Friday, June 20, 2008

Summer 2008 - Day One

It's time to hit the road for my summer trip. I've been so busy at work (they hinted at cancelling my vacation until I threw a small hissy) that I did not have time to pack my bags until the night before ... I was even up late last night doing a last-minute oil change to prep the bike. I know you're not supposed to wrench right before a trip but that's just the way it worked out, oh well.

I meet up with Joker and Paks about a hundred miles north of Los Angeles, and we have an easy day riding north to Sacramento. Ahhh gods it's hot. We take some longer breaks and go easy. In the heat of midday, we stay for thirty-forty minutes at a gas stop in Santa Nella, which is enough to cause vapor lock on the Nomad (it was sitting in direct sunlight with a full tank for way too long, not good.) It's a scary thing to think you are accelerating onto the interstate, and have the bike start to cough and buck. Thankfully it resolved itself in a minute or two.

I got a good Hotwire price on lodging in town, but laugh at my bad hotel luck. A construction crew is noisily working RIGHT outside our door, just like that television commercial. Luckily they knock off for the day and pack up the nailgun about half an hour after we arrive.

Paks and I went over to Rhonda and Dennis' house for dinner; they graciously invited us in and grilled steaks for us. Rhonda makes insanely good garlic bread as well! Steve and Amanda came over too and we spend a convivial evening engaged in one of a biker's favorite pastime, which is bullsh*tting about roads and rides. I am looking forward to the trip, and hoping we'll get out of the hot weather soon. It was brutal today.

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