SOCAL Julian Ride

[sdbrit68]

After talking to a few people, we have definetly decided we will be going on March 18th.

The people who wish to meet in Orange County, we will meet at the corner of Alicia and highway 5, there is a target shopping center there. From there it is an easy hop back on the highway.

For the Sandiego county people, we will hook up at the 76 and highway 15 junction, there is a park and ride there right next to a mobile station.

These two places seem to be the best for the most people.

Calamarichris was kind enough to post pics of the scenery before. We start not too far from the base of palomar mountain. Some twisties going up it, but nothing that is too difficult (just ride your own ride on this)

Chris knows some very good spots to snap some pics to share with the forum. When we get to the top, the ride down has some beautifal scenery with wider sweeping turns.

After that it is (to my best explanation) some more country style roads into Julian.

It has been suggested that there is a good barbacue place there, if no one is oppossed to it.

We can put it up to a group vote to either have pie at this point, or hop on the bikes and hit the pie shop at the outskirts of town.

This is an enjoyable ride, and when I was on the roads a few saturdays ago, traffic wasnt that bad, we were able to stretch into a long line with no interruptions quite often.

I cant promise we wont hit traffic this time, but if we do, its part of riding.

For the ride home we have 2 choices, we can do the long way, and head towards borego, and finish at the highway 15 and 79, or the shorter way back towards the 15 and 76.

From the start at Palomar, for the standard ride, my best guess is about 4 hours, if we decide as a group to do a long, we can stretch it to probably 6.

The last thing we need to decide is time.......personally, I like to leave early, I am just waiting to set time until I hear from anyone who may come from riverside or los angeles area.

Again, this is a beautifal ride, and a must do in socal. It is a mountain with turns, and as the Honda manual says " Stupid Hurts"

riders of all skill levels can easily do this, just be honest with your abilities, and ride at speeds you are comfortable at.

I have a guy coming who is an excellent tailgunner, he goes by safety first.
The idea is have fun, get some good riding in, and some pics, and bring everyone home with a smile on their face.

I look forward to starting to try and get the forum together on a regular basis, and of course non-forum members we might be able to recruit.

Any questions please post........and lets have a great ride

[bleached_baboon]

Well, I'm definitely in. I am in the Los Angeles area (close to Long Beach). I don't mind starting early, maybe around 9am. That'll allow me to leave the house around 8am to meet y'all in OC.

Let me know what everyone else thinks. I'll make it work.

[RichLockyer]

I'm not sure what route you had planned to get from the 5 to the 15, but keep in mind that major construction starts on the 74 today, and it will be closed at night and reduced to one lane during the day.

This is going to kill Hell's Kitchen... we need to make an effort to get up there as often as we can and support them and the other businesses up there that are going to be hit hard by this.

The construction will last until 2010! I'm glad I had a chance to ride the whole highway a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1581795.php

I posted your note to my club's forum. We've got a few members that live in OC, and the club doesn't (yet) have anything booked for that weekend.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it or not... I'll try and make it, depending on how early staging is and what else I have going on.

[sdbrit68]

It would be good to see you RichLockyer.

I was planning on taking the 5 to the 76,cross over and meet the sandiego people right there at the 76 and 15.

Too bad about the 74, havent had time to ride that in a long time

[spur55]

Will mark it down on my calendar...sounds like great fun. Been to Julian in a cage and had plans to ride there this spring on my bike. Love the town. Never rode with a group so I'll make plans for sure...I'll be coming from Long Beach...Time is not much of a factor...I'm always up early.

Pray for nice weather...

[sdbrit68]

Great, with bleached baboon right outside of long beach, I'd like to leave orsnge county about 8:30 to 8:45.

That gives us time at the base of palomar for everyone who needs it to get gas, do the meet and greet thing, and set up a ride order, and be cruising up the mountain by 10:30 at the outside.

I left a little time because you neve know what traffic is like

[Calamarichris]

If you guys can get to bed earlier the night before and leave an hour earlier, you'll be very glad you did.
I'll be at the Kona Hut in Oceanside readin' & sippin' at 9:00, but I'd LOVE to be there earlier.

And when you see the roads we'll be taking, you won't be sorry for missing the lame 74 at all. It's really an overcrowded waste of time compared with Mesa Grande, Lilac/West Lilac, Palomar, Wynola Road, Banner Grade (and if we have enough time) Montezuma Grade, up the hill from Borrego Springs.

And SDBrit: please meet us in Oceanside, because we won't be passing the 15/76 intersection. There's always a load of casino traffic there and I know a couple of fun/scenic backroads to dodge some of it.

How many people on board so far?
-Chris in Carlsbad, CA
calamarichris@yahoo.com

[vulcan500rider]

I'm in.

What's the freeway pace going to be like? Do you have rules about speed limits and such? Hey baboon, do you want to meet up somewhere in your hood? Maybe Willow and Lakewood at the 405? We could ride to the Orange Curtain together.

[RichLockyer]

Good point... since none (or not many) of us have ridden together, we need to establish some guidelines and things to be aware of:

Personally, I will not lane-split. I'll use the carpool lane, and I'll ride 2-abreast, but I won't split.

The group leader needs to be aware that the rubber band effect can EASILY result in the end of the group needing to hit as much as 85 to maintain spacing when he accelerates from 65 to 70 if he does not do it slowly. God forbid the tail is going 85 when the leader needs to lay on the brakes for a turn or offramp.

Go over basic hand signals at the ride briefing... primarily hazard warning, single-file/staggered formation... just for the benefit of any who may be new to group rides.

[Calamarichris]

So six riders so far? That's a good number. Even eight is not too bad, but if the group gets larger than 10, I recommend splitting into two groups and I'll go over a map with everyone. H311, I'd rather print route maps for everyone than to ride with a pack of >12 riders trying to stay together.

Anyone else coming?
-Chris in C'bad

[RichLockyer]

So six riders so far? That's a good number. Even eight is not too bad, but if the group gets larger than 10, I recommend splitting into two groups and I'll go over a map with everyone.

I rarely ride in groups smaller than 12.... LCR or PGR.

Last ride to SD, we ran 15 bikes from Beaumont to the Hideout, met up with the SCRC, and had close to 40 bikes running from there down to Seaport.

Sportbikes... ya... might be a handful in large groups, but cruiser trips have always been a blast.

Depending on response from my club, we may end up staging in Redlands and meeting up with the OC group along the 15 wherever you meet with the SD group. Our club leaders will be out of town... not sure how many will show, but I could be bringing as many a 6 or 7 bikes with me.

It's 45 miles from my place to the 5 and Alicia... and 70+ for most of the rest of the club members. We'd have to stage for KSU at 6:30 to make Alicia & the 5 comfortably before 9. If we meet up closer to Palomar, we can enjoy our usual breakfast at IHOP and head down the 215.

[sdbrit68]

Chris......where would you like to meet at ?

I'm with rich, not into lane splitting especially with a group, generally I keep it near the speed limit. Mainly because a group of bikes going down the highway puts you right on the police radar.

The reason i picked the 15 and 76, just seemed easier for people from the north 15, and south 15 as a good general area to meet

[RichLockyer]

Yet another closure

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007..._152_19_07.txt

This one shouldn't impact this ride, but it's going to be screwed for people heading to Ocotillo from the SD area.
Either take a 40 mile detour, or head out the 8 and back up 86 into the park.

[Calamarichris]

Click Here Brit
As long as the word gets out, that road closure at Scissors Crossing could work to our advantage nicely. Immediately East of Julian the 78 dips down into the desert known as "Banner Grade" which is a terrific, smooth, twisty road. It's a very tasty road when there isn't a bunch of off-roaders plugging it up with their RVs and trailered toys. (As they usually are on late-winter weekends like this.)
So if the word gets out about this closure, Banner Grade could be deserted for our pleasure.
-CCinC

[RichLockyer]

That might work out well... OC stages at 5 and Alicia, you guys meet up at the 5 and 78, and then my group could meet up with you guys in Escondido.

[Calamarichris]

Why Escondido? I was planning on taking us through Twin Oaks Valley Parkway and Deer Springs Road because it's more scenic and has less traffic.

If we have to go to the vehicular beehive of Escondido, at least we'll take the fun backway through Elfin Forest. Where would we have to meet you in Escondido?

-CCinC

[sdbrit68]

Rich, what area works well for you /

[RichLockyer]

Why Escondido? I was planning on taking us through Twin Oaks Valley Parkway and Deer Springs Road because it's more scenic and has less traffic.

If we have to go to the vehicular beehive of Escondido, at least we'll take the fun backway through Elfin Forest. Where would we have to meet you in Escondido?

-CCinC

I just picked that because I assumed you'd be taking the 78 across from Oceanside.

I agree that EC is a mess... I wasn't sure what the route would be from Oceanside to Palomar.

Work up a good route and I'll get together with anyone in my club that might want to come alone and we'll find a good place to meet up along the way.

[ervins]

This sound exciting! I wish I could go but I am in Norcal where rain is doing the usual thing. Have fun all and be safe. Rich is right...Before even going out set up rules and guidelines. Also get a sweep or two...Sweep should not be inexperienced rider. Also lay out rules for hand signals for road debris like kicking leg out depending on side debris is on, hand signals for passing or making others pick up the pace. Also have lunch and enjoy the camaraderie. Also set points for breaks ahead of time. Also, if some of the riders are not continuing on with the group, let the others know. As for lane splitting, definitely set that out in advance...Some groups do others don't.

[RichLockyer]

Also.... if we could get a head count of cruisers vs sporties and if we split into multiple groups, arrange and plan the ride accordingly.