If you like our site, please consider joining our club!
By joining you will help ensure that we can continue to provide this service
JOIN HERE!

Memories of a past ride

Post Reply
MikeL46
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:58 pm

Memories of a past ride

Post by MikeL46 »

Winter of 78/79

We had been camped in Death Valley and heading back to the SF Bay area - about 500 miles to ride. My wife was on the back of our R90S and Rick was riding his his R100S.

We had stopped in Mojave and noticed the skies were not looking friendly. So, we decided to get moving. As we started up Tehachapi Pass snow flakes started coming down, worse, we noticed cars coming down had white bumpers and grills. Then a CHP officer did a real double-take as we passed. If you don't know the CHP those officers are trained not to let anyone know they've bee seen - keep the head straight and move the eyes and mirrors; then when out of sight U-turn and pursue. Never seen one turn his head before or since. They closed the road and we were literally the last vehicles over the pass that day.

As we proceeded up the hill the snow came down harder and harder. Everytime I used my hand to wipe the snow off my faceshield the snow was as bad after wiping as it was before. WTF??? Finally I noticed the snow was building up on the back of my glove and as I wiped snow off I deposited the snow off the back of my glove onto my faceshield. Then it was easy, two quick wipes did the job for at least 5 seconds.

Further up the pass it got cold enough that my faceshield froze and the snow no longer stuck. First time being that cold actually made me feel better.

The traffic had compressed the snow down to an ice layer on the road. But, everything was fine as long as you didn't accelerate, decelerate or turn. About this time I checked my mirror and Rick was no where in sight. And I really wasn't in the mood to stop and wait for him. There were still a couple of other vehicles on the road; a pickup ahead of us and an RV behind as we approached Tehachapi.

That's when the pickup came to an uphill, off camber turn. Gentle turn, but still a turn. The pickup brake lights came on and I rolled off the throttle. WHAM, immediately we were down and sliding. I could see the RV behind us sliding towards us. That was one of those times when my mind went into overdrive: That huge Winnebago's going to smoosh us!! No, wait I can put my hand up and it'll just push us. Yeah, push us right into the guard rail then really SMOOSH us!

It was anticlimatic, but I was glad when we all stopped sliding. Anita and I got up, the RV looked over then drove off. I fell down 3-4 times trying to get bake to the bike and fell several more times trying to pick up the bike. Finally gave up and we pushed, slid, pulled the bike over to the side of the road and into the loose snow where I could stay upright. We got the bike up,dusted everything off and got back on the bike. It started and ran normally, so far so good? Sitting there wondering what to do when road up and said it's not too bad on the shoulder, so we rode on the shoulder until we were out of the snow, then continued on down to Bakersfield where we found a cafe and some hot coffee. As we got off the bikes in the parking lot Rick said " I was so glad you guys stopped and waited for me." "No problem. You'd do the same for us."

Makes me question if any day riding is really better than any day sitting in a car.

Mike
67 R50/2 w/R100 engine/trans and Ural Sidecar
69 R60/2 76 R90S 78 R100RS
70 Triumph w/Spirit Eagle Sidecar

RolfV2
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:53 am

Re: Memories of a past ride

Post by RolfV2 »

Are you still in contact with this person?

MikeL46
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:58 pm

Re: Memories of a past ride

Post by MikeL46 »

We rode together for years after.

But, haven't seen him in 20 years.

Mike
67 R50/2 w/R100 engine/trans and Ural Sidecar
69 R60/2 76 R90S 78 R100RS
70 Triumph w/Spirit Eagle Sidecar

RolfV2
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 8:53 am

Re: Memories of a past ride

Post by RolfV2 »

Wouldn't it be nice to meet him again?

Post Reply