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!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
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.
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.
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