Reunited at Last / Escape from LA

DAY +1
Lompoc, CA to Joshua Tree National Forest, CA
310 Miles

Planes, trains, and automobiles ensued getting out here... After trying to get onthe same flight as Tuna and being unsuccessful, I spent 6 hours in the airport and 5 hours in the plane to LAX. Tuna, having gotten the earlier flight, was there waiting, rental car ready to go... I hopped in the car and we made our way to Lompoc, about 45 miles North of Santa Barbara... All in, it was a 3 hour ride... On the day, we traveled for 15 hours. I met a guy on the plane who all but told me I was crazy for riding a Harley across the country... Clearly, he didn't get it... Regardless, I told him I'd much rather spend 7 days on a bike crossing the country than fly in a damn airplane. Again, he didn't get it, and I didn't expect him to.

Once in Lompoc, about midnight PT, Overtime and Rigid were wide awake and waiting for us... I think unfortunately, so were Drew and Jen's dogs, Jazz and Vida Blue. They howeled their ever loving lungs out, and soon Drew was out of bed and sharing a beer with us... When it was all said and done, Drew long since back to sleep, myself, Scotty, Rigid, and Tuna were several beers and a shot or two of tequilla in when we called it quits. It was about 3:00 AM PST. Ladies and Gentlemen, that's a long day... But no matter, we were so damn psyched just to be there, nobody noticed. In the morning, it was go time.

We fired up shortly after 8:00 AM, topped off the tanks, had a quick breakfast, and started out. My first impression of Lompoc, CA is... Amazing... Mountains North, South, and East with the Pacific to the West. We were looking at beautiful sunny skies, no humidity, and the start of, at least for Tuna and I, the ride of a lifetime...

After a detour from the 101 to Route 150 on the suggestion of the locals, we hit paydirt. Some of the best scenic twisty roads you can imagine. A bikers dream... Though after a brief conversation with a CHP bike cop at a much needed fill-up, it was decided that sticking around anywhere close to LA on a Friday afternoon was a bad idea. Time to hightail it, and that we did... Escape from LA!

We straight up rocked out of LA and through San Bernadino. As if we'd been riding together our whole lives, we found perfect formation and were touching 85 and 90 mph down the highways to get the hell away from the mayhem. We all agreed, LA sucked as far as being a biker is concerned, and we couldn't leave it soon enough.

Ultimately, we reached our destination, the Joshua Tree National Forest and the best part of the day, the Joshua Tree Saloon! GREAT people here of all kinds. We were welcomed like an episode of "Cheers". Good times... In fact, that's where I'm writing this entry from... Free WiFi, baby!

On to the camp... And the journey continues... Pictures to come later... And we have plenty of 'em

ATW '08