SnailDarter 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Not much of a ride report, but here goes. First I had great plans for making it out to visit Crawdaddy over New Years with the family. Got the oil changed on the KTM and the kids TTR125 and cleaned up the air filters too. But then there was going to the movies with friends for one, and a sleepover for the other, and, and, and. Too many excuses and not enough riding. So Sunday bright and early I saddled up the GS1150 to head out to Superstition to drop in on Chris. I left about 7am and wanted to get there ASAP to hopefully catch them still napping, or at least still drinking coffee, so I got down to the 8 and went out that way instead of going out 78. Did I mention it was COLD that morning - even with the heated grips on full blast it was cold and a bit windy up at the top - but at least the road was dry and no ice. I rolled into Chris's camp and found Evan there. I think I missed the rest of the group by less than 15 minutes - DAMN. Here's a shot of the Crawdaddy camp. and I hung out, warming up, until they got back from their morning ride, chatted a bit, and then headed back toward home going up 78 this time to make a loop out of it. When I got past the Blu Inn I couldn't resist taking a left and going back into Spook Canyon. On the way over there a guy flagged me over to his camp wondering WTF I was doing out there on a 'street bike'. I told him of my intention to get to the canyon so he saddled up to 'help me pick it up' if needed. Here's a couple of shots I got him to take with the bikes in the canyon -- if I knew him better I would have had him get an action shot, it was actually easier riding the berms than wallowing through the bottom and he didn't have a kickstand on his bike. After that little detour it was smooth sailing up 78, going up Banner grade (pretty fresh pavement on that stretch) was fun although it was already getting cold up there and there was still wet spots and some snow on the sides of the road from the plows near the top. The rest of the trip was an uneventful run down the hill with lots of traffic. All told somewhere between 250 and 300 miles and a nice 'dads day' on the bike. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted January 7, 2009 I did that same stretch on the KTM on Fri/Sat through Banner. SOOOOOOO damn cold!!! Great pics Fred! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted January 7, 2009 On the way over there a guy flagged me over to his camp wondering WTF I was doing out there on a 'street bike'. Thanks for riding out Freddy......BTW, "WTF were you thinking riding a street bike out in the dunes at Stuper-Stition?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zracing 0 Posted January 7, 2009 When I got past the Blu Inn I couldn't resist taking a left and going back into Spook Canyon. I have been through there hundreds of times and never knew what it was called. Good times! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SnailDarter 0 Posted January 7, 2009 I have been through there hundreds of times and never knew what it was called. Good times! The guy I met called it 'slot car' but Crawdaddy taught me it was Spook Canyon. I figured I had weight on my side in case I found any oncoming traffic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pyro 1 Posted January 7, 2009 Not much of a ride report, but here goes. That was a good report and nice pix man. Crawdaddy camp looks 5-star for sure and that canyon looks badass. I don't think I've tried that one yet. Seriously though, what was going through your mind when you realized you were out riding sand dunes on a street bike??? mawAHAHAHAHAHAH that's great stuff ! In the photo his bike looks sorta like a moped next to yours. :lol: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluefin2na 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Did you hit the fog coming over the top? That was crazy cold right there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SnailDarter 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Did you hit the fog coming over the top?That was crazy cold right there No - didn't have any fog at all. There were some nice big dark clouds over Julian, thought I might even get hit by a shower, but no fog. The other thing which was interesting is in the AM going over on 8 it was REALLY windy for a bit (duh - up by the wind farm), but coming up 78 just before the S22 cutoff (going through the canyon) it was dead calm. I was expecting nasty wind there, but nothing which was a nice surprise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unclecameron 0 Posted January 7, 2009 I used to have an R1100GS and rode it down Diablo Dropoff and up to Ocotillo Wells, and then up through the sand washes to Borrego Springs with KTMRad, the 1150's a much better bike for it, the 1100GS is basically impossible to ride in sand 2-up, trust me. In the end, the diet BMW went on for the 1200 makes it much easier, not bottoming the suspension all the time like the 1100, which made loud crunchy sounds often when dropped off some ledge or something. training tip: Never forget to turn off the ABS BEFORE you go down Diablo Dropoff, there's some soiled shorts after I couldn't stop and dropped off about a 6 foot ledge, somehow managing to keep it together and continue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SnailDarter 0 Posted January 7, 2009 I used to have an R1100GS and rode it down Diablo Dropoff and up to Ocotillo Wells, and then up through the sand washes to Borrego Springs with KTMRad, the 1150's a much better bike for it, the 1100GS is basically impossible to ride in sand 2-up, trust me. In the end, the diet BMW went on for the 1200 makes it much easier, not bottoming the suspension all the time like the 1100, which made loud crunchy sounds often when dropped off some ledge or something.training tip: Never forget to turn off the ABS BEFORE you go down Diablo Dropoff, there's some soiled shorts after I couldn't stop and dropped off about a 6 foot ledge, somehow managing to keep it together and continue. That would have been fun to watch Yeah - I always shutoff and then check my ABS as soon as I hit dirt with a quick back tire skid. I've been toying with the idea of bypassing the back ABS permanently so I wouldn't have to do that, but just don't like the idea of messing with the system and I don't know how the front and back currently interact. It looks like you could go straight from the back reservoir to the brake, cap off the other stuff and be done..... I don't particularly like locking up the front on or offroad and don't use the back that much on road. Ah hell - just leave it alone.... Its just a pain to always have to Stop, turn the bike off, do the Ctrl-Alt-Delete contortion and restart while everyone else is merrily zipping up the trail. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pyro 1 Posted January 8, 2009 Ah hell - just leave it alone.... Yes that's some wisdom Cam. It's not about trying to make your bike be perfect (although mine is of coarse . . mawAHAHAHHAH). It's about perfecting the way you ride it, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTMrad 513 Posted January 8, 2009 You guys actually ride those big pigs in the desert ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
