Please note that some of the pictures are not working as of yet. I have to host them on my photobucket. I know what pictures I want were so please be aware that this log is still under construction!  

Unless otherwise noted pictures are by Sunny. 

A newbie's take on an overnight

Do's and Don'ts

Don't believe ANY meterologist when he says light rain, you will have a down poor. Also the same goes when he says Slightly breezy. That is all a load of crap!

Do's no matter what the meterologist says it is a good idea to have warm and rain gear ready at hand.

Don't turn down a gift jacket offered by an experienced rider.

Do take it with a smile and say "You are a life saver I owe you one big time!"

Don't go on and adventure ride with Tyler unless you are fully prepared for an adventures because folks these are really truely adventures.

Do go on one. You have not lived until you have riden behind that big pig of hers as she takes you into the unknown. It is the best experience ever.

Don't scoff at the following pictures and write up.

Do enjoy it... :)

So that everyone knows this ride was put on by Tyler, president of Dangerous Curves, a Womens Motorcycle Group to which I am a member and happily so. You can veiw their websit here (Yes shameless plug) http://www.dangerouscurves.org/

Moving on to the adventure!

My riding weekend actually started on Friday April 13th, 2007. The meet spot for the big ride was in Fremont and I did not feel like waking up way to early to ride over so Cara kindly opened up her abode for me to stay the night. Prepared this time with a Cortech Tail bag full of hopes and dreams I head off to work. Wearing my leathers I had to change but that was no big deal. Changed to work clothes then back again as the day ended. I met up with Cara and Scott then headed to dinner. Sushi. I don't think I will ever have a craving for this but as long as they have cooked chicken I am good. Dinner was fun, I had a great time chatting with Cara and Scott. We even put in a call to our fearless leader Tyler.
Tyler is a great woman and a great leader. She was concerned right off the bat, not about the sushi but me. While talking to Cara she was interested in my riding and weather or not my skills would be up to par. I was not offended by this. On the contrary I was greatly appreciative of this gesture as I consider myself a newbie to riding. Cara believed in me which helped a lot too. Apparently I give myself less credit than I should. That though keeps me grounded and I will, dispite the others, still learn. It warmed me that these two great women believed in me and that I could do this. That is a great feeling to start a ride with. And thats how it went.

Ride started at 9am in the morning 8 if you wanted to chat while drinking coffee.. And of course it was at a starbucks!

Some of the faithful crew was already there. Our starting crew is twelve people.
From left to right
Donna, Scott 1, Sue, Scott 2, Cara, Sunny, Bill 1, CC, Nat, Real, and Bill 2. Tyler is taking the picture.

As we took out of the parkinglot it did start to sprinkle but it wasn't that bad. We took Niles Canyon out of the valley and onto our adventure!

From Fremont we went Nilse Canyon to 84 East took a Rt on S. Livermore. From there we went on Tesla/Corral Hollow to Tracy Blvd. Making a left there we headed to Hw 4 where we went right then on hw 5 to hw 4 again. This wasn't to bad dispite the sprinkles. From there we hit 99 north for a few miles until we got to the Waterloo exit where we stopped for gas and lunch!

The roads were beautiful at this point I believed the Meterologist in the light showers. It was great until it started getting to be not so light. Keep in mind that we are on the road. Tyke and I have never ridden in the rain before and I am in leathers! I am warm but getting wet!

We pull into Stocton for Lunch. There we meet up with 3 other riders, Lisa, Jan, Debra. Lisa and Jan are riding this beautiful Boluvard! That is one sweet bike!

Picture by Tyler


Lunch goes off without a hitch, as far as I know no one was upset at the food or service. The rain though. The rain seemed to have had a better idea of growth. It was POURING down rain in the middle of lunch. We hoped it would ease up by time we were done but no luck.

Picture by Tyler

So there I was... No rain gear. Just leathers. Tyler asked if I was going to be okay and I cheerfully said yeah! no problem! Idiot. That must have been a very blond moment because it was pretty stupid.

Either way we headed out on the rest of our journey. Everyone else had geared up for the ride in their rain wear. I am happy to report that I neither went down, died of hypothermia, or even caught a cold. No. Our esteemed leader, that rocks, saw me shivering in my leathers and pulled the whole group over just to check on me!! That was the best thing ever! I admitted now, smartly, that I was cold and by this time my skin was getting a little damp. Luckly there are heros among us! Tyler had an extra jacket in her bags and Scott 1 had a pair of rain slicker pants! I was a bit miss matched but definatly happier after this!

After lunch I kind of lost track of the roads I was more intent on keeping upright and dry. I heard that we didn't do all of the roads on the route but I am not sure which we did and which we didn't.  

The ride went smoothly for me after that. I am at this point happy to report that no one crashed, broke down, or otherwise came down with hypothermia or a cold. We all made it safely to Murphys. The only disapointments were that some of the roads we were on would have been sooo much better in the sun. So much more fun. That was the only saddening part.

It was a great experience riding in the rain. I learned from it and was able to keep control of the bike. Tyke did nothing that I didn't expect her to do.

We rolled into Murphys about 2:30pm soaking wet but with high spirits

Picture by Tyler

Pictuer by Tyler
(Scott, me and Cara)


Tyler decided to let her crew check in, get some rest, warm up a bit and change before the second part of the adventure would continue.

Picture by Cara
Wet helmits!

Wet gear wet gear, whatcha gunna do, whatcha gunna do... Dry it infront of the heater!


On to the wine tasting! So I don't have to keep interupting the flow of pictures I thought I would say here that I still haven't found a wine that I like. There was some good ones but I don't think that wine is for me.

Birthday girl Tyler ready to take on this sleepy little town!

Lucky man Scott!

The first place we went to is Lavender Ridge.

Picture by Cara
Tyler and I


Second place we stopped at is Hatchers
Follow the foot steps first!




Gotta go down the creepy tunnel first

The Lady Bug comes. Due to the sprinkles Nat purchased an umbrella from a local shop. Isn't it cute!

Nothing like wine and riding boots
Scott 2 and Scott 1 and sue show off their shoes of choice
 

Cheers!
 

Time to see if somethings up there!


Picture taken by an unknown person with Tylers Camera.

Same place, Picture by Kendal with Tyler's Camera
Me and Tyler

At Hatchers there was a path leading...to a wall

Tyler and Kendal

After this place we headed over to Twisted Oak Wine Tasting and sampled a few of their best along with some other entertaining bits and babbles...

Picture by Scott
Cara and some new friends...

She really loved those new friends... (picture by Scott)

Good Question

Debra says it all! (Picture by Tyler)

Picture by Tyler

On the door to Twisted Oak's Tasting room

The last wine tasting place we went to

Picture by Scott
Lisa, Jan, Cara, Debra and I

Picture by Tyler
Me and Debra

Cara trying to be Photo Ninja!

Dinner wasn't until 7:30pm that night and everything started to close around 5:30pm which would leave us two hours before we could get food. So Cara, Scott and I decided to try and find something to eat. Nothing was open but the Candy store... You know what they say about kids in the candy store right??? They are really sweet! :D

Picture by Cara

Some fun and artsy shots
Scott 2-

Flowers

After the tasting the group kind of split up. Those that wanted to rest a little bit before dinner and those that wanted to hang out. I went to rest. One of the ladies got a room in the hotel that had access to the balcony and from there you could see...

Picture by Tyler

Dinner! Dinner was held at Grounds. It was good food but more L.A. night life style food than I am used to. Certainly not a big menu or portions. I could have used more food but the company was great!

Scotts drink of choice (I still don't like the taste of beer either)

Tyler showing her true colors

Me waiting to get a shot, picture by Cara

Tyler went around with some confetti. We just played with it
Picture by Cara
me and Scott

Donna

CC and Donna

Picture by Bill with Cara's Camera
Aren't they just too cute!

After dinner we all headed back to Kendals room to have Tyler open a few more things

Two great tales-a-tellin

Audrey ready to crash

I C U Tyler!

There you is!

Long day. Time to crash! And Crash I did! (Picture by Cara)

Day two dawned bright and beautiful. Just a little chilly. It was time to ride! Our esteemed leader was not going to let her troops dawdel (hehe) we had to be up, gassed, and ready to ride by 9:30am! We managed though!

Picture by Steve
Scott 1, Sue, Bill 2 and I

Picture by Cara
Scott and I waiting to leave

People were taking a bit of time to get orgainzed so I was playing with my camera and Lisa's bike...

It was just like a fun house I swear!

Really it was soo shiney!

Picture by Cara
Pimping Scott out just for the picture
Jan, Scott, Lisa and me

Picture by Steve
Me waiting to leave to get gas


Picture by Steve
(Cara and I)

Picture by Tyler
Birthday girl gear, she molted all the way home!

Picture by Tyler

Picture by Steve

On the road waiten for that poser moment (picture by Tyler)

LUNCH!


Picture by Cara
Scott, CC and I

Ohhh man by time Tyke and I got home she was reallllly dirty!
Right side Pipes

Dirty dirty dirty girl!

I had to give her a bath then and there! So she is now clean

And after all of that-