Author Topic: the big loop on the Crest  (Read 2159 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

barenekd

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,516
  • Karma: 0
on: October 20, 2012, 12:17:11 am
Jack and I went for a ride yesterday starting in Devore where we met and went up Angeles Crest, over to Upper Big Tujunga, to Angeles Forest, Aliso Cyn, Soledad Cyn, Snad Cyn, Little Tujunga, to Sunland, then back up Lower Big Tujunga, Angeles Forest and back across the Crest.
Getting to Devore, I was running a couple of minutes late so I figured I'd take the freeway and save some time. I hadn't gone this way before to get Devore so I wasn't too sure about the mileage. I took the57 to the 210 and and I was going up the 57, I caught a couple of spots of light rain. Going down the 210 was alright, but seemed awfully long. When I got to my favorite minefield, the 15 without a doubt one of the most horrible, roughest pave roads in the world, I got off to take one of my backroads, but there as road construction that I ran into a few miles on it and had to go back to the deathtrap. I went to the next exit and took the backroad to Devore.  I was about 20 minutes late and what would have been a 35 mile ride turned into 54! I gassed up and we left on another great adventure.
The weather was fantastic partly cloudy, cool, a bit chilly from 7000-8000 feet in the morning, but a really nice day.
As we were going up the Crest early we stopped for a short break and check the scenery. It was a bit hazy out in the high desert, but you could still see Palmdale and Edward's AFB.
As we were getting ready to leave we heard a couple of 600 sport bikes coming up the road. We left our spot before they got to us, but I had to stop a mile or so down the road to put my goggles. I had put them up on my helmet and donned a pair of shades while we were parked. I couldn't see when we got into the shady spots and had to take them off. As I as doing this, Jack had kept on going, but the two 600s passed me while I was changing the specs. I took off after Jack knowing he would figure out I wasn't behind him any more. After a few miles he had stopped and we took off together and when we were about 8 miles from Newcomb's we caught the sportbikes, a Honda and a Kawasaki. That kinda surprised me, but they waved us around and we kept up our speed. The two matched us and followed us on down to Newcomb's. It was a couple probably in their 50s. The guy came up and asked if I had lost my headlight. Well, I had! He said it was a couple of miles back. He saw it hit the road but wasn't sure whether it came off the bike or I had hit it in the road. Then he apologized for not stopping and picking it up. His SO on the Honda had noted the mileage and gave it to us. We decided to go back and see if we could find it even though I figured it would be smashed, We went back and actually found it. The ring was still in the road, but the Tribar had gone down into the gully with all the W clips flying about with it. We looked bit for some of the clips, but Jack found only one. We decided I should put it back together as well as I could so the cops wouldn't bug us. I taped it together with some electrical tape, and since the H4 was still intact, I did have lights again. The ring isn't in too bad of shape. Some minor scrapes.
After the"repairs" we continued down the crest, arriving at some road work where we had to wait about ten minutes for the pilot vehicle to come back from the other end to take us through the one lane. The we continued on down to the next road work area, but it was right by the Upper Big Tujunga turnoff so we went that way. It was open road up to Angeles Forest.
We turned North there and caught another road working spot, but didn't have to wait too long there and then continued on to Aliso. IT was a fast ride though Aliso through Soledad. We got on the freeway fora bout a mile or so ahving to have a tiff with some woman driver getting on the freeway. Sho creeped on the the ramp and was doing about 30, so I passed her and she stood on it, but too late and I got ahead of her. Since I had gotten to my 60 or so, I stayed in front of her. Must've pissed her off because she went blasting by me like she was suddenly in a hurry to get somewhere. Stupid...B. She pulled off at the next exit where we were getting off and got a sudden look of fear as we pulled off behind her! We didn't antagonize her but she sure got out of the way after that!
We went down Sand Canyon to Little Tujunga which is a very tight  twisty roller coaster of a road. There were clouds sitting right on top of the moutain and it looked like we might even catch a little precipitation.
 But it stayed dry and we went to Sunland for a gas stop at 132 miles.
Jacks battery had been acting up for a few days so he was having to boot it to get it started.  So he killed it at the intersection where we turn to go up Lower Big Tujunga. Not a biggie, but we discover where we like the thumb kick!
Onward and upward back toward Angeles Forest and down to the Crest and back across. We stopped at Newcomb's to use the head and the two 600s went by. The girl waved at us.
There were a lot of rocks on the road going back so we were having to do some dodging, but all in all, it as a good fast ride with very little traffic. We caught up with the 600s in Wrightwood again. Then we stopped for a minute or so. I didn't see which way they went. We turned on Lone Pine and caught them again at the end of the road. They stopped at a gas station about a mile down the 134 and we went on down the mountain to Devore, and split up to go home. I put a total of 320 miles on the bike and got over 70 mpg on all three tanks.
It was a great, mostly uneventful, ride, but still supplying more smiles per mile than anything else around. A great way to get rid of the stress of life!
Bare
2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer
2011 Black Classic G5 (RIP)
I refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
http://www.controllineplans.com


Jack Leis

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 634
  • Karma: 0
  • 2011 G5 Classic, F&%king Stolen
Reply #1 on: October 20, 2012, 01:11:27 am
I CONCUR !
I would much rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow    Jack


Arizoni

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,412
  • Karma: 2
  • "But it's a dry heat here in Arizona
Reply #2 on: October 20, 2012, 01:36:27 am
Ahh!
Duct Tape, the bailing wire of the 21st century! :)
Jim
2011 G5 Deluxe
1999 Miata 10th Anniversary


jartist

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 761
  • Karma: 0
Reply #3 on: October 21, 2012, 06:26:01 am
Ahh!
Duct Tape, the bailing wire of the 21st century! :)
It comes in all varieties of colors and graphics now too!
« Last Edit: October 21, 2012, 06:28:35 am by jartist »


LarsBloodbeard

  • Grease Monkey
  • ****
  • Posts: 303
  • Karma: 0
Reply #4 on: October 26, 2012, 01:46:09 am
Cool report.  Sorry I missed out on that one.  Next time, perhaps.