Bill Muneio

Headed North this weekend with some friends to ride Nacimiento Fergusson Road. We made our way up to Pozo Saloon for lunch then headed towards Fort Hunter Liggett stopping in Paso Robles for ice, beer & food. Then it was off to enjoy some of the roads around Lake Nacimiento. Eventually arriving at Fort Hunter Liggett I was surprised that you no longer need to check in at the gate, you can just ride on through? We checked out the Old Mission San Antonio de Padua founded back in 1771 pretty cool. Then took Nacimiento Fergusson a short distance to our campsite for the night getting there around 7pm. The next morning we continued on to the coast and Hwy1 What a great road, nice and twisty with some great views! It’s narrow though so be careful on those tight blind corners and watch for loose dirt/gravel. And what a temperature change, hot and dry inland then when we dropped down to the coast it was cold, foggy and wet. Had breakfast in Cambria and continued towards home. I made a small detour to the 166 to Tepusquet rd to Foxen cyn and back to Santa Barbara. Great weekend with lots of good roads and great friends!

Trip to Nacimiento Fergusson Rd Day 1

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Nacimiento Fergusson Rd Day 2

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The weather couldn’t have been better. Today’s ride with the Cal Coast Motorsports Riding group was great fun. We headed up to Avila Beach which is about 100 miles North of Santa Barbara and enjoyed lunch at Fat Cats Cafe. The roads were in great condition for the most part and the hills were vivid green after all the recent rains. There was a little holiday traffic but we managed to stay on some of the more scenic secondary roads of the area for a good portion of the ride. Thanks to everyone who went for making it a great day! Check out the route and pictures below. And don’t forget to sign up for my news letter to stay informed of upcoming rides, trips and events.

Cal Coast Avila Beach

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No work today so I took the GS out for a ride in the mountains behind Santa Barbara. We had gotten a little rain last night but that was all cleared up by this morning and now the sun was out and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky although the wind was kicking up pretty good. Between the 154, where it crosses the San Marcos Pass, and Refugio Road, where it rises to the ridge out of Santa Ynez, there is a section of West Camino Cielo Road that is dirt.  You’re on a sharp high ridge with the sea on one side and Lake Cachuma down in the valley on the other. It eventually terminates into numerous dirt roads which descend either to Gaviota or the Santa Ynez Valley .or a paved road down to   The road provides access to locations such as the popular climbing area Lizard’s Mouth, the Winchester Gun Club, and most notably Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo.

West Camino Cielo

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It’s been a week now since I got back from New Zealand and it’s good to be home with family and friends. But I have to be honest I really miss New Zealand, life there seems just a little simpler,(ok a lot simpler) granted I was on vacation so everything was simpler but still when you consider that the entire country of New zealand has only a slightly higher population then the city of Los Angeles and that their unemployment rate is almost half of California’s it’s easy to see why life might be a little simpler. Traffic over there is when you see 3 other cars and or sheep on the road. And the people really don’t seem to care about their material possessions like we do here. Read that as there’s not a lot of people (actually I didn’t see anybody) driving fancy cars and ridiculously over sized SUV’s while talking on their cell phones, drinking their Iced Single Vente, 7 pump Peppermint, Caramel Sauce Top and Bottom, Light Ice, No whip, Mocha beverage and making an appointment for their dog’s aromatherapy massage. None the less I’m not moving quite yet, I still have $10 left on my Starbucks card. But I do miss the New Zealand life. When I got off work today I went for a short ride in the mountains behind Santa Barbara and was reminded of one of the benefits of living here, the weather! So I guess if anyone want’s to get me another Starbucks gift card for Christmas I’ll be around here for awhile to enjoy it. Although I did see a Starbucks in Christchurch hmm.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE

The weather lately has been great for riding as it usually is in October and November in Southern California. I decided to head up to the mountains behind Santa Barbara for a little ride today. The Figueroa Mountain recreation area lies approximately 50 miles northwest of Santa Barbara and can be reached by  Figueroa Mountain Road or Happy Canyon Road. I did a loop going up Happy Canyon over the summit and then down Figueroa Mountain Road. Along the way I took a short detour back to Davey Brown and Nira Campgrounds. It had been awhile since the last time I was there but not much has changed still as beautiful as ever back there and right now the campgrounds are empty. Probably getting a little cold at night but that also means there’s no flysduring the day! It was a great ride I enjoyed every minute of the crisp fall temps and the clear blue skys.

Part of the joy of traveling on a motorcycle for me is the planning. I really enjoy looking over maps and scouring blogs learning about interesting roads and places to visit. This helps me develop a general outline of where I want to go and gives me information so I can make choices once I’m on the road. Another benefit of pre-planning is it motivates me to get the bike in shape and this usually means adding something new to my arsenal of bike and personal farkles. Before this latest trip to the Sierras, I replaced my 10 year old  tent; with a Marmot limelight 3 I found on sale at REI. The old one had served me well but after 10 years of use I wasn’t feeling very confident with its waterproofness. For the bike I fabricated a rear rack and attached a pelican box to it for some additional space. So with the bike ready and a route in mind, I packed up my gear and headed out on a beautiful clear crisp October day. I met up with my riding partner for this adventure at a Starbuck’s; after a cup of coffee and a couple of hours on the super slab, we were on the back roads heading into Kings Canyon National Park. Now we’re having fun!

After a few hours of twisty mountain roads, we arrived at our campsite for the first night. We decided to take Highway 180 all the way back into the canyon; what a great ride! We camped at the only campground still open this time of year in the valley Sheep Creek campground. Nestled in the forest right next to the Kings river, it was perfect, plus hardly anyone was there. I’m sure during the summer it’s quite a different experience, but in mid October it’s hard to beat. The next morning, we took a quick ride to the road’s end. From there, we left Kings Canyon and headed out through Sequoia National Park and the giant redwoods. These trees always amaze me and riding among them is a real treat. We traveled past Three Rivers and Kaweah Lake; then we made our way to Springville on another great, isolated but semi goaty road called Yokohl Drive.  We arrived at day two’s campsite, Quaking Aspen just as the sun was setting. After our tents were up and dinner finished, we relaxed with a cold beer, a sip of scotch and a star filled sky. Day three we awoke to a chilly morning, at 7000ft, it was quite a bit cooler then our previous morning. This day’s ride dropped us down through the conifer forest of the Giant Sequoia National Monument and into the Kern River Valley where we followed the river to Lake Isabella and the small town of Kernville. From here we picked up the 155, another great motorcycle road towards Bakersfield. After a gourmet lunch at Sonic Burger, we took the final stretch of super slab home.

Write to Sequoia & Kings Canyon 47050 Generals Highway Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700 E-mail Us Phone Visitor Information (559) 565-3341 Wilderness Travel Information (559) 565-3766Fax (559) 565-3730

Climate Because these parks vary from low to very high elevations, you can find a variety of climates here — all on the same day! Be prepared with layers of clothing, and see details using the above links to seasons. Click “more” below for details on: - weather conditions at different elevations; - links to weather forecasts for Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite national parks; - the current view from the Giant Forest; and - the snowpack and water resources of the Sierra Nevada. ******************************************* more…

October 7, 2009 by Anil P.
From FoxNomad.com

You’ve probably flown in an airplane, ridden in a boat, and taken a train somewhere in the world but never have hopped on the back of a motorcycle for a single road trip. There are of course a number of motorcycle riders and drivers who have and you should be one of them, at least just once in your life.

Riding a motorcycle across an open road from one destination to the next is the modern-day equivalent of setting off into the sunset on horseback. Let your fear and the thrill put you on two wheels and not keep you from it.

A Motorcycle Connects You With The Road

Like no other form of travel a motorcycle connects you with the road in a way that a bicycle, or even walking can’t. It’s the travel experience firsthand on a macro level. Ultimately your own fate and route are in your own hands on a motorcycle. Your senses are heightened both due to anxiety and the need to be highly aware and responsive to your surroundings. You’ll notice things on a motorcycle you never would in a car.

There are no distractions, no chance to check emails on your hacked iPhone, no windows to drown out the noise, and certainly no heat or air conditioning. All you have to focus on is the travel at hand.

Traffic Is Easier To Get Around

Depending on where exactly in the world you are, being on the back of a motorcycle gives you access to narrow back roads, the space between cars, and in some places, even sidewalks. You’ll be more mobile and able to sneak your way through even the worst traffic jams on a bike. At worst you can simply pull your bike up on a nearby curb and check out some of the local restaurants or just hang out until the heavy rush passes.

You’re Nervous About It

The more you travel the harder it can be to evoke that same sense of danger and excitement you had when you first started seeing the world. Anytime you jump on a motorcycle you’ll feel a thrill knowing that only traffic stands between you any anywhere you want to go. Even a casual trip around town is made more interesting on a motorcycle.

The element is different. People are closer to you and there are no barriers to the outside world. You and the bike are the outside world.

You Can’t Deny It, It’s Cool

Hop on the back of any motorcycle and you’ll instantly feel like a road warrior. Motorcycles evoke a sense of nostalgia, adventure, and danger. You can add these elements to any trip while traveling anywhere in the world simply by changing your mode of transportation. No matter where you are a motorcycle can have you channeling Marlon Brando in The Wild One or any number of other great motorcycle movies.

Be Inspired

If you’re still on the fence about your next road trip, watch some of these DVDs to inspire your inner gypsy.

• The Motorcycle Diaries – Che Guevara’s legendary trip through South America with his friend Alberto Granado on their motorcycle, La Poderosa (”The Mighty One”).
• Long Way Round – Ewan McGregor and Charley Borrman traveled from London to New York on motorcycle in 2004 and Long Way Round is a documentary of their travels. One of the most inspirational travel stories I’ve every seen.
• Easy Rider – Two hippies (played by Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda) take a road trip on motorcycle from Los Angeles to New Orleans. Beautiful scenery and invigorating music to go along with a wild story.

Of course you’ll need to learn how to drive a motorcycle and if it’s only going to be a one time event I’d recommend taking one of several great international courses which I’ll be posting more about next week. Learning to drive a motorcycle is a several day task (with a good instructor) and an excellent addition to your pre-trip plans. Having the ability to get on a motorcycle after that is a another way to harmonize planning and spontaneity, and reconnect with any open road.

[photos by: Jeff Bauche, jotor, Shaheer Shahid]

As I mentioned in a previous post the decision was made, I was adding another bike to the stable. I already had 2 great bikes: an 04′ BMW 1150RT and a 88′ BMW 100RT, both excellent touring machines. I thought my collection was complete but when I heard that Jim, a friend in San Francisco, had just bought a newer 1200GS and was selling his 1150GS. Looks like I was going to add BMW’s best selling model of all time the GS, a versatile dual sport bike to the collection.  For me, the capability of handling some limited off road riding such as fire roads was reason enough to buy the GS and knowing and trusting the previous owner made the decision easy.

Now I just had to get to SF where Jim and the bike were. I found a cheap flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco on a Friday night. So by 10:00pm that evening I was admiring my newest addition. I was up early the next morning and after a quick breakfast and the exchange of money and paper work I hastily mounted a GPS on the bike, packed the panniers and was ready to hit the fog shrouded streets of San Francisco. The plan was to spend a couple of extra days riding home.  I had thought of visiting the Sierras but the predicted high heat of the central valley that weekend made me choose to stay close to the coast. I made my way north over the Golden Gate bridge and continued on the 101 to Lucas Valley Rd. Once I got off the super slab and was riding through the rolling green hills of Lucas Valley, I settled in and started enjoying my new ride. I arrived at Pt Reyes Station on the coast and continued heading north riding through a number of small picturesque towns on Hwy 1. The coast was foggy, damp and cold with the sun only poking through occasionally; I was beginning to wonder if I made the right decision staying along the coast.  I had no real destination; I just knew I had 3 days to get back home. The night before Jim had mentioned a road called Skaggs Springs that he had ridden a few weeks earlier and really enjoyed; he said it ended up by a lake with a nice campground, so that possibility lingered in the back of my mind… I was getting close to the turn off for Skaggs Springs so I had to make a decision soon. As I approached the turn off it was almost 1:00pm and myself and the bike were running low on fuel so I continued north. A little further up the road, I filled up the bike and found a cafe for lunch in the little town of Gualala. As I looked over the map and pondered where to go next I came to the conclusion that heading inland out of the fog sounded really good. So I back tracked a little and took Skaggs Springs road inland. This was a great road! As it heads up over the mountains, the road narrows and gets twisty then as you start down the other side it opens up into what seems like endless big sweepers, smooth and fast. With hardly another vehicle in sight, this was motorcycle nirvana. I camped the night at Lake Sonoma after a small detour to Cloverdale to get some quick eats and beers to take back to camp.

Day 2
I awoke fairly early motivated by my desire for coffee. I managed to pack up camp rather quickly. The ride out was through miles of well manicured vineyards; this was serious wine country here. I got to the town of Healdsburg and stopped for that much needed coffee and something to eat.  Healdsburg  looked to be quite a pleasant place but I didn’t spend any time exploring as I wanted  to get back on the road and head for my night’s destination, Big Sur. Cruising down the 101, I made it to San Francisco pretty quickly and once again was greeted by the fog. I cut over to the coast on La Honda Rd from Woodside traveling past Alice’s Restaurant and down the mountain back to the Pacific and Hwy 1 this time headed south. Riding past Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel, I now entered the famous rugged coastline of Highway 1 and was shortly in the town of Big Sur. My home for the night was Fernwood campground. It’s a nice spot with a store and restaurant nearby and as luck would have there was a man selling homemade tamales from the trunk of his car right there in the campground. At $2 each, this was a bargain I couldn’t pass up and it helped make up for the overpriced campsite. The campsite was nestled in the trees and close to the river; I pitched my tent and was in bed shortly after the sun went down.

Day 3
Once again motivated by the need for coffee, I broke camp quickly and got on the road. The fog was thick this morning and it was chilly out. By the time I pulled into Gorda I was ready for a cup of joe and breakfast. You will find pretty much anything you buy along this stretch of Hwy 1 is over priced but that’s part of the price of admission to ride on possibly one of the most scenic roads in the world. I was less than a couple of hundred miles from home now and the sun was starting to come though the fog. By mid day I reached Santa Barbara, happy to have ridden some new roads and some familiar ones and visited some new places. Plus at journey’s end, I have a new bike in the garage.

Well I did it, I’m adding another bike to the quiver. I’m flying to San Francisco tonight to procure my friends 1150 GS. It’s not that I’m tired of the RT I already have, it’s just that with the GS I’ll have so many more options or at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself to believe. I love the RT on those long winding open ribbons of pavement but there’s a certain allure to all those unpaved back roads I see as I glide by on the smooth tarmac. So by Saturday morning I will be on the GS and headed for the Sierras for a couple nights of camping while the days are still warm and the skies clear.

by Jeff Buchanan

California Central Coast

At this juncture in my life I have had the privilege of riding motorcycles in Italy, the UK, extensively through Spain, and equally good measure in South Africa-not to mention a good number of the States here in America. And I have to say, I traveled thousands of miles, endured hours of flights and logistics, just to discover how beautiful my own backyard is. Of course isn’t that how so many mantras go in life? We go looking for things only to discover they were right in front of us.

Although the Central Coast isn’t exactly out my back door, it’s within an easy few hours ride. For this go round I would be aboard the new BMW K 1300 GT, the German marque’s muscle bound sport touring machine. Beneath the plastic, hiding under the saddlebags, cradled in the aluminum spar frame is the horsepower laden K motor, giving the classy looking tourer 160 horses. That figure is nice, but what’s impressive (and practical) is that the engine comes on strong low in the revs and pulls through the entire reach of the tachometer. So even when you’re lugging the motor a gear or two too high, there’s still ample power at the ready, brought to life with a simple twist of the wrist. This is a great temperament for a sport touring machine, allowing for either all out blasting or sightseeing cruising, and all points in between.

I’ve done the coast trek dozens of times and it still enthralls. I have learned to avoid the twisting turns of route 1 during weekends and during the typically tourist crowded summer months. The GT has enough grunt to dispatch long strings of slow-going rental cars with out-of-towners clogging up the road. The GT’s engine has an appropriate growl that snaps them out of their doldrums as it screams past.

My route generally begins near LA, detouring off the main thoroughfares through the back roads to Ojai for a coffee and refueling. Highway 33 then takes me up and over the mountains into the central valley where a less than appealing ride through the oil fields of Taft leads to the mouth of Highway 58. This beautifully paved, meandering jewel of a road is generally pretty sparse with vehicles and threads over the mountains and out across open plains, taking the rider all the way to Templeton and the 101.

The GT is surprising agile in these tight switchbacks, even loaded down for the weekend. The ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) allows the rider to adjust suspension on the fly, with choices of: comfortable, normal, or sport setting to suit the road and the attitude. In addition the adjustment provides further settings for rider (with and without bags), and also with a passenger (with and without bags), covering the entire range of possibilities.

My back road ride is spoiled only momentarily with a few short miles on the 101 before heading over 46 to pick up the coast road. The little town of Harmony is where the anticipation of the road ahead usually kicks in. Then it’s onto San Simeon, where William Randolph Hearst built his castle.

San Simeon is really where the beauty and majesty of the coast route comes into its own. This 80-odd mile stretch of two-lane pavement certainly, if not the zenith of motorcycle routes, is pretty close to the top. On this particular outing the temperature was unusually balmy, which only heightened the smell of kelp and pine in the air. The sun was shining and the sea lions were basking in the warmth.

After an hour or two-depending on speed and number of stops-you’ll cross Bixby Bridge, star of a thousand car commercials, both here and around the world. This is where the shutterbugs are usually out in force. A good tempo will have you in Big Sur in fairly short order, but not before experiencing the pinnacle of what motorcycle riding is all about. Up past the Point Sur lighthouse and into Carmel. This is the place that poet Robinson Jeffers called “The most dramatic meeting of land and sea on earth.” I have to agree. I never get tired of this place, of this road, of this ride. It’s one of those enviable rides that make you realize how beautiful life and nature are. It brings out the sentiment in even the most cynical of people.

A few years ago I wasn’t very much interested in touring bikes with bags. I perceived them as being more for the pipe and slippers brigade. But as the bikes have evolved technologically, I have found myself genuinely excited about the prospects of a good sport touring machine and pulling overnighters any chance I get. In this regard, the K 1300 GT represents a machine capable of the long haul with superlative comfort, but possessing enough spirit to keep pace with the best of sport bikes out there. The difference is, when you arrive at your destination, when you step off the GT you won’t be kinked over in a fixed position of pain.

The BMW K 1300 GT is the perfect machine for taking in this stretch of road, which has been the source of poetry, paintings, movies, photography, and general life affirming travel over decades since it was first hacked out of the cliffs. All with good reason, there are few places that embody the beauty, the peace, the solitude and the grandeur of Big Sur.

Personally, I would have to put the coast ride at the top of my favorites list. I just returned from Carmel not three days ago and have already made a vague appointment in two weeks time in Carmel Valley simply to justify another flog up the coast. Better check the tire pressure on the GT. Travel safe my friends.

To see the article in it’s original context go here: http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2009_BMW_K_1300_GT_Motorcycle_Review

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