Rumpy plays hooky and rides to the NV border and back

[rumpofsteelskin]

Decided to see what touring on this thing (to WY starting the 15th) will be like, so I left EEEARLY (11 AM ) and headed over the Bay Bridge, up 80, then started East on rt. 4.

By the time I got to Stockton, I was ready to abandon the bike and the Aerostench and throw myself in the nearest irrigation canal. It was so fucking hot. Some town I went through after Stockton had a bank with a temperature display thingy that said it was exactly 100 degrees. Fuck that! Give me altitude NOW!

Broke off 4 & went up to 36, then rejoined 4 in Angel's Camp (I looked for angel, but I think she was riding). Temperatures were much better by now, only about 75 or so. Took 4 to 89 to 50 near Tahoe to 80 in Sacramento (hot again), then went lickety-split back to SF and the wonderful freezing temperatures and fog we enjoy here. Ahhhh. I'm going to sleep with my head out the window tonight.

Not sure what the total mileage for the day was, since my tripmeter says 318 but I reset it the first time I got gas. Prolly around 400.

Note to self: get polarized visor, proper panniers, and a riser bar.

Here are some cruzerists I encountered somewhere alont rt. 4. Yes, that's their gear. The bald guy's shirt shows dogs playing poker, though, so that's something.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Bike, rt. 4.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

More rt. 4. By now I'm just enjoying myself way too much. Great road, light traffic, and completely inspiring surroundings.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

The bike was running like crap at this point because of the altitude. I had fun pretending it was a v-twin as it gargled and snapped during downshifts.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

For much of its length through Stanislaus National Forest, rt. 4 is actually a wide-ish 1-lane road. This wasn't usually a problem for me, but I'd hate to drive a car here 'cause you do meet the odd RV coming in the other direction.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Coming down from the Pacific Grade Summit. Lots of hairpins and tricky stuff, but the road is in excellent condition with nary a pothole or even a crack. They must've resurfaced it within the past 3 years or so.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

View of Stanislaus National Forest, facing South from rt. 4.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Coming up 89 toward 50, about 20 miles from Tahoe. Last pic, 'cause after gassing up in Meyers I beelined it for home.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

dang, beat me to the passes because I am too much of a slacker

We should set up a group thing sometime

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

We should set up a group thing sometime

See my PM. I didn't bother notifying anyone 'cause I assumed everyone would be working - chumps.

 

[elbacalao]

We should set up a group thing sometime

Yeah Morgan I would have gone with ya! Let me know if you go again, if I'm free, I'd go.

 

[machete]

Yeah Morgan I would have gone with ya! Let me know if you go again, if I'm free, I'd go.

+1 on that. pm me if you get an itch to ride out like that again. i only work 3 nights a week.

i'm riding out on the 17th of Aug. to Toronto. which way you headed on your trip?

glf

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

+1 on that. pm me if you get an itch to ride out like that again. i only work 3 nights a week.

i'm riding out on the 17th of Aug. to Toronto. which way you headed on your trip?

glf

Toronto, eh? Wow - that's a haul. Yeah, feel free to join in for as long as you want. I was planning on leaving on Aug 15th, but since there's safety in numbers, I could postpone a few days.
Here's the proposed route so far (3rd post). You can see that my trip yesterday was basically following the route I hope to take on my way to Ely, NV. However, others have told me that highway 50 has less traffic than rt. 6, so I'm considering going up to 50 from 4 via 89, same as yesterday.

 

[Rider1Deep]

I want to join on a ride.. .maybe i can meet you guys in Stockton along the way? Let me know please.

 

[deaconblues]

Rumpy - once you get past reno/carson city on 50, it'll get HOT again... recommend that you take a camelback, fill it with a litre of cold water at EVERY gas stop, and drink it! a soaked bandanna or doo-rag also helps.

Fill ups are avail at Fallon, Cold Springs(?), Austin, Eureka, and Ely. If your bike does better than 110 miles per tank you'll have no problems.

also, there's a cop or two that hang out outside of Austin NV. Slow to the speed limit at least 5 miles out of town, if not more, or you'll get tagged (according to the locals) and you may as well use the same tactic going thru Eureka as well.

Late afternoons, expect some possible scattered/isolated rainclouds to form, esp around Ely.

Between Eureka and Ely sections of the road has recently been 'resurfaced' - fresh oil and gravel, bleh! It'll probably be clean by the time you hit it... but it's good to know beforehand.

one last thing. if you see something that looks like muddy water or largish black pebbles on the road, SLOW DOWN. Those are Mormon crickets, and if they're swarming, they'll be extremely slippery to ride thru.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

I want to join on a ride.. .maybe i can meet you guys in Stockton along the way? Let me know please.

OK, but only if we don't stop in Mordor ("Stockton") for longer than 93 seconds, or only if it's during the pre-inferno hours of the day.

Gosh - it seems like people are actually interested in, like, riding and stuff. PM me if you can do it next Monday or Tuesday and, if at least one person can make it, I'll post a general notice in the Group Rides forum.

Could also make it an overnighter and take a slab-less route home the next day. I'd like to try a trip with my tent & crap on the bike to see what it's like.

 

[zefflyn]

Why don't you take me next time, too? I'll ride on the back and keep my hands to myself, I promise.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Rumpy - once you get past reno/carson city on 50, it'll get HOT again...
...

Between Eureka and Ely sections of the road has recently been 'resurfaced' - fresh oil and gravel, bleh! It'll probably be clean by the time you hit it... but it's good to know beforehand.

...

Cool - yeh, I encountered some interesting road repair on an early section of 4, too - piles of gravel strewn across the entire road for about 1/4 mile. Couldn't believe it at first - "no, that can't be...oh, great..." pocketypocketypockety...

Thanks for the tips.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

Do you want to do a ride over Senora or Tioga Pass this weekend? We could do a day thing or stay overnight at one of the hotels in Hawthorne, NV. We can talk about it at the P&W tonight, i assume you will be there.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Do you want to do a ride over Senora or Tioga Pass this weekend? We could do a day thing or stay overnight at one of the hotels in Hawthorne, NV. We can talk about it at the P&W tonight, i assume you will be there.

Riding...on a weekend? That kinda ruins the fun, what the all the autosapiens in the way. Take Monday or Tuesday off, Wazzu, and we'll rip it slightly (as opposed to tearing it up).