Yes! I got to ride this weekend! I don't get to do this often, so this was a treat. Had a little scare before I left ... I couldn't find my wallet for the life of me! That sucked. Ended up in... ah, nevermind... let's get to the good part.

I got to the parking lot across from Alices late (due to the wallet incident) so I missed most of the bikes. Here's what remained when I got there:

http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices1.jpg

Lotsa ducs sitting around...
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices2.jpg

http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices4.jpg

http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices5.jpg

And then there was this... Na nana na na... I'm bad to the bone...
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices3.jpg

After a 10 minute break (it takes me about 40 minutes to get to this place) I went on Skyline (84). I always wanted to take a picture of this red barn... so here we go:
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices6.jpg

Skyline hits PCH/Highway1. It was damn gorgeous out there on Saturday. It made all the living expenses in this area justified. It made life worth living... you get the idea.. it was a dream to be riding down highway 1 that day.
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices7.jpg

So after what seemed like a really long time I finally arrived at my destination... Whale City Bakery, Bar & Grill! Oh yeah. Lots of bikers and cyclists come here for lunch. I spent at least 30 minutes waiting, hoping that a group from a local forum would get there for lunch.
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices9.jpg

While I was waiting, I saw this guy circle the block a few times.
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices8.jpg

... and one more...
http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices10.jpg

After I ordered my breakfast burrito (which was awesome by the way) I sat down at a table in the corner and started eating. An older rider asked me if I'd like some company and I said "sure". We talked about bikes and crashing and all that good stuff. It turned out that he lives in San Jose as well and I asked him if he'd mind showing me a shorter way home. (I was running a bit close to "late" for my friends' wedding at that point.) He agreed.

What followed are some scary ass roads. :shock: And then we hit 9 and life was good again. I made it home in one piece and on time. It was the best ride in a loooooooooooooong time. I came home blissfully happy.

aaaaaaahhh... life is good!

http://www.honda599.com/images/Alices7.jpg
I hope all of you people in southern Cali know how good you've got it. This picture is making me ill! Here in St. Louis we've been having one of the coldest winters in years (something like 15 of the last 20 days have had high temps below freezing). Today it was actually in the low 60's, but the roads are still terrible because of all the salt and melting snow.

I've mentioned moving to Cali to my fiance but because she's an only child she says she could never move that far from her family. Ugh.... :crybaby

btw - I know a lot of you are from Michigan, Canada, etc. and thinking I'm a big baby. But you all are just plain CRAZY!

I agree, DarkTint. That picture makes me want to road trip out to CA again...absolutely gorgeous, and very unique terrain. The cliffs by the sea get me every time.

I've been fortunate enough to escape some of the Midwestern winter since i'm in NC for a few weeks packing up our house. It's usually in the 40's here, which isn't bad if you have the proper clothing. I've taken the bike out every couple of weeks at least. This week is supposed to be in the upper 60's for a few days...woo-hoo! But we're coming back to MO next week and i'm already dreading the rest of the winter. Before moving there i used to think that it was pretty cold in NC during the winter months...now it feels like Fall all the time. :wink:

We'll have to meet up for a ride once it gets nice, DarkTint. I've recently bought a 2001 Honda F4i and i absolutely love...so it looks like we're in the same boat as far as bikes are concerned...

Thanks for the pics, Alex. Cheers!

I've lived in New York and Maryland for almost half of my life, so I know EXACTLY what is is that I have here in Northern California. Nicole and I want to kiss the ground here every time I go to NY or MD to visit our families. This place has a price though... and a steep one... but every so often you really understand why you're paying it... that Saturday was one of those days.

Nice.
Alex, this is from the bottom of my heart... I hate you. :D

Alex, this is from the bottom of my heart... I hate you. :D
But WHY, Lance, WHY?! :cry:

No, seriously, why? :D

"It was damn gorgeous out there on Saturday. It made all the living expenses in this area justified. It made life worth living... you get the idea.. it was a dream to be riding down highway 1 that day. "

I actually have tears in my eyes looking at that picture :cry:

Wow, those pictures are something else. Its great to see someone 'living the dream'!

Love the Mike Hailwood replica duke in the pics as well...super rare :)

I actually have tears in my eyes looking at that picture :cry:
I'm sorry. :? Should I not post anymore?

Keep Posting Alex. Should make your day to get the 'Post Hoe' crying. :twisted:

Not referring to Honda Girl with the Post Hoe comment. I'd reserve that to those you who would be proud to be among those calledm ' Post Hoe'

Tom, did you just call Hondagirl a hoe? :lol:

I'm not crying just bitching because FLA is flat as it getst and we have no seasons...AND I'm trapped in an office witn no windows...Bitching not Crying... :twisted: :lol: :twisted:

Alex knows I love him... :wink:

Tom, did you just call Hondagirl a hoe? :lol:

I'm not crying just bitching because FLA is flat as it getst and we have no seasons...AND I'm trapped in an office witn no windows...Bitching not Crying... :twisted: :lol: :twisted:

Alex knows I love him... :wink:

An office! How nice! I'm in a cube farm, right on the production floor. In the words of the great Charlie Brown: "Aaauuugh!"

And be nice to Hondagirl. She's one of -- what? three? -- gals in our crowd. :D

Worry not boys and girls, I'm trapped in cubicle hell myself. :)

I thought Alex and others might not pick up on my jest.

Rnd is the Post Hoe that I was reffering to. He loves to gig those of us that post tails of great rides and fun times.

And Alex, what can you say. Envy raises it's ugly head. Price you have to pay. Keep posting. Come spring, Lance may get up this way and try the Hills and Hollars of Tennesse and North Carolina. Hope so, then he can rag on about it.

Worry not boys and girls, I'm trapped in cubicle hell myself. :)

In my best Bill Clinton voice: "I feel your pain." :lol: :cry: :lol: :cry:

My cube has a window...looking onto a multi-storey car park...and its grey and rainy...deep joy... :cry:

I have an office with no windows and six servers so there's a constant hum of fans... fun...

:lol:
SEEE It happened again!!
As soon as I leave the room my balls get busted !
Don't worry about it - happens everyday of my life :D

Meanwhile I'm stuck stacking firewood....

Not referring to Honda Girl with the Post Hoe comment.

:D I think we all got that from your post, my friend. Don't worry though, I'm perfectly aware that everything RND says is in good fun and I rather enjoy his sense of humor. :thumbsup

:lol: SEEE It happened again!! As soon as I leave the room my balls get busted !

That should teach you not to leave the room... for too long. :mrgreen:

...As soon as I leave the room my balls get busted !....

Yeah HondaGirl, `twas my Huevos getten busted... Just tried to deflect the pain by leveraging your "so beautiful I cried" comment...and hope no one noticed :lol:

BUSTED! :shock: :oops: :lol:

:twisted:
muAhahaha!
I'm watching this place on my pocket pc now!!

This ought to get all you cubicle guys riled.

60 degree weather and little to no traffic. I got both bikes out again today. Took the VT1100 out for a short ride and had lunch. Ten mile loop and home at 1PM to let the dog out. 1 PM, I'm at home,pondered what to do. Long ride short ride, or rerplace the front tire?

Opted for the safe thing. Jacked up the Hornet. Replaced the front tire with a new Pirelli Strada. Finished the installation and cleaned up before 3PM and and decided to take a short ride. The new tire is great. I haven't had a Pirelli the Niner before. I went away fom the OEM Pilot because I only got 3500 miles on it. I got a bit over 6000 miles on the Dunlop 220. The Dunlop was good but I was hoping to get good performance and great milage. The new tire didn't seem odd at all. Cornered good. North side of hills in the curves were likey to be wet so I stayed conservative in cornering. I some what tame most of the time. I did hit 100 a few times comeing out of corner and upshifting.

Back to the ride. I got in about 90 miles and just about all twisties. Enought to make Alex cringe and Lance cry(bitch). I went down a local river road and looped back to the house. I then had time to go thru the Great Smoky Mtns National Park. Nice ride down Little River Road. No tourist traffic this time of year. Circled back to Pigeon Forge (Home of Dollywood) and stopped at the Brewery for a VelasHelas (Beer) and wink from the bar maid.

Ah hah! I recognize that.

I love Skyline, a lot. Do you ever ride up in Marin? One of my favorite rides is highway 1 (shoreline) up to stinson, bolinas, towards point reyes and nicassio.

a fantastic ride. :) I need to do it on the 599 soon.

This ought to get all you cubicle guys riled...

This post is worthless without pics!!! :wink:

Touche'
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o39/tomacana/Punkgif.gif

I am on a Devil's Dictionary rant today. This one back at you.

ENVY, n.
Emulation adapted to the meanest capacity.
:twisted:

I would like to remember to take pictures. It interfers with riding time. My wife laughed at me for suggesting she stand up briefly on the foot pegs when we come to an intersection. That way we wouldn't have to stop and stretch as much.
Not a good idea in her mind.

Driven around that area...back when they boys and I would mountain bike...very nice.
So Tom, gonna get my adoption papers ready and they should be up there some time early next week... :lol:

So Tom, gonna get my adoption papers ready and they should be up there some time early next week... :lol:

Lance, just have the reform school forward the paperwork for my perusal

This post is worthless without pics!!! :wink:

I could put up pics of the view from my cube farm, but Tom's pics are far better. :)