49er Rally Ride Report - Long!

[Melena]

I'm finally rested.  What a trip!

We were going to leave on Thursday, May 27, but when I woke up it was pouring rain and it rained on into the middle of the day.  I checked the weather maps and saw it was headed right to where we'd have to ride.  It's one thing getting caught in the rain, but I wasn't going to start out in it.  So, we put it off for one day.  

Left Friday with a few clouds in the sky still and very cool.  I wore layers under my summer jacket with the liner in it.  We went up Mark West Springs Road which ends up on Petrified Forest Road and ends in Calistoga, one of our main travel roads.  It was really cold up there going over the hills and I was wondering if I'd worn the right jacket.  But it warmed up as we went down into Napa Valley, thank goodness.  As we rode down towards Napa the sky was an intense blue in between the white puffy clouds, and the hills were in 3D the air was so clear.  With green vineyards on each side of us and the high hills beyond this was a great start to the trip.

We were headed for State Hwy 12 which goes through the hills and across US Hwy 80 after a brief run on that super slab highway.  Hwy 12 then turns off at Suisun and is a pretty straight run across the Sacramento Valley.  Pretty boring, but any road across the Valley is.  Hwy 12 ends on Hwy 49 near Angels Camp (yep! of the Jumping Frog fame), but we want to get to Mariposa faster, so we head south on a road that takes us to Hwy 4 and Copperopolis where we take a break.  This is an old mining town and now is a touristy area with a new "old town" and the main place for the locals to shop.  There is a road that goes across along Lake Tulloch to Hwy 128 that heads toward Jamestown and Sonora with the turn off for Yosemite and Hwy 49 just up a few miles.  Better gas up in Jamestown and come back down to Hwy 49.  The first part is also the part that goes to Yosemite and is a smooth wide road.  But Hwy 49 takes off and immediately gets narrower.  (cont. below)

[Melena]

This is where Hwy 49 gets interesting.  And it got more interesting for me as we went along.  I take it easy on these roads but I had another reason to slow down.  I lost my clutch.    

I wasn't sure what the problem was.  I have never had anyone even mention to me what to do when this happens, especially on twisty curvy and steep hilly roads.  I was able to pull off enough to let a car go by but I was afraid to stop because I wasn't sure what the problem was and I didn't want to get stuck in this canyon.  Oh brother.  

Then a pickup got behind us and was being irate and honking the horn but I had no idea what to do but go forward.  I motioned to Larry, my riding partner, my problem and he backed off so he could guard me.  Then we came upon a very steep and very tight hairpin curve.  Oh brother, now what do I do?  I turn into it but I think I'm in 3rd gear.  Not going the right speed or in the right gear for a good turn.  Just as I'm going around it this jerk behind  us  decides to pass us on this blind hairpin curve and now I have no maneuvering room at all.  I end up in the dirt at the side of the road with my front wheel against the cliff and I'm on my side with the bike laying on top of me.  It all happened so fast and yet so slow at the same time.  

All I could do was curse and yell "Get this thing off of me!" , turn off the bike, and turn off the gas.  All I could think of was now I didn't  have to make a decision about stopping!   The decision was made.  Oh, and the guy in the pickup just kept going.  Larry was irate!  Luckily there was a bit of room on the side of the road here so Larry parked and jumped off his bike and was picking up my bike.  At that point I was able to get my leg over the seat and get up so I could help him.  Luckily I was fine.  Nothing hurt at all.  And the bike was fine too, except for the clutch.  But that was found and fixed really fast.    (cont. below)

[Melena]

The clutch problem was simple and now I know to check it frequently.  I don't know what it's called, but the clutch assembly where it's adjusted at the rear of the engine was the problem.  The nut had backed off and wasn't holding the clutch where it was supposed to be.  

A couple of people stopped before we knew what the trouble was and there was nothing they could do.  One was a flat bed tow truck but he had no way of helping at that point.  If we were there when he came back that way in 2 hours he'd pick us up.  And, there was absolutley no cell service or radio in that canyon.  Then one guy stopped and pulled over to fix his boat trailer  hitch.  He was a really nice guy and brought over the tools he had with him.  He had the perfect size wrench and everything was adjusted so I could get out of there.  Whew!  Thank goodness most people are nice.

The only thing that happened was the front fender broke and the little cafe fairing got busted up.  I didn't really like that fairing anyway, and the fender can be replaced.  The only other thing I found later was a bruise on my left leg above the boot.   It must have hit the cylinder.  

Now I just had to ride out of there.  I was a bit shaken up but there was nothing else to do.  With a little help I got myself together and got the bike moving.  I had a clutch now.   8-)  There was one more small hairpin turn and then we were at the top and onto better roads.  We only had about 10 more miles into Mariposa and the 49er Rally.

The rally was great!  About 500 people showed up from all over.  Not as many vendors as usual, but that was expected.  They had the normal Bier Garten and there was a Taco Truck there.  Sal's Tacos.  And they were goooooood!  Sal did an excellent job.  Some of the regulars weren't there, but Chris and Arley from BC were there so we had a contingent from the R65 forum.    

(Cont. below)

[Melena]

I know, this is getting long.  

The rest of the rally was making sure the bike was working right.  And I junked the fairing.  It was useless and too broken.  We didn't go on any rides while we were there.  It was a socializing event.  Lots of people and a great rally place.  Lots of camping on the grassy places and up the hill and flat places under the fairground animal buildings.   There was a couple of good bands which played throughout the days and evenings.

Then it was time to go.  And I had to go back over that part of Hwy 49 where I dropped the bike.   :-/  I had to do this - like getting back on the horse.  I could do it!  I made it past the hairpin turns, but I had lost my confidence, and the downhill narrow twisty road became really hard for me.  I don't even remember going over some of that road going up.  I think they lengthened it out while we were in Mariposa.   But we made it and finally made it out to the highway.  We continued north on 49 and went through Sonora and on to Columbia for breakfast (well, maybe it was lunch by then), back onto Hwy 49 and towards Angels Camp.  

Suddenly the traffic stopped.  Like an accident ahead.  But the traffic stayed bumper to bumper, stop and go.  Finally got to the Angels Camp Fairgrounds and we realized that the Calaveras Jumping Frog festivities had been over that weekend and we had caught everyone trying to leave.  OMG!!  It took over an hour to get through that mess and  through Angels Camp, and that included riding past everyone on the right and passing on the left a little, and moving very very slowly or not at all when there wasn't a way to get around.  And it was just a couple of miles.  Unbelievable.  Got through finally and went down Hwy 4 to Lodi where we got a place to stay.  I didn't want any more Memorial Day Weekend traffic!!!  The next day we headed home and ended up getting blasted by the wind until we got to Napa Valley.  Got home and immediately fell asleep!  Home again!  What a ride!

[Melena]

Pictures now!  

First, Chris from BC and I with the R65 Flag

The next 2 were these really cool K Bikes that this guy had rebuilt.  The cream colored one is for his wife.  The other one is sold to someone and he got permission to bring it to the rally.  These were incredible.  He wanted everyone to hear the red one, so when he went for a ride he took off on the road that goes by the fairgrounds and twisted up that throttle.  Wow!  That was an amazing sound coming from that K bike.   8-)  Note the red LED lights in the engine.  

[Melena]

A few more pictures.  

The quilt one Aïda will appreciate the most.  It's made from rally t-shirts.   I do believe this person was from British Columbia.

Then the John Deere Bike.  I love this paint job.   8-)

I hope this next one is visible.  I took some pictures of the Asphalt Trials.  This was the biggest bike to go through it.  The long wheelbase didn't help him any, but he tried and that's what's important.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Great story, Melena.  Thanks for typing it up!  I'm glad you weren't hurt.  You have my sympathy for being gun shy.


I LOVE the Dover White K(75?).  Very nice!

[Ed Miller]

Thanks for the report Melena, I was hoping you made it and would post it.  Sorry about the tip over, that always sucks even at low speeds.  Can your fender be repaired?  

Stop and go traffic is one of my nightmares.  Good thing you had your clutch fixed by then!

Somebody needs to get pics up of Arley, as she's the one who rides their R65.  And Rabid Transit fairings are always cool to look at.

[Melena]

Hi guys!  Yes, Rob, that is a K75.  He was just finishing that one up at last year's 49er so we got to see it then.   Now it's on the road and his wife is riding it.  She LOVES it!  

Ed, Arley was there and I did get a picture of her.  I'll post it up.  But, she doesn't have the R65 anymore - she passed it down to her daughter.  So Chris is still taking care of it.     They will be at Redmond, but the R65 may not be as her daughter is hoping to get on full time where she is now working part time and probably won't get the time off.    

 The fender?  Well, it broke right off.  Well, it was hanging on and vibrating like crazy so we broke it off the rest of the way.  I thought about bringing that part with me and try to fix it but decided I'd rather just invest in a whole good fender.  I actually found one already.  There was a vendor (Larry Stonestreet) at the rally and he sells used parts.  He thought he had a fender from a parted out R65.  It just needs to be painted as it is the champagne color and needs paint anway.  I contacted him when I got back and yes he does  have it.  For $75 plus shipping I thought it was a pretty good deal.  I checked prices online and found they are going for $150 to $225.     I think I'll go for this one.  Then I can pick Justin's brain about painting.    I should be able to do a respectable job.  Luckily it doesn't need any pin striping.    

Oh, and I also got some hand guards from this guy while there.  I've been looking for these.  He said he put these same ones on his wife's R65.  I told him to have her check out our forum.  

So, I get to paint those also.  Now to decide if I want them in black, or if I should do something fancy, like yellow and black stripes for my LilBee colors.   8-)

[Melena]

Oh, some additions to this that I just remembered.  

I really like riding without that fairing.  I found I don't get as much wind buffeting around the helmet.  That surprised me.  I'm glad it's gone now.  

The other thing I forgot to mention was the beer.  Now I'm not a drinker.  I like a good beer now and then, usually one at the 49er Rally every year when I know I'm just staying around the rally and not riding anywhere.  The Bier Garten didn't have many options - just the same-ol-same-ol.  But, there was  the Mariposa Brewing Company right across the street but on the same side of Hwy 49.  Someone had gone over and brought back a jug of their Mariposa Golden Amber, which I tried because that's my favorite kind.  OMG!  It was great!  I was impressed.  

So, we walked over there the next day during the heat of the day and into a nice air conditioned building.  So that's where everyone went!    It was crowded.  They had opened it up special for the rally goers and it was busy.  So we ordered our beers and I had a whole pint of the Amber all by myself.  And that is saying alot!  I'm such a whoos when it comes to drinking.  But I made it back to the rally across the road on my own 2 feet.    

If you ever get to Mariposa, stop by there.  They have only been in business a year and have their brews in a few restaurants around the area.  They are planning on getting it bottled soon and I will be looking forward to that.

Cheers!   [smiley=beerchug.gif]

[Chris_in_BC]

Hi Melena,

                    Great writeup. Arlie and I enjoyed meeting up with you and Larry. Glad all is OK with you and you made it home without further problems.

                    The picture of the bike with the quilt is indeed a BC bike belonging to Reinhard Bartel who is President of the Bee Cee Beemers Club that holds their annual rally in Nakusp BC each August. Great Location.

                     The picture of the John Deere painted bike was owned by the gentleman supplying us the very nice Amber Ale, who happens to be the editor of the Airmail magazine and originator of the AirHeads Club, B. Jan Hoffman,
                    
                      We had an uneventful 4 days home back up Hwy 395, thankfully no more snow like on the way south, and only one day of rain. A good 2700 mile trip to start the rally season.

                       Look forward to seeing you in Redmond.  

Cheers,
Chris

[Ed Miller]

I wondered if that was B. Jan's bike, but I figured other people could have the same paint scheme.  I've never met him.

[Melena]

Thanks Chris!  It was really good to see you and Arlie (sorry, I misspelled it earlier.  Oooo, bad me!) and I am sure looking forward to seeing you at Redmond.  

Thanks for adding that info about the pictures.  I figured you'd know who that quilt belonged to, and I thought it might be Reinhard.  I remember meeting him a couple of years ago at Auburn - quite a character.

Ghee, here I was partying with B. Jan, the "John Deere" bike guy and original Airhead guy and I didn't even know it.  That was sure generous of him to be sharing that Amber Ale around.  It certainly gave the Mariposa Brewing Co. more business.  

I'm glad your trip back up to BC was uneventful.  Arlie's story of the snow over Donner Pass on the way down to the rally sounded a bit "adventurous" indeed.    

[msbuck]

Great write-up Melena!  Sorry you had your trouble on the way up, though.  Some idiots....  and you pay the price...  

I know what you mean about hitting the rally and just enjoying being there instead of going off on rides.  We like to do rallies that way as well.  We get the riding in on the way up and back.  

Love the picture with the flag.  I'll add it to the flag photo gallery.
And the quilt - we had a gal make a quilt with old rally t-shirts a few years back.  They auctioned it off for charity - she said it was VERY difficult to sew up because of the different fabrics.  I think the stretchy t-shirt material doesn't quilt up with ease.  It is beautiful, though!  I had considered saving up my old t-shirts for a quilt...until I talked to her.  

Those K75s are fabulous as well! Love that classic look of the Dover white.  And the asphalt trials???  Never heard of such a thing.  It looks a little like my class....  8-)  

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!