2021 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

[pashnit]

Standing on the ice, the surface is right there. Crazy temp drops.
Hot air rises and the cool temps in the caves stay like this year round. At the opening above, temps are in the 90s

There's another huge chamber right below the ice we're standing on, but we'd probably need some ropes and hardhats. Water was dripping from the rooftop onto the ice.

Remember this one - Jot Dean Ice Cave. Coolest thing ever.

A local driving by stopped to check out all the bikes. She advised us this wasn't even the 'really good ice cave'. There are more ice caves nearby. 'But I'm local and I'm not telling where.' Thanks lady.

 

[pashnit]

When you least expect it. And in the most remote place.

I have plugged a lot of tires on motorcycle tours, but the fellas were having a really hard time with this one.

 

[pashnit]

Tom had a nice cut in his tire. We tried a mushroom, but couldn't get it to hold air. Mushrooms work well in 95% of punctures, and I've fixed so many on tours, I ran out of plugs in my kit. I think the Stop n Go kits come with 25 mushrooms plugs, so I've plugged over 30 tires in the 18 years of running these tours.

The problem with this puncture is that it was a cut, and not a puncture.

The mushrooms don't work as well when it's a cut.

 

[pashnit]

Plan B is always carry some worms

We tried one. Still couldn't get the tire to hold air.

If one worm doesn't work, try two worms.

 

[pashnit]

Finally, success. Holding air and back on the road

Wouldn't want to get stuck out here. We're 30 miles from the closest anything & no cell signal.

 

[pashnit]

Regrouping and seeing if it holds air. All clear.

What a beauty!

All bikes back in motion

Done for the day and back on the main road, Highway 89, and headed for Weed

 

[pashnit]

Happy. Happier. Happiererer.

Pretty sure that's how it works.

 

[pashnit]

When you're in a small town and they hand you the bill.

 

[pashnit]

Next day, I made the group leave an hour early to gain more time in cool morning temps.

Phil the next morning after that huge Margarita. Remember when you were young enough to drink all night and then show up for work the next day all chipper.

Comfort Inn in Weed is kind enough to let us park all our bikes right by the front door.

View behind our hotel in Weed

 

[twotonevert]

Very cool, and as always thank you for sharing.

 

[Bumblebee]

I think a gen 3 Hayabusa would be stellar for this kind of thing if for nothing else, factory cruise control...

 

[pashnit]

I think a gen 3 Hayabusa would be stellar for this kind of thing if for nothing else, factory cruise control...

I can't wait to buy a Gen-III. Let me know when the first used one pops up. I think my budget will be around $11k and the sport-touring aftermarket will catch up by the time the values get down to that level for a used one. I figure two-three years at least.

I paid $8000 for my three-year old '08 with 900 miles on it. Not only that, but I remember being so excited to get this bike & kit it out for touring. I know I'll feel much the same when I finally buy the Gen-III someday.

 

[pashnit]

Making sure everyone has a Pashnit sticker on their bike...

Tom decided to call it, and rode south to find a tire. Still holding air.

Enough shenanigans, let's ride, again setting off an hour early to beat the heat.

With temps in the high 90s projected, the plan was head out to the ocean 150 miles to the west. This wasn't my original plan for this Mystery Tour, but I re-designed the tour route in my head and worked out the timing. I wanted to have lunch on the ocean. Temps there would be 75.

 

[pashnit]

Since we were in Weed, two options west via Gazelle-Callahan Rd or Stewart Springs Rd which we had also rode a few weeks back.

Headed out of Weed into the mountains

I chose the more goaty mountain road Stewart Spring Rd which would add in the ascent to the Scott Mountain Summit which is super twisty fun. I skipped photographing Stewart Spring Rd again since I did that three pages back

See some odd stuff out in the middle of nowhere. I'm just going to park this right here.

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

Few years ago, we pulled up to this same intersection at Highway 3 and this was parked on the side of the road. Coolest damn thing ever. Used for logging, the caretaker was kind enough to let us climb all over it.

This is a 1967 KAWASAKI VERTOL KV107-11 & still flying today around the Pacific Northwest according to this link.

N192CH (1967 KAWASAKI VERTOL KV107-11 owned by COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS INC) Aircraft Registration - FlightAware

N192CH (1967 KAWASAKI VERTOL KV107-11 owned by COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS INC) aircraft registration information with aircraft photos, flight tracking, and maps.

flightaware.com

 

[pashnit]

Tight curves headed up to the Scott Mountain Summit

 

[pashnit]

Every year, the bullet holes increase

 

[pashnit]

A few years ago leading a tour on the '00, At the junction with Highway 3 & Gazelle Callahan Rd, we rolled up this fella just walking his horse down the highway

We had horses back in the day, but I don't think I was ever this authentic

 

[pashnit]

tiny Callahan