I'm on two wheels
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A new Ride Road Captain for the Splinter Group
The best of the best-Wrinkle Riders!
He really should be wearing a bit more gear and I'm sure it will become apparent when he does his first ride in the group.
¶ 12:32 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
FRINGE MEMBER OF A SPLINTER GROUP
Meetings will continue to be Wednesday Flag Ceremony and Thursday fellowship for Splinters and fringees.
A previous splinter group was formed when the association started having only one official "Bike Night" but a group of members liked the idea of the weekly meeting so we just kept up the weekly schedule of meetings.
As of now, the first splinter group has generated a new "Splinter" organization to be called The Splinter Group, with everyone of motorcycle persuasion attending any of the previous functions to now be called Fringe Members (Fringees) if they so choose. These designations have been bestowed by our organization and are considered official pronouncements that can't be ignored. This is not any sort of negative reflection on the fine job done by our esteemed and brilliant leader but rather a recognition that the group has expanded and moved into a new dimension of enlightenment and splinterhood.
The Splinter Group leadership consists of fellow Fringe Members Johney as President and Founder, Tail Gunner & Ride Captain of this vibrant and potentially world-wide movement, along with Richard V. as Vice President. We have appointed all of the first group attendees as Vice Presidents in our new Splinter Group, but until they join up and agree to add their names to our roster will just state that there are about 7 potential members in line for possible appointments as Vice President Fringees, there will also be a Lady rider/member group known as Ladies of Fringe. Remember you have to be careful who you associate with.
If you wish to become a fringe member of this new "Splinter Group" a lengthy application process along with a physical exam and motorcycle skill review will not be needed, just show up.
If you wish to become a fringe member of this new "Splinter Group" a lengthy application process along with a physical exam and motorcycle skill review will not be needed, just show up.
Meetings will continue to be Wednesday Flag Ceremony and Thursday fellowship for Splinters and fringees.
A suitable patch to be added proudly to your vest will be available soon to announce your new association with The Splinter Group. This is in no way meant to replace or eliminate your valued membership in any motorcycle association, but should be considered an extra benefit that has been bestowed because of your steadfast association with other so called fringe members, and is our own private little joke!
¶ 10:18 PM 0 comments
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 0 comments
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 0 comments
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Over Ortega Hwy to Temecula 01-09-10
This was a fairly short ride considering we had to do a lot of chapter/charter reading details prior to getting out on the 5 freeway toward Route 74-Ortega Hwy. Total miles wound up at about 185 for the whole trip. Our ride leader is somewhat new and on a couple occasions while on the freeway, we moved over to the far right lane in preparation for our upcoming exit but it put us right in the path of oncoming traffic heading on to the freeway. I take issue with that as I don't want to be in the lane next to cars entering the freeway when we could have stayed in a lane or two over until after passing the on-ramp with heavy traffic. The trials of riding with larger groups I guess. There were no problems but still thought it might have been better handled.
Looks like S.T.A.B. or Start Trying All Brands may become our new alternate STAR chapter name as there were at least 4 Honda Gold Wings and 4 Harleys, 1 Victory Vision and possibly 1 or two other brands in the parking lot Saturday morning. That really is no problem at all but an indication that Yamaha may be falling behind the times by not keeping the styling and technology up to date with their big cruiser/Tourers. I'm still happy with my Road Star and would only buy another one if something happened to this one. Don't ask Chuck what he would do, he dumped the V-Star 1300 and bought a new Gold Wing.
Turns out this was probably my best ride through Ortega since I only really lost sight of the motorcycle in front of me one or maybe two times while heading downhill but I caught up fairly rapidly so I did not hold up the rest of the group very much at all. At least that's how I perceived the ride and I got no negative feed back from anyone as I had when in another ride leaders group-I just don't ride in his group any more.
Pictures will be up shortly...HERE IS A LINK TO PICTURES OF THIS RIDE ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF PICTURES OF THE ROSE PARADE FLOATS IN PASADENA, 1 DAY AFTER THE ROSE PARADE.
¶ 7:32 PM 0 comments
Looks like S.T.A.B. or Start Trying All Brands may become our new alternate STAR chapter name as there were at least 4 Honda Gold Wings and 4 Harleys, 1 Victory Vision and possibly 1 or two other brands in the parking lot Saturday morning. That really is no problem at all but an indication that Yamaha may be falling behind the times by not keeping the styling and technology up to date with their big cruiser/Tourers. I'm still happy with my Road Star and would only buy another one if something happened to this one. Don't ask Chuck what he would do, he dumped the V-Star 1300 and bought a new Gold Wing.
Turns out this was probably my best ride through Ortega since I only really lost sight of the motorcycle in front of me one or maybe two times while heading downhill but I caught up fairly rapidly so I did not hold up the rest of the group very much at all. At least that's how I perceived the ride and I got no negative feed back from anyone as I had when in another ride leaders group-I just don't ride in his group any more.
Pictures will be up shortly...HERE IS A LINK TO PICTURES OF THIS RIDE ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF PICTURES OF THE ROSE PARADE FLOATS IN PASADENA, 1 DAY AFTER THE ROSE PARADE.
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| ROSE-ORTEGA 1--9-10 |
