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Perry and I set off to do Grapevine, Old Culp and whatever we decided after breakfast in Borrego Springs yesterday. I left the house a little early and took 67, Old Julian, Wynola, in to Julian, and gassed up at that little station at the end of Julian. While there a cyclist was bummed as the air pump wasn't working, so I pulled out the DynaPlug pump and got him set up before heading on to meet Perry on Banner grade. I like to enter Grapevine from the banner side, I believe the entry part is called Sentenac Canyon, but it does link up with Grapevine after some distance on the sand wash. Today the conditions on Grapevine weren't terribly sandy, Old Culp was also not terrible but both have enough turns, bumps, ups downs, ruts, and fluffs for Perry to have been very excited about the new steering stabilizer on his 500. We got through Grapevine and Old Culp with no issues to speak of and time to spare, so we headed in to Borrego Springs. The photographer pdmotophoto was on Montezuma so he caught us on our way in to town, I'm waiting to get the shots. Lunch at the Red Ocotillo, and the plan was to hit up Font's Point to get more steering stabilizer review for Perry, and it's just a nice sand practice wash. We get almost 90% of the way to Font's Point (the turnaround point) And I see Perry doing this on his new-to-him ktm 500: Bike won't start, lights don't come on, the little gauge with the readout flickers and flutters. Perry reported that the bike cut out engine and all, this probably rules out jumping, or roll start. So both of us are fiddling with wires behind the headlight from recent blinker mods etc, and checking everything else, and I mention I have the Buddy Tow Strap. Both of us knew it was an option but considering where we were, also figured it would be quite an adventure to use that option, a motorcycle towing a motorcycle for over three miles down a true sand wash. So we looped up the buddy tow strap, my left peg to his right peg, and off we went, I sure wish I had pictures of this but it took focus. Our Sena's don't connect right now (I think this is an issue with mine), so we were just in the zone for those 3+ miles. I'd peek in the mirror 1 second for about every second watching the way, and would see Perry Balancing with his right leg poking straight out and he was being dragged over tracked up sand floofs, and I was also focusing on balancing, appropriate speed, and making sure I could stop if he was going over. This was actually pretty fun, and we both were pretty amazed at how well that worked out, might make a fun challenge completion at a moto event. Now having gotten ourselves "Off the X" and to the Casualty collection point, I hopped on the 690 Street Queen and headed off to Banner Grade to find the Minty Fresh 1st Gen Dodge Turbo Diesel Dually, and Load the 690. As it would turn out, the 690 is not as light as the 500, but the hitch hauler works well, and man that Dodge is nice. AC Blows cold, upgraded stereo, stick shift the way a old truck should be, and the lustful gaze of 100% of the human males I passed on my way back to Font's Point. Got back, dropped the 690, loaded the 500, High fives, and we were on our way home. Great riding in the morning, Perry was very at home on his 500, well I mean I assume he was, I didn't see him much after we pushed the go buttons. Same on font's Point, so I think the 500 is going to be awesome as soon as the power situation is addressed. Twice yesterday pdmotophoto caught us with his lens on Montezuma, still waiting for the scribble-free versions of the images. Part of the reason I love the 690, and have not gone 'full skinny' is I do enjoy the slab part as well. My 690 is a 2018 and I'm close to 12k miles on it, my Multistrada is a 2018 and barely has 9k - safe to say I like the big thumper a lot. Apparently it also tows skinnier bikes really well. When you tally up the riding of the day, lots of great roads. Old Julian, Wynola, Banner Grade, Grapevine, Old Culp, Montezuma, Font's Point, Yaqui Pass, Banner Grade, Montezuma, Old Julian, etc. We are lucky to have the back yard of roads that we all do - Nick