2008 outlook

It's been about 3.5 months since i broke my arm, and i think it's just about healed. I've still got limited use of my arm, but the bones in one (crooked) piece, so i can probably start light physical therapy work soon. First thing first, it to regain some strength in my left arm so i can do things like apply deodorant to my right armpit, or wash my hair with 2 hands.

I've also gained about 20 lbs since the accident and though i haven't put on my leathers in a while, am pretty sure they don't fit. Size 52 leathers were already tight on me when i was in better shape, so right now i doubt i could zip up my suit. I'm also in miserable cardiovascular health. I've always hated cardio--it's my least favorite thing to do in the world--but the time has come for me to get off my ass and get on a excercise bike and do some walking. I'm looking at losing roughly 25 lbs from my current weight which is hovering around 200 lbs.

There is some other training i should be looking towards doing in the coming months to strengthen my bike-riding muscles--notably lower back and core excercises. Even when i wasn't injured, i noticed that a day at the track put a lot of strain on my back and abs, which cut down on the amount of laps i could get in a 20 minute session. Hopefully i'll be in equal or better shape in time for Buttonwillow on 3/2.

My bike situation is similarly unsorted. It always pained me that i never got to ride the 675 on track before it met its fateful demise. The f4i is a rideable bike and certainly faster than me, but it's for sale (and hopefully sold) this week. I've been on the look out for really nice bikes to make into a track bike, and while i've found a few good candidates, it looks like i'm picking up a 07 675 at the end of the week for pennies. It'll need some new plastics as it was just lowsided, but it's otherwise in good condition.

This year i'm attempting to ride once a month at least. My tentative track schedule looks like:

3/2 Ti2TT @ buttonwillow
4/12-13 SoCalTD @ Pahrump*
4/19-20 FastTrack @ Cali Speedway*
5/9 Ti2TT @ buttonwillow
5/24-25 SoCalTD @ Pahrump
6/5 Fasttrack @ Streets of Willow*
6/28-29 Trackdaz @ Streets of Willow
7/5-6 The Track Club @ Buttonwillow*
8/2-3 Trackdaz @ Buttonwillow
8/24 Ti2TT Buttonwillow
9/27-28 Ti2tt Las Vegas Motorspeedway
10/11-12 Fasttrack @ Cali Speedway
11/1-2 SoCalTD @ Pahrump
12/6-7 The Track Club @ Buttonwillow

Conspicuously absent are any days at Big Willow, or the more distant tracks like Sears Point, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca and Miller Motorsports Park.

A letter to Spring Mountain

Ti2tt tells us that they have recieved no dates at pahrump in 2008. This means that only one group (socaltrackdays) will run pahrump next year, as the track owners decide to shun bikes in favor of cars. This represents nothing short of a catastrophe, as riders unilaterally acknowledge SM as the best track in the LA/SD area, and the open track format of socal trackdays is NOT beginner friendly. I wrote this letter to the owners via their website expressing my utter dismay:

It has come to my attention that spring mountain is turning its back on motorcyclists--I feel that this is not only unfortunate, but tragic. Last september, i rode spring mountain for the first time and had a religious, life changing experience--no other track offers riders the perfect mix of technical and fun quite like SM, and no other venue offers groups of friends the same opportunities to enjoy great riding and the joys of Nevada like SM does.

To hear that cars are taking the dates that orgs like Ti2TT et al. used to get saddens me, as it means I either MUST ride w/ only 1 organization on limited days, or skip pahrump altogether, as I have no interest in driving there at all. The track layout that seems so perfect for 2 wheels would be copasetic, neutered, cramped, on four.

This is an landmark shift on your part, and a mistake--since SM enjoys an almost fanatical devotion amongst virtually every rider i've ever known. It was Mecca for anyone on two wheels, and it breaks my heart that we are now unwanted.

Best of Luck,
C R

As much as i like buttonwillow and consider it home, and welcome the las vegas motor speedway to the mc trackday ranks, neither are adequate substitutes for the best little track this side of laguna seca. I'm not sure how effective a letter writing campaign will be, but any rider who's ever ridden SM will lament the advent of this new business philosophy. Ironic that they move towards catering to cars as the CA Speedway judgement starts to rock the world of 4-wheeled hpde's...

I'm alive, albeit broken.

Reflecting on Canyons

on 9/16/07 there was another fatality (possibly 2) on ACH. In a mundane corner, on a beautiful sunny SoCal day, a horrible accident took another person's life on the crest. My favorite road, my 2-wheeled home, the place where not-too-long-ago i fell in love with the sport of motorcycle riding is also the place where so many venture and fail to return from. Even if the mellow fluid sweepers of the Crest seem harmless or kind, this road bites back--and more often than it should, it bites those who don't deserve the blood and agony.

It's a fact of life that as a rider, the casualty reports will pile up every summer. You have to learn to adjust to the idea that you or your friends might not make it home from your next ride. You get used to the stories of young riders w/ no experience or gear making love to canyon walls, or the stories of riders with 15+ years of experience making a mistake and paying for it. It's a fact of life, like someone here said, riders die, and sometimes you can't do anything to change it.

So often we respond with resolutions to be more careful, or to take it to the track, or deny that our personal behaviors can lead to tragic accidents..."Yeah, i put a knee down on the street, but I'm in control" I've said stuff like that plenty of times. I've seen guys whose opinions and skills i respect say it. I've clearly differentiated my actions from those of the lowsiding masses, as if i'm not 1 pebble away from joining them. And no amount of contrition after the fact will bring a leg back, or an ankle back, or god forbid, another rider back.

It's almost cliche that the local MC community responds to a bad weekend in the local canyon by promising to be better riders. I do think it helps, but at the same time there are so many people who aren't included in the dialogue who end up wadded up against k-rails. and whether or not we become better riders, nothing is going to change the fact that all it takes is 1 tiny rock, 1 unsuspecting cage, or 1 rider coming the other way 3' over the DY to make any resolutions you made a week ago completely moot.

I don't want to give up street riding. I think that there's something to be said about spending saturday morning on the crest with some friends--but i do think we all need to question the way in which we traverse these roads. Get your thrill from the trees, the clean air, the company, and the sunshine--not the speed. Many of us always say that the street is not a race track, but how many of us actually ride that way?

We are in a precarious position. between the insurance companies, the local highway patrol, the general public/politicians, and each other--the next few years could be a crucial moment in the history of motorcycles. and while i believe that people should be free to make their own choices (and mistakes), it's a sad reality that what I do is a reflection on a fellow sportbikers as much as it is a reflection of myself. The same applies to all of us, and since we were given the task to protect the sport in a sensitive time, ask yourself what you're doing for your fellow riders, at the bike night, on the freeway, in the canyons. Whether they come with HP limits, tiered licensing (good idea imo), banning sportbikes altogether, and whether the AMA can stop it are all somewhat irrelevant...

If we don't police ourselves, don't expect the government to do it with the understanding of the important but subtle nuances that define our sport. And if we don't police ourselves, we have little right to complain when we find ourselves persecuted by grandstanding politicians who don't give a rat's ass about whether you're a geared up, responsible rider or not.

Track Report 9/8-9/9 Spring Mountain, Pahrump NV

Looking at a map, Pahrump seems like it's pretty damn far away from LA. Looking at the directions and the unfamiliar roads and freeways, it seems even further. Finally, thinking about Friday Vegas traffic makes it seem like you'll never get there, so you might as well stay home and wash your bike.

But it's closer than you think. 240 miles, which isn't all that far. beautiful, empty, desert highways with nary a soul traversing them and a bright starscape you often forget about when you're under the orange glow of los angeles, and finally a delayed departure time (11:30 pm) means that pahrump is actually less than 3 hrs away, when you put the cruise control at 85.

Made it to the hotel room (Pahrump Nugget) and laid down on the floor and went to sleep. I shared a room w/ 4 other guys and got there last, which means i get the floor. I froze my ass off and woke up at 6:30am, we got ready and made our way to the track. The best thing about a pahrump weekend is that a) you don't feel bad about spending money on a hotel room because you're far from home and can't day trip it, and the rooms are cheap and b) the track is 5 minutes away from your hotel and c) they have a casino just downstairs.

We got to the track and hunkered down, setting up pop-ups, bike stands, generators, misters, fans, and chairs and got ready for a full day at the track. I have never ridden pahrump before, so i was in C-group (which is for beginners) along with a few other guys in the group who were sandbagging.

Pahrump is a 2.2 mile track (which is pretty long) that is a decent mix of fast and technical. Turns 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 are tough technical corners that require precision and lots of shifter work to properly negotiate. But what makes Pahrump a fun track for me is the great sweepers: turns 1, 2 and 4 are straight out of the pages of AFH. Puck destroying, long, graceful sweepers with great pavement--it's easy to build a rhythm all the way up to turn 9.

So in light of my last post, about reaching the Zen promised land of trackday riding, i didn't achieve it on the first day. Learning the track, battling poor body position, fighting a sore back and left wrist, and a stubborn bike left me distracted and tired. I eventually learned pretty good lines, but by the time i was ready to use them, it was the end of the day and i was ready to collapse.

The second day started off with more of the same. Lots of hesitation, not smooth riding, struggling with body position. But in turn 1, midcorner of my 2nd session of the day, i realized that i was still crossed up, and that i wasn't getting my butt off the seat enough. a 2" shift made all the difference in the world, and i started to get faster and faster. I ground down my pucks (Spidi pucks are made out of butter) so i had to flip them at least 3 times. I started keeping pace with faster friends, and started exploring body position that wasn't so brutal.

Long story short, I felt like i was picking up where i left off when i left my first trackday, and got back on track. I also tried to reach motorcycle zen with mixed results--it's kind of hard to do when you back is killing you and it's hot as fuck, but hey no one said it was gonna be easy.

Mechanically, the bike finally needs new tires, i need to look into a more compliant back protector, i need new gloves, and maybe need to re-gear the bike. The newest toy (penske) performed great, and after 1 trip to the suspension truck the bike felt great all day.

Unsane. Time really does fly.

Looking at this blog is frightening. I haven't posted in a good 2 months, which also means i haven't done any riding in a long time (save the HT trackday at BW). Tonight I'm leaving for Pahrump, where i'll spend the weekend in Sunny Western Nevada with Everyone's Favorite "Socal" Racetrack (TM).

Nevermind that it's not even in SoCal, Pahrump is supposed to take all of the elements that make Buttonwillow great, and take it to the next level. Nice new pavement, wide track with tons of space, and a good mix of high-speed and technical. I'm excited because i'll get to ride a track 2 days in a row for the first time, and i get to monkey around in nevada and play some craps when i'm not sweating in my power ranger outfit.

HT-West Trackday 8/5/2007
I actually have Video for this event, just sitting on my computer, and it's pretty interesting stuff. It shows me getting passed all day, which is pretty standard. I haven't edited it yet, so it needs to be shortened so that there isn't 5 minutes of footage of me sitting in grid.

I took some new things away from that day though--first, i'm not as confident as i ought to be on track. Running BW CCW for the first time, it's expected to feel a little weirded out, (Esp dealing with star mazda, no lost hills, and a REALLY long back straight for the first time in a new direction) but it took me a lot of sessions to get comfy with the track. Even when i had packed it in, i still felt "scared" if you will, of braking from 145 mph (indicated, so more like 135) to make a really gentle left handed sweeper, though i had progressively made the turn faster and faster with each lap. I still have issues with turn 2 (in a CW direction) in both directions, and well, i was slow.

I thought and thought about it, and i wondered if my lowside at BW contributes...Well, considering how consequence free it was, i don't think so. I wondered if i was distracted on the bike or simply just not 100% there, and i realized that i had forgot my earplugs. It's hard to imagine that something so simple would have a big effect on one's riding, and maybe it doesn't, but it's hard to get your thoughts straight when you're doing triple digits at 13000 rpm on a race bike with a full exhaust--it's louder than hell.

Furthermore, i woke up late that morning and was in a rush to get to the track. Whenever i do this, i always end up riding/driving like shit the whole day, and no matter how much you try to relax, the feeling of being rushed never quite leaves you, until it's too late.

And through meditation and heavy motorcycle forum posting, i've come to the conclusion that i'm riding my best when i'm completely relaxed. Focused, but relaxed. Getting in touch with that graceful, effortless, talented (ha ha) side that simply knows what to do and what measure to do it with. In these moments, time slows down, the world becomes eerily quiet (such that i can hear my own breathing over the din of a screaming inline-4), and i simply ride.

So tomorrow, i'm trying to get back to that place. Let's hope the new penske triple, new(er) supercorsas, and proper diet and fluids get me there.

general update

I've been incredibly lazy about updating this blog. My apologies to the few of you who notice. But to be honest, I haven't been doing that much riding as of late.

7/4/07, ACH: I expected the holiday traffic and LEO presence to be worse than it actually was, but i took advantage of a day off to hit the crest. The weather was surprisingly pleasant, and the road was in good shape. Met up with the SCS guys and the SBN guys in a strange combination of the two SoCal MC forums who have a lot of crossover, but don't generally ride together. I met a girl at newcs who had a 06 Brutale 910R and though she wasn't bad looking, that bike made her look hot. She gave me the run-down on the Brut (which i'm considering as my next bike) and told me that it's a finicky but fast bike. Quirky throttle, suspect electrical design, but an absolute monster. Sounds like exactly my kind of bike, though electrical work tends to be the weakest link in my mechanical repertoire.

The Track Bike - I ordered a 2-way Elka rear shock for the F4i, in a group buy i found at triumph675.net. It was a great price, and alot of people are singing Elka's praises, so I decided that spending more money on a bike that i won't be able to sell for more than 2500 bucks was a sound decision. The one worry i had was that they'd ship me a 675 shock with track/race springs and valving (which wouldn't work at all. i wouldn't mind an Elka to replace the OEM rear on the 675, since it's grossly overworked by the spring, but at a milder valving than what i'd want on the F4i) in spite of my noting that the shock was for a F4i. Fast forward 3 weeks, when i get a call from Vlad @ motoworld.com, who hosted the group buy, saying that they messed up and sent me a 675 shock w/ race valving. But, to be fair, he called me the second he found out, and swore that he and Elka would do whatever i wanted to make it right. I decided that maybe spending the money on the nice new bike (675) made more financial sense, and being promised a good price on another Elka if i so desired, i could get one for the f4i at a later date. All-in-all i'm pleased so far with the customer service. Hopefully i can get this thing dialed in and enjoy the fruits of credit card debt without a single regret.

I've also attempted to put on some woodcraft clip-ons on the f4i to get the riding position more aggressive. the problem with the f4i is that the stock clip ons mount above the triple tree. this means that you're pretty upright and it's not ideal for track riding. mounting the woodcrafts below the triple tree make for better riding position, but runs into some major clearance issues with the master cylinder and the gauge cluster and fairing stay. It'll take some creativity to get it to work, but i'm sure i'll figure out a way.

Lastly, i planned on painting the track bike a scorched orange w/ black accents, but i think i'm gonna keep it white. I am, however, painting the wheels duplicolor universal gold, the color of champions.

Honda-Tech West Trackday, 8/5/07: I made a post on h-t about a trackday, and we decided on 8/5 at BW (running Counter clockwise) w/Zoom-Zoom trackdays. about 8 people expressed interest, and only 2 have signed up (including myself). But that's ok. I don't need other people at the track per se, I just need to not ride like a wooden statue. If anyone's interested in signing up for this day, go to http://zoomzoomtrackdays.com/ti/zoomzoom/index.html and sign up for the 8/5 event. I'm riding intermediate. There are also coupon codes to lighten the financial load, yamaha owners use code "yamaha" for a $25 discount.

Ruff-Ryderz Parade: took place this past weekend, and i have to say it's a pretty amazing thing to accomplish--as a group of motorcycle riders, to piss off people badly enough that even fellow riders want to mow you down as you block traffic on the 215 freeway so you can do wheelies. Imagine how pissed off the general populace, who already hates sportbikes, was. Thanks for making it easier for all of us to navigate the freeways and streets. assholes.

SOWS: 6/15/07

My 2nd trackday at Streets of Willow Springs was last week. I headed up with a couple of friends w/ the f4i, freshly kitted out with some new parts. I've always liked SOWS in a car, much more than big willow anyway, so i was excited to give it a go on the bike. I'm pretty familiar with the track, or at least the layout, but as you'll read, on a bike there's much more to it than that.

I was riding in the intermediate group, which was a tad ambitious, since this was my first session at Streets, but i figured that i wouldn't be holding too many people up. I picked up the line from other riders in the group, but experienced issues with the pavement surface. It's pretty rough out there, and with my current suspension setup, hard to get good drive coming out of certain corners. Plenty of pucker moments with losing traction with the rear end, and issues at corner exit with some very ill-placed bumps and disturbances. I struggled to find a comfortable rhythm all day--too slow through some corners, too fast for traffic in others--and battled posture issues and Literbike Syndrome all day.

Guys on 1000's were parking it in corners in intermediate, and making it hard to get any consistency throughout laps. Setting up passes at track exit along the outside, i'd catch them at the apex on an outside line, but get blown away by the straight line speed of the liters. Unwilling to fully commit to my passes, unsure and untrusting of people's ability to hold a line and leave the door open, i found myself stuck behind a lot of liter bikes. it's frustrating.

Reality check

A friend of mine went down on the crest this morning. I wasn't there, and details are as of yet unknown, but he's in stable condition and out of surgery. Considering the rumors, it's luck that he's alive and not in worse shape. I'll update as i get more info, but my prayers and best wishes go out to him and his family.

It also brings into focus that anything can happen on a public road, and especially a road like the crest. It serves as a reminder that even when you are riding responsibly and in control, terrible things can happen. I beseech everyone to be safe out there, especially as peak riding season ramps up. It's not enough to keep me off the bike, but also a reminder that the sport is dangerous and fate is fickle.

Central Sierras 5/19 and 5/20/07

I spent the past weekend in the Sequoia's with 10 companions from SCS on an extended group ride. The Central Sierras is home to some of the state's best roads, even if you've never experienced them yourself, just a quick look on google maps blows the imagination away. Twisties like that are hard to come by, and guys get excited about roads that are 1/5th the length and a lot more crowded and a lot more dangerous (aka Palomar or Malibu).


The 10 of us found our way to Three Rivers, CA, which is a small town on the shores of Lake Kaweah and minutes away from Sequoia National Park. Hwy 198 runs from the 99 through the park to CA 180, which links to Kings Canyon and Fresno. It's a pretty busy area, as people from all over come to visit the majestic redwoods and experience the natural spectacle of the Sierra Nevadas. On a touring bike it's a beautiful way to experience perfect May weather, scenery, and lots of other tourists. On a balls-to-the-wall sportbike, the scenery is a consolation for the 5mph traffic crawl (just enough to keep you from going crazy), but once you get through the park (which i advise that you skip altogether, due to the traffic and the fact that a federal speeding ticket is not a good thing), it opens up into some beautiful riding. Whizzing through the trees at a modest 80 mph is a pleasant blur of green. Pictured above is our "welcome to the park" lecture by Park Rangers, who probably knew we might be up to no good...

Once through the park and onto the 180, we took a detour to Lake Hume, and eventually found our way to CA 245. CA 245 is the most twisted, technical, challenging road i have ever seen. It runs from CA 180 (elevation 5000 ft) to CA 216 (el. 1000-ish), so you have elevation changes, 4 distinct sets of scenery (High Altitude Forest, to low grasslands), 31 miles of twisties, and nary a cage from one side to the other. In the middle of the road, there's the "Mountain House Saloon" that has some of the best cole slaw around, and a place to kick up your boots and watch a MotoGP race, if you're so inclined.

The road requires that you work your ass off getting the bike back and forth, in the upper section, your butt barely gets settled on the seat, as you toss your body around getting the bike to whip around the continuous switchbacks, tight hairpins, and banked, linked turns. It's some of the most intense riding around, and it doesn't stop unlike pally or little T. It's tough to carry more than 40 mph, but the road is relatively clean, and doesn't have any weird offcamber turns or excessive potholes. I found myself struggling with some of the really tight hairpins, as it was difficult for me to carry much entry speed without knowing what lay in wait for me midcorner, but getting a knee down is almost a foregone conclusion--right before you have to flip it around to the other knee to make the next turn. This road is not for novice riders, and is not for the faint of heart.

Getting to 245 takes about 20 minutes from Three Rivers, and 3.5 hours from LA. Hotels in the area are plentiful, but it bears emphasizing that having gas cans is necessary for bikes without a lot of range. Also having a support truck was essential to enjoying the day--in case a bike goes down or if you want to bring tools or extra visors or snacks with you on your trip.

This road should be a destination for every rider on the West Coast, but bear in mind that it's isolated, but not completely uninhabited. I'm sure the locals wouldn't be thrilled about 50 sportbikes buzzing through their neighborhood at high speeds and putting them in danger--that doesn't mean you can't have fun, but as always respect nature and the inhabitants of your favorite twisties, and don't wear out your welcome.

Trackday 5/11/07

Today was my first track day on a bike at buttonwillow.



I spent all of last week getting the f4i ready for the track. fixed a bunch of little things that needed fixing (throttle cable was broken, painted the tank, got the track plastics on, etc) and doing maintenance. I mounted some supercorsa take offs with a lot of meat on them (but possibly heat cycled to death, as suggested by the guy at cycle gear, whom i don't completely believe, but whatever).



The weather today was a warm low-80 degree day in the central valley, and we left at 4:30am to get to the track at around 7. met up with a bunch of people from the local sportbike board and got situated. I ran w/ dial it in, which is a good group to run with. I was signed up for the new rider class, which i thought might be a waste of time and not a real class, but i was wrong. dial it in's new rider school is definitely worth the money, as it involves real instruction on track and in the classroom, and it definitely helped me get faster throughout the day.

the first session was a parade lap of sorts w/ my instructor, as i was shown a conservative line around the track. BW is a challenging track; in a car i never really got comfy w/ turns 2 and 3 (off-ramp and cotton corners), and the same applied on a bike. The difference though, was that i was very comfortable with the rest of the track which never really happened in a car (going over lost hills in a car is much scarier than it is on a bike, at least at my speeds), and especially liked the bus stop-riverside-lost hills complex (as it caters to my ACH-inspired love of sweepers), as well as the sweeper that replaced star mazda in today's config. It was really easy for me to pick out good reference points and maintain a good rhythm throughout the day through turns 4-11.

the F4i was hauling today. by the second and third sessions i was wringing out the throttle through the straights, and she was pulling like an ox. the suspension needed some tuning, as the rough spots on the track tended to disrupt the chassis more than it should have. my body position needed a little tweaking, as my instructor was telling me that i was doing the "only hanging off w/ your butt/shoulder twist" even though i was conciously trying not to do that.

I put a knee down for the first time in turn 10 in session 3, and continued to feel better about my riding. the next classroom session helped me finally figure out where to start when it comes to braking, shifting, setting up for the turn, and body position. I put it all together in session 4 and really started riding w/ confidence and good speed. I still had rhythm issues through #2 and 3, but everywhere else on the track i felt faster and faster. However, as i leaned the bike over more, i realize that i was starting to drag my pegs more and more. The f4i needs some new rearsets for improved ground clearance, b/c even with my knee out there (w/ good body pos) the pegs seemed like they'd touch down right about at the same time as my knee.

This is unfortunately what finally took me down in turn 3 towards the end of session 4. Going through the last L of turn 3 i caught my peg, hit some of the bumps, washed out the front, and lowsided at about 40-50 mph (not sure). A really leisurely slide into the dirt, and i popped up right away to get off the track. They red flagged the track, and when i picked up the bike to load it into the truck, i saw the carnage: destroyed right clip on, really badly dented tank, and destroyed R fairing. Gas/oil? leak, and possibly more since i haven't conducted an autopsy yet. The bike was laid down on the left side, but flipped onto its right side as it slid into the rumblestrips, which did alot more damage than the initial slide. My lid was lightly scraped (as i didn't really hit my head at all), and my left glove torn. the suit held up wonderfully, as did my Setup boots (for all those wondering about the crashworthiness of $129 boots, they held up fine, though this wasn't the most
dramatic get off).



I got to paddock and unloaded the bike, and changed into my shorts and got in for the last classroom session. talked to my instructor afterwards and we brainstormed about what happened and how i can prevent it. So in the end, though i crashed i think i learned something from it (without paying the price in blood). and came home in good spirits, itching for the next chance i get to get on track. i'm thankful it wasn't the 675 out there, and that the f4i now has some new graphics that are appropriate to a track bike =)

for all of those put off by the cost and time to prepare for a track day, forget all of that. once you go you'll wonder why you didn't do this earlier.

observation

I didn't make this past weekend's ride, so no new post regarding actually riding the crest, but i did post up at the shell in the truck to see if could catch the guys as they came back down.

I didn't, but i did see at least 4 or 5 different groups of riders make their way up the crest. In jeans. and tank tops. sometimes with a pillion, in similarly undergeared attire. While i wouldn't be surprised if it was huntington beach, i can't imagine why ANYONE would go to the crest (or any other canyon) w/o at least a jacket and some jeans. It's bad enough when us leathered guys crash up there, but when the squids go down, i'm sure it's much much uglier.

also, it appears that the 405 is the official freeway of squids. driving around the westside on saturday, i saw a bunch of guys wearing nothing but a stupid icon armor vest or a t-shirt+back protector. honestly, when you go down with such things, the parts that they actually covers aren't the parts you have to worry about. what good is a unrashed torso when your arms are gone? think, people, think.

OT: the trackbike

The trackbike is now ready. well, mostly ready. Finally got all the pieces together, and though it's a ramshackle collection of bolts from the magic bucket, zip ties, and various other "homemade" solutions, it runs, from far away it's kind of pretty.

I probably should have gotten the forks done, b/c i doubt the fork oil has ever been changed, but i'll take care of that before the next trackday, along with a 520 conversion and some new sprockets.

Riding it down colima (very briefly) and cracking open the throttle exposes another problem though. The steering gets pretty light at WOT, and a steering damper's going to be a high priority. hopefully, it doesn't tankslap my ass on friday, but we'll see.

I'm not a big sticker fan, but i'm also not a fan of all the blemishes on the paint job, so the stickers are there to distract people from noticing the drips, swirls, or fingerprints that inevitably surface when you rattlecan plastics.

i'm very excited about this coming friday. just need to figure out how to tie the thing down and we'll be good to go!

my garage

It's actually messier than that if you go into it.

What you see pictured is:
01 SV650, currently running and the official "errand" bike (Left)

02 F4i, in 1million pieces and getting the trackday treatment.

07 daytona, whom you know.

The F4i used to be red/silver, but i've repainted her an off-white, in honor of honda's "Championship White" -- The only shade of white that belongs on a car/bike. the F4i's currently getting overhauled and made track ready (though not safety wired) with some new parts, like the Ti Yosh RS3 full exhaust, new tires, and removed OEM parts. I'm pretty excited to ride it, because it'll be at least 10-15 lbs lighter than it was in street-legal form, has the bling new exhaust, and will look pretty cool in 100% offwhite with the black frame. I've still gotta do the 520 conversion and gearing change, but it'll wait a couple months before that happens.

anyway, i need a throttle cable to be able to finish her up and put her back together and do some highly illegal test runs down the G-G loop.

Ride Summary 4/28/07

Made it to the SCS ride on saturday morning with Vin, after a wonderous morning in the company of a special someone. I didn't get much sleep the night before, and was pretty hungover, something that set the tone for the whole weekend.

This saturday's group was a little smaller than usual, but a good group of guys that ended up being fully assembled at nukes to discuss our upcoming 5/18 trip to the central sierras. The ride up to nukes up the front side was really trafficky for 9am on a saturday. Worse than that, a few cars refused to make room for the group of bikes, and did an appalling 35 mph up the crest. Usually with a small group of riders, there are places where riders can pass (illegally, albeit safely, though still nervewrackingly), but when you've got 10-20 bikes, passing a car is a bit of a pain. Driver courtesy on the crest is generally pretty good, as most of the people that usually drive that road (the bicycle guys, hikers, and residents) know that motorcycles rule the asphalt, whether they like it or not. In return, we generally express our gratitude and all is well. But when slower traffic refuses to use turn-outs like they should, it's incredibly frustrating. So as a note to the non-riders out there, please use a fucking turnout if you've got 12 bikes riding your ass.

The ride out to the tree was a controlled down 9 mile. Stout was said to be waiting there (9 mile ends up being a fav. speed trap because it requires you HAUL ASS to have fun on it) so when we passed him at the 6 mile mark, we knew we were in the clear. The guys in the front TOOK off, and i was hardpressed to keep up without feeling a little uncomfortable. I figured i'd start hauling up forest with the fast guys.

Immediately i realized that i didn't have what it took to stay with the lead group up forest. I had a scary moment going into a blind left hander, where i couldn't get the bike leaned over enough, started to drift out/target fixate, and had to grab some front brake to keep me on the asphalt. It was a dumb mistake, and one i was probably going to make given my tired/hungover condition, and at that point i tuned it down and took a more relaxed pace up Forest. I got a mild dressing down from L at the tree who told me i was riding over my head and to get it together, and i agreed.

I couldn't stay at the tree for too long as i had to be back home in time to get ready for a wedding later that day. V and I rode back with a new guy, and made it off the crest in one piece. The freeway ride back was excruciating in leathers and the 85 degree heat and weekend 210 traffic. We got back to the E. 626 tired and anxious to get off the road. Making an innocuous left turn V went down. Apparently he hit a patch of gravel in the drainage path of the intersection, somehow got into the lowest speed tank slapper of all time, grabbed some front brake and highsided into the curb. I was in front of him so i saw it in my rear view, and went back to see if he was ok.

Thankfully he was wearing full gear, so he was totally fine, though his ego bruised. His bike was ok with the exception of his stator cover, shift lever, and frame slider, but was rideable. His helmet looked pretty beat up, as he went head and shoulder first into the pavement, and his leathers were a little scratched, but not seriously. Had he not been wearing his suit, or gear at all, he could've been pretty bloody, so log this as another occasion where GEAR SAVES YOUR LIFE.

I'm taking a self-imposed vacation from the canyons until after my track day on the 11th of this month. I'm eager to do a track day write up and talk technical about riding form and all that and i hope someone out there is taking good pictures...

Ride Summary 4/22/07

Watching the MotoGP race at newcombs is a longstanding tradition amongst the area's motorcycle enthusiasts. Sunday rides on race days are started a little later than usual, so you get to nukes in time to get a good seat and watch the boys duke it out. It's one of those synergistics relationships between TV and real life.

This past sunday, i woke up around noon and realized that since i had nothing better to do, i'd meet up with the SCS guys and head up to nukes. The weather report was grim, though the weatherman assured me that the sunday stormfront was due in the evening, well after I'd get home and be warm, picking over leftovers.

The ride out to the shell was uneventful, I was running a little late, so i was hustling to get up to the tree and catch the SCS ride and ride up with them to Nukes.

On the way, saw the SUV and Stout setting up shop on the lower part of the mountain, and given the miserable weather all weekend, the roads were pretty empty. About a mile before the Ranger Station, I came upon a pretty gnarly wreck--I'm not sure exactly what happened, but from what i could tell, a rider went head-on with a neon. The bike was utterly destroyed, front end of the car also destroyed, and the rider on the other side of the road, being comforted by his friend, whilst bleeding profusely out of his nose and mouth. I'm not an expert, and only got a quick survey of the scene, but it appeared that the rider went wide and crossed the DY, though considering the road at that point, it was a little curious because it wasn't an especially hairy turn. Could've been a simple brain fart or too much speed, but since i didn't see pieces of the rider strewn across the road, i'm gonna chalk it up to the former.

It was my first up-close accident scene, and it wasn't a pleasant thing to think about as i made my way up forest. A little extra brake, a little less lean, a little more vigilance in every corner--i didn't break any speed records as i trekked along the road at 55 mph. It didn't help that it was freezing cold and my hands were freezing around my clip-ons. I closed every vent on my well-venting helmet, and tried to tuck as well as i know how. When i got to the tree i didn't see any of the guys, so I made my way back down forest. I wondered if i should head up 9-mile to watch the race, or take a hint from mother nature and head home.

Since i'm dumb, i decided to go to nukes. Nevermind the snow on the side of the road, and the wet spots on the upper part of the crest that could've easily been patches of ice. I shivered every inch of the way, and waded through the high sierra mist; when i finally got to newcombs, i took a good 2 minutes to lovingly embrace my tires and exhaust heat shield--just to get some warmth back in my fingers.

The guys were inside and i caught the tail end of the 250 race. On a sunny race day, Newcomb's is absolutely packed with bikes. This sunday there were 6 bikes up there. I guess 6 of us were dumb enough to ride up in that kind of weather. It was even dumber when it started to actively rain, and the mist got even thicker.

No pictures, but visibility was 30' at best, assuming your visor wasn't fogged. The ride down was the slowest ride down ever undertaken by a group of 4 motorcycles. 35 mph until halfway down the upper crest, and every agonizing second was cold, nerveracking, and painful.

Once in the lower elevations, it warmed up and dried up. At the shell it was almost pleasant. And news from CHP Officer Coleman (who stopped by the shell to shoot the shit with us, nice guy) was that there was no news about the downed rider. I'm hoping that means he pulled through.

OT: so i got myself a camera

And i'm going to try to use it to take video.

It's a canon SD400, which is marvelously small, and thanks to the wonderful world of craigslist, really cheap.

a 4GB memory card is in the mail, and now i just need to figure out how to mount the thing to the bike or my helmet.

We're going multimedia here at "The Crest!"

Ride Summary 4/14/07

So i finally made it to the shell on time to ride with the SCS guys. in spite of the fact that i was out the night before, and got to bed at around 3:30 am, i woke up bright and early at 7:45 (which i can never do for school) and made my way out to LC-F. It was nice not having to haul ass to get to the spot on time, and actually having time to pee, drink a gatorade, get gas, and shoot the shit.

The SCS ride was pretty big, 20+ bikes, varying skill levels. There are the club racers, and the new guys, and the guys that like to take it slow because they're smart. I felt like i should be in the middle of the pack, but for some reason, took off with the smart guys. They took it real easy up the crest and left about 5 minutes before everyone else so they'd get there at about the same time, and i didn't want to pull DY passes to get ahead so i stopped at the ranger station to get my earplugs in and wait for the rest of the group.

The rest of the group came rumbling by, and i fell into line at the back. Not that i resent the backmarkers because it's fine if they want to ride a certain speed which may be slower than my pace, but after making a few passes i got stuck behind a guy who wasn't checking his mirrors, or wasn't aware that i wanted to get by him. It's hard to not be a dick when someone doesn't recognize your hi-beam requests to get by, so i stayed in that position, resigned to crawling up to newcombs.

The SCS ride starts at the shell, goes to newcomb's for breakfast/refreshments, and then heads out to the tree. This is counter to the way i usually hit the crest, which is generally tree, then nukes via 9 mile. So it was a little weird, and really cold bullshitting up there at nukes, but after an hour or so, a group of us headed out to the tree. Pretty much the fast guys, and me.

After the previous day's ride (Big Bear, in particular) i felt like i lost a little bit of canyon carving innocence. Like i said, the speeds at which i'm riding the canyons are getting to be a little high, and i'm going to have to start doing trackdays to get my fix in a safe and legal manner. Still, the pace set by the "fast guys" was fast enough to challenge me all the way out to the tree. 9 mile i felt ok, but my favorite section of forest was an absolute blur. I've never ridden it that fast, but i mostly kept up with the group and felt OK (like i wasn't outriding myself or the bike) about the ride out to the tree.

At the tree, i let R jump on the daytona and take it for a spin. It was a thrilling sight to see him buzz the tree at a very high rate of speed. The bike sounds beautiful when you're in the saddle, but lord it sounds even better when you're not on the bike. A little quiet, due to the stock exhaust, but still every bit the symphony everyone gushes about when it comes to the 675.

Leaving the tree, the winds picked up and made the ride back down absolutely hair raising. The problem with having a feather light bike is that a gust of wind will totally interfere with the direction you're traveling, so you have to be able to adjust quickly to it. I made it back down in one piece though, and had a great time. I'll be out there this saturday to be sure.

Ride Summary 4/13/07

So i put in over 200 miles on the bike today, without even realizing it was friday the 13th. i'm not a superstitious person, but considering the amount of riding i did today, in retrospect maybe it was a dumb thing to be in the saddle that long on a day like today.

Which is all hogwash. Perfect SoCal weather, though a tad windy. Made my way out to idyllwild and the 243 to meet up with C, whom i've never ridden with before. C is young and a little crazy, but a good kid, and not without hope. The 243 was characteristically beautiful, but uncharacteristically trafficky. Ended up stuck behind Vans, SUV's, Campers, and slow drivers in every good section of the road, and didn't get an opportunity to work up a rhythm on what is a very rhythmic road. There was a moment, early, on the 243 where we were passing a RV over the double yellow and i rolled on a little too hard--grip on the double yellow paint is much lower than it is on asphalt, as i found out. Felt the rear end slip out about 8" on me, but caught it before it got serious. Felt like Vale for a second. A dumb, slow vale...

Made my way up to Big Bear with C after that (he lives close to there) and got my first taste of the 18. Jesus H. Christ, is that road incredibly fast. It helps that it's 2 lanes up to the crestline (CA 138) junction, and it's mostly fast sweepers all the way up. We were flying up the 18, and i started to get tired and had some issues in a long carousel when i touched down a hard part, lost concentration, let off, and started to fall even futher in a lean without the speed to maintain it. I straightened the bike up and went on my merry way, but it was a sobering moment--i'd never touched a hard part previously on the 675, and it was WAY down there. I'd have to be going really fast to do it. And i was. Scary at that speed and on a road like that. That incident, in combination with my double yellow "back it in" moment on the 243 was perhaps Friday the 13th being passive aggressive about trying to kill me.

Stopped and turned around, and realized that i was making a subtle form mistake when i was hanging off. I was getting my butt off the seat, but i wasn't moving my upper body with it. On the way down, i felt much better hanging off the bike and the bike was much smoother, though i realize i need to work on the smoothness with which i transition from one side to the other.

It was a good day of riding, and there's more in store for tomorrow.

OT: video cameras and digi cams

I know it's boring to read my novels with no pictures, so i'm working on getting a compact digicam to take pics. I've taken the D70 with me on some rides, but it's just too big to be convenient. I'm looking for a canon digital elph, or comparable, so there'll be more pretty pictures of overweight guys in leather suits forthcoming.

i'm also wondering about what sort of vid camera to get. granted, it's not like i have such superior skills that videos of me riding the crest will be anything but boring, but i'd like to have a setup for track days and possibly commuting (for evidence in traffic accidents), and making boring videos on the crest :)

the race car guys i know are using the canon ZR series, which i've been told sucks. Keep in mind that while i know cameras ok, i know squat about video. I've seen some guys take video with their digicams and a very large video card, which might be an economical solution as well. The other option is a tank mounted video mount, or a remote bullet cam connected to a camera, mounted somewhere on the bike or on my helmet. suggestions are most welcome.

Ride Summary 4/6/07 and 4/7/07

S has told me that i'm the luckiest guy out there. I get to ride the canyons on weekdays, which i don't do enough, it seems. But this particular friday, V and I got to take a late afternoon ride up Azusa Canyon.

V works for the City of LA as an engineer, on-site in a very far away place, and doesn't get alot of weekdays off. Add to that that he's a reluctant work-a-holic, and it adds up to him not getting much time to ride. So it was nice to get up into the canyons on a really nice friday afternoon (compared to a really shitty saturday morning, described later) and explore my own backyard.

I'd ridden Azusa a couple of times. Halfway up west fork (San Gabriel Canyon Rd) and up east fork to GMR/GRR/Mt Baldy. I'd hated GMR and GRR for various reasons, but West fork is really nice. it's fast and a little short, but still a nice ride when combined with the lower part of azusa canyon, especially with low traffic (not alot of passing opportunities up there). Unfortunately, the giant storms of 04/05 wiped out the road that connected San Gabriel Canyon Rd to ACH (oh god, what a ride that must have been) as well as portions of ACH. Local riders surmise that Cal-trans won't be fixing the road anytime soon, so we're getting a stilted version of the CA HWY 39.

The daytona was typically marvelous, but V's K5 was troublesome. we've been trying to dial in the suspension on that bike for months now, and it just never seems to be as crisp and as solid as you'd expect a Gixxer to be. At the road closure, we switched bikes and i flogged the hell out of it on the way down for a few miles, and through the fast stuff, it seemed like the bike didn't want to lean. through the tight technical stuff, more of the same with some bouncy-shock action. I felt like the tires were low on pressure (they weren't), but it could also be because my bike is alot easier to get over than his.

His k5 has pilot races on, and they've seen lots of miles (down to the wear bars), so it could be that they're flat spotted and need to be replaced. For all the tinkering we've done on that suspension, it's pretty much the only thing that hasn't been replaced. At some point we'll get the set of pirelli's in my garage on the thing and hope it starts handling like it should.

Azusa regulars always say there's less cops up there, but it seems like there's enough to get you into serious trouble. On ACH, you're always afraid of stout popping out of a pine cone and busting your ass, so you have restraint built into your system. on azusa, 1) there's less riders coming up and down to give you any reliable info on where the bulls are hiding 2) it's ridden much faster (relative to posted speed limits) than the crest, well portions of it anyway. I envision myself getting caught doing very ugly speeds on this road and getting a CHiP rammed up my ass...

Saturday morning i was supposed to meet up with S to ride the crest with the SCS guys. I woke up mostly on time for the 10am meet. but when i did wake up, the weather was nasty. Threatening clouds made me want to go back to bed, but the crest was calling. The ride over to the shell was just as nasty, as the drizzle made me wonder if i should just turn around and go home, but i continued on. S was nowhere to be seen, and the clouds shrouded the mountains like stink on shit. I decided to give it a look see, because oftentimes, when the weather sucks down here, it's nice on the crest above a certain elevation. I was hoping that elevation wasn't too high up, so i made my way up the dampened lower portion of the crest. about 2 miles past the country club, i decided that this was too nasty to continue. visibility was shit (20 or 30 feet), the drizzle wasn't letting up (and my tires aren't exactly the best wet weather tires-supercorsa pro's have no tread pattern on the sides to maximize dry grip), so i turned around and went back down.

Later reports said that the weather cleared up around the AFH turn off (aka at the Ranger Station) and was beautiful beyond.

Ride Summary 3/31/07

And, i know this blog is dedicated to the crest, but there are times when a man wishes to dine on something other than bread. Sunday morning, i ignored the "come to church" phone calls from my parents and headed out into the vast expanse of the 909. destination: idyllwild. Met up w/ A and R at the diamond bar denny's (stones' throw from my hs alma mater) and made our way out to riverside to meet up with the deep 909 guys.

riding to riverside is generally something i'd look at with untold dread. straight freeway shot, to a seemingly distant destination, with lots of mixed traffic (aka, lots of big rigs). but at 8:30 am on a sunday, it's not bad. A leisurely pace to the meeting spot, and after no more than 30 mins, we were there.

if i ride the crest w/ an internet group, it's generally a 5-10 bike group. the 909 likes to roll deep, and we had a "small" group of 16 that made our way to idyllwild, of varying skill levels and w/ a number of different bikes.

Idyllwild is located in riverside county, in a solitary mountain range in the middle of the desert. Sandwiched between riverside and palm desert, the principle route through the random alpine environs and into the desert are CA-243 and CA-74. I hadn't been to idyllwild since...i wanna say 1984, when i was a 6 year old kid who loved lighting shit on fire. not only because of the passage of time, but the general impregnability of the 909 area code, idyllwild just seems far.

it's not. all told, continuous travel times would have been approximately 45 mins from my house (in the east 626), which is only 10-15 mins longer than it takes me to get to the crest.

Before i have to divide this post into chapters, we'll get into the road. The 243 snakes up the mountain face, and the climb up is nothing short of glorious. Fast, yet technical sequences remind me of GMR, except with much more room and vision around corners, and without the debris. I was riding midpack, and taking what i had learned the day before (see report for 3/30) about the 675, quickly caught a rhythm and found myself engaged in a 2-wheeled ballet up the mountain. The view from up there is also spectacular, and the whole first 10 miles of the 243 makes for awesome photo-ops. There was a scary moment in a right hander though: as i started to get the bike leaned over, i must have hit a rock of some sort, and felt the front end get airborne just a tad (which is always scary in a lean), but the tires re-established contact and maintained grip. if i was unluckier in life, it would have been a lowside, possibly right off the mountain face. So it serves as a reminder: keep your eyes forward and scanning for potential dangers!

At an intermediate stop, i looked at my front tire to find a nasty gash in it. After deciding to "take it easy" and not risk blowing out the front tire, i decided to continue on, at a more leisurely pace (well, as leisurely as one can manage up there).

Reaching the gas station in the commercial center of idyllwild, the town, we noticed we were a few bikes short. A shows up 5 mins later with a rashed up R1 and a nasty scrape on his knee. of course it's on a day when he's not wearing leathers (neither am i). Apparently, the insane amounts of gravel and red cedar through the middle section of the 243 claimed A's knee and left fairing when a suicide squirrel darted out in front of A, he dodged, then dodged the oncoming van, only to lose the rear tire and lay it down at about 40 mph. one of those unfortunate occurences, though personally i'm hitting the squirrel 101 times out of 100 and hoping the front tire doesn't go FUBAR. anyway, with the knowhow and saavy of a few health care practitioners in the group, he gets the wound H2O2'd and bandaged. 4 of us decide to pack it in early and head home down the 74 (into hemet.) The 74 west is also a nice road, reminiscnet of Forest, but with longer turns. In light of all of the things that happened on this ride, and my ticket, i'm not pushing it through the long, fast hairpins, and lose R riding in front of me. We stop to take a break and give A a chance to rest his bloody knee when the rest of the group rolls up--bad omens like an unavoidable lowside, or even my invisible rock episode were enough to get everyone to pack it in early.

we ride down into hemet and a bunch of "colored" guys on crotch rockets invade the local carl's jr. i hear at least 3 different discussions going on simultaneously about "bike riders"--some favorable, others scornful. i guess it's not something you fully understand until you get on a bike and try to get a knee down. i suppose that's a whole other post right there...

anyway, after lunch we make our way back through what might be the most po'dunk hamlets and cowtowns the 909 has to offer. Think harris ranch/coalinga, liberally sprinkled thorughout riverside county...it was a long ride back to the 15 and eventually home, but being tasked with making sure A got home safe, i made sure we took it nice and easy and we got back ok. It was a good weekend of riding, but not without heavy cost (front tire, ticket, A's knee) or the reminder that canyon riding is no time to get lazy about wearing gear.

Ride Summary 3/30/07

Well, it finally happened. I got my first ticket on the crest. 63 in a 45, and i deserved every last bit of it.

But before i get into why i'm a total dumbass, we'll talk about the ride itself. Headed up the crest with a couple of friends and did the standard ACH>AFH (tree)>9 mile>ACH (Nukes)>ACH (home) ride. We got a bit of a late start, and it was eerily quiet on a saturday morning, given that there were no bikes at the shell at 11am. Though most people depart the shell by 10-ish, there's usually the late group that will meet and head up a little later in the day.


Weather was perfect, it was warm at the bottom, a brisk 60-ish on the crest, sun shining, and the road mostly clear of debris. Heading up AFH, i began to hit my groove once past the tunnel (and on my favorite section of Forest). This part of forest consists of very fast sweepers, and is especially wide and with good visibility. It's a perfect section to get your knee down with relative safety (good vis, lots of runoff, and in some of the faster corners, a passing lane for extra width), and i began to finally learn what the daytona is all about.

I'd previously had issues with holding a line on this bike. not that the bike can't hold a line, but it turns too well. Well, i finally learned what the triumph expects of me mid-corner.

At turn in, the bike drops quickly into a lean, and as you get to apex, you roll on the throttle--hard--and the bike squats and grunts and slingshots you out of the corner. nary a moment of wheel slip or anything that might be described as upsetting. the feeling of the centripetal acceleration as you rocket out of the corner is, for lack of a more exciting term, compelling.

So having learned how to ride my bike and take advantage of all the things it does so beautifully, i had a great ride out to the tree, up 9 mile, and to nukes, where we had lunch. I hate to say it, but i'm finally tiring of the food choices up there--for lunch anyway--and we shot the shit. Even at nukes it was quiet, not many riders at all. Got the report on where the chippies were hanging out (mostly at the bottom).

The ride down was fine, standard debris issues on upper ACH, some traffic, but still wonderful. At the ranger station we got some head taps from riders on the way up, and we toned it down--though downhill on lower ACH is generally toned down due to traffic. Passing the vista point on the right side, i relished the opportunity to roll on one last time before the long dark of minivans and SUV's made the rest of the ride a chore. I knew the bulls were close, but didn't see them so i rolled on.

I should've saw them, or practiced some self control, because sure enough just as i finished track out and started to slow down, there they were. waiting for me. 2 SUV's (CHP and Park ranger) and wrote me up. My insurance rates will not be pleased.

Ride Summary, 3/16/07

After my final this morning, i decided to make a quick trip up to nukes to have lunch. Considering that the weather is absolutely perfect today, it was a nice ride up the crest with low traffic and relatively clean conditions (Lower ACH is clean, Upper ACH from Switzers to Upper Big Tujunga is a little messy). Police presence was low for my trips up and down, but the word up at nukes is that they're all over the place this week.

Last weekend, 2 riders went down and suffered serious injuries. Rumors say that they both passed away (RIP), and they were both off duty policemen. CHP has responded by increasing its usual presence from 1 moto-cop and 2 cruisers to something along the lines of 2 and 3 respectively. ACH was chp free, though i did see a cruiser on AFH (from AFC, approaching the ranger station), and others said that there was a cruiser patrolling the near the UBT/Wilson area.

Details on one of the accidents is unknown, but the other is purported to be the result of the rider T-boning a cage (semi-pejorative rider's term for "car") about 2 miles down from newcomb's. The car made an illegal u-turn, right in front of the rider who, in my estimation was probably traveling at a reasonable speed, and that's all she wrote. It's a sobering reminder that in any situation where there's mixed traffic, including motorcycles who may or may not be flying through, that the worst-case scenario lingers just a split second away. It's these kinds of high-profile tragedies that always brings a host negative repercussions for all riders on the crest, whether it's increased CHP presence (which in itself is dangerous*), puts everyone on edge, and makes the Crest collectively anxious for weeks after the incident. I'd like to take this time to make a plea to fellow riders and car traffic on the Crest: Please keep it sane up there, and please be aware of other vehicles!

The bike was a little difficult to manage up the crest (keep in mind this is the first ride up the Crest with the new bike), since it's a totally different bike than my previous. I need to adjust my turn-in points, as well as get used to how easy it is to pitch this thing in. The F4i required alot more work, especially in quick transitions, meaning that i'd do alot of hanging off and working the bike. This bike will turn in on a whim, and barely requires a weight shift to get it leaned over. I found that after getting some food in me (which really helped), turning down the front rebound settings 30 degrees, and keeping my butt in the saddle made for a much better ride down. I found my rhythm quickly and maintained a good pace down the mountain. It also serves to remind me that riding is an activity that not only requires physical precision, but mental as well. Riding tired, hungry, needing to pee can be just enough to cause the one mistake that "smashes your whole shit up." So stay in shape, eat well, and keep the sticky side down!

The Tools of the Trade:

So there's a new bike in the collection, and I'm utterly in love with it and relish any possible chance to show it off and tell people about it. But for those who aren't familiar with bikes and gear, this will be an insight into just how much money we blow on all of this crap.

The bike: 2007 Triumph Daytona 675

Released in 2006 to a shower of Moto-Journalist praise, and signaling the 100% legitimized return of the world's oldest bike maker (Triumph), the daytona is, in many opinions, the finest middleweight sportbike ever made. Utilizing a 675cc three cylinder motor, Triumph was able to destroy the competition when it comes to midrange power and torque. The suspension and chassis design is equally slick, making a bike with razor sharp reflexes and effortless flickability. Aesthetically, the thing is just fucking beautiful, especially in black.

The Gear: Shoei X-11 (Ukawa), Teknic Chicane 1-Piece Cowhide Suit, AGV Exocet Gloves, Setup Vision Boots

It'd be hard to not write 23 pages on gear, and i'm sure it'd bore everyone stiff. But a quick description of why it's needed, and then a quick explanation as to why i like my gear will probably be concise enough to hold your attention.

It shouldn't require an explanation as to why a helmet is necessary. And please, leave the half-helmets with the kaiser spike on top at home. unless you like the idea of losing half o' your face in a fall.

Now, imagine being thrown out of a moving car. As you tumble down the asphalt, imagine your skin being torn off of your body, and your flesh being ground off and being replaced by gravel, bits of glass, and whatever else happens to be on the road. I can't stress the importance of gear enough--not only on the Crest, but on your daily commute. The concrete doesn't know that you're just cruising to work, and the cars around you don't notice that you're wearing shorts and flip flops when they change lanes into you. While a full suit may be cumbersome (as well as strange to run errands in), it's certainly what's recommended for a spirited ride up the Crest. Leather will hold up for about 8 seconds, sliding along the road at 60 mph. Denim lasts approximately .5 seconds, and performance textiles have gotten to about 3 or 4. Leather is still the fabric of choice for motorcycles, not because we like to cultivate the image, but because it keeps us from dying. Leather suits have integrated plastic and foam armor, as well as knee pucks and sometimes "speed humps". Besides, you look like a power ranger when you wear full leathers. That's like, so cool.

Boots are often overlooked, but shredding your ankle up is about the first thing that happens in the most common bike crash, called the "lowside." The lowside is when the bike falls out from under you, right onto your ankle, and then applies 400 lbs of weight on top of your ankle as you slide along the asphalt. As well as you think a high-top sneaker would hold up in this scenario, it won't. Riding boots have ankle protection, as well as shin and toe protection, and while it's no guarantee that you won't have bloody feet after a lowslide, it's certainly a step up from chucks. plus, wearing sneakers with full leathers is just bad form.

Gloves: do you like your fingers?

The gear collection i've put together isn't the nicest collection of gear, but it'll do. The x-11 is the best helmet on the market, imo. Awesome venting, good aerodynamics, and feather-light, it makes me positively giddy when i remember how much i paid for it: $125. Thanks Craigslist. The leather suit was also a CL special, and while it doesn't quite fit as well as the Alpinestars in my closet, it's close enough. I'm sure my testicles would disagree, but somehow they were overridden by the bank account. It's also thoroughly perforated, which makes riding in 98 degree SoCal heat a little more bearable. AGV Exocets are marketed as race gloves, but they're not quite up to snuff relative to the high-end gloves on the market. The leather in the palm is a little too soft for my liking, but there's enough carbon/kevlar to make up for it. Just gotta remember to land with my palms up. I'd love a set of kangaroo leather Held race gloves, but until someone paypals me $250, it's not happening in the immediate future. Setup Visions are made by Sidi, motorcycle booting's #1 manufacturer, but lacks the bells and whistles of their Signature line and top-flight race boots. Still, they're comfy, protect all the right places, and were affordable. I'd recommend them to the casual rider.

An Introduction to the Crest

California Highway 2 is a route that has many different personalities. Running from the beaches of Santa Monica (as Santa Monica Blvd), to the Neon Lights of West Hollywood, into Echo Park and the Hills of Glendale and La Canada-Flintridge, and finally up into the San Gabriel Mountains as Angeles Crest Highway, where it comes to an abrupt end some 30 miles northeast of the 210 freeway due to a semi-permanent road closure.



What seems to be a effective dead end is actually the asphalt paved haven of many of Southern California's motorcycle enthusiasts. On any given day, a significant percentage of traffic moving through ACH is 2-wheeled traffic of varying types: Sportbikes, Cruisers, Tourers, Motards, enjoying not only the native scenery, but what could be God's Gift to two wheels. While there are other hot-spots for motorcyclists in southern california, the Crest is one of the most popular destinations for rides, on par with the legendary (and infamous) roads of Palomar Mountain (near San Diego).

Beyond the simple label applied to roads such as ACH, Palomar, Malibu Canyon, Glendora Mountain Road (East San Gabriel Valley), and the 74 (Palm Springs)--"The Twisties"--each road has its own unique character and demography. The Crest can further be described as a series of more or less constant radius turns and high-speed sweepers, whereas Palomar is known for its treacherous but challenging decreasing radius turns. GMR, a favorite spot for not only bikes, but also cars, is much shorter ride with tighter turns, more technical demands, and lots and lots of debris. While the Crest's collection of turns may not present the same sort of challenge as other "more technical" routes, it's a welcome respite from dodging rocks, gravel, and drifters at GMR; or the decreasing radius turns and certified crazy people that make Palomar a little like going to that really ratty strip club down the street for the 1 really hot stripper that works there.

It would be a lie if i were to say that riders on the Crest are always in control and ride responsibly--almost every weekend there's an accident involving a motorcyclist who probably lost control as a result of riding too fast. After all, even if bikes rule the crest, there are plenty of cars, lots of bicycles, as well as wildlife which make "pushing the limit" a dangerous proposition. I can't say that I've observed the speed limit on my rides up the crest, but I like to think that I'm riding well within my limits, and not tempting fate by dancing along the jagged edge. Others lack the same self control, or perhaps I might find myself pushing too hard one day for the given conditions. It's not so much a damnation of reckless riding as my hope that the statement is a self-fulfilling promise that I will not do stupid shit on ACH.

But it's almost understandable--a ride up the crest is a wonderous journey. 1 part speed fix, 1 part hanging out, 1 part exploration, and 1 part introspection. Even if the route taken up the Crest (and its many tributaries) is the same week in and week out, familiarity only strengthens the bond between rider and road. Usually it will take nothing short of a bloody wreck to disturb this most-intimate of relationships between man and inanimate object.

Group rides up the crest generally spawn from messageboards. The internet makes finding people easier, after all. Meet times range from early morning to early afternoon (depending on how much daylight is available), and 90% (if not more) of all group rides congregate at "the Shell", which is a Shell Gas Station immediately off the 210/2 freeway off-ramp. As the riding season heats up (right about now), don't be surprised to see some 40 or 50 guys hanging out at a gas station parking lot in ridiculous looking leather suits and shiny bikes. In the same way that rides start at the Shell, most rides end up making a stop at one of 2 locations (if not both): Newcomb's Ranch, and the "Tree".

Newcomb's Ranch, or "Nukes" for short, is situated about 5-10 miles before the road closure at the top of ACH. Catering to bikers and tourists, you'd imagine that this rest stop on a road that goes to nowhere would be something out of Deliverance or the Biker Bar which serves as the scene for your worst nightmare. It's actually quite nice, the food is mediocre, but good nonetheless (especially when you're starving), and they've got a nice bathroom, 74" Plasma, and lots and lots of riders. (Picture again 50 people in leather suits hanging out and shooting the shit). The "tree" is a lone pine tree (i think) located off of Angeles Forest Highway, about 10 miles away from where AFH hits the 14 freeway. It's always surprising to think that Palmdale is a stone's throw away from Civilized Places like Pasadena.

Crest riders come from all walks of life. Well, that's a lie, because it's mostly men (though the age range is pretty wide, and there are some female riders) with the disposable income to have a 2-wheeled toy. Skill ranges vary from relatively new riders to grizzled old bike veterans, since the road layout presents challenges to all sorts of riders (after all, a gentle right handed sweeper at 50 mph can be just as challenging as a 90 mph pass if you're new to the sport).

This month is my 8th month of riding motorcycles. I've traversed roughly 8000 miles on a bike so far, have owned 3 different bikes (92 honda CBR F2, 02 honda CBR F4i, 07 triumph daytona 675) and can't keep myself away from ACH.