Follow Along: 600rr to California

[Wheelieboy]

Just spent the past hour reading through this thread, great road trip, and great blog. Trust me on this, the trips that suck while you're doing them end up being the most memorable. Things are just boring if everything goes to plan. For instance, I remember very clearly getting my car stuck up some deserted goat path in West Virginia and spending all day trying to get a tow truck to get it out, including the first one almost crashing, there was also the time my clutch blew up on the Cherohala Skyway and the local hillbilly mechanic jerry rigged a couple clutch plates to get me on the road.

I did a very similar route last year (http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...would-you-go&p=1410637&viewfull=1#post1410637) and stopped at many of the same places, except I didn't have time to go west of Colorado/New Mexico. On my ride, the winds across South Dakota were absolutely terrible as well, makes me wonder if there is ever a time when it's not windy. I remember dreading everytime I would pass a tractor trailer as the gust of wind would near tear me off the bike.

Once again, great job.

Edit: As for the tickets, I personally wouldn't worry too much about them as long as they're not from Michigan or New York. I have accumulated many many speeding tickets across the eastern states that I have never paid and never heard a squeek about, including getting two tickets in a one month span in New Hampshire followed by a suspended license letter from New Hampshire, now I just stay out of New Hampshire, and take it easy in the states that I've received a ticket in. Just don't speed too much as some states consider it reckless driving, similar to our 50km.h over, for instance I was kindly informed in Virgina that 25mph over is considered reckless driving and includes a nice trip to the local jail, I was doing 23mph if I remember right.

I'm sure the roadblocks and difficulties I've overcome during the trip will be the most memorable. As someone else mentioned in this thread, I took off for a trip and got myself into an adventure. I'll look back on the hardships and realize how memorable they made this trip.

I looked at your thread, I have many of the same pictures! I'll respond to the thread once I get my photos uploaded and we'll see how similar the pictures are!

As for the tickets, I plan to pay for both of them. Wisconsin has a failure to pay reciprocity with Ontario, and I plan to visit Vegas within the next few years...I dont want to have a warrant for my arrest when I arrive.

The police officer in Wisconsin informed me that he was in his rights to arrest me for the speed, or because I was out of state ( I cant remember the reason), but he said it would be unreasonable for him to so he just told me to slow down. I'm aware that some states have a pretty low threshold.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Would you do it again on that seat? Would you mod anything on your bike for the next one?

What worked, what didn't with your equipment. clothing etc?

@regder - Nice Ride Report! Thanks for sharing.

I would do it on the seat again. The hardness of the seat didnt bother me as much as the lack of space did. The tent I brought was taking up half of my seat which forced me to sit in the forward part of my seat. It was okay when I didnt pack my rain gear in the same bag, but when I did, it took up even more space and was very uncomfortable. I could have put it in my saddlebags but I didnt think of it at the time.

If I were to do it again, I'd skip the tent. I only camped out once in Monument Valley and while it was memorable, I cant decide whether or not it was worth it to bring the tent. In a way, it made me feel more involved in this whole adventure...camping outdoors, just you and the world around you. But it did make for some uncomfortable riding days.

Jerry can- it was good for peace of mind, I never had to use it but almost did in the middle of the California Desert between LA and Pheonix. Had to draft a truck to save gas so I could make it to the next gas stop. It also acted as a frame slider everytime I dropped the bike (on its left side coincidentally). In hindsight, it probably wasnt very safe to. Any rupture in the jerry can combined with metal+road contact would not have turned out very well.

Clothes- I brought 4 days worth of clothes except for pants. I had 1 pair of jeans and 1 pair of shorts. I had a set for hot weather, cold weather, and sleeping so I wouldnt get them all nasty and sweaty. Worked out pretty well.

I'll have more on this in my post-mortem when I get around to everything.

 

[08CBR1000]

Wouldn't it of been better to do this trip with another rider, might of been safer and you could of shared carrying cargo such as the tent etc. I would think that another rider might also ease the bordom at times. Did you consider this or was this a trip that you wanted to do alone.
Great write up, totally enjoyed this. The first thing I did after work was check out this thread to see how far you travelled during the day and what happened during the ride.

Thanks again!

 

[tiborgh]

Wouldn't it of been better to do this trip with another rider, might of been safer and you could of shared carrying cargo such as the tent etc. I would think that another rider might also ease the bordom at times. Did you consider this or was this a trip that you wanted to do alone.

Check out this thread again, does it look like he was alone? And while at times it's good to have someone to share your thoughts, finding a compatible rider is difficult, going with one that is not quite could be a receipe for disaster.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Wouldn't it of been better to do this trip with another rider, might of been safer and you could of shared carrying cargo such as the tent etc. I would think that another rider might also ease the bordom at times. Did you consider this or was this a trip that you wanted to do alone.
Great write up, totally enjoyed this. The first thing I did after work was check out this thread to see how far you travelled during the day and what happened during the ride.

Thanks again!

I would have gone with at most one other rider. There was only one who would have been available during that timeframe whose riding abaility i would trust but he was busy with other things so i went alone. I did somewhat enjoy goig alone since i never had to look back in my mirrors to wait for someone. Also knowing that some of the roads were not at all suited for the faint of heart (gravel, washboard, sandy, cliffside mountain roads) i would have had to really trust their riding ability. I met a lot of interesting people along the way who were interested in hearing my storyand in turn i heard theirs which was a great part of the experience. Im not sure i would be as approachable if i was with someone else. Alkng the way, i also couchsurfed which i looked forward to a lot more than staying at a motel.

 

[omnivore]

I used to sport tour alot with others...Until 3 yrs ago.....then I started taking week long mountain trips, solo, camping, en route to Indy for the MotoGP, and discovered that I really like being able to do what I want, where I want, at the speed I want, sleep where I want, ride longer if I want etc, without having to consider another rider's feelings, preferences or skills, etc..

I tend to be a little on the crazy side as far as things like where I will camp, or roads and cowpaths and river crossings, all on sportbikes. Other riders don't have as great an appreciation for adventure type riding on their pristine sportbikes as I do,LOL

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 10: To the Coast!

I'm in California, where its always warm and sunny!...Or not...

I would have thought it would be warmer and nicer today but apparently its not. Cloudy and about 13 degrees is what I woke up to. Oh well, at least I get to see the Pacific Coast Highway today!

A couple of days ago when I was staying with Clark and James, they told me that the Pacific Coast Highway was closed. In the hopes that it wasnt, I still headed that way.

At first, I got to the coast and I thought...oh okay, its just another beach but as I rode along, it started to get better. The road along the coast got twistier and higher so that you could see a lot more of the coast. It was beautiful.

As I progressed, I started seeing some road closed signs. Either way, I was going to go as far as I could. When I finally got to the "closure", there was a construction worker there holding a "stop/slow" sign. Hah, they just said it was closed to divert traffic I thought. They let me by and I enjoyed more of the heavenly road.

I rounded a curve and to my surprise, there was an unmanned road closed sign with a barrier going all the way across the road. Bummer. I guess this is where the fun ends. Just when it was getting good. Oh well, I tried my best and I have no regrets. Quote: William Hung.

Since there are not many roads leading from the Pacific Coast Highway back inland, I had to backtrack and head back to the main highway.

My goal was to get to Carson City which is near Reno, Nevada by sundown. Most of my afternoon consisted of long straight highways. It was late afternoon when I got to the bottom of the mountains between California and Nevada. It was getting cold but I was too lazy to take the wires for my heated gloves out from my luggage bags. It didnt look that far on the map...oh boy was I wrong.

The mountain passes got really high to the point where it was snowing pretty hard. Snowbanks were piled at least 6 ft high, I knew this wasnt going to be good. Sunlight was also disappearing and getting caught out in the mountains in darkness was not something I wanted to deal with.

I picked up the pace since I didnt see a cop all day and the roads were relatively predictable. As I rounded a curve, I saw a Sheriffs patrol car parked on the side of the road. Crap I thought. I passed him pretty fast since I didnt see him until the last minute but he didnt bother coming after me. About 5 minutes later, I was coming down a hill and another Sherrifs patrol car was coming the opposite way and lit the cherries. Busted.

Before he could turn around, I pulled over, turned off the bike and waited.

Cop: The reason why I stopped you was for your speed
Me: I was going pretty fast, I know. I'm just really cold and wanted to get out of the mountains before dark.
Cop: License and registration please

The first sheriffs patrol car that I passed earlier arrived and they started talking. The cop comes back to me...

Cop: So you came from Ontario huh?
Me: Yup.
Cop: What are you doing here?
Me: Just seeing the sights of America. Its a beautiful country.
Cop: Thats awesome.
Me: It was an amazing experience so far.
Cop: Well just slow it down. I dont want to be dragging you out of the trees down the road.

. Anyhow, I took his advise because I knew that if I got stopped again in the same day, they're not going to be as easy on me.

Eventually, I made it to Carson City where I got a place to stay. No more mountains, no more cold. What a relief.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 11: Salt Flats? Or Salt Lake?

Today I get to see the Bonneville Salt Flats! It’s the only highlight of the day so I’m looking forward to it. I’ve seen it on tv and in the movie “World’s Fastest Indian” and would like to check it out myself. Unfortunately, it was hours away and I’d have to deal with the boring Nevada desert

For most of the day, I was just droning along the highway. Well, more like flying down the highway. Unfortunately, Mr. Nice Policeman noticed my speed and stopped to chat. He told me I was doing 90 in a 75. Phew, I thought I was doing a lot faster. I actually slowed down to speed limit because I wanted to take the exit but there was a car in front of me who I wanted to overtake and that’s when I accelerated to 90. He’s a rider himself so he reduced my ticket from 15 over to 5 over. It’s still a $119 ticket though.

​

I eventually made it to the Salt Flats but it didn’t look like the Salt Flats. It looked more like a Salt Lake. For as far as you could see, the Salt Flats was filled with water. I was really looking forward to riding on the salt but I guess that wasn’t happening today. At least it looked nice.

After hanging out at the Salt Flats, I headed to Salt Lake City where I met up with Capital_E from advrider who was taking me in for the night. I settled in, and called it a night.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 12: Unexpected Roadblock

Today would be an early morning. Capital_E had to leave for work at around 8 so I had to get up and pack an hour before that. I’m nearly all packed and Capital_E offers to push my bike out to the front so that I could strap my stuff on the bike. A few minutes later, he comes back in with that look. “Your bike has a flat”. Uh oh…

​

I had a flat tire kit so he helped me plug it while I continued packing my stuff. I offered to do it myself since he would be late for work but he called in and let his coworkers know he was going to be late. We got it all patched up and I was directed to the nearest motorcycle shop to get my tire changed. I needed a change anyways so I guess it was a good time to get a nail in my tire.

Two blocks later, I end up at Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake where I was going to get my tire changed. Motorcycle Parts in America are typically cheaper than Canadian motorcycle parts so I was expecting a pretty good price. I was kind of shocked when I heard the prices but they gave me a couple of discounts to help me out.

While I waited, I started up a conversation with Tarik, the Chief Operating Officer. He took me into his office where we talked about bikes and his love for motorcycle racing. Nice guy, definitely made my morning a little better. Tires were done in 1.5 hours and I was good to go. Since I was a little bit behind, I had to make a decision whether to skip Canyonlands National Park or Arches National Park in Utah. The decision will be made when I get there.

A few hours later, the canyon and orange rocks start to show up. Finally, I’m getting closer to Moab! From the pictures that were posted on advrider, Moab looked like an amazing place and one of the highlights of the trip and amazing it was. Since the National Parks were only a few miles away, I decided to visit both of them. I’d regret it if I missed out.

There was one more destination that was planned along the route. Highway 141. This scenic highway ran between two rock cliffs for about 160kms.

Amazing views the whole way through. I was a little behind schedule so I ended up getting caught out as it was getting dark. Kind of scary when you see deer popping out every 5 minutes. I made it to Grand Junction safe and sound and hit the bed.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 13: Snowstorm!

Rain was the forcast today in Grand Junction. No big deal, I've ridden in rain before, its just going to be another wet day.

As I headed to the lobby for some breakfast, one of the ladies asked me where I was going. I told her that I planned to get to Denver that night. She looked at me and that look on her face did not look good. She told me that the main interstate was closed up in the mountains due to accidents and weather. I wouldnt be able to make it through there, motorcycle or car. There was a huge storm system that covered all of Colorado and there was no way around it. Denver was out of the question.

After breakfast, I immediately went online and checked the weather forecast and radar. The weather system literally covered all of Colorado and Wyoming. Not minutes after I checked the weather, zigyphoto from advrider texted me and told me to call him. I was supposed to stay at his place in Boulder and he was concerned for my safety crossing over the Rockies.

We talked for a while to determine the best route out of Grand Junction. It was obvious that I would not be making it to Denver that night but I wanted to cover some ground. I had two options. Go North to Wyoming and then East, or go South to New Mexico and go East. I figured I had to go a little North anyways so thats the route I took. We knew that I would hit the storm at some point but at least the elevation is lower than the Colorado Rockies. Thats the chance I took.

As I headed North, there was snow at higher elevations. Riding along the road, it started rising and eventually, the road surface was level to the snowline off in the distance. It was now snowing. Eventually, the elevation got up to about 8000ft and snow started coming down harder. A state trooper coming the other way saw me and pulled a u-turn. Great...I was in for another police encounter wasnt I? He followed me for about 10 kms before he pulled another u-turn and went the other way. Was he curious? Watching out for me? Who knows, I'll never know.

Elevation started declining and the snow turned to rain. I was pretty relieved because once the snow starts to accumulate on the road, my day is done. Eventually, I got to I-80 in Wyoming and before hitting the highway, there were 2 BMW riders hanging out at an abandoned building. I stopped by and talked to them. Their destination was Texas and they asked how long the snow went for. I told them not too long and in return, they told me I was in for some trouble if I was going East. I was going East...

Snow started coming down pretty hard, elevation was rising. I was in for a winter wonderland. It was cold, road splash was everywhere, snow was accumulating on my helmet, visor was fogging. It was pretty bad but I was going to ride until snow started accumulating. I ended up drafting behind a truck as it was pretty windy and my heated gloves were failing. The trucker was aware that I was drafting him and he put on his 4-ways everytime there was a bend in the road. Eventually I took an exit to warm up...my hands and toes were now freezing. Ended up in the town of Laurmie.

​

As I was eating my nice warm Chili, Osman from Colorado sent me a text message with Cowboy's from advrider. I thought Osman found me a place to stay for the night so I called Cowboy and talked to him about the weather and a place to stay for the night. But he wasnt aware about the offer to stay for the night and I didnt want to put him in a difficult situation so I found myself a motel for the night. What happened was another rider from Toronto was stuck in the same town as me because of the snow and created a rescue thread on advrider. He thought it was me and contacted cowboy to save me. Was a simple misunderstanding and I misinterpreted the text message but I was glad someone was out there looking out for me. A nice warm shower for the night was enough to keep me happy.

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 14: Snowstorm Pt 2

Well, I was hoping today would be a better day. The snowstorm went on for the rest of the night and the temperatures dropped.

Packed up and went to the Prairie Rose restaurant to meet Cowboy from advrider. On the phone the other night, he said look for a guy with a bright green jacket. Easy enough to spot him when I got there. Unfortunately he gave me the bad news and said I-80 was closed on the way to Cheyenne and there was really no other way to go East. Well, I guess I was stuck there for a while. We had breakfast and talked about riding, life, etc. By the end of our breakfast, we went back into his office to check the road conditions. I-80 was still closed, and the only other way out was a 150km detour. Only problem is that I would be going through a mountain pass and it was likely to be bad there. Well, you be the judge.

Road looks a bit slushy and the snow is just blowing across the road. It wouldnt be too much of a problem so I took the detour since I had to make up some ground. Although there was no snow or slush on the ground, it was worse than I thought. Black ice. The tire tracks were clear of black ice but the road surface between the tire tracks were covered in black ice. I started seeing cars spun out in the ditch and I started to wonder if I was a little crazy. It wasnt the first time someone thought I was a little crazy so maybe it was true.

Well, I eventually got to Fort Collins, Colorado, and headed East to Nebraska. My goal was to head as far East as possible before I took a break. I was in for another surprise....Tornadoes.

The storm was ahead and I knew it wasnt going to be good. Heavy rain is not too much of a problem for me, Ive ridden it before so I pushed on. The rain got heavier and rain turned into hail and storm winds. I think I've pushed my luck too far. Hail started to accumulate on the road and it sent me all wobbly. I managed to get the bike under control, I spotted a highway underpass where I stopped. Highway underpasses are not a good place to stop in tornado conditions but I could not risk wiping out on the hail. Visibility was 50-100m and if I wiped out, I surely would have been run over by the many trucks using I-80. Interestingly enough, across the interstate, there had been a spun out car, that is how bad the storm was. Ask this guy:

Eventually, the weather lightened up a little and I was able to head to the next exit where I found a place to stay. As I pulled up to the hotel, I saw another bike. A BMW. The rider asked me where I was from. It turns out that he was from Toronto too and runs his own site http://adventuremotorcycleroutes.ca/ Cool!

Called it a night and hoped tomorrow would be a little better...

 

[Wheelieboy]

Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Well, nothing much to say here. My last 2 days were pretty uneventful. Hours and hours of long straight boring interstates. zzzzzzzzz. It was cold, raining, windy. I just wanted to go home.

4 hours left in my trip, my uneventful trip took a turn for the worse.

​

No I didnt get pulled over again. Had an encounter with an evil cager. Was taking the exit from the interstate junctions, cager in front of me started to take the right exit and I took the left exit. As I started to pass his rear bumper, he veered left into my and my arm struck his quarter panel pushing my right handlebar forward. As I tried to fight to keep the bike straight, my arm slipped off, handlebar turned the other way at lightning speed and I highsided. Bike went through a highway sign and I landed in the mud. Other car didnt stop and I picked my bike up from the mud. Not a minute later, a cop stopped behind me. I told him I was okay and not to call an ambulance since I'd end up racking up the bills. A while later, the cop let me go and I continued on my way home.

​

Coming home, visibility was horrible as heavy rain was coming down. I really only cared about going home so I pushed on. Got home, took a shower and had a nice long sleep in my comfy bed.

12000kms, 14 states, 4 police encounters, 2 crashes, thunderstorms, snowstorms and tornadoes...finally home and still alive!

 

[Dresden]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Well Done.

Great trip and the memories will last a lifetime.

 

[bww77]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Awesome write up Wheelieboy! Great photo's... especially the one of your bike in front of the Salt Flats. Truly an epic adventure and one you'll never forget! Cheers to you!

 

[stevestang]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Awesome trip and write up man!
I have a question for ya, when you camped out did you just camp out on the side of the road? Were you nervous of any other drivers coming up to your tent?

 

[Wheelieboy]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Awesome trip and write up man!
I have a question for ya, when you camped out did you just camp out on the side of the road? Were you nervous of any other drivers coming up to your tent?

I camped out on a scenic lookout point. I wasnt really scared or nervous, everyone who drove by waved and that was a total of 3 people.

I actually met a GS rider who told me I should get a more appropriate bike lol

 

[chimera]

Awesome! Congrats on completing your trip.
I only briefly read through this thread and will have to read your blog. (honestly I don't know how I missed this!?!?)
Hopefully one day I will embark on something similar as it is a dream of mine.

 

[imnothng]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Awesome trip and write up man!
I have a question for ya, when you camped out did you just camp out on the side of the road? Were you nervous of any other drivers coming up to your tent?

What would you be nervous about? Someone attacking you?

 

[bww77]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

Awesome trip and write up man!
I have a question for ya, when you camped out did you just camp out on the side of the road? Were you nervous of any other drivers coming up to your tent?

What would you be nervous about? Someone attacking you?

Only if you hear dueling banjo's! :shock: LOL

 

[dank]

Re: Day 15/16: An (un)eventful slab home

epic trip!