Ebbitts and Monitor Pass - NEW Pic

[tomsp]

June 3,4 -- Trip on 03 le mans 425 miles. The route: from Stockton, CA - up hwy 26 to hwy 12 into Angels Camp to hwy 4 on up the mountain to Ebbitts Pass. Non-eventful up to Lake Alpine, i.e, pretty much cruising at 55 due to chp/traffic. Lake Alpine and beyond on 6-3 ZERO traffic until Markleeville- so the goose and I really had fun. The Le Mans can really handle- it was sooo comfortable going into turns using 2,3,4 gears-- don't think I got out of 4th from Lake Alpine to Markleeville. A couple of the turns were into 1st gear with my boot toe edge scraping the ground (steep elvation change along with radical 180 switchbacks). Made fantastic time and scenery was too much. Only complaint was vibration buzz! Zipping to Markleeville using high revs in 2nd, 3rd, 4th gears, my right hand and foot were really numb! (even with the throttlemeister- time to add lead in there). Stayed overnight in Markleeville- not recommended - rooms were too high and food expensive too! Although there was an Austin Healy car show there. In the morning I'm up a 6:30 and ready to eat -- wrong. Nothing is open until 8:00. I ride over Monitor pass (cold, windy and really fun) at 7:00 am. Zero traffic. Delight does not describe this pass - again using gears 2,3,4,5 and even 6th on one nice stretch through the Aspen trees (I kept that at just tripple digits - I do not need a ticket (I know- that's really bad logic ). Had breakfast on the Nevada Side, gassed up and went back over Monitor Pass-- again zero traffic- and I really much prefer storming a hill going up than down any day - the bike was PERFECT - then once over the pass and back on hwy 4 going W up to Ebbitts Pass, I pass a fishing type truck just before a turn- As I pass him, I upshift into 4th, get setup for the right hand turn, and downshift to third -- attempted downshift into third! My first false Nuetral of the trip! Yes, I'm braking with my front brake and trying to get the goose into 3rd gear, I finally manage it and it must have gone into second cuz my rear tire locks up and I FISH TAIL left/right/eft/right, settle down, and do the turn! Whew

 

I know there's lots of discussion about "sprung springs" on 01 and 02 and I bet 03's are having some of this too - Sometimes when I upshift into 3rd or 4th, the gears grind and sometimes downshifting-- Now this could be me as I have broken my shift ankle twice and I do have some restricted movement there (my shifter is moved down to accommodate my limited movement).

 

Anyway - beautiful ride -- went through 90 + degree heat and went through snow on the side of the road. This would be a great ride for some of us to take as a group!

[tomsp]

Oh, in the pic, notice the guzzi tank bag -- I love this thing- it expands nicely/easily, it unzips easily from the sub-structure for gassing up or just plain taking it off, it makes into a nifty backpack too! This thing is really cool. And I forgot, but in Markleeville, all the Harley gang were checking out the goose!