From Lake Tahoe, Day 1 (update final report with Photos)

[BusyWeb]

Hi, there....

For this long weekend, I dare to came up here north california, Lake Tahoe.
I left home 10 am, May 22nd, 2009.
And I settled in a camp ground at 7:30 pm....
It was couple of hours behind then my plan.
Today, I took Interstate 5, on which pretty strong wind during the riding.
It was first time bike riding on the I5, and didn't know about the wind condition of it.
So, I had to reduce speed and rest few times....

Anyway, here I am...
No pictures today...
But I got couple of...
May be tomorrow...some photos.
I planed to get some riding on the north part of california in this long weekend.....

More report to come....
Thanks, good night...

UPDATE at 06/26/2009.
First of all, some photos.
And some stories.... ha ha ha

Picasa Album Link
http://picasaweb.google.com/busyweb/Lak ... 4039309858

Picasa Slide Show
[picasa=busyweb:gmuu3d4f]5340341503635875073[/picasa:gmuu3d4f]

Panoaram Slide Link
http://picasaweb.google.com/busyweb/Lak ... 6474387346

[picasa=busyweb:gmuu3d4f]5340369490815073553[/picasa:gmuu3d4f]

Day 2, report was done for reply on Mr. Moedad's post.
Day 3 and Day 4:
I left Red Bluff camp ground early in the morning as I expected a long way to ride.
And headed to the Hwy 1 aka Pacific Coast Highway.
To get to the Hwy. 1, there are some options that I had to choose from.
I made decision to take country back roads for the refresing the my ego... ha ha ha
Took I5 down to south to get the Hwy. 162, and headed to the west.
On the small town called Elk Creek, I lost the track of 162.
And asked to local about the road that I was heading to.
Ha ha ha, one recommended to take local country road which assumes that good riding for the bike.
Yes, it was a beatiful riding until I met the rough and gravel road.
I had to take about 20 miles of gravel road which includes small Sequoia twistie with gravels...um.
I asked myself while I was on the gravel roads;
he who recommended this road might not know what my bike skill level is and what my bike type is.
However, it was a really amazing ride; beatiful seneries and no traffic at all.
I just worried about bike down by my mistake during the riding.
I thanked myself to him who recommended that road for me.
After long gravel road riding, I took Hwy. 20 which is also beatiful another riding.
There were big lake called Clear Lake on the way of Hwy. 20.......fantastic riding for me.
Met a biker with bike with side-car which is made from Russian, there are couple of photos about it.
Some chatting at the gas station with him, he was heading to the north Seattle....
Time got past fast enough to make me hurry on riding.
So, I changed the route to take little south and headed to the small city called Boonville.
At the Boonville, I took a road named Mountain View which gave me a magical riding.
It looks like very well known biker's road at the local.
Some bikers passed by during the ride, but do not assume the road is easy for the bike.
Road has couple of one way sections, some gravel part, and very tight twisties.
But I would say that this road is the magical one.
During the riding, all my polluted emotion was cleaned and filled with new clean empty one.
So, I'm new me now.... ha ha ha
Um, the temperature gets cooooold as I approch the coast line.
Aha, I finally got to Hwy. 1 and started riding down of it.
First small town called Point Arena where I luckly got a open bike shop who lent me some chain-lubricant free.
Thanks for him, bike shop name is "The ZEN House".
I had to change my glove to the Winter Type, and wore additional layer; ha ha ha
Rain Gears for both jacket and pants; to prevent cold temp., moisture, and wind >>> it really works for me.
Now then, I had to find a camp ground >>> forgot it is a holiday.
No camp ground has available spots, all FULL signs.
Ha, change plan again.
I rode down Hwy. 1 until I got to San Francisco, the time was about 11:30 PM.
The options for me, find motel or go to HOME...
I took "Go Home" which I had to ride another Night Ride.
Is there anyone who cross over Golden Gate Bridge with bike AT NIGHT???? >>> ha ha ha
Anyway, I took Hwy. 101 straight down to Los Angeles at night.
Couple of hours resting(sleeping at 6 to 8 AM) at the San Luis Obispo was necessary.
At night, I tried to throttle up bike but I couldn't get the speed up to 60 mph.
I don't know why?
I really wanted to speed up, but bike does not go faster than 60.....
That's why I gave up and rest couple of hours.
Finally, I got to home about at 11 AM, May 25th 2009.
Right after un-pack the luggage, shower and sleep for over 12 hours... ha ha ha.
Anyway, this weekend riding refreshed my emotion and ego again.
Thanks...

[Moedad]

Looking forward to the fulll report, Busy!

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by Moedad

Looking forward to the fulll report, Busy!

Hi Mr. Moedad...
Here I am in "Red Bluff", escape from crowds and cold night at the Lake Tahoe.
I changed plan,,,again...ha ha ha.
I planned to go up to Lassen Volcanic National Park, but people are doing Ski at there.
Snow at the mountain still...
So, I changed plan to go east coastline, Hwy. 1 from top of it.
By the way, the way to the Red Bluff from the Lake Tahoe was a the most beautiful road that I had rode with bike...
I couldn't even stop to take photo; actually forgot to take photo.
Some stories today, which made me delay to leaving Lake.
In the morning; at 7 am; I smelled some gas out of my bike and found small amount of leaqking at bottom of the tank.
Seems that it has been like that for a long times.
Fortunatelly, couple of bikers are working at the camp ground where I stayed.
And they helprd me out of it, both are Seneiors...and gave me good tips of the problems of gas leaking.
Even, one of them took(drove) me to the auto parts shop to buy some sealers.
I truley thanks to them, wes and Franky....
Final solution was put some towel under the leaking spot to prevent for spreading to the hot muffler.
Strangely, after couple of hours, leaking stopped....don't know it truely stopped or just evaporating by the warm temperature.
Anyway, I put some pad under the gas pump where the o-ring seems failed its job.
I will look into more tomorrow morning....

Here in tent...nice warm and cool feeling tonight.
Charging computer battery while I'm writing this post, hot shower at the camp-ground,
and some KFC today; tired and no feeling to make some camp food...

I regret not to taking many photos today, but it was a ride for me.

Thanks... and good night for you all, and for me too...ha ha ha
I am feel some exhaustion today, but emotinally filled with unknown satisfaction.

[Moedad]

Did you make it home, Busy? How was the ride down the coast to San Francisco? What about south of Frisco? Did you encounter a lot of fog like on your last trip through Big Sur?

[Moedad]

Still waiting, Busy... :yawn:

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by Moedad

Still waiting, Busy... :yawn:

Hello, Mr. Moedad.
I made some final report at the top.....under the photos.
Actually, edited original posting.
Sorry, if you have waited for my reply.

During the riding back home, I got some fog situation when I ride over a mountain;
which I don't know the name and place????
It was just small density of fog compare to the FOG that I had before on the Hwy. 1.
I had not covered the southern part of the Hwy. 1 this time....so I don't know what it could be there.

Anyway, last bike touring was one amaizing experience for me.
It was just about riding-bike itself, wasn't disrupted by photo taking time.
So, I enjoyed most part with riding and enjoying the riding... ha ha ha.

Thanks
And I'm really waiting for the another long weekend...

[Water Warrior 2]

Nice pics as usual. Very scenic ride area you found. Off topic question. How do you find the headlights on the bike ? Looks like you do a fair bit of night riding now.

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Nice pics as usual. Very scenic ride area you found. Off topic question. How do you find the headlights on the bike ? Looks like you do a fair bit of night riding now.

Hi, Mr. WW.
Thanks for the comments first.
I really want to avoid the night riding.
Whenever I had a night riding, next couple of days goes in bad condition for me.
Riding night or early morning seems better choice for the long distance touring with bike, just my opinion.
But do not want to recommend if rider's body(and emotional) condtion is not in best shape.
No traffic, no sudden changes of weather, temperature, and mostly no windy at the roads where I had ridden...
If one who has good skill and good night vision, I would recommend it for the long distance riding.

About headlights, GZ and current bike's head-lights are really works well.
It covers very long distance.
At the local two way roads; if I don't turn off high-beam, the drivers against me complains sometimes.
Feels like almost similar brightness as cage's high-beam's.

Thanks again..
BTW, how is the your V-Strom doing??
I really wanted V-Storm but could not find in my budget, (and there are no used ones near me).
Especially, for the off-roading capabilities of V-Storm...at the last weekend's gravel roads...
I had dreamed about it in few minutes.. ha ha ha
Let us have some V-Storm report.....

[Water Warrior 2]

I really like the Vstrom headlights. They are excellant and far better than most cages. They are even better with SilverStar bulbs. Typical of any bike the low beam has a cutoff that is a bit scary in a left curve in the mountains but I still enjoy a night ride. A late night ride into Vancouver for coffee is nice after the traffic goes away and the night air along the coast is very refreshing. I should do this more often.

As for a ride report I don't do the weekend riding like you do. I do mostly day rides only except when we are on vacation. This afternoon I rode up to Pemberton from Squamish for a burger and had a nice afternoon. Good weather, light traffic and a little fun with an Audi that could really perform.

The Vstrom itself is a great bike totally stock but can be made into a wonderful long distance runner with farkles to suit the rider. And there is also a wide variety of aftermarket parts and equipment to satisfy any rider. I always see another Vstrom on the road when I ride.

[New GZ250]

Great pictures, wish I could of tagged along, just don't think the GZ was made to make it up to Tahoe area from the Bay Area. I once, many years ago, did the camping thing in Virginia City, NV. area. Camped of the side of the road next to an old cemetery. You might put Virginia City on your to do list as it is right out of the old west, with silver mines, a steam engine and gambling not to mention the brothels.