Spring Fling 2002

May 16-19, 2002

Thursday, May 16^th: My ride started off late because of a meeting that was called on a project I was working on. I got away from work around 1:15pm or so. I told my wife I would stop by her office on my way out, but as I got to her office, they were gone to lunch. So I hung around until they came back at 2 and finally got on my way at 2:30. Well, two and half hours late…Oh well…)-:

I rode the I15 slab up to the 138 cutoff to Palmdale with a short stop at new homes in the Murrieta area (my wife thinks she wants to move there). After dealing with the slow pokes on 138 I finally got into Palmdale around 5pm. I stopped by the Honda Dealer there (I’ve known him for 17 years now..) and wanted to show him my Sabre, since he hasn’t see it since I bought it three years ago. We chatted for a good little while and I was back on the road at 6. I took the 14 up to Mojave (where the winds were terrible) and I figured I would gas up in Tehachapi on the 58. When I got there, I thought there was one more off ramp with a gas station…I was wrong. By the time I realized it, I was heading down the hill to Bakersfield. I had about 135 miles on the tank of gas and one mile to the first gas stop, when the bike started sputtering. I bounced up and down on the foot pegs and was able to get it that mile before it died completely…fifty feet from a gas pump! It was an Arco station (I don’t like Arco) and I saw a Chevron across the street. I put the choke on and it came to life so I started across. It again died, but I was able to roll into within a few feet of the pump! Made it!

I gassed up and decided to stop across the street another direction to the Jack in the Box. I stopped, ate while watching an old man look over my bike. After I ate, I went to grab the keys out of my pocket…no keys, ops, must of left them in the ignition. They weren’t there either. I looked all over and just couldn’t find them! Great, I guess the old man that was looking at my bike decided to grab them with the Mobil Speed Pass that was with them. I grabbed my second set and off I went upset that I was stupid enough to leave them in the ignition. Well, I later found them on Sunday, under the seat. I guess I totally forgot I had the seat off at JinB to adjust my tank bag. It must be one of those old age things…;-)

I took off on the 58 again rode to the 5 until my destination of Kettleman City where a bed at the Best Western awaited me. After a good night’s sleep, it was off to Dixon where Dave (my brother) works. I rode up the 5 to the 12, just west of Lodi ( at least I didn’t get stuck in Lodi..;-) and headed towards the west. It took me right at 3 ¾ hours to go the 200 plus miles. AT Dixon, Dave and I had lunch and he showed me around the place. They build cherry pickers there. I didn’t realize cherries got so big! Some of those trucks are used to hose down the high power lines and could extend way up there, like around 90 feet.  Too high for me!

We had to hang around until 4 when Dave got off and away went down the 80 to the 50 and the 16. We hit plenty of traffic and lane splitting we did! Once on 16 we hit traffic here and there and then on 49 and then 88. We stopped at the lodge first. Really nice room! And then down to the camp ground for the riders meeting.

Saturday we got up and went to the restaurant next door. After a great breakfast, we shot down, filled up and got to the camp about 9:30 or so. With plenty of time to talk to everyone about their rides. I was pleased to see that we had 4 V45 Sabres (no 700s). I think this was the best showing the V45 Sabres have had at any of the gatherings!

When it was time to go, Dave and I took off after the second group was gone and we decided, if anyone wanted to follow, fine, but we were just going to take it easy and the best way to do that was not in a large group like we have done in the past. Anyway, Shawn and Diane on their V45 Sabre along with Keith on his V65 Sabre followed, at least until I missed the turn in Fiddletown..;-) Well, we all made it up to River Pines and met up with everyone else. The second leg, some others followed us, I had Dave lead, since he knew right where the Pardee Café was (he fishes Lake Pardee every now and then). After all the eating and visiting, we all took off again. This time it was just Dave and I, but we soon caught up with the couples group. I didn’t want to make the gal on the Connie nervous, so we pulled off and let them get a 5 minute lead on us before we took off again. We missed one of the turns and hit the highway (can’t remember the number, but we found our way to a 76 where we refueled and back at it again. By the time we hit the next rest stop, just about everyone was ready to go again, so Dave and I went over to the motorcycle shop there at the corner of 26 and 49. After looking for a little while, we took off up the 26 at a nice easy pace. At the end of the 26, we went back to the lodge and rested for a little while before heading to the BBQ. The riding was great and we really enjoyed the pace we did. This was a no stress ride for us. No pucker moments at all!

The BBQ was great and we enjoyed talking to everyone! Back to the lodge for the night.

Next morning we got up and dressed and started to breakfast when we saw Kern and his girlfriend (can’t remember her name…sorry) having battery problems. We stopped, tried to see if there was anything we could do, but Kern called his insurance and got a tow truck out there to jump him. We went in to eat and by the time we were done, the truck was there. Since his battery seemed to bite the big one, it took some doing before they got it started. About the time Dave and I had packed and checked out, Kern was on his way. As we were heading down the road, we saw Kern by the side and decided to drop in behind them and at least follow them to make sure they were going to make it. Kern stopped at a autoparts store, but no luck on the battery, so off they went. We followed them to Jackson where I had to stop and gas up. I saw his post, so I know they made it home. With I’m sure, some of that wet stuff to brighten their day with! )-:

Well, Dave and I split up off the 16, I went to our moms in Elk Grove and he had to go to his home to get his truck and then met me back at our moms so I could help him lift a chair into his truck. When I got to my moms, she turned on the Weather station and we could just see a big band of wet stuff heading our way. Which means, everyone heading to SF got drenched! )-:

I waited it out for about 7 hours before taking off. I got down on the 5 near Santa Nella and the wind picked up pretty good. I got out of the rain gear and back on I5 again. I made it about another 100 miles before I decided to pull over and stay at the same Best Western I did coming up. The wind was just really bad and I was having to fight it too much!

The next morning I took off and even though the sky was ugly, I didn't see any rain all the way down the valley. As I started hitting traffic around Magic Mountain, the rain came. I got drenched from the waist down. What  a pain. I even had to split the traffic while it was raining!  Once I got down to Torrance I jumped off the 405 and went into a fast food/gas station where I changed into dry clothes. I didn't see any rain the rest of the trip, but I sure was tired when I finally got home.

It was an excellent trip, like always. 

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