Putting the adventure in adventure touring

[inte]

Still on the road ... in the midst of the adventure.

This one's gonna take a while ...


DAY 1




DAY 2




DAY 3




DAY 4




DAY 5




DAY 6




DAY 7

[z_bassman]

Whoa! Where you at now? Doesn't look like Mexico this time...

[inte]

Originally Posted by z_bassman

Whoa! Where you at now? Doesn't look like Mexico this time...

Hey! I'm in Auburn now.

Interesting trip. Had the 950 completely upside down, one of the guys got held up by cowboys, group got separated/lost a few times... some other crashes thinned the group ...

...typical adventure touring I suppose...

Headed toward San Fran tomorrow I think. There's a guy we met here in town that's showing us some loops tomorrow early morning.

[SV650]

#1,2,3 look like the Big Bend country in Texas. #7 looks like a town in Colo. Great photos.

[xcountry rider]

Looks like a great trip. Fun on and off.

[BMWRockster]

Originally Posted by xcountry rider

Looks like a great trip. Fun on and off.

John: Did you get my PM?

Kevin

[inte]

Just grabbed a hotel for the night ... the planned end for the ride is tomorrow, but the way things have been going ... who knows?

Just fired up the computer to download some more photos ... have to collect my thoughts & jot down all the stuff that went down (no pun intended) on this trip.

All the details, including an upside-down 950, couple overshot corners, true western-style holdup, another upside down 950, a logging truck, and the most fun, scenic, and convenient trail that we never want to see again, are coming.


Some of the more "adventurous" portions of the trip lack photos as the situations didn't merit anything other than undoing whatever was happening at the time...

[inte]

Originally Posted by BMWRockster

John: Did you get my PM?

Kevin

Nope - nothing in the inbox. If the PMs are getting weird you can email me at jon@jonbeckmoto.com

[z_bassman]

Originally Posted by inte

...the situations didn't merit anything other than undoing whatever was happening at the time...

[inte]

If there’s one constant in adventure touring, it would probably be to expect the unexpected. This most recent excursion was an object lesson in this. Routes were planned, flights were scheduled, bikes were trailered …

… and then we pretty much undid everything & started from scratch each day. That’s what puts the adventure in adventure touring I suppose…

I got a call from the east coast contingent that a small group would be trailering some bikes out west for a week or so worth of riding. The KTM Rally was happening in Mammoth around the same time, so that was a perfect place to meet up. The group (SST, Smoothy, & Daniel) would start out from Santa Barbera area & I would leave from Orange County & ride up. Originally planning on using stock Scorpions for the trip, I had a brand-new set of TKC’s and a wheel balancer sitting in the garage … decided to throw the knobbies on – it was a good decision

Mammoth is only around 400 miles from my place which allowed plenty of time to check out a few spots along the way.

First off was Vasquez Rocks just outside of LA. An extremely convenient way to get somewhat off the beaten path, if only for a moment:














From there I continued along the desolate 14 freeway through Mojave & out to the 395. Interesting architecture is still scattered along the highway … a testament to unfulfilled ambition perhaps …?








The Owens River Valley is an amazing place. Barreling down the highway at freeway speeds with the radiator fan still desperately trying to cool the engine, signs reading “Death Valley” poking out of the parched ground, then as you approach Lone Pine the valley turns green and Diaz Lake Recreation area appears on the horizon… Part of what makes rides like this so enjoyable is the sheer contrast you can pass through in the space of only a few hours.







From there the only other stop was Manzanar. I’d passed by here a few times, but never drove through. Very sobering to think this place was just closed in 1945.









Origami, coins, and other remembrances are throuout the Manzanar graveyard.





Signs note where the various buildings once stood. Many foundations, rock gardens, and other evidence of the camp still exists.







Rolling past the gate and on to the pavement of the 395, you’re not only leaving behind the dusty roads of Manzanar, but hopefully leaving an ugly chapter of history in the past.

For the moment, I just really needed to get moving ‘cuz there’s a speed limit in the park & the 950 was getting pretty warm…