As I was loading my motorcycle in the dark there was a smile on my face thinking about a friend of mine who says (accurately I might add) that I wake up before sunrise for only 2 reasons: fire and going riding.  Being that the house was not on fire, I was indeed awake this dark morning to embark on another two-wheeled adventure....  ....except this journey involves the above pictured four wheels of mine since I'll be riding my FJR1300 and my buddy (and Webmaster) Scott will be riding my Suzuki V-Strom DL1000.  Scott has his own “Strom” back in his garage in Nashville but since Southwest Airlines flies faster than his Strom he decided to maximize his vacation time and fly rather than ride here.  (Besides, only crazy people would ride from TN to AZ in early February!  Such as THIS!)    When Scott called and said he would take me up on my offer to visit the desert during winter it didn't take me long to come up with a plan.  The last two years I have joined my dear Phoenix friends Russ and Ron for a ride along California's super scenic Pacific Coast Highway and to tour the Hearst Castle.  We had been discussing a third annual ride when Scott called so it was a no-brainer to have him join us especially since Scott had only spent a grand total of 4 hours of his life in the Golden State (during a flight layover in LA) and he had never been to AZ.  So, after landing at Sky Harbor Airport here in Phoenix last night, Scott and I were geared and ready to meet Russ and Ron for two-wheeled take-off less than 9 hours later.  Sadly, we would not be joined by my girlfriend Kobi (yes, of the Alaska “Two Chicks Two Wheels” fame) due to occupational obligations.    However, we all agreed she should be in our take-off photo (given the blurry pic I assume I was not fully awake yet!):   Before departing I gave the boys a copy of the fuel stops I had planned.  Although I ride 95% of my annual miles solo, I have learned that having pre-planned stops when in a group is a darn good idea if for no reason other than having defined locations to rendezvous should anyone become separated.  During my jaunts around North America I have met countless riders who were lost and looking for their separated group.    I mention this as a suggestion for other folks who may be planning non-solo rides.  Having our pre-set stops seemed even more prudent today since we'd be going through some of the most congested area in the country (Los Angeles) and doing so with someone who has never ridden in said area (Scott) as well as with those who have a strong propensity to detour anywhere at the sight of a sign advertising fresh pie (Russ & Ron).  I based the stops on Russ' Honda VTX's paltry 120 mile fuel range, which means we will be stopping a LOT, at least by my standards.  (By comparison the FJR more than doubles the VTX range).  Russ has never found his bike's need to refuel frequently a problem since “it provides more opportunities for finding pie!”.    (For proof, my “Palomar and Pie” report is: HERE)  We left Phoenix at 7:30am and did so under clear skies and in a nippy 45 degrees.  Being that today is Saturday and there was no morning commute traffic we were able to avoid a scene like this... ... and easily navigate out of Phoenix metro without issues and set a spirited pace.  I planned the first stop a mere 50 miles from departure so it would give Scott enough miles on my Strom to know what adjustments he might need and then a chance to make them.  As we rolled along I-10 West I was trying to make an adjustment myself.... to the sight of MY motorcycle in MY rearview mirror!  We quickly arrived our first gas stop where Scott and I quietly agreed we were toasty warm thanks to our heated jackets (Russ and Ron don't wear heated gear and, unsurprisingly, reported they were quite chilly):   My guess is someone is going to be reading this in the future and be in awe of that $1.99/gallon gas sign!   The plan today was to ride from Phoenix to Arroyo Grande, CA.  Here's a map reflecting our route: There are only 11 exits in 94 miles on 1-10 in Arizona from the AZ/CA state line and not all those exits have services.  Suffice to say, it's simply wide open cruising through the desolate desert with a posted 75mph speed limit.    As we were riding I wondered what Scott was thinking about the different topography and vegetation compared to back home.  For example, this was the view while filling up at gas stop; certainly not something you'd see in Tennessee!: By the time we hit the California border for the obligatory photo shot, my FJR was reporting the temperature was 67 degrees: I'd be willing to bet most everyone who travels the I-10 section between CA and Phoenix is familiar with Chiriaco Summit, CA: Aside from it being situated in the middle of nowhere (nearest towns are 50 miles in either direction along I-10), the lone exit provides the traveler a single gas station as well as the opportunity to visit the building next door, which is the only other structure of any kind around: I really have no idea what the story is on this “General Patton Memorial Museum” nor why it is placed in the middle of nowhere.  But if you like tanks, here ya go: During my countless rides through the Palm Springs region Scott has heard me talk about how windy it can be and he's also seen photos of the myriad of wind generators that blanket the area.  Today he got to see them with his own eyes: Here's a sign that explains a bit about the windmills:   Interesting facts obtained regarding the wind turbine generators are that they require an average wind speeds of at least 13 mph, and the largest of the windmills stands 150 feet tall with blades half the legend of a football field.  The cost per wind turbine can range upwards of $300,000 and can produce 300 kilowatts an hour - the amount of electricity used by a typical household in a month. With over 4,000 windmills roadside, it's difficult to get a photo that accurately reflects the unique scene: At one of the 95 gas stops we made today, we met other, um, “riders”:    I've always wondered why moto cops wear such limited gear.  I mean, I'd never consider wearing just a t-shirt and non-full face helmet in a congested urban area (much less while pursuing 3,000+ pound pieces of metal at a high rate of speed).  Nor would I wear such gear while doing a wheelie:   Rolling towards LA this beautiful Saturday mid-day was a breeze.  At a gas stop on the east side of LA I prepared the guys for the possibility of encountering congestion even though it was the weekend and reiterated that should we become separated that we'd meet at the next scheduled stop.  As someone who prefers to lane-split rather than sit idly in traffic inhaling fumes, I made sure the others did not feel compelled to follow me if they saw me take off between cars.  (For those who need a lane-splitting explanation click: THIS).  It'd be safe to say that I'm the only one in the group who actually prefers to “split” (aka “whitelining”), and that Scott would probably rather ride in his underwear than do so.  I thought we were actually going to actually make it through LA without incident until we merged onto the 101 and I saw a sea of brake lights and a helicopter circling overhead.  A wreck had closed down the right 3 lanes and traffic was at a standstill.  Off I went filtering through the parking lot of cars.  (Remember people, this is not illegal in the Golden State, but it, sadly, is not legal in any other state).  Once past the mess, I wasn't too surprised to see Ron not far behind me, but I was rather surprised to see Russ behind him, and I was completely shocked to see Scott behind Russ!    I'm thinking it must have been the spirit of my V-Strom he was riding that overwhelmingly compelled him to take the plunge! Webmaster Note:  Our next planned stop was, thankfully, just a few miles from the wreck, which gave Scott the chance for his breathing and heart rate to return to normal.  (I think he's not pictured here because he was laying on the ground nearby recovering from his virgin lanesplitting experience): Webmaster Note:  We stopped at the Visitor Center for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) so that Scott and I could obtain a National Park Passport Stamp.  Those who follow my travels know that I'm a bona fide stamp addict.  For those who are clueless, click: THIS.  Even though I already have the SMMNRA stamp, I decided that I would start a new book for 2009.  As with all my stamp stops, here's a pic of the entrance sign: The rest of our ride through LA was uneventful.  Our last gas stop before sunset afforded another photo that Scott can add to “this ain't like Tennessee” collection:   We pulled into Arroyo Grande 12 hours after leaving Phoenix having covered 570 miles (and I think just as many fuel stops).  Again, here is a map of our route for those geographically challenged:   We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to everyone recount the day in their own words, especially hearing Scott's thoughts.  It's amazing what getting out of your own backyard can do for one's perspective, especially when you are leaving single digit temps and arriving in mid-70s!   After eating dinner and while walking back to our hotel, I overheard Russ say “Hey, look at the kitty!” while Ron then started moving closer to pet the “kitty”.  Here's the “kitty”: Being from Tennessee and therefore seeing countless of what Russ was calling a “kitty”, I did what any good friend would do and I encouraged Russ to go pet the little guy.  No, no, just kidding.    I explained to the desert rats (that would be Russ and Ron) that the cute little “kitty” was in fact a wild critter called a Possum.  I think once they saw a full shot of “kitty” they believed me: Here is our end of day GPS totals, which of course doesn't reflect the number of memories created!  AGirl  Continued On Next Page ..... 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