2006 Feb 25 Ride

{click on pics for full size images}

This Ride was for those who could not make the Feb 20th Ride. Five of us from all points of the compass converged at the Jelly Belly Factory around 10:30 AM. I rode my lil' 500 today. Nite Lite on his Nomad had to round up Mad Ma on her 800 Classic as she missed the turn to the Jelly Belly. Nite Lite had ridden over from Petaluma. Mad Ma had ridden over from Santa Rosa and had managed to lose her cigarettes on the ride over. She was in a severe nicotine fit when I "loaned" her one of my cigarettes. Bill "Cranky" S. rode his Nomad from San Jose and Phil T. from Citrus Heights rode in on his 2006 Nomad with just over 500 miles on the clock. I had ridden with Phil a number of times with the NorCal Triumph Riders as his last bike was a Triumph sportsbike.




This day we take the originally planned route up I-80 to Pleasant Valley Road. This road is not as twisty as Suisun Valley/Wooden Valley Road, but adds about 15 miles to the Ride. Pleasant Valley Road is a lightly traveled road where we see many more bicycles than autos. We get to Hwy 128 and then make a quick stop at Montecito Dam to check out the big over flow hole. Then on to the Corners.




We take our break at the Corners. There is a large group of sports bikes in the parking lot. And as we are ready to leave a large group of Harley riders comes in. Off we head along Lake Berryessa. Then back inland over to the Silverado Trail. We get to Calistoga just behind a really large group of Harleys. As we approach Buster's we are all thinking, "I hope these guys are not stopping at Buster's". They stopped at the gas station across the street. Whew!






After lunch we decide to add a bit to the Ride. We head to the Petrified Forest Road. At the turn off for Mark West Springs Road we lose Mad Ma as she heads back to Santa Rosa and home. The four of us continue along Calistoga Road to the "T" at Hwy 12. We turn off at the Glen Ellen (Arnold Road) exit. Just past Glen Ellen we stop along side the road as Nite Lite has seen that Cranky's top box is wobbling badly. He checks and sees that the left side mounting bracket has cracked completely. After some rope and bungee repairs we are back on the road. We leave Nite Lite at Leveroni Road as he heads back home. We continue along as the road becomes Napa Road back onto Hwy 12.

The three of us head along Hwy 12 until Cranky splits off onto I-680. Phil and I split up at Hwy 12, which I take as Phil continues along I-80.

A beautiful, warm day for a Ride. Ready for the next one already.

Don Inamasu
Stockton, CA