3 Friends, 6 Cylinders, Mt. Hamilton

[WoodsChick]

Took a little ride a week or so ago. Yeah, I know...it doesn't really belong in Adventure Riding, but this is kind of my home, ya know? I rode a Super Tenere', though, and if that wasn't an Adventure with a capital "A" then I don't know what is. Besides, the photos aren't good enough for the Moto Photos forum, but hopefully they're good enough for you adventurey BARFers :laughing


The 3 friends were me, David and Brendan. The 6 cylinders were my single SM610, David's twin SuperTenere and Brendan's FZ-09 triple. Why isn't a twin called a double? Anyway, we met up at Brendan's at 7am. These guys love each other long time...

Gas stop. One of us has heated grips...

We stopped to do a little suspension adjustment...

A momentous occasion. Brendan has an actual wrench in his hand...and he's putting it on an actual part on his own motorcycle...a first! So proud...

It was a lovely morning, albeit a bit cold...

These two don't get to ride together enough anymore...

This bike is The Business. Wicked fast, super small, spot-on FI, sounds like a dream even with stock pipes. Some suspension work and Brendan will rule the world...

What's that shiny thing David is standing on? I'll find out later...

The 3 friends...

So, pardon me while I tell you a little bit about the folks in that photo above. The guy on the left is David. The fellow in the middle is Brendan. I'm the one on the right, in case you didn't know. We've known each other almost 30 years. David and Brendan met at Sears Point when they were both road racing. I met Brendan at about the same time, on a Saturday in traffic school. Speeding, both of us. I went to his house the next day for our first date...a ride on his Moto Guzzi LeMans. I didn't leave for several years. Brendan introduced me to all that is good in this world...press pot coffee, Calvin and Hobbes, Oakland, David. But most of all he reintroduced me to motorcycles, and in a roundabout way a whole new life. I never would have met Eric at the motorcycle shop had it not been for Brendan. I'd wanted a bike so bad when I was little. My mom, dad and older sister all rode, but for various and assorted reasons I didn't get one til I met Brendan. We had some glorious times together, and I chased him for miles on end on my motorcycle, but for reasons that still aren't clear today we went our separate ways. Years passed, I ran into David at the pet food store years ago and we became good friends again. Brendan came along with the package and I couldn't be happier to have these two back in my life again. David raced with Eric back in the day, too, so they already knew each other. Small world, eh? Anyway, Brendan is responsible for this crazy life I live and I will forever be grateful :thumbup


More later...




WoodsChick

 

[WoodsChick]

We had the Junction to ourselves. I think it was too early and too cold for everyone...34º.

Preparing to mount the beast. Would I be worthy?

I think David was waiting for me to fall on my ass...

And she's off!!

Living room couch. Seriously. A fast living room couch. So smooth and deceptively fast. I'm not in the habit of riding 1200cc motorcycles. Hell, most of my time is spent on a 610 single or a 165cc 2-stroke. This was a tad different, to say the least. I got the fast section south of the Junction and I got going waaaay too fast and I didn't even know it til the first turn came blasting into my path. Luckily, I remembered David doing some ridiculous riding on these Heidenau K60's so I just put my faith in my skills and his judgement (!) and just leaned it a little further than I would have liked. I lived to tell the tale and took it down a notch for the rest of the ride. Oh, and it didn't help when David passed me at, like, a buck twenty on the triple. David rocketed ahead and took some photos of me on the ST and Brendan on my 610...

A familiar postion to be in...

We stopped up the road and I got to take my turn on the FZ-09. Wow. That's all I got to say. I love this bike. Yamaha got it right. Yeah, the suspension isn't the best but that stuff always gets tweaked after purchase anyway, at least for me, so I have no issue with it. The bike is priced at a point where there should be money left over for that, too. If they bring an adventurized version of this bike here I will probably be buying one....

I got to take the FZ-09 all the way to the lonely top...

I took off my helmet and realized that one of my earrings was not where it belonged. And not just any earring. My most favorite earrings in the whole world. The aquamarine and blue diamond earrings Eric had gotten me for my 50th birthday last March. I felt sick, and wanted to cry I wanted to go back and look for it at the Junction and, if need be, the gas station in Livermore. The plan was to ride down the front side, of course, so I was prepared to go it alone. Brendan had to get back to get his kids but David agreed to go back and help me look for it. Man, Eric's gonna kill me...


Why do we turn into 12-year-olds when we're together?

The one and only...

David is dreaming of skiing down the front side, I just know it...

I'm dreaming of finding my damned earring...

Brendan on the edge of the world...

Yeah, we're watching...

Beautiful fall day...

More later...




WoodsChick

 

[sckego]

Brendan on the edge of the world...

That's a seriously cool picture. Captures well the feeling of "Yup, here we go!" while leaving the parking lot there

 

[WoodsChick]

That's a seriously cool picture. Captures well the feeling of "Yup, here we go!" while leaving the parking lot there

Thanks! I got lucky. Grabbed the camera, turned it on and aimed it all at the same time. Didn't even know if the lens cover was open when I pulled the trigger. I really like this photo, too!




WoodsChick

 

[Deftone]

Awesome thread as usual, WC. Could not agree more on the FZ09. We test rode them at L.S. during WSBK (2x) and we loved them.

The "edge of the world" pic reminds me of riding up to the top of the Volcano in Maui on a rented Nighthawk 750. At one point I broke through the clouds and it looked like I was riding on top of them. Lost my breath for a moment. Motorcycle heaven.

 

[WoodsChick]

Awesome thread as usual, WC. Could not agree more on the FZ09. We test rode them at L.S. during WSBK (2x) and we loved them.

The "edge of the world" pic reminds me of riding up to the top of the Volcano in Maui on a rented Nighthawk 750. At one point I broke through the clouds and it looked like I was riding on top of them. Lost my breath for a moment. Motorcycle heaven.

Cool photo, Deftone! And thanks. Kind of a weird ride report, I know...especially for the Adventure forum...but glad you're enjoying it :thumbup




WoodsChick

 

[WoodsChick]

Should have wrapped this up in the last post but was running out of battery in the coffee shop so had to go back home :laughing


David hopped on his Tenere' and I hopped on my trusty 610 and we bombed all the way back to the Junction. David is really fun to ride with. He's super-fast and could totally ditch me if he wanted to (right, DukeD? :laughing) but he goes easy on me sometimes and is really fun to chase. We got to the Junction and started looking around for my earring. I still had the ear wire, but was missing the dangly part. We looked everywhere. And we looked for a long time. I was on the verge of tears as I came to the realization that it just wasn't going to be found here Ready to give up and head for the gas station to look there, I was slowly walking back to my bike when I spotted something a tad shiny on the ground. And there it was...face down between 2 pieces of gravel...and almost in the exact spot that David was standing in earlier in the day when I snapped his photo! :applause I cannot begin to tell you how happy I was to have my earring back! Here it is on the seat of my 610, and not a scratch on it...

In my zeal to turn back and find my earring I kind of forgot about fuel. I was showing almost 150 miles on the clock on my tiny 3.2gal tank. We'd been riding kind of hard, too, so I knew I wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back to Livermore. David, already running late due to his kind offer to backtrack and help me look for my earring, offered up some fuel. No easy feat on the fuel-injected Super Tenere. He pretty much had to tear the thing apart to get to the fuel...

We put in enough to get me back and then buttoned it up. David wanted to ride the 610 so I saddled up the huge great Tenere once again and took off after him. Of course, I never saw him again. At least, not til he appeared in my rearview mirror :x He'd blasted ahead, hid behind a hill, then snuck back out far enough behind me to not arouse suspicion. Jerk. Normally he keeps me on my toes when he's behind me but I was riding like a pansy because there were piles of gravel in all the turns and I did not want to throw the massive Tenere away. Unlike the little 610, I knew that if the Tenere wanted to leave there was no way in hell I was going to talk it into staying.

We gassed up and I was surprised to see I was not anywhere near empty. Duh...it was only then that I realized I hadn't reset my trip meter that morning and I had way more fuel than I thought. Hah! Oh well, it was nice hanging out in the sun while David disassembled and then reassembled his Tenere for me :laughing

I thought we were going to slab it all the way home but instead we hit Bollinger, Norris Canyon, Crow Canyon, Redwood, Pinehurst, Skyline and Tunnel. Huge fun! And so much for being in a hurry, eh?

Fantastic day all the way around! Super-fun roads, kick-ass machinery, fun riding partners, lovely fall day, complete pair of earrings...what more could a girl want?



WoodsChick

 

[Deftone]

I can't believe you found it. That's awesome.

 

[WoodsChick]

I can't believe you found it. That's awesome.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it, either! Kudos to 14 Karats on College in Berkeley, too. I called them up, they immediately offered to replace the white gold earwire for free. It was the little loop on the bottom of the earwire that the dangly part hangs from that failed. And it probably failed due to being molested by my helmet every single day for 9 months. They even remembered who I was from 9 months ago! "You're the gal on the Husky, right?" :laughing
Eric bought my antique sapphire and diamond engagement ring there 22 years ago, too. They have my business from now on.



LuckyChick

 

[Cabrito]

Enjoyed every aspect of this ride report.

Did you tell him that you didn't actually need any gas afterall?

 

[WoodsChick]

Enjoyed every aspect of this ride report.

Did you tell him that you didn't actually need any gas afterall?

Haha! No, I didn't. I forgot. No, really. It didn't dawn on me til after we left the gas station, and then we just waved "bye" on the freeway, so...never had a chance. Heh




WoodsChick

 

[SRAD600]

Ha ha ha *cool* ride. :teeth

Never ridden in the snow, never ridden a FZ09...I fell like I haven't lived.

 

[WoodsChick]

Ha ha ha *cool* ride. :teeth

Never ridden in the snow, never ridden a FZ09...I fell like I haven't lived.

Stick with me, buddy. We'll have you livin' in no time :thumbup




WishIwasAtStonyfordChick

 

[catch2otwo]

It thought motos weren't allowed in the parking lot anymore. nice ride report!

 

[WoodsChick]

It thought motos weren't allowed in the parking lot anymore. nice ride report!

Thanks, catch2otwo

I saw no signs or indications that we were not welcome to park in their lot.
We were the only 3 bikes there. Another bike showed up right before we left, an older gentleman on a sport tourer with his young daughter on the back, but that was it.




WoodsChick

 

[veefereefer]

Nice! Glad you found your it!

 

[ThumperX]

As usual a great ride report.
Congratulations on finding the lost earring and lost friendships.

Thanks for taking us along on the ride!
:ride

 

[DukeD]

David hopped on his Tenere' and I hopped on my trusty 610 and we bombed all the way back to the Junction. David is really fun to ride with. He's super-fast and could totally ditch me if he wanted to (right, DukeD? :laughing) but he goes easy on me sometimes and is really fun to chase.

WoodsChick

You are so right Tami, that David is a super fast rider, regardless if he's on the road or in the dirt. He (and you) schooled me in the dirt while he was on that 500lb tenere and I was on a real dirtbike. But that's not what is the best about David, the best is his ability to make people feel welcomed and part of the group. This guy is top notch, as well as Brendan. What a wonderful circle of friends you have in David, Brendan, and Eric. You are a lucky sole for sure but THEY are just as lucky to have YOU in their lives..... I'm sure all here would agree that your presence whether on this forum, on the road, or in the
dirt has made our riding experience much much more enjoyable.

Ok sorry, I'm bed ridden and full of nyquil dayquil theraflu and safeway oatmeal cookies and am a bit tipsy for lack of a better word.

ps. sparkly chiney dangly things...... quite a contrast sitting there on your trusty husky's seat which has seen more dirt then ...... I dunno......
a mole?:laughing so glad you found it, good karma definitely upon you.

 

[budman]

Adventure is where you find it...

Good friends come from sharing it...

Life is better with both...

RockOnChick! :thumbup

 

[SFMCjohn]

Adventure is where you find it...

Good friends come from sharing it...

Life is better with both...

RockOnChick! :thumbup

+1!

Glad you posted here or I'd have missed it!

see you in BARF's home corner,
-- SFMCjohn