slackmeyer
Well-known member
Here's my puny little contribution to the adventure riding section. I took advantage of another incredible weekend day yesterday (saturday) and set out north to find a bit of dirt and plenty of twisty roads, and to hopefully not get hit from behind by a semi, as I buzzed along at 60 mph with a taillight that has to be replaced at every gas stop (it seems). The joys of a KTM 640.
After a little freeway grind from berkeley up to cordelia, I headed up suisun valley and past lake berryessa:
I don't know why I see so many people talk about ridng the berryessa loop, but so few bikes on Knoxville-Berryessa road? It's where things get good.
After all the water crossings (mostly dry), I turned off into the Knoxville OHV area, and tried hard to get myself lost on the trails and fire roads that quickly peter out to nothing.
This was one odd turnaround. I was headed down a nice piece of double track, when I came to a 10 yard wide crater. The go around went up the bank to the left, and continued on along the ridge. . . .until it didn't anymore. It ended in this rocky open spot.
This is the first time I've done much dirt on this bike, even though I've had it for a while. I noticed when I was on the highway that it's geared quite low- it gets pretty buzzy at 65 mph or so, though the engine has plenty of power to go faster. I also noticed that the suspension makes up for a lot of mistakes on my part- it's really amazing what the forks and shock on this bike do, compared to the DRZ I used to have. I didn't air down my 90% street tires, and I felt like the traction gods were watching over me the whole day. Great conditions were part of that, too.
After a couple hours riding around knoxville, I took the fire road through the area out to the North entrance- I didn't even know that road went through. Kind of a fun bypass to K-B road, if it's not too hot and dusty. When I got back to the pavement, I stopped for a quick lunch (cheese sandwich, just like every day), checked my tail light (burnt out, second time this month. . . damn paint shaker vibes [Actually, I say that in jest. . . I don't think this bike vibrates that much. . . .less than an xr600, anyway]), and headed for Clearlake, to pick up some more taillight bulbs. From Clearlake, I went east on 20 to Leesville-Lodoga road, and a sea of almond trees in bloom:
Leesville road was great, as always. The pavement was in fine shape, I actually saw several spots of it between the potholes/under the gravel and sand.
A little before the junction with Bear Valley road, I took a hard right on Huffmaster road- new to me, but it sounded like a good road, and looked great on the map.
What can I say, it was a great dirt road, and the scenery was amazing.
After Huffmaster dropped me in Sites, I headed back west towards Lodoga, tagging along with a guy riding a BMW R100RT (I think). Yet another fine paved road, this one with a lot more pavement showing between the potholes. At Lodoga, I headed south, and on to Bear Valley road:
At this point, it was about 4:15. I was cutting it pretty close for a bike with shitty headlights, and a taillight that could go at any time. I rode through Bear Valley, crossed hwy 20, and south on 16, then road 89 to Winters. I didn't want to spend too much time on the freeway, so I rode pleasants valley road to fairfield (very pleasant, btw), where I had to take 80/680 for a little while. I made it to Martinez, and back on familiar twisty roads, right around the time darkness fell. I squinted my way back to Berkeley without hitting a single deer. The End.
It was kind of a long day on a thumper (well, with winter light it was, anyway), but there's definitely some good fun to be had a couple hours away. I do think I'll get some more street worthy sprockets for the bike and head back up that way before long. . . .
zak
After a little freeway grind from berkeley up to cordelia, I headed up suisun valley and past lake berryessa:
I don't know why I see so many people talk about ridng the berryessa loop, but so few bikes on Knoxville-Berryessa road? It's where things get good.
After all the water crossings (mostly dry), I turned off into the Knoxville OHV area, and tried hard to get myself lost on the trails and fire roads that quickly peter out to nothing.
This was one odd turnaround. I was headed down a nice piece of double track, when I came to a 10 yard wide crater. The go around went up the bank to the left, and continued on along the ridge. . . .until it didn't anymore. It ended in this rocky open spot.
This is the first time I've done much dirt on this bike, even though I've had it for a while. I noticed when I was on the highway that it's geared quite low- it gets pretty buzzy at 65 mph or so, though the engine has plenty of power to go faster. I also noticed that the suspension makes up for a lot of mistakes on my part- it's really amazing what the forks and shock on this bike do, compared to the DRZ I used to have. I didn't air down my 90% street tires, and I felt like the traction gods were watching over me the whole day. Great conditions were part of that, too.
After a couple hours riding around knoxville, I took the fire road through the area out to the North entrance- I didn't even know that road went through. Kind of a fun bypass to K-B road, if it's not too hot and dusty. When I got back to the pavement, I stopped for a quick lunch (cheese sandwich, just like every day), checked my tail light (burnt out, second time this month. . . damn paint shaker vibes [Actually, I say that in jest. . . I don't think this bike vibrates that much. . . .less than an xr600, anyway]), and headed for Clearlake, to pick up some more taillight bulbs. From Clearlake, I went east on 20 to Leesville-Lodoga road, and a sea of almond trees in bloom:
Leesville road was great, as always. The pavement was in fine shape, I actually saw several spots of it between the potholes/under the gravel and sand.
A little before the junction with Bear Valley road, I took a hard right on Huffmaster road- new to me, but it sounded like a good road, and looked great on the map.
What can I say, it was a great dirt road, and the scenery was amazing.
After Huffmaster dropped me in Sites, I headed back west towards Lodoga, tagging along with a guy riding a BMW R100RT (I think). Yet another fine paved road, this one with a lot more pavement showing between the potholes. At Lodoga, I headed south, and on to Bear Valley road:
At this point, it was about 4:15. I was cutting it pretty close for a bike with shitty headlights, and a taillight that could go at any time. I rode through Bear Valley, crossed hwy 20, and south on 16, then road 89 to Winters. I didn't want to spend too much time on the freeway, so I rode pleasants valley road to fairfield (very pleasant, btw), where I had to take 80/680 for a little while. I made it to Martinez, and back on familiar twisty roads, right around the time darkness fell. I squinted my way back to Berkeley without hitting a single deer. The End.
It was kind of a long day on a thumper (well, with winter light it was, anyway), but there's definitely some good fun to be had a couple hours away. I do think I'll get some more street worthy sprockets for the bike and head back up that way before long. . . .
zak
My 610 is silky smooth in comparison :laughing