SSA Sierra Sportbike Association | Reno Nevada Motorcycle Trackday Weekend Riding Club

General Chat - Weekly Rides, Bike Discussion, & More . . . => General Discussion => Topic started by: GreenMachine on September 13, 2013, 06:59:44 PM

Title: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 13, 2013, 06:59:44 PM
I'm hoping to make this ride, but no guarantees.  I have work to do on Saturday that might take me into Sunday to complete.  It's a major project that I cannot get around, I have to go through it until it's done.  And I won't be able to make next week's ride either.  Going to a friend's house to watch NFL.

Post here if you plan on going.  Start time is 8:45 AM, north route.

This will be the penultimate (2nd to last) officially scheduled local SSA ride for 2013, Markleeville being the last local ride.  Hard to believe the ride season's coming to a close so soon or maybe it just feels that way.  The official last scheduled ride is Yosemite's free national parks day ride, meaning you're not charged to enter the park.  IOW, free.  I do plan on making the voyage.  It'll be a long day.  Whether anyone attempts to make that trip on two wheels or not, I've done it before and I can do it again.  What better way to finish the ride season than seeing Yosemite one last time.  I'm taking my good camera.

Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: nvgixxer on September 14, 2013, 08:07:47 AM
Too bad you're working today GM! I'm heading for Monitor and Ebbetts later on this morning. 
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 14, 2013, 04:40:46 PM
Next week NV.  Can you ride that course again then?

I'm cleared to ride Sunday.  See you at the North Route Starbucks 9:30 AM.   :angel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 14, 2013, 04:44:15 PM
BTW, for tomorrow.  I don't know what the forecast will look like, but I am going to assume it will be like we've been having.  Therefore, I plan on being back to Reno by 4:30 PM, before the lightening has time to brew.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: dub on September 14, 2013, 05:10:56 PM
The thunder storms we've been having this week aren't forecasted to continue tomorrow.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: Mel on September 14, 2013, 05:32:46 PM
I have 2 questions about this ride. Who's going and why the late start?

Mel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 14, 2013, 11:07:56 PM
I'm going and 9:30 is what the schedule says. 

What time would you propose?  Are you coming?

Traditionally mid-September mornings are suppose to only average 43°, thus a later scheduled start.  Tomorrow's low is forecast for 60°, so we could get an earlier start and take advantage of that.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: Mel on September 15, 2013, 07:11:26 AM
Hey GM,

I'm up and ready to ride this morning. I was out last night, so just saw your response. I'm ok with 8:30am to get an earlier start if that works for you. Post up and let me know.

Mel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 15, 2013, 07:45:04 AM
How's about 8:45?  I was out late last night too and it's only 39° in Truckee right now.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: Mel on September 15, 2013, 07:51:20 AM
See you at 8:45!

Mel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: nvgixxer on September 15, 2013, 08:30:46 AM
Quote from: GreenMachine on September 14, 2013, 04:40:46 PM
Next week NV.  Can you ride that course again then?

But of course I can! Monitor Pass is like a second home to me!  ;D
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: dub on September 15, 2013, 08:46:30 AM
I decided last night I was going to ride with you guys today.  I was gonna leave at 9 to meet you at the roundabout at 10; assuming you left starbucks at 930.

But I got up too late to adapt to the earlier start time.

I'm still gonna set off a little after 9 and ride towards quincy.  If you guys are still doing the bucks lake ride, I will probably catch you at a rest stop.  If not, I guess I wont see you.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 15, 2013, 07:07:04 PM
Oh, sorry Dub.  Would have loved to have you join us.  Text me next time.  If it's within 20 mins of our scheduled start, I'm usually just packing up my phone.  We would have stopped in Sierraville and waited for you, without giving it a second thought.

Mel figured since it was just the two of us, we could set our own schedule, which is why we started early.  You probably missed us in Truckee by 30 minutes, because Mel and I chatted for a bit before starting and I was, as usual, late.  We discussed where we'd like to go and how much time we wanted to spend before returning.  The result was we rode nonstop from Reno to the Chevron in Quincy.  And, even then, we only stopped there long enough to clean the bugs off our visors and again we were off.

You would have had your work cutout for you in intercepting us, as our plans changed by the time we made Oroville.  I believe it was one of the Quincy CHP we saw stalk its way past us at the OHV rest stop, just east of where we usually stop on the 162 summit.  I think he was in need of a potty break, if you ask me.  He just kept driving into the forest.  Very strange to see a CHP cruiser heading off into jeep trails. ???  We were there for the same reason.  And that set the last change in our planned route, since neither of us was in favor of going back up 162 with him up there.  We departed Oroville about 12:15 PM headed east to Marysville road and hwy 49.  Mel had never been from Oroville to Downieville, so that's the route we came back on, a huge reverse loop.  Hwy 49 wasn't much cleaner though.  The rains don't seem to have reached that area, but most of the dirt was in the Westbound lane.  Our pace was B the whole way, with Mel five feet off my tire the whole time.  I should have good pictures of him.   :|)

One brief excursion to Pike road, then back to Downieville for pizza.  We were starving by then and service was quick...for a change.  We departed D-ville at 2:45 and made it home shortly before 4:30. 

I never checked my phone once during the trip.  Mel likes to cover a lot of ground when he rides.  He likes to talk a lot too, but not to the extent it slows us down in route.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 15, 2013, 07:09:18 PM
Quote from: nvgixxer on September 15, 2013, 08:30:46 AM
Quote from: GreenMachine on September 14, 2013, 04:40:46 PM
Next week NV.  Can you ride that course again then?

But of course I can! Monitor Pass is like a second home to me!  ;D
I just remembered I may have already double booked myself for next weekend. I'll know within a day or two though if those plans fall through.  Would like to catch Monitor or whatever road you want to ride NVG.   I'll be in touch.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: 288RR on September 15, 2013, 08:27:09 PM
I really want to join you guys today. I worked my ass off sat.  And had to do a few hours today, but didnt get it done soon enough. So I went to the air races and had a blast out there.  Sounds like missed out on a great ride. I done plan on trying to make the Yosemite ride.
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: Mel on September 15, 2013, 09:36:32 PM
Hey GM,

Thanks for a great ride with a really fun pace! Had a blast riding and chatting about bikes and life during the breaks. Hopefully we can get some more riding in before the winter.

Sorry we missed you Wiles and hope your ride was just as fun.

Mel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: dub on September 15, 2013, 11:58:16 PM
No worries; it's my fault, I should have posted up saying I was coming before I went to sleep last night.  But since it was such a last minute decision, I thought it would be fun to be all mysterious and hook up with the group unannounced.  Guess that back fired.

I knew I would be a ways behind you, but I thought maybe if I rode fast and didn't stop, and you guys took a few 15 minute breaks I could catch up.

I looked for you at the Sierraville Country Store, the Chevron in Graeagle, the Chevron in Quincy and Bucks Lake Lodge.  No luck.  There were a lot of other groups out in Quincy today.  I saw a group of guys hanging out in the dirt turn off at the beginning of La Porte Rd, another group at the first gas station in East Quincy, a couple bikes at the Polka Dot and another group riding through town.  I thought for sure I would see you coming the other way up Bucks Lake Rd as I was going down.  When I got to the bottom I thought maybe I would catch you at the Lakeside Market and Gas station.  When you weren't there I thought maybe I had missed you because you took the Truck Route while I rode past the Lodge and I could catch you having lunch at the Pizza Factory.  But alas I decided to give up.

It was a perfectly nice ride, although my last 10 miles or so of Bucks Lake Rd was completely ruined by a line of 10 or so Harleys doing 30-40 mph that I couldn't possibly get around.  I would rather come up on one slow truck and trailer after another than a line of Harleys.  At least you can pass the truck/trailers.  I briefly thought about slicing and dicing my way up through the group, but I didn't want to be a dick and it's not like I'll never ride that road again.
So after I gave up trying to catch you guys I had lunch at Subway in Oroville then decided to really make a day of it.  I took Forbestown - Challenge Cut-Off - La Porte - Oregon Hill Rd - Marysville Rd back to 49.  It was also my first time on that route from Oroville to 49.  I thought it was awesome.  I've heard people refer to Oregon Hill Rd and Oregon Hell Rd and I can see why you would say that if you were on a repli-racer.  But I had a blast.  I took a right on 49 and headed down to Auburn, then up to Foresthill and took MRR/French Meadows/11 Pines down to Wentworth, Ice House and up 50 home.  It was a pretty awesome loop.  I covered a lot of ground too; 430 miles in 8.5 hrs ride time.  I only stopped four times: lunch in Oroville, a brief rest stop above the reservoir and fuel in Graeagle and Auburn.  Although when I'm alone, I don't take off my helmet, gloves or dismount for a fuel stop and the whole thing takes about 4 minutes. 

The Tiger is going to click over 10,000 miles on my commute tomorrow.  I've only had it for 19 weeks.

(http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr140/tehDUB/photo_zps83d9c7ee.jpg)
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: Mel on September 16, 2013, 08:36:57 AM
Wow, now that was a full day of riding Wiles 8)! I guess you could call me and GM a couple dicks because we also came up on a big group of Harley riders but did the slice and dice :)! That Tiger of yours is getting a great workout for sure.

Mel
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: dub on September 16, 2013, 09:10:49 AM
I usually do the slice and dice.  Just didn't feel like dealing with it this time.  Fuck those long lines of Harley riders.  They were going so slow we had a pick up truck riding our ass the whole way down.  What's the point of riding a motorcycle in the mountains if you aren't going to go any faster than a guy in a full size truck? 
Title: Re: 08/15/13 - Group ride - Bucks Lake
Post by: GreenMachine on September 16, 2013, 08:21:23 PM
 :rotflmao

Good story Dub!

And BTW, I take that back.  You know me better than even I would have figured.  Had that CHP not trolled in, you would have spotted us on Oro-Quincy or at the Pizza Factory, which I was craving.