Michigander in San Diego ..... 1150RT

daveredman · Jan 23, 2016

Am not a new member, but haven't posted since spring.

Am making an other trip to San Diego in February to visit daughter and S-I-L (and 02 1150RT).

(more later)

daveredman · Jan 24, 2016

My first BMW. Have had bikes since 1979.

Got the RT (Nov 2014) in San Diego to use when visiting daughter and S-I-L there.
Intended to visit there 2 or maybe 3 times a year, but only did once last year (Feb 2015).
Riding East of SD was great, and northeast was great. Had a great time.

Rode on 5 days when xmission input shaft stripped out. (was detailed posting and discussion of that at the time).

Some folks say that it is too expensive to buy and own and maintain a BMW.

Well, at present I am at about $1500 a day.
Will be out there again some in this February.
Have more roads to explore on the map from SD BMW owners club website.
http://www.bmwocsd.org/

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daveredman · Feb 14, 2016

Febuary 2016

Some pics from my San Diego visit last week:

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okiegman · Feb 14, 2016

I remember your original post - glad to see you got the old gal resurrected - looks like you had a great ride.

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

okiegman said:
I remember your original post - glad to see you got the old gal resurrected - looks like you had a great ride.

Yes, it required a special tool to get the bike repaired.
And that special tool was my credit card. Had to abuse my credit card to get it repaired.

Yes, had a great 10 day visit. Went for ride for 6 of those days, would have been more, (but two days were curtailed by battery problems, an other $400 bucks).

Now that the posting has been moved to Ride Report (from New Owners) maybe I can post more pics and describe specific roads. ... if any interest.

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daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Ocean Beach pier.

There must have been 5 or 6 big public beaches there. Each one lots bigger than Grand HAven State park beach here or Holland or Muskegon.
One beach is a dog park. Wife enjoyed going there on bicycle just to sit in sun watch the dozens and dozens of dogs.... and then I took off for elsewhere.

Point Loma, Catalina Rd
national cemetery, overlooking San Diego Harbor and Coranado Island

One time I stood off way to the side during a military practice of a burial service.
The playing of taps was quite an experience, I cant quite describe it, but it was like the sound of the bugle connected to nerves in spinal column ... ... ... ... ... ...

Point Loma
Overlooking Pacific Ocean from Catalina Rd.

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daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

CA78 out of Escondido headed toward Julian

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Palomar Mountain ! ! ! ! !

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN !
South Grade Road and East Grade Road ! !

Both Should be number one on about anybodys list of anything near San Diego, or maybe anybodys list of anything south of LA.

South Grade is marked on the SD BMW Owners Club map as "Tight, Twisty and Treacherous". And folks recommended to me to approach it from CA78 so that are going up. I would say it comparfes to The Dragon, only isn't 11 miles, is something like 5 miles, but is uphill, and I mean up hill.

I set my GPS to Mothers Kitchen.

This is just the start of the South Grade

Lots of sport bikes.

THis is where I pulled of the road, and it was more slopped there than I thought, and ended up having to let it lay over. Can see where gas spilled out of my tank.

Most of the road has no shoulder, no place to stop to get picture of the really twisty parts.
I later found out the laces where I did stop in above two pictures are not parking places, but are extra lane for slower traffic.

Near top, found place where could pull off and can see some of the road below.

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Where the South Grade meets the East Grade is another road up to the Palomar Observatory. Kinda interesting road, to observatory, and is a place to walk to a nice overlook, but not that much different from what have already seen, so you may want to not bother, if more interested in riding.

Anyway, where South Grade meets East Grade is this store and restraint. Mothers Kitchen. Is a good place to stop. Lots of other bikes there, and folks chatting. Mostly sport bikes.

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Then down the East Grade (which would be traveling about south east).

Again a lot of the road is narrow, no shoulder to stop at, sometimes rock slop on one side, and nothing but a view of the valley on the other side.
Did find a place to pull over for a picture.

Down closer to CA78 there was a scenic parking place were could get picture.

And when get back to CA78 can decide if to goto Borreggo Springs or to Julian. (the rest of this trip/day was without photo stops because had to get back)

I went to Julian, and took CA79 just to get to I-8 just to get back. But I really wanted to go on Sunrize Highway.

THis was a stop along CA79 where the primary mission was off the road up the slope (behind me in picture) and behind some bushes, and the secondary mission was a photo from this perspective, since I was already stopped.

(can see some snow yet in lower left)

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daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Another trip was Japatul Road and Lyons Valley Road, which were great but didn't stop for pictures because I had done that last year.

And Honey Spring Road

to get to CA94 (also called Campo Road)

CA94 is a state highway, lots of wide sweepers along overlooking the vally in places, and going up and over in other places.
Is first time in my riding career that had to stop at a road block set up by Border Patrol, they spent some time talking to truck driver and car driver ahead of me, but just waved me thru with just a quick glance.

Found this place between Dulzura and Barrett Junction to stop for picture. You can see why I thought was a good photo location.

In Barrett Junction was a good resurant/club, nothing fancy, but good diner food (was good dispite the "Welcome Bikers" sign). Friendly staff.

From there headed to other objective for the day: Sunrise Highway

Omega Man · Feb 15, 2016

Looking good Dave

Thanks for the effort.
Gary

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Sunrise Highway !!

SUNRISE HIGHWAY.

If going anywhere south of Julian, should include Sunrise Highway (the S1).

Is really lots of curves around rock cuts in side of mountain, and then up and over.
Does get to high elevation, a lot of it is over 5000 feet and is 5700 feet in one place.
At the north end of Sunrize highway at CA79 and at the south end of Sunrize Highway near I-8 are gates they can close off the Sunrize Highway, the gate had a big "Closed For Snow" sign on it.
Was in the mid 80s in San Diego that day, and was what I would say was low 60s up there.

First time in my riding career that I passed a snow plow (two actually) that was plowing the snow on the shoulder of the road.

View in a small park that overlooked the Borrego Desert.
Yep snow on the ground.

Again, was lots of twistys and lots of roadway cut out of rock on side of mountain and such, but about no shoulder and lots of signs about not stopping on roadway (meaning no tourist taking pictures). Was great. Follow it on Google Maps.

THis scene after coming down a lot of elevation.

Any trip to the area should include Sunrize Highway.

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daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Last day there, I picked going back to Pt Loma as the short ride that wife would like.

Is also a national park there around an old original light house, and some remaining bunkers for coastal lookout during WWII. And overlooks over tide pools in the ocean. And great overlooks over San Diego harbor. And museum about the original Spanish explorers there.
Lots to see and visit all in one place. Is a national park, so $10 per vehical.
Our daughter goes there most every week, she she rides her bicycle up and down this huge hill repeatedly (training for triathlons).

I was right, wife greatly enjoyed it (that doesn't happen too often, me being right that is.)

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daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

Other pics from other rides on other days:

Old Julian Highway, I think

CA78 somewhere, east of Ramona, I think.
Have to get east of Ramona for the good stuff.

CA78 somewhere, between Santa Yasbel and Julian, I think. View from a roadside park.
Off in the distance, can see were CA78 is, its that line of trees.

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Then left the 80 degrees, and returned home to 8 degrees and this

and did go for a ride this weekend

daveredman · Feb 15, 2016

If anybody going to San Diego area:
- Palomar South Grade & East Grade
- Sunrise Highway
are the two best that I was on.

- Japatul, Japutul Valley Rd, Lyons Valley Road.
- Any of CA78 and CA79 and CA94 is good.
But if on CA79, don't miss Sunrise Highway.

Folks have also recommended to me Montezuma Valley Rd out to Borrego SPrings and then Yaqul Pass Rd.
THat will need to be in my next trip.

And
- Look for website for BWM Owners Club OF San Diego. They have a great map there (best to print on 11x17 paper)
- And they have breakfast get-togethers on Saturday and Sunday morning. Informal groups head out for rides (which would pretty much require a personal invite from the group). But on 3rd Sunday of the month is an organized ride group for a "New Member Ride".

- Dealership in San Diego is great. I happen to meet a guy that I later found out was the owner and manager of the dealership.
- And I have been told that the dealership in Escondido is good too.

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lee · Feb 15, 2016

daveredman said:
SUNRISE HIGHWAY.

If going anywhere south of Julian, should include Sunrise Highway (the S1).

One trip while visiting my brother in Yuma, Az he told us we would enjoy the Sunrise Highway, but we never made it.
Looks like it's bumped up on the to do list.

lee · Feb 15, 2016

Thanks Dave

daveredman · Feb 16, 2016

Lee said:
One trip while visiting my brother in Yuma, Az he told us we would enjoy the Sunrise Highway, but we never made it.
Looks like it's bumped up on the to do list.

If going from Julian toward I-8 (or visa versa) one option is to stay on CA79 all the way. Other option is CA79 part of the way and Sunrize Highway the other part of the way.

Sunrise Highway is higher elevation so going to be cooler, is more sweeping curves, and more up and down, and more wide spread views down into valley and over to next mountain, and more riding in rock cuts.
If take Sunrise Highway you will be going around/bypassing part of CA79 that has maybe more tight twisty turns, but maybe also more traffic (including horse trailers and campers).
Hey, go more than once and take both ways .... and include Japatul Valley Rd in one of the routes.

Speaking of Japatul: it is properly pronounced as Hop-ah-toul

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Ah, man, if you are comming from Yuma AZ, you would have to decide wether to come in on I-8 to Imperial Hwy (S2) (to Borrego Springs), or I-8 to CA94 (to Honey Springs, Lyons Valley, Japatul Valley).
Or come in on CA78 to Borrego Springs.
So many good choices.
Do them all.

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