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Solvang Aebleskiver rally! 6/22 - 6/26
Skid's Blog If you scroll down, on the right is Solvang blog list...
http://skid1850.blogspot.com/2011/06/solvang-california-to-cedar-city-utah.html
Sherm's:
http://sherm363.blogspot.com/
Mac Guy's
http://solvangca-2011.blogspot.com/
Don VSP Blog
http://vroclinks.blogspot.com/2011/06/aebleskiver.html
My blog:
http://goo.gl/maps/X7I6
Click on the link above to see travel to Solvang in a google map.
http://goo.gl/maps/xlta
My planned return trip up thru the middle of KalEfornYa. 828 miles total
Well, gee, it's been 2 whole days since being out on my scoot... GBG
Deadwood, SD June 3 - June 19 4,355 miles 5,183 for June!
http://vrocafter2008.blogspot.com/2011/06/vroc-wwr-v-deadwood-sd.html
Jim and Cat have taken over for Don VSP on a mid June rally and it looks like a great place!!! And next year it's in July!!!!! Great on Ya both!!!!! Be there!!! Hope Teri and Mama Kaw are too!
Day 1 6/22
My bags are packed and I'm ready to go!!! Notice the lack of shine, my scoot is toast, have much work to do....
I roar down 85 to where it meets 101 and stop... that is where both HOV lanes turn into one, and our great road folks closed the two right lanes for work... 5 lanes into 2.... sigh.. I did see Kasey go by!!! I saw the VROC patch on his back, he was splitting lanes and was gone before I could honk...
On down 101 to 156 and head for the coast... I checked the radar before I left... it had been hot last 2 days, and here that triggers onshore flow of air - ergo - fog... and it looked like all was fine. I wanted to take 1 down and did....
Well... the $)*!$% fog started coming in after I left... and here it is. Time to put on warmer clothes.... the souther I went, the cooler it got...
I stopped at a spot that Don VSP took us to when we did the.... I can''t spell it, sigh...
http://vrocafter2008.blogspot.com/2009/05/vroc-don-vsp-nacimiento-fergusson-road.html
And the weather looked great!!! Whoo Whoo! Out of the fog, warm gear off....
Over the hill..... fog... I ride it for a while and swear I'll get out of it....
Wow, I can see the ocean!!!
You can see the fog coming over to the other side... the vegetation was gorgeous!
I intended to eat my sandwich at a nice spot.... I had to stop and put on warm clothes AGAIN and eat in fog, sigh...
One of the many work places along 1 .... Do not ride this road!!!! It is terrible, the patches they have done are horrific, I thought at one place it was gonna dump me off my scoot! Real bad... wait a few years!
Went by a light house and had to take a pic or two....
Rest of trip was about the same 'til I got away from the coast... I took a pic of the Moro bay rock, all you could see was a little bit of the bottom..... but I went down 1!!!
Hey! I made the Kaw pasture! Across the way is Slots nice looking scoot parked under the trellis...
And in rides Jim S!
... and Cat...
Mac Guy chatting on the phone....
I got a tickle out of Skid having his ROK kickstand plate under his wing.... I later learned there was a good reason for it, tho not all scoots did it. The parking lot was new and maybe kinda soft... I didn't notice...
Nite Lites nice looking scoot...
The best part of the rally, the Kaw Pasture... folks chatting and having fun... Laura, Slots, Mac Guy, Skid and Nite Lite.
Linda, Cat and Sandy
Jim S and Don VSP
Day 2 6/23
This is kind of day -1 for the rally, I got there early and think I will do so in the future, it's real nice to get there, get moved in and settled before the rally really starts....
I had asked the front office what the free breakfast was and it was coffee and a sweet thing, pastry type, I said, now where can I get some food!!!??? GBG They said next door...
I wandered over and had breakfast, and almost done and Skid came over and called me an antisocial SOB! He knows me quite well!!! GBG
They had just come in and got a table, got my cup and joined Skid, Sandy and Sherm for a while...
After breakfast we headed next door to see what the free stuff was, hey it was free!!! Not that I needed any sweet treats, but free???? Slots was there chatting with......
B from E.
Everyone had to take a look and see what was to be had...
This is our hotel, the little red booth had a swinging door and you could step in and get your pic taken... I made it later...
The motel managers in the background, not sure of the ladies name but Rick V is a new VROC member and has a Voyager, with B from E, Howard and Lanny.
Sherm bought Jim S Mean Streak, and was ready for a ride. He said pulling an empty trailer made no sense... GBG
Sandy and Skid ready to roll...
Penmaker and Mac Guy waiting for the group...
The ride leader today was Jim S and he was out for a long and twisty run!!! Over 200 miles....
Mongrel on the move!!!! Thanks for the "hint"!!!!!
And Lanny.
Kasey was along for the run....
I saw this turn off for a view stop and thought, why not, I was out for run by myself, not much, bit over 100 miles... Took 246 out of Solvang to 154, which curves around to Santa Barbara, then on 101 to 1 and over to Lompoc and took 246 out to where it dead ends at a train station and beach area.
And I was greeted with closed gates..... Well, I stopped and by golly I was gonna take a pic!
Nice lake and worth the time....
This is how far I had to walk, but I needed the exercise anyway....
After following 154 around, it started down hill to Santa Barbara, and FOG!!!!
Just before getting on 101, I took a shot of where I was, and put on my warm gear, again, think I almost wore the stuff out!
This is where 246 ends, the Lompoc train stop on the beach.
And of course FOG!! Stuff just was following me, sigh...
Join the "no rules" club..... geez....
They had shark warnings.....
Guess a surfer had a run in with a great white, sigh....
So I'll do something different... eat my sandwich by the foggy beach....
Solid steel in a sand dune, don't know what it was but it wasn't going anywhere! Finished my lunch and headed back to the motel
And was greeted by Teri! She sure can ride that scoot of hers! And it is a nice red one!
Phil T buying raffle tickets, and I think he almost won everything at the raffle! Good for you!!!!
Teresa and Phil/Einstein.
Teri's nice scoot! Where ever she went, she drew a crowd, think some of them were even interested in the scoot! GBG
Phil got here in time to get the penthouse! Don VSP had to check it out.
Folks in the Kaw pasture having a good visit. Einstein was cleaning Teri' scoot with some new stuff, Purple Slice, apparently a great detail cleaner. Have to try some, after 5+K miles, I need something!!!
Teresa and Don VSP visiting.
Laura and Howard, think Laura was a bit chilled! It DID cool down at night!!!!
Some very talented VROC'rs donated some things for the raffle, I bought this and have it hanging in my entry way! Thanks for doing this Rabbi!!! It will be long remembered!
The pic at home in my entry way.....
Well, a few of us had to check out the Pent House!!! Nice stove and sink! And a little fridge.
Nice patio...
Dish settings....
Eating nook,
Microwave and dresser! Phil lucked out!!!!
I think Teri is saying, I like this!!! GBG
Later it was time for the booth pic! (thanks to Einstein!)
After a warm up.... GBG (thanks to Einstein!)
Teri liked this guy! (thanks to Einstein!)
Day 3 6/24
Bunch of us headed out to breakfast, Teri always had a camera and looking for shots, chatting with Kasey.
Getting ready to head across the street.
Big decisions being made.....
This is my favorite travel meal, goes down good and sticks well.
Teri clowning with the mirror at the free breakfast place.
Then on to the Kaw tent to test drive a Nad.. Teri having some fun...
Ready to go... it drove / rode real nice... when they fix the bags, and get some good colors..... hhhhuuuummmmmmmm... You deserve a break today.... maybe some day...
After the test drive, we joined the group at the motorcycle museum.
It looks like a large portion of our group is here.
A four banger!
These radial engines always amazes me....
Some of the folks having a rest after looking at all the nice old scoots.
After the museum, I decided to take a walk, and look for some Ice Licorice, great stuff! I thought about a loaner... nnnnaaaaaaa....
The building were nicely decorated.
I found my Licorice and headed back to the motel. Lanny was talking up a ride and then Skid... and we all just got together and rode off!
Well we're out in the middle of nowhere and Mr GPS is reading signs... not good! GBG Looking for a winery...
A bit of a close up, where do you want to go???!!!! It lead everywhere!
Skid logically followed a party truck to where we thought the winery would be, we went miles out into a vineyard, come to a gate and the truck wants to back up... we're all aimed down.... get 'um all around and go back and take the other fork...
We finally asked for directions... we took a turn off a tad early and back on the road.
And we make it to the Zaca Mesa Winery.
Where they have a real big chess set!! Dad check mated his son in two moves, next move... rook out and rook down to checkmate....
Teri wanted to play too!
Teri and Sandy looking at a map... the back light got to my camera a bit....
Nice place! Yes, I was a good boy and stayed off the sauce...
Finally got a pic of Mongrel on the left.
Beware the ticket lady cometh!!!! GBG Linda selling raffle tickets! Howard's entire family is into solving breast cancer!! Great on Ya all!!!
Phil T and Slots having a chat....
Day 4 6/25
On to breakfast, we had a wait, I convinced Teri this was an old Vulcan! GBG
Teri and Phil T getting ready to eat.
Skid was going to take on a run and why not! He was going to a scenic overlook.... remember the locked gate? I just stayed in the left turn lane and waited for them to come back out, sigh..
So we go down the road to the next place and off we go to take some pics.
Nice country side views.
The lake is out there... the one I shot earlier...
We came, shot and off we go....
Back down to the parking lot... I looked behind me and wanted a shot there also..
Nice! While I was there, there was a young man on a crotch rocket on the phone, and it sounded like he was having trouble. I asked him what was the problem, he said he was out of gas.
Well, I carry 2 - 1.5L of gas just for times like this, and say wait a minute... Walk over, grab my gas and Skid is following me with his camera.... you HAVE to go to his blog and see this!!!!! (Sorry, I had to steal this one, unbelievable....)
I offer him the gas....... hope you're sitting down.... he asked me if it was 91 octane?????!!!!!!!!!!!! Skids pic has my chin back in some normal position after it hit the parking lot!!!! It's a short scroll down.....
This "genius" was worried about coasting downhill for 5 miles with 87 octane and the gas has Seafoam in it which he probably needs!!!! This still hurts my head!!!
For one of the few times in my life, I was speechless, mind numb!!!! The group was in disbelief. I wonder what the odds of the tow truck driver were of having 91 octane? And if the kid asked, what do think he would say? Geez......
So on to our next destination, the Cold Spring Tavern, a very old one out in, well of course, no where! This was another of the spots where Teri drew a big crowd.
Treasures 'n Trash... I like honesty! GBG
And on to the Lavender farm!
Teri is being camera shy! GBG Lanny and Sherm wanted a "pensive" pose by the lavender.... and gave Teri their camera's to take a pic.....
How could I resist a pic too? Sherm was sitting on an old iron tractor seat, I remember 'um well!
Pensive is IN!!!!
The tree in front of my scoot is a 350 year old Live Oak tree!
Inside the little sales shop.....
Skid and Sandy chatting with the sales lady.
We have statues!
This was a great rest stop!!! The weather was beautiful and life is good!
We sat for quite a while just enjoying the day! Well, enough and some folks wanted to "horse around", and off we go to......
The Quicksilver Miniature Horse Ranch, the little ones were very young!
Note, I'm shooting down.... real small, but real cute!
And real hungry!
Next skid took us for a run over the worst road I've ever been on!!! Twisty and bumpy! After we stopped, I called for a parts check to see if everything was still attached! This road would make Don VSP roads look smooth!!!
Next is the finale... The food and raffle... I don't eat supper so come late and take some pics... I'm just walking down the tables taking pics....
The star table, these folks have done a bunch for this rally! Thank you!!! Jim, Cat, Laura and Linda.. Howard is down the row....
Here's Howard!!!
Teri with that very nice smile!
And we have food left over! Taken back to the motel and shared, not wasted!
A very nice layout! The raffle goodies in front....
Looks like Howard is snacking and Teri is having a laugh with Sandy.
Let the raffle begin! Phil T almost won it all.. and I got the winner... later...
Back at the motel, saying our good byes and feeling the finish to another great rally!
So..... what do you want to win, when on the road and packed??? How about a case of oil? And buying a great painting????!!!! I got 'er done!!! Told Howard, I'm gonna do it!!!!
A happy Howard! (he didn't have to take my oil home!!! GBG) You and your family did great my man!!!
Wes H and Phil T resting from the event.....
Folks having their last visit for this rally, it really is emotional, a sense of loss.. and hope for the next one!
The Stars!!! Linda, Jim, Cat, Howard and Laura, God Bless and thank you for your years of helping the breast cancer mission, And Jim and Cat for this event!
An extremely great run, I just can't say enough!!! Wow is not enough....
Day 5 6/26 and home bound, sigh....
Slots getting packed...
Hey Howard!!! I got 'er done!!!! Just a bit squeezed for space.... GBG
This is for Don VSP.... recognize this place???!!! Yup, Colinga Chevron...
Another Don VSP pic.... "the tree", about 40 miles south of Holister on 25, our "stop"!!! GBG
My first day back I rode my favorite route.
http://dadfunrides.blogspot.com/2010/03/san-jose-arc-bernal-19-mi-loop.html
Take a look, it is a great trail, and you can see what I have to "put up with" in the big city!!!! GBG
