CA 1, Monterey, CA 46

[alanmcorcoran]

I'd planned on taking a trip up to Monterey earlier this summer, but I ended up doing HAiR instead. The show closed last weekend and I was going to go on a ride with Moedad to Angeles Crest, but between the heat wave and the fires, it seemed like a "beach" trip would be better bet. My daughter has been living up in Salinas since she transferred to CSMB last winter and school started last week so I had at least a plausible excuse for all this time (and gas) wasting. About 1/4 of this is along the coast - where it's about 15 - 20 degrees cooler. The rest? Well, at least you can go faster...

I didn't take many pictures - as many of you can relate to, I was mostly riding the bike. There's a few in the slideshow below. This was my longest trip to date and Sunday was the most consecutive hours in the saddle. I learned a lot about my personal capacity for touring - probably would learn more if I kept at it for more days. I'm not sure if Busy has already documented CA 1 from SLO to Monterey, but it's a sort of California "must do." Kind of like Dragon Tail for East Coasters. There's a few gnarlies here and there, but for the most part, it's moderate. The ocean and the cliffs are in view for a lot of it, if you like scenery (like me) this has an abundance. Plus there is the Hearst Castle, which, although quite touristy, is quality touristy. I'd seen it already so I skipped that, but I saw a lot of Harley's (there's mostly Harleys on CA1) stopping there. Got in a lot of hardcore highway miles too, the new bike is really well suited for the super slab. Rode the whole thing in full battle rattle, at times in temps over 100. That kind of sucked, but as long as I was moving I could tolerate it for a few hours. CA 46 is nice too. Cut's through the middle of the state, high speed sweepers through farmland. 50 miles of quality backroad riding.

[pbss:1xcr5bxi]http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/alanmcorcoran/Salinas/?action=view&current=87329303.pbw[/pbss:1xcr5bxi]

[Moedad]

I'm glad you got to ride somewhere far away. And we don't get enough watermelon and IHop pictures around here, so well done in that regard. One of my favorite things about the central coast is seeing Monterey Cypress trees. I don't know why they appeal to me so much. I really like them.

I didn't go anywhere, but I did change my oil and filter.

[JWR]

Glad you had a good trip.

The more miles I do, the more I want to do.

Enjoy :2tup:

[alanmcorcoran]

Yeah, sorry about the pictures. When I get going, I just keep going. I looked at stuff, but I could only take pictures when I was stopped. I could have snapped a few at McDonalds at Blanco and Main in Salinas, McDonald's/Mobil in Lost Hills and Jack in the Box at Lake Hughes Road, but I figured you guys already know what a burger and fries looks like. There was a real nice Chevron about 20 miles down the 101 and a pretty sweet Exxon at the beginning of CA 46 but I just forgot to pull out the iphone.

The watermelon is growing in a giant patch in my daughter's backyard in Salinas.
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6526/47274716.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

[Moedad]

Yeah, sorry about the pictures. When I get going, I just keep going.

Did you drive up on Saturday and back on Sunday? How long and how many miles were each day? I need to take a trip.

[bonehead]

Yeah, sorry about the pictures. When I get going, I just keep going. I looked at stuff, but I could only take pictures when I was stopped. I could have snapped a few at McDonalds at Blanco and Main in Salinas, McDonald's/Mobil in Lost Hills and Jack in the Box at Lake Hughes Road, but I figured you guys already know what a burger and fries looks like. There was a real nice Chevron about 20 miles down the 101 and a pretty sweet Exxon at the beginning of CA 46 but I just forgot to pull out the iphone.

The watermelon is growing in a giant patch in my daughter's backyard in Salinas.
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6526/47274716.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)
Ohcrap, here we go again with an iphone...LOL

[alanmcorcoran]

Did you drive up on Saturday and back on Sunday? How long and how many miles were each day? I need to take a trip.

Had I known you were up for it I'd have asked you to come. I got the "fever" Friday night after I got back from a coffeeshop open mic. Packed the bike with 4 days of socks, underwear and Red Bull and left at early Sat at 2:45 am to beat the heat. Got to Ventura about 4:30, about 100 miles or so, and took a break until about 11:30. Saturday went to Carpinteria IHOP (see photo), then stopped in Santa Maria for a coffee, chapstick and anti-itch. Santa Maria to Ragged Point (see photo) then on to Salinas. Had dinner at Chilis, chilled for a bit and hit the hay. Total Sat mileage: ~400. Ass, neck and general soreness. Sunday, met daughter #1 for a tour of CSMB and breakfast. Left Salinas at about 11:20. From there, pretty much just gas and snack stops until I pulled back into the driveway at 5:40pm. Total Sunday mileage: ~370 miles. Neck was actually better on the second day, as was ass, but throttle hand was fried. Today some residual stiffness between the shoulder blades and I forgot to put my earplugs in for return trip so I'm a little deaf. I think if I was out for a while I might get used to the abuse. You sure get a lot more used to the bike.

You can average 75 or better on the south 101 and 5 portions (speed limit 70), but you only gonna get about 30-35 on the Big Sur stretch (some 15-20mph hairpins, light traffic, single lane, bright sun, blind corners.)

[alanmcorcoran]

Ohcrap, here we go again with an iphone...LOL

I guess I missed the iphone thread. I just got mine a few months ago (it's not the latest) so I could surf the 'Net and Facebook if the coffeehouse singers were bad. I actually found it to be quite useful on the trip. I booked a semi-nice hotel in Salinas for $64 by using hotels.com on the iphone at Chili's. I pulled over at a fork in the 46, and checked Google maps to make sure I was going the right way. At each stop, it automatically told me how many miles left to home. Plus I periodically txted my wife to let her know I was still alive. Checked e-mail and FB at stops, checked weather and temps. Most of the pictures were taken from the iphone. I will leave the mini-Sony home next time. (There was no cell service at Ragged Point, so that is something to consider.)

Oh, I made a couple of calls with it too. I give the iphone a big thumbs up for motorcyclists!

[bonehead]

You obviously did'nt follow the mcintyre-aerospace logs a while back. Look in the rear brake noise posts, you'll see.

[alanmcorcoran]

Yeah... I generally skip anything to do with fixing, diagnosing, troubleshooting or modding. (As Mr. Eastwood once said, "A man's got to know his limitations." I got a lot!)

I DO know how to remove the side panel and charge the battery if that ever comes up.

[Moedad]

Had I known you were up for it I'd have asked you to come.

S'okay, I couldn't have come this weekend anyway--had commitments on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. That would've been a good ride though. Was it smokey coming back into town?

[Water Warrior 2]

That's a fair ride for an intro to long distance rides. Get a throttle rocker for both handgrips and it will ease up on the wrist wear an tear. More LD rides will toughen up the butt a bit too. So get out there and burn those fossil fuels like the rest of us.

[alanmcorcoran]

Was it smokey coming back into town?

Not really. Except for the heat, the rest of the trip conditions were pretty decent overall. I had a smidgen of traffic outside Santa Barbara, did a little bit of lane splitting for a few minutes but it cleared right up. (There was a contingent from the fire battalion [Cal Fire?] staying at my hotel in Salinas.) I also ran into a little bit of traffic going up the Newhall pass, but it was shortlived (looky-loos at a grounded RV on the shoulder.)

Right at about Lake Hughes road or therein, I did see the smoke from several different fires in the Angeles National Forest. But it was not blowing towards the road. Looked like quite a bit of the forest was on fire and, of course, it was hot as hell to boot. There was a good stiff wind blowing through Newhall and Grapevine (I could feel it even on the Strat) so if the fire gets over that far, look out!

Overall I was pretty fortunate that there were no serious traffic delays. The Strat has a huge air cooled V Twin and, let's just say there wasn't much air cooling going on this weekend in CA. If I had to start and stop in traffic, things could have got ugly (and hot!) One thing the big bike does not do well is traffic. Not the greatest bike for lane splitting either.

On Sunday I did a lot of miles at 75-80 under pretty good conditions. My biggest problem is the heat makes my nose and the areas around it itch like a mf. Anybody else have this problem? Had the full face on with the flip up face shield.

[alanmcorcoran]

Get a throttle rocker for both handgrips and it will ease up on the wrist wear an tear. More LD rides will toughen up the butt a bit too.

How sophisticated is a "throttle rocker"? Is it like cruise control? (I never really go into using cruise control, never got used to it.)

I rode the GZ into work today. My sensitized ass could immediately tell the difference in the seat. Plus, I think it's actually too small for me, felt like getting into one of my daughter's cars with the seats all pressed up against the windshield. On the Strat you can kind of sit back and "prop" your feet up on the floor boards. The GZ pegs are sort of at airplane seat distance. I hadn't noticed this as much before logging a lot of consecutive hours on the big bike. I kind of like the maneuverability of the GZ, but think I might sell it and start thinking about bike #3 (and 4!) I think I'd like a 750 for commuting and 1300 setup for touring. But I'm in no hurry.

The big issue I have with touring is I discovered I don't really like not having anywhere specific to go that much. If I don't have some goal or destination, feeble as it may seem, it just feels kind of weird and pointless riding around. I don't really like to stop and smell the roses, (I just like to ride, get there and check something off my list!) And with the exception of Moedad and OC Hoosier, both of whom were quiet and extremely easy to get along with, I don't think I really like company on the ride. Just having to coordinate gas and pee stops is almost more than I can accomodate. Maybe I will do a solo ride across the country. Can you ship a bike back if you don't wanna ride it back?

I have some other questions for you experienced long distance tourers, but maybe I should put them in some other thread.

[Moedad]

How sophisticated is a "throttle rocker"? Is it like cruise control? (I never really go into using cruise control, never got used to it.)

The Throttle Rocker http://www.throttlerocker.com/ is basically a plastic paddle that velcros onto your grip and lets the weight of the heel of your palm hold the throttle open so you don't have to grip it. Another product called the Cramp buster is the same sort of thing except it sort of clips on with out the velcro. I guess the Gen One version of Throttle Rocker is the same as the Cramp Buster is now, even though they are two different products. There is also an inexpensive cruise control called the Vista Cruise or something that actually holds your throttle at a set point until you either close the throuttle manually or flip a little lever and disengage the Vista unit.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Vista-Cruise-Motorcycle-Handlebar-Accessories/4294964818-600014745.jcw
People that have them seem to really like them. It's only like $30 or something. I have a Throttle Rocker but haven't gone on any rides long enough to need it since I got it.

[alanmcorcoran]

Thanks Moe. I think a good deal of my issues are just over thinking/over doing things. I could probably use about half the force to maintain the throttle - after you get fatigued, you kind of are forced to ratchet down the death grip. Same thing with the neck stiffness - I think once those things get tightened up and fried, it gets it somewhat out of your system and the muscles relax and the problem is lessened. I do try and maintain some sort of lower back posture as I am susceptible to slouch induced sore back, but I could probably relax more if I had a backrest or a more contoured seat.

Anybody know how much more comfy a mustang seat is compared to a Stratoliner stock seat? Sarris - did you swap out your HD seat for a Mustang? (Do you have a backrest on the HD?)

On a different note, I noticed I have a tendency to anticipate curves rather than deal with them as they come. I improved a bit during the 72 miles run from ragged point to Monterrey, but I definitely need more practice to get "automatic" on tight turns. In Big Sur the turns are combined with sudden steep climbs, so there is some shifting to do as well. Some of it is just trusting that the road is not going to suddenly disappear, but I think I can do a lot better on countersteering as needed rather than ahead of time. I still have to set up the course Patrick recommended to me ons ago.

[BusyWeb]

Hi, Mr. Alan.
We might had met on the road!!!
I planed to go little late at the 101 to go Hwy. 58 to make the sun light to pass to the west so that I could get some better light situation for vid.
Anyway, it looks a great ride and you had finally made long ride trip; glad to hear it.
I remember the feeling when I made a first long bike ride....it was a good ego upgrade for me.
ha ha ha.
Glad that you had safe ride!

[Water Warrior 2]

Thanks Moe. I think a good deal of my issues are just over thinking/over doing things. I could probably use about half the force to maintain the throttle - after you get fatigued, you kind of are forced to ratchet down the death grip. Same thing with the neck stiffness - I think once those things get tightened up and fried, it gets it somewhat out of your system and the muscles relax and the problem is lessened. I do try and maintain some sort of lower back posture as I am susceptible to slouch induced sore back, but I could probably relax more if I had a backrest or a more contoured seat.

Anybody know how much more comfy a mustang seat is compared to a Stratoliner stock seat? Sarris - did you swap out your HD seat for a Mustang? (Do you have a backrest on the HD?)

On a different note, I noticed I have a tendency to anticipate curves rather than deal with them as they come. I improved a bit during the 72 miles run from ragged point to Monterrey, but I definitely need more practice to get "automatic" on tight turns. In Big Sur the turns are combined with sudden steep climbs, so there is some shifting to do as well. Some of it is just trusting that the road is not going to suddenly disappear, but I think I can do a lot better on countersteering as needed rather than ahead of time. I still have to set up the course Patrick recommended to me ons ago.

Alan, if the seat is acceptable to your rear end just look for an aftermarket backrest to add a little support to the back. I have one on the Vstrom and won't ride without it. Lynda has a backrest on her "M" and loves it. Between throttle rocker( the velcro type) and a backrest I can ride for hours before my body gives out. Now go out there and find some curves to play on. The Strat will surprise you with it's road manners and agility.

[BusyWeb]

Thanks Moe. I think a good deal of my issues are just over thinking/over doing things. I could probably use about half the force to maintain the throttle - after you get fatigued, you kind of are forced to ratchet down the death grip.
Just checking before bed..
Hi, Mr. Alan.
I don't have any experience with "throttle rocker", but I have some trick with throttle griping when I got tired.
What I do is that...
Don't grip the throttle, just release hand gripping.
Then, how to keep the bike moving?
ha ha ha, I push throttle with my palm; do not grip with hand; and keep the position of throttle.
Sometimes, I just push throttle with just small part of my palm close to the hand wrist.
And make some hand/finger resting for a while.
It just works for me....
DON'T PUSH HARD, the bike will turn... ha ha ha, just enoung amount of power so that throttle could remain the position.
If need to change speed, push up/down throttle with your palm as needed.
I don't know this method will be possible with other bikes; for me both GZ250 and current one works fine.
You may need some parctice to get accustomed..?? or you may already know it..
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