July 12th – Change in Plans
After scheduling a leave of absence from work to go to Alaska and drive back to Georgia with my son, you can imagine my surprise when I received the phone call that he changed his mind and wasn’t going to move. I was at the airport waiting for my flight when it came. Being a jumpseating pilot it was easy for me to not get on the flight and head back home. I talked with my wife (who was also in Alaska at the time) and told her I was really needing a road trip. She asked what I would like to do and I somewhat sheepishly confessed I would really like to ride the Ducati to Laguna Seca. Being the awesome woman she is, her reply was “go and be blessed, have a great time.” Yeah, that’s the kind of great wife I have!
My plan was to leave home on Sunday the 15th, which would give me plenty of time to make the 2400+ mile ride out to the left coast. My bike is kept in pretty meticulous condition, so an oil change was performed and I mounted the panniers. I was a little leery at first of this operation after hearing many horror stories of hours of struggles, but with a slight elongation of the upper left forward bracket hole the task was completed in less that 30 minutes. My Dunlop 208’s were getting a little thin, but I felt with keeping the air pressure up and the constant temps of distance riding, they would make it to Monterey. The guys at Monterey Ducati where able to schedule me in for Thursday the 19th to get new rubber mounted. The tires would prove to be a secondary concern as the trip went on.
Ready to Go
July 15th – Launch
Rain. Not heavy, just wet. I went online and check the radar, nothing too serious in my direction of travel. I reminded myself that during the Iron Butt Rally I rode in 6000 miles of the stuff, this was just a little misting! Pulled out of the driveway at about 10:45am and headed west. Within 30 miles the sun came out and I pulled over to put on my tinted faceshield. The wrong faceshield for my helmet. Argh. Slipped on the Ray Bans and kept rolling. My route took me through country side of Western Georgia for the first hour or so. Continued west to Birmingham on I-20 where I joined highway 78 angling northwest towards I-40. Stopped for my first refuel with 235 miles on the tripmeter, 48 mpg. Still had a few tenths left in the tank, awesome! This would kind of mess up my next day riding. Stopped again north of Little Rock for a refuel. Made it to Sallisaw, Oklahoma (which is kind of funny, I’m originally from Wasilla, Alaska Wasilla’s Sallisaw backwards) got a room and hit the hay. Day one total 730 miles. Not bad.
July 16th – Note to self…ethanol decreases your fuel economy
Packed the big red Duc up and headed west. Customarily, I like to ride 50 miles or so before I get a bite to eat, so the plan was to get to Henryetta, Oklahoma before fueling the bike and myself. When the low fuel light came on at 158 miles instead of it’s usual 170-180, my thoughts were that I must not have topped it as well at the last fuel stop. That’s okay, I always go by the constants of known given quantity and consumption. Oops. The desmo drinks ethanol like a football fan tips pints after a big game. The odometer hit 220 (remember by 235 with room to spare) and she quit. Dry as a bone. I coasted to a stop near mile marker 246, 6 miles east of Henryetta. Just me, cows, and a very quite Duc. My cell phone was working, so I called my roadside assistance, and they sent a tow truck with gas that got lost (“yes, I’m WEST bound, EAST of Henryetta, ma’am”) but after about an hour and a half a local minister and his wife saw my plight (I was pointing into my gas tank when every truck passed just hoping) and drove all the way to town and brought a can of gas back to me. Bless their hearts!!! He wouldn’t take any cash, so I gave to his church offering and thanked them greatly.
The rest of the day went much more smoothly. My other woman (as my Wife refers to the Ducati) was eating up huge expanses of Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. Not a lot of exciting roads, just time to appreciate the amazing amount farmland that our country has and appreciate all those that keep us fed. Just outside of Amarillo, I gassed up and met a fellow from Tuscaloosa, AL named Matt. He was riding a good looking silver VFR800 and was also heading to Laguna Seca. As our daily pace was a little different, we decided to ride as far as Tucumcari, New Mexico where he had a hotel, grab some dinner, and then I’d head off west on my slightly more aggressive pace. Super nice guy, former WERA road racer that still has a couple of RC51 track bikes at home. After some fabulous Mexican food, we parted ways and I pressed on to just west of Albuquerque for my overnight. Day two total 747 miles. Considering my roadside appreciation time, outstanding!
Mandatory roadside break
July 17th – An easier pace
After fueling, adjusting my chain and eating (I’m getting a little cautious after yesterday) I head out across the high desert. Nice cool morning temps and some great scenery. I’m starting to get a little concerned about my chain though. It’s requiring adjustment at every fill up, and looks awful. My tires are holding up great. As the sun got higher the temps rose accordingly, approaching the century mark. The thought of being in the mountains again kept me motivated as I sped towards Flagstaff. Took a much needed extended break of a couple hours there. Got some food, a haircut, and went to a motorcycle shop to see if they had the correct dark visor for my helmet. The parts girl there was awesome. She found the correct shield and then traded me straight across for my misfit! What a gal! Left that beautiful town feeling revitalized and enjoyed some great road (for an Interstate) for a ways. Pulled into Kingman, Arizona at about 5 p.m. Temp 108. No fun. I was not going to torture my bike or my body heading further into the desert, so some pizza and a room and called it a night. Day 3 total 488 miles, much R&R.
July 18th – Escape the heat and hello Monterey
Got up early to beat the intense heat of the Mojave. By 3:30a.m. 996cc of Italian symphony are propelling us through the night. Advertising break…Paul Geller and Ducati Designs rock!!! The high beam of my DD headlight sent coyotes scurrying for cover, convinced I’m sure that the sun had come up early. What peace of mind it is to ride at a good pace and be able to SEE what is out there!
After bypassing Barstow, I stop in the tiny town of Four Corners, CA for breakfast and fuel. By now, my chain is a total disaster. I can pull it nearly off of the rear sprocket and it is flopping around like something on an old piece of farm equipment. I adjust it the best I can and press on. The Tehachapi Mountains appear ahead as a sign of good things to come and they are. Tehachapi pass felt so good after all the miles of autopilot like riding. Cool temps and some great big sweepers and I can hear my bike saying, “Grazie, grazie!” for ending all those miles of uprightness. On to Bakersfield, then north on 99 to Hwy 46 (how could I pass up a highway with the same number as El Laureato?). Up the 101 and into Monterey. Hurray! Cool ocean breezes and motorcycle nirvana for the coming weekend. Day 4 total 603 miles and the goal.
July 19th-22nd – Monterey, Laguna Seca, and new friends
Monterey Ducati was able to get my chain and sprockets as well as the tires fitted right away. Other than over tightening my axle nut, the job was done well. I went to a 15/43 combo on the sprockets…yeah, baby!!! It brings all of the gearing into the real world and is so much fun when cranking it on coming out of the twisties. The Metzeler Z6’s would have to be given the true test on the way back to Georgia.
Met a great couple from Fallbrook, CA. John and Talandia came up in there pickup with Talandia’s new Moto Guzzi 750 Breva. Neat little bike, she wanted to park on Ducati Island so badly but we could not figure out how to slip that one by! John rides an RC51 as well as a Honda Blackbird that he is setting up for a two up roadburner. We had dinner a couple of different nights and plan to get together for the Indy MotoGP in September 2008.
Ducati Island was fabulous. Lots of great people, bikes, and hospitality. One trip to an event like this makes me wonder how I could not own a Duc. Made it to Cannery Row on Friday night. Hundreds of bikes and spectators. Had a wonderful coconut lime tilapia for dinner and strolled up and down the street looking at all the machinery and people.
On the Island
And Cannery Row
Oh yeah, Stoner and the Desmosedici crush everybody. Runs away, game over. Magnificent! Days 5 through 8 total 178 miles
July 23rd – Time to head home
After breakfast with John and Talandia, I pack up and start the trek east. Having had my fill of the Mojave, the return route would cut east across the San Joaquin Valley to meet up with Hwy 140, on to Mariposa and then into Yosemite National Park. I stopped in Mariposa at the Happy Burger Diner (awesome little place) and then headed into Yosemite. Oh my gosh. The roads are straight from heaven built for we who tilt the horizon. The ST4S is showing me her racing heritage now, letting the 888 superbike out from under the comfortable body she now wears. After paying the nominal $10 fee to access the park I stop for a couple pictures, and then begin MILES of the most scenic, curvaceous roads anywhere. I stop to get some fuel and water in Crane Flat, and noticed a silver VFR800. I walked over to the rider and said, “I had to ride the hell out of this bike to finally catch you!” It was Matt who I last saw in Tucumcari 7 days ago! We had a laugh and caught up on how each of our trips had been going. He was having so much fun riding in California that instead of going back home to Alabama he was spending an additional week riding the mountains, selling his bike to a local dealer and flying home! We rode about 30 miles together and then he headed back west.
Entrance to Yosemite
Matt and his VFR at Crane Flat
Yosemite's amazing vistas
After leaving the park I picked up Hwy 120 east to Benton, CA. Absolute insanity. The roads is 46 miles of corners and huge rollers (I mean wheelie off the top, full compression in the bottoms). I’m riding along laughing like a little kid! Other than being open range and having to make sure there isn’t 1500 lbs. of bovine over the next rise, this can be ridden at a very, very, good clip. Arriving in Benton, time for gas and go. Boundary Peak at 13,143ft towers over this high desert town and is stunning to behold. I want to ride a lot more twisty roads before I hit the interstates again, so I take Hwy 6 east across Nevada. Stopping in Tonopah Junction I refuel and plan my stop for the night. Asking the gal about accommodations further east, she replies she doesn’t know directions, what town? After showing her the map and looking at taking 375 or 6 across eastern Nevada, she stated, “there ain’t nothin’ out there. That’s where they seem them aliens and stuff.” Okay…overnighting in Tonopah Junction it is. Got a room at a Ramada with a Casino and $15 on video poker. Day 9 total 418 awesome miles.
July 24th – From the Great Basin to the Rockies
After having a nice free breakfast courtesy of my big poker winnings, The Duc and I headed out. Nice cool temps and straight roads. So many miles of nothing but mountains, sagebrush, and a ribbon of pave intersecting it. The cloud cover was keeping things nice and cool as I approached the town of Goldfield. Hmmm, wasn’t I supposed to be hitting Warm Springs next? As I admired the ghost town with it’s enormous stone city hall for now zero people, I saw the sign saying Hwy 95. I was going the wrong way! I realized now that I focused on the comforts of the Ramada the night before, the intersection to continue east escaped my view. After a U-turn I wicked the throttle up to triple digit speeds to recover some of my lost time. After gassing again in Tonopah, Hwy 6 was soon passing beneath and the 52 mile detour was disappearing in the mirrors. Long straights became the order of things for the next couple hundred miles. The smell of the desert sage was intoxicating, so sweet and refreshing. A couple of rain showers moved through and I got a pretty good dousing. The water was running down the road in rivers and my appreciation for the Z6s grew even more as they channeled there way through without ever a wiggle. Outstanding. After a little brake in Ely, NV I made my way into Utah taking Hwy 6 and 50 to I-70. Here’s a bit of secret to anyone who hasn’t ridden central Utah or I-70, it is some of the most amazing scenery on the planet and road is great! Canyons, and mountains, rivers, geological formations that make you wonder what was going on there. Enjoying every mile, I pressed on into Colorado knowing that more was yet to come. Leaving the freeway in Grand Junction, the words of the late, great John Denver filled my thoughts, “Colorado rocky mountain high, I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky” as I watched amazing displays of lightening over the San Juan Mountains. Montrose would be home tonight with warm bed and a pizza for dinner. Day 10 total 747 miles. The second day coming and going both 747 miles, how odd is that?
Nevada's high desert
And the canyonland of Utah
July 25th – The Rockies rock
Leaving Montrose, I take Hwy 50 east towards Gunnison. This is too good to be true. Perfectly engineered corners, excellent pavement and thousands of corners as I cross numerous mountain passes. This is so much fun being on the finest SPORT touring bike in the world and enjoying such amazing splendor. My “having a good time” meter was pegged as we flicked from side to side to side up and down through these amazing mountains. Gunnison was my next stop for some gas and breakfast. After a great meal of “cowboy eggs benedict” (biscuits with thin sliced ham, eggs and sausage gravy) I continued on my east bound route. Having been just winging this entire trip, never having a route until I turned down that road I didn’t realize that I was heading over Monarch Pass at 11,312 ft. I know that I’ve said this before, but OH MY GOSH. The curves, climbs, and then decent of this pass is too fun! I could have turned around and ridden it again and again. I paused for a quick photo at the top (my photos are a little lacking when I’m riding this hard, sorry)and then rode on to Puebo and a farewell to my new majestic mountain friends behind. I join I-25 south to Raton, New Mexico and then Hwy 87 into Texas angling towards the pipeline known as I-40 that will take me most of the way back home. Making a goal of seeing Oklahoma before I call it a day, I get room in Erick, Oklahoma. Exhausted but so fulfilled. Day 11 total 710 of the best miles of my life.
I can't breath! On top of Monarch Pass
July 26th – Time to be an Iron Butt again
Okay, my detour through the Rockies was so worth it, but here’s my dilemma. It’s Thursday morning, I’m western Oklahoma, and my wife will be flying into Atlanta Friday morning expecting me to pick her up. I’ve commented before that because of a major wrist surgery I had last year that Iron Butt type performances were a thing of the past, but drastic situations call for drastic measures. As I packed up my gear, I reached into my tankbag and retrieved my garage door opener and put it in my jacket pocket. I would be home tonight. Pulling out of my motel at 8:45am I pointed my racehorse east. Keeping the wick turned up I was able to make it past Oklahoma City and into Shawnee for breakfast. Giving my wife a call, I assured her that I ENJOYED riding like this and that she would be met at the airport. Rolling eastward, I picked up the miles and put them behind me, the carbon pipes singing a perfect tune, never missing a note. Retracing my route of a week ago, I-40 became Hwy 78, then I-20, then on to home sweet home Newnan, GA. At 3:37am my beautiful red machine and I were home. The odometer showed 1037 miles for the last day, a total of 5648 miles for the trip. Other than the chain situation, the ST performed absolutely flawlessly, and after re-gearing it the mileage got better, with a worst of 46mpg and a high of 50.8! My wife was met at the airport, my son has decided to fly down from Alaska now, and I got one of the best motorcycle adventures of my life. Life is good!
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