Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chuck in Indiana on April 13, 2019, 09:52:47 AM
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Two or three years ago, Guzzi Bob (RIP) led me up 33 north of Ojai for a bit. He said we wouldn't be able to get over the pass in Winter, but it was a good ride.
So. That went on my roads bucket. Also, as long as I've been coming to SoCal, I've never ridden the coast down from San Francisco.
Time to kill two birds with one Stone. Err.. MZ. :smiley: A Stone would have been a better tool for the trip. Running through miles of orange trees in bloom was a good start. Beats the hawg farms of Indiana.. :wink:
33 crosses the Sierra Madre mountains, and is twisty, rocky, and desolate.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7882/47599403251_c18c2ac9a8_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcofp)2019-04-13_07-33-45 (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcofp) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
After leaving the megapolis of Los Angles, it is a shock to *not see another vehicle* for miles. And miles.
Back later, time for breakfast..
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Sweet! :thumb:
Is CA-95 any fun?
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37 degrees here in Cheeseland. I'm green with envy.
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Sweet! :thumb:
Is CA-95 any fun?
Never have been on it. Sorry.
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37 degrees here in Cheeseland. I'm green with envy.
I saw the midwest was getting blasted again, especially Wisconsin and Minnesnowta. It's green here. :smiley: Mother Nature is healing herself from the widespread fires of last fall. :thumb:
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I'd waited a couple of days to leave, because the forecast said the 20-40 mph winds would abate on Wednesday. That didn't happen :grin: and the wind gusts could blow you off your line. :shocked: Oh, well. Fortunately, I had the sense to bring my Winter gear. Stopped here to put my liners in, and saw the first bikes of the trip through the mountains coming back from the summit. (bunch of sport bikes wailing with the wind at their back.)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7867/32656913417_ca28ef00e3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RKMdBk)2019-04-13_07-34-09 (https://flic.kr/p/RKMdBk) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
Made the summit..
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7909/32656916597_acee8af912_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RKMeya)2019-04-13_07-34-35 (https://flic.kr/p/RKMeya) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
and as far as I'm concerned, if you are ridingt 33, turn around and go back to Ojai. :smiley:
I was headed to SF, though, so had to get there somehow..hung a left at 166 and beat into the wind.
This lunch stop (ca. 1953) may not have been in the middle of nowhere, but you can see it from here. :smiley:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7832/47599410981_fe1f07f9f2_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcqxF)2019-04-13_07-35-38 (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcqxF) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
There's food, gas, beer, and dancing. It's the only place in at least 50 miles where you can get any of that. No doubt, that is why it's still in business.
To be continued..
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Ok time for bucket list road number two, so hit the 101 and cannonballed north for the rest of the day. Running 70-80 with a 30 know quartering headwind was brutal on an unfaired bike, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.. :smiley: 400 and some miles today.
After a well deserved rest overnight, I started down the coast. Stopped at Moss landing to see all the sea critters. There weren't any. <shrug> When in doubt, seek local knowledge. I asked a young couple that were putting on their wet suits where to go. She told me. :shocked: :smiley: No, actually she did. She leads kayak expeditions to see this stuff, so I back tracked and took a little sand road back. Fortunately, didn't fall off my 'sickle. "When in doubt, gas it.." Saw a sea otter laying on his back munching on a clam or something, and this herd of seals (no I don't know what kind) can't tell from this crappy cell phone picture..
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7925/47599415481_ab52d842fc_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcrTg)2019-04-13_07-36-17 (https://flic.kr/p/2fwcrTg) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
Much has been written about Big Sur, and I thought maybe it was over hyped. It isn't. Of course, you can't take pictures of this kind of stuff, especially with a phone.. but.. the road, engineering, and scenery is awesome. I know.. an overused term.. but stil..
Obligatory bike and bridge picture..
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7884/33722932278_20c2c2ce5c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TnYQSS)2019-04-13_09-19-40 (https://flic.kr/p/TnYQSS) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
For about 90 miles there is this
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7870/33722285848_be6931fb93_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TnVwHw)2019-04-13_07-32-42 (https://flic.kr/p/TnVwHw) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
and this
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7839/46875245904_2016e873e3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eqcTuU)2019-04-13_07-32-18 (https://flic.kr/p/2eqcTuU) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
and much more. It's a glorious road, and a red camero convertible was embarrassed with 35 horsepower. :evil: :grin:
Definitely worth the trip if anyone is on the fence about making it.
Spent all afternoon just riding, stopping, listening to the surf pounding, and being scooter trash.
Just be aware, gas and food
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7868/46875978094_ec8b123b45_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2eqgD9S)2019-04-13_09-33-36 (https://flic.kr/p/2eqgD9S) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
is scarce and expensive. (Not Guzzi content) :smiley:
This is the farthest south of the redwoods range..hiked around a bit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7863/32657674407_081e2800de_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/RKR7PR)2019-04-13_09-34-03 (https://flic.kr/p/RKR7PR) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
On the advice of PJP, stopped in an inexpensive motel (plan ahead, there are reallly expensive options) in San Simeon.
To be continued.. Dusty just called and said I was having too much fun for an Indiana boy.. :grin:
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:thumb:
Oh , you are having too much fun :bow:
Dusty
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Yes!! Well deserved ride in heaven there Chuck! Just perfect...
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Awesome, glad you get to do it Chuck! :thumb: Thank you for taking me to California on this cold Madison morning.
-Joe
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Just a couple more of the many photo ops. Actually, some of the best pictures couldn't be taken because there was no place to stop.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7926/33723193868_7482a4e87f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/To1bD3)2019-04-13_10-00-16 (https://flic.kr/p/To1bD3) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7835/33723171848_aa113fc881_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/To156o)2019-04-13_09-56-42 (https://flic.kr/p/To156o) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr
Where was I? Oh, I remember now. Needed gas for the machine, so ran down to Cambria, a cute little tourist trap, and fuel for the operator.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7819/47547240332_cc1f5f100c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2frA32J)2019-04-13_09-56-02 (https://flic.kr/p/2frA32J) by Charles Stottlemyer (https://www.flickr.com/photos/107188298@N06/), on Flickr :grin: :boozing:
Headed back to Redondo Beach in the morning. Passed an elephant seal rookery (sp?) No spell checker on this tablet.. but didn't stop. Too many cars.
The Skorpion was getting to be a bit peckish. Backfiring on closed throttle. Better take it to my local MZ dealer and get her tuned up. Oh.Wait.. :smiley:
Took 154 across the Santa Ynez mountains, a nice road to get away from the boring 4 lane. The rest of the trip was just droning down the interstates. Beat Google's time by 40 minutes. Lane splitting is a wonderful thing. :thumb: :smiley:
Thanks for following along. Hope you enjoyed it 1% as much as I did.
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Drove down Hwy 1 from Monterey to SLO once and been wanting to go back on a Guzzi ever since. Thank you for the reminder of how spectacular it is. Time to start checking off the bucket list rides because the way it looks I won't be getting any younger. :laugh:
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...so ran down to Cambria, a cute little tourist trap
Chuck, if the village of Cambria qualifies as a "tourist trap" to you, your head might just explode if you ever stop for "The Thing" in Arizona...
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Drove down Hwy 1 from Monterey to SLO once and been wanting to go back on a Guzzi ever since. Thank you for the reminder of how spectacular it is. Time to start checking off the bucket list rides because the way it looks I won't be getting any younger. :laugh:
The Grim Reaper casually mentioned that to me.. uh going on 4 years ago. :grin: I've been checking them off religiously..
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Chuck, if the village of Cambria qualifies as a "tourist trap" to you, your head might just explode if you ever stop for "The Thing" in Arizona...
:grin: :grin: Thanks for the warning, Daniel..
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Good work young Chuck.
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Thanks for the photo essay, Chuck. Been a while since I've been there. I used to live in LA and rode north to SF often, but never been oh hwy 33. Looks like a good one!
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What can I say? :thumb:
GliderJohn
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Wow. Thanks, I think. Makes me miss California beyond words. Glad you got to make the trip.
Moto
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RT 33 Ventucopa.
A must stop for local pistachios. Best ones I've ever tasted.....
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Lived in NORCAL (Pleasanton, CA) from 2006-2011 - - - As seen in these photos...some of the best motorcycle riding on the planet!! :thumb: :cool: :smiley: Thanks for sharing your memories, Chuckster!! :smiley:
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Thanks for the photo essay, Chuck. Been a while since I've been there. I used to live in LA and rode north to SF often, but never been oh hwy 33. Looks like a good one!
Well, it's "kinda" on the way.. and Guzzi Bob said I should do it. He was right, of course. Even Dusty has done it. "Oh, my.." :smiley:
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Keep 'em coming Chuck. :thumb: Enjoy the ride.
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:thumb: Nice!
Tom
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Well, it's "kinda" on the way.. and Guzzi Bob said I should do it. He was right, of course. Even Dusty has done it. "Oh, my.." :smiley:
I have in fact been everywhere :grin:
Dusty
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I have in fact been everywhere :grin:
Dusty
I have too, now. Wrote a song about it.. :smiley:
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:thumb:
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Highway 33, eventually to 58 from McKittrick is definitely on the 'mainstream motorcyclists' :grin: route north, then 101 to 1 on the coast if the hour is right for reduced traffic and moderate temps. The coast road to Carmel is generally either busy or freezing, take your pick.
I have vivid memory of 154 (San Marcos Pass) in 1984, a Suzuki Katana 1100 passing me at maybe 120 mph (I was chugging along at only 100 or so) with a girl in high heels on the back. Ride fast, take chances. Somehow we all ended up at Laguna Seca, plus or minus the odd fatality.
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Wonderful
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You don't see many MZ's around any more. I had an MZ Baghira for a few years. (They called themselves MuZ then) Fun bike, but when the U.S. distributor in Daytona threw in the towel, parts were hard to come by.
(https://i.ibb.co/10CV7SY/2001-MZ-gone-but-not-forgotton.jpg) (https://ibb.co/10CV7SY)
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You don't see many MZ's around any more. I had an MZ Baghira for a few years. (They called themselves MuZ then) Fun bike, but when the U.S. distributor in Daytona threw in the towel, parts were hard to come by.
(https://i.ibb.co/10CV7SY/2001-MZ-gone-but-not-forgotton.jpg) (https://ibb.co/10CV7SY)
Yeah, it's a shame, for they were a fine motorcycle. I found this one in very poor condition, abandoned. Cheap. (Guzzi content) A company in England bought the spares, and some came from there. Fortunately, my friend LA Kevin was given one just like mine. He wanted the engine/transmission for spares for his Baghira, and asked me if Iwanted the rest. Does Raggedy Anne have cotton boobs? :shocked: mine now has lots of parts from a 9K miles bike. It's a fine little canyon carver.. big Paioli forks, Yamaha race bike swing arm/monoshock, stiff chassis, etc.
It's er.. ok on a trip. We had a thread about "touring bikes" not too long ago. I said then, and still maintain that what you have will be a good touring bike.. so off we went. :smiley:
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(https://i.ibb.co/JkVJ6WK/DSCN1376.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JkVJ6WK)
Near where Thelma and Louise met fate. A bit warm though. On a 55 day trip across country with my daughter. My Tiger was the motorhome toad. I did have to turn back on the trail as no one else was up that early and when I was sinking below the rear caliper I was a bit worried with tems expected in the 110 range for the day
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I went to Zschopau a few years ago, the town where MZs were made. Most of the original DKW/MZ factory that once dominated the landscape is gone but in the center of the town is the castle which now serves as a museum. A couple of floors are related to the motorcycies and it's really a nice museum. I was particularly interested in the 70s and 80s competition dirt bikes and of course the 1960s road racers, all competitive when the DDR was a very backwards place. Pre-war, DKW was for a period the largest volume motorcycle producer in the world.
The MuZ name came about after the first bankruptcy but before the second and final. A new, smaller factory was built outside of town in that period and when I was there it still stood, but quietly. You see many local people still riding MZs of all years.
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Thank you Chuck - That's not the bike I stole the key to, is it?
That's a nice road report - I used to hitchhike up and down that coastal trail back when that was my preferred choice of travel - after that I came south out of SF with my first Guzzi in the back of a junker '64 Ford F100 - I tried to go up it on the Eldo in the early eighties but mudslides had claimed it, haven't been back since.
I'd feared it was all developed - not yet, apparently.
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this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.
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this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.
Ah hah! You must be one of the Aussie/NZ contingent! It's Sunday here in the states.
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I did 33 on this bike.
(http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1461/13716103/24695287/412097556.jpg)
Would love to get back there with the V7!
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Thank you Chuck - That's not the bike I stole the key to, is it?
That's a nice road report - I used to hitchhike up and down that coastal trail back when that was my preferred choice of travel - after that I came south out of SF with my first Guzzi in the back of a junker '64 Ford F100 - I tried to go up it on the Eldo in the early eighties but mudslides had claimed it, haven't been back since.
I'd feared it was all developed - not yet, apparently.
Well yes, Norman.. yes it is. :evil: :smiley: That was my first trip of any distance with the MZ. No worries about it being devoloped.. you will see the "occasional" house cantilevered out off the cliff face :shocked: but I would imagine any structure like that is short lived.. for sure, *I* wouldn't want to be there in a storm. :grin:
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this was a nice respite from my dreary Monday morning Chuck. Thank you.
Hiya Kip! We'll be back home in Indiana (wrote a song about it) and share the dreary with you tomorrow. :smiley: