Triumphrat

meatwagon · 03-05-2006, 01:01 PM

Tenover and friend Chris were riding out to Salton Sea and Slab City(abandonded military base where snowbirds vacation and crazys stay year round).I wanted to go too and then MES;pretty soon we had us a convoy!MES was going back to Joshua Tree(see his thread on that)and took 'The Long Way Around'.
The plan was to meet in Ramona at 830 on Sat.I woke up ,logged on here.MES had posted that he was on his way.Met in Ramona as planned,no MES

That's Tenover,Chris on his BMW 1150GS,and my Bonnie.MES pulls in around 9(traffic).Long trip already from La Brea tar pits.

Camping gear on the back.Cold ride this early in the AM.
We gassed up and hit route 78,climbing thru the mountain twistys to Julian.Chilly but less than expected traffic,beautiful ride.Down down the epic Banner Grade twistys and across the Anza Borrego Desert to Ocotillo Wells.Wish we had stopped for photos along the way;this is a great stretch of road.Then the straight haul across the flats to the Salton Sea and gas in Westmoreland.Up SR 30 to the Sonny Bono Natural Conservation Area,and into Niland for lunch.

Tenover out side Los Ballesteros Restaurante.
Enchiladas and Chile Colorado y cerveza;then a short ride outside Niland to Slab City.Someone has taken some time to paint the desert dirt in Gods name.

Salvation Mt.
The desert sun does weird things to the mind;I didn't know whether to take a pick-axe to this place

or grab a bucket of paint and join in

MES was so moved he performed a lewd striptease

Finally Slab City.Not much to see;concrete slabs where barracks once stood,perfect for parking the RV and sunbathing away from reality.

Tenover in road gear

I managed to pick up a few "entry fees" from the confused
:-D
After this my compadres and I parted ways,they to the North and I to the South.Their story is theirs to tell;this is mine.I blasted SxSW across endless farmland watered with the Colorado River.Almost no water makes it to the Sea of Cortez,it all goes to the crops in the desert.Salton Sea was created by accident,a burst irrigation canal flowed for years.A stop in Ocotillo on the desert floor before the mountains.

100 mile across those mountains to home.

The desert shadows grow long,gotta be movin' on.Up up into the mountains,cool up there,stopped to put some clothes back on.

Yer pashnit shot.High Lonesome in the arid east of the mountains outside Jacumba.Then into some fast sweepers thru the mountains, a great run.Stopped before the descent past Tecate

For I have many curves to sweep and miles to go before I sleep.Into the West and the sun and home.Next week Desert Trip part 2- Rocket Run to Salton City.

[ This message was edited by: meatwagon on 2006-03-05 11:56 ]

meatwagon · 03-05-2006, 02:06 PM

OOPS posted the first part in advertantly;wondered how 21 people had viewed already before I was done.I want reports from the rest of you guys. :-D

Tenover · 03-05-2006, 02:46 PM

Thanks for the pics meatwagon....Good riding with you guys. After we parted ways, Chris, MES, and myself made the 35 mile trek North to Bombay Beach. You thought Slab City was strange?!? First thing we saw after pulling into the "Resort" was this thing dressed in a neon ballerina/clown getup doing strange poses on top of this little rock (and by little, I mean a rock about 3' tall). Two other guys were taking it's picture with some pretty nice cameras....We pulled forward a little ways and Chris says "Wow, that chick was hot!".....Me and MES exchanged looks and we continued to ride on through the place, letting Chris think that the guy dressed up as a freak, was a chick :razz: We pulled up over the little berm that protects the shacks and "houses", and there it was, the famous old resort that was flooded, abandoned, and rusted almost to the point of disintegration....Kinf of cool...I guess...But not really. We looked at it for about 5 minutes and then broke off from MES. He was headed North to Joshua Tree to try and jockey for a spot to crash, and we backtracked our way through Niland to Westmmoreland where we refueled and hit that LOOOONG stretch back through Ocotillo Wells and up through the twisties, where we had it all to ourselves, not another car in front of us for miles, it was great. On the straight, flat stretch, I just HAD to do it....I joined the "Ton-Up" club twice. It was fun, but scared the sh!t outta me at the same time. We were literally racing the sun through the twisties, and literally, as we'd crest one hill, it seemed the sun was playing hide and seek with us and dissappear over the next....It got chilly real quick, and we made it through Julian and back to Ramona...Once there, we already felt like we were "home", and the remaining 50 or so miles back through Lake Hodges, Rancho SantaFe, Del Mar and down the coast to Ocean Beach were nothing but enjoyable and relaxing, as the sun dipped below the ocean almost exactly as I made the final turn into my driveway....Awesome ride.

The only photos I got were taken from my cell phone, so they are horrible quality, but here's a couple....

Lunch in beautiful Niland...

Meatwagon getting a close-up shot of the "Guard Tower" entrance to the beautiful destination spot "Slab City"...

Quick break in Westmoreland...

My Bonnie....

If you ever had any doubt that God might fail you, or that you are a sinner, or that salvation is just around the corner, you can visit Slab City/Salvation Mountain and be reassured......Everywhere. Cars, mountains, trash, dirt,....EVERYTHING will let you know that you need to repent....

Fun, Fun day....Very "Twilight Zone"....

FattRat · 03-05-2006, 02:57 PM

Too seriously COOL! I wanna go on a road trip too! I saw that place on TV..... what a trip!

meatwagon · 03-05-2006, 06:29 PM

I should mention that when we finally made it to Slab City it was 1:00 pm and the sun was blazing.MES is actually taking off his long johns from the heat,not The Rapture.When we passed Julian,there was snow on the higher peaks there and it was cold.We pased an old Norton?east of The Narrows going opposite directions and I did a double take on that.

At lunch we got the usual.A crusty desert tweeker dude walks in..."Them's some nice old Triumphs boy!I usta have me a 650 bonnie then I traded for a flathead and wrecked my knee on that,lookit the scar!Keep it 2 wheels down fellas" and wandered off...Sorry I missed the show at Bombay Beach,but it should turn up on a German or Dutch porno site soon :-D

MES · 03-05-2006, 11:39 PM

I just walked in the door. Still got the boots on.
Hey sorry I was late. Traffic on the 5 was Down the 25M/H for 20 miles.
I won't split lanes if traffic is moving that speed. Learned my lesson on that one.
You should have told me that you wanted an "art" shot. I would have got stark nekked and layed down in the middle of the road.

You guys missed it. After we broke up at Bombay Bch at continued up the 111 to Mecca. I got gas at the turn-off to Box Canyon.
It is a great little ride.
Heres the good part. Hang on 'cause it's a bumpy ride.
I'm just over 1/2 way through Box Cyn going down the road at 65mph
and I hit a screw dead center on the back tire.
Can you say IMMEDIATE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I can

I kept it upright. I was, how do you say, HIGHLY MOTIVATED to do so.
Came to a stop in the middle of the road. Which is good because there is no shoulder.
Had to push the bike about 200yards to get it out of the road.
So. here's my situation in a nut shell.
I've just had a Magor moment< got a flat rear tire, I'm OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE "GREAT Nowhere", I'm facing a 4 mile walk to the nearest thing that caude be considered "HELP", it 4pm on a Saturday
In short, Gentleman, I'm F*U*CKE*D..
Now. This Is the question I put to you'll.
Do you
A) Sit next to your bike shaking as you imagine yourself sliding across the pavement at 65mph?
B) Or do you realize that once again you have cheated Death and decide to celebrate?
I being an eternal optimist decide that plan "b" is the best option.
Lucky for my, I just happen to have a couple of Warm Tacates.
A drink a couple while I get sorted out. Put a couple in my cargo pockets and right a note and attach it to the bike.
I must admit I didn't enjoy the hike out to much. Kind of strange really, seeing as how I was planning on going hiking the next day.
Must of been the circumstances :???: .
The rest is rather mundane, dark, flatbeds, nowhere.
Got a tow into Indio to a bike shop.
He was actually still open ( well drinking beers in the back) 6:30 on a Saturday. No problem says he. Come back tomorrow. No problem say I. Great, nearest motel was 1/4 mile away.
I told TOP that hell would freeze before I humped an Alice Pack again, but I'm here to tell you boys that Hell does freeze.
RUCK UP.
Spent the night in a flop (that is being generous) and went to the bike shop the next 10am the next morning.
The bike was ready. $65.
I put the question to you again.
A) Do you retreat back home as you lick your wounds?
or
B) Do you decide that it is a great day for a ride and backtrack 40 miles and pick it up where you left off?

It was a nice day in J-Tree. Saw a BMW with A HACK. Couldn't believe it. We stopped and talked for about an hour. They were a grand-dad and grandchild. Really quite cool. Both were seriously stoked.
So was I.
It was ***** good fun.
We should do it again. :-D (really)

Honest to God's truth. Couldn't make it up if I tried.
I'm going to take off the boots and head for the shower. I earned it.

"Want to play. Put your money on the table"
What did you do this weekend?

Bryan · 03-06-2006, 04:00 AM

To bad about the flat MES but it made for a great story. Glad to hear you kept it upright. Great stuff you guy's, keep it coming. I think I'll have to make it to slab city some day.

tba-golfer · 03-06-2006, 05:27 AM

Great stuff you guys.
Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Very impressive.

Tenover · 03-06-2006, 09:29 AM

Holy sh!t MES!!! Glad you made it through unscathed....It's wierd, because that's all I thought about out there.. "What would I do if I got a flat? I'd be screwed!!!".

dazco · 03-06-2006, 10:27 AM

Oh geez ! I can't imagine that. Stuck in the middle of nowhere and having to crash in some cockroach palace till the bike is done. But you're lucky you were even able to do that ! Coulda been a lot worse......no place anywhere remotly close to fix it...........no tow.........any number of things. But the stars lined up for you no matter how frucked it was when you consider the possibilities. This is why i keep air and a plug kit with me. I may not be able to ride over 25 MPH safely with a emergency plug job but at least i'll be out of there eventually.