[barenekd]

I guess a 304 mile ride would perhaps still count as EPIC.
Jack and I did the Crest and all the Tujungas again yesterday, kinda reversing the route from a couple of weeks ago. This one was a bit chillier and the long johns and winter coats were nice to have! There were lots of bugs and bees out there and I ate a couple of them and had a bee get inside my goggles. He didn't seem to want to leave as I pulled the goggles down and he kept clinging to my nose. Anyway with a quick brushoff, he finally left.
Going from my house to our meeting spot in Devore, ran from an overcast morning and I climbed up into the clouds going though Carbon Canyon, and stayed there through the farm country of Chino. There as plenty of drizzle to ruin the visibililty, but I carried on. Once I got totheI-15 and started climbing foraltitiudeI got out fo the clouds into the bright sunshne, so when I arrived at Devore, the weather was sunshiny, at least. Still kinda chilly. The sun had warmed it a bit, but we knew that by the time we got to Wrightwood, we'd be cold again.
We climbed on toward Wrightwood. Jack had mentioned the the fat pipe to go along with the Goldstar muffler had kinda cut his power and he as having to gear down long before he used to. I still carried 5th gear almost into Wrightwood where Lone Pine gets into some real twisty twiddley bits and I had to gear down just to get through the corners with any power.
We went of over to N4 and as it got colder figured going down was the better of valor. N4 is a nice twisty road that goes down the backside of the Crest into the high desert where it was a bit warmer. Then to Ft Tejon to Mt. Emma back up to Angeles Forest and down to Lower Big Tujunga. There was still a bit of road work going on, but nothing we had to stop for.
Down into Sunland and I felt my upper lip starting to swell up. We wnt on over to Little Tujunga and snaked our way to Placerita, where we gassed up. It was 154 miles to that point from the house. We took Soledad Cyn and Aliso Cyn back to Angeles Forest and that down to Upper Big Tujunga.
Then it was over to the Crest and to Newcomb's Ranch for a quick break. Chatted with some guys about the Enfields while the bees were buzzing all around us. We finally left and continued back though Wrightwood, Devore and home. It was 150 mile back from Placerita. The two fill ups were .004 gallons difference.  I got 70.3 mpg
This was a good warmup for Sunday's Hansen Dam ride!
When I got home, my lip had swelled up to look like a bad botox job. My wife had a field day with that one. She was laughing all night. That was OK, she needed some cheering up!
Bare