Three days, three adventures! Memorial Day weekend - CB500X

[NevadaWolf]

My original plan this weekend was to join a friend riding cross country to participate in the George A Wyman Memorial Ride in honor of the first transcontinental crossing by a motorized vehicle (more info here: http://wymanmemorialproject.blogspot.com/). However, an illegal u-turn by another driver on the interstate brought that plan to a sudden and painful end to his vacation. Now what?

Saturday my friend Shawn joined me in some Sierra back country goat roads. I'd done these before on the Ninja but they are always a fun, slow, twisty forest road with little to no traffic at all (key on this holiday weekend). We did see plenty of campers but on the road was limited traffic. I do want to take a street cleaner up there, though. Pine needles everywhere!











When I got back to Carson, I stopped by the Honda shop as I'm getting close to the next scheduled oil change. Excited to get whatever was in there out and back onto a routine that I know for certain about. However, while putting my stuff away, I noticed a slight problem.



Ruh roh, Shaggy!

4:00 on a Saturday before a major holiday is NOT the time to need an emergency tire change, so after calling four shops I called Greg and asked if he could help me do it. He offered his shop if I brought the bike over and even had a tire that would fit my wheel until I could save up for some dual sport shoes. Cool.

Sunday headed over the mountain and got the bike up to Greg's. Did the oil change while he supervised since the oil filter is an external canister vs the internal one that the Ninja uses. Must get that handy little filter socket thingy! New shoe was installed, a Metzler ME880, and after a yummy hamburger lunch, we went to get the bike dusty. Relief Hill Rd is a sweet dirt one lane road that goes between Washington and Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park just off Hwy 20 in California. My first official dirt road adventure.

Yes I have missed this.















When back on pavement we pulled into the North Columbia School (historic society/museum type place) and chatted a bit while rehydrating. Greg left first and I followed. I really should have listened to my brain saying "Um, that's too sharp of a turn!" But nope, had to keep going and I fall down, go boom. Ouchie

Busted the right footpeg off (yay for the CB500X FB page, replacement on its way from Sacramento), bent the handguard up and in, and knocked the brake line loose enough to squirt fluid out when I squeezed the lever. Got the brake line tightened up again without loosing too much fluid, but the peg and handguard will have to wait.

Monday I was thinking of just slacking off since the peg is missing, but then saw that the riders for the Memorial Ride were in Donner and well I just can't resist a ride. Jumped on the bike, hooking my foot over the rear peg, and intercepted Robert as he came into Reno. We chatted at the Depot waypoint in Reno and I led him to Wadsworth to the site of a hotel that Wyman stayed at. There another rider, John, met up with us, and we all turned north towards Gerlach to pay a visit to the IBA Memorial site off Guru Rd. Heading back was one more stop in Hazen where Wyman got his first flat tire, then we parted ways and I headed home.











It's been a grand weekend. Sad that I couldn't ride with my friend, but beyond overjoyed that he is ok and we'll have other chances to ride together.

[csmith12]

!

[allanoue]

love this

[NevadaWolf]

I was watching the video for that shot and couldn't believe how the river looked. Freezing the image made it look just like a painting. I made that my cover pic on FB.

[NevadaWolf]

Hey! Look! Actual video to go along with the screenshots!

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Alex]