My Vacation

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Johnj
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Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:34 am
Real Name: Johnny Strabler
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 34
My Motorcycle: A Bolt of Lightning
Location: Kansas City KS

My Vacation

#1 Unread post by Johnj »

Brother Jim, his wife Lindy, and myself left yesterday on our trip to Half Moon Bay in CA. We rode across Kansas on I-70 and only got rained on twice. We took US 24 at Limon CO down to Colorado Springs and camped at the Mountaindale Cabins and Campground. Today we're going to get on US 50 and head west. Hope to have some pictures to show later.
People say I'm stupid and apathetic. I don't know what that means, and I don't care.
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Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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Johnj
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Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:34 am
Real Name: Johnny Strabler
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 34
My Motorcycle: A Bolt of Lightning
Location: Kansas City KS

#2 Unread post by Johnj »

On Friday we traveled on down to US-50 and started west. I haven't heard a lot of people talk about 50 but it is a beautiful ride up and through the mountains. Jim is riding an 07 Ultra Classic, which is a very nice bike, but it doesn't like anything over about 9000 ft. My old 87 Concours just keeps on ticking. It kinda gets to my brother that a 21 year old bike runs as good as it does. On through Colorado into Utah where we camped at Yuba State Parks Painted Rocks Campground. This is a very nice campground, but is geared toward RV's. It doesn't even have showers. US-50 is called the loneliest highway in America and once you get west of I-15 I think it is. From Delta it's 110 miles to the next gas and 77 miles to the next service after that. Most of the time when you come off the mountains there is a long straight piece of road and I got a high performance award from a nice Utah Deputy. The road looked empty as far as i could see so I cranked it up and tucked in. I got to about 8K in 6th gear, the speedo indicated 135MPH so I backed off. As the speed fell away I noticed a eastbound white truck coming at me with those little lights on top. I just pulled over at the next little driveway and waited. He got me at 83 in a 65 but because I was so nice he knocked it down to 70 in a 65. Still going to cost me $83. We pushed on and stopped in Fallon Nevada. Jim and Lindy were tired of camping so we got rooms. We partied with a bunch of sailors and Marines who were staying at the motel.

Pictures can be found here
People say I'm stupid and apathetic. I don't know what that means, and I don't care.
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Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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Johnj
Site Supporter - Platinum
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Posts: 3806
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:34 am
Real Name: Johnny Strabler
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 34
My Motorcycle: A Bolt of Lightning
Location: Kansas City KS

#3 Unread post by Johnj »

Wow that was fun. I seem to have left off in Fallon NV on the way out. We rode I-80 to the Bay area on Sunday. We took the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge into Marin Co and camped at Stinson Beach.
Monday morning we rode down CA-1, joined with US-101 and rode the Golden Gate into San Francisco. Sticking with CA-1 we rode through the city, through Pacifica and south to Half Moon Bay, where we set up camp at the State Beach and Campground. We went to Moss Beach where Mom was staying had had a cookout. I'd like to tell you about all the cool rides I went on while I was out there, but I spent most of my time hanging around my Mom and my sisters. We went shopping and ate lunch at some nice places in and around San Francisco. I took some long naps on a porch overlooking the Pacific's rocky coast. Mostly I rode from our camp to the Retreat in the morning and back to camp at night. It's cold in the Bay Area. It only got above 70°F one day.
On Friday we broke camp to start home. We took CA-92 across the peninsula, and the San Mateo Bridge across the bay. Next we used a variety of roads to move east to pick up I-5N and CA-99. That lead us to CA-88 that runs through the San Joaquin Valley, then up into the mountains to the southern end of Lake Tahoe. We pick up US-50 and head east this time. We make it to Austin NV where we booked a room in a little motel.
People say I'm stupid and apathetic. I don't know what that means, and I don't care.
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Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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Johnj
Site Supporter - Platinum
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Posts: 3806
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:34 am
Real Name: Johnny Strabler
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 34
My Motorcycle: A Bolt of Lightning
Location: Kansas City KS

#4 Unread post by Johnj »

On Saturday I woke up, showered, dressed, and walked up the hill for some breakfast. Jim and Lindy were loading their bike when I got back so they went to breakfast while I loaded mine. We continued east on US-50 through Nevada and into Utah. After diner at Mom's Cafe in Salina UT we hit I-70 and headed west. This is when Jim's 07 Ultra Classic started having problems. We'd be running along at 75mph when he would drop back and go like 40, then he'd catch up. We pulled of the interstate at UT-10 and rode 25 miles to find a state park with camping at Fallen UT. In the morning the big Harley barely made it back to town. So we sat at the convenance stort till it opened and Jim called the H.O.G. to get a tow to a dealer. They wanted to take his bike to Oram UT and we are headed to Grand Junction CO. Jim starts asking if anybody will haul him, Lindy, and their bike to Grand Junction, and gets a forest agent to agree to do it. The agent has to go to the office and do his paper work, then go home and hook up his trailer. We decide there is no reason for me to stay, and I need to get back anyway so I go ahead and take off. I make good time by myself and make it all the way to Limon CO. On Monday I just rode I-70 the rest of the way to Kansas City.
People say I'm stupid and apathetic. I don't know what that means, and I don't care.
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Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

blues2cruise
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#5 Unread post by blues2cruise »

How could you take so many pics yet got none of the Golden Gate Bridge?
I was so thrilled to get there that we stopped at the lookout for photos.

Anyway...Good story and pics.

What happened to the Harley in the end?

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