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August 6, 2003
ANDERSON, CA - The weather was a beautiful 85 degrees as I headed out of the house up to Redding to meet up with the local Honda Riders Club for their weekly jaunt around Shasta County. I arrived at Lee's Honda/Kawasaki/Polaris/Victory/kitchen sink (more on that later) at 5:50PM and met up with about 30 other riders, most of them riding metric cruisers, Honda Shadows, Yamaha Stars, Suzuki Volusia's. There were a couple VTX1800's, 2 or 3 Harleys, and even an '81 Kawasaki KZ550. The only other UJM was my own GS650G. The last 6 riders were on crotch rockets(RC51's, a CBR1000F and a couple others I wasn't paying much attention to).
Our planned route was to take us 10 miles down I-5 into Cottonwood, then down to the end of Bowman Road, where we'd hit SR36, and head into Red Bluff and meet at an Exxon station. From Red Bluff we'd come back up I-5 a couple miles and get off on Jelly's Ferry Road and take that into Anderson, then head up Hwy 273 to Redding, where the final destination is always Gene's Hamburgers.
Getting from Lee's to I-5 at 6PM, even in Redding, can be frustrating at times. I ended up missing the last light, so had to wait one cycle. Then, in order to catch up, I was doing close to 85 all the way down to Cottonwood. I caught up with the pack a half mile before the exit and settled in the back. There was a short (1 minute) regroup at the offramp, then we took off down Bowman Rd. I stopped in the intersection to make sure we left as a pack, as there was a lumbering lumber truck that wanted to go the same way we were. The ride down Bowman was uneventful. One of the VTX's had open pipes and seemed to be the loudest of the bunch, I could hear him clear as day from 10 bikes back when he accelerated. I pretty much follwed the KZ, who stopped at one point, so I stopped too, but he had simply forgotten to clip his helmet, carry on.
Turning onto SR36, we started towards Red Bluff. The road had some nice curces and twists, but it also went up and down. Riding spiritedly, it felt like my stomach was in my head in a couple places. At one point we passed what looked like a permananet yard sale, and everything was laid out, including two or three kitchen sinks.
We all met up at the Exxon station and BS'ed for 20 minutes or so, getting a drink, having a smoke, etc.
After we were sated, we started heading back up I-5. Jelly's Fery was coming up but the lead bikes were all in the left lane, passing trucks and cars. Once we past the exit, I figured oh well. Started wicking it up heading back. It was me, two VTX1800's, the KZ, and a couple Yamaha's. Soon enough we were hitting 110+, passing cars and trucks, and generally wreaking havoc (save it). The KZ and one of the Yammie's dropped out early (the Yammie because the rider got uncomfortable, and the KZ simply couldn't keep up after about 95). We have no idea where the crotch rckets were, I thnk they left in front, and never looked back.
Once we got off onto 273 (a sweeper that exits right, then comes back left under I-5), we all slowed down to a more sedate 80 or so before hitting Anderson proper, and going through town we were doing the speed limit. The other Yammie rider stopped on the offramp to wait for his girl to catch up. Once we got back out into the open, we 4 and another bike that caught up with us took off from the last light. As we passed a group of teenagers in a pickup, they all started hooting and hollering at us. Once again we were doing 85-90 on a 4-laner with a 60MPH limit. I was the last bike in line when up ahead we all see a CHP Crown Vic getting ready to turn left onto a side street. Needless to say we all slowed down, but the bike in front split two cars going almost 70. The CHP flipped a bitch and came up on us. Me and the guy in front of me were in the right lane, the loud VTX ahead in the left, another VTX in front of him on the right, and splitter in front. The CHP got behind the VTX and flashed his lights to have him move over, and then pulled over the splitters. We all passed at a leasurely 62MPH, looking straight ahead. Once the now four of us got to a red light, we all looked at each other and shook our heads. Then it was on again. I was the back right corner of a four rider square at the light. Once it turned green, we all hit it, except the loud VTX next to me, who seemed to have taken a nap. The guy in front of me moved over to the right lane as soon as he was clear, and I bolted. The lead VTX never let up, so I didn't pass him, but we both pulled up at about 80. The loud VTX came up beside me as we entered a 45MPH zone, and that the way we were when we got to Gene's.
I figured that we'd be one of the first to get to Gene's. I was wrong. I didn't realize that alot of these guys bypassed the ride to hang out at the burger joint and BS. When we arrived, there were already close to 40 bikes there. The crotch rockets were there too. Most of the bikes were again cruisers. I hung out for about 30 minutes, just talking. The loud VTX guy was saying he wanted more horsepower when we were back at the Exxon station. He's not so sure he needs it now. They were all telling him he needs a Hyoercharger. I kept my mouth shut.
Of course we started yacking about the cop. Some of the next riders to come in were saying it didn't look like they got a ticket, but I never found them again, so couldn't ask.
I saw what looked like a miniature 40's era Harley, powered by what looked like a Triumph parallel twin. It turned out to be a Mustang. Cool little bike.
As I was leaving another mini pulled up. This one looked like an even smaller version of a Rebel 250. It was powered by what looked lke Honda's Z-50 engine, all chromed out. It still had the price sticker on the headlight. I think I've seen these on eBay.
All in all, I had a pretty good time. Total time: 2.5 hours. Miles ridden: 106. Highest speed: 115+ according to my Sigma bike computer and the last time I looked down. Kitchen sinks: at least 3.
ANDERSON, CA - The weather was a beautiful 85 degrees as I headed out of the house up to Redding to meet up with the local Honda Riders Club for their weekly jaunt around Shasta County. I arrived at Lee's Honda/Kawasaki/Polaris/Victory/kitchen sink (more on that later) at 5:50PM and met up with about 30 other riders, most of them riding metric cruisers, Honda Shadows, Yamaha Stars, Suzuki Volusia's. There were a couple VTX1800's, 2 or 3 Harleys, and even an '81 Kawasaki KZ550. The only other UJM was my own GS650G. The last 6 riders were on crotch rockets(RC51's, a CBR1000F and a couple others I wasn't paying much attention to).
Our planned route was to take us 10 miles down I-5 into Cottonwood, then down to the end of Bowman Road, where we'd hit SR36, and head into Red Bluff and meet at an Exxon station. From Red Bluff we'd come back up I-5 a couple miles and get off on Jelly's Ferry Road and take that into Anderson, then head up Hwy 273 to Redding, where the final destination is always Gene's Hamburgers.
Getting from Lee's to I-5 at 6PM, even in Redding, can be frustrating at times. I ended up missing the last light, so had to wait one cycle. Then, in order to catch up, I was doing close to 85 all the way down to Cottonwood. I caught up with the pack a half mile before the exit and settled in the back. There was a short (1 minute) regroup at the offramp, then we took off down Bowman Rd. I stopped in the intersection to make sure we left as a pack, as there was a lumbering lumber truck that wanted to go the same way we were. The ride down Bowman was uneventful. One of the VTX's had open pipes and seemed to be the loudest of the bunch, I could hear him clear as day from 10 bikes back when he accelerated. I pretty much follwed the KZ, who stopped at one point, so I stopped too, but he had simply forgotten to clip his helmet, carry on.
Turning onto SR36, we started towards Red Bluff. The road had some nice curces and twists, but it also went up and down. Riding spiritedly, it felt like my stomach was in my head in a couple places. At one point we passed what looked like a permananet yard sale, and everything was laid out, including two or three kitchen sinks.
We all met up at the Exxon station and BS'ed for 20 minutes or so, getting a drink, having a smoke, etc.
After we were sated, we started heading back up I-5. Jelly's Fery was coming up but the lead bikes were all in the left lane, passing trucks and cars. Once we past the exit, I figured oh well. Started wicking it up heading back. It was me, two VTX1800's, the KZ, and a couple Yamaha's. Soon enough we were hitting 110+, passing cars and trucks, and generally wreaking havoc (save it). The KZ and one of the Yammie's dropped out early (the Yammie because the rider got uncomfortable, and the KZ simply couldn't keep up after about 95). We have no idea where the crotch rckets were, I thnk they left in front, and never looked back.
Once we got off onto 273 (a sweeper that exits right, then comes back left under I-5), we all slowed down to a more sedate 80 or so before hitting Anderson proper, and going through town we were doing the speed limit. The other Yammie rider stopped on the offramp to wait for his girl to catch up. Once we got back out into the open, we 4 and another bike that caught up with us took off from the last light. As we passed a group of teenagers in a pickup, they all started hooting and hollering at us. Once again we were doing 85-90 on a 4-laner with a 60MPH limit. I was the last bike in line when up ahead we all see a CHP Crown Vic getting ready to turn left onto a side street. Needless to say we all slowed down, but the bike in front split two cars going almost 70. The CHP flipped a bitch and came up on us. Me and the guy in front of me were in the right lane, the loud VTX ahead in the left, another VTX in front of him on the right, and splitter in front. The CHP got behind the VTX and flashed his lights to have him move over, and then pulled over the splitters. We all passed at a leasurely 62MPH, looking straight ahead. Once the now four of us got to a red light, we all looked at each other and shook our heads. Then it was on again. I was the back right corner of a four rider square at the light. Once it turned green, we all hit it, except the loud VTX next to me, who seemed to have taken a nap. The guy in front of me moved over to the right lane as soon as he was clear, and I bolted. The lead VTX never let up, so I didn't pass him, but we both pulled up at about 80. The loud VTX came up beside me as we entered a 45MPH zone, and that the way we were when we got to Gene's.
I figured that we'd be one of the first to get to Gene's. I was wrong. I didn't realize that alot of these guys bypassed the ride to hang out at the burger joint and BS. When we arrived, there were already close to 40 bikes there. The crotch rockets were there too. Most of the bikes were again cruisers. I hung out for about 30 minutes, just talking. The loud VTX guy was saying he wanted more horsepower when we were back at the Exxon station. He's not so sure he needs it now. They were all telling him he needs a Hyoercharger. I kept my mouth shut.
Of course we started yacking about the cop. Some of the next riders to come in were saying it didn't look like they got a ticket, but I never found them again, so couldn't ask.
I saw what looked like a miniature 40's era Harley, powered by what looked like a Triumph parallel twin. It turned out to be a Mustang. Cool little bike.
As I was leaving another mini pulled up. This one looked like an even smaller version of a Rebel 250. It was powered by what looked lke Honda's Z-50 engine, all chromed out. It still had the price sticker on the headlight. I think I've seen these on eBay.
All in all, I had a pretty good time. Total time: 2.5 hours. Miles ridden: 106. Highest speed: 115+ according to my Sigma bike computer and the last time I looked down. Kitchen sinks: at least 3.
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