East Bay/Modesto - April 27, 2008

[Tyler]

Twas a small group and got even smaller as the day wore on, ending up with just moi and Dona. We met for coffee in Fremont and I was joined by Dona, Lyle, and we were swept by Michelle and her hubby, Richard, in their PT as they were meeting family in Modesto.

Sticker on Lyle’s helmet


Lyle’s head in his helmet


Lyle

[Tyler]

84/Niles Canyon - always have a soft spot for this road… my first solo ride twas up this canyon and into Sunol for a soda.


Corral Hollow - pictures don’t do the views justice – beautiful land out here!




Ride over was mellow and uneventful – Corral Hollow goes right by Carnegie and lots of folks had already gotten an early start on their dirt riding for the day!

[Tyler]

Once over the hill, we had to pull over and start to de-layer as the temp spiked upward. We continued to I5 for a couple of miles and then into Modesto via 132.



The Ladies Spring Event at Modesto BMW was well in progress when we arrived. I had the pleasure of meeting Kharon and Holly, as well as seeing some familiar friendly faces (Gail and Jim) and meeting some really great people. There was a fashion show and Holly had been roped into participating… to say she took to it like a duck to water was an understatement!!




Dona tries an RT on for size

[Tyler]

Richard checks out the Piaggio


Holly & Kharon


Holly’s license plate I think sums it up very nicely

[Tyler]

We headed out around 2 p.m. and the plan was to scoot down 5 to Del Puerto Canyon and up the backside of Hamilton and down the other side into San Jose. We had stopped to gas up just before getting onto I5 and when I went to start up Piggy, dead battery... hmmmmm... it's a brand new battery!! Jump started it, starts right up, must be a little glitch (yeah, I should know better!), on we go.

Del Puerto Canyon

[Tyler]

We were about 10 miles into Del Puerto Canyon when Piggy started acting hinky (yes, that's a real word... somewhere... :giggle). Surging then fine, sputtering then fine... I pulled over in a driveway to tell Dona that maybe we should go back... and then the bike just plain shut down... nothing... entire electrical system out... no start, no nuthin.

So here we are in the middle of nowhere and I'm thinking, well, I won't say what I was thinking cause it involves a lot of nasty words. Dona went up the road a bit to Frank Raines to see if maybe there was someone with a trailer that might be going our way. While I waited, I bided my time by taking a few photos of the area that was to be my resting place for a bit – at least it was beautiful countryside!





The only patch of shade around – and it was hot!


Don’t fence me in

[Tyler]

Down the driveway comes a truck from the house (that we couldn't see) over the rise. Asked if it would be okay if I used their house phone since there was no cell service out there, which they very kindly obliged. Said I could leave the bike with them overnight if I needed to... really nice folks! Was gonna have Dona ride me back 2-up and then figure out how to get a trailer back the next day sometime to get the bike.

The Matthews family lives up and over that driveway – nicest folks!!


Charlie gave me a ride up to the main house


I went back to the bike and find Dona talking to an older gent on an RT who had stopped to check on her and the bikes. He suggested checking the fuses (which I never would have thought of... I figured I had a bad alternator). We did and the 30v fuse that runs the ignition system/alternator was blown. Replaced the fuse, jump started the bike, back on the road with no more issues (yes, there will be some checking going on to see what might have caused that fuse to blow).

Given it was getting kinda late and I was supposed to be back for a birthday dinner with my sister, we backtracked the 10 miles of DPC and jetted up the freeway... ick! Not quite what I had envisioned for the ride home, although we did revisit Coral Hollow, but made it home in one piece.

[Tyler]

Coral Hollow the other way


Me and my shadow – Dona stuck with me to make sure Piggy and I got home okay


In retrospect, it's kind of amazing the way today's events transpired... I was thinking at the time, we made the wrong choice to not just take the freeway home... but it would have broken down no matter where we were riding and sitting on the side of I5 is not a pretty proposition... instead, the bike broke down in front of a driveway (rare out in the boonies!) on a very remote road with people home.

And along comes the one person who can troubleshoot a finicky British bike and get it resolved with a simple 30v fuse... that wouldn't have happened on the side of I5... I would've had to deal with the hassle of figuring out how to tow it home and probably would have replaced the alternator ($$)... so Mistress Fate was kind to us today and in all the excitement, I didn't even get Mr. RT Angel's name... but I send him good wishes and thoughts that in his time of need, he gets an angel of his own.

FIN