IBA Saddle Sore 1000 - From Sonora to Sonora via loop through Nevada, California

[OrangevaleFJR]

It started with 6 riders leaving their homes to meet in Sonora, California. Twwowheelnut came the furthest as he made his way North East from Carpenteria which is around 360+ miles from our meeting place. Steve came South from Marysville, which is about 157 miles away and everyone else was within 100 miles and therefore don't warrant mention. That is, of course, for Ian. He only came three miles, but he came with documentation packages for everyone that made this introduction to the IBA as easy as anyone could imagine.

Frankly, I cannot thank Ian (Skyway) enough. I literally only have to fill in the blanks on forms he created and I'm good to go. Yeah, I had to ride but for me riding is the easy part. Documentation is the pain in the rear that I try to avoid and without being asked to, Skyway took care of all of this and more. Thanks!!!

Let's examine some of what Skyway did for us:

1) Came up with the route
2) Identified 24 hour gas stations to stop at in approximately 150 mile intervals
3) Documented their address
4) Created forms for us to fill in the local time and odometer statements by each gas station identified
5) Created a map and highlighted the route and identified each stop with a sticker
6) Did this 6 times
7) Collected everyones personal contact and medical information in case of emergency
8) Arranged for a witness at the start/stop location

All we had to do is ride, collect receipts and write down time and odomter readings. Wow. Did I say THANKS? THANKS AGAIN!!!

Most of my pictures come from the first half of the day. After than, I put my camera away due to battery malfunctions and saved it for a few good moments. Luckily, the first part of the ride was Sonora Pass and the scenery was nice.

We all arrived at the Peppery Gar & Brill (yep, that's the name) in Sonora and here is the first photo of the bikes and Steve.



Here is the group that met and departed the next morning (except for me).
circling from left to right:
Twowheelnut (Tim), Jackson (BMW R1200RT rider), Skyway (Ian), Bluestreek (Steve), Matt (Forum name?)


We ate, discussed the ride, went over the requirements and the doc packages and scheduled our meeting time for the next day.

The morning of the ride, twowheelnut gets ready to ride to breakfast.


After breakfast we mulled around as we got ready to go to the gas station. Skyway's wife (Kristy) took this shot so I actually got in one!



We all made it to the station. Even bluestreek


preparations


Hmm...that FJR looks fast


That beverage holder looks super trick dude!



Twowheelnut waves to bluestreek

[OrangevaleFJR]

Then we rode. Up 108 to Sonora Pass



One of the too few passing lanes gave me this opportunity for a morning sun shot of Jackson on his RT



The Sierra offer such great diversity. As you travel from one side to the other on one of these great passes, you have very different environments and scenes unfold for you as you carve the folds of the road with your bike.



Campers' fires fill this valley with pine smoke and I reminisce about backpacking trips gone by



The Fall colors are ablaze too



I got lucky and timed this shot for a gap in the trees



Sherri likes rocks...here's a picture for her for a change



and another



Ride into your own personal space. It's easy here.



Snow capped mountains tell of the upcoming season during which this road will be closed,

[OrangevaleFJR]

6 riders on Sonora going up



Notice the two riders ahead of me...a few switchbacks on this road





Should I be taking pictures at times like this?



The USMC trains here, this is nearing the end of 108.



See:

[OrangevaleFJR]

We then took 395 South. This section of 395 is in California still and our route had us take 120 East into Nevada.

I really like the Western slope of the Sierra. The mountains are a lot more obvious from this side than from where I live.



I didn't get this one straight, but the one I took right after this to make sure I got at least one good shot was worse. I think it's still worth posting



I like this shot. It reminds me of the word: distance



We rode by this GL in Bridgeport, Ca



The Bridgeport Inn - I am intrigued by tiny little towns. This life is very foreign to me, and I really would like to learn more about life in a town like this.

[OrangevaleFJR]

I didn't hit the lows yet...heck, so far I've only shown the first 2.5 hours. Therefore, you're reading the high. We all felt good and Sonora Pass rocked. A low is coming up!

This section of 395 was on a section where it is a 4 lane road. This allowed me to ride next to people and try to get them with nice scenery behind the shot. Here's what I can offer up from this section of 395 just North of Mono Lake

Twowheelnut



Bluestreek



Skyway



Taking a truck and a picture in the turn with Mono Lake in the shot: HIGH



A couple with Twowheelnut, Bluestreek and Skyway with Mono Lake

[OrangevaleFJR]

You can catch bikes in pics, or you can catch fall colors. Catching both is nice and this is the best I could do



I took two pics of Mono lake from near this location, and both had the stupid snow markers right in the middle of them



FJR's through Lee Vining



Gassing up on the Eastern side of Tioga Pass...not to be conquered today, but a ride I'll certainly do many more times in my days



A view West toward Tioga/Yosemite



The view East over Mono Lake



They had a trapeze :blink:



Another shot looking West







Okay, we started with 6 riders...and now we're down to 4. Everyone is healthy and all I know is Matt and Jackson wanted to go do something else. I hope I didn't crowd Jackson when I was sweeping and trying to get good pics of him!!!

From Lee Vining, we cruised to 120. This was a first for me. Talk about a barrel of fun!!! If you haven't done it before, when you get to the section where they warn you about dips...uhh...take the warning seriously. There were a few times I left my seat and pegs and I'm glad that I didn't go through there at 120 because this road, I think, would take some practice and knowledge of what's coming. Once you practiced it, I imagine it's better than any rollercoaster.

I took no pics. With my ass off the seat, feet off the pegs, my hands were holding on for dear life and the camera just kinda floated around like I was on the space shuttle in orbit or something. The scenery was great too. It really looks like a great place to go hiking and camping.

Where 120 hits 6, there is Benton. Oh Benton hot springs...this place is...um...charming?



Their biggest building and something tells me they are still really proud of the building Grandpa built...and that everyone in town is related to Grandpa Benton. I, of course, am not sure about this.



What's this place?



Skyway showing up to say, "And then there were four..."

[OrangevaleFJR]

Then the camera battery problem happened. I just don't get it. Any time we charge the batteries and use them immediately they are fine. If we charge them and ride to altitude, by the time we are ready to break them out they are not only weak, but have ZERO (none, zilch) power. They bring no life to the camera. This was first experienced on a ride out of Pagosa Springs Colorado and I missed some great shots. Oh well...now the pics are almost done and I might just step up and talk about the ride instead of writing this picture story

I did take some pics on 6 in Tonopah. I like this older homestead across from Shell there:



They had these neat outbuildings



Tonopah looks like this



Then we rode to Alamo, Nevada. Before Alamo (obviously settled by some Texan) we rode to Area 51. Yep, we were on the extraterrestrial highway. The road to Area 51 is dirt and it seems like they groom it to ensure that the dirt is loose and very dusty. This was where my problems with my wrist really began. I hit a very big, soft bunch of dirt at 50mph and Bluebelle danced around under me so much that I was just riding the gyros and hoping they'd keep me straight.

I gripped my handlebars pretty tight just then and apparently tight enough to really hurt my sprained/slightly broken (the dr. called me a week later, "uh...we found a break") wrist. This was not the low...the low was to come.

The injury was awakened and we still had 600+ miles to go to finish, and another 88 from there to get home. The low was the graduating level of pain and discomfort I had with my wrist. During the 150 mile sections of slab, it would stiffen up so that the first downshift on the exit ramp was really a bad experience.

Enough whining...is that good enough "low" for you Dcarver?

Frankly, there was never a time in my mind that I wanted to quit. At 550 miles I did jest, "Let's go home now." Get it?

Area 51 made our bikes dusty. While we were there, there was a pickup parked on the hill to the right with a couple SP's in it (I assume the Security Police guard the "Nellis bombing ground"). Who are they trying to kid? We all know they have an alien attended nudist colony there. Otherwise, why wouldn't they let us take photos?

Oh yeah...dust:



and more dust



then we rode to Vegas.

[OrangevaleFJR]

We were rolling South and SouthWest as the sun went down. To our right, there was a long montain range that blotted out our sun as the ranges to the East of us were lit up like it was noon. It was a pretty cool time and space.

Let me stop to talk about the scenery in Nevada. Too many times I have heard people complain about going across Nevada. Stop it. I was expecting boring scenery, but I was paused many times by what my eyes took in as startling beauty. From now on, if I hear anyone complain about Nevada I'm going to call their bullshit. Sorry, if you've been there and still think it's boring, you just don't get a whole bunch now do you?

I have never seen mountains so stark and bare. Except one other place: The movie Jesus Christ Superstar (shot on location in Israel). I thought chics with long hair, or big afros were gonna jump around and start singing any moment...just kidding. What's the buzz? If you haven't seen this flick, go buy it on Amazon for $9 and see one of the top 2 or 3 musicals of all time (my person fave) ((I pretty much hate musicals)).

Anyway...


we got to vegas and my pics suck



We ate dinner here...and the pic sucked here too



Then...blah blah blah. Blahdiddy Blah blah blah. Blahdipsy Blahdoodle...yeah...we rode 15 to 58 to 99 through Cali at night. Bore-****ing-Ing. except we were on two wheels and going fast...that part was cool.

Then we got back and in Sonora the attendant at the gas station took the pics of these happy dudes:

Tim (twn), Ian (Skyway), Steve (bluestreek), Andrew (OrangevaleFJR)



My fairing



more bike shots at the finish

[SixFiveOh]

Sounds like a great adventure. Looking forward to doing an Iron Butt next year myself (when the new bike arrives).

[myhrdly]

Great photos!!! In this one you even caught ET!!!!!!!!! Look in the lower left!!!



Kim