Topic: Godzilla conquers California

[scondon]

I have 5 days worth of the rally to post and think the easiest is to start this new thread, then have it linked into wherever the rest of the riders are posting road blogs to.

This is my personal 5 day journey to grab Godzilla in the SoCal desert and ride with him through California into Fernley, NV then haul @$$ home. I met and rode with everyone who made the California leg, and apologize that there won't be as many pictures of everyone or the places and roads we traveled that you all might be hoping to see. There was a lot of ground to cover and most of my trip was spent in the saddle and on the throttle. I will do my best to fill in the blanks.

Anyone who rode in California should post pics and tales to this thread to help bring this 1,038 mile odyssey into focus for the rest of the SOHC4 forum.

So here goes.....

[scondon]

Tuesday- 4/26/11

   Alarm goes off at 3:15am and I'm hugging the coffee pot while I do a mental checklist of everything I packed the night before.

Cell phone, camera, wallet, and hotel info in riding pants- check

Tool roll, fuses, spare Dyna S, 1qt 10-40w, visor spray, road maps and water bottle in tank bag- check

2 days of fresh clothes, road snacks, reading glasses, pen/paper, nic gum, and fistful of Tylenol in Timbuktu msngr bag- check

Chain lubed, full tank, oil topped, cables lubed, and nuts/bolts checked for tightness- check

  Kiss the sleeping gf goodbye, say a prayer to the motorcycle gods, and it's off into the darkness for a solo burn from Walnut Creek, CA to 29 Palms, CA to meet with Scottly and the Denver Choppers crew(KayJohn, Chopper Jim, and Kenny) at a location yet to be determined. I take a shot of the odometer as I'm leaving:


  Nothing to do now except eat as many miles as I can before the sun gets high and the traffic gets heavy. I settle into the fast lane of hwy 680 and keep the speed about a "slow jog" faster than the occasional car. My speedometer kinda stopped working last year, and the needle bounces between 60-130mph so I have adopted this method of gauging speed to go fast yet avoid tickets. So far, so good.

   680 turns to 580 turns to Interstate5, and I am now on the main asphalt vein connecting Northern and Southern California. I am humming along at a good clip, and it is beginning to sink in that this may actually work. The bike I am risking it all on was in pieces just days ago. The engine was torn apart with a crowbar by a Ebay seller who didn't know better, and has languished in my garage for 5 years. Fresh rings on the 67mm MTC pistons and new gaskets has been the bulk of my investment on this unknown engine. The sun is beginning to rise, and my fears of engine failure are turning to elation. As I'm watching the colors of the Central Valley brighten and deepen, hanging on tight to my 4-cylinder symphony, Deep Purple comes on the MP3 player and belts the classic "Highway Star." I #$%* you not, this is EPIC!!

   For anyone who has never been to California and ridden the I-5 let me just tell you that it is the straightest, most boring four lane mile eater we have. I amuse myself by trying to identify the bugs as they kamikaze my face shield. "Name that Smell" is another fun road game, but on I-5 it's a dud because the answer is always "cow #$%*."  242 miles into it I turn off I-5 and head East towards Tehachapi Pass and the high California desert on hwy 58.

  I'm at 110 since my last fill up and figure that as soon as I clear Bakersfield, CA I'll stop for gas again. As I head into the mountains towards a cloud front pushing heavy winds I hit the first stretch of my journey completely void of gas stations. I've always put my faith in good things happening so I continue forward up the pass, and just stay steady on the throttle. Finally, when the meter says 150 I see a sign for the town of Tehachapi in 10 miles. As I take the exit, the clouds part and I am once again feeling the buzz. Yes, this is truly going to work out fine.

  The day before I left I had some correspondence with Mooshie from Santa Barbara about her plans to meet me in Rosamond, CA. There were 50 mile gusts predicted for the area today, and she was leery of riding her 550 through them. As I rolled through the Mojave desert I had a 20 mile stretch of those winds, and couldn't help thinking about what a good plan it was for her to wait until the following day to ride out and meet me. Fortunately I was able to ride alone on the hwy and ride the center of my two lanes.

 Nearing my turnoff for Int 395 I had my one and only "failure" of the trip and spent 30 minutes on the side of the road enjoying the wind wash of semi's blowing past. I was humming along when all the power and lights went off. Before I coasted to a stop next to a call box I knew it was the main fuse. What I didn't know was "why?" and, well, I still don't really. I had two spare fuses with me so I plugged one in and turned the key just to have it blow instantly. One good fuse left, I'm in the desert on the side of the road, better give it my best shot. Tank off, side cover off, sprocket cover off and I'm checking every power wire that might look loose, and wrapping every thing close to the frame in electrical tape. When they blow like this it's been my experience that it's a 12v wire grounding to the frame somewhere so I just tape it all. In the process of cutting tape I take a good slice into my middle finger. I dab the last fuse with a bit o' crimson, say a prayer, and put it in. Lights on, engine running, and it's back on the road in search of the nearest auto parts store.

  I stop in Adelanto at a gas station and ask for the nearest parts store. Before the clerk answers I identify the look that says "you know you're in the middle of nowhere, right?." Fortunately another clerk just back from break knows one on my way, so I hop back on and continue towards Scottly and the DC crew. In Apple Valley,CA I stop at Auto Zone and buy 10 15A fuses that are still in the bottom of my tank bag somewhere. I am 80 miles from the meet-up point and completely re-energized having avoided potential disaster.

  The next 80 miles are the most beautiful of my trip. High desert in the Springtime is stunning and beautiful beyond belief. I think to stop and take pictures, but I am only halfway through my day with a lot more ground to cover. A picture can't cover the full experience of the area anyway. The vastness, the rocks and cactus, the wildflowers just beginning to bloom, the roads carving small canyons and dipping up and down like a roller coaster. Heck, there are no words or pictures that can share this event with y'all. You simply need to do it.

   It's 1:45pm and I'm in a parking lot at the junction of hwy's 247 and 62. I get Scottly on the phone and the AZ crew is an hour out so I hop back on and head slowly in their direction. I know where I am now, I've been this way before, I have arrived on time and the bike is humming along great. All the uncertainty has left long ago. This is truly happening. I let it soak in to the fullest and grin at everybody and everything as I putter towards 29 Palms, CA.

   In 29 Palms I stop and wait. I watch the CHP hand out their quota of tickets. A semi driver walks over from the AM/PM and we kill 15 minutes talking about bikes. He used to own a shop in the '70's in Los Angeles and did his share of big bore Honda's. This proves to be a common occurrence on my trip, and I am happy when people point to the mods on my bike and ask "does Sudco still make them carbs" or they talk of piston kits or pipes I have never heard of. There was more stuff happening with Hondas in the Greater LA area in the 70's than I'll ever know about, and names of people that never made it into lore, and I get to spend 15 minutes with some anonymous truck driver reliving the days. I love it.

   Scottly rings in and says they have stopped in 29 Palms. I could have pushed my bike to them because they are only a block away. It is not difficult finding them. As I pull to the next light there are two gorgeous choppers, what looks like a Rickman cafe on a trailer, and some guy in a hat running out waving his arms. Arizona meets California and Godzilla hops aboard a new ride.

   I meet Scottly, Chopper Jim, KayJohn and Kenny. We talk about the road and bikes, snap some pic's, eat some gas station grub, talk to the locals drawn by the choppers, and basically enter a 1hr time warp of good times and satisfaction of making this meet-up happen from both ends. We're all grinning with bloodshot eyes, and weathered faces, and I am wondering why my bike looks like a bug graveyard and those choppers look so damn SWEET!!!

They have been trading off bikes, and turns riding with Godzilla, so I probably get this wrong. I am a bit road burnt by now, and hope I am even remembering the names right, but I'm going to give it a shot:

Chopper Jim rode this beaut into 29 Palms


with Godzilla strapped on the front end


That's KayJohn adding gas to the 2.5gal tank for the next leg


Kenny was driving the support truck with Scottly's 750 strapped in


And Scottly(the guy in the hat) had the honors of passing Godzilla off for his tour of California


We stretched the banner to honor the occasion


And rolled out onto the road again. Plan was to ride together to hwy 395 before parting, but the hours and bumps had taken their toll on KayJohn, and when they pulled over to trailer his steed I bid farewell and safe journey home, and hit the road to Rosamond,CA where a bed was waiting.

  I don't know how the next 160 miles took so long for me to travel. It seems that most of it was spent just trying to stay on course of hwy 138 through Palmdale, CA. Desert cities can sprawl like nothing else, and I had to stop on a couple occasions to check the map to confirm that I was still, in fact, in Palmdale.

  At 9:20pm I checked into the Devonshire Inn in Rosamond, CA. Checked my messages to find that Mooshie was on track to meet me in the morning for our visit to APE/Willow Springs Raceway, called the gf to confirm my safe arrival, and propped Godzilla on the nightstand to watch over as I got some well deserved sleep.

 Day 1 was in the books, 701 miles covered for the cause. 17hrs on the road today. Four more days to go...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Ygnacio+Valley+Rd&daddr=35.38322,-119.05432+to:34.80044,-117.4875+to:34.56601,-117.34098+to:Twentynine+Palms,+CA+to:Rosamond,+CA&hl=en&geocode=Fba5QgId4jO6-A%3BFbTnGwIdEGDn-ClBtsyXckLqgDE1Ppu3rdyXvQ%3BFTgDEwIddEj_-CmnSo6cO5nDgDGBqfmafR3XEQ%3BFXpvDwIdzIQB-SmVlnmDSGXDgDH2LbDzPXaOHg%3BFQbeCAIdZycV-SnPfl7CJsfagDH8o2PJQus37A%3BFRH8EwIdMPj0-Ck7D0DsNz_CgDFwUz_bWeMDBw&gl=us&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=16&via=1,2,3&sll=37.925006,-122.011735&sspn=0.011391,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=36.191092,-119.355469&spn=6.205166,9.338379&z=6&output=embed

....WOOHOO!!!!!!

[mrbreeze]

Good stuff Sean!!!Glad that last fuse worked for ya after taping things up. Could have really been a pita tracking the short and running aluminum foil instead of a fuse.

[scondon]

Wednesday 4/27/11 Part 1- APE/ Willow Springs Raceway

  Alarm goes off at 7:30am, full consciousness happens around 8:30am. I drink two cups of motel room coffee which wakes me up just enough to go in search of actual coffee. Fortunately there's a cafe next door, and I settle down with a scone and a large black, and check my messages. Mooshie's on schedule for today, FatMatt's on schedule for tomorrow, Jerry say's there's some concern about Ofreen's route into Fernley,NV being closed for Saturday's meet, but all in all things are rolling along good.

  Head back to the Devonshire, shower up, and as I'm packing gear I hear a familiar sound outside. It's Mooshie rolling in on a stunning 550. Grab my gear and snap a shot before we roll to APE


and a couple more once we get there



  Now some of you are familiar with APE and the contributions they have made to the cb750 aftermarket racing components over the years, and some of you might not be. Having used APE components and services over only the past 8 years I fall somewhere in the middle. I am about to get a crash course in history by the man himself, Big Jay, and damn if I ain't feeling a bit nervous. But nerves are instantly settled as soon as we walk through the door..

There's Big Jay on the left, Pat on the right, and that's Dustin on the phone


   Every order I've placed with APE has been confirmed by a message from Dustin. Every question I've had about a part or service has been answered by Pat. And the guy on the left I have sent some parts to get measurements needed to make some trick new parts made for all of us, but I have never spoken to him 'cause he's ALWAYS busy.

   Any preconceived notions I might have had about meeting a man of Big Jay's status were instantly put to rest. It's truly an honor when you get to meet someone whose enthusiasm and love for the craft has not dulled with time, and who not only put us at ease with his friendly nature, but gave freely of his time to two anonymous riders, and though we were promised the "nickel tour" gave us the million dollar trek through legends past and future.

   If you want to see pics of the APE facility, or see what they have to offer then go to http://www.aperaceparts.com/  and see for yourself. I was not about to start walking about snapping shots like a tourist. Jay took us through the facility and showed us every piece of equipment, and inventory. I made him pause at the spots where the heads were milled and ported, where the valve seats were cut, and where the cranks were lightened and balanced. And at each spot he demonstrated the equipment, answered each and every question I might have about the process, and never once made me feel like I was taking up his time with simple stuff. Truly a high point of my cb750 career meeting Jay and his crew.

   I should have brought a tape recorder. That's what I should have done. From what I recall of our 45 minute walk and talk through APE I learned that Jay started out in the Aeronautics industry in Southern California. A buddy of his owned a cb750 and heard that you could use cb350 pistons to make a big bore 750, and could Jay use his machine shop at the Aeronautics plant to help shape them to fit. By 1974 Jay was doing so much of this work that he opened APE, and it has been a family owned and operated business ever since.

  I learned what a small world the aftermarket racing industry for cb750's is, and how much Jay and APE have contributed to the shape and scope of it. The three main players at the moment, APE-Dynoman-CycleX, are working together in some areas to see that we get continue to get quality parts. Did I know that Jay helped Wiseco craft the 836 kits we buy today? No, I did not know that. Or that MTC, the piston manufacturer whose 67mm pistons(circa 1972) are getting me down the road also manufacture the 1000cc pistons designed and offered by APE today? nope, not a clue.

  While getting an in depth lesson on  just how the Serdi cylinder head machine works, and the importance of the valve seat cuts that Mrieck is always going on about, I got a tug on my jacket. It was Godzilla, and he was pointing at a machine off in the corner. "That's where they balance and lighten your cranks, aint it?" he asks. "I want to stand in the exact spot where your cranks have sat, and you're gonna snap my pic."

 {sigh} Ok, Godzilla, but just this once!


  Now I could have stayed at APE all day, but Godzilla was getting antsy and Mooshie's eyes were starting to glaze over from all the shop talk going on. Time to head over to Willow Springs and get our complimentary lap in. Jay hops in his silver corvette and leads us the 500 feet to the main gate office. Along the way he grabs both our cameras and snaps pics for us by the main entrance


Then walks us in to meet Chris who is the man who said "yes" to our lap of the track. Thanks, Chris, you rock!!


I tucked 'Zilla into my leather 


Lined up with Mooshie


and took two laps around this storied track. AWESOME!!



  Afterwards, Mooshie and I rode back to APE to say our farewell and give our sincerest thanks to Jay and his crew for the opportunity to meet, tour, and ride at some of the true legends in the business. As much as I'd like to stay all day, we have some ground to cover before the day's over. Hold on 'Zilla, San Luis Obispo, CA is the next stop

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Rosamond+Blvd&daddr=Esses%2FTurn+3%2FTurn+4%2FWillow+Springs+International+Motorsports+Park%2FWillow+Springs+International+Raceway+to:Front+Straight%2FWillow+Springs+International+Motorsports+Park%2FWillow+Springs+International+Raceway&hl=en&geocode=FRv6EwIdonfz-A%3BFUsmFAIdzWTz-A%3BFSYYFAId6HHz-A&gl=us&mra=mi&mrsp=2&sz=16&sll=34.87426,-118.260484&sspn=0.011918,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=34.869595,-118.265505&spn=0.024647,0.036478&z=14&output=embed

[scondon]

Wednesday 4/27/11 Part 2- San Luis Obispo

  Before leaving APE, Godzilla made some excuse about being tired of riding in the wind, and going deaf from my medium comp. Kerker exhaust, and couldn't we please find him some better accommodations for the next leg. Yeah right! Smooth move, 'Zilla. We know ya just want to be seen with the pretty lady on the pretty bike. Ok, you are a fire breathing radioactive mutant lizard with a history of destruction. Have it your way!


   Now I hear that the Alaskans have over 50 words for snow. Mooshie has at least that many words for wind, and none of them fit to publish in this family forum. For the sake of this writing, let's just say she really doesn't like the wind...really really! But unlike you guys who don't like to ride in the rain, and DON'T, Mooshie may hate the wind but it doesn't stop, or even slow her on today's journey.

   The crosswind was picking up pretty good along hwy 138 as we left APE and headed West towards SLO. By the time we got to the Grapevine pass at the junction to I-5 it was kicking up dust tornado's around us, and rather than "entering" the I-5 from hwy 138 we were simply blown onto it. I have a lot of experience riding in some difficult situations, but among the semi's and afternoon traffic I was feeling some serious concern for my fellow rider on her lighter 550. But every time I looked back to check on things she was right there, and not a hint of panic showing. Once we found our exit she added a few more words to her "wind" list, but that was all. No giving up, no "this bites, I wish i were home." Just smiles and a good attitude for the roads ahead.

   I'm glad you SoCal riders picked Mooshie to represent. Best that you men stayed home for this one, it was a battle. And that's all the jab your gonna get from this NorCal rider. Go Giants!

   We turn off I-5 and begin to climb through the Los Padres National Forest. At first there's some cars ahead, but one by one they turn off to other roads until there's just a lone cement mixer chugging over the pass. We pass it in a straight, and then it's just miles and miles of two-lane twisting up through the mountains before busting clear of the trees with a view all the way to the Pacific Ocean. We jump off the bikes and snap some hurried pics before the cement mixer can catch up.



   Now I don't claim any religion, or have much to say on spiritual matters, but hop on a bike at the top of a mountain range and ride a two lane that follows the paths water have cut to the ocean over hundreds or thousands of years...well, I don't know how to describe the feeling without mentioning the word god. Any god, I don't care, just not the one you hate, ok?

   Speaking of gods, there's a character in one of the Douglas Adams' Hitch hiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. He's a lorry driver in England who has never seen a sunny day in his life. Rain follows him wherever he goes, and he can describe over 100 different types of rain from light drizzles to torrential downpours. He is miserable with rain. Unbeknownst to himself he is a rain god, and the clouds follow him to shower their praise and adoration upon him. I amuse myself as we turn onto 101 north thinking that Mooshie might just be a wind goddess.

   We roll into SLO with daylight left, and check into our motel rooms. I send a text to FatMatt that we have arrived, and we soon depart for downtown to find some grub. I bring the camera, but forget to snap any pics. While downtown, Matt calls from just down the road, and despite me sending him in the opposite direction he manages to get it figured and meets us in short order. We eat, share some tales from the road, and figure a plan for the morning meet up as the sun sets.

    We're all a bit tired so Mooshie and I head back to our rooms while Matt goes towards the coast in search of a spot to camp out. This has been another excellent day of riding for me. Mooshie has been great company, and Matt looks like he knows how to put down some miles. Once again I settle into a giddy feeling that this is actually happening. The bike is holding up great, the people I am meeting are fantastic, and there are days left to go with no plans but the road.

   I fall asleep without effort, and am happy that tomorrow I don't have to know where I'm going. The plan for me is to follow someone else' tail light for the trip back home. Relax and enjoy....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

5 miles around Willow Springs raceway and 181 miles to SLO for a total of 186 godzilla miles on the day.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Rosamond+Blvd&daddr=34.85284,-119.148+to:Montalban+St&hl=en&geocode=FRv6EwIdonfz-A%3BFejPEwIdIPLl-Ck1Y0P7rI7pgDFBfclo02kOCg%3BFbV1GgId3M3O-A&gl=us&mra=ls&via=1&sll=35.28609,-120.658593&sspn=0.023576,0.038581&ie=UTF8&ll=35.029996,-119.476318&spn=3.148459,4.669189&z=7&output=embed

[Old Scrambler]

Great Read...............I lived in LA from late in '69 to mid-'72........I've missed those roads..........

[scondon]

Thursday 4/28/11 - San Luis Obispo to Walnut Creek,CA

   Yesterday's ride was under 200 miles, followed by a big meal and relaxing evening. I wake up feeling pretty good for having been riding for two days. The continental breakfast promised by the motel is a urn of coffee and a tray of mufffins set next to the check-in desk, and the coffee won't be ready for another 10 minutes. Mooshie is out in the lot packing her gear already, so I take a quick shower and do the same.

   I down as much coffee as I can, and we hit hwy 1 for a short ride to Morro Bay where we plan to meet Matt at 9am. Mooshie and I play a game of "You lead- no, YOU lead" as we pick our way to the Morro Bay Rock that sits on the Pacific Ocean. We park the bikes near the entrance road of the lot to wait for Matt. A surfer comes up and offers to take our pic.


   Matt is 20 minutes overdue when my phone rings. It's Matt, and he's been delayed. His throttle cable popped out and he's just about fixed it and ready to roll. "Popped out!??" I think to myself. I find out later that Matt will have some of the more interesting "pit stops" I have encountered.

   Matt arrives and we park the bikes as close to the ocean as we can without sinking the 'stands in the sand, and get ready to do the deal.

We stretch the banner and shoot the bikes


The father of a vacationing family does us the favor of snapping a few of our small group


I get one of Mooshie before she heads back solo to Santa Barbara. Great ride, Mooshie. Glad to have shared it with ya.


I show Matt the back of the banner where everyone who has ridden the rally so far has signed


And Mooshie shoots "The Handoff"


Matt straps Godzilla to his sleeping roll


...and we say our goodbye's and roll out. Mooshie goes South towards home, and Matt and I roll North to do the same. Matt has received a message saying that hwy 1 is open so we plan to just burn all the way up 1 to Santa Cruz, CA. Hwy1 has had multiple closures due to landslides, and this is good news. A short way up the road we see a sign that reads "hwy 1 closed in 35 miles."

We turn off, and Matt makes a few calls to find out whether the road is open, or not


   Now texting is a fun and quick way to get communications out on the road, but please take the time to add punctuation. "I'll be there thursday is hwy 1 open." looks an awful lot like "I'll be there thursday hwy 1 is open" when read on a tiny screen by someone on the road for 400+ miles. A "?" added makes all the difference. We have a quick laugh at Matt's expense. It's actually a plus because we have turned off on the detour road, and will be riding some awesome roads through the canyons instead of stuck in traffic up hwy 1.

   6-7 miles down the road Matt runs out of gas. No worries, I filled up before leaving. I pop off my tank and we fill a water bottle with a couple pints of gas. It's awesome riding these old bikes. Not much can stop ya, and the "pit stops" can be just as enjoyable as the ride. It's beautiful out, and the lizards are running about the green countryside while the raptors circle above looking for a meal.

 A short while later we gas up in Paso Robles. I see that the hanger strap that holds my Kerker in the rear has sheared at the bolt hole. Not much restriction on this baffle so I don't think the muffler will blow off. I check the four clamps at the head, and tighten the clamp at the muffler as tight as I dare, and we head up 101 in search of route 18.

  We get off the main hwy and head West again on route 18. It is two lanes of gentle sweepers cutting through the mountains back towards the ocean and hwy 1. We stay steady on the throttle at a good clip to make up some time. We stop once to confirm we are taking the correct route, and find our connection to the Naciemento-Fergueson Road that cuts through the Fort Hunter-Ligget military base.

  As we make our turn into the base a old Honda clutch lever tumbles across the road in front of me. "Cool!" I think "Matt has brought a spare lever in case we break one." I think I better pick it up for him so he can put it back in his pack. I pick it up and roll up to Matt who is parked at the side of the road.....fiddling around with his handlebars. Hilarious! While downshifting to make the turn his clutch lever has popped off. All those miles he's put in have vibrated the bolt out.

He looks over his bike to find a similar bolt he can live without(one of the two holding the rear brake reservoir)


Bolts the lever back on


.....and away we go.

We stop to snap a tank. That's Matt taking a nice one of 'Zilla destroying the tank


   Soon we exit the base, and the road narrows a bit and the straights disappear. We are cutting through the mountains on a snake of a road winding through the tree's. It's all sunlight, shadow, sunlight, shadow, turn, turn, TURN, and I am finding something out about Matt. I can NOT keep up with him on the tight stuff!! I blame my stiff neck, and the 1,000 miles already traveled, but the truth is he should just change his forum name to FastBastard and be done with it.

    After miles and miles of bumps and turns we break into the sunlight on a ridge thousands of feet above the ocean. The ocean appears to be less than two miles away. No trees, a clear view through the turns, and a steep downhill switchback all the way down. I finally catch up with Matt. We have made it back to Hwy 1 above the closure.

   The next couple hours go like this: Burn, stop for road work, burn, stop for road work, burn, then wind and plenty of it. As soon as we leave the trees of Big Sur the wind is raging. I see Matt ahead of me slanting against it, and our speed is dropping dramatically. I pull ahead to give him a visual target, and we head up the slow lanes all the way to Monterey. We pull off the first exit in Monterey and make a call. We are behind schedule, and the rider we were to meet here has gone ahead to Santa Cruz. We head back onto hwy1 and battle the wind all the way into Santa Cruz.

   As soon as we hit the first stoplight in Santa Cruz, Matt pops back in front and goes squirting through traffic towards our destination. I'm glad he has an idea of where the wharf is. I always manage to get turned around going through this town with all it's winding streets and waterways. In short order we are turning onto a pier that juts out on the ocean with shops and restaurants lining one side of it. We see 6 Hondas parked and pull in next to them. We have arrived to meet the Bay Area contigent.

    I'm pretty burnt from the road by now, and as we introduce ourselves I promise to forget everyone's name. For the most part, I have kept my promise. Everyone is a new face to me except Lloyd(TwoTired) who I met years ago when we had a meet and greet for Glen Stauffer(the founder of SOHC4 website from way back when it was on the Greenspun). I snap a pic so I can later go on our site and match forum names to the faces(Greggo is missing from this shot. He had to leave soon after we arrived. He would have made the rest of the ride if we had arrived on time. Sorry 'bout that, Greggo, next time).


    Everybody finished eating long ago so Matt and I wolf down some poppers and fries, and we all head outside for some quick pics. Lots of shots were taken so see the other blogs for better shots of the rides. It's two 750's, four 550's, a 500(gasp!), and a canary 400. The smaller displacements rule the road today.

Matt holds the banner in the wind


And Greggo(second from right) hoists Godzilla before heading home


  We all hop on and head in search of hwy 9 which will take us through the Santa Cruz Mountains to Skyline Blvd and Alice's Restaurant. We make quite a site rolling through town. 7 riders in leathers, boots, low bars, cafe bars, and of course TwoTired  with the sensible plexiglass windscreen. I know TwoTired is a "sleeper" because I've ridden with him before. And sure enough, as we soon have hwy 9 to ourselves there is a headlight in my rearview I just can't shake no matter how much I power through the turns. Yep, it's TwoTired on his "sensible" 550.

  We turn off on to Bear Creek Road, and stop to take a stretch. A lot of downshifting and bumps can take it's toll so we get the circulation going before heading off again. Bear Creek is a one lane goat trail, and I am happy to let the smaller bikes squirt ahead. I've never been on this particular road, and am glad Matt picked it. We don't see another car for miles. Twist, turn, twist, turn, up, down, up down....wheeeee!!!!

  Soon we turn on to Skyline and I know where we are. Alice's is getting close and I've ridden this road a hundred times. The last miles are heavy on the throttle, and we roll into Alice's parking lot as the sun is setting. It's been a long day for everyone.  We stop for drinks and some snacks, and talk of bikes and tales of the road. The banner comes out and everyone gets to scrawl their entry claiming part in this bit of history in the making.

   In the parking lot we top our gas and oil, and I grab 'Zilla from Matt for an overnite at my house. Matt and TwoTired consider joining Fred and me on the leg to Nevada, and I tell them to call me by 8am if the body and bikes are willing. We all say our goodnight and head to the end of Skyline where we part ways.

   I burn across the San Mateo bridge towards home with one of the riders from Oakland. I'll call him "Hobart" until I get the names straight later on. His tank badge reads "Hobart" instead of Honda. A drunk Harley rider at Alice's asks him if Hobart is a German bike. "No, it's a dough mixer." Ok, ya either had to be there or have professional culinary experience, but I'm telling you it was hilarious. "Hobart" knows my good friend Tyler at Hayasa Motorbikes in Oakland,CA. I'm sure this is where I've seen his bike before, and will again.

   I wave goodbye at the 880/236 interchange and ride the last miles home solo for the first time since Tuesday. I'm weary and happy as I pull into the driveway. The gf hits the garage door opener as I'm rolling up and I pull inside and cut the engine. I sit in the silence for a few seconds that feel like minutes. Home! Fridge! GF! My own shower, and bed! Clean Clothes! And most important, bike and all my limbs intact! This feels so good, and I sit in the semi darkness and enjoy the moment.

    Kim, she's the gf in this tale, greets me and 'Zilla


And makes sure we're both fed


And gets Godzilla a spot with the locals for the night


  And it's time to head off to slumber, and the best sleep of my trip. 3 days done, 2 more to go. 353 miles for the day, and 1,197 miles since I left home on Tuesday. This journey is one of the most excele.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Montalban+St&daddr=35.526702,-121.0444461+to:35.87258,-120.83368+to:36.0042949,-121.3960982+to:Municipal+Wharf+to:Skyline+Blvd+to:37.49177,-122.36449+to:37.6988938,-121.9309533+to:Ygnacio+Valley+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FbV1GgId3M3O-A%3BFS4YHgIdIgLJ-CmVLytZcSXtgDELMiW5A9WyBw%3BFURfIwIdcDnM-Cl_ToJjHimTgDFlvW5e72aG3g%3BFcZhJQIdfqTD-Cml8yzaH5GSgDF5w_pj2-hXtA%3BFaHzMwId3CW6-A%3BFTB6OgIdvGK2-A%3BFToUPAIdtt20-ClvK3RFUHWPgDG8fDx1c9Wc9Q%3BFU09PwIdN3u7-CkD-qp0cOyPgDFUN981uqo4Rg%3BFba5QgId4jO6-A&gl=us&mra=dpe&mrsp=7&sz=10&via=1,2,3,6,7&sll=37.515172,-122.081451&sspn=0.73308,1.234589&ie=UTF8&ll=36.738884,-121.640625&spn=6.161561,9.338379&z=6&output=embed

[scondon]

Friday 4/29/11 - Walnut Creek,CA to Fernley,NV

   "This is my coffee pot. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My coffe pot is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My coffe pot, without me, is useless. Without my coffe pot, I am useless." (with apologies to the USMC).

    And so starts day 4. It's 8:30am and I'm enjoying a bottomless cup of joe. Jerry(RxmanGriff) has left a message that Matt is on his way to my house to join the ride to Fernley, NV. I head to the garage in my pajamas and replace the broken exhaust strap with a fresh one from another bike, and brush the chain with a healthy dose of lube. Can't believe the old iron is making this trip, and I take a moment to marvel at the collection of bugs on the headlight.

   I pack some fresh clothes, print a couple route maps, grab the motel address in Fernley, and wait for Matt. When he shows up we talk a bit then grab all our stuff and roll the bikes to the street. Matt points to mine and says I'm missing something. Sure enough, one of the filters has blown off my CR's at some point the day before. Yes, it was pretty damn windy. I put a velocity stack on and put a spare in my bag and call it good.


  We start up and head down the street to gas up. The next stop is Farmington, CA. A one block blip on the map of Central California where we plan to meet Fred(MrBreeze) who is riding up from Modesto. We head over Kirker Pass and onto hwy4 which will take us all the way to our meeting point.

   When we hit hwy4 it becomes apparent that the winds that blew us about the day before were still gusting strong. Hwy4 is really just a road that cuts through farming communities in the valley, and when we are not being knocked about by the wake of oncoming semi's we're putting through towns at 30mph. It feels good when we make a jog over I-5 because I know that we are near Farmington, and the Sierra foothills just beyond. At 12:30pm we roll to a stop sign in Farmington and see Fred's bike outside the bar across the way. We park, and head inside.

I try and snap a pic of Fred and Matt


   Ahhhh, what the heck, let's eat and greet instead. I recognized Fred(MrBreeze) immediately. I had met him years back at the same time I met Lloyd(TwoTired) when we all gathered at the Pyramid Brewery in Berkeley,CA to say hello to our site founder Glenn Stauffer who was in town on business. Here it is, years later, and it's deja vu with fred in his cap, nursing a beer. We settle in to some lunch and route planning, and it's clear to me it's all good roads, good times, and good company ahead.

  We finish up and step out into the afternoon sun. Time to hand everything to Fred 'cause we're in his neck of the woods now. If Godzilla is to be assured arrival in Nevada, MrBreeze is the best man for the job.

Godzilla checks my miles for me. That's 325 miles of eatin' bugs on the Sumbich Mr. 'Zilla


Now you're going to be riding with this nice fella


It's ok, 'Zilla, he don't bite


A shot of the 3 Honda's, plus a BMW that's headed to points unknown


....and we hit the road to climb the snow covered pass into Nevada.

   We are fortunate on this leg. Most of the traffic is headed the other direction, the skies are clear and warm, and soon we enter the cover of trees and hills that block the wind that has hammered us the past day and a half. It's the middle of the afternoon and the plan is to eat up miles at a steady pace so that we arrive at our destination before the sun goes down. It's perfect out now, but where we are heading will get pretty cold after sunset. We settle into a steady rhythm and climb ever upwards.

   At 4000 feet we stop and add a layer of warmth. At 6000 feet Matt breaks out his cold weather gloves. And at 8000 feet...

...Matt's throttle cable pops out


It's actually pretty warm in the sunshine, and the roads are clear and dry. Nice spot for a break.



'Zilla tries to take off on MrBreeze' bike, but his feet don't reach the pegs, and his arms can't reach the throttle


".....getcher own scoot, Zilla" says Fred.

     Cable reattached and it's back on the bikes for a long downhill slide back down the other side of the Sierras. We glide past snow covered mountains, a reservoir covered in ice and snow, and some spectacular high mountain meadows that are patchworks of snow, dirt, and running water. My ears pop as we head ever downwards, and soon enough we are passing the snow line again as we traverse a steep canyon into the high open lands of Nevada. And suddenly the road straightens out like a razor cut across the land. We grab a bunch of throttle and play "how many cars can you pass at once" all the way into Carson City, NV.

    At Carson City we gas up and check the map. We're close, maybe 50 miles to go. It's good 'cause it's getting a bit chilly now, and to the north of us we can see the clouds that are dumping all over Ofreens route to meet us in Fernley. Sun is also getting low so we hop back on and look for our turnoff to hwy50. We go a mile past it and have to backtrack, but soon we are on the road to Fernley, dinner, and hopefully some warm beds. I'm the only one with a reservation, but these guys are made of sturdy stuff and we motor on, steady on the throttle.

    As the sun hits the mountain tops we hit the town of Fernley. We stop at a 76 station and get directions to the motel, and minutes later we are rolling in to the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel. Mission accomplished, we have arrived safe and sound with Godzilla in hand, or pack, or bag, or....wherever he is, we got him and that's all that matters now. Kelly the night clerk at the Super 8 makes our day when she tells us there's rooms for all. She is super friendly and helpful and just what a rider needs at the end of a long day. She puts us in three consecutive rooms which is great, now we don't have to go banging on doors to find each other in the morning.

    I check my messages, and to my surprise Ofreen is just an hour out of town. His route was supposed to be closed by the weather, and we weren't expecting him until the following day. It had cleared up in time for him to get on the road on schedule, and he wasn't about to let the cold slow him down. We head to the casino across the way, and eat some salty, greasy all night gambler food, have a couple drinks, and head back to the rooms for a good nights sleep. About 30 minutes later Greg(Ofreen) calls from the parking lot so I rouse Matt and Fred, and we gather for a quick greet with Greg before heading of to slumber. Four cb750's in the lot, and four tired riders snoozin' away  the cold Nevada night.

    This ends my time with Godzilla, but not the journey. Still gotta wake up, do the handoff, and get home. It's been 1,038 miles in Godzilla's presence for me, and 1,565 total since I hit the road on Tuesday. There's relief to know that the California leg of the SOHC4 rally has been a success, but for me, and Matt,and Fred, well....we still gotta get home before we can call it done.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Ygnacio+Valley+Rd&daddr=37.9299554,-121.006122+to:38.22851,-120.70415+to:Fernley,+NV&geocode=Fba5QgId4jO6-A%3BFePDQgId1pfJ-Cm5SEtB3maQgDEQBcmF-lqX5A%3BFR5SRwIdajPO-ClrzaJ0t5yQgDHDpEXEw9JQbQ%3BFaBeXAIdhVzk-CmXmYeQ7biYgDH1YC4NzTXsXw&gl=us&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=10&via=1,2&sll=38.136717,-121.076202&sspn=0.726932,1.234589&ie=UTF8&ll=38.754083,-120.541992&spn=2.99853,4.669189&z=7&output=embed

[scondon]

Saturday 4/30/11 -  Homeward bound

    I wake up to the sound of voices in the parking lot below. It's the fella's, and though I can't make out the conversation I can tell they've been awake for a bit. Damned if I'm going to hold things up, so I dress quickly and head downstairs. This morning I feel different than the days previous. Don't know how many of you do long rides, but for me, the last day, the one that finally gets ya home has a different feel. For me, the senses sharpen, and each step, each move, and every plan made is all about the business of getting home, and getting home safe!

   We head across to the casino again, this time for breakfast. Steak and eggs, and coffee every time the waitress comes into view. Greg(Ofreen) tells us of his ride to meet us the day before, and his plans to solo with Godzilla the next two days into Spanish Fork, UT. Greg has come down from Idaho to take the handoff, and will leave rubber in 4 states over 4 days, most all of it solo on his '75 cb750F with over 125,000 miles already on the clock. You talk to Greg, and he'll say "it's nothin'." Take a look at him, and you'll believe it. This guy is made of the same stuff that conquered the west in wagon trains. A few days fighting the cold and wind on a motorcycle? "Not a problem." Ok, fine, I'm still gonna have my moment of awe if that's ok!?

    After breakfast we push the bikes to the end of the lot to shoot some pics and do the deal. It's good times and grins, and we're all happy to have made this moment. I try to stay in the moment as best I can, but the brain is going over the checklist of bike, gear, timing, and stop points for the trip home.

We stretch the banner




And one badass hands 'Zilla off to the next


Godzilla gets strapped onto his new ride


And gives a nearby semi some "stank eye"


  ....pics are done and we get ready to motor.

     I decide to check my oil for the first time in a couple days. Good thing, as there's not enough there to reach the stick. I add the 1/2 qt from my bag, and get another qt from the gas station. After topping off I give the rest to Matt who is also low after breaking 1,000 miles over three days. Matt then informs us that his chain is adjusted to the limit, and is still a bit loose. I remember him asking "could I get your opinion on this tight spot in my chain" a few days ago, and it dawns on me that it's probably near falling off now.

yep, that's pretty darn worn


    We decide that a motorcycle shop should be the first order of business. Fred(MrBreeze) could use some new grips as well. His started slipping the day before and he's been having to squeeze hard on the throttle to keep going.

We passed a small shop on the way into Fernley, so we start there


   Good people, and a friendly pit bull named Sprocket, but they cater mostly to dirt riders so there's little chance of us finding a 630 chain on their shelf. They give us directions to a much larger shop in Carson City, and we thank them and roll out of town. Don't know if you've ever rode with anyone that had a critical part so near failure, but I just adopt the "easy on the throttle, and don't fill their head with all the nasty things that could happen" approach. I'm sure Mat's head is buzzing enough without me adding to it, so I just ride support the best I can.

    In Carson City we stop at Michael's Cycle Works. Quads, snow mobiles, sportbikes, you name it they got it. But they don't have a 630 chain. Anyone who hasn't yet done the "530 chain conversion" on their 77-78 cb750, here is one argument in favor of doing it- availability on the road. But no worries, Mike the parts guy calls over to their other shop in Reno and they have one on the shelf. Fred grabs some new grips,  I get a quart of H4 semi-synth, and we hit the road.

   We make the 52 mile round-trip detour to Reno. Matt buys the chain, but the service department's booked solid for the day. They hear our predicament and make room to help us on the spot. This place is HUGE, and we wander about looking at gear and machines and a table full of parts that have failed spectacularly. Burnt pistons, broken rods, sprockets with no teeth left......I wonder to myself if Matt's chain will go on this table when we leave?

   In under 1/2 hour they roll Matt's bike out with a fresh 630 chain, and a word of caution about his worn sprockets. They've also replaced a rear caliper bolt that went missing on the road. 20% off on the chain, 1/2 hour service, free bolt, and very friendly service? When people treat you this well, you give 'em a plug

http://www.michaelscycleworks.com/                   Carson City,NV
http://www.michaelsreno.com/                             Reno, NV

    We got chain, we got grips, we got oil, we got gas...and we got a lot of miles to cover before the day is done. I do the math and figure my front door is two gas stops away. My "homeward bound" brain kicks in, and I'm all about doing whatever it takes to keep the wheels in motion. In the past I've tried to relax and let it be, but I know I just can't change it. It's not about going fast, per se, it's about stopping for nothing but the finish line, and I'm hoping I don't alienate my riding buddies as I pull in front and head out of Reno.

    By the time we've turned off 395 and are into the twisty bits of 88 heading up the backside of the Sierra's I see that Fred is one, now two cars behind us. Fred's not going slow by any means, I'm just in that zone and I'm trying to pull my road mates along. As we head up through the snow I have completely lost site of him in my rear view, but rather than stop I just ease off the throttle a bit. Once we hit a long enough straight, and I can see a single headlight back in the distance, I know he's still with us and I get back on the throttle. This repeats itself all the way until we are nearly to Jackson, CA all the way down the other side of the Sierra's.

    We pull into Jackson for a gas stop, the last of our journey. I feel a tinge of guilt, like I've been treating those that have put so much into this trip with disrespect by going so far ahead. Especially Fred who has ridden practically the entire Sierra's by himself today. I hope you know that your good times and safety mean a lot to me, bro', and though I seem unable to keep my eyes from the prize ahead I've been watching out for ya all day long. It's been a blast, Fred, and I wouldn't be here right now if ya hadn't gone on the site and posted all those times to the Team West thread about this leg. My absolute favorite, and the one that got me on this leg with you, was the last one after all the niceties had failed to get you an answer:

"I sure as hell ain't goin' all the way out to the bay area and turning around to take it to Nevada by myself............somebody better muster up!!!!"

     That's the Fred I met years ago, and the same one we wave goodbye to in Jackson,CA as he heads south to his digs in Modesto. Been good ridin' with ya, lets not wait so long until next time.

     It's just me and Matt left, and it looks like I'll be home in time for dinner. As we hit the last turns of the foot hills and onto the straights of the Central Valley I begin to ride the center line to pick out good passing spots. 5 grand spins to 7 grand, and back down to 5 as we pass the mix of SUV's, semi's, and $300 mechanic specials that make up the mix of farm traffic, laborers and weekend getaways that populate the roads. At one point we have to spin it up past 8k to pass a long stretch of chromed twins that appear to be content holding the road on a weekend run. I pop in amongst the lead three for a quick wave before darting back out in the oncoming lane and past at about 90mph. I love these moments on my old rusty racebike 

    We turn off hwy88 and head south on 99 to the junction of the 205. By the time we hit the 205 my blinders are on full. It takes everything I got to remember to check the rearview, and when I do, Matt is right there. He has 30 miles further to go than I, and I imagine he might be feeling just about the same. Matt's been on the Godzilla road through CA almost the whole way with me, and he's got a cold one and girlfriend waiting too. I take a moment to realize how stoked he must be feeling right now to have done it all on a '78 cb750F2 that had sat in someones garage and only recently come into his possession. His cable poppin', lever droppin', chain eating machine had brought him from Norcal to SoCal to NorCal to NV and was almost back home. Yep, he's gotta be feeling pretty good too!

   We hit the wind farms at the Altamont Pass, and I see Matt's light get further and further back. My 900cc's have a bit more push against the headwinds and I'm using all of it. I'm so close to home, it's all I can think about and I allow myself to lose site of Matt in my mirrors. When I see signs for Livermore I pull over a couple lanes and ease down to wait for Matt. I don't wait long at all. He wasn't as far back as I thought. Yep, FatMatt I now christen you FastBastard! Good job, and great riding with ya. I got F2 nuts/bolts and a sweet header in the garage for ya. See ya again soon 

    I head for the 680 exit and wave to Matt who does the same. I am now on the stretch of highway that I've commuted to work for months. I know where the CHP like to sit, and am familiar with all the traffic patterns. One point left to spare on the license before penalty? check. I hit the fast lane and bob and weave to my exit. Up Ygnacio Valley Blvd I ride the 4th lane of a 3 lane road and cut to the front at every light. Two left turns and three rights and I'm rolling up the driveway as the garage door starts to raise. Home! Unbelievable! I made it! In one piece!

........Life is good. Really...Really...Good!!!!!!!!!!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Fernley,+NV&daddr=39.35608,-119.38882+to:39.17043,-119.7661+to:Reno,+NV+to:38.67968,-120.11639+to:37.83138,-121.21761+to:37.74919,-121.47555+to:Ygnacio+Valley+Rd&geocode=FaBeXAIdhVzk-CmXmYeQ7biYgDH1YC4NzTXsXw%3BFbCGWAIdbEXi-CmfeQOExv2YgDHcVFhnqzYxoQ%3BFX6xVQIdrIPc-CnLO_X_lwqZgDGTMYKHviLihQ%3BFaEsWwIdVcnb-CmdoJKSrkCZgDGH9zh0zsXFQA%3BFYA0TgIdWivX-CmPn-zj1fWZgDH84eqy76y4MA%3BFdRCQQIdtl3G-ClZ8fS4imqQgDEy0kFFQwB4Sw%3BFcYBQAIdIm7C-Cl1oaFpniKQgDHjGj5gl1o1Iw%3BFba5QgId4jO6-A&gl=us&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=9&via=1,2,4,5,6&sll=38.011312,-120.830383&sspn=1.107962,2.15332&ie=UTF8&ll=38.771216,-120.860596&spn=2.997811,4.669189&z=7&output=embed




Next week I will wash the bike. For now, them bugs are a badge of honor

[scondon]

Mine is only one riders tale out of many who are participating across the United States and beyond during this 2011 SOHC4 Rally/Ride adventure. To get the full story from everyone, and to see where Godzilla has been, and is going, check out the official rally blog thread here:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=85509.0

and also the featured blog in Motorcycle Classics online magazine here:

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/blogs/blog.aspx?blogid=2147483773

[Retro Rocket]

That was a great read Scondon,  well done guys......

[andy750]

Wow!! Sean that was epic writing as well as an epic trip! Great stuff and thanks for sharing!

Someday i want to meet you all!

cheers
Andy

P.S. Ill be heading to Santa Barbara soon for work (short-term)   - if Mooshie is around can you send me her details Id love to buy her a beer!  Thanks!

[CycleRanger]

Wow!! Sean that was epic writing as well as an epic trip! Great stuff and thanks for sharing!

Someday i want to meet you all!

Indeed!  What he said!

[Stev-o]

Great trip and write-up!!

[Mooshie]

Sean:  what a great write up.  I was honored to ride with you (and I know I slowed you down considerably) but forever the gentleman you would never have known it by your demeanor.  I am off to purchase a "got wind" sticker and have decided to embrace it as a kindred spirit.  I hope we can ride again in 2012 for the annual spin (is that possible Jay?) around Willow Springs and beyond...

Andy I will PM you with my info.

[ofreen]

Nice job, Sean.  I enjoyed reading that.  And thanks for the kind words.  See you on the wagon train.

[andy750]

Andy I will PM you with my info.

Please do! Ill be in the Santa Barbara this coming week for work at UCSB so if you have time Id like to buy you a beer and we can swap wind stories

Great ride!

Ofreen - you are an epic rider as well!  I just read your write report... super impressive!

Cheers
Andy

[fatmatt650]

Excellent write up, Sean! I love the reference to "The Guide", one of my all time favorite trilogies. What did you determine Mooshie translated to? "Mouse who rages at the wind"? Can't wait to do it again. BTW, i saw you're "good" bike had a beat up passenger strap, I've got a couple extra if you want one. I'll get in touch soon about that header. One other thing, there's a 750f on CL right now w/ a pair of lesters on it if you want match that front one. - http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/2364400395.html

[Mooshie]

I preferred Goddess...but I guess mouse will have to do.

[Stev-o]

I preferred Goddess...but I guess mouse will have to do.

After that ride, I'd say "Wind Goddess" is in order!

[scottly]

Mooshie, Goddess of the Wind. 

[Mooshie]

 

[blackhog02]

So cool to see godzilla on the left coast.  It seems like only yesterday that we were pulling him out of the atlantic and heading inland(west)!!!

[scottly]

So cool to see godzilla on the left coast.  It seems like only yesterday that we were pulling him out of the atlantic and heading inland(west)!!!

By this time, Godzilla is 3/4's of the way back to the right coast!

[mrbreeze]

So cool to see godzilla on the left coast.  It seems like only yesterday that we were pulling him out of the atlantic and heading inland(west)!!!

By this time, Godzilla is 3/4's of the way back to the right coast!

As planned...........its all goin' so smooth!!!!...gotta love it!!!