The Motorcycle Diaries (maintenance and repair)

 Last October I rode the 92 Fatboy to Wenatchee, about a 450 mile round trip. One day.  A bit of a hammer but not too bad.  Got back and discovered that the front base gasket had blown, however.  Since I have other bikes it sat til now.

Finally time and enthusiasm.  Got it all apart and decided that the heads and cylinder needed repainting.  So did that and put them on.  

Then decided that since I had a brand new S&S oil pump that I got for free with a couple bins of stuff I should put that on, plus the cam cover and pushrod covers had some flaking chrome/rust respectively, those should be replaced as well.  Of course those required ordering parts.

Scored brand new Harley parts still in the original packaging for both and on they went yesterday.

Did have an S&S steel breather that I'd bought some time ago so that went in too.  I carefully marked the timing but then realized I'd put on a new cam cover.  So much for my careful marking but I think I was able to get it pretty close by just staring at the old cover.  I'll probably retime but I do that by feel, not with a timing light.

Still to go, rockers, exhaust (front pipe brackets both broken so I have to manufacture something), tanks back on.  I don't think there's anything else I need to do so hopefully it'll be back together today.

All the projects belong to us

Was over at Completely Non Threatening's blog and noticed that he posted up two projects in one day.  Replaced a front door and replaced the beams in his house to raise the ceiling height.  Since he presumably didn't do those both in one day, I assume that he is taking advantage of the stay at home orders (although I think he's retired so I'm not sure what difference that makes).

That made me think that it might be interesting to see what I have accomplished while staying at home.

For the record, I hate my job now that I have to stay at home.  One thing I have discovered about myself is that I am not a good candidate for "work from  home".  I get bored and can't get stuff done; I find myself constantly checking to see if there are any updates from my students that need to be dealt with; I find myself working like mad to get home projects done and neglecting everything else.   That being said, I have got a bunch of projects either done or mostly done pending some sort of weird next step, even if it has been at the expense of my students.  So here's a list with snaps:

1) Drainage (still need to level out some ground and pour concrete into adjacent patio)

2) Road King engine (struggling to get it to crank with compression and I'm thinking I may have a ground cable issue)

3) trailer rebuilds (two trailers, one of which has been idle for about fifteen years, one of which was bequeathed to me by a former roommate but which needed repairs.  Done but for pulling wires on the old trailer and possibly replacing one leaking down wheel, which I have to do a cost benefit analysis)

FWIW pic is of old trailer before I did anything

Projects I'm thinking about:

1) Tear down plaster in kitchen to see if leakage is still happening from upstairs bathroom, which would be gross

2) Install baseboard quarter round trim in all rooms in which I've redone the floors but haven't quite finished the project because I have to paint and cut every piece of trim

3) Get the 1989 CBR600F carburetors put back together one more time (5 and counting including sending them out to a Texas company to whom I paid a lot of money and then they came back poorly done (to be charitable)) and see if it will run

4) Buy a decent table saw and rip some spacers so that I can install door trim around three door sides in my antique house in which everything is non-standard size

The Motorcycle Diaries

Rebuilding 2003 Harley Road King engine.  The flywheels shifted or went out of alignment or something.  I discovered this when the compensating sprocket in the primary started rubbing against the inside of the primary cover.  At first I thought it had come loose, but when I checked it wasn't.

Tore it all down over Christmas and sent off the cases, cylinders, and heads to my machinist in Texas (yes Texas.  He's good and reliable so you do what you have to).  I also included a set of flywheels that I had taken out of a brand new 2003 FLH when I did a stroker kit.  Less than eight miles, done before the bike was even delivered to the customer.  For the past two months my bike has looked sad.

Wednesday got the parts from the machinist and got started with the rebuild.  Unfortunately then discovered that I was missing the new cam bearings.  Turns out the cam install kit shipped separately and should be here some time this week.

It's Saturday and nothing yet but the mail is still to arrive later today.  Maybe they will be there.

Of course yesterday I remembered that I was going to replace the cam chain tensioner shoes while it was apart.  So I will have to order those today, which means another delay of days.  Sigh.  Not a well planned exercise.

Gratuitous motorcycle picture for NotClauswitz

Oddly and annoyingly, I must have been so excited about getting my Fatboy back on the road that I posted neither details nor pictures.  I need a pic for someone so here is the LHS from before the accident and the RHS in my garage right now.

A couple quick points.

1) $2500 quote to replicate my artwork on the smashed RHS tank.  If it's good enough for the Steelers it's good enough for me.  Logo on one side only now as we were able to save the LHS tank.

2) Powdercoated the frame and swingarm because they looked like crap after the frame work was done (well the frame looked like crap, the swingarm looked old and junky after I powdercoated the frame).

3) I pretty much put it back the way it was.  I had thought about leaving it stripped down, without bags or windshield, but then the Road King needed an engine rebuild so this became my go to bike.  Stripped down was way more fun when I was 25.

4) The drip pan is because in spite of a brand-new OEM still-in-the-original-box major-score-because-they-have-been-discontinued-for-about-twenty-years primary cover, I still have a very small primary oil leak.  You can keep your jokes about leaking Harley's to yourself.

The point of the pictures, by the way, is to show that you can swap out the exhaust and put proper saddlebags on a Fatboy.

Harley Road King engine rebuild

Last spring the RK started to make some odd noises.  Sounded like compensating sprocket down low on the left hand side.  Tore it apart and the sprocket was loose, which was odd since it gets pretty heavily torqued (170 ft-lb) and locktighted (lots of red).  Re-tightened but noticed that the splines on the crankshaft were a little worn.

Over the summer, the noise started again.  Pulled the cover off and it was tight but there was fresh wear on the inside of the cover, suggesting that the crankshaft was either out of true or shifted.  Decided it was time for a rebuild.

1) Tear down: no pictures because I didn't think of it and because it is really straightforward.  If you see a bolt, remove the bolt.  (I'm sort of kidding, don't do this unless  you actually know what you are doing).  Boils down to: remove tank, primary cover, clutch, inner primary, exhaust, wiring, carburetor and intake, front motor mount, lift engine out of frame.

2) Tear down engine: remove rocker boxes, heads, cylinders, cam and all associated bits, cylinder head studs, case bolts, and then gently tap cases apart.  Since the 2003 RK has roller bearings the cases will come right off the flywheels.

Rebuild:

I got sort of lucky. In 2003, while at the HD dealer, I built a stroker for a friend and he gave me the stock flywheels.  8 miles since the bike hadn't left the dealer yet when I built it.  I kept meaning to get rid of them but never did.  Saves me $1200 for new flywheels.

Machine work will be done by Automotive Machine & Supply in Fort Worth, TX.  He does a bang-up job and I have sent him numerous sets of heads and cylinders for performance work.

What will be done:

1) Install Timken bearing on LHS crankshaft.  HD used to do this but it was cheaper to put in a roller bearing so they stopped in 2003.

2) Fit new bearings and reassemble flywheel in cases.

3) Bore cylinders and fit for new Keith Black forged pistons.

4) Work heads for my setup (95 inch, S&S 510 chain drive cams, 44mm Keihin Constant Velocity carb) including ceramic coating the exhaust ports.

Not sure what the total cost will be but I'm anticipating a couple thousand to do the whole thing including shipping (expensive) and parts.  The good news is that labor is essentially free (I know, opportunity cost, etc, but I'm not paying some mechanic who I don't know or trust over $100 an hour to put this together).

I'll include pictures of the rebuild in a future post.

What you don't want to see on your motorcycle trip

Went camping last week.  Three day biker party in eastern Washington.  Decided to head over early to rope off an area for our group.  Thought process:

Eastern Washington in June, it's gonna be hot, probably don't need a lot of extra gear

so I broke my own rule and wasn't prepared.  I left my chaps at home and didn't bother to take rain-gear.

Needless to say when I saw this up ahead I started to rethink my plan.  And yes, I got soaked five minutes later.

For the weekend:

Tuesday: soaked on the way over dried out but then it rained on our campsite in the late afternoon

Wednesday: seemed to be drying out but then ran into further away town (45 minutes) to get supplies and visit some friends; hit a mini-torrential downpour on the way back, spent the evening trying to dry stuff out

Thursday: got everything pretty dry in the morning, made a short trip into the closer town (15 minutes) and got hit with a mini-torrential on the way back

Friday: drove a friend's truck into further town to try to find some collapsible camp poles to put up another tarp.  Got halfway there and hit a mini-torrential.  Celebrated foresight in not riding the bikes.  Friends made fun of us for not riding anyway.

Saturday: Beautiful and sunny, went on a 150 mile ride to enjoy the sun

Sunday: Beautiful and sunny, rode home at 80 mph cause I was tired and just wanted to be home

Sunday night: So hot that I could barely sleep.  For pete's sake, where was that while we were camped in the pines.

So, lesson learned.  After thirty years of motorcycle travel and camping, after thirty years of always being prepared, I got sloppy.  Pack chaps and rain-gear.  Period.  No matter what you "think" the weather is going to do.  On the other hand, it could have been a lot worse.  I knew I was going to be camping in one spot and that the major travel would be there and back.  I would not have made the same mistake if I had been planning a trip.

Power ride

Didn't get a decent vacation this summer (although to be fair I did go to Maui for spring break) so decided, with school starting this week, to take a couple days and do a power ride, just to get some miles.

Left home Friday morning.  550 miles later I'd ridden through Winthrop, Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Toppenish, Goldendale, White Salmon, and finished in Vancouver.  Sore but a beautiful ride.

Lunch at Country Boy's BBQ in Cashmere.  Always good.

Day two, Astoria (cool bridge across the Columbia), Aberdeen, Hoodsport, Port Townsend for the ferry, and home.  400 miles.

No pictures because that requires stopping.

Lugged camping gear around, just in case, (but since I've been camping on the motorcycle for 25 years I have that down to a science anyway) but didn't use it this time.

Today I am tired, suntanned (at least on my face and arms) and feeling good about getting at least one decent ride in this year.  I need to try to get out earlier but it just seems like more and more of my friends are flaking on any decent riding.   My number one riding buddy bought himself a camper trailer and a quad and spends all his spare time camping with quad friends.  No motorcycle trips in two years.  So there's that.

The Motorcycle Diaries 2015 (Part 6) The Finale

A bit late, as was Part 5, since I have been home for a week and a half but it's been a busy week and a half.  Customers piling up, a memorial service, plus just settling back in.  Getting ready to refinish the master bedroom floors tomorrow so stand by for an update on that.

Meanwhile, I posted the ride from Cortez to San Diego a few minutes ago, I put up some pics of the new surfboard and Los Angeles beaches while I was there, but haven't updated the trip home.

Planned on taking five days or so to get home so hit the road on Monday.  Didn't make it much more than a couple hours and realized that I was tired and wanted to be home.  I had been on the road for almost a month at that point.  I was headed up the Eastern Sierras through Mohave and had planned to cut across through Napa Valley, one of my two favorite riding places in California, but decided to stay east of the Sierras, which would take me through Bishop, Reno, Susanville, and up into eastern Oregon.

Mohave.  Not too bad.  Rode by the air park which used to have old Douglas and Convairs, now has only a few 747s.  I assume that the rest were cut up for scrap at some point.  Doesn't make much sense to keep old airplanes sitting once you don't need them for spare parts but what a shame.

The Eastern Sierras are pretty spectacular in their own way.  Very dry on that side but the mountains sort of jut.  Not a ton of erosion so they are very raw.

Stopped at Jenny's for breakfast lunch.  Jenny wasn't a very friendly person.  I found out that they weren't serving breakfast when she informed me that the breakfast menu ended at 11.  Trying to be sociable I mentioned that I had been riding since early that morning and had lost track of time.  Her response was "It's the middle of the day now".

OK.  Thanks for the update.

Food was OK but expensive.  I paid $14 for a grilled ham and cheese sandwich (good) and a small bowl of lettuce (optimistically labeled "salad").   I won't go back.

Practiced taking "selfies" for a while.  Aack!  I look retarded in every one of them except for the ones where the helmet strap cutting into my chin makes me look hugely fat.  Rolls.  Sorry, you don't get to see those.  Maybe I'm just not cut out for taking pictures of my self.  A friend suggested that I needed a "selfie stick" on my bike.  Ha ha.

Anyway, north to Reno and through to Susanville.  Not a bad day's ride.  About 565 miles (per Google maps) and I was in time to settle in and get some dinner.  Warning, Susanville is pretty much closed on Monday.  BBQ restaurant that was recommended?  Closed.  Chinese restaurant that was recommended?  Closed.  Ate at an OK Chinese place.  Better than Cortez but not spectacular.

From Susanville I forgot to take pictures.  Part of it is that I've been through there so often and part of it is that I am getting ready to be home and am focused on that instead of the scenery.  I did see these.

Made the mistake of cutting across to I-5 around Eugene.  Well, sort of a mistake.  It was a great ride.  Highway 58 is a spectacular motorcycle road, but leaving Susanville Tuesday morning got me into the Portland area around three o'clock.   Just in time for rush hour.  Hit the 205 cutoff that takes me around the city and came to a screeching halt.  Plus it was hot.  I do split lanes even when I am not in California but it is a bit stressful when you have to constantly watch out for the rozzers.  I split whenever traffic came to a complete halt and, as hot as it was, figured I'd try to fast talk my way out of it by pointing out my air cooled motorcycle.  That is, after all, one of the main reasons that it is still legal in California.  Plus the fact that it isn't particularly dangerous.  Seriously.  Scientific fact.  I'll post on that later so stay tuned.

Anyway, evening at Mule's, tried to go out for dinner to Buffalo Wild Wings (closed for renovations), Famous Dave's BBQ (sat there for twenty  minutes while two servers (neither of them ours, apparently) walked back and forth four times each and completely ignored us, not even stopping to ask if our server had been out yet), then to Red Robin where we actually got served burgers and beer.

Then home.

Aaahhh!

I left on July 16th and returned on August 12th.  And that after two weeks on Maui earlier in the summer.  I'm almost looking forward to school starting.  Either that or winning the Powerball lottery because then...

The Motorcycle Diaries 2015, Part 5 (The Wishlist edition)

Cortez, Colorado to San Diego, California.  Lots of ways to get there so I decided to choose the one that didn't involve me riding through Los Angeles.  I still think it was the right choice.

Off to my right was Monument Valley.  I'd like to go through it some day but it wasn't on the itinerary for this trip.  You have to pay to go through and pay more to get a guided tour.  Probably worth it some summer but I was a bit time limited as I had to be in San Diego nlt Sunday afternoon.

Keep going and you pass the turn-off to the Grand Canyon.  I want to hike down into the Canyon some day.  Stood on the top rim a couple times and looked down but never had time to go farther than that.  This time I rode past the signs that said "North Rim this way" and "South Rim this way" (or somesuch wording).  Had a good breakfast in Cameron at the general (read tourist) store.  Fancy dining room from a more luxurious age.

After a minor issue in Phoenix (motorcycle battery died, thankfully at a gas station just outside of Phoenix and not in the middle of the Sonoran desert) I headed through said desert.

(Oh, battery story?  Turns out that batteries which typically last about seven years in the mild climate of the Pacific NW last about two years in Phoenix.  I was there for two hours and it took mine out, most likely because it was getting old and tired anyway.  Had the bike towed to the dealership, had them put a battery in, runs great.  Most expensive battery I've ever bought by the time you add in towing and a mechanic.)

Through said desert to Yuma, arriving shortly after dark.  That was a hot day.  From the time I started down the hill into Phoenix it got progressively hotter.  I can't imagine what it must have been like to live there when it took you days to cross that desert and before you had an air conditioned room to retire to.  Of course that's why not many people did live there.

Woke up at 5am in my Yuma hotel room, packed up and walked out the door at 6am to 86 degree Fahrenheit temperature.  Did I mention it was six in the morning?

I was out of there fast to get across that next stretch of desert before it warmed up.  I'd love to tour the territorial prison there some time, so that's on my wish list.  Just not thrilled about braving the heat to do it.

Oh, here's an interesting tidbit.  Border patrol checkpoint.  Everyone has to stop.  Buildings, barricades, fences, vehicles, border patrol agents galore.  And a big sign announcing that they have apprehended 614 illegal immigrants.  I think it was in an eight year span.  I don't now how much it costs to run a 24/7/365 checkpoint right there, but 614 illegals in eight years doesn't seem like a very efficient use of our money.  Could probably get rid of a thousand times that by enforcing employment laws and patrolling the border more heavily.

Riding up out of Ocotillo I entered the In-Ko-Pah Mountains.  It was super windy so I didn't have an opportunity to take any pictures, but the In-Ko-Pah mountains are, and I quote, "faulted granitic intrusive bedrock, weathered into dramatic piles of residual boulders".  Dramatic is an understatement.  Giant piles of boulders.  The whole mountain range that you can see from the highway appears to consist of nothing but boulders.  Here's a picture from NotCot.com that I pulled off Google.

After that it was easy.  Breakfast at Major's Diner in Pine Valley. Highly recommend.

Not much traffic on a Sunday morn so made it into San Diego too early to check into my hotel.  Went down to Pacific Beach instead, rented a surfboard and a surf lesson from San Diego Surf School and kicked back a little before heading for the hotel.

All in all a good two day ride but it's too bad there isn't a way to get to San Diego that doesn't involve either insane heat or Los Angeles.  I don't know which is worse.

The Motorcycle Diaries 2015, Part 4

A bit behind on my posting, I've been in San Diego the last few days learning how to be a better Calculus teacher.

So when we last met I was in Cortez, Colorado.  We'd hiked Mesa Verde.

Next day was Telluride.  It's about a 250 mile loop through Telluride, Silverton, Durango, and back to Cortez.  We took the tram to the top in Telluride and hiked back down.  Crazy roads between Ouray and Silverton made for an unbelievable motorcycle ride.  This is where I could see a GoPro camera being fun.  Here's a few sample shots of the ride, in order Telluride, Ouray, and the highway south to Silverton.

I always look really serious in self taken pictures.  Here is no exception.

Day after the Telluride ride we were scheduled to take a run up to Canyonlands NP to do some more hiking.  Fifty miles out Mule's battery quit.  Bought a new battery, made it back to Cortez, and the good folks at Chrome Mafia replaced his charging system for him.  One of the wires had separated from the stator so no charging for him.  I ran to Durango (45 miles) to pick up a new stator at the HD shop, so at least I got a couple hundred miles in on a wasted day.  Later that evening Dale's dad showed up on his bike and treated us to a flame show (not pictured).

I guess you can mount a propane bottle, a coil, and some tubing in the saddlebag; add a sparkplug to each muffler near the back; then with a switch and a regulator inject propane into the exhaust while the bike is running.  It was pretty spectacular in the dark.

Cliff dwellers, Motorcycle Diaries Part 3, Addendum, 2015

Mesa Verde.  You know that picture that you've seen all your life of a cliff dwelling?  It's black and white, it dates back to the eighteen hundreds, and it is the quintessential southwestern Native American shot.

Yeah, that one.  It is just as incredible in real life as it is in those 150 year old pictures.

Today we visited Mesa Verde National Park.  Started with a two and a half mile hike to see some petroglyphs.  Incredible hike, tiny little trail winding along the side of a canyon with occasional flights of steps built of sandstone.  At 7,000 feet you run out of breath sooner than you thought you might.  Incredible scenery, however.  Sample?  OK:

Tomorrow we are going to ride the Telluride, Silverton, Durango highway, then Friday do some more hiking over in Canyonlands.  I have to do more hiking.  I haven't done any in years and it was a blast.  Thought I'd be more out of shape but other than the altitude it was OK.  I guess martial arts, running, and surfing is a good routine.

Stand by for updates.

The Motorcycle Diaries 2015, Day 2

You wouldn't think that you could ride a motorcycle for two days without anything interesting happening, would you?

You'd be right.  Lots interesting.

Only problem is it started with me not feeling well.  Four days without a good night's sleep.  Haven't been doing a good job of watching what I eat and that keeps me awake at night.  Woke up feeling OK, then stopped for breakfast.  Felt sick to my stomach all morning.  Great.  That's when I realized that I had slacked on watching my diet.  Heavy carbs, potatoes, toast and rolls, sugar.  Normally don't eat them, had lots the past few days.

While eating breakfast took a look at the weather radar.  It looked something like this.  Debated finding a different way around but decided to ride a bit and see what happened.


This is what happened:

To our left:

To our right:

Straight ahead of us:

To add insult to injury stopped in Salt Lake City at the Harley dealer and as we walked out discovered that I had an oil leak.  Purchased some gaskets, found a hardware store for the tools I didn't have, stopped at the Provo KOA early and fixed the leak. 

It didn't rain that night, proving the forecaster wrong, and it didn't rain in the morning, proving the other forecaster wrong.

We managed to get all the way to Cortez without any rain other than a few drops right outside Moab.

Camped we did:

The Motorcycle Diaries, 2015 Day 1

Washington state produces 117 million bushels of wheat a year, fifth highest in the United States.

Why would I tell you this in a blog post on motorcycle travel?

Well, I rode through much of that land.  It is simply amazing how vast an area is covered with wheat.  The hillsides are planted in wheat and watching the combine harvesters make their way along was just mind blowing.

The towns are somewhat sad.  Many of them have beautiful old downtowns, including nice houses, but most of them have significant numbers of boarded up businesses and homes.

I rode about 400 miles, Blaine to Waitsburg.  Tried to stay off the interstate highways, but in the interests of time took I-5 down to Everett to get on US Hwy 2, and I-90 from George to Moses Lake.

Best ride?  Highway 261 from Washtuga (a great example of a horrible town, no actual center, no indication that it ever actually had a center or was a town, just a collection of run down houses and stores on a strip of back highway), through Starbuck (which might have been a nice town at one point with some old houses and a couple old buildings).

 Picture to follow, free wi-fi at KOA is acting up.

Apparently the Palouse Falls just off Hwy 261 is really cool but it had been a long day.  I'll need to stop by some time and check it out.

http://www.erskinewood.com/11%205020%20~%20Palouse%20Falls,%20Washington.jpg

A moment of panic

when it started snowing heavily while I was in Portland on Saturday.

If you read my previous posts you might know that based on the weather forecasts I rode my Harley to Portland on Wednesday.  Forecast suggested occasional flurries on Saturday followed by clear with high 30s on Sunday.  Why not ride?

Well, the snow came down heavily, got calls from friends at home saying that it was snowing there.  Snow didn't fall for long (at least in Portland), but meanwhile the forecast dropped to below freezing for Saturday night and Sunday, leaving the prospect of frozen roads.  At that point I spent a fair amount of mental energy figuring out options including the possibility of having to take Amtrak home and get my bike back later.

Got up Sunday morning, it was clear and dry but really cold.  High twenties.  Fortunately I recently became the proud owner of a Firstgear heated jacket and glove liners.  Never used them in the cold as I've only had them for the past week so today was the first real test.

Wind deflectors on the engine guard, insulated Danner hiking boots, Firstgear pants, jacket, and gloves, plus the aforementioned heated gear.  Not too bad, actually.  Had to play with the heat controller on occasion to stay just warm enough but not too warm.  Toes got cold in spite of the insulated boots but hands and body stayed comfortable.  Nose was cold inside the helmet but compared to the old days when I didn't have a full face helmet for winter riding, didn't have insulated Firstgear riding gear, and didn't have heated liners I couldn't complain.

Made it home and thought I'd share this picture.

Maybe in the future I won't trust weather forecasters.

Riding the Pacific Northwest

Out for a run this morning and listening to Cappy Cap's latest podcast.  Apparently in Minnesota it is snowing.  He was talking about having trouble making it up hills in his rear wheel drive car yesterday morning on the way to the grocery store.

I am in Portland for the long weekend.  Yesterday I got off work around noon and had to make a decision.  How to get to Portland.  Normally it's about a four and a half hour drive.  Last year, however, it took me nine hours.  Traffic was horrible.  Absolutely horrible.  So this year I have two choices.  Choice one is to wait until the wee hours and drive down.  Take me the usual four and a half hours but have to get up in the middle of the night.  Choice two would be to ride the Harley.

Yes, that is a choice.  Dry out, mid fifties temperatures.  Supposed to rain so I geared up and even wore the full face helmet.  What a waste.  I could have worn leathers and a beanie.  Pacific Northwest problems, wearing too much gear for the weather.

Something interesting happened.  Seven times in fact.  I split lanes.  Spent seven years in California (presumably unrelated to the number of happenings yesterday) and really learned to ride where splitting lanes is legal.  For those of you who are wondering it isn't particularly dangerous.  Here's how it goes.  The traffic slows to a crawl.  Just ahead of you are two cars with a motorcycle sized gap between them.  You ride through the gap.  You are now further up the road than you would have been otherwise.  The cars, however, aren't really any worse off because as a motorcycle you are taking up less space and moving quickly through traffic.  In fact they are better off because there is one less vehicle in traffic.  You do this a bunch of times and you are down the road, through the traffic jam, and doing the limit.  The California Highway Patrol has routinely testified about the safety of the manoeuver.  They don't see many accidents and don't think it's an issue.  As a rider, like anything else, the more you practice  the better you get.  After a while you pretty much don't even pause between passes.  I can make serious time in traffic.  You do have to watch carefully for police cars because it isn't legal anywhere except in California so that adds some stress.

Yesterday, however, there were a fair number of people who apparently objected to the practice.  No idea what their issues were but... they honked at me.  One lady moved her car to the white line, keeping me from getting past, and then honked at me when I finally passed.  WTW?  What purpose does honking serve?  One, do they think I care what they think, and two, what exactly do they think a honk will communicate?  Do they seriously think that a biker cutting between traffic to get to his destination faster is going to care at all that some jacka$$ stuck in traffic is unhappy and honks his horn?  Anyway, seven honks.  Maybe I'll just assume they were supporting my struggle for efficiency in commuting.  All except the last lady who wouldn't let me by.

Oh, and ABATE of Washington is going to be pushing a lane splitting bill this upcoming year, so that would be nice.  One less stress as you're cutting through traffic, to not have to worry about the law.

Mulholland Ride

Decided to try to ride Mulholland Highway/Drive from west to east.  Been reading Michael Connelly, which are all set in Los Angeles, plus Mullholland has a fair amount of history attached to it.  Started at Kanan/Dume Road since that's where my brother lives.  I may do the last western bit later this week.

Started at the Rock Store and rode west until it cut into Kanan.  Nice ride, not a lot of traffic.  Back down Kanan to the Rock Store, then off to the east.  Looking for that Hollywood sign.  The first sign I see, however,

OK, so some of Mulholland has fallen out of general use.  I'm OK with that.  I can ride seven miles on unmaintained (dirt) roads on  my Harley.  Certainly done it before.

Oh.  All right then. Certainly could have had that on the sign.  Road may be unmaintained for seven miles but that's not really relevant since you can only ride one mile on it.  So, back down the unmaintained road to loop around and try to pick it up on the other side. 

Beautiful view of the San Fernando Valley, though, one of the reasons that Mulholland Drive was originally built.  William Mulholland, LA City Engineer, wanted to build a highway that would give the people of LA access to the mountains.

Down Topanga Canyon Boulevard to Highway 101 and eventually ended up on a variety of roads out of Sherman Oaks that led me back up to Mulholland.  From the map, now that I know what I am looking for, it looks like about five miles of Mulholland are no longer an actively maintained or vehicle accessible road.

First view of the Hollywood sign.

And finally, Los Angeles from the overlook.

Mulholland ends at Cahuenga Pass so I dropped down into Hollywood which is confusing.  No signs for anything interesting, just lots of people and traffic.  Finally found Beachwood Drive (the entrance to the Hollywoodland development where the sign originated)

but it's confusing.  The only reason I found Beachwood is because there was a sign saying that the road was closed and you couldn't get to the sign that way.  No indication of how one might get there, no mention of Mt Lee Drive (alternative route that may have also been closed) but hey, I saw the sign.  It was quite cool.

Then back into Hollywood for:

Capitol Records

A house covered with cowhides

Seriously, how could you not stop and take a picture.  No signs suggesting that cowhides were for sale, just cowhides everywhere.

Anyway, that was yesterday's ride. 


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Recovering from a bit of sunburn so avoiding the surf until it fades out a little so a motorcycle ride seemed like the way to go.  Today, probably headed up to the Reagan Presidential Library and then tomorrow, back to the beach.