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@quasi-moto avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
SawStop
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5391
Location: Puyallup, WA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@quasi-moto avatar
SawStop
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Location: Puyallup, WA
UTC quote
My first attempt at a ride report, the report follows right after this post.
⚠️ Last edited by Quasi-moto on UTC; edited 1 time
OP
@quasi-moto avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
SawStop
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5391
Location: Puyallup, WA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@quasi-moto avatar
SawStop
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Location: Puyallup, WA
UTC quote
I've been wanting to check out San Diego's route S1, "The Sunrise Highway." This morning the weather was warm and dry, and the forecast was for cold wet weather to move in tonight. This was possibly my last chance to get out and ride the Sunrise Highway comfortably before winter sets in.

I left Falbrook at around 10am, and headed east on highway 76, toward Lake Henshaw.


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Stopped by a ranch that raises Bison in Pala, CA. There was a large herd, but this was the only one who seemed to have any interest in having his picture taken:
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On highway 76 there is a wilderness garden area, worth checking out if you are riding by:
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The fall colors in the area were spectacular today; bright yellows, oranges, reds. This photo was in the wilderness garden area.
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Even though it was "Black Friday," there was really no one on the road. I guess everyone was out shopping for Christmas!"
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The amazing thing about the Sunrise Highway is the diversity of ecosystems. Within a hour, you go from grasslands, to coastal scrub, to desert, to pine forests, and back to sage/scrub. This picture was taken right after turning onto S1 from highway 79.
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I don't think I passed a car for the first several miles of being on this road.
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This viewpoint is surrounded by pine forests, and yet the desert literally begins on the east side of the road. From this point you can see east all the way to the Salton Sea on a clear day. There are miles and miles of hiking trails up here.
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Here is the desert view from the lookout point:
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This is the road leaving the vista point, heading into ever thicker pine forests. The weather started getting colder up here, and I was glad I had brought some layers and my warmer gloves.
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I started out at an elevation of 685 feet above sea level in Fallbrook, and here on Mount Laguna the elevation was over 6,000 feet. My GT200 did fine even though it's not fuel injected, but I wasn't in a hurry, there was too much to look at!
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Here's a mixture of chapparal and pines, toward the southern end of the S1.
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As I got closer to highway 8, the pine forest disappeared, and the familiar chapparal hills came back into view.
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I decided to take highway 8 west to interstate 15 and head north back to Falbrook, since I could see the clouds were coming in from the ocean, and the temperature was dropping. Grabbed a sandwich at a deli in Alpine, fueled up, and headed back towards home. Closer to Fallbrook, the avocado groves dot the hills surrounding the town.
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The ride totaled 180 miles, and I'd like to do it again, next time taking time to explore another route home instead of the freeways.

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Banned
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Banned
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UTC quote
Beautiful scooter & it looks like it's enjoying the view!
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Enjoyed this report... thanks for posting it
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Ossessionato
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Ossessionato
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Great pictures! My wife and I have ridden that road a zillion times (we lived in San Diego for 30 years). That road is always a great ride (unless it's too windy).
@catskill avatar
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Addicted
4 LD's in various states of repair, MP3 500, 1961 Lambro Fli 175, 1965 Topper, 07 GTS250, 81 P200, 79 P200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 558
Location: The Catskills, NY
 
Addicted
@catskill avatar
4 LD's in various states of repair, MP3 500, 1961 Lambro Fli 175, 1965 Topper, 07 GTS250, 81 P200, 79 P200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 558
Location: The Catskills, NY
UTC quote
Awesome! I would love to ride that area one day. Really nice pictures.
@gogogordy avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
Reprehensible Misinformant
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Location: Winchester, California
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@gogogordy avatar
Reprehensible Misinformant
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Location: Winchester, California
UTC quote
Looks like a great ride, right in my own backyard! Look forward to riding that sometime....thanks for the write-up!
@pat avatar
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Hooked
GT200 "the blue hybiscus", BV350 "green giant"
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Location: Temecula, Ca
 
Hooked
@pat avatar
GT200 "the blue hybiscus", BV350 "green giant"
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Posts: 475
Location: Temecula, Ca
UTC quote
Thanks for the great write up Len. It looks like it was a great ride.
@ks7877 avatar
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Ossessionato
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Location: So Cal
 
Ossessionato
@ks7877 avatar
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Location: So Cal
UTC quote
Great job with the write-up, Len. Beautiful photos, too.
@erich51 avatar
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Banned
GTS 250ie - SHINY YELLOW
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Posts: 3101
Location: Sunny Southern California
 
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@erich51 avatar
GTS 250ie - SHINY YELLOW
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Posts: 3101
Location: Sunny Southern California
UTC quote
Sunrise Highway
That's a ride to dream of. Great photos, made me feel like good.
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The Host with the Toast
Joined: UTC
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Location: SoCal
 
The Host with the Toast
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Location: SoCal
UTC quote
I do that rise too, North SD County has some of the best MC roads around. thanks for the report
@vezpa avatar
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Banned
Vespa GTS 300 Super & Vespa P125X
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Location: St. Petersburg Florida
 
Banned
@vezpa avatar
Vespa GTS 300 Super & Vespa P125X
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Location: St. Petersburg Florida
UTC quote
The color of your bike threw me off for a second, making me think you had a GTS Super.
⬆️    About 1 month elapsed    ⬇️
@andrewinsa avatar
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Hooked
Vespa GTS 250ie, 2008 - Midnight Blue, retired. Primavera 150, 2014 - Midnight Blue, traded. GTS300 Super, 2015 - Montebianco
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Posts: 462
Location: South Africa
 
Hooked
@andrewinsa avatar
Vespa GTS 250ie, 2008 - Midnight Blue, retired. Primavera 150, 2014 - Midnight Blue, traded. GTS300 Super, 2015 - Montebianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 462
Location: South Africa
UTC quote
I thought exactly the same thing as Vezpa until I saw the wrack on the back, that made me suspect a GT200, then you confirmed it. Isn't it amazing how these bikes look sooo amazing in any setting. Great pics.
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Member
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Location: Ole NC!
 
Member
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Location: Ole NC!
UTC quote
That is one good looking GT200!

J
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Ossessionato
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Ossessionato
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UTC quote
Here's a picture of two of our sidecar rigs that was taken on The Sunrise Hwy in the summer of 2004 when we lived in San Diego. This is the turnoff area where the hang gliders jump off the cliff.
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⬆️    About 2 months elapsed    ⬇️
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Lurker
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Lurker
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UTC quote
XLR8 wrote:
Sheraton Hotel La JollaThe Lodge at Torrey Pines
Here's a picture of two of our sidecar rigs that was taken on The Sunrise Hwy in the summer of 2004 when we lived in San Diego. This is the turnoff area where the hang gliders jump off the cliff.

Bitchen photo dude! I love San Diego. Don't you miss living there?
@coracle avatar
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Enthusiast
GTS 300 'Albert'
Joined: UTC
Posts: 52
Location: White Rock Canada
 
Enthusiast
@coracle avatar
GTS 300 'Albert'
Joined: UTC
Posts: 52
Location: White Rock Canada
UTC quote
Great photos. I'd love to do that ride sometime. Thanks for the post.
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Ossessionato
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Ossessionato
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UTC quote
[/quote][/size]
Bitchen photo dude! I love San Diego. Don't you miss living there?[/quote]

We lived there for 30 years. There are things that we miss and some that we don't. We now live directly below the Blue Ridge/Smokey Mountains so there plenty of good twisties to ride. Our youngest son who started riding in a BMW sidecar when he was three is now 28 and regularly rides his 1100 Suzuki on all the roads that we rode as he grew up. If you ever get the opportunity, take an entire day and ride over Mt. Laguna on the Sunrise Hwy and over to Julian and Palomar Mountain. Some of the most scenic, peaceful riding you will ever do.
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