Don VSP blog: http://2007norcal.blogspot.com/2007/10/2007-october-13-tcs-giant-artichoke.html
tc wanted to show us his new Harley and some south counties and Oct 14 was a great day for both!!!! He has a great looking bike!!! Almost as many gizzy's as a GW!! GBG
So we all met at Hollister at our favorite gas and brew for a KSU at 1000. The weather started a bit cool, nite lite and Brian said they had fog from Petaluma to Santa Clara, and they get the long ride ticket, about 130 miles.
I started in south county so no problem.... until I hit Gilroy, but it warmed up and it turned out to be a great day.
The bikes lined up, only Jest and Don VSP yet to show.... Brian, nite lite, tc, Happy Wanderer, Tiny and of course the Cranky guy showed up!
Jest and Don VSP bikes on the far end, eight total! And we were about to take off....
A bunch of experienced riders, we've ridden together many times, what could go wrong???
Ok, make a guess as to how long it took......
Ca'mon... guess....
20 seconds...
We pulled out and Jest and nite lite got cut off by traffic, cars pulled in behind me as we took off, so we weren't visible when Jest and nite lite took off.... They assumed we went back 25, well, we didn't!!!
I kept looking for headlights.... nada. We pulled over and chatted about them, and tc guessed they took 25 and he was right! We saw them 2 1/2 hours later. Thanks to cell phones we swapped messages and planned to meet at the Giant Artichoke!!!
So off we went to ride around some reservoirs, well we normally stop at a stop sign as a group and take off as a group, one stop sign honor. Guess we got a bit strung out and a couple bikes didn't show due respect to the sign, and a Sheriff was sitting there, and frowned on the event! A couple of folks got ticketed, sad to say.
Don VSP saw what was happening and stopped, that caused me to stop and the Sheriff turned in front of us, or my name would've been on the list too, sigh.. Thanks Don!!!!
The cop was a decent sort, but wasn't going to let it pass.
If you look close, you can see the speeches going on... sigh. tc left a message with nite lite to meet us at the restaurant. Due to the Sheriff taking forever to dispense with his tickets, they called and said they were already there, so we beat feet, ever so carefully to the restaurant!
Yup!!! The Giant Artichoke!!!
Once again, eight bikes lined up.. Once we got over the hills, the weather took a definite chill... The ocean breeze and some fog will do that!
Lunch time! Don VSP, Happy Wanderer, tc, Brian, Jest and nite lite.
Tiny joining us... Food was good!!!
Off down 1 we went south of Carmel, stopped for gas and that's where Jest and I headed back 1 to home. As you can see Howard was tuning in tc's Sirus radio with some "rabbit ears"!! GBG
It was a nice ride, tho we had a bit of misfortune. Always great to go for a ride with friends!!! Next weekend, weather permitting, we will run thru Big Basin, 35 and somebodies fish place!!! GBG
