The morning of New Year's Eve I got out for a ride on the Paso...solo and by myself, if you get my drift. It was so cold (high 30s/low 40s F) I decided to stop after only 30 miles or so, for breakfast in Ramona, hoping it would warm up afterward. Food and coffee helped warm me, but not much the weather.

One of my favorite routes here in the San Diego area is Mesa Grande, running about 20 miles from Santa Isabelle to Lake Henshaw, so this morning I took it. The road climbs about 1500 feet before descending to water level, so there was not much relief from the cold here either. Because it's on Indian land, there are places where cattle run freely across the road, but this day the hazard took a different form.

Although the air was clear and dry, the road snaking down the north facing slope presented me with a dangerous surprise, patches of ice, some right in the middle of the turns. This kind of situation results in a very high pucker factor.

I was able to negotiate all the slicks without losing control, but luck played a role in that, as I tip-toed through a couple of the turns, I had to straight line them and, in the process, crossed over to the other side. Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic. In spite of it all, or maybe because of it all, I can't think of a better way to close out the year. What do you think? :umm:

:thumbup:


I think you're right, Sheldon .. good riding and good writing!

Thanks, Skins.

You ever encounter ice in NZ? I hear the roads are wonderful there, not to mention the scenery.

Hey Skins,

It occurred to me that I owed you a picture of my bike somewhere back in time, but got frustrated trying to upload it. So now I'll finally try it again.

Better late than never...hope you're still interested.

I've retired since April 1 and have purchased a GT1000 on which I hope to do some touring this summer. I'm saving the Paso for short toots around the SD area mountains.

One more time....http://render-2.snapfish.com/render2/is ... 50,590,442

If this doesn't work, I give up.

I use Photobucket, Sheldon, and it seems to work OK.

Skins, one day i HAVE TO look closer, is New Zealand as similas as Finland in climates, etc... What are there summer temps and winter temps ???? Snow in winter? I know very well, that you live JUST in other side of balloon, so it can be, that we have quite similas climate... Anyway You have christmas time totally wrong time, not "winterwonderland" with plenty of snow, as we have here.. Here came just last week 40cm new snow, but seems, that it started to smelt away, so we shall see, is here snow at christmas, or no.... Here are max temperatures at summertime about +33C and lowest in wintertime "same" , but negative -33C..... Riding season is about 6,5 monthes here. I am quite courious, so let me know temps, etc there...