A One-man Easter Parade

Today I worked the morning to get some of my bathroom remodeling done, so that I could hit the road with my Motorbike guilt free. I'm typing this with dried paint on my hands because I couldn't be bothered to waste the time washing up before hitting the road for a very specific ride; MALIBU.

It's All Wally's Fault
Over the past few weeks, Wally will occasionally tell me about the rides he goes on. leaving from his home in New Bedford Mass, where I know the landscape is beautiful, and I get a little jealous. For me, I have to drive several miles of freeway and traffic just to get into pretty roads. It' wasn't until today that I ventured farther out than I ever have, with a full tank of gas and an agenda.

I remembered Malibu Canyon road, because I climbed it as a challenge hill a few years ago on my Calfee. I thought maybe I should make it a destination ride, and head up there. I had no idea what I would find.

It took me a good 45 minutes of freeway driving to reach the road (Las Virgenes Canyon Rd.) and the first thing I noticed was all the motorbikes headed down the road. I instantly knew I was in the right place. It was prettier than I remembered, and the road was winding and steep and just one lane. Such a more satisfying ride than going full out in one high gear at 75 mph, dodging cars who spill into my lane on the freeway. I was traveling through tunnels, and cresting the top of a hill when a few crotch-rocket bikes came up behind and screamed by me at ridiculous speeds, and then I saw the Ocean. The dark blue pacific unfolded in front of me as I came down the final few miles of ribbon road stretched out in front of me.
My first plan was to turn left and drive the pacific coast highway back to Santa Monica, and the freeway home again but instead I decided to turn right, head north along the beach for a while. I wasn't done riding yet.


A few miles up the road I came to Latigo Canyon rd. This was another hill I remember climbing on my road bike a year or so ago on a training ride for the AIDS/Lifecycle. I Know it comes out in the Calabasas area, so I took it and started climbing.

The top of that road made me giddy, every turn was another fantastic view of the ocean from a full story higher up. I was surprised by all the other motorbikes I saw on this road, and even rode a while with another guy who had my exact same bike. He grew tired of my pokey novice pace and moved on eventually, but it was a thrill to be one of the bikes on the road today.

My entire ride was about 110 miles, through mountain, canyon and sea-view roads. I stopped at a gas station to have a drink and call Wally, told him I found a great ride to take him on when he gets here in July.

While I was there, all kinds of bikes pulled in to get gas, including a BMW 1150 with steel panniers and stickers just like the bikes in documentary I'm watching, "Long Way Round". By the time I got home I was a full three hours gone, and it was by far the Longest ride I've been on by myself. I made the mistake of taking the exit from the 134 into Griffith park and was met by nothing but traffic, Easter barbeques and Picnics infested the park, and the roads were clogged with minivans and SUV's. I was held captive in first gear for 30 minutes before I found my way out of there, effectively snapped back into the reality that is urban life.

After coming home and watching the remaining episodes of the documentary, I can't wait for my next ride out, and after talking with Wally again today about the Rally in Oregon, I definitely can't wait till we officially hit the road. Only three months to go, and counting.

That German Accent

While driving my VW Vanagon Westfalia lately, I'm noticing some subliminal similarities between it and the BMW. I know they're both German made engines, and I was willing to stop there and call it a day, but there seemed to be something else, something more.

There's a timber, if you will. A rhythm when in third gear, spinning between 3 and 4,000 rpm that's eerily similar, almost as if both engines have the same accent, something unique to them that others don't have, not Japanese or American engines. Something specific to the German motors.

After reading a bit up on it, I learned that it's the actual design of the engines that's the difference, and it's in a very obvious way. Both the van and the bike have "boxer" engines, meaning their pistons are lined up opposed to each other, and horizontally positioned instead of the more common straight line up for 4 cylinder cars, or the popular "V6". This gives them a very unique placement for the noisier parts of the engine, mainly the valves and rockers(the parts that move the valves), and a very distinctive sound. Kind of a tinny pitter-patt, or rattle. I've decided to appreciate this more in the van than I did before, and now I call it "The German Accent".
This entry is more for me than for any reader I imagine. If anything it may give insight into the workings of the mechanics I'll be dependent upon for a few weeks. Now all I have to do is figure out how to maintain one and I'll be all set, right?

12 weeks before launch

Wally sent me a packing list the other day, and it looks a lot like my packing list for the AIDS/Lifecycle ride I've done for the past 10 years. Various camping supplies, warm-weather clothes, cold-weather clothes, tires, tools, sunblock etc. I have about 12 weeks to pull this shopping list together, so I'm building a spreadsheet for this list to show how much I should expect to pay for the gear, and where to get it. Maybe then I can schedule the acquisition of it over the next three months and have it all by the time we're ready to leave.
First on the list: a good full-face helmet, a good riding jacket, and some decent boots,

Inspiration, just in time.


I've been watching episodes of "Long Way Round", a documentary of the trip Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boreman took around the world on BMW 1150's in 2004. the started in Scotland, crossed through Russia, flew to Anchorage, then through Canada, the U.S. and landed in New York.
In one early episode,before they launched for the trip, Charllie and Ewan visit a BMW proving ground to get some training time in on riding their bikes on rough road and in dirt. Seems Ewan had very little experience in that kind of riding, and kept dumping his bike. He was very concerned that he might become a burden to his buddy on the trip because he couldn't seem to figure it out. He eventually did, and his confidence returned, but this put a big line on my list of things to worry about. I don't have any off-road, dirt-bike experience, and I think maybe I should.
Talking with my cousin David Gaebel the other day, I learned he is a Motorcycle collector, with several of-road bikes in his stable. I've asked him if we could schedule some time to get together to practice some off-roading, as well as basic bike maintenance training, so I can feel a little less inept on the road with Wally.
Though it is nice knowing if anything goes wrong, Wally would know what to do, I would prefer the idea of working on my bike myself.


The original plan was for Wally and I to met in Redmond Oregon for the 2010 BMW motorcycle Rally, but since his is my first big ride, and Wally is coming in from Massachusetts, he's deciding it best to drive through the southwest and come directly to L.A. so we can leave for the Rally together. This way I don't spend a single mile on the road without my buddy. That's nice, I think.


The trip total time on the road is estimated at 66 hours. If we ride 8 hours a day (2 shifts of 4) that's about 8 1/2 days to get there. If we ride 5 hours a day it's 2 weeks to get there. Crazy- huh? A simple slow riding day can have us gone for over a month.
This packing list suddenly became very important. I don't just need to get stuff that is good for a weekend, I need to make sure that the gear, and camping supplies I purchase can last a while, if I wear a hole in a cheap pair of socks, there might not be a place to find another sock for a while.

I looked at the google map and there is so much NOTHING for so many miles. zooming in on Google maps I found one tiny reference to the Lac la Hache Motel. Apparently we'll be driving right by it, so I did some research to see where it is and what it looks like. The internet is a wonderful and magical tool.
I know once we get out of Los Angeles area the scenery is going to be beautiful, and outside the U.S., Hell, outside California in General it's going to get Damn gorgeous.

Fellow Blogger/Rider

Found this post today- thought it very interesting, also since he's on the 650 I decided wasn't good enough for me. Interesting . . .

http://www.2wheels2alaska.com/

The view from Chantry Flats. hardly flat, huh?

Uploaded - 3\22\10

First Solo Flight

Today I took the bike with no name out for my first ride alone, ever.
I took her up Santa Anita road to Chantry Flats and checked out the view. I felt a little strange, like my first drive without my learners permit, and scared, like something could go wrong at any moment. A driver on the wrong side, crap in the road, or a squirrel running out in front of me. Anything could happen, so I was on my toes for the entire 1:45. That alone was exhausting. I'm guessing my Motorbike mat very well make me a better driver. I'm certainly more aware of other motorcyclists now.

It's NOT a mid-life crisis

I've decided to buy a Motorbike. I've been zipping along in Los Angeles for the past 8 years on a small, Honda Elite 80cc scooter, and I have always wanted to go big and get something my friend Camber Hill would call more "Age Appropriate". Some of my other friends have looked on this new project as something as obvious as a mid-life crisis. I want to quell that, I'm certain and insistent that it's not. No really!

In July of 2010 I'm looking to make a great Alaskan roadtrip with a good friend of 20 years and we want to do this trip in the style of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Borman (Long Way Round), on bull-headed BMW GS bikes.

The only thing that makes the acquisition of a BMW R1100 GS even remotely resemble a mid-life crisis is in the fact that I'm in my mid forties. That, and the fact that it's sexy, black and HUGE! Other than this, there is nothing there to remotely suggest that I'm trying to compensate for a profound sense of dis-accomplishment or desire for life event what-so-ever.

Fact is, like many mid-life acquisitions, I couldn't afford to make this dream a reality until now. The fact that it's happening during the window of a certain age is strictly coincidental. No, really, it is!

I started looking for a bike of my own after a 90 mile motorbike ride with Wally in Mass. last fall. I had a ball, and have been on the lookout ever since. Wally Suggested the R1100 because he knows what I can handle, and what I will be asking this bike to do. I trust him, and will not question his profound judgment at this time, he knows more about this stuff than I do.

He suggested the 1100, and with that I learned that this specific bike is very difficult to find, where as the R650 GS (a bit smaller, one-piston bike) seems to be prevalent. Wally's explanation for this is that the 650 is a starter bike, and those that outgrow go for the 1100 or the 1150's. There are fewer of those to find (Used, mind you) because you never outgrow and 1100. Period.

I tried on the 1100 and it was scary. She's huge (standing on my tiptoes to hold her upright) She's Heavy (650 lbs) and nothing like what I expected. After climbing on her to take her for the first test ride, I knocked her off her center pegs and she tipped right over onto the pavement like a drunk sorority pledge. I was calm, collected, and horrified. Everyone was watching.


Thinking she was too much, I tried out the 650, and liked it a lot. Now that's more like it! She fit, feet flat on the ground, and I could carry her on my shoulder if the water got too high.
I told Wally I would prolly (aka: probably) get the smaller bike, and he essentially advised me to man up.

"Halfway to Alaska you're going to wish you got the 1100 instead Tom!" he said.
"Oh, really? And why is that Wally?" I asked.
"Because You won't be able to see me in the distance anymore, you'll be running out of gas, and I won't be able to hear you cry because I'm so far ahead of you".

Point taken. I got the 1100 and resigned myself to lowering her a little bit, and strengthening my core so I can lift her myself if I dump her again. In the meantime, I'll pray I never dump her again.

The 1100 also came with a great designer seat,(that I'm trading in for something lower) a large windshield and Panniers (suitcases) that I would pay extra for if I got the 650, so I'm overall very happy with my purchase.

In the next few weeks, I'll be posting images and dispatches about what I've learned, what I acquire (as far as gear) and the overall preparation of the great Alaskan Bike tour of 2010. Check and and see me, post a comment, and let me know what you think. If your an avid Biker, or BMW fan, I want to hear from you.

See you on the road!