Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.
Day -1 - met Linda's online chum at LA
Day 00 - Welcome meet, briefing. 3 Aus, 2 Catalans, 17 Frenchies. Hmm.
Day 01 - Bike collection, I-405 traffic. =8-0
Day 02 - Joshua Tree NP then Laughlin, NV. :-(
Day 03 - Route 66 cliches, Grand Canyon sunset.
Day 04 - GC helo ride, Monument Valley Navajo tour. Wow.
Day 05 - 380 miles through Utah. Moki Dugway. More wow.
Day 06 - Down I-15 to Vegas. Leaving party. Much hooliganism. 42degC.
Day 07 - Day off. Newbies arrive.
Day 08 - Death Valley to Bakersfield.
Day 09 - Off to Yosemite. Wow.
Day 10 - West to SF. Priest grade road. SF hills nearly killed clutch.
Day 11 - walk to Chinese restaurant nearly killed me.
Day 12 - Down PCH to Monterey. Lovely.
Day 13 - Onto Pismo beach.
Day 14 - Back to LA via Santa Monica pier. Bike returned. Leaving do.
Day 15 - Bag reorganisation.
Day 16 - Depart LAX - check in shambles.
Day 17 - Arrive LHR, minus two bags.
Day 18 - Two bags arrive chez moi.

Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
Me likey lots.
Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.

Pros: super routes, accommodation more than acceptable. Great bunch of
people, guides excellent.
Cons: long days, group a bit too big. Especially at fuel stops.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
> Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.
> Day -1 - met Linda's online chum at LA
> Day 00 - Welcome meet, briefing. 3 Aus, 2 Catalans, 17 Frenchies. Hmm.
> Day 01 - Bike collection, I-405 traffic. =8-0
> Day 02 - Joshua Tree NP then Laughlin, NV. :-(
> Day 03 - Route 66 cliches, Grand Canyon sunset.
> Day 04 - GC helo ride, Monument Valley Navajo tour. Wow.
> Day 05 - 380 miles through Utah. Moki Dugway. More wow.
> Day 06 - Down I-15 to Vegas. Leaving party. Much hooliganism. 42degC.
> Day 07 - Day off. Newbies arrive.
> Day 08 - Death Valley to Bakersfield.
> Day 09 - Off to Yosemite. Wow.
> Day 10 - West to SF. Priest grade road. SF hills nearly killed clutch.
> Day 11 - walk to Chinese restaurant nearly killed me.
> Day 12 - Down PCH to Monterey. Lovely.
> Day 13 - Onto Pismo beach.
> Day 14 - Back to LA via Santa Monica pier. Bike returned. Leaving do.
> Day 15 - Bag reorganisation.
> Day 16 - Depart LAX - check in shambles.
> Day 17 - Arrive LHR, minus two bags.
> Day 18 - Two bags arrive chez moi.
>
> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
> Me likey lots.
> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.
>
> Pros: super routes, accommodation more than acceptable. Great bunch of
> people, guides excellent.
> Cons: long days, group a bit too big. Especially at fuel stops.

Fab!

Too bad you didn't make it down to Turby's patch. Some great
rides in the mountains east of there.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

> Day 00 - Welcome meet, briefing. 3 Aus, 2 Catalans, 17 Frenchies. Hmm.

17 too many people.

>
> Pros: super routes, accommodation more than acceptable. Great bunch of
> people, guides excellent.
> Cons: long days, group a bit too big. Especially at fuel stops.

You should have taken the UKRM approach, scatter gun at te start or each day

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On Thursday, 16 June 2022 at 23:43:48 UTC+1, Salad Dodger wrote:
> Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.
<snip>

Sounds great.

Many years ago (19) I hired a Harley of some description (really can't remember
what, some big cruiser). Rode from San Diego to San Francisco taking in
a lot of the coast road. Absolutely loved the ride, not so sure about the bike, it
just didn't work for me; looked the part, sounded nice but the airbox vibrated
off my right knee.

Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, and Monterey were all memorable.

Would love to do it again really. And I've got all the time in the world but...
dammit this time *I'd* have to pay for it. (last time I did pay for the bike hire
and fuel but I think I expensed the rest).

On 17/06/2022 11:25, Stephen Packer wrote:
> On Thursday, 16 June 2022 at 23:43:48 UTC+1, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.
> <snip>
>
> Sounds great.
>
> Many years ago (19) I hired a Harley of some description (really can't remember
> what, some big cruiser). Rode from San Diego to San Francisco taking in
> a lot of the coast road. Absolutely loved the ride, not so sure about the bike, it
> just didn't work for me; looked the part, sounded nice but the airbox vibrated
> off my right knee.
>
> Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, and Monterey were all memorable.
>

Ah, yes. My summer of 2007.
Flew the XJR to New York. Spent 3 months pissing about the states.
Route 66 (just about every fucking bit of it).
Vega (urrgghh)
Grand Canyon
Lake Haversu
LA .. hmmmm
San Fran
PCH
Yosemite, Shasta, Crater Lake, Yellowstone
Sturgis
More parks and camping
Tail of the Dragon
NY & home

It wasn't long enough

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 6/16/2022 3:43 PM, Salad Dodger wrote:
> Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.
> Day -1 - met Linda's online chum at LA
> Day 00 - Welcome meet, briefing. 3 Aus, 2 Catalans, 17 Frenchies. Hmm.
> Day 01 - Bike collection, I-405 traffic. =8-0
> Day 02 - Joshua Tree NP then Laughlin, NV. :-(
> Day 03 - Route 66 cliches, Grand Canyon sunset.
> Day 04 - GC helo ride, Monument Valley Navajo tour. Wow.
> Day 05 - 380 miles through Utah. Moki Dugway. More wow.
> Day 06 - Down I-15 to Vegas. Leaving party. Much hooliganism. 42degC.
> Day 07 - Day off. Newbies arrive.
> Day 08 - Death Valley to Bakersfield.
> Day 09 - Off to Yosemite. Wow.
> Day 10 - West to SF. Priest grade road. SF hills nearly killed clutch.
> Day 11 - walk to Chinese restaurant nearly killed me.
> Day 12 - Down PCH to Monterey. Lovely.
> Day 13 - Onto Pismo beach.
> Day 14 - Back to LA via Santa Monica pier. Bike returned. Leaving do.
> Day 15 - Bag reorganisation.
> Day 16 - Depart LAX - check in shambles.
> Day 17 - Arrive LHR, minus two bags.
> Day 18 - Two bags arrive chez moi.

Not bad. I'd make a few changes if I was the navigator. Route 66 is
famous, but boring. No idea why Laughlin and Bakersfield were on the
list. There are much better alternatives. The road from Congress through
Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, and Flagstaff is excellent. Going direct from
LA to Vegas on the 15, though, takes you past the cool ghost town of
Calico, and the tallest thermometer in the world in Baker.
Not sure how you got to Yosemite. You could just shoot up the Central
Valley past Fresno. Going up the east side of the Sierras to Mono Lake
is nicer, or you could zigzag up the western foothills from Lake
Isabella through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Mo fun.

Wish I had a few more years to sort a WestUSA Mototour Chattel.

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

On 18/06/2022 02:12, Turby wrote:

>
> Not bad. I'd make a few changes if I was the navigator. Route 66 is
> famous, but boring. No idea why Laughlin and Bakersfield were on the
Yep, can't disagree with that.

> list. There are much better alternatives. The road from Congress through
> Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, and Flagstaff is excellent. Going direct from
> LA to Vegas on the 15, though, takes you past the cool ghost town of
> Calico, and the tallest thermometer in the world in Baker.

Oooh, I thik we missed tat one ..... must go back ... not ....

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On Fri, 17 Jun 2022 18:12:07 -0700, Turby <xsurf@xmail.com> wrote:

>On 6/16/2022 3:43 PM, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> Day -2 - check-in at LHR simple and fast.

>
>Not bad. I'd make a few changes if I was the navigator. Route 66 is
>famous, but boring.

Tourists have expectations.

>No idea why Laughlin and Bakersfield were on the
>list.

Laughlin because it's halfway between Palm Springs and the Grand
Canyon, and can take 26 people easily (and cheaply)

> There are much better alternatives. The road from Congress through
>Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, and Flagstaff is excellent. Going direct from
>LA to Vegas on the 15, though, takes you past the cool ghost town of
>Calico, and the tallest thermometer in the world in Baker.
>Not sure how you got to Yosemite.

We were supposed to go via Mammoth Lakes, but the road from there to
Yosemite was snowed in. Bakersfield is the emergency replacement
destination.

>You could just shoot up the Central
>Valley past Fresno.

We did. Dull as a dull thing.

> Going up the east side of the Sierras to Mono Lake
>is nicer, or you could zigzag up the western foothills from Lake
>Isabella through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Mo fun.
>
>Wish I had a few more years to sort a WestUSA Mototour Chattel.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On 16/06/2022 23:43, Salad Dodger wrote:
>
> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
> Me likey lots.
> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.

I briefly thought that was the price of your holiday, and was somewhat
sweary.

Slight less sweary when I realised it was the price of the bike. Not
much less, mind.

--
Eddie eddie@deguello.org

On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:36:44 +0100, Eddie <eddie@deguello.org> wrote:

>On 16/06/2022 23:43, Salad Dodger wrote:
>>
>> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
>> Me likey lots.
>> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.
>
>I briefly thought that was the price of your holiday, and was somewhat
>sweary.

I thought that too! And then thought I don't care what other people
spend their money on

>Slight less sweary when I realised it was the price of the bike.

Ah. That makes much more sense

--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:36:44 +0100, Eddie <eddie@deguello.org> wrote:

>On 16/06/2022 23:43, Salad Dodger wrote:
>>
>> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
>> Me likey lots.
>> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.
>
>I briefly thought that was the price of your holiday, and was somewhat
>sweary.

It was spendy, but not ridicu-spendy.
Tour cost was just north of USD11k, inc 3 extra days at LA, and *all*
the insurances.
We were away for 20 days.

Then there were the flights, and spending money.
Oh, and CoVid tests, and a car to and from LHR.
>
>Slight less sweary when I realised it was the price of the bike. Not
>much less, mind.

Get a 117ci CVO Road Glide for just £39,795, then.
Choice of colours.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On 22/06/2022 13:27, Salad Dodger wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:36:44 +0100, Eddie <eddie@deguello.org> wrote:
>
>> On 16/06/2022 23:43, Salad Dodger wrote:
>>>
>>> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
>>> Me likey lots.
>>> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.
>>
>> I briefly thought that was the price of your holiday, and was somewhat
>> sweary.
>
> It was spendy, but not ridicu-spendy.
> Tour cost was just north of USD11k, inc 3 extra days at LA, and *all*
> the insurances.
> We were away for 20 days.

Clearly that's still expensive, but not so ridiculous for a three week
holiday.

> Then there were the flights, and spending money.
> Oh, and CoVid tests, and a car to and from LHR.
>>
>> Slight less sweary when I realised it was the price of the bike. Not
>> much less, mind.
>
> Get a 117ci CVO Road Glide for just £39,795, then.
> Choice of colours.

Envious Green Fade, Blue Steel, or stump up an extra £2700 for Wicked
Orange Pearl? Thanks, but no.

--
Eddie eddie@deguello.org

On 22/06/2022 15:32, Eddie wrote:
> On 22/06/2022 13:27, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:36:44 +0100, Eddie <eddie@deguello.org> wrote:
>>
>>> On 16/06/2022 23:43, Salad Dodger wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Bike: 2022 Road Glide Limited 114ci.
>>>> Me likey lots.
>>>> Me no likey to the tune of £28095, though.
>>>
>>> I briefly thought that was the price of your holiday, and was somewhat
>>> sweary.
>>
>> It was spendy, but not ridicu-spendy.
>> Tour cost was just north of USD11k, inc 3 extra days at LA, and *all*
>> the insurances.
>> We were away for 20 days.
>
> Clearly that's still expensive, but not so ridiculous for a three week
> holiday.

We have done 3 months for that amount :-)

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:25:03 PM UTC+1, YTC#1 wrote:

> We have done 3 months for that amount :-)

Yebbut, not everyone is happy sleeping with yaks.

--
WUN

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 1:27:03 PM UTC+1, Salad Dodger wrote:

> Tour cost was just north of USD11k, inc 3 extra days at LA, and *all*
> the insurances.

<Idle curiosity mode> Did you have to pay for fuel, or was that included?

--
WUN

On 22/06/2022 21:44, WUN wrote:
> On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:25:03 PM UTC+1, YTC#1 wrote:
>
>> We have done 3 months for that amount :-)
>
> Yebbut, not everyone is happy sleeping with yaks.
>
That's no way to talk about my wife!

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 22/06/2022 21:49, YTC#1 wrote:
> On 22/06/2022 21:44, WUN wrote:
>> On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:25:03 PM UTC+1, YTC#1 wrote:
>>
>>> We have done 3 months for that amount :-)
>>
>> Yebbut, not everyone is happy sleeping with yaks.
>>
> That's no way to talk about my wife!

Badoom-tish!

--
Eddie eddie@deguello.org

On 23/06/2022 04:44 WUN penned these words:
> On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:25:03 PM UTC+1, YTC#1 wrote:
>
>> We have done 3 months for that amount :-)
>
> Yebbut, not everyone is happy sleeping with yaks.
>

I guess as long as Bruce showers first the Yak won't mind to much

--
Ian

"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of
the last priest"

On Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:45:16 -0700 (PDT), WUN <nigel.eaton@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 1:27:03 PM UTC+1, Salad Dodger wrote:
>
>> Tour cost was just north of USD11k, inc 3 extra days at LA, and *all*
>> the insurances.
>
><Idle curiosity mode> Did you have to pay for fuel, or was that included?

Fuel, accommodation, National Park admission (five, iirc)[1], GC
helicopter ride, Monument valley guided tour, a welcome dinner,
leaving dinner, cold soft drinks/water (from a cooler on the trailer)
all day, a nylon riding jacket [2] and all breakfasts included.
Except for GC village (timing confusion - so we raided the picnic
supplies) and Pismo beach (don't do breakfast, so we went to Starbucks
just down the road, which was also included).

Cheap food is cheap in the US, food you'd eat off a plate, with
cutlery, less so. By quite a margin.

Was pleasantly surprised by Chick-Fil-A, though.

Assuming ~40 US mpg, that's 70 gallons, at mostly over $6 a gallon.

[1] Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Brice Canyon and Zion NP -
around $30 each.
[2] not breathable. It had developed its own personality by day 5.
Got to leaving it on the bike when we went indoors for lunch. Showered
with it twice, and gave it a proper wash in a machine at Monterey.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:32:07 +0100, Eddie <eddie@deguello.org> wrote:

>On 22/06/2022 13:27, Salad Dodger wrote:

>>
>> Get a 117ci CVO Road Glide for just £39,795, then.
>> Choice of colours.
>
>Envious Green Fade, Blue Steel, or stump up an extra £2700 for Wicked
>Orange Pearl? Thanks, but no.

The Limited has three different colour options.
Wicked Orange Pearl, Hightail Yellow Pearl, and Dante's Fade Red.

Plus, it means your top box, sorry, Tourpak, has only cost £2100.

Three of our co-travellers had a CVO Road Glide of some variety at
home, and one had a new DCT Wing.[1] Pauper.

Some others had never sat on a Harley before, let alone ridden one.

[1] talk about chalk and cheese.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On Thu, 23 Jun 2022 08:11:17 +0800, Boots
<news@millhouse-communications.co.uk> wrote:

>On 23/06/2022 04:44 WUN penned these words:
>> On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:25:03 PM UTC+1, YTC#1 wrote:
>>
>>> We have done 3 months for that amount :-)
>>
>> Yebbut, not everyone is happy sleeping with yaks.

>I guess as long as Bruce showers first the Yak won't mind to much

<applause>
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old