| Author | Message | ||
     Slaughter |
Jim, We were writing at the same time. Tomorrow if dry will definitely still be chilly. Hope to see you tomorrow. I'll be watching the weather but my run up to Tehachapi from here is pretty easy. If I don't hear anything from Ferris, I'll be making the long ride to Harley's. Funny how I can live 10 miles from somewhere but it takes 120 miles to get there! Slaughter | ||
| Sparky |
Last Saturday on the ride back into Oceanside on SoCal Buell's BRAG ride, Roeland M., who lives up above Lake Elsinore, said that there are paved roads in the mountain range connecting Rancho California Rd (Temecula) with the Ortega Hwy (Elsinore area). Yea verily, as we were heading towards De Luz Rd on Rancho California Rd, he made a turn northward at some road on the mountain, waved us goodbye and disappeared into the twisties. So I says to myself, "Wow!", I says. "Here's a whole new uncharted (to me at least) set of twisties to explore." If true, this has got to be one of the best kept secrets in all of SoCal. I've always hated having to take the 15 from Temecula, get off at Central & troll thru Elsinore just to get to the Ortega. Has anyone done this Rancho Calif Rd to Ortega Hwy gig and, if so, can they name the series of roads? (and Ferris thought I've ridden all the roads...)  Sparky | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Slaughter, you're thinking tomorrow? I thought we were heading to Harley's & Willow Springs on Sunday?  Funny you mention sliding your tires. I just finished reading A Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code. On sliding Keith says (I'll paraphrase) that if you aren't sliding your tires then they are too sticky. He also says you should learn how to slide your tires and control the slide to further your riding skills. Certainly this is getting into an area that is probably quite aggressive for street riding, but I feel there is some truth in what Keith says. So after I run through the BT-010's I just bought I'm going to go back to a sport-touring tire with less grip and see if I can learn to slide the bike a little at a time. I'm serious about this. Side benefit is my tires will probably last longer! Sparky, good job scoping out roads. Now shhh.... Let's keep that info. off the Yamaha/Honda lists. He he he... Sometimes I wish I could pull the 33 / Lockwood Valley / Cuddy Valley / Cerro Noroeste off of www.pashnit.com. Once too many folks know and ride them then they become like ACH.  Buellers only, please. Ferris, you're right of course on the QC issue. Castalloy, IMHO, has a QC problem they need to deal with ASAP. Buell does as well as Castalloy is their designated supplier! | ||
| Slaughter |
GACK!!! SUNDAY!!! I must have wound the spring on my calendar too tight! WE ARE TALKING SUNDAY - DEFINITELY! (sorry about that!) I am spending the day getting the bike ready today and my mind sorta went into the wrong schedule. Normally I set the bike up and check stuff out the day before... getting old is a b!tch. The bright side of getting old is being the youngest guy in the 50+ classes next year!! You are right about sliding though - I don't want to get TOO sticky a tire without a gradual break. All my reflexes are geared to K81's that I rode around on in mid-to-late '70s. The D205s feel a lot to me like my old K81 tires... just could use a touch more adhesion. I feel that I can use a tad more "stickiness" because I just can't roll on the throttle in a hard turn without breaking loose - not a big deal really but this is now the season where I hope to make at least a track day a month and I could use to get a bit more stickiness - the 205s just wouldn't really let me accelerate out of the turns much until the bike was more upright - sort of keeping a steady throttle throughout the turn... but they really are "sport touring" tires and aren't supposed to be ridden too hard anyways. I just don't want to wait so long and be exiting the turn before bringing on the throttle. | ||
| Slaughter |
SH!T Rain!!! I knew it was in the forecast but SH!T just the same... We'll see how it goes and what the forecast is tonight. Maybe do some phone tag first thing in the morning before rolling out if it looks wet tomorrow. | ||
| Ferris |
rain, rain, go away, get yer sorry, soggy self back up to the Specific Northwet where you frikkin' belong!!! 0915 Saturday: wayyy wet and still coming down here at Lake Isabella... FB | ||
| Ferris |
yikes! from Weather.com: Damp Southeast, wet & windy West Sat, Mar. 15, 2003 6:33 AM ET Betsy Abrams, Senior Meteorologist Forecast Summary, The Weather Channel West A vigorous system is moving onshore hitting California hard. Rain will continue to spread south into Southern California and a flood watch has been issued which includes Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. San Francisco has nearly received a half an inch of rain with more on the way. This afternoon there is a shot for severe weather with large hail and a few tornadoes possible in the San Joaquin valley as cold air moves in aloft, heating gets going at the surface and the air becomes unstable. The Sierra and Siskiyou Mountains are under winter storm warnings. Snow will be measured in feet in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, especially above 7000 feet. Over an inch of rain is likely today from the Central Valley south to the Los Angeles Basin with heavier amounts in the most favored hilly regions. Heavy surf advisories affect the entire West Coast, while gale and storm warnings stretch almost all the way south to near Santa Barbara. On Sunday the showery weather will continue along the Coast, with snow in the Cascades and the Sierra. Snow will also move into the Intermountain West. i just took a look at their national weather radar, and much of this storm is currently parked right above my garage door... FB | ||
| Ferris |
sheesh! ...KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS-INDIAN WELLS VALLEY- SOUTHEASTERN KERN COUNTY DESERT- 409 AM PST SAT MAR 15 2003 ...A HIGH WIND WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS FOR TONIGHT AND SUNDAY... WINDS IN FAVORED LOCATIONS OF THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 50 MPH TONIGHT AND CONTINUE SUNDAY. GUSTS OVER 80 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH AND BELOW FAVORABLY ORIENTED MOUNTAIN PASSES AND CANYONS. PEOPLE LIVING IN THE KERN COUNTY MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE THREAT OF STRONG WINDS...AND SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS THAT CAN BECOME AIRBORNE AND CAUSE DAMAGE OR INJURY. | ||
| Ferris |
i think this is taking the concept of Bad Weather Bikers just a bit too far... | ||
| Timbo |
It's coming down HARD here in Lakewood right now (11:09 am). Depending on who's forecast for Sunday I look at it's either cloudy, possible showers or showers in AM tapering off later. Hmmm...if it's still dumping wet stuff in the morning, I'll be sitting this one out guys. Timbo <---hates rain on the weekends | ||
| Jim_Sb |
The rain is finally letting up in SB. It's been pouring since about midnight. We're floating in it. According the the 600 mile Doppler radar the worst is past SB already. That's good news. Seems like the front is moving through faster than forecast. I just picked up my dented wheel with new BT-010 ($21 to mount and balance! Sheesh! I usually pay $10 - but my Indy HD guy is shut down with the flu today...). Gonna go slap it on the bike now. Timbo, we need to talk in the morning. Call my cell phone (I'll email it to you). We could try to meet at a gas station in Castaic (where you need to exit for Lake Hughes Road) then we can ride the last 25 minutes or so together. Wanna meet there at 9am? Takes me roughly an hour and a half to get there from here, so call me by 7am so we can sort it out, okay? Soggy Jim | ||
| Slaughter |
Blowing like a summbitch - horizontal rain here in Palmdale. Forecast is iffy. I am still planning on meeting Ferris in Tehachapi and will coordinate with him late today. Might just wait til first thing in the AM for a final decision. Dang the rain!!! I am BOTH Pissed on AND pissed off. Hope it looks like clearing tomorrow but somehow I think that unless the clouds break tonight and it looks like a guaranteed forecast for clear in the AM, I won't hold it against anybody for backing out. I hate rain AND wind AND cold and we might have all 3 tomorrow. Could be worse, could be racing! I'll still go to Harleys for Breakfast (only 15 miles from home) but if it's raining it'll be doggy style (on all fours). If it is not raining, Ferris and I will be joining up in Tehachapi and riding South from there | ||
| Ferris |
the rain has finally stopped here at Lake Isabella, and there's actually a little pocket of blue sky overhead. that's the good news. the bad news is that this is probably the leading edge of all the cold and wind and unsettled that's s'posed to be carving it's way thru in the next 24 hours. i concur with Jim -- the radar looks relatively clear to the west at the present. at this point i'm still "GO" for tomorrow, but agree with Steve we need to play it by ear 'twixt now and then. fingers crossed, FB | ||
| Jim_Sb |
Ferris / Slaughter, Matty won't be racing but he'll still be up at Willow tomorrow. If you need to get in touch with me in the morning look me up on Badweb's Rider Assistance Network. | ||
| Timbo |
Sounds good Jim, I'll call in the morning. | ||
| Slaughter |
Weather is starting to break here in Palmdale. Hope it does and that way the roads will be dry tomorrow. Maybe we'll do OK. | ||
| Jim_Sb |
The Ess Deuce is ready to roll on Ol' Denty. Although the rain stopped a couple of hours ago we've still got heavy mist and a juicy, low overcast. I bet it breaks by this evening. | ||
| Ferris |
raining again here, and ditto on the "juicy, low overcast". no wind at all...yet. watching, waiting... FB | ||
| Slaughter |
Partly Blue sky gave way to clouds again here. No rain though and the ground is drying... Knock on wood. We'll probably still want to contact each other first thing in the AM - regardless of how it looks tonight. (just in case) | ||
| Ferris |
well, we've emerged out the backside of the rain it seems, but there is still dark, ominous scud hanging on the mountaintops, and the "thunder-busters" that are inbound from the west are moving at a pretty good clip. also, the trees are starting to move aound a little bit, albeit gently so far, as the first winds of the day begin to rustle thru. the roads here in the valley are dry for the most part, altho i'm sure there are wet corners aplenty to be found out there. SO: if the conditions tomorrow morning are similar to what's out there right now, i'm on. Steve, how early can i call you tomorrow morning for a "GO/NO GO"? i'll need to be rolling by at least 0630 to safely make our rendezvous. FB  |
