| Author | Message | ||
     Dino |
The Sporty Sortie was created in 2004 when Jim_SB asked if any badwebbers could suggest some routes to the Midpines,CA area (just outside Yosemite) that would be more interesting than the super slab. Seems several riders were heading for the California meeting of Sportsters (CAMS) at the Bug Hostel in Midpines. Ferris and I replied that we could probably scrounge up an alternate route and the Sporty Sortie was born. This year's Sortie started out in Bakersfield and eight bikes quickly headed to more interesting terrain in the form of Granite Rd (a local sportbike icon) to Glenville. Unfortunately, Ferris, who led this leg, had to part ways with us at that point to return to the adult world of work and responsibility. Yep, Ferris...can you believe it.  Can you believe the size of that blue Winnebago in the foreground! Fast, though!  Ferris is the "man in gray" (with apologies to Johnny Cash). In as much as Ferris had to leave us here, his suit probably matched not only his (remaining) hair, but also his mood.  Were there any actual Sportsters on the Sporty Sortie? Funny you should ask...here's Larry's very cool cafe custom. | ||
| Dino |
It is rather embarrassing to admit it, but we were so busy trying to fit in as many good roads as possible into the rest of the day, we took no more pictures. Unibear and I delivered the Sporty party to the Bug Hostel and soon left for a bite to eat and a night's rest at our digs in Mariposa. The next morning we rose late and rode into Oakhurst for breakfast. Unibear guards the bikes outside of the Yosemite Coffee and Roasting Co.  Here we very nice and very late breakfast and looked in on my wife's paintings that had been hung there a week earlier for a three month, three artist show. The photo below was taken inside when the show was hung.  | ||
| Dino |
with breakfast completed and the bike's gassed up we headed home. We could have just gone south Hwy 41 to Hwy 99 and home. But then we wouldn't have been able to rub it in with Ferris about the great ride home, so we headed east, to the south of Bass Lake and thru the little hamlet of North Fork, the geographic center of California (a little known and totally irrelevant fact.) From N. Fork we dropped down to the bridge over the San Joaquin River at Kerckhoff Reservoir. A look back at the bridge  Unibear stops to smell the wildflowers.  The view downstream toward the powerhouse.  And upstream into the high Sierra.  Powerhouse Rd, another most excellent sportbike road, onward to the south toward Auberry.  | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Unfortunately, Ferris, who led this leg, had to part ways with us at that point to return to the adult world of work and responsibility. Yep, Ferris...can you believe it. no, i can't. i have one word for you, see if you can guess what it is (and how many fingers i'm holding up...) glad you guys had a great ride, was cool to be a small part, had a wonderful ride back to Ferrisville after we all parted company, and am having the HARDEST time concentrating on working...  | ||
| Dino |
The next reservoir on our journey south is the much larger Pine Flat.  Lower in elevation, the surrounding area is losing its spring green ... but retains a splash of color.  After passing below the reservoir we climb back up into the hills on Elwood Rd. As the elevation again increases, the terrain greens up and the wildflowers are ever present.   After many more miles, and hundreds, if not thousands of curves, we stopped at the Hummingbird Cafe on Hwy 180 for a refreshing soda and a brief stretch.  From the Hummingbird we wound our way thru the sweepers of Hwy 180 as we climbed to 6,000 ft and the origin of Hwy 245, our route to the south. We climbed that high hoping to find some dogwoods in bloom. Just as I was about to surmise that we were too early in the season, we came upon a huge dogwood just starting to bloom.  | ||
| Dino |
We stopped at a little way-station along Hwy 245 and considered the fantastic road just traveled...  ...and wonder which tasty piece of macadam to attack next.  Which did we choose? Remind me to tell you sometime... | ||
| Dino |
"i have one word for you, see if you can guess what it is (and how many fingers i'm holding up...)" Now, now, Ferris...be nice. We did bring back pictures for you, didn't we?  | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
ok, TWO words: most awesome, and TWO fingers. | ||
| Court |
Ferris: Not for nothing (NY lingo) but I keep coming to this thread, hoping, waiting and wishing.....the pictures are great, looks like the company was premier and the riding every bit the equal. But...WHERE IN BLAZES ARE THE PICTURE OF THE THUMB HOLDING A PICTURE????? | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
um: please stand by... | ||
| Court |
We Demand our Ferris Back! 
| ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Dino, with all due apologies for temporarily Shanghai'ing this thread (it's all Court's fault...)  Ferris is still around. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Denisea |
Court, He never left. D | ||
| Court |
Egads....the WHEELIE SHIRT ! It's sitting right here...hopefully to never chance hands again...tear that picture up! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 here's a token attempt to get this thread back on track, a motley collection of photos taken as the Sporty Sortie hung out (literally in the case of Larry, pictured above) for a few minutes in Glennville on Friday. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Dino's problem (he has many, actually, this is but one) is that he has too many nice motorcycles. the silver FZ1 is his. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Larry (Kid Coo Coo) and Jim_Santa Barbara. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Unibear, Dino, Dale, Bill, Larry, Jim and Prudence. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
as in: Dear...  ...won't you come out to play-ay-ay-ayyyy? (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 another of Larry's bikes, being ridden this weekend by friend Bill. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Prudence again. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Unibear's playmate when he needs to rest his S3T. (Message edited by jerry_haughton on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 for only eight motorcycles it sure seemed like we had about one of everything represented. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
we even had a celebrity in our midst:  Timbo Horton, the "Fastest Man on Buell Wheels" (at 205+ mph!) ok, that's all i got Dino, hopefully the SS Boyz will see this and add some tales and pix from their weekend. thanks again all for allowing me to come play for a spell. FB | ||
| Dino |
"too many nice motorcycles" I find it hard to believe that a man who could make so ridiculous and inane a statement could have been made a moderator on this web site. It boggles the mind!  (Message edited by dino on May 01, 2005) | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
re: the moderator thing, i kinda barged my way in. gotta agree, the statement "too many nice motorcycles" could only come from someone who is WAY past their bedtime. i promise i'll be lucid by the morning. | ||
| Dino |
Whew, I was beginning to think that Court was right and we had an impostor FB in our midst...thumb or no thumb. | ||
| Jim_sb |
Hi guys, Okay, more details............. The Stator on Cafe Bill's '98 S3 quit playing nicely right before CAMS V. By the time he had the problem isolated (with Timbo's help) it was too late to repair. So Larry (aka Kidcoocoo and builder of Prundts, the 435 lb. Cafe Sporty with 95 rwhp) loaned Bill his Beemer for the trip.. What a guy! Timbo of course loaned Dale his Wife's Dyna for the weekend. Again, What a guy! Ferris, that FJR of yours has some serious giddy-up. Yowza. From what I saw it wasn't afraid of the twisties either! Dino, you can 'splain it to me if you want, but IMHO your riding was more aggressive this year on the Fizzy 1k than last year on the, what was it, red Katana? Anyway, well done! Looking good out there! Unibear, nice to meet you and ride with you. You take some very nice lines through the corners. Well done! Too bad none of you guys stuck around for the weekend. You were, as in the past, all invited of course! We had a gorgeous day in Yosemite on Saturday. The waterfalls and rivers were just spectacular. Everyone had a great time. Friday night, uh, well, Bill and I kicked everyone out of our room & patio at 1:30am so we could get some sleep! Saturday night was our annual awards ceremony which was hysterical as always. Since many of the awards are satirical, and we accept nominations from the riders assembled, we never know what funny stories we're going to hear! It was a blast though! Anyway, thanks again and great job! PS. Dino, that little stretch of road along the North shore of Pine Flat Reservoir was top notch! PPS. You didn't stick around for it, but later on Larry was giving out autographs for the LEO's in Midpines.  Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Jim_sb |
Oh, one more thing. Cafe Bill got out ahead of the pack going into Yosemite Saturday morning. He then stationed himself alongside the road to take pics of the riders coming into Yosemite. Everyone would see Bill there and wave for the picture..... Except Timbo. RUMOR has it that Timbo came by several times doing wheelies for the camera! And for the infamous act he was nominated for and awarded the "Most Squidly Rider" award! Congrats, Timbo! Jim in SB | ||
| Dino |
Goodness! Whatever happened to our formerly mild mannered Timbo?! BTW, I think that it was very sweet of Larry to take time out from his weekend to treat the local LEO's to an autograph session. What a guy! Did Larry get an award too? BTW, ver.2, Jim - After having ridden the FZ1 and the Katana back to back on many of the same roads this weekend, one up and one back, I think that suspension compliance on the tight stuff and over less than perfect surfaces may have a lot to do with it. I'm gonna have to tinker with the Katana. Dino |
