We are back home from California

[Rick Butler]

Hey folks,

 

Linda and I got home last Saturday and besides burning out a stator and blowing my Works shock on the 4th day getting to Reno, getting hit by a deer going into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and getting a flat going into the South Rim, we had a great time for eighteen days and 5,500 miles.

 

This was a group ride with my local riding group (where Don was once one of us) and the main ride was to do a 6 day of a tour of Northern California, set up by one of the local motorcycle touring companies. One of our guys found this company and talked them into selected the routes and providing the accomodations for the 6 days (we didn't need a guide). It first started out as a group flying to Reno and renting bikes, but ended up with 5 of us taking 4 days to ride to Reno and flying the wives into Reno. One of the couples did fly and rent a bike while 2 transported their bikes to Reno and flew in and then rode back with Linda and I on a 5 day trip.

 

So it was a guys (5 bikes) 4 day ride to Reno: Dallas to Roswell, NM, to Pinetop, AZ, to Barstow, CA, to Reno, NV. I chose this route to check out SR-260 across central Arizona from Springerville to Camp Verde.

 

Then it was 6 days (9 bikes) traveling in Northern California: Reno to Red Bluff, CA, to Ft Bragg, to Napa, to Oakhurst (Yosemite), to Sonora, to Reno. The last day, Linda and I beat it back to Reno where I had an appointment at the Yamaha shop to replace my stator and install a used shock (to get us home).

 

When we left Reno Sunday, many of the wives flew back while Linda and another wife rode back to Texas with 5 other single bikes (7 total). I planned a route back to take as many National Parks and interesting roads as possible and make it back home in 5 days:

 

Reno to Cedar City, UT, Bryce Canyon, had to skip Zion because of road construction, Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, South Rim, Monument Valley, Durango, CO, Taos, NM, Las Vegas, NM, Tucumcari, NM and home. We were most impressed with the North Rim location and would like to go back and stay a few days?

 

Here is the link to my pictures on Photo Bucket, where you probably won't recognize anyone out side of my wife Linda and Rex Adams (Linda was with me at Don's MD and Rex came with me last year):

 

http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp162/MTATX6/2010%20Northern%20California%20from%20Rick/

 

Oh, I rode 6 days without a stator by removing the fuse to the headlight which also got my running lights but kept turn signals and brake lights. Then every evening, I would pull the battery and charge it up in the room. Since I had a trailer, I also bought a Black & Decker Jumper Battery which came in handy to jump start a bike (which came in handy on more than one occasion). Now Linda and I just dealt with the blown shock by riding slower than usual and picking the smoothest parts of the road, where my 1,200lb spring

on the Works helped out some.

 

More than likely this will be our last long ride of this magnitude. Since 1980 Linda and I have taken a 2 week bike vacation just about every year where we have ridden in all lower 48 states (some multiple times) 4 Canadian Provinces and we also took a group to Copper Canyon, Mexico in 2001. Next year we plan on hauling the Venture to Yellowstone (which we have been to countless times) stay and ride 3-4 days, load it up and head for Glacier for another 3-4 days of riding and then load up and go home. But we will continue to take extended rides to Arkansas, etc which are within a few hours ride.

 

Gotta love this continent of ours,

 

Rick

[friesman]

hey Rick Sounds like you guys had a great ride and the stuff that happens along the way just makes the trip more enjoyable in some aspects as it slows you down and you get to know some great people.

 

If youre going up to yellowstone next summer I hope you can make it during the INtl Rally.

 

Brian

[midnite]

Glad ya'll are back safe and sound a few problems along the way but overall sounds like a great time.Wife loves the seat now said to tell you it was worth alot more than what you charged. Friend with the Nomad made a 4000 mile trip right after got seat back, said he wouldn't have made it without the work you did on seat,THANKS from all of us:thumbsup2:

[Phoneman1981]

Hello Rick: Glad you are home safe. Interesting post. Intend on sending you my RSTD seat(s) when riding here in Nebraska is over. Take care...Mark

[Evan]

Enjoyed your trip report and comments Rick. Also impressed with how you dealt with your "challenges" to complete what sounds like a very successful trip.

[RJD]

Looking at your pics, it looks like you had a great ride. Even with all your challenges and having to keep an eye on Rex it looks like you saw some great country. We are planning a ride from Ohio to NM, ARIZ, Utah and Colorado in the spring. We will be at some of the same places you just visited. Looking at your pictures makes me even more excited about going. Can't wait!

 

Thanks Rick

 

Bob