Feb. 26, 2000

Some of our San Diego friends were going to be in town this weekend
(they are heading to ButtonWillow for the Star School on monday) and
one of the local bikers called a ride. I think about 30 people showed
up! 

We were supposed to have breakfast the the Rock Store -- Arnold S, Jay
L, and other assorted famous actors are often seen there on their
Ducatis, Harley's (and an MV Agusta, damn Jay!)

My plan was to sleep in and get there just as folks were leaving -- it
worked. (ok, really, Squidboy is sick, and I'm recovering from the
same thing, and getting up early was just not gonna happen for Rock
Store food.) I arrived just as folks were getting ontheir bikes. After
being admonished by the SN to not take my helmet off, I still managed
to say hi to a few folks. 

Lorraine had just gotten her brand new vanson leathers -- all white,
with a double zipper being used to shape the leather to her womanly
curves. (whoa!) I'll see if a pic gets put up, and let y'all know. :)

I'm prolly not gonna remember everyone else on the ride, but
immediatelly recognized a set of familiar leathers on Gus (he's bought
a set of Steve's AGV leathers) Saw Sarah on her newly tyred, newly valved
'f2 and got a couple of odd looks for being on the wrong
bike. (Huckleberry is in the shop, so I was on Squidboy's zx-6r).

Jim and Marsha were there, looking quite cute in their matching
helmets (competition accessories, I believe is having a blow out sale
on them -- 329$ for quantum/e's with graphics). Jim rides a XX with
Marsha on the back, and they are the quickest folks I've met in a
while. (Marsha told me yesterday she has four grandkids, to which I
turned to jim in horror and said, "did you marry her at 10 or
something??") They do NOT look their age. Must be the motorcycles,
guns and airplanes. (Jim is a safety instructor at a local firing
range.) I like 'em both -- she's always smiling, and he's so quiet,
but clean, smooth and wonderful to watch. Squidboy likes to ride with
him -- watching in some amazement as that XX goes thru the canyons
like a knife thru butter. (some day, I wanna be that good. :)

The route was awesome -- some old favorites in the santa monica
mountains, views of the ocean and of the valleys abounded. One curve
had me looking straight at a hawk on a thermal. Lots of stopping and
kicking tyres and pictures being taken, and while I missed my favorite
riding partner, I had fun hanging out and talking to folks. At one
point, Lorraine on her 'f3 was leading Sarah on her 'f2, and me on the
zx-6r -- how often do you get three babes on sportbikes (and at least
of two of 'em know how to ride. :)

Some roads I'd never been on had the weather take their toll -- lots
of dirt, rocks, sand, and one road had sections washed out... one
messy dirty road with the AWESOME views of the ocean and the tanker in
the distance -- MarcS was behind me and got to see the 'Terrified of
Gravel/Dirt/mud Gurl', tho when I told squidboy about it, he laughe
and said I ought to know better -- the bike works FINE in the dirt
(see earlier reports about Old Ridge Route).

the 20-30 feet patches of solid mud, gravel and rocks the size of
baseballs caused me to Stop and look at the road for a good bit 'til I
could get my courage up to move thru it. (No squidboy to rescue me if
I fall down and go boom! No one I could really trust at all, even in
this huge group...) I'm pathetic! But I screwed up my little ball of
fear and stuck it in a box and said I'd talk to it later. Got my speed
up before the patches of mud/gravel/etc and stood on the pegs and
decided it wasnt so bad (not!).

at some point, we lost the not so quick folks, making me the slowest
person (hey! how'd I get back here? damn it!) Turns out Ernie made a
wrong turn somewhere and took Gus, Gracie and Joe with him. (then I
think another wrong turn was made, and the crew went back to the Rock
Store).

Two "pot kettle black" moments -- Jay McDaniels (www.activebike.com)
was at the Rock Store the second time we stopped there, and came with
us to Lunch at Adobe Cantina -- ssez to me, "those racers, most of
them dont use their brains," when I said I was looking for info on
Aaron Slight after his brain surgery. *stares at him for a bit 'til I
figured out he was joking.* Second one was over-hearing someone loudly
jumping on someone else for not getting out of the way, and not
slowing down in the straights to let 'em by, yet having the jumper do
the same thing to other riders later. Just a personal peeve -- I dont
ever think its appropriate to tease or chastize someone in public for
doing something 'wrong' while on a ride.

That brings up a thought -- how do you tell someone politely, "hey,
that's not appropriate, or maybe you should check your mirrors more
often and let folks pass, or do you mind if I do this... or you know,
that pass was kinda close for my taste, etc etc."  and not hurt their
feelings, or cause some kinda over-reaction to criticism? 

I did one horrid thing -- got caught behind three slower ducks -- my
mistake, I let 'em pull out in front of me at the previous  stopping
point. No big deal, I'll just pass 'em in a short straight. except the
back biker doesnt look in their mirror (road was challenging, but not
that bad.) I finally end up passing cleanly over the double yellow and
end up on the tail of the second duck. The lead duck finally decides
to pull over for us both, but as we start to pass, I notice a huge
patch of dirt and gravel in our lane, but nothing in the oncoming lane
and without even thinkin, I roll on hard and pass both bikers as the
guy in front was passing. Mistake -- if the second guy (Ernie) also
decided to swerve to miss the dirt, we might have bumped. I apologized
to 'em both at the next stop. 

After some more great roads, we came back to the Rock Store, Really
Hungry and find the lost lambs, who had indeed takena wrong turn or
three. The hungry ones left to go eat at a local mexican place, the
not so hungry ones got to meet Jay Leno on his new MV Agusta F4. 
(Darn! I was one of the hungry ones!)

during Lunch, talk to Jay McDaniels, of www.activebike.com, and talk a
bit about John Burns and Motorcyclist.  he's as irritated as many of
the women riders I know were at the inadequate response to any
comments or complaints. (hell, the article in question wasnt that bad,
but the response from motorcyclst is pretty lame at the least.)

My opinion? Wait for the dinosaur John to die and let us move on. 

a great day of riding, talking, riding some more. Good people, good
food, great roads. What better way to spend Saturday? 
(sunday its raining cats and dogs!)

Gayathri
>--------------------------------------------------------------
 gayathri@world.std.com          Calamari Club #002, WSMC #158
 '88 FZR400 ('gurlzbike')        '98 T595 Daytona, "huckleberry"

		"Where is your heart?" 
		"In my hands" -- Cymerii Wicca saying