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02-06-2011, 04:39 PM
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#1 |
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Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2001
Location: in The Cloud
Oddometer: 1,546
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A Quick Ride thru the Desert!
Well, wonder of wonders, I finally had a day off, the weather was fantastic, and the Big Pig had a full tank of gas. The conditions were perfect for a ride. At the crack of nine I waved goodbye to Jennifer and took off for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.
 Traffic was light and I was able to blast along at a pretty good clip all the way past Banning and up into the pass. As I reached the crest, I saw what looked to be fog blanketing the entire Coachella Valley... Well, it wasn't fog, but rather a temperature inversion which put a cap of cold air right on the desert floor. Of course, trapped in that cap was a blanket of smoke, haze, auto exhaust, and what smelled like every other pollutant known to man. Not nice! Fortunately, as the temps rose, the inversion began to dissipate, and the ride got a lot nicer. Stopped at Salton Sea for a few quick pix. Salton Sea, once the dream of So Cal land developers, is a dead sea. With no fresh water coming in, the water is becoming increasingly salty. Run off of agricultural products into the lake help insure a toxic environment for any fish hardy enough to survive!  The smell of rotting fish was overpowering here:  Broken dreams:  Nice Marina...  While taking pictures I came across a couple of guys and a scantily clad young woman who were apparently making a music video at the Marina. The producer told me the other guy was a rap star, and they wanted a "post apocalyptic" setting for the video. Apparently the post apocalyptic world includes hot chicks and rap music, which I Am Good With... And, btw, sorry no pix of the hot chick or rap star as their "people" firmly requested no photography...  opeslap:Anyway, I selected first gear from the R1150GSA's gear bag, and off I went, heading for S 22 and the Anza Borrego Desert. Beautiful riding out here. Very few people, and sweeping panoramas of mountains, cactus, blue sky and clouds. Very nice!  The Anza Borrego means different things to different people. For some, it's off-road riding, for others, it's the photography, especially in the spring time when the desert blooms. If we get a little more rain, the scenery will be fantastic around March and April. Meanwhile, I slowed down for Borrego Springs, a little town perched on the lee side of the Borrego mountains. Nice place. I've often thought to come back and spend a weekend here, soaking in the hot springs and enjoying the views! Soon I climbed out into the twisties. Traffic was light and riding was paradise!  It's a good idea to not pay too much attention to the scenery. It's a long way down!  The Big Pig...  Desert Flora:  Great riding up here today. Virtually no other bikes except for an occasional Airhead coming the other way. Apparently there was an Airhead campout off of CA 111 somewhere near Bombay Beach, Salton Sea. Here's another view of the valley...  Eventually the road spills out onto San Diego Co Rd S2. Lots of wonderful options here! I chose to head to toward Warner Springs, Ranchita, and then home. 370 miles later, I pulled into my driveway, happy that I could enjoy some of the best roads the desert has to offer! Here are few more pics, in no particular order...first is a cool helo that was lifting poles and setting them into the ground near S22/S2:  Wanna drain your wallet in a hurry? Take up this hobby!  Near Ranchita...  And finally, a self portrait! Thanks for coming along for the ride. 
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"Converting oxygen to carbon dioxide since 1951." www.ridesroadsandeats.com |
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02-06-2011, 04:51 PM
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#2 |
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Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
Oddometer: 896
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Wow, we might have passed eachother at some point!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...3#post15126693 I was out in some of those areas on Saturday and Sunday.
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My rides: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrans/2959275108/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrans/...7611854503124/ |
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02-06-2011, 05:17 PM
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#4 |
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40-128
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Lakland
Oddometer: 12,294
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Nice!
That's a Kaman helicopter. The guy realized composites were good for more than chopper blades, so he also founded Ovation guitars. I love the desert! John
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The road to Hell is paved... Save $5 on a Smugmug subscription when you use my coupon: yBr7OofIPuOP6 KLR takes a circular route to Big Bend '13 http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=887449 |
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02-06-2011, 05:31 PM
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#5 | |
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Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2001
Location: in The Cloud
Oddometer: 1,546
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Quote:
Steve
__________________
"Converting oxygen to carbon dioxide since 1951." www.ridesroadsandeats.com |
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02-06-2011, 05:44 PM
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#6 |
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Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
Oddometer: 896
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The riding was awesome this weekend! Couldn't have asked for better weather or road conditions. It was nice to get out and hit the same roads on two different bikes, but hands down, the KLR was my favorite! My SV will be going up for sale in the next few months! Hahahahaaha!
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My rides: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrans/2959275108/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrans/...7611854503124/ |
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02-06-2011, 08:46 PM
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#7 |
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Gnarly Adventurer
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: California
Oddometer: 179
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Salton Sea
Thanks for the RR. I've driven by the Salton Sea for 20 years en route to Yuma for Dove hunting. Only recently have I become aware of the huge ecological problems surrounding the Salton Sea. What a mess the water problems are in the Imperial Valley. Anyway that's a topic for another forum. Great ride, thank you.
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