Wanderings around Socal

Photobucket at again! :huh Why oh why won't they allow me access to Smug-Bug at work? Life would be so much easier...anyhow, here's the rest of the mural shots:







Ran into this resturant sign: shhhh, the secret ingredient is viagra:



Next stop, the not so world famous Shake Shack. It was better when it was an independent joint, but the views of Crystal Cove rock, and Ruby's shakes aren't too bad:



Some views of Crystal Cove from the shack: I want to live in this house!





Mmmmmm, coffee and chocolate shake:



Another view:



Next it was on to San Clemente and this little coffee house:



A bicyclist across the parking lot relaxing:

AARHG! Photobucket froze again. Glad I have no plans today other than washing the bikes later. Let's see if I can continue here.

So, an ice coffee under a palm tree by the beach. Wonder what the poor people are doing today?



Oh ya, the poor people are sipping an ice coffee under a palm tree by the beach. Does anyone see a theme to my trips, possible involving a tasty brown beverage best served either piping hot or over ice?

Love the sign!



A mural on the wall in a hallway to the can:



An interesting planter inside:



Cool sun on a house across the street:



Before I got my current job, I was a railroad engineer for the BNSF. Occasionally we'd catch the run to San Diego, which went right along the beach for several miles. My favorite!



I left San Clemente and started back. I got to Laguna Beach and realized I'd never actually stopped in in the 28 years I've lived in Socal, so I did the toourist thing. Bear with all the photos, there are a ton!

Got to Laguna Beach and saw this tile by a drain, reminding people not to throw their crap in the street:



A statue of Grizzly Adams in Laguna Beach?



Not quite:





For all of you patiently waiting for bikinis, here's a semi-artistic back lit shot:



Taken through a window, what all the hardcore 1%ers are wearing in Laguna Beach these days:



Some dead animals' homes for sale (hey, who is that shadow of a man taking this crappy picture?)



This was actually a cool fountain. There's water running down these tiles:

And onto the beach:




Some cool architecture:




Unlike the song, no one's going under this boardwalk:



The only meter I fed all day:



Some cool avante garde brickwork on a building:



Some what I believe are Native Americans in statuary outside the Fire Department:

I waited, but Dr. Who never emerged:



Scooters and sport bikes, hanging out and getting along:



For those Harley lovers:



This next one, from a wall hanging inside a store, you can interpreet as you will. It says to me a woman saying "Hey Doc, guess where the flashlight got stuck?"



A happy dog in someone's car:



Gnarly thorns on a tree!



They forgot Tyler, too (if you get that nerdy reference, you payed attention in High School history):



Hey, he'll probably not do any worse than the dudes who are actually running:



Once again, my scooter waiting patiently. Bye Laguna!

And youthought this ride report was over!

On the way home, I stopped in Bolsa Chica wetlands:



The bridge over the esturary:



What I thought was a fire turned out just to be a large flaring at a refinery (from about 20 miles away):



Yes, Bolsa Chica is a bird sanctuary:



This dude probably has every style of tin foil hat:



I walked back to the scooter, and couldn't find my keys. Notice how I left my jacket...



I had left them in my jacket pocket! D'oh!

Fricken photobucket froze again, but I'm almost done here...

Next stop, Sunset and Harbor House for lunch/dinner:



A mural and trash at the Harbor House:



Mmmmmm, guacamole bacon cheeseburger....



Another mural with douchebag harley. I say douchebag because he was parkedin the space next to the handicapped parking that gives people enough room to remove wheelchairs etc. from their cars. Whoever you are, you deserve a huge adv salute!



A diner across the street where one can become fully engorged:



What's with the Woody's in O.C.? Anyone know? The real unanswerable question, though, is why you would name your resturant after the slang term for an erection...

Anyhow, back to my scooter...



And back home. Yup, this report is finally over. Thanks for all of you who slogged through all the pictures and joined me on this little adventure! 100 miles on the scooter (and almost as many pictures!)

Love the pics and the report. Keep 'em coming.

HB,

Nice thread you have going here. You captured some pretty nice spots in a short amount of time!

Thanks Fred and Sam. I'm working a 60 hour week this week:eek1, so no riding until Saturday. Not sure where, maybe Big Bear or Wrightwood? It will be cooler this weekend, so either is an option. Anyways, won't be another ride report until Sunday.

Chage of plans. I'm buying a helmet from an inmate who lives in San Diego, so that's the trip for Saturday. More slab than I wanted, but more sand, sun, and coffee. And a beautiful city. Oh yes, there will be gelato...

Thats the Motoport Kevlar suit. They are made to order in Carlsbad, Ca. Its good stuff! motoport.com

Took the trip to San Diego yesterday to pick up the helmet. William, thanks a lot! Love the thing. First time I've had a helmet on that actually flows air through the vents!

Figured, while I was going, I'd make a day of it. I moved away from San Diego about 20 years ago and figured I'd see how much has changed. Some hasn't. Some has big time! I'll get to that as I go.

Started out at the donought shoup for a donought and coffee:



No, I didn't ask if they made the orange chicken and the donuts with the same grease. Don't want to know, the donuts rock! Also noticed in this picture, the reflective tape works!

Got onto the slab (405 south) and immediately ran into a 7 or 8 mile detour, as I forgot they were replacing a bridge. When I finally got around the semi that was blocking my ability to split lanes, it wasn't too bad, but still frustrating. Got back on the slab, and with the delay caused by the detour, it was time for a smoke and coffee at the rest stop, the same one I stopped at on the Palomar ride. Different day, different dude on the coffee cup:



Pulled off the 8 once I got close to where we were going to meet and saw this. Evidentally, Casper has become a transvestite:



After a little mixup in which Von's I was supposed to be at, he showed up with my new to me Shoei RF-1000. Good fit and comfy and, like I said, the vents rock!






My Quest is now a backup.

I decided to take the 8 down to O.B.(Ocean Beach), my favorite stomping grounds in the 80's. Not much has changed there! O.B. is like walking into one of those kind of seedy beach towns I remember from when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's. Bars, not real clean streets, hippies, punkers, and cool little shops. If you ever visit the San Diego area, I highly reccomend it. Stay there, you'll have more fun than staying in downtown San Diego, trust me.



Walked down Newport Ave. for a bit before I got to the beach.

Saw a whale with a back full of dead animals' homes:



and an octopus pushing more of the same, but cheaper:



Didn't go into this store for fear I may get seen and profiled:

Went by Winston's, a bar off Newport where I saw a lot of good bands in the 80's. The Chilli Peppers played there one night when they were nobody, and Shilo (now called Big Mountain) were regulars. Had to get a picture of the Winston's dancing guy just for memory's sakd:



Man, did I drink a lot of beer and tequila there!

Came across a bus that's just about the size most inmates here took to school:



San Diego still appears to be Harley country, as most of the bikes I'd seen up to then were Harleys. I took a photo of this one just because it appears to actually be ridden hard and often and, no matter the bike, I can appreciate that:




I bet I can post a nice picture of a woody here and not get banned...





This girl appeared to be gazing out to sea daydreaming, and I like the shot:



This one, however, will win more inmate approval:



Just looks like a rock, but it's a vetrans' memorial:

Like every beach that has one, I decided to take a walk up the pier. Notice the for rent signs...if it weren't for the 2+ hour commute I'd move tomorrow!



Looking up the beach from the pier:



A dude and his happy kids:



O.B. is a pretty popular surf joint however, if it's anything like it was, it's locals or invite only (unofficially), just trust me on this. If you want to surf here, get to know a local and you'll be set...just do that first.



Another view of the apartments for rent. Seriously, I wonder if they need boiler operators in San Diego?





Time to walk back to the bike and get some grub on the way. How's this for interesting businesses in a business building?



Gotta love O.B.

Time to get some grub and back to the bike.

It's a shame when the painted palms are prettier than the real ones:



This is where I ate. Had this thing they call a surf and turf burrito. It had carne asada and shrimp with guacamole, cheese, french fries and this bitchen' home made salsa! Fricken incredible! I used to grab some chicken there back in the day. Great food at good prices!



A buddy of mine told me later that this place was on some food show called Diners and Dives or something. I'm not a t.v. guy, so I've never seen it, but whoever produces the show sure picked a winner!

I am beautiful!



Ran into a particuliarly well hung scarecrow:

I decided to head on over to a coffee house I used to hang out at called Gelato Vero. Other than the installation of rails and getting rid of the upstairs smoking section (boo!) it hasn't changed much over the last 30 years. Still good coffee and the best gelato on the west coast, bar none! It's in the Mission Hills district on the corner of Washington and India. If you are ever in San Diego it's definatelly worth a stop!

Parked a couple blocks away to avoid the meters. Hey, I own a KLR, of course I'm cheap!

Some shots on the way: A cool sculpture on the side of a bar/grille:



It may sound paranoid, but I think Dr. Who is following me:



MMM, spumoni gelato and iced coffee:



I started to realise that the 60 hr. week I worked last week had worn me down, so I kicked it for a while here:



I was getting sick of only seeing harleys (San Diego's full of them!) so when other bikes went by I took pictures. A dude splitting on his duc:



A happy guy on his XR:



Then the coolest bike all day showed up. This dude showed up with his wife on his 250 Elsinore! That is the bike I wanted as a kid, the bike I was going to get when the salesman (an uncle) talked me into buying my Rickman instead. Loved the Rickman, don't get me wrong, but still always lusted after that Elsinore (I was 13 remember). The guy bought this one off Craigslist for 1100 bucks and it was not only registered but fired right up! I have to check Craigs List more often!







His wife's bike was cool too. He said he used the sticker kit to cover some scratches. Cool job!






Hmm, don't quite know what's happening here, the photos are okay in photobucket, but aren't rotated here...bear with the new guy please! I'll try and fix them later.

Back to the bike I had left parked in front of this cool old house:



Then on to the Gaslamp...

This is what has changed about San Diego, the Gaslamp District. I remember going there in the 80's and it was nothing but crappy bars where a fight could break out at any moment, porn shops and theaters, hookers, bikers, sailers, ptomaine tainted food joints, crack houses, flop houses and drunk "hotels". It was beautiful! A place where an old sweaty motorcycle guy in an old Tom and Jerry tee shirt fit right in! They have turned it into a yuppie paradise. High end resturants, wine bars, coffee houses that look like tea rooms and high end cigar shops. Now I like a good cigar as much as anyone, but the shope I go to here in Long Beach accept you no matter who you are. These had dudes in suits and ties on a Saturday! I was afraid to go in as I thought I'd get kicked back out! Fricken hated the whole neighborhood! Here's some pictures, anyways.





Nice knockers!









This is just blatent false advertising:



A statue in front of a bar called "Dick's Last Stand". Classic faux dive. If anyone showed up actually looking like this guy, they probably wouldn't let him in:



I couldn't stand the smell of douchey trendiness anymore, so it was back to the bike. Yes, I even found free parking in the Gaslamp!



Started back home, and got sick of the slab near San Clemente. Stopped for coffee (look familiar?).



Yup, the ice coffee was so good last time I decided to stop again. Played around with this cute puppy for a while:





Then I headed on down PCH and stopped at Doheny Beach. The bridge over PCH and the r.r. tracks made me feel like I was being walked out of the cell block:



The scenery was amazing:



Oh ya, this scenery too:



Yup, the beach is rocky:



Evidently this beach is for sunning and not for swimming:



Back on PCH towards home, I decided to stop at Sunset beach for gas. While filling, I saw this across the parking lot:



When I walked up, however, I saw this:



"You killed Coffee! You Bastards!"

Walking back to the gas station, I saw this dumpster.Don't know who Earl is, but the chicks dig him I guess:



A nice Goat pulled in for a fill up:



These bikes are for lookin' and not ridin':



Soon I was back in Long Beach at my favorite coffee house, Portfolio on 4th and Junipero, enjoying yet another urban sunset:



Thanks for coming along! Next week, unless something changes, it's the mountains. Either Wrightwood or Big Bear. Stay tuned...

Got up yesterday a tad bit later than I wanted due to a friend's 30th birthday party. No, didn't drink, but did stay kind of late, so I didn't get up until about 8 and took off for Big Bear about 9. Started on the slab for 80 miles (boring, but the slab does kind of relax when there is no traffic and you can wrap your head around it).

Took the 91 to the 15 to the 10 to the 215 and got off at Waterman, as I like going up that side of the mountain. Hadn't been up there for a few years and I used to live up there, so it was kind of nice going. Hit a gas station and they were open but were re-modelling so they had NO COFFEE! How dare they?

So, up to Crestline it was. Unlike going up Palomar, where tight decreasing radius turns are the rule of the day, Big Bear Mountain is full of big, fun sweepers a' plenty. Lots of fun, but do yourself a favor if you go there, get off at Waterman and go up that way. So much prettier and better curves!

Made it to Crestling and found a coffee house and, right across the street, this house

This was my the house that my buddy bought back in the 80's and I helped with a lot of the repairs. Going to the mountains and working/playing on the weekends was good therapy after the divorce. It's cool to see the little place still in good shape!

In the parking lot were a couple of cruisers. Now I'm not a cruiser dude to begin with and usually don't like that no paint rat rod look, but it worked on this one:



A picture of the coffee house sign. The iced coffee was bitchen' and it's definatelly worth the stop!



On the patio they had a cool glass top table with this as a base:



Just thought it was cool. Nest stop was Lake Gregory.

I had to stop at Lake Gregory to pay some respects. A few years ago when I was a railroad engineer, a co-worker passed away. She was a bit more than a co-worker and had become like family. I did holidays at her house, we exchanged gifts with her family on Christmas and such. She died of a sudden stroke at 47 years old. One of her favorite things was trout fishing on Lake Gregory, so we sprinkled her ashes there. Sad moment, but a beautiful place. Here's the lake:



And a duck:



A woman enjoying an outboard:



Some nice houses across the lake:



More ducks:



Okay, so I like ducks, what of it?



From Lake Gregory, I went up the Rim of the World highway. Why do they call it that you may ask? Here's a couple pics from the side of the road. The first one doesn't do the view any justice, and the second one was taken not from a plane, but from the side of the road with a little zoom:





Just beautiful views on a fun road. I took it to the town of Running Springs, where I stopped to eat.

Two stores nest to each other in Running Springs. It makes you wonder what they do for fun there...Family Jewels next to Leather and Lace? Sounds like good times...



Here's where I stopped:



Good old fasioned American food. Sorry, no pictures, I scarfed it too quick! While I was having a smoke in the parking lot I heard a racket and saw this little guy hanging out outside a pet shop:



A little shot of the bustling metropolis of Running Springs:



This is the only bar in town (I think). I wonder if they even know what the rainbow colored letters might suggest...



Might explain the Leather and Lace store, though.

Well, gotta put in laundre, but there's more to come. I'll be back!