2008 Honda XR650L

Wow this turned out to be a great ride. I want to thank Scott and Tom for getting me off my duff to get out on this adventure. Our inmates for this trip were Tom, from Prescott, who is riding a Honda XR650L, Bill on a Honda 650 XRR, Kim who is riding a Kawasaki 250, Scott on a Yamaha 250WRX, and myself on a Honda XR650L. All of us are moderate to excellent riders (2 of us, Tom and I, raced AMA District 37 desert series), the youngest is pushing 56 (Scott), & Tom broke 70 some time back.

I rode from Orange County, CA, yes on the XRL, to Vidal Junction, CA where I was to meet Tom and continue off road as much as possible to Prescott, AZ.  My ride started early at 4:30 AM and headed over the mountains on Ortega Highway between San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore. It was a cold foggy ride over Ortega with visibility probably at about 50 feet at times. Soaking wet I arrived in Elsinore and stopped at the first place I could get something to eat and go inside to get warm, OH BOY Mac D’s. After breakfast it was still foggy as I followed 2 lane roads to Beaumont where I had to jump on Interstate 10 and slab it till I reached 2 lane Highway 62 thru Joshua Tree 25 miles later.

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