Whoops, I did it again

[VisionMeister]

Tuesday, Jan 7, 2007. It's still unseasonably warm and sunny. So, I convince my neighbor, Rick, to investigate Quartz Hill Rd.. A road I've ridden by for 10 years and never checked out.
I knew it would be narrow and rough and advised Rick to bring his new/used xr650. But, he hasn't registered it yet so he will ride his Buell.
We head out through Volcano and up Charleston Grade where we hit nice road conditions and sunshine at the top of the ridge. East on Shake Ridge Rd. we hit mixes of clean pavement with sanded wet stuff over seemingly every blind rise. Have to be very careful. The rear tire spins on some of the uphills. Need a dual-sport.
We turn off on Quartz Hill and it is indeed narrow. But very pretty countryside. We are below the pines and in rolling meadows and oaks. The winter grasses are out and look very green in the low sunshine.
We motor along slowly not knowing the road and not having much clearance to the barbed wire on each side of the road. This is cattle country.
As we head further east we cross a creek through a dip. No Bridge. Need a dual-sport.
Now the road turns to gravel and is on the north side of the ridge where the sun doesn't shine. Its wet and mucky. We need dual-sports.
We continue in the wet muck for what seems like 10 miles and three creek crossings before we return to pavement. We are almost back to Sutter Creek.
We've still got time to ride so we head out on Sutter Creek- Ione road which is good pavement and turns for 12 miles. Helps make up for the dirt road.
At Ione we cut across to Buena Vista where the store and restaraunt has a good reputation for food and comraderie. We'll stop next time for Prime Rib and Ale.
We continue on to Pardee reservoir and hustle back up Stony Creek Rd for my second time this week.
Back home we survey the damage from the dirt road. My fork legs and starter motor area are completely covered in mud splat. Rick's Buell carries the R/R at the front of the motor and it is caked solid.
We both agree though that it was worth it, It will clean up, and we should have had dual sports.
Maybe a nice DRZ400 (Glen).

[supervision]

  ALL YOU PUSSY BIKERS SUCK!       I bet you weren't getting paid to ride that thing........ I was at work, earning a real living     You better park that thing or your going to need tires before Colorado! 

[Coil Coyle]

Thanks for the story VM.

Second snow of the year in the valley tonight, I'm building spacers for the R1 carb experiment while dreaming about the road to Agness.

;)
Coil

[VisionMeister]

Hey Coil
When good weather comes around and you're ready to roll send me an e-mail and I'll see if I can make it up to ride that road with you.
Maybe Supervision could get some time off work to do the same.
Meanwhile, Super Vee, new tires are already on order for Colorado... Avon's.

[motoracer8]

VM, You will like the Avons, I run them on my British bikes. I put a set on my V prior to the BT45's, alittle short on milage, but they stick good, about 6,000 miles on the rear, alittle over 8,000 on the front. It looks like the Bridgestones are going to make it alittle farther.

  Ken G.