The Korean Friendship Bell in Angel's Gate Park, San Pedro CA. Sunday June 29th, 2008

Kind of a quickie-chickie short (less than 3 hours!) trip that's perfect for the Sunday outings, since the outings rarely start before 1:30 PM anyway.

This one I had had in the back of my mind for awhile-I was going to go it alone one Sunday, but opted that particular weekend to do Orange County/Coast Hwy-and the guys said it'd be pretty good.

THE ROUTE: 57 S to the 22 W=405 N, off at 7Th street then off to Studebaker Road left to Westminster/2nd Street through Belmont Shore, Belmont Heights, downtown Long Beach, over the Terminal Island Bridge then over the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Harbor Blvd. Bub thought we were going to Ports O' Call, but that area's kinda tacky now. Harbor Blvd to 7th Street to Gaffey all the way down towards the sea. Angel's Gate Park is on the Fort MacArthur property and it's a quick right in the park-it's very easy to miss if you're not looking for it!

Just below the bluff where the Korean Friendship Bell sits is Point Fermin park and the Point Fermin lighthouse. I wanted to walk down but the guys overruled me-seems they didn't want to walk back up. The wusses.

BTW, a lot of these pictures are courtesy of Mr. Johney Harper, our partner and crime and one of the Three Musketeers. Just want to give credit where credit is due and make his mom proud, since HE'S SENDING THIS TO HER. (Hi, Mrs. Harper!! LS)

Below, we get our usual GREAT parking spot right in front, nice park job, you can see Bub's bike, then mine, and you can't miss Johney's chrome bling. Bub has to light up a smoke & I'm getting all the stuff I need for the tank bag/back pack. Plus pinning my hair back because it was windier than all getout. The guys were saying that yes, they know I sometimes take extra time to get off the bike, then set up and get ready to ride, but they SAY they're gentlemen, they'd never go off and leave me. Why? Because I'd never let Bub hear the end of it and I'd kill Johney. Simple enough, to me.

Above right, the guys approaching the grounds, which were immaculate. Below, the Friendship Bell plaque and these two CUTE wooden statues! (I use the word 'cute' a lot because it so PLAINLY annoys some of my readers-you hear that, Stan?)

Above, the view of Palos Verdes from the Bell. A perfect day, weather-wise.

Below, the 3 Musketeers and the hell with my hair. (I'm wearing my grungy old faded too-big jeans because everything else was in the wash/hamper)

Here's a video of a 360 degree view from the Bell. The sound you hear is the wind-I told you it was windy!

Mr. Harper at the Bell. He wanted to ring it, or gong it, or whatever it is that they do to make a sound.

We drove the bikes approximately 100 yards to Point Fermin park and walked the grounds. (I CAN'T believe we rode our stupid bikes 100 yards down the hill) Below is the Point Fermin Lighthouse; tours are available.

We looked over the edge of the railing at the park and couldn't believe how fast the windsurfers were going! I'd love to give that a go.

Can't believe how much Long Beach/Terminal Island has changed-no more Naval Base, it's all container storage and stuff. Really commercial and in my mind, kind of ugly. Is this the price of progress? If so, I'm moving to the country and living off the land. As long as there's a Taco Bell around, and I can get Verizon wireless access...you know, the bare minimums to exist.

PS: Message from Johney:
"Hi, Mom!"

PPS: Don't forget, ANYONE who reads this blog (and let me tell you, there are only a chosen few who I care to 'allow' to read this tripe) may and are encouraged to leave comments, suggestions for improvement, 'attaboys' here on the blog. I love comments! (shows you care!)

Lynne

Lompoc-an amazing ride and a epiphany.

Left Denny's in Brea at 6:31 AM sharp, and except for a small navigational error on my part, first stop was breakfast at Dupar's in Thousand Oaks. Pretty good food and thanks, John R. for the recommendation!

Their corned beef hash wasn't too bad, but couldn't finish it. That was a good thing, considering what edible goodies were to come!

The ride consisted of going up 101 to Lompoc via Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and points north. First stop, Dupar's Restaurant and Bakery in Thousand Oaks, and took about an hour despite me going the wrong way on the freeway I didn't mean to take. I keep forgetting that the carpool lane on the 57 N to the 60 DOESN'T LET YOU COME OUT when the 57 continues north. Oh, well. NOT the last mistake I made that day, but the epiphany to come was worth much more than any errors. Travel times, not sure because we made a few stops on the way up for gas, rest stops, etc. but made better time than I had planned. Of course, I was going between 75 & 80 MPH (hey, that's what the TRAFFIC was doing!) and it felt wonderful. My little bike might be the smallest Yamaha cruiser, but it keeps up FINE. Keeps up? What am I saying? I LEAD about 90% of the way! (Why? Because the guys just DO NOT LIKE being told where to go. Why do I lead? Because unless you're the lead dog, the view never changes, and I didn't like the view. Sorry, guys. Plus the NOISE when they'd back off on the throttle-that's the trouble with after-market exhaust...those suckers are LOUD. Glad we didn't hit any tunnels!)

Going up the 101 from LA to Ventura was a bit chilly, so Bub and I brought our jackets, and I warned Johney to bring something a bit more substantial, so we were all pretty comfy going up, except I felt something hard hit my foot, felt weird, but I was wearing boots so it was no biggie. When we hit Hwy 1 to Lompoc and I TRIED to put my left foot on the highway peg...well, let's just say that the peg was what hit my boot. It was no more. It was gone, buh-bye, cya later. Not that I use them that much, but still...

Up in Lompoc around 10:50 AM we ran into John and Jeanie from Chapter 209 in NorCal! They saw Bub and Johney's STAR vests and knew we were all members of the clan! Whoa.

The guys convinced me...um, I mean, we decided to take a side trip to Buellton and Solvang to the Motorcycle museum instead of doing the Lompoc Flower Festival (damn, that sounds so GAY, doesn't it?!). But it worked for me! More riding! I had some FUDGE because somebody bought some and asked me to help them with it, so who am I to not help?...and it tasted GREAT.

At the Motorcycle Museum I guess that only one guy owns this whole museum, and he has many many more bikes that he rotates in and out of the museum. The only (kinda) bad part of it was the $10 entrance fee...a little steep, we felt, but we had travelled all that way to see it, so we forked it over. Hey, with the money I saved by not going to the festival and shopping and buying stuff, I felt it was ok afterwards. Below are Bub and Johney going in and (probably) discussing how they felt about the entry fee.

Below right, Bub checking out this specialty racing bike.











Above a bike kind of like one I rode in the '70's with me next to it; a 1914 Indian, and an 1887 Benz Horseless Carriage. All the old bikes were really cool. (Girlie note-I wish I could get cuter motorcycle boots-these stompers aren't exactly fashionable, and yes, guys, I know they're not supposed to be, but still, you'd think that somebody would MAKE them cuter AND functional)

I saw a few that brought back memories, like some Hondas and a Yamaha 650 that were amazingly like bikes I had years ago. Ah, those were the days! Fearless and young, instead of old and overly cautious. The truth is, I can vividly imagine and have dealt with death by many means throughout the years, and am not ready for that 'final curtain', whereas youth is not hampered by a death they can't even imagine much less had any experience with. (I didn't just 'think that up'-it was in something I read somewhere and by paraphrasing the words, it kind of fit.)

Next stop, Nojoqui Falls State Park, just 10 miles down Alisal Road, past the golf course, and it was really beautiful. Made me wish I had one of those camera attachment thingys that Tommy TT has. Below, the two 'unconditioned' members of the ride start up the trail-they had to rest halfway up, poor things.







I love the grotto-like area underneath the falls. Bub and I were really surprised that there was actually water coming over the falls in such a dry year.


Above left, Bub and Johney thankfully (for THEM, anyway) resting after the climb...personally, I'D call it a gently sloping trail. To the right, you can see the height of the falls compared to me (I'm the blonde with the backpack. That tank bag is the BEST thing I ever bought, because it turns into a back pack and has a special flap that folds out for a helmet!)

Had to watch it and go single file down the trail because one of the guys slipped a bit and almost lost his footing. Me? Are you kidding, after years of being a Girl Scout AND a Girl Scout leader? I'm as surefooted as they come, PLUS having the 'waffle-stomper' M/C boots on.

We took Hwy 246 east to Hwy 154 SSE, past Cachuma Recreation Area, then came back into the 101 at Santa Barbara.

I TOTALLY blew my diet because we went to Portilo's at the Buena Park Mall-they have EVERYTHING there. We were back just before 6 PM.

NOW-THE EPIPHANY.
"An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something. The term is used in either a philosophical or literal sense to signify that the claimant has "found the last piece of the puzzle and now sees the whole picture," or has new information or experience, often insignificant by itself, that illuminates a deeper or numinous foundational frame of reference."

WHY I'M BRINGING THIS UP:
I've felt that I've had a problem with curves/turns that bank or go to the LEFT...my right turns/curves were usually pretty good, but my left turns SUCKED big time, which never helps with your riding self confidence, and mine was at an all-time low because of dropping my bike 5 times in the past year, ALL of which were standing still! (I was lucky in that the folks who saw me dump my bike were really nice about it and helped me get thru the bad feeling I went thru) My U-turns on both sides weren't the greatest either, and that was embarrassing because guys with bigger bikes that were loaded down were making turns and U's that were a thing of beauty and a joy forever, whereas I was 'backing and filling'' with my feet down like a damn beginner. Embarrassing to a rider who has been riding cumulatively for 14 years.

I searched online for ERC's and more advanced riding classes because Gary's forum post referred to an ERC if we could get enough people, and I wanted to see what they were like. I also checked out Terry's link to Streetmaster's Riding class. I was searching the site, seeing what they taught and I saw a term that was relatively unfamiliar; ' late apex' and 'early apex'. I was aware of the apex of a curve, but this was interesting. Intrigued, I did a Google search for the term 'late apex' since a few of the sites seemed to think that this was a desirable thing to do, especially on blind curves. Hmmmm...the more I looked that term up and found out what 'late apexes' and 'early apexes' were, I realized that I had been doing 'late apexes' (the good ones) on my right-hand turns/curves, BUT I was doing 'early apexes' on my left-hand turns and curves. BINGO. My 'early apexes' were causing me to not only come into the curve too early but have to correct and adjust my line coming out of the turn and use up what little straightaway between curves that I had. NOT a good thing when you're on a blind curve!!!
I tried out my theory when we left the 101 to get onto Hwy 1 to Lompoc, and it worked like a charm! Practicing the 'late apex' turns not only helped my riding technique, but gave me a huge confidence boost, because instead of approaching a left turn/curve with fear and slowing down too much so I could recorrect, I could now hit the curve at the proper angle and accelerate out of it nicely. It even aided my U-turns, making them smoother and tighter.

For ONCE I feel that I am at one with my bike, that it's hard for me to discern where the bike ends and I begin, and it's a great feeling. I just want to ride ride ride ride ride, all kinds of roads, all kinds of weather. Even riding to work is a blast.

I gave blood. I didn't wuss out, didn't faint, I DID IT!

You don't KNOW how courageous I AM NOT. I am a total WUSS when it comes to needles, so to have someone stick it into my arm and have that stuck in there for 6-10 minutes doesn't sit very well with me. It was through my work though, I didn't want to look like I wasn't caring or a 'team player', plus the blood reserves are at an all time LOW, so I made an appointment to go give and made sure it was with one of the guys from HR. I chose him because he'd make sure I didn't wuss out. Well, we was done in less than an hour with most of it taken up with paperwork, even though I had my Red Cross Donor Card and they had all my information in the computer since I had been giving, on and off, for a few years-ever since 1989, if you must know. And I'm type O positive.

Thank God I got the phlebotomist who was the BEST at putting the largish needle in. My veins are huge, and I did some tricep dips and push ups beforehand so that my veins and muscles would be extra pumped up, ate a good breakfast, pounded lots of water, so it only took me 6 minutes to fill up a pint. It's just the mental stuff-I psych myself into a frenzy.

One thing-doesn't the Bloodmobile look like the flying Winnebago from the movie, "Spaceballs"???!!!

Not-So-Big Steve and I at Bike Night 06-19-08

We have a bet; the bet is who will lose 12 pounds first; So far we're neck & neck!

Steve's lost an AMAZING amount of weight and we can't call him 'Big Steve' anymore!

UPDATE ON THE BET.

Since he's been so very good on his diet, and I kinda blew mine on the weekend of June 27-29, he won the bet.

Congratulations, Steve.

Turkey.

Trains, Sunday's Ride to Alta Loma, more Trains, and Carbon Canyon (and the headlight FINALLY gets fixed due to the kindness of a friend!)

Our friend Johney gave us a flyer for the home of Jim and Vicki Jackson that had the most AMAZING train set-ups (see pics!) so we were going to do some Carbon Canyon/La Habra Heights/Hacienda Heights action. That damn headlight was bugging me, so we went to lunch then rode up to the train house.
The grounds are absolutely beautiful and you find trains EVERYWHERE. The attention to detail of the layouts is amazing, from an Airstream trailer to a bear in the mountains to a greenhouse to guys workin' a still! I'm using some of my pics, and some of Johney's pics that he sent me because you need as many as possible to capture the entirety of the property and the variety of trains, set-ups and details. Unfortunately, in video above, I was filming and somebody didn't realize that I was, so they kinda got in the way-you can hear my #$%^&@#* comments. One of the first things we noticed was that the owners had a train running underneath the patio cover! You know a guy is nuts about trains when he has a train weather vane! The bear that came over the mountain is below.

I loved the Airstream trailer, the greenhouse below, and there were gates that looked like a small town, left. Those are actually gates that open up, and if you look closely, you can see the gate latches between the Mercantile and Jail. Below you can see the video of the USMC Troop Train, and (booo!) a Harley Dealership. Also included are some videos I did of some of the trains be-bopping around the property. Everywhere we went there were more and more surprises around the property. I caught some video of the Marine Corps troop train, below.








Notice the town detail-the storefronts, the gazebo in the park, the cars. The video below shows how painstakingly careful these trains are set up.
Below is even a "Perils of Pauline" lady tied to the tracks while a locomotive bears down on her.














Check out the detail again in the videos when this train passes by, above left. Below a close-up of the guys working their still, and I also loved the "cowboy's logic". A lynching party has always been in the back of my mind as a potential solution society's ills such as politicians. Johney, Jim and Barry talk about how Jim has EVERYTHING wired to be controlled from that little shed behind them and in fact has a wireless remote control. Jim is working on putting more trains on track and handling them like they were a newborn baby. Um, regarding the sign below-where do I sign up? I mean, I can shoot straight! (but I don't cook...or clean...and I only do Windows if they're on a PC)We regretfully (well, at least ME) left Alta Loma (and I was NOT EITHER doing 90 around the 210/57 curve, no matter WHAT Bub says, but I will say that I wish I was wearing one of my aerobic-type, um, upper body underthings for the bouncing around I was getting! Or maybe even a corset) and did the Carbon Canyon twisty thingy then Johney very graciously offered to try to, no, sorry, to FIX the headlight using his as a model, so the 3 of us went to his home. He fixed it in 10 minutes. Wish I was that handy with a screwdriver and some pliers so I wouldn't need men. Someday, someway, I'll sign up for the motorcycle and automotive maintenance course, especially now that my nails are really short. Plus that basic electrical course. Plus that Notary course...
All in all (boy does THAT sound trite!) a wonderful ride & great ending to a day that started out cloudy (my mood, not the weather).