Wilsons Sandbox

--- On Mon, 5/19/08, oldrider25 wrote: > From: oldrider25 > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Short Trip to Big Sur > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > Date: Monday, May 19, 2008, 12:25 PM > I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was > about 800mi > round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some > dirt roads > off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda > off US Hwy > 1. There is a narrow winding asphalt road with tons of > blind corners > leading up to several fire roads. > > The trails are all fairly well groomed fire roads with some > areas with > moderate erosion damage. This is where I noticed my turn > signals > failed (I think it's the $28 relay). It was cool > enough by the surf > to where my jacket was completely zipped tight. Hwy 1 > passes so close > to the surf that you get sea spray on your visor! Once on > the trail, > it was hot enough to where I changed into my offroad gear > and still > sweat up a storm just sitting on the bike. It was easily a > 15-deg F > temp difference. > > The distance from Hwy 1 to our campsite is about 20mi - > half > asphalt/half dirt. The view of the ocean is spectacular > and you can > hear the waves crashing on the surf. Elevation is about > 3,200' ASL. > The flies and mosquitoes were hellacious. No amount of > pure DEET > would keep the mosquitos at bay. I must have a gabillion > bites. DEET > didn't seem to do anything at all to keep the biting > flies away. > > Except for the turn signal failure, the bike performed > well. The > Progressive rear shock made a huge difference compared to > the last > time I was out w/ the OEM unit. It was much easier to > control the > bike when climbing. I got almost 50mpg on the hwy and > about 46mpg > when mixing in trail riding. Trail speeds were limited by > the number > of blind corners. We saw a couple trucks on the trail. > Bummer to > drift through a turn to meet a truck head on. > > I'm a newb rider on the dirt. I bought Neduro's > Dual Sport Riding DVD > and put the knowledge to good use. Steering with the pegs > makes all > the difference in the world. No more fear of getting the > bike stuck > in small ruts. Now, if I can just figure out how to get > the bike to > wheelie over rocks and small logs. It's so much easier > getting the > nose up on my mountain bike..... > > More on Gorda: Gas in Gorda is $5.75/gal for premium, > about $1.40/gal > more expensive than anywhere else. This is not a big deal > if you're > only taking on a couple gallons. Sucks if you're one > of those people > who trailer your bikes in a big toy hauler and need to take > on 40+ > gallons. If coming from the south, gas up in Cambria which > is 40mi > south on Hwy 1. The pumps do not accept payment. If you > arrive when > they are closed, no gas for you. The snack shop, which > sells fancy > coffees and simple food, accepts cash only. The owner was > nice and > let me spotted me $3 on a $5 cheeseburger! The burger was > very good, > too. If you ride at during dawn/night/dusk, watch out for > deer. > > John > > > ------------------------------------ > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: > www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups > Links > > >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > "about 7mi north of Gorda off US Hwy 1." > > Hey, US 1 is on our side of the country. You guys have California 1, the famous Pacific Coast Highway, which I was on a few months ago (the same stretch as you, by the way) and which is a much nicer 1 than ours. Our 1 runs from Maine to Florida and is much less scenic for most of its length. > > Stephen > > > --- On Mon, 5/19/08, oldrider25 wrote: > > > From: oldrider25 > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Short Trip to Big Sur > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > Date: Monday, May 19, 2008, 12:25 PM > > I took a short trip to Big Sur over the weekend. It was > > about 800mi > > round trip including trail riding. We tooled around some > > dirt roads > > off Nacimiento Road (sp?) which is about 7mi north of Gorda > > off US Hwy > > 1.