Cannonball! Coast to Coast on a '28 Indian

[bkshovel]

Originally Posted by rtwdoug

I had to run out & grab a few things for the bike.
pete says 'you can ride my v-strom.....

OR... you can ride my old rigid triumph bobber......

there was no consideration needed.
But the right side throttle feels a bit strange, & why is the clutch pedal on the handlebars? it was really hard to get my foot up there.

I also dont think many folks in oakland liked my helmet...

Thanks Pete!

You know what they say about not being able to take a joke? You probably didn't like oakland all the well either (:>))

[KeithTurk]

So they didn't take kindly to your helmet eh.... my what a shock.... wait for it.... Here ya go.. this is my shocked face...

yeah.... LOL... it's Freaking California... what did you expect... these ass hats ... oh hell never mind... hurry your nappy ass up... Barber awaits....

[rtwdoug]

thanks for the route suggestions guys, but that all seems a bit too complicated. I need one of those fancy route sheets like they had on the C-Ball!
I'll probably just do it the old fashioned way, and keep heading east until I hit mountains

[bkshovel]

You got plenty people tellin you how to get across Death Valley so I'll just keep quite. When you get east like into New Mexico Highway 64 across northern New Mexico is real pretty and not as high as crossing the Rockies in Colorado. 160 in Arizona turns into 64 in New Mexico. If you get close to Southeast Kansas and need a place to crash or a place to work on the scoot pm me. I'll be on the road from Thursday till next Monday other than that I'd be at your disposal
At least till the 25th and we're takin the shovelhead to the Texas mile but if yo ain't through here by then you done missed Barbers.

[eakins]

Originally Posted by rtwdoug

I'm sorta sad & sorta glad that its all over.

I met some great people, had lots of fun, got to work on all kinds of bikes,
but now I can travel without a schedule, & not worry about stopping too much to take pictures or whatever.

But, I have to be home around the 8th to get stuff ready for Barbers, so that gives me about 2 weeks to cover almost 3k miles.

doable, but if I have any major problems, I'll have to buy/rent a truck/van & haul ass on home.

My plan is to head out tomorrow morning, as I really need a day off to do a little maintenence on the bike, and have a short break.
Im pretty worn out.

So, east from Oakland, (Im at Petefromberkely's house) thru Yosemite (I havent been there) down thru death valley to Vegas, then east from there.

I see on the map there is the 9k foot tioga pass in yosemite, anyone done that? thats a bit high, and has me a little worried.

I think that will be my only really big mountains to go over.

Im open to suggestions......

Thanks, Doug

Oh, and they are already planning another cannonball in 2 years, I told em to sign me up.

Next time, I'm gonna build a chopper

congrats doug.

just don't stop at the top and it's downhill from there.
there is some great food at the restaurant at the gas station on the other side in lee vining.

see you in 2 yrs.

[pierce]

highs this week in Furnace Creek (Death Valley) are in the mid 100s. have fun!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...%20CA%2C%20USA

[woodly1069]

temps in the 100s...

[pierce]

Originally Posted by eakins

congrats doug.

just don't stop at the top and it's downhill from there.
there is some great food at the restaurant at the gas station on the other side in lee vining.

see you in 2 yrs.

I heard the owner/chef of Tioga Toomey's, aka Whoa Nelly Deli, sold out and moved on a few years ago. is it still as good as it was? I haven't been there in 5-6 years.

ah, this says Matt Toomey has moved to Mammoth Village, a few miles south of there, and opened a new place, Toomey's.

[pierce]

Originally Posted by rtwdoug

thanks for the route suggestions guys, but that all seems a bit too complicated. I need one of those fancy route sheets like they had on the C-Ball!
I'll probably just do it the old fashioned way, and keep heading east until I hit mountains

if you can make your way to livermore, here's a no-freeway route to Yosemite Valley and over Tioga Pass...

big messy link to route?



Start in Livermore
1. Head southeast on S Livermore Ave toward 5th St 1.6 mi
2. Continue onto Tesla Rd 12.2 mi
3. Continue onto Corral Hollow Rd 9.0 mi
4. Turn right onto W Linne Rd 5.0 mi
5. Turn left onto Bird Rd 0.2 mi
6. Turn right onto CA-33 S/Ahern Rd Continue to follow Ahern Rd 6.2 mi
7. Turn left onto S Welty Rd 0.5 mi
8. Turn right onto CA-132 E/Vernalis Rd Continue to follow CA-132 E 14.2 mi
9. Turn left onto N Carpenter Rd 0.5 mi
10. Take the 3rd right onto Kansas Ave 1.1 mi
11. Continue onto 8th St 0.6 mi
12. Turn left onto K St 371 ft
13. Take the 1st right onto 9th St 0.6 mi
14. Turn left onto D St 0.3 mi
15. Slight right toward CA-132 E/Yosemite Blvd 358 ft
16. Continue straight onto CA-132 E/Yosemite Blvd Continue to follow CA-132 E 51.7 mi
17. Turn right onto CA-49 S/Golden Chain Highway S 25.9 mi
18. Turn left onto CA-140 E/California State Route 140 19.7 mi
19. Turn right to stay on CA-140 E/California State Route 140 11.8 mi
20. Continue onto El Portal Rd 6.5 mi
21. Continue onto Southside Dr 5.1 mi
22. Turn left onto Northside Dr 6.4 mi
23. Continue onto El Portal Rd 0.9 mi
24. Turn right onto Big Oak Flat Road (signs for CA-120/Tioga Rd/Manteca) 9.5 mi
25. Turn right onto CA-120 E/Ireland Lake/State Hwy 120 Continue to follow CA-120 E/State Hwy 120 Partial toll road This road may be seasonally closed 57.9 mi
CA-120 E/Tioga Rd

[Jeffy]

Originally Posted by pierce

if you can make your way to livermore, here's a no-freeway route to Yosemite Valley and over

If he rode through Moraga to Lafayette he could ride Danville Blvd/San Ramon Valley, which runs all the way down to Dublin.

Or he could take Redwood Rd. through Chabot down to Castro Valley then take E. Castro Valley Rd out to Dublin.

Then it's city streets to Livermore.

[klaviator]

Originally Posted by rtwdoug

thanks for the route suggestions guys, but that all seems a bit too complicated. I need one of those fancy route sheets like they had on the C-Ball!
I'll probably just do it the old fashioned way, and keep heading east until I hit mountains

Sounds like my kind of plan. Once you hit the mountains, there is more than one great route over. Personally I thought that the two passes just North of Tioga, Sonora and Ebbets, were just as nice of a ride.

Congrats on finishing. I enjoyed following along. Hope to see you around Huntsville some time.

[OaklandStrom]

Doug,

Have a fun ride home. I envy your ability to do rides like this.

Going up the mountains out west is slow, but going down them with ancient brakes and limited compression braking could be sketchy. Take care out there.

[Kevan Garrett]

Hi Doug.

Great seeing you at Dudley Perkins. Congrat's on another epic ride.

I just returned from Las Vegas/Death Valley and Yosemite so here's my $.02 worth.

I would recommend riding across on Highway 4, then south on 49, and up 120 thru Yosemite. I also recommend getting a reservation at one of the Yosemite campgrounds before you head in. I paid $20 for a night at Upper Pines which is right around the corner from Curry Village. I recommend Curry Village Pizza and whichever beer you like.

The ride over Tioga pass is beautiful, and peaks out just under 10,000 feet up. Don't know what changes you will need to make to your bike (if any), but definitely take the altitude into consideration.

As for Death Valley, I had never crossed it before and I must say I was blown away by the heat. I spent 3 days in Las Vegas and had ridden through Nevada from top to bottom and over to Death Valley, but D.V. just kicked my ass. It is not just hot, the sun reflects from all around and it will bake you. And your bike.

Also fill up with gas before you enter. There's a Chevron station but it ain't cheap. I am not saying you should skip D.V. but definitely prepare yourself and your bike. You do not want to stop/break down in the valley.

Also because you will be over 100' below sea level once you are in the valley, the ride out is long and all up hill. Again, prepare your bike. My V-Strom 1000, with water cooling, was not amused by the heat. I know, your 90 year old Indian is tougher, and you are definitely tougher than I am, but seriously, plan ahead.

The ride from Yosemite to Death Valley is going to take you a good 8+ hours. I would recommend that you find a nice, cool camping place before death valley, say Bishop or Lone Pine, and camp there. Leave at 0-dark-30 and try to get across D.V. before it really heats up. It may save you a ton of pain.

Best of luck on your trip. Be safe and tell us all about the ride home.

Peace

Kevan

[rtwdoug]

over the edge bike recovery

[Scott_PDX]

Ok, so now that the run is over, were you "DNF" or did you "place"? In my book you were 1st cause you rode there, rebuilt it twice, and are riding it home. Just curious if there was an official standing.

Regardless, there's more adventure coming, and hoping to see the rest of the story, all the way home. Helluva adventure, for such an old tool (bike that is).