Dinner and A Movie and Hollister Hills

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
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I've got some PRETTY TERRIFIC FRIENDS!! I had a great weekend, not only because it included a day of riding dirtbikes but just hanging out with some good people as well.

Jen and Pierre (post as "jennifer" here on DRN) invited me over to their place in San Jose to have dinner, stay overnight then go ride dirtbikes at Hollister the next day. The evening progressed into a dinner party including other friends Mike Krynock (Famed Pro Dakkar racer with perpetually broken wrists ;) ), Quick Mick, his friend Louise from Australia, and another friend, Eric.

We dined on Halibut that Jen had caught up in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest while on vacation, and of course the Cali fave - Tri-Tip!, Jens Potato casserole, an awesome salad with walnuts and asiago cheese and Pierre's secret french vinagarette. Dessert was cheesecake and ice cream.

We dined alfresco in Pierre and Jen's recently remodeled backyard and what a lovely setting it was. Before we sat down to dine I took a step back and admired the beautifully arranged table linens and stemware framed by the brilliant fuscia colors of the bouganvillea vines hanging from the overhead arbor. Would have been a great photo op for Martha Stewart Living or Sunset Magazine :cool: Unfortunately, we forgot to take a pic before we sat down and dug in!!

Krynock had brought some real bonafide hickory limbs cut into 1" slices and soaked in water, perfect to add some hickory smoke to the charcoal fire upon which Jen grilled the halibut and tri-tip. The smoky flavor added a golden hue to the hefty cuts of meat and also complimented Jen's marinades.

The evening was spent laughing and dining over great food. The hot California temperatures had decided to ease up and graced us with a very comfortable 75 or so. We stayed outdoors sipping wine and having a good time.

Around 10 PM we watched some video footage of Mick racing and some streetbike racing on TV. Tired now, I fell asleep around 11 PM.

My guest room was so pleasant and comfortable I slept in til nearly 8:30 am- yikes! I was greeted in the kitchen with chocolate croissants, fresh fruit and hot coffee. We took our time getting ready to head to Hollister, and eventually got there around 11 am. Again, the California weather decided to cooperate and the air was just perfect, around 70 with a bit of breeze.

At Hollister, I was expecting to see throngs of weekend warriors like ourselves but amazingly, it was fairly quiet. We met up with Mike Krynock and some of his friends from the Bay Area, Lee, Don, and Carrie.

Lee owns Monterey Motor Sports near Hollister, www.montereymotorcycles.com and Don lives in Florida six months of the year and says he is "homeless" in the Bay Area the other six months of the year, except the man has a jillion bikes so that his friends can ride with him too. Carrie, one of Don's lucky friends, was borrowing his Yamaha XT dual sport. Carrie is a street bike rider and is also a mechanic at a San Francisco bike shop, but this was her first time in the dirt - Woooo Hoooo!

Carrie had a cool skull and cross-bones tattoo behind her right ear and I wanted to ask her if she knew about Pirate Speak Tuesday , but having just met her, I refrained. :debil:

We started out in a group with Jen, Pierre, Lee, Krynock and I. Not 100 yard out of the pit, the Hollister Ranger pulls Krynock over for doing a wheelie. Luckily, he was in a generous mood and just wanted to chew him up a bit , then let us on our way.

We did all the Blue trails on the upper side and they sure were a lot of fun. Mostly double track trails with a few blips of stuff thrown in here and there. The conditions were very hard pack and dusty in some places, but not too bad. I was trying to practice my skills the whole time - cover the clutch, stand up, rear brake, etc. I was having a good time.

We broke for lunch and Mick and Louise showed up to say hi. They were on their way to show Louise more of the California life while she was on Holiday (that means vacation to you and me) from Australia.

Later, we then did some more of the same trails, this time on the upper roads. It was pretty dusty and sometimes slick up there in the dryer conditions. I went down this one short but steep downhill dragging (both) my feet the whole time and Pierre could not resist giving me a hard time about that. He is such a Frenchman, always complaining about something. ;)

We put in 30 miles and I had a really great time! It feels great to be riding more frequently and the best part is always the friends I get to ride with. :nod:

Thanks Jen and Pierre for putting me up and treating me like a royal guest! let's go again sometime soon. I'm ready to host another Deer Creek / Pool Party / BBQ at my place soon!
 
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Okiewan

Admin
Dec 31, 1969
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We dined on Halibut that Jen had caught up in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest while on vacation, and of course the Cali fave - Tri-Tip!, Jens Potato casserole, an awesome salad with walnuts and asiago cheese and Pierre's secret french vinagarette. Dessert was cheesecake and ice cream.

Okay Nat... I'll buy the fact that we are taling about dinner in Cali. But dirt bikers? Whoa.. I feel so, uh... simple? (Simple Man starts playing.. Mama told me.... before the big ride.... cook the weiners, you'll be full.. Soooooome day )

The smoky flavor added a golden hue to the hefty cuts of meat and also complimented Jen's marinades.

Sidebar, BTW; I got a glourious 1/3 pound cut of aged and perfectly ground beef right here, between two lovely, slow rising, golden bronzed pillowy beds of whole and partial wheat bread, smothered in glistening red and gold condements :p

Is Mick over for good, or just globe trotting? By the way, tell him some of his (by now skank) gear is still in the shed at Cooperland from his Poker run "ride".
Seriously, great ride report. Thanks!

You freakin wordsmith you.
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
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Okie said:
Sidebar, BTW; I got a glourious 1/3 pound cut of aged and perfectly ground beef right here, between two lovely, slow rising, golden bronzed pillowy beds of whole and partial wheat bread, smothered in glistening red and gold condements :p

Uh...that would a hamburger. Sheesh, why do you have to be so wordy :p

I think Mick is back for good this time! I will let him know about the gear, lol. That infamous nitetime poker run somehow comes up in conversation pretty regularly, even at the dinner table last night :)
 

squeaky

Roosta's Princess
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 28, 2003
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Great report Natty!!!

You DO have a way with words - and you made me hungry!
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
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squeaky said:
you made me hungry!

My thoughts exactly!! :cool:


Nat - sounds like a killer weekend! :ride:
 

Farmer John

T.C.F.<br>(tire changin' fool)
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 8, 2000
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Great report Natty!
I really need to get out & ride with you guys more often.

Okie said:
Is Mick over for good, or just globe trotting? By the way, tell him some of his (by now skank) gear is still in the shed at Cooperland from his Poker run "ride".

And you know this because you keep running to cooperland to "check" on them....right??
 

MrLuckey

Fire Marshall Ed
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Feb 9, 2000
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Natty - The Kiwi and I are chomping at the bit to head up there, let us know when the weather will be great and Mick will be around and we'll plan another feast/ride! Poor Okie must not realize we even have salmon and tri-tip when we're camping in the mountains and riding lol.
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
4,768
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MrLuckey said:
Poor Okie must not realize we even have salmon and tri-tip when we're camping in the mountains and riding lol.

Don't forget the Membrillo and Smoked Oysters! :boss:

Farmer John, how good to see you!!! We missed you at Kennedy Meadows!
 
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