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2015 Spring Equinox Ride
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metallyguitarded Offline
Road Warrior

United States
Posts: 1,642
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #1
2015 Spring Equinox Ride
This year the spring equinox (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) falls on Friday, March 20, 2015. The equinox is when the plane of the equator passes the center of the sun. Earth's axis tilts neither towards nor away from the sun, resulting in equal amounts of daylight and darkness.

Throughout the ages, traditions both religious and secular have celebrated the spring equinox and all it symbolizes. Most notably, the cosmic cycle of death and resurrection, the struggle between the forces of light and those of darkness, good versus evil, the search for balance on both a global scale and on a personal level. For many, myself included, the spring equinox symbolizes the end of the dominance of darkness and the beginning of the dominance of light.

What better way to celebrate this year's spring equinox than with motorcycles and pizza?! And what better motorcycle to capture the essence of balance than our very own CBs? Let me know if you're in. Here's the plan:

Pizza at the Idyllwild Pizza Factory. http://www.idyllwildpizza.com/

I plan to leave my home in San Diego at 9am. By then, a good portion of the commuters will be off the roads. From San Diego I will ride north to Temecula, arriving around 10am. I'd be happy to stop and join up with any other San Diegans along the way. Temecula is a good meeting spot for those coming from the north. By 10:30am, we will depart from Temecula and head east on Highway 74 - the Pines to Palms Highway.

Highway 74 is a beautiful, somewhat technical ride with lots of curves, some blind, some hairpin, a few sweepers. My hope is that on a Friday, between 10:30 and 11:30am there will be little traffic. Still, my plan is to take it easy and have a smooth, fun, casual ride. At the top of the pass there is a viewpoint with amazing views of the surrounding desert. If there are any speed demons amongst us, the viewpoint will be a good point to meet up before the descent down an equally fun set of curves.

From Temecula to Idyllwild is just over an hour. With a short stop at the viewpoint, we should make the pizza place by noon. For those of you who don't like pizza, it looks like the menu offers a lot of other options. What am I saying?! If you don't like pizza you're not human and that's pretty darn creepy. I suppose you can still come but keep your tentacles to yourself! Once I know how many of us are going, I'll make reservations so we can all sit together. Our very own OMC. No, not "Outlaw Motorcycle Club." More like, "Old Man Club." We can trade stories and you all can laugh at the mark my Bullitt helmet leaves across my forehead.

Around 1:30pm we'll start our return by heading south, eventually making our way through the mountains to Julian where we'll stop for fuel and, depending on how much we gorged in Idyllwild, maybe even a slice of their famous apple pie. Hmmm, pizza, apple pie ... bring your insulin boys! The ride from Idyllwild to Julian should take about an hour and a half, hour and three-quarters; getting us there at 3pm or shortly thereafter. From Julian, we make the final push for home. If we leave by 4pm, that gives us just over three hours of daylight. The sun will set at 7:05pm on March 20th.

Heading south from Julian we'll hit Interstate 8 and head west. Those of you going north will eventually hit the 15 or the 5. For me, the ride from Julian to home will be roughly an hour and a half, getting me on my couch, beer in hand, by 5:30pm. In total, approximately five and a half hours in the saddle and 240 miles (your times and distances will vary!). Bring your cameras!

So, that's the plan at least. I'm not opposed to getting sidetracked, lost, or spur of the moment changes. But I thought it best to at least have a plan. After I learn how many (if any) of you are going and from where you're coming, I'll post specific meeting spots and times. And feel free to do only part of the ride if you can't do the whole thing. I'll be going solo (no way my wife will subject herself to that much time on the back of the CB) but let me know if you're bringing a passenger so I get an accurate count for the lunch reservations.

I hope and look forward to meeting you guys!

"People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs." - A. Sayle
02-02-2015 09:39 AM
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EmptySea Offline
Lives On Two Wheels

Chicagoland, USA
Posts: 7,004
Joined: Jun 2013
Post: #2
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
Did you choose pizza because pizzas are round and as such represent the Earth, the Sun and the continuity of the here and the hereafter?

MTC

"If you can’t go home again, at least you can enjoy the ride” — Peter Egan


2013 CB1100 non-abs
2013 CB1100 abs
02-02-2015 09:49 AM
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metallyguitarded Offline
Road Warrior

United States
Posts: 1,642
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #3
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
Ha! I wish. I chose pizza out of pure hedonism, gluttony, and convenience!

"People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs." - A. Sayle
02-02-2015 09:53 AM
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metallyguitarded Offline
Road Warrior

United States
Posts: 1,642
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #4
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
Don't delay! Available slots are filling quickly!

1. metallyguitarded
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"People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs." - A. Sayle
02-02-2015 02:39 PM
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The ferret Offline
Forum Moderator

Ohio
Posts: 31,283
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #5
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
I'm in by proxy. Larosa's Pizza in Cincinnati March 20 on the CB. Got it. High noon, right?

.
Defender of the Realm
2014 DLX (the pleasure horse)
2021 NC750X DCT (Angry Bird)
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2015 05:08 PM by The ferret.)
02-02-2015 03:21 PM
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metallyguitarded Offline
Road Warrior

United States
Posts: 1,642
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #6
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
(02-02-2015 03:21 PM)The ferret Wrote:  I'm in by proxy. Larosa's Pizza in Cincinnati March 20 on the CB. Got it.

Close enough! At least now I won't be riding alone and my wife can rest easy. Thanks ferret!

"People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs." - A. Sayle
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2015 06:16 PM by The ferret.)
02-02-2015 03:24 PM
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The ferret Offline
Forum Moderator

Ohio
Posts: 31,283
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #7
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
My pleasure MG. Heck sounds like a worthy cause and I actually like Pizza (with pepperoni and sausage)

.
Defender of the Realm
2014 DLX (the pleasure horse)
2021 NC750X DCT (Angry Bird)
02-02-2015 03:26 PM
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Papa Weeley Offline
High Mileage

SoCal
Posts: 1,110
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #8
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
Are you doing it on the actual equinox (Friday), and not Saturday?

[color=#FFA500][i][color=#32CD32][color=#00BFFF]Ham and eggs - a day's work for a chicken, a life-altering experience for a pig.[/color][/color][/i][/color]
2013 CB1100 #056, with too danged many mods to list.
2015 Honda CB500x
02-02-2015 03:31 PM
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EmptySea Offline
Lives On Two Wheels

Chicagoland, USA
Posts: 7,004
Joined: Jun 2013
Post: #9
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
I could consider this, but I'd have to go on the 21st. The good news is that I have a virtually endless list of excellent pizza purveyors near me, being in Chicago and all.

MTC

"If you can’t go home again, at least you can enjoy the ride” — Peter Egan


2013 CB1100 non-abs
2013 CB1100 abs
02-02-2015 04:41 PM
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metallyguitarded Offline
Road Warrior

United States
Posts: 1,642
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #10
RE: 2015 Spring Equinox Ride
(02-02-2015 03:31 PM)Papa Weeley Wrote:  Are you doing it on the actual equinox (Friday), and not Saturday?

My hope is to do the ride on Friday, the 20th. My wife, who is in charge of our social calendar, tells me we're booked for the evening of the 21st. I'd hate to get home late and have no idea what kind of condition I'd be in after the ride if I were to go on Saturday. Plus, the fun parts of the ride will be less crowded on Friday. Of course, I realize it's not that easy for some people to get a Friday off.

If it turns out there are people who can't do Friday but for sure would go on Saturday, I'll think hard about starting earlier or backing out of our evening plans. What do you think? Are you for sure out if we go on Friday?

(02-02-2015 04:41 PM)EmptySea Wrote:  I could consider this, but I'd have to go on the 21st. The good news is that I have a virtually endless list of excellent pizza purveyors near me, being in Chicago and all.

Do you mean you're considering travelling to Southern California to join us on the ride or joining us via proxy like the ferret? Your mention of the nearby pizza places has me thinking the latter.

"People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs." - A. Sayle
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2015 05:00 PM by metallyguitarded.)
02-02-2015 04:58 PM
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