Touring Suggestions

In article <[email hidden]>, Lyndy46 @yahoo.com says...

Quoted message said:

I am in Portland, OR, getting ready to take my Giro on its maiden touring voyage. I plan to ride
Hwy 30 up to Astoria, then the Hwy 101 Coastal Route down to Crescent City, CA for the Redwoods. I
tried calling the local ride groups, but they be a bit cooked with the STP ride last weekend
(Seattle to Portland). I am going to Coventry Cycles tomorrow, to see if they have any advice on
dialing in my Giro better. All suggestions about this 475 mile trek would be appreciated. Lyndon
Salt Lake City

I think my Giro is 'dialed in' what questions do you have? Have you tried the touring mailing list?

--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Thanks Cletus I just thought the local Bacchetta dealer here may have some suggestions, especially
with handlebar angle and brake adjustments. I guess I will just run into touring groups along the
road. Can't raise a ghost in Portland this week, following the STP run last week. I wonder how
people fared down along the California/Nevada border for the DeathRide that was July 12? Thanks,
again Cletus, I'll try to check the net at libraries and net cafe's along the road, though it
won't be as easy as in Alaska. Up there, you go into a little town, and everything is on the main
road. Lyndon

[email hidden] (Lyndon) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Thanks Cletus I just thought the local Bacchetta dealer here may have some suggestions, especially
with handlebar angle and brake adjustments. I guess I will just run into touring groups along the
road. Can't raise a ghost in Portland this week, following the STP run last week. I wonder how
people fared down along the California/Nevada border for the DeathRide that was July 12?

Yes;Hwy. 101 is deathride all right- but it does not come near the coast around here. Suggest
trying Hwy. 1 (another deathride, but at least you have a view of the Pacific ocean for the last
few moments.

Chris Jordan Santa Cruz, CA.

Quoted message said:

Suggest trying Hwy. 1 (another deathride, but at least you have a view of the Pacific ocean for
the last few moments.

Chris

Is that the one called The Grapevine?

Jerry

PS.

I went down Hwy 1 from Long Beach towards San Diego and the worst hazzard to navigation was the
girls on skates wearing thong bikinis. I found it hard to avoid hitting loaded touring bikes.

(Christopher Jordan) said:

[email hidden] (Lyndon) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Thanks Cletus I just thought the local Bacchetta dealer here may have some suggestions,
especially with handlebar angle and brake adjustments. I guess I will just run into touring
groups along the road. Can't raise a ghost in Portland this week, following the STP run last
week. I wonder how people fared down along the California/Nevada border for the DeathRide that
was July 12?

Yes;Hwy. 101 is deathride all right- but it does not come near the coast around here.

But the July 12 Death Ride was not on Hwy 101, and even farther from the coast. Rather, as Lyndon
mentions, it was along the Calif/Nevada border, namely "Markleeville Death Ride", also known as the
"Tour of the California Alps", see deathride.comdeathride.comOpen ↗ . 125 miles with five major mountain
passes and 16000 feet of climbing. So popular in No. Calif. that you need to enter a lottery months
in advance and hope to get in.

Quoted message said:

Suggest trying Hwy. 1 (another deathride, but at least you have a view of the Pacific ocean for
the last few moments.

Hwy 1 is a fine ride, much preferable to 101, and best made north to south, which is the way the
wind blows and which puts you on the sea side of the road.

I've ridden it from its northern end at Legget in Humboldt County all the way to Los Angeles.

[email hidden] (Jerry Rhodes) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Suggest trying Hwy. 1 (another deathride, but at least you have a view of the Pacific ocean for
the last few moments.

Chris

Is that the one called The Grapevine?

Jerry

PS.

I went down Hwy 1 from Long Beach towards San Diego and the worst hazzard to navigation was the
girls on skates wearing thong bikinis. I found it hard to avoid hitting loaded touring bikes.

The Grapevine is highway 5, I think, since it is interstate, but I don't know for sure. For most of
the state of California, highway 1 is much closer to the cliffs (Devils Slide, the Big Sur wandering
2 laner come to mind) than 101.

PS- Sounds to me that I might run into a palm tree or two in southern Calif.!

Chris

[email hidden] (Jerry Rhodes) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Suggest trying Hwy. 1 (another deathride, but at least you have a view of the Pacific ocean for
the last few moments.

Chris

Is that the one called The Grapevine?

Jerry

PS.

I went down Hwy 1 from Long Beach towards San Diego and the worst hazzard to navigation was the
girls on skates wearing thong bikinis. I found it hard to avoid hitting loaded touring bikes.

"The Grapevine" is I-5 north of Los Angeles, through the Los Padres National Forest. Chris is
refering to Highway 1 between Big Sur and San Luis Obispo- a beautiful road spoiled by too many
freakin' tourists. In this stretch, Highway 101 is quite a ways inland and seperated from Highway 1.
Highway 1 from Long Beach to Sandy-Eggo is paradise in comparison.

Jeff

Jeff

Quoted message said:

Chris is refering to Highway 1 between Big Sur and San Luis Obispo- a beautiful road spoiled by
too many freakin' tourists.

I am sometimes a "freakin' tourist" myself, and you couldn't find a nicer person anywhere. Or more
humble. Although I did have a problem with pride, in the past. :-)

I pull my 5th wheel trailer w/ a big Ford up that road north towards Big Sur when I can't avoid it.
It is so narrow and tight (the road, not the truck) on some curves I have to go like 4 mph.. the
rocks on my right, my left front bumper way out in the opposing lane. Have to wait for traffic
sometimes, the folks behind me are always patient and understanding. I mean, I guess they are.. I
never look to see. I pull over whenever I can to let people by. But even though there are a lot of
turnouts, these rubber-necking tourists (the economic base of the region) are all pulled out into
these turnouts, to see the sights, so there is no room for me. "La la la.. Isn't this lovely... la
la la" their heads in the clouds... while I have to continue dodging bullets and go the next turnout
and hope. Of course, the BMW commercials don't help, showing a similar road sans traffic, a stoner
smile on the face of the yuppie driver, in a 4-wheel-drift across the double yellow. Why DO they do
that? Don't they know (continued in Rant #35)

Yes, it is a tight road. You have your 72 yo man, in denial about his failing faculties, driving a
wide RV that he hasn't driven since last August, and there is barely room for him by himself on
that road, and he has whackers.. er.. I mean, mirrors sticking way out on the sides, and it is a
rough precipitous 1000 feet down to the ocean, and you would ride a bike on that route? Lots of
people do. Not I.

I'v got it! Listen.. here''s the deal.. simply extend a roll bar, but we'll call it a whacker bar,
vertically up above the seat back. It should deflect all but the most severe whacks. This
potentially could open up many routes once deemed too dangerous for bikes!

Friday-itis. Sorry. GeoB

[email hidden] (GeoB) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Chris is refering to Highway 1 between Big Sur and San Luis Obispo- a beautiful road spoiled by
too many freakin' tourists.

I am sometimes a "freakin' tourist" myself, and you couldn't find a nicer person anywhere. Or more
humble. Although I did have a problem with pride, in the past. :-)

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Friday-itis. Sorry. GeoB

S'all right. I ride a fair amount on the Old Gorge Highway in the Columbia Gorge. It was built to
Model T dimensions, back in 1914. A couple weeks back a tourist bus nearly got itself stuck up
against a cliff when the driver cut a turn too tight. He had to wait for opposing traffic to clear
before he could straighten out and get around the corner.

Jeff

Back in the mid 80's, during one of the times Hwy. 1 was closed because of a mudslide, my friend and I rode from Monterey to San Luis Nabisco. Had the whole beautiful place to ourselves, well almost as there was a dribble of local traffic here and there. The actual slide was less than 100 ft. of walkable mud. Was a gas using the full roadwidth on fast curving downhills, could relax and check out the seals on the beach dooooowwwnn the cliff, etc. Fun couple of days on bikes. Don