In The Beginning

My Riding really began with the BMW R90S.  Bought it new in1976.  The salesman tried to talk me out of this powerful bike. Said it was a handful for a novice rider.  WellI just thought, what the heck, you don't have to twist the throttle all the way to the stop.  Take it slow and learn to manage what you have.  I did.  
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​At that time was living in San Luis Obispo, CA.  Blasted all over the Central Coast and down to Los Angeles and Southern California.  There are a few times when a friend of mine, Joe, would stop after work, around 5PM and ask: "So what to ride to dinner" So we did.  Jumped on the bikes, he had a BMW R750 at the time, and we blasted down to Westwood for dinner and a movie. Returning the same night.  Now that is bit over 400 mile round trip!  We did this a few times.
​Youth, you gotta be crazy!

                                                   Along 101, Mt Shasta in the background
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​I spent so much time riding up and down Highway One it became routine.  Always fun though and as a member of "Ride to eat, eat to ride" club; always stopped along the way.  Some times would blast up Highway 101 and cut off at Salinas for Carmel or Monterey.  Often early in the morning to have breakfast then bum around the area; stop at the Mediterranean Cafe, on Ocean , and have a sandwich made to throw in the saddle bags for a stop along the cliffs on the way south.

       Pheiffer Falls, South end of Big Sur
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There are days when I/we would blast up to Santa Lucia just for coffee and carrot cake.

I loved Highway One.  Miss it.  Never thought I would say that since my tires certainly cut a rut in the road.  But I do miss the high speed straights and the ever so slow hairpins.  On and the cliffs - better mind the cliffs!

Should you find your way to ride the great ribbon of a road; best time is Fall or Spring for Summer often brings the fog in.  Part of the joy is the scenery.

I could go on and on with the first years of riding; and will visit some of the trips/rides; but this is the first blog not a book.  If it were a book there would be chapters on riding to:
        Lake Tahoe and allover the Sierras, many great roads up there.
        Yosemite
         Seattle, and the Northwest.  My first (unofficial Saddle Sore 1000)
         Highway 395 with stops at Independence.  Don't miss the      
         Alabama Hills
         Bishop for bread, 
         Mammoth, Mono Lake
          Bodie Ghost Town
          Death Valley
          so many more
I will address these later.  Many good days and great rides!

Sold the R90S.  Now that was a dumb thing to have done!  
​Bought a K100RS

​Added other bikes to the garage too - R60/2 and added a sidecar to it.  There was the R1000RSR that was one of Reg Pridmore's race bikes.
and that was a fast bike.  A couple of R750's Later a R1200C, R1200LT and finally in 2005 a R1200GS.  In 2010 added the sidecar.  

So there is the thumbnail.  I will elaborate on the above as this blog progresses.  Since the early days I have seen over 300,000 miles roll under my tires and adding  more.  Hope you enjoy the ride!

See You Down The Road