As my wife, Chris, always complains, I can’t go on a ride without having to spend several days working on the bike first! This ride would not be the exception! I had been commuting on the bike for the last 10 weeks. It was dirty! So my main goal was to take the fairing, tank and side covers along with the saddlebags all off and give it a good cleaning. Of course, with all that off, I had to fix my temp gauge, which hasn’t been working since the last time I tore everything off. And I had the stainless steel brake lines that I wanted to install.

I told Chris I wanted to do all of this on Tuesday. Well, it was my birthday and she didn’t want me even thinking of working on the bike! )-: So I had to wait until Thursday. By then my new rear tire came in, so I added that to the list of things to do. By Friday night, I had everything done and the bike was ready for the Saturday ride.

Since my kitchen pass was only good for the one day, I took off around 6:30am to be able to hook up with the main Maggot group coming up from the campground. I arrived at the Rock Store at 8:15. I had traveled about 125 miles and had two gas stops along the way. But in that 125 miles, I had one of the strangest experiences in my 34 years of riding! I was happily doing about 75mph on the 5 freeway just before the 101 cutoff. I was pretty much by myself with the exception of some jerk in a van that decided he wanted my lane where I was! I hit the horn and the turkey just came on over anyway, so I went to the right to avoid him and besides hitting the horn again, I raised my fist at him to let him know I wasn’t happy with him at all!

I didn’t go a mile before another jerk starts doing the same thing! Mind you, there is no reason for these jerks to come over into my lane when I was going by them, no one in front of them for a good ½ mile and I WAS THERE! The second turkey kept coming and I was on the horn, but it didn’t seem to bother them a bit. Before I knew it, there was his mirror and it was within an arm’s length. HEY STUPID, I’M HERE!, But he just kept coming. So I decided to slap his mirror and let him know I was there! The next thing I knew was there was pieces of mirror flying all over and my hand started hurting a little. Obviously, because of the difference in speed between him and me, my little tap turned into a whack! Oops... So I cranked it up to about 80 and just kept it there watching my rear view mirrors for any signs of trouble. Soon the 101 was there and I figured no one was following me.

I eventually made to my turn off for the Rock Store. I gassed up there and had put about 115 miles on since filling up a couple miles from home. I checked my map and was looking for the little road over to Mulholland and then the Rock Store just about ¼ of a mile from there. When I pulled up, the only one there so far was Thomas Calvet. We started talking, then I went in for breakfast. Since I DIDN’T want to be caught slacking on this trip, I wanted to make sure I ate before the rest got there.

Not long after I got there, Milt showed up and then a little while later, the rest started showing up from the campground. It was quite the showing and it was great to put names with faces and even meet new people! While most of the crew went in for breakfast, I just milled around looking and talking to those still outside. I did go in and had a Coke while they were all finishing up. A few had to go get gas, so it was after 10am before we finally started the ride.

Since Ken was leading, he was first out and I jumped in right behind him. I had read over Ken’s ride plans and figured the only place to be on this ride, was right behind him! And that’s where I stayed the whole ride. I’m sure several thought that me and the big Sabre would have a hard time staying up with Ken, but I think I put any concerns to rest within the first 15 minutes of the ride. Even Ken told me later that he was surprised to see me right behind him on a number of stretches.

Ken took us down and up so many twisty roads that I lost count and by the time we made our first stop, my head was ready to explode. These roads were not roads you would get up to 80 and then cut down to 40 and back up, no, these roads were up to 40 and back down to 10 – 15! When and if we could actually go faster then 40, it felt great to open it up, for a very short way, only to start into a bunch of switchbacks! Sometimes I thought for sure I saw the tail end of my bike going around some of these curves. There were a couple of turns that dipped down in the middle of the curve and presented you with a whoop-de-doo effect! One of those, I was surprised when I scraped my center stand!

After numerous roads like that, Ken took us back down to PCH where we continued up to Point Magoo and from there, we headed inland for a short distance. We were soon on another "country road" heading up to a Lake Sherwood. As Maggots, we felt out of place, I’m sure there wasn’t a home there less then $1Mill! But after a short brief look at the lake as we rode by it, we were soon back on switchbacks going crazy throwing the bikes to the left then to the right then back to the left all under 25 to 30 miles an hour. And often down to 10. So you know these roads were tight!

At one point, and I can’t remember where, some turkey came riding past us all on a Triumph cruiser. Obviously this guy knew the road, he handled it pretty good, but Ken decided to play with him and got on his tail and stayed there for a while. I was right behind Ken and the rest of the group was right behind me! It was fun! (-:

Of course, all good things must come to an end, so Ken led us for lunch for a nice popular SeaFood joint. It was the most expensive "lunch" I ever ate due to a $60 parking ticket I got, along with Ken, Bill and Pete. The kicker was that we were all in the same parking slot. I’m sure what ever this ticket revenue collection point was set up just for that. It didn’t spoil the day, but it tried! )-:

After lunch, Ken tried to get a group to do some more riding, but he wore us all out pretty good and everyone wanted to head back to the campground to take a rest. I followed Ken back to Milt’s and did a few things to help out. One of which was to drive Milt’s PT Cruiser back to the campground to pick up those that didn’t want to ride their bikes to Milt’s, which was most.

Milt put on one heck of a BBQ. Lots of steak, chickens, bratwurst, corn, salad, etc. He even had a platter of Sushi. We had a great time chewing the fat and enjoying the company of Maggots in general! Did I say we had a great time?  That's because we did! Since my kitchen pass was running out and I didn’t want to turn into a pumpkin, I got myself ready to leave around 8:30, just as Clark drove up looking for a place to park.

I was soon on the road and actually rode into El Segundo to fill up, since anymore I’m not sure of "safe" places along either the 10 or the 405 to fill up. After that I took off for home. I finally pulled in to the garage at 11:15pm. Very long day, but worth almost every minute of it!