Central California Riders

[Dave'sDRZ]

Central Coast Dualsport Pack Riders-

This ride will be over Sierra Madre Rd down off of Hwy 166. There are pictures and descriptions on Glenn's Central Coast Dualsport site (http://members.aol.com/slogdog/moto/c_coast.html#upcoming). It is an easy ride for all level of riders and is GS friendly for those with bigger bikes.

Here is my Plan:
1) Meet at the Shell Station off of the Spyglass Exit in Shell Beach at 9am, Sunday Oct 14
2) South down Price Rd to Dolliver Rd to Pacific Blvd to Front St to Cienega St
3) Left onto Valley Rd
4) Right onto Los Berros Rd to Thompson Ave to Hwy 166
5) Ride on out to Sierra Madre Rd
6) Take Sierra Madre Rd out and back to Hwy166
7) Meal and fuel stop in New Cuyama
8) Head home either the same way we came or through California Valley

This is a longer ride so prep for Monkey Butt! I've routed more of the ride through back roads to make it more interesting at the expense of some extra time. I can carry 1.5 gallons of gas if someone thinks they will need it. Dirt only riders or those who don't want to put their rears through the long ride can meet up at Sierra Madre Rd as there was several places to park up there. Let me know who's going so nobody gets left behind. Kurt suggested this ride, here is how he describes it: "The Sierra Madre Road is a good usually graded fire road with no technical difficulties at all, just a 4000+ elevation gain and incredible views. The ride down Cottonwood Canyon is also easy but very pretty. All in all it is no harder than riding over High Mountain. Closest gas would be New Cuyama. " Last time the Pack did this ride we ran into snow and had to turn back. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the road this time. The views were great, we were able to see across the valley clear to the Sierras.

Email me if you'd like to be on the email list for future CCDSP rides.

Everyone welcome!
David

 

[YoTRacer158]

sounds like a blast...too bad ive still got 4 weeks to go on this broken collarbone :(

hey dave'sDRZ...do you live on the central coast?

 

[Dave'sDRZ]

I'm in Los Osos. We do these group rides about once a month-gives us an excuse to get dirty on a semi regular basis. Usually there are somewhere around 6 riders-sometimes as many as 12-just depends on people's schedules. I think it's just more fun to ride with a group. Some of the rides are for beginners like this one and others are for more intermediate and advanced. Send me an email and I'll add you to the list and you can make the next ride.

 

[YoTRacer158]

no way!? im in los osos too. over by baywood elementary

 

[Dave'sDRZ]

There is another guy that posts on here named Brett (unless he's you with a different name) that also lives in Los Osos. I think he lives by Sunnyside. I'm only a couple of blocks from you, I bet, in Baywood.

 

[YoTRacer158]

yeah, brett is a buddy of mine. drew (hondaotroyracer) lives in osos too, kin of over by brett

 

[Hondaofroyracer]

im speakin up........
im Drew
i live by brett
if you wanna go for a ride let me know

when you gettin the 250F derek?

 

[YoTRacer158]

well my mom is pissed so she wont cosign for it...i just got off the phone with my grandpa and he wants to loan me the money...but at the same time he doesnt want me to get hurt anymore and he keeps talking about the money he's going to lose from the stocks he'll ahave to sell and the intrest in the bank he wont be getting. he's gonna call my parents later but i dont think he'll give me the money. it'll probably be next year before i can get one if he wont give me the money.

 

[Dave'sDRZ]

Pack Riders-

The ride report is courtesy of Leslie this time. I think she did a great job. I've added on to the end to finish out the last part of ride that Kurt and I did.

Sierra Madre Ride--10/14/01

Four of us met early Sunday morning to travel the dirt roads off Hwy 166,
east of Santa Maria. Paul (KX250) and I (XT350) rode in the van to the dirt portion, while Kurt(KLR650) and David(XR650L) motored happily down 101 on their powerful DP bikes, then over 166. The ride started at the intersection of 166 and Sierra Madre Road. Paul put the van in the shade just out of sight of 166, we put on our gear and all of us started off. It was a steady climb all the way to McPherson Peak, where the microwave towers are. The road was in excellent condition, with a shallow layer of small rocks overlaying a good solid dirt surface. Time to boogie! In some straighter sections even 'I' was doing 50 mph! Much of the time you could see a long way ahead, so we didn't have to worry about being surprised by oncoming traffic.

There were frequent pullouts, where we stopped to admire the view. It was
amazingly clear all around, with only a little haze covering the ocean view to the West and the Sierras to the East. Not much traffic...during the whole ride we saw only one car and two hunting dogs after starting the climb. Really had the place to ourselves. After reaching the top, (over a mile high in altitude), Kurt led us back to 166 on Cottonwood Canyon Road. This road was shaded by the hillside and brush; a welcome feeling, since the temperature rose as we descended,. As we got lower, the trees thickened, vegetation turned green and we crossed a few low spots which will be full of water in the winter. A beautiful road. We intersected 166 and waited for David and Paul to retrieve Paul's van. Then we all rode into New Cuyama for lunch. Kurt and David continued north on dirt to California Valley, then home, while Paul and I jumped back in the van and went home. [David. Where did you cross the river? The
map shows a crossing at Cuyama, but it doesn't appear to go through]. <<No crossing-everything I saw was bone dry>>

The views on the way up were awesome, and the whole ride was easy. As David
said, "You'd really have to work at it to fall down here." When it gets a little cooler, Kurt and David showed us a jeep trail they'd like to try next time. I'm
ready!

<<<from New Cuyama on...>>>

Kurt and I continued east on Hwy166 to Soda Lake Rd. The pavement soon turned to dirt and our throttles cranked wide open. After the first section of gravel, Kurt and I pulled to the side of the road-I could tell even from the back that he had a huge grin on his face, maybe because the same grin was on mine. Kurt told me that he gets a bigger thrill out of riding 85mph on a gravel road than going 140mph on a street bike-I've got to agree. I also found that missing a curve and running wide at that kind of speed is good exercise-I believe I can now crack walnuts with my butt cheeks. We caught Hwy58, then took Pozo Rd through La Panza to Pozo. At Pozo, Kurt and I split up as I took High Mountain Road and Kurt continued on to Creston. If I hadn't gone through La Panza and High Mountain, I'm not sure my rear would have made it in one piece-it cracked as it was. ;) I got home about 6:45pm with about 280 miles on the clock-that was one long, fun ride with some great people. <<David>>

PS--Who has interest in getting together for a BBQ, maybe a BBQ on a Sat afternoon and a ride on Sunday. Boy/girl friends, spouses, and kids would be invited, of course, as long as they don't complain about motorcycle talk.