About the August Meeting

The meeting minutes for The Wanderers August meeting is posted for your reading pleasure at:

http://www.sdwanderers.org/Meeting_Minutes_August_02.htm and, as always, will be available along with minutes of past meetings in the "Meetings" area of the club website.

John Q

Site Search

For those who were not at the Wanderers August monthly meeting, it was mentioned that we may want to start thinking about different meeting places, due in part to the growth of the Wanderers. Some of the requirements are:

- Can handle a large crowd

- Breakfast

- Separate checks

- Will let Rod dine there :)

- Centrally located

The "Hamburger Factory" was one of the names thrown out there as a possibility for meetings. So consider this a very early test of their ability to handle the Wanderers!

Greg

Post Meeting Ride

The post meeting ride was a terrific one thanks to Kent Saxton who put a lot of effort into the planning. Too bad some of us are so bad at following directions. <grins> We all made it to Carole and Scott's in O.B. where a sumptuous repast was waiting. Awesome day folks, thanks!

There are likely to be some photos added soon but the write-up for Saturday’s post meeting (Aug.24) ride and food fest at Carole & Scotts place is posted on the club website: http://www.sdwanderers.org/c&s_food_fest.htm

Cheers,

John Q.

We had naysayers!

Some said it would take years for any Wanderer to hit 3000 miles for a gold pin. Well lookie here.

Greg and Seanna are just a ride away!

Greg & Seanna's rides since April total 2869 miles but here's the kicker. All our miles have been per the GPS which is dead on accurate. Had the Nomads odometer been used (about 6% optimistic) they would have an additional 180 miles showing for a total of 3049 miles! Way to go Hubers!

I'm at 2303 and suspect several others may be getting close too. Guess I'd better remember where I stashed those pins eh?

Cheers all

JQ

Ride to the Picnic 17 August

From: Richard Useted

What a great ride. Started at the usual Starbucks at Grossmont and proceeded down Fuerte to Avocado to 94. We picked up the pace and reached Honey Springs in short order. However, at this point we lost Carol and her trike and son Scott. Seems Carol's VW conversion didn't want to behave today and she and Scott decided to drop out rather than hold the group up. Sorry Carol, you missed a good ride.

Up H.S. to Lyon's Valley and on the Japatul Valley and Old 80 where we took our first butt break at Major's.

From there it was on to Sunrise Highway for a brisk jaunt to 79 and into Julian. The town was packed with people. Julian is back to normal.

From there it was on to Dudley's for our second butt break after which we continued on to Santee and ended up only 10 minutes late. Lets face it, for the Wanderers, 10 minutes late is getting there on time.

There were 16 bikes at the start and Rebecca did a GREAT job leading her first Wanderers ride. Hopefully she will lead many more in the future. Way to go girl. (GIRLS KICK ASS)

I didn't stay for the food so someone else can do that part of the write-up.

GRMP

And from John Q

Done and done, thanks Dick! The food part (ok, and much of the ride too) is posted on the club website along with a few photos. Kent took a lot of pictures so more will likely be added in the next few days. For now check this out as an addendum to Grumpy's write-up and then check back later:

http://www.sdwanderers.org/02_picnic.htm

Cheers

JQ

Impromptu ride to Poway Park

Ok, maybe we didn't choose the best day to visit Old Poway Park but the place is really impressive! The city and a lot of volunteers have gone to a great deal of effort and expense to transplant or build period style buildings and surround it all with train tracks. Sort of like walking through the gates of Disneyland, the rest of the world melts away (if you'll let it) and you're transported into a peaceful oasis.

Our Saturday Impromptu ride included Greg & Seanna Huber, Ron Growel, Dick (Grumpy) Useted, Thomas (Doc) Cassidy, Kent Saxton and me. We hooked up with a couple of other Wanderers on arrival.

We sort of knew we were in trouble as we sat at Grossmont Shopping Center in La Mesa where it was already around 80 degrees at 10 am. We delayed our departure about 15 minutes to see if anyone else would appear then (due to rumors of a wreck tying up highway 67) took the 125 west hooking up with 52 then the 15 to Poway and to the park.

Now it's "really" hot, like 90's but our first stop is to see Gary Steinweg and the train. We took a little trip snapping photos along the way but, alas, I understand none survive to document our journey. Great ride Gary, thanks!

The Hamburger Factory was our next stop which started out promising. A lovely waitress appeared to ask whether we'd be ordering breakfast or lunch. "Lunch" we replied in unison. Oh, too bad, she wouldn't be our waitress then and we were handed off to a waiter. Only Seanna probably appreciated the change.

By the time we'd finished our meal the temperature had climbed to over 100 and all agreed home was preferable to more riding in the heat. Doc and I saw 115 degrees on his tank mounted thermometer as we made our way through Lakeside.

Yes, the instrument was in the sun but so were we!

The park is a lovely oasis, a great place to take the family and Ron tells me they pull out all the stops for some holidays including Christmas with period clothing etc.

Thanks much to Gary for the train ride that always manages to turn back the hands of time reminding us of those Peter Pan pledges we made so many years ago. The promise never to grow up.

Cheers

JQ

New Members from Gary Steinweg

Welcome to the Wanderers, Christopher & Dayna Ercole. They ride a 2002 Honda Aero 1100, from El Cajon.

The Ercoles found us via a link from the Red Hot Riders to our Website.

Message to the Wanderer's.from Don Presten

Bobbie and I have been pondering our motorcycle activities over the last few years and it is plain that we are just not riding much anymore. Times have changed, interests have changed, and it just doesn't make a lot of sense to make $350 monthly payments on a garage ornament anymore.

If you look on the odometer of the Venture purchased almost 3 years ago, it read 7100 miles. That tells the whole story.

So, today we put the Venture up for sale. I have put an ad on our website and I will post the availability of the bike on several websites (here, VentureNet, etc) and if no one I know is interested in buying it, I will put it in the CycleTrader next week.

I still plan on maintaining and monitoring this ListServ (if you will have me) and will remain a "Wanderer" in both yearly dues and spirit. I still see a Honda ST1300 in my future, but for now, we are going to take a break from the motorcycle-biz and stay on 4 wheels for awhile.

If you are interested in a Venture, or know someone who is, give them my website address.

Don Presten

http://www.presten.net

don@presten.net

Ron Growel took a ride (in the cage) up past Lake Henshaw down the Glass Elevator to Borrego Springs, up Banner Grade, then out to the Glider Port on Sunrise Highway. One word: devastating.

(Webmaster Note: Pat included Rons photo here but it goes away when converting her Word.doc file into html. Sorry)

An Interesting Article recommended by Robert Matias

(Does this mean we should all trade in our black leathers?

>>http://www.ommriders.org/read_and_ride/tips_and/Unseen_Gorillas_and_Motorcycle_Safety.htm

>

SomeWise words from Kent Saxon

Things I notice that tend to identify those riders that I prefer to ride with.

(Things somewhat indicative of skill level and safety oriented attitude.)

Not even one beer while riding.

No indication of legal or illegal meds affecting activities.

Machine appears generally well maintained

Visually checks motorcycle for mechanical faults every time before they mount

Checks Headlight, Brake, Turn, Other lighting function daily

Knows air pressure this morning

1 - Has feet on pegs promptly when moving, on ground when stopped (no dragging, hanging legs down, or stepping when stopping or starting)

2 - Navigates a corner in smooth arc without re-alignments or multiple adjustments

3 - Leans with the cycle in a higher speed turn

Always looking ahead into corners (head up, level to horizon and usually turned toward the direction of intended travel)

Maintains appropriate speed through series of corners and can always move with automobile traffic.

Demonstrates safe pass/no-pass practices in traffic.

Smoothly start and stop the cycle (head is up scanning far and near )

Can usually make full stop for a second or two without feet down.

Uses both brakes.

Maintains approximate 2 second minimum spacing to rider immediately ahead.

Demonstrates confidence = smooth action without hesitation or retry.

Demonstrates confidence making a smooth u-turn in 24' paved roadway.(feet are on the pegs)

Demonstrates confidence in a turn immediately after starting.(feet are on the pegs)

Is alert to changing traffic conditions far ahead and nearby,

Recognizes and avoids potential danger situations

Rides with a safety margin.

(there is always room [time and space] for error and unexpected events to allow safe response within capability of rider and machine.)

Margin examples:

-1- You are 'in the curve in the groove' and right in your line is an oncoming car 3 feet over the double yellow into your lane. Can you swerve away, avoid the car and still make the corner?

-2- You are 'in the curve in the groove' and right in your line is a fresh cow pie. Can you stop? Can you avoid it? How about the cow that's standing there?

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