have to walk.
Hoping for a speedy recovery and quick repair to the V-Star 1300, Ken is a real trooper.
According to Johneys new Garmin NAV system Total miles traveled from Best Buy to his house is:302, Average moving speed: 50.7 MPH Total time on the road: 7.33 hours, Total moving time: 6.05 hours, Total stopped time: 1.27 hours ¶ 6:42 PM
Everything goes quite well, although at one of the early tight curves I did need to lean more than I had anticipated as the road tightened up and it's good to know I did not panic or do something dumb and just pushed on the bar and rode it out. This is not a road to let your mind wander or lose concentration as we soon find out.
There are a couple tunnels and then it opens up into a wide valley area for a couple miles.
Inside a tunnel.
At the turn-off to Lockwood Valley Rd. first johney turns, then I follow with Luis and Minita right behind me, but I hear a strange scrapping noise and there's a horn blowing so we pull over. Ken is down in a heap on the curve onto Lockwood. There is gravel there and I noticed it when I made the turn. We run back and a motorist in a truck has stopped and Ken is sitting on the road with the bike facing sort of back where he came from. Some sport bikers come up and offer help and we get the bike upright and I start it to move off the road.
Ken is helped up and seems in fairly good shape due to wearing a heavy jacket and the engine guard did it's job as well. There is not a scratch on the windshield, muffler or even the engine guard, but the right mirror is gone and right foot peg on the guard is gone also. Scratches on his saddlebag, and broken right grip plus it's tweaked and needs loosening and moved up.
It's rideable and Ken says he can continue so after a thorough check on him and the bike, off we go with some extra care and concern for how he is doing.
Johney and I run back and snap a couple pictures of the scene and discover a very fresh single skid mark giving us a possible indication of how it might have happened. We really are not sure what actually happened.
We stop in Frazier Park at a Mexican Restaurant for burrito and lunch of various selections.
We head back on the 5 Freeway to our home ports about 105 miles away. The return is uneventful including a quick stop at a Jack-in-the-Box and then home. Ken is having some pain put can keep going as long as he doesn't have to walk.
Hoping for a speedy recovery and quick repair to the V-Star 1300, Ken is a real trooper.
According to Johneys new Garmin NAV system Total miles traveled from Best Buy to his house is:302, Average moving speed: 50.7 MPH Total time on the road: 7.33 hours, Total moving time: 6.05 hours, Total stopped time: 1.27 hours ¶ 6:42 PM
