ROLL CALL - 2013 West Coast Rally

[baldy3853]

Glad to see you made it home safe Leon was good to see you again this year, already looking forward to next year 
Lord Baldy

[1tinindian]

Baldy, if you ever make another trip over and bring goodies for FJMonkey, try putting a bottle of that rum in the box for me!

Pat and Paul, you two guys are great friends, as it's only been twice that we have met face to face, but I feel a real bond with you both. Pat, the carb sync lesson you supplied for me was first rate. I learned alot and feel my knowledge level moved up a knotch. (Even if the carbs didn't need any adjustments, you took care of that! LOL!)

Derek and Donna, you two are fun to be with, and great company. Thanks for letting me stay tucked in on that ride Derek, the sounds of our FJs harmonizing pulling away was music to my ears.

RPM Randy, I was pleased to spend some time with you talking that one night, it's always a pleasure to talk with someone with such vast knowledge of our FJs.

So many more faces and names to learn, but thats the fun of going to Rallys, it's always nice adding to the friendship list.
I hope to see you all again someday, so until then ride safe and take care.

Leon

[Charley Farley]

Baldy, if you ever make another trip over and bring goodies for FJMonkey, try putting a bottle of that rum in the box for me!

Leon

Baldy, Baldy, Baldy........... Mate, have been taking Bundy out of the country again  
You know that it is OUR secret & that we don't want them others finding out about it. They won't leave any for us  

Now say 3 hail marys & your penalty is to bring a BIG bottle of Bundy to the Finger Freeze ride to share with those of us who truly deserve it  

[Derek Young]

Got home last night, did some sight seeing and visiting on the way. 

Had a great time at the rally this year!  It was great to see the familiar faces and meet some great new people as well. Can't wait till next year!

Derek

[movenon]

Glad you made it home ! Thanks again.
George

[skymasteres]

Well, I know it's a little delayed. Lilly and I made it home safe. She's still in a sling, but her shoulder is getting better.
Being the other dummy that went down I have to once again thank Randy for comming out to litterally the end of the road to pick us up.

It was really great meeting so many of you in person for the first time. I'm definitely looking forward to the next rally.

[Capn Ron]

Well, I know it's a little delayed. Lilly and I made it home safe. She's still in a sling, but her shoulder is getting better.
Being the other dummy that went down I have to once again thank Randy for comming out to litterally the end of the road to pick us up.

It was really great meeting so many of you in person for the first time. I'm definitely looking forward to the next rally.

It was great meeting you two and I'm glad you're both on the mend.  Had you both in mind as I rolled down the 14 through Mojave on the way home.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[Mark Olson]

Well, I know it's a little delayed. Lilly and I made it home safe. She's still in a sling, but her shoulder is getting better.
Being the other dummy that went down I have to once again thank Randy for comming out to litterally the end of the road to pick us up.

It was really great meeting so many of you in person for the first time. I'm definitely looking forward to the next rally.

Glad you made it home , good to meet you at the rally . Any progress on the fj yet?

[Pat Conlon]

Paul and I are back home. Just got in. Paul back to Chino and I'm back to the toasty Palm Desert.
We took the long way home..... 3,600 miles in 6 days. I am sore.
Left Petaluma WCR last Sunday, up 101 to Fortuna and across Calif on Hwy 36 to Susanville, up 395 to Oregon, across Idaho up to Montana, down to Wyoming thru Jellystone toured the Gran Titons, down to Utah, the usual tour rides, Glen Canyon, Flaming Gorge, etc, down thru Monument Valley into Arizona, thru Flagstaff and home.

My '92 ran flawlessly. Fast, smooth, stable, effortless. What a great bike, she had many compliments from admirers gathered at various stops along the way. I friggin love those Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires.   
I removed that pesky rattling exhaust tip on my Kroaker once I found some SAE Allens.
WTF is it with me and rattling exhausts? This is the 2nd rally in a row......anyhoo...

What a great WCR rally.
It was heartwarming to read George's post reflecting his great post accident attitude. What a good guy.
Great to meet Mike (skymasters) and Lilly. Mike don't let Lilly paint her bike pink.
(Having a good looking babe on a pink bike smoke my ass, will irreparably damage my ego...)

2013 WCR = Good times. Great weather. Fun rides.
Hooking up with old friends and meeting new friends, life just does not get any better.

These are the good old times.

[Klavdy]

It was wonderful catching up with my Seppo & Canuckistan mates at this years rally, it's really a highpoint of the year for me, something that's looked forward to, planned for and anticipated with great relish.

First off though,you have to get there,it's a long haul from Brisbane airport in Australia to Los Angeles,it's over 13 hours in the air and another couple when you add up the time spent on the ground at either end waiting for take off slots etc.
We flew over on a Qantas flight, a Boeing 747-438ER "Longreach" named Wunala.
 


Mrs K accompanied me on this trip and we had good seats up front,



that turn into a lay flat bed,


with great food and drink, terrific service and excellent in flight entertainment.


It's not a bad way to fly.

[Klavdy]

On arrival Teh Fluffer King's not only picked us up, he's gone out of his way to make us all feel welcomed,then drove us around to different places to get things for the Rally etc,


not only did he look after us, he's also looked after the machines, kept them on battery chargers, registered and insured them for us (all out of his own pocket) and generally been the most hospitable and gracious of hosts.
Just look at his garage, the poor bloke can't even park his car in there coz there's two convict scum's bikes in it as well as all his own stuff,


thanks mate, much appreciated.

There was a bit of last minute fettling to attend to,



various adjustments to be made,



And then Lord Baby was first cab off the rank,



he was riding up to Randy's at Oakdale before the Rally, teh Fluffer King and I would go up a bit later , in a day or so,see ya Baldy!

[X-Ray]

  Oh man, you guys must have had a ball. Its on my bucket list, don't worry. I'm gonna get there one day!!

[Klavdy]

America,to an outsider, is a cornucopia of inexpensive delights,this much Stolly would easily set you back over $100 in Aus,



but on this trip I really noticed that the price of a lot of things had increased dramatically while most folks incomes had remained static,still it's really cheap to travel in the states compared to other first world countries.

Back to the Rally!

Fluffy and I fagged it, got a U-Haul and chucked the bikes on,drove outta L.A and headed north to Petaluma,



We have a few traditions when it comes to Rallies, one of them is staying at Harris Ranch near Coalinga on the way there and back if it suits our route,


they have fantastic beef,straight off the slaughter line,

and we have a traditional breakfast of Corned Beef hash,


as an aside, the Seppos have weird combinations with their food, see those scones?
They call 'em "Biscuits", dunno why, and see that white stuff in the little pot next to 'em?
That's butter!
Yep, their butter is white, their cheese is orange and don't even ask about how many ways they want to know how you'd like your eggs cooked or what sort of bloody salad dressing you want, it'll do your head in.

Anyway, suitably refreshed, it was off again the next morning after a good nights sleep.

[X-Ray]

WTF??   $21.99 for 1.75l Vodka. No effin way!!

[Klavdy]

The American road system is incomparable,



if it says "70" mph on the speed signs (our 110KMH equivalent) you can safely do 85  before you even start to think you may draw attention,and depending on where you are, it's safe enough to wick it up a bit more.
No one ,especially bike riders,pays much attention to speed signs anyway.



Here's a pic of me in the slow lane doing 156 kmh as indicated by the GPS,I've got 71 KM's to go but I'd been sitting on around that speed for an hour or two with not a worry in the world



that's a high enough speed in most Australian states to have my bike impounded, licence suspended for six months and a $2,000 + fine if the Cockroaches catch me.
(Most of the Aussie Hwy Patrol are known as Cockroaches by their own colleagues.)

Doing over 100 mph gets frowned on but.
The Seppo cops are more concerned with keeping the traffic flowing rather than pinging you for exceeding an arbitrary ,revenue raising speed limit by a paltry few klicks.
We've got a lot to learn from them re our idiotic compliance culture.