Semi broken down in Joshua Tree / made it!

[nashopolis]

Howdy guzzi town, 

I was planning to do a detailed ride report for you all but things have been crazy from the get go and I go to behind on my writing.

You can find the first installments her though if you wants to read my tale.
https://link.medium.com/EqOrSRI1FW

From Joshua Tree today



Basic story for
I picked up a 74 Eldorado Sidecar rig sight unseen  to ride from Napa back to Nashville TN crazy fun or just plain crazy.

Things have been exciting!  It’s been a lot of fun but I’ve been fixing this and that enroute and taxing my limited  mechanical brain power. No big deal so far (I’ve be very lucky to be able to fix or find what I need)  but its eating up a lot of time and I over estimated my potential speed on the the rig ( it’s a windings out around 65-70 and often much lower depending on grade and winds.

Sidebar
My pregnant wife got rear ended the other day and ended in the hospital for the day,  all is okay but suddenly a leisurely trip across the country fixing a guzzi along the way, seeing friends doesn’t seem like that much fun. 

I’m in Joshua tree right now
I was planning to head back to Long Beach to leave the bike with Mark at Moto Guzzi Classics where I have a shipper lined up in a few weeks.  But the front brakes went out again tonight  ( disks) and I am dreading LA traffic for the third day in a row.  Did I mention this rig tops out around 65mph. 45 on hills!?

Looking for other options.  Mark has been great, helped me once already after hours and been super supportive,  but I gotta get there by 3pm Friday or I’ll miss that boat til next week.

PS MG Classics is an awesome place. So many Loop Frames I was in heaven!

Anyone in the area got other ideas or best times to attack LA from this direction?
I’m going to try to rebleed  the brakes when it’s light again and see if that will get me there. But the slow air cooled bike and LA traffic are a terrible combo. I feel like killing the bike creeping in traffic for miles and miles.

Also considering
Uhaul - if I can find a way to load the sidecar.
Towing - that’ll be crazy expensive

Other options
I was thinking about calling Cycle Garden in the am and see what they say. Indio is much closer and not LA though either way I gotta get back to LA for my flight.

Thanks
Bryce

[Chuck in Indiana]

Signal Hill, where Mark is.. is *not* LA. Still, there will be plenty of traffic. The best time for traffic in that area is from 10-2 during the day. There is not nearly as much at night, but that comes with it's own set of problems. I was in LA traffic with a sidecar once. I told myself to not even think about doing it again if I lived through this.
Mark's a really good guy, and will help you all he can. Sorry, that's all I have..

[Tom]

+1 with what Chuck says about Mark.  The speeds that you're hitting sounds about the same for my Eldo/Watsonian hack.

[nashopolis]

Thanks to all.  Happy to report I was able to rebleed the brakes in the parking lot where I was staying and make it back down from Joshua tree underneath my own power to MG Classics. Those high desert winds are crazy! I’d easily drop to 40-45 when they hit me.  Found a nice big RV to tuck in behind down 62 and that got me past most of the crazy wind tunnel  stuff.  I miraculously hit no serious traffic on the way to Long Beach.  What a difference a few hours makes in traffic here. 

Glad to hear my new to rig is on par with your Watsonian Tom.  It is set up really well - and tracks great at all speeds.  kudos to the previous owner on that.

Front caliper has a leaking oring and a jammed piston.  Bike is waiting. To get shipped back to Nashville.

At the speeds I was making the prospect of riding all day to get straight home instead of stopping to see the sights wasn’t appealing.  I’m going to try it again either on a faster bike or when I don’t have as many reasons to be home staring at me. 

I’m really excited about my first loop frame though.  It’s been a dream for long time.

Feel like I need to add a solo civilian to the team now....

I’ll post a link to the rest of my travel report as soon as I finish it. 
Thanks as always for the backup

[oldbike54]

  Thanks for reporting in .

 Dusty

[Cruzerdog]

hang in there   ... wish I could help  from Nor Cal   ...

I say jump on U ship and post  request  .. you should be able to hook up some rigs going east on that road.. 

I can post it for you if you give me the details    --- my cell is 916-764-0700     

FYI  I missed buying that rig by a day...  and I really didn't need it  .. but it sure is cool  .

[Cam3512]

If anyone can sort out that bike, Mark can.  Smart move leaving it with him.  Good luck!

[Cruzerdog]

so whats up ?  hope all is well

heres some pics of his rig  when I looked at it

[nashopolis]

Thanks Cruzerdog
I appreciate the offer
I’ll see what Uship has going never used it before. Have a few quotes from bike specific haulers

Hopefully it’ll have fun down south with me !

[Chuck in Indiana]

What a difference a few hours makes in traffic here. 

That's why I posted when to get there. 


Hey! A Muffler Man that I haven't seen. Where does he hang out?

[nashopolis]

Howdy Chuck - yep 10-2 is the sweeter spot in the greater LA area as is lane splitting! I also decided I was a hov approved vehicle and ducked in that when I needed to.  Honestly not sure if bikes are hov since most everyone was splitting lanes and making me sad.

! Muffler man - he’s in Joshua Tree near the park entrance at a new joint in an old gas station called The Station.

I’m always on the look out too! I hear the company is back in production.  Also if you every visit Instagram look for @americangiants they repair them and document the big guy’s locations.

Working on my ride report. I’ll post up soon. 
I’m already looking for more!  I think I’d like to try this as a solo bike at least for awhile - unless a find a cheap one in the vicinity of nashville..  It’d be great to find some bigger panniers and maybe a rear rack.

Mark had what I consider the perfect loop frame (for looks at Least) in the shop.  Have a new goal! Oh my! I think i’ll Enjoy this one for awhile!

[Chuck in Indiana]

I have pix of muffler men from all over the country. I used to kind of make it a reason to go for a ride. There are several in the midwest.
Yes, your motorcycle is ok for the HOV lane. You don't have to pay on the toll roads either. Lane splitting is a wonderful thing. 

Mark had what I consider the perfect loop frame (for looks at Least) in the shop.  Have a new goal! Oh my! I think i’ll Enjoy this one for awhile!

The black one? Pretty tasty..