Tahoe Loop Ride
Posted Mon Jul 2, 2007 in
Motorcycling
The week was plenty busy and there will be pressure over the next two weeks prior to my departure for Lubbock, a meeting at Sanibel Island, Florida (Yay!), and then the return home. I made a lot of decisions about the house over the last couple of weeks and we spent a pile of money on things that needed to be done to make it show better. That was stressful for Wife and stressful for me. But, most of it is done. Once it’s listed, we pray for the right buyer. A quick sale is to our benefit.
Yesterday I had an appointment with Sierra BMW at 0900 to have the 600-mile service performed on the RT. (The RT still needs a name. Hmm…) I rose early, worked for awhile, then returned to bed to nap. I finally woke about 0630, which was plenty early to shower, gather my things, call in, get a bite, and ride north — which I did.
I breakfasted at one of our fine local eating establishments (McD’s), talked to Wife while munching my biscuit, and headed north. This time the trip was uneventful. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. The wind was down, it was about 60F, and sun was beautiful — casting that warm morning light diagonally across the west Nevada mountains.
I was at the shop at 0905 as one of the techs rode up on another BMW. I went inside and waited my turn for attention. We had the RT in the system by 0930 and they agreed to adjust the right grip slightly (it was covering the lower-left portion of the mirror) and to install the valve-cover guards. I left the shop area for a coffee in the sales area and to drool over the “stuff” on display.
There I met another rider, Mike, who also lives in Minden. He’s got his RT farkled-out1 with radar detector, GPS, XM radio, and dual-band transceiver2. We talked about how he did that, because of my interest in a similar rig. He used the Autocom approach and I’ve been thinking about the Starcom system. I really need to do my research.
His story of losing a rear tire last March west from Tonopah, no phone signal, and using the two-meter band to hit a repeater for help made the case for me. I’d been thinking about an amateur license anyway3 so this isn’t a hard sell. I just need to do my research, figure out how to accomplish what I want, and then plan the purchases and installation4.
We chatted most of the morning about our experiences riding motorcycles. He’s an interesting fellow and I think we’ll see each other again.
I still prefer to ride alone. Or at least with a single machine. The exception would be my family.
The finished the service about 1230, so I retrieved my machine and escaped the sales floor without damage to my wallet. (BMW = Bring My Wallet) I rode north a little in search of food and a place to sit and gather my thoughts. Again, I picked a McD’s because I saw nothing else close to the highway that looked promising. (I need the GPS on my bike to provide alternatives!) I planned to ride a loop north from Reno bearing westerly, then turning south towards home. But, I have an old filling in one of my molars that I think is developing an abscess and it was hurting like hell. So, I ate gingerly while I thought about turning south and just going home.
While talking to Wife, I decided to make the ride anyway. I’d hurt at home or I’d hurt while riding. The distraction of riding seemed more promising than just hurting.
So, I headed north on U.S. 395 toward Hallelujah Junction. The wind was up (Zypher) and blowing steadily with some gusts. That’s just part of the environment here. I decided to stop, refuel (not necessary), and buy some ibuprofen for my tooth. After a short run west, I turned south on SH 49 toward Truckee. This part of California is high valley and much is used for cattle ranching. I was pleased to see the ranches and the center pivots irrigating winter feed.
I could spend a little time at a couple of the small town on this route, but didn’t. I turned south on SH 89 toward Lake Tahoe. I missed my turn in Truckee, and drove through town. It’s now a tourist town and it was a busy Saturday afternoon for them.
The ride along the Truckee River was pretty and there were plenty of folks enjoying the water. It reminded me of my youth tubing in the river and catching trout in the morning and evening.
I missed my turn at Tahoe City and found myself heading northeast toward Incline Village. I thought about it for a few minutes and decided to reverse and drive down the west shore. So, I made my way back through Tahoe City (another tourist town) and turned south on SH 89.
Lake Tahoe is a beautiful place and evokes memories of my youth. Dad used to bring us there about once each year. Sometimes we stayed near Truckee, and other times we stayed on the Nevada side near Zephyr Cove. I prefer the Nevada side.
I made my way south, avoiding traffic when I could. I pulled off at the Emerald Bay viewpoint. I could have paid my parking fee, but decided to save the walk for the next trip and spent a few minutes walking around the parking lot, looking for views. I rode on a couple of miles to Inspiration Point and stopped again. The view of Emerald Bay was staggering. I spent some time just looking around before leaving again. Water is good too.
I rode on through part of South Lake Tahoe, on the California side, then decided to take SH 89 south to the intersection with SH 88 and continue into the south end of Carson Valley. I missed my turn, though, and found myself riding U.S. 50 toward Sacramento. So, I reversed (missing my GPS) and started back. However, the view of South Lake Tahoe was so amazing I had to stop for an image.
I found my turn off and headed south along the other side of the valley. This valley is drained by West Fork Carson River, a stream I know from my research. It was fun to ride along the stream and I wonder if there are trout there. I may have to buy a fishing license and find out. I wouldn’t mind messing around the water anyway.
I noticed the rise in temperature as I descended into Carson Valley. It wasn’t uncomfortable — just warmer. As I neared Minden-Gardnerville, my thoughts returned to my next things-to-do. I stopped at the post office to retrieve my mail. I decided to stop at Aloha Liquors, buy a new bottle of Clontarf, and hit the grocery store for a few things. I learned I can pack quite a bit in the sidecases of the RT!
Then I rode home, ignominiously. It was a good day and a good ride. I’m looking forward to many more good rides on the RT. It’s a good machine for me.
1 Farkle is a coined word, I believe, that refers to the over-accessorizing of two-wheeled (and perhaps other) conveyance.
2 Transceiver is a word I first hear 30-years ago as a combination of transmitter and receiver in one system. At that time, it was still common for radio operators to separate the transmitter from the receiver. The combination allowed for smaller units and is appropriate for mobile radios. Most people don’t know, but the mobile phone they carry is a transceiver.
3 I started thinking about this as my awareness of the fragility of our society raised. The renewal of my interest in firearms for personal protection coincided with a review of the reported crime rate in Lubbock County. I realized years ago that the local food supply, as managed by corporate business reflected in the grocery-store system, is fraught with weakness. A breakdown in the transportation system at any point could cause a catastrophic loss of service. Most grocery stores have less than a week’s worth of stock. In an emergency, there are always runs on provisions. My intent is to protect my family in such a situation. I’m making preparations to implement those plans now.
4 I still know how to route wiring, solder, and use a multi-meter. I used to do good work when installing sound systems in my four-wheeled vehicles. I can do this one too.
Aloha Liquors? Pronounced with the accent on the second syllable as in Hawai’i, or with the accent on the first syllable?
I think there’s an Aloha, Oregon, but it’s pronounced with a long “o”.
— Linkmeister 8 July 2007, 14:05 #Yep, just as in Hawai’i. When you walk in the door, the staff greets you with “Aloha!”
It’s a little weird, given we’re in Carson City, Nevada, but what the hell — it’s Nevada and this place is a little weird!
— ruminator 8 July 2007, 16:04 #I did see something in my paper about the UFO conference at Area 51 recently. ;)
— Linkmeister 9 July 2007, 10:43 #