So what did everyone do for Labor Day?

Just wondering who went where? I left out and hit Atlanta and picked up T and we rode over to Chatanooga. Went to Lookout Mountain and camped a bit. Had a decent time and logged a few miles. Saw a lot of scooters on the road even with the showers. One day soon I hope to be able to figure out how to put up some photos....but as a tech guy I make a great biker....

Ride Free........

For a several years now, I’ll rarely venture out on the big holiday weekends; I stay out of trouble that way. Usually I will buy a bunch of meat to grill and drink lots of cool frosty beverages.

On the way just into California from Las Vegas last Friday I was riding downhill in the twisties about 25 miles east of Bishop, CA when I came across a motorcycle accident. Some guy named Tom on his Softtail going too quick downhill couldn't make a left and went straight into the side of the rocky mountainside. Folks were looking for a doctor and I said I was a student nurse. They already had two people..man and woman..giving CPR. His heart stopped twice during the 15 minutes it took the CHP and 20 minutes for the ambulance while I was there. Gather it happened about 10-15 minutes before I pulled over. I was ready to help with CPR, but the two were doing the right thing. The medics intubated him with a tube down his throat to make sure he was breathing, but he was unconcious the whole time. I heard they switched ambulances going down the hill (I saw the second one coming up as I headed out ahead of the first one). Hope Tom was ok..was wearing a halfshell that they'd taken off him. The only thing I could tell them while waiting was keep his head straight and head tilted slightly back to keep his airway open (they were going to put a pillow/blanket under his head, which would tilt the head forward and possibly close the airway off).
Any way..slowed me down even more than the pace I was already going. Spent awhile in town when I gassed up walking around and still thinking about what I'd just seen.
Yosemite is always cool to ride through..both Friday and then Monday coming back, though I took much more time Monday as I was only going to Bishop that evening. Went down into the Yosemite Valley Monday morning as mostly everyone was pulling put. Not one drop of water was going over Yosemite Falls..and I thought they had a decent amount of moisture last Winter.
Not my typical Labor Day weekend..as the last 6 have been on the Bike Talk ride. Went to visit my friends Dale and Nikki at their cabin just west of the Yosemite west gate. The first evening Friday my little mini dachshund Mojave thought he could scare off a deer..big doe about 150 lbs. I remember last March during Spring Break he tried to run off a small buck up in Colorado in the snow only to have the buck turn around and square off against him..he did the quickest 180º with his tail between his legs back to the house that had me laughing my ass off. Any way..this doe doesn't budge and neither does Jave, then all of a sudden the doe stands up on it's hind hoofs and tries to stomp little Jave with it's front hoofs. Clips his chest opening a gash about a half inch long and quarter inch wide..about an inch from death. He's been bandaged up with steri-strips (only way to stitch him up) since. Stayed in Bishop, CA last night and walked Jave in this really cool park with hundreds of ducks. Walked him again this morning and after circling this pond and chasing about 300 ducks into the water..he decides to leap into the lake and swim after a duck. D#*@ dog! Doesn't realize he's got stitches in his chest and isn't any bigger than the **** ducks.
Decided to take what I thought might be a slight shortcut coming into Las Vegas today. Instead of heading over Lida Pass to Lida Jct about 50 miles north of Beatty, NV (40 miles or so south of Tonapah). Instead I took a rode south into northern Death Valley that looked cool. About 40 miles down this twisty road it turned to dirt and gravel. Since I could maintain 50 mph for a bit..I kept going. Then it got sandy and slippery. Spent about an hour and a half plus going between 20-40 mph..mostly near 20 mph. It was cool at first (about 4000') and got hotter as I got deep into Death Valley (200' below sea level). It was easily above 110º when I finally got to pavement again. Pulled into this place with a picnic table and cover and rode the bike under it for shade and got Jave and me some water. In Furnace Creek a bit later the gauge said 117º at the store..hottest I've been traveling on a motorcycle I can remember. Fortunately it climbs almost 4000' in the next 25 miles into Nevada and you could literally feel the temp drop as you rode higher and higher. Got caught in a thunderstorm going into Pahrump, NV..50 mph side wind gusts and a downpour. Hid behind a gas station out of the wind (and rain) for 30 minutes and then it all cleared up. Just walked out into the rain and just stood there getting wet. Uneventful the rest of the way into town. My swimming pool was the first thing I hit when I got home today..then a beer! So much for the shortcut..ended up being 4 miles longer, but over an hour longer timewise and one hot ride.

What did I do on Labor Day?

Why worked is what I did..but I did get part of the weekend off and went up north , mowed my mom and Dad's lawn..did some other chores..I did miss riding down to Springerville though

Labored on the scooter,....was there something else I was supposed to do?

Cool pic of your daughter on the Longhorn there AFNurse. Good to see the Texas flags in the background. Hard to believe it's been 20 years since I got out of the Army from Ft. Hood just a little north of you.

Marc..I rode the FJR1300. It just handles too nice to take the cruiser on long winding roads. Plus..I get 300 miles to a tank on the FJR, so only have to stop once during the day to fill up. Besides..it's quiet and the dog can't wear earplugs.

WOW what a rack!

AFNurse thanks for posting the pic, my wife has never seen long horns except on some TV western. Cool photo.
Ride Free........

Labor Day Weekend Ride

On Saturday me and 3 friends all rode up to Riders Roost. It's a bikers only campground between Wilkesboro and Lenoir in North Carolina mountains. 120 miles from my home south of Charlotte. They have 3 parties a year here and it is great. Uncle Roy puts on one heck of a party with food and a band. The four of us set up our tents about 20 steps from the river ( the sound water rushing over the rocks while trying to sleep is great for the soul). After getting set up we took about a 80 mile ride on the parkway and looped back through Blowing Rock. Hwy 321 is under construction and hell on a bike but 421 is in great shape and that let's you ride the parkway to Boone. All in all it was a great weekend with friends and the band and food (they serve breakfast on Sunday morning, it's a lifesaver after a night of partying and before the ride home) was great. Not trying to promote anything here but they have a website and it is a great place for bikers, not to mention the beatutiful country.
Has anyone else ever stayed there?