ECDave

What I like is the sense of accomplishment when you make it through a tough section on a big bike. Everytime I read Zubb's writing, I feel the need to ride!

WOW!! thats a nice newish machine. is that Yamaha blue i see on the tank?

I started out early, bundled up for the freezing ride over the mountain. You know it's cold when the puddles are frozen over. 90 uneventful miles later I pulled off at Canyon Sin Nombre. Fun canyon number 1 was a good warm up, sandy enough to get my attention but not too difficult. one of those curvy sand washes where you get in it and go. at the end of the canyon, in the big wash intersection I went left and then right. I use an old phone and the Gaia app for a gps. turns out that the trails dont show up very well on it! Not knowing where I am going I entered into fun canyon#2. this is one of the deep canyons that for some reason I just cant get enough of. I guess they are my happy place! Wow! what a canyon, around every turn was another awesome view or another chance to dump it! I catch myself sight seeing and not paying attention to the front wheel. after the 35th time loosing the front end I finally relaxed and let the bike do it's thing. After what felt like 30 miles (big bikes are slow in the rough stuff,or it's me) it wasn't 30 miles, I got to the top of the wash and passed a sign that said Diablo Drop. I know enough about Anza Borrego that this is one of the places I need to visit. So I make the right turn and go see it. Wow! that's no joke! I can see why it has it's reputation. Someday when I am not alone I will attempt it, but not today! I met a fun group that was attempting to make it to Truckhaven , but lost one of their friends along the way. They were impressed with the size of my muffler and the fact that I made it out there. So not really knowing the best way out, I made the decision to return the way I got here. Running down the wash was better than going up it. At this point I was starving! I had a plan to attatch my lunch to the bike somewhere near the exhaust to heat it up but chickened out because I didnt want to loose it. So I waited until I got to the bottom of the canyon and pulled over to cook. It didnt work! the bike cooled down too fast. Oh well, cold lunch is better than no lunch. I really need to work on my riding food, last time all i had was cookies! After that it was time to head for home. I found Vallecito wash and knew from the last ride that this was my route out to the highway. going up banner was fun, I am getting more comfortable with the fast turns and there was very little traffic. Thats it for ride report #2 I think the pictures are getting better!

good to hear your o.k.

Big bikes at McKane? sign me up. I haven't been to that place in years.

Weather should be perfect, time to ride. I will be on a big bike, but anyone is welcome. looking at the Vallecito area.meet in East County or somewhere along the way. Japatul-Julian-Banner.let me know. Any skill level welcome.

Hey Zubb, i hear you cant ride very well in the dirt! (humor from a different post)

I have been enjoying ride reports on this forum for a couple of years now, and seeing that there is a need for new ride reports, I have decided to start doing some. I am sure it will be rides that most have taken so maybe seeing them from another perspective will be entertaining. A little background on me. I have owned a Yamaha Super Tenere for about 7 years now, wow time flies. I purchased it with the intent of torturing myself off road with it, just for the challenge. I fell into the commuting thing and never really went on many off road trips. I did all of the easy stuff-Bear Valley,Black Mountain,easy stuff incase I neeeded assistance since I didn't have any riding buddies. I decided it was time to ride some sand to see how I will do. I have been riding skinny bikes in sand for about 35 years and feel that I am fairly capable with them. Now time for the 600 pounder. My plan was to visit Blair Valley road as a member of SDAR recommended it as a good beginner to sand road. So off I go. I8 to Japatul, up to Julian and down Banner. All easy stuff except when I passed under the bridge at Japatul, a group of beemers was preparing to embatk on their ride. next thing I know, I am the unoficial leader of the group (in my own mind). not wanting to slow them down, i pushed a little harder than I normally would and made it to Julian in no time at all. After my new riding buddies blew past me on the lat straight away before town, I was back to riding solo. Thats fine, I was planning to ride alone anyway! So down Banner to the north entrance to Blair Valley. Looks fun! Off I go. I found this road to be quite scenic, but not challenging, I guess I underestimated my own abilities. It is pretty interesting to see that all of the campers were all packed together in one area instead of spreading out to enjoy the outside world. Maybe they should buy motorcycles. Maybe not! anyway back to the ride report. I exited the swap meet looking campground and headed south, I had a thought about a trail down near Ocotillo that I have always wanted to try. Just down the road from where I entered, I see a group of Jeeps on the side of the foad. Looks like a trail head, perfect spot to look at a new route. As I zip past the Jeepers , they look at me like I was some kind of alien! Whatever, doesnt look too hard for Jeeps out here. I look ahead and see a sign that says Deep Sand Ahead. Perfect!! Game on. I found out later that this is Vallecito Road. This amazing road had me feeling like a champion, 5th and 6th gear full speed ahead just look out for boulders! I came to a trail intersection that I think I have seen pictures of so I decided it was time for a rest. So I guess I can ride sand? I know, not the bad stuff yet. By now, I was getting a little hungry, Cookie time! Not really knowing the best way out, I decided to turn around and ride back out the way I came in. Once again, thinking I am special I was in 5th and 6th gear all the way out, feet up railing turns never feeling the nervous head shke or any other sand issues. So back at S2, I head south for Ocotillo. I know where I am headed, just before town, but I see the row of towers crossing the road and notice that there is a nice road following them. I make the left turn, still a ways from where I knew to turn. This road was extemely good for my sand ego! deep sand, rocks and woop de doos. Awesome, got a little squirly a number of times but my skills kicked in and I never dumped it!! If you look hard enough you can see the road under the power lines(I need to work on my photogtaphy skills) Back to the ride report. I made it to the route that I had originally intended to fide, and let me tell you, this is one of the best trails for big bikes that I can think of. It has everything you could ever want and more! fun flowy sand, rocks big enough to wreck your day, siltty uphills, bermed feet up corners , big wash outs and not alot of traffic! I only passed 3 people and there is good enough vision to see them coming. at the end of the trail, I decided to head north and visit the entrance to painterd gorge, I have always liked this spot, good scenery but too much trash from the visitors. Guess What? COOKIE TIME!!!! After a little rest and some water, I turned back the same way with the intention of finding a future camp spot, I still need to do that too! I need to get out more. I found a very interesting looking valley with some cool little rock canyons that I will return to. Time to go. I decided to super slab it up to the top of the hill, Jacumba, to visit the aliens on the side of the road. I have always seen them while passing by but never stopped to admire them. I was kinda let down by the condition of them. I intended to have my last cookie with them. now it is just alot of junk on the side of the road. I got over it and headed into Jacumba to do some looking around. I found some really old trains and had a cookie with them. After that, it was time to go so I rode old highway 80 back to Japatul, then super slabbed it to home. 250 mile day. Thanks for enduring this report, hopefully they get better as I go!

I worked with an individual about 25 years ago that kept a toilet in the trunk of his car. he would find unique locations to pull it out and take a picture of himself on it, pants around his ankles,reading a newspaper. Some sort of art thing he developed in prison! He even had a photo album in the trunk. remember photo albums??? I wonder if he moved north? Riding across those train bridges at speed is fun, you cant even feel the ties if you go fast enough!

all the cool guys ride motorcycles and eat cookies.

I have always admired the riders that go flying by at full throttle, but the riders that slow it down a little get to enjoy the experience in a different way and see the world around them. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Um, by the way sicko's a glory shot is a picture! keep it clean! It's not one of those web sites.

I can see the grin on your face when you get another glory shot -feet on the pegs ,full lock turn ,gravel flying, on a grom.

No secret on the train cars, I found them sort of by accident. I have seen some videos of the old hot spring resort in Jacumba, and since I was riding by I thought I would stop. I noticed a bunch of people past the building with paddle boards! That's odd seeing how we are pretty much in the desert. turns out that they are pumping the hot spring water into a big pomd behind the building. Seeing how it was time for a cookie, I continued up the road that turned off of Old Hwy 80 past the pond and it onnected with Railroad st. which dead ends at the tracks. The trains are located just west of the road. This is where it gets wierd. I dont go past no tresspassing signs. there are many located around all of the trains. There was a group of teenagers that were poking around in the train cars and I waited for them to finish before I took my pictures so I wouldnt be "that guy". They actually came over to talk to me and asked if I knew anything about the Institute of Perception that apparently owns the trains. They informed me that the institute allows people to "tresspass" as long as they do it respectfully? My take on it is that it is a long way to ride home with bullet wound! Thats why I dont tresspass! It is amazing the odd little things you find when you stop and smell the -- cookies? did I just come up with something new?

Pictures turned out great! This is what more people need to post on SDAR to return the site to the positive, fun, riding oriented content that we all come here for. Any time we can interject a little family into it is a bonus.

Always!!!

I am in. I look forward to being an entrant, but i am available to assist with anything before the event. I am sure there will be many others, they just need to visit the site 15 times a day like some of us!!

Count me in! I haven't shown the smaller bike any love lately so I will ride it.

i have been wanting to ride Anza Borrego but cant make this one. Any plans for the next one? I raced D38 back in 95-96. were you there?

Padu, i have a simple spin/gravity balancer that i can bring. i also have a big box of stick on weights if you are interested?

I have been "lurking" on this site for quite some time and decided to join in the fun. my name is Dave and I live in east county-not a lot of thought went into my user name!! I have been riding for 35 years, mostly off road but i did fall into the commuting rut! that is one of the major reasons for joining here, to find riding opportunities that don't involve commuting. i currently have 2 bikes, a Super Tenere and a KLX 400. I have been on a couple of group rides this summer and met some good people and was able to put faces to the user names on here. Looking forward to more rides and meeting more people.

also Lakeside, would love to join in.

wierdrider, it was back in May, a week before Memorial day. the Meetup ride. i was behind Burrito when you "didn't" fall down.

Zubb, i was (am) the guy on the blue Super Tenere on the way too hot ride a while back. i thought it was pretty cool to ride with you on one of my first rides with the community.

thank you both, i have enjoyed reading your posts for quite some time now. Weirdrider, i was one of the 28 on my first group ride!