Your mom is amazing! The ride was pretty darn good, one of my better short trips, lot's of good roads. Northern San Diego has some spectacular asphalt. I'll get some kind of report flowing soon, I hope! Talk with ya soon.
That's a sweet looking machine. Wish our local Yamaha and Honda dealers would get with it , start carrying scooters and promoting them .
You know how it goes Doug, if they'd sell, they'd carry em. My Majesty is a '14 which is the last year for that bike, I sure have no regrets when riding this scoot. To call it a scooter doesn't do it justice in the way most of us think of a scooter. This bike at 470 lbs, almost 4 gallons of fuel @ 55mpg and low center of gravity, and least a 100mph top speed, it has been a perfect single rider tourer. I spent a good amount of miles on my RT but as I've aged the top weight of the BMW just got to be very uncomfortable and a confidence killer. Hope all is well with that new Vespa Doug!
Doug's been wrenching on his scoot lately, I may have to take a ride down that way to check his quality of work!
We are still getting to know each other, the other day I could swear I heard it mutter something about "it ain't that cold out sissy" or something like that , when I was going out in the car and could have taken it instead.
To get this started, it's pretty basic, I'm going to Borrego Springs overnight and get a couple things done at the house. The weather is November perfect, cool mornings and funky here at the beach, warm afternoons in the desert. I'll take the big bike! Next decision, which way to go?? I'll go the long way out through Palm Springs then south along the Salton Sea, with two places along the way I want to see, but only have time to stop at one. I pick Pioneertown, never been there, so that it'll be. BTW, the rude me passes right through Banning where I have a niece and nephew living, but didn't stop or give them a heads up. That woulda meant a commitment, I didn't want to live up to that on this short get away. The map again as a reminder of the first days ride, After a quick gas stop along the way with a flashing fuel light yelling at me, my first 'real' stop is in Cabazon, CA. right off the I10. The Cabazon Dinosaurs have been a main stay along the I10 since 1975, you've probably seen em in movies, they're becoming pretty iconic. Cool pic spot for the Instagram crowd. Last time I was there, my boys were young single digits years, and I remember the Dino's being in very poor shape. Glad to report the Dino's were looking great, refurb'd I'd say. There is actually a park like setting now, I don't remember that.
I didn't even know or realize anything about this Mr. Rex's Dinosaur Adventure, gotta check that out someday... Entrance to Mr. Rex's, One last shot of Rex, ^^ Ya, you'll probably see that pic on the Let's see your ADV sticker's thread. .
The Loop ride con't, Next up after leaving the Cabazon Dinosaurs is the short 35 mile ride to Pioneertown. I've never been to Pioneertown but have heard about it for many years, while the town was built in 1946 by the likes of Roy Rogers & Gene Autry as a western movie set, it is now known for it's popular bar Pappy & Harriet's. I was too early for anything to be open except for a small museum, so I just looked around a few minutes and got moving again. https://visitpioneertown.com/ Done with Pioneertown, time to look on the phone at Google Maps weighing the option of still going through Joshua Tree NP, decided against it just cause I knew I needed to get to Borrego. While looking at the map I did notice a park right near my location that may have some interest. That'll be next up..... .
Love the Dinos---when can we ride to go see them? Maybe, a visit to SoCal is possible for me next year. Imu
if you don't fuckin split lanes you're on your own. we might as well sit in a car with air conditioning and at least we can shoot the shit.
I will find a hotel close to the area and you guys meet me. Even street (non highway) traffic in SoCal sucks. But once you get away from that the riding is incredible. Imu Meanwhile, here at home this is my backyard from last year. But it looks exactly same today.
Boys and Girls--plan your Moab 2020 trip. Riding with you all and watching you guys struggle in dirt is so much fun!
We've had this talk, you can't beat around the bush on your opinions. We aren't gunna read between the lines. But really, Imu should not be splitting lanes, no experience. I got lucky on this past little road trip, never had to 'lane share', I had good timing on the traffic coming and going.
Exactly! This is what I was gunna suggest. Find a place in the Palm Springs area, that'll give us base camp to a lot of good asphalt. They'll be plenty of shopping and spa's for the lovely Simba girls. Anything May or later will be fairly warm but very doable.
The Loop ride con't, With the last post I left off debating where to go next but knowing I didn't have enough time for Joshua Tree I picked a local park to snoop out, turned out to be an interesting choice. Had some very cool views above Yucca Valley on a terrific day. Pretty interesting background to this park, https://www.desertchristpark.org/about-desert-christ-park There were a few dedicated docents maintaining the grounds that day, raking, hedging and path clearing. Lot's of good work going on to keep this place in tip top shape. The Rock Chapel looked pretty run down and unusable, but I think they'll still host weddings etc in the small chapel, it only sits 16. Sorry no interior pics, it was locked up. I could only see through cracks, the few pics I shot were crap. That is it for the Yucca Valley area, time to blast down to Borrego. Made a quick diversion in Palm Desert for food & fuel, also a bit of roaming around by some of the golf courses I used to play, an absolute beautiful area this time of year. First stop when I got into town, right across from the post office. I can't get used to visiting the PO Box to retrieve the junk mail. There are times when I open that thing and wonder when do they stop stuffing crap in there. End of first day, tucked in with an old friend that has been separated from it's family members. Fun is over for this day, time to get to work in the yards. Next up, the ride toward the coast then home. .