05-19-2025, 10:11 AM
Had a great Orange County Distinguished Gentleman's Ride yesterday. Jumped on the Bonneville Saturday morning for the ride up to the museum, and it was chilly, grey and a bit misty in a few spots. I thought that might not bode well for the DGR on Sunday, especially as the ride started on the Huntington Beach Pier, and if it was misty inland, the beach would be miserable. But, woke up Sunday to a sunny sky and cool weather, absolutely perfect for riding.
Got my dapper dress on, Mrs. G had pinned this year's patch on my vest (only given to those who raised more than a few bucks) and I was off. It was neat to see a few other riders along the way as I got closer to the starting point. The ride was limited to 300 bikes, and close to that showed up. We were marshaled in a parking lot before we were escorted onto the pier to line up, an lo and behold, I pulled up behind another 2013 CB1100. I had never seen another one on the ride, and only two or three in the county. We introduced ourselves and turns out we also have the same name! We were comparing bikes, and he was very interested in some of the features on mine, like the fairing, matched side covers, Staintune, etc. He hadn't heard of the forum, so I encouraged him to check it out, and hope he shows up here!
Last time the ride went up Pacific Coast Highway, three years ago, especially crowded on a sunny Sunday, it was a bit of a mess. The past two years, the ride has gone through the Irvine area, on very wide, rambling boulevards with much lower traffic. Chatting with the organizer, he explained that while the inland rides were less hectic, sponsors like to see more dramatic photography, bikes along the coast, not necessarily riding though generic housing developments. I'm an event promoter, so I understand completely. But, we were supposed to have a police escort this time! Well, yeah, but only to get us out onto PCH, then we were on our own.
The starting festivities were great, and the Mayor of Huntington Beach cut a ribbon to start the ride, and we were off. We were escorted down Main Street, lined with outdoor cafes crowded with Sunday brunch diners snapping pictures and waving. Once we got out onto the highway, we started breaking off into groups due the traffic signals every few miles. I fell into a group of about 60 riders and we made our way up the coast.
Reviewing the route map, I knew we weren't supposed to make a left turn onto a particular boulevard, but I figured "ride or die, let's see where this ends up!" We made a bunch of unplanned twists and turns, often at the last minute, crowding a few cars out of the way. At least we were nice about it. The end point was a private club called "Hot Rods and Handguns", who hosted everyone with lunch and libations. Our group was the last to arrive, but with all of the detours, we no doubt had the most interesting ride than those who followed the route to a T.
We were treated to burgers and hotdogs, music, and were able to tour the facility. I had never heard of this place, and after the tour, I knew why. There was no earthly way I'd be able to afford a membership. It's a private car, motorcycle and memorabilia collection, and old hot rods, classics and vintage bikes were everywhere. The lobby was something like a James Bond bad guy lair. A two-story indoor shooting range, billiard room, cigar room, whiskey room, private dining and meeting rooms, outdoor patio dining, all available to private paying members.
All in all, a very nice day, and a few new friends too!
Got my dapper dress on, Mrs. G had pinned this year's patch on my vest (only given to those who raised more than a few bucks) and I was off. It was neat to see a few other riders along the way as I got closer to the starting point. The ride was limited to 300 bikes, and close to that showed up. We were marshaled in a parking lot before we were escorted onto the pier to line up, an lo and behold, I pulled up behind another 2013 CB1100. I had never seen another one on the ride, and only two or three in the county. We introduced ourselves and turns out we also have the same name! We were comparing bikes, and he was very interested in some of the features on mine, like the fairing, matched side covers, Staintune, etc. He hadn't heard of the forum, so I encouraged him to check it out, and hope he shows up here!
Last time the ride went up Pacific Coast Highway, three years ago, especially crowded on a sunny Sunday, it was a bit of a mess. The past two years, the ride has gone through the Irvine area, on very wide, rambling boulevards with much lower traffic. Chatting with the organizer, he explained that while the inland rides were less hectic, sponsors like to see more dramatic photography, bikes along the coast, not necessarily riding though generic housing developments. I'm an event promoter, so I understand completely. But, we were supposed to have a police escort this time! Well, yeah, but only to get us out onto PCH, then we were on our own.
The starting festivities were great, and the Mayor of Huntington Beach cut a ribbon to start the ride, and we were off. We were escorted down Main Street, lined with outdoor cafes crowded with Sunday brunch diners snapping pictures and waving. Once we got out onto the highway, we started breaking off into groups due the traffic signals every few miles. I fell into a group of about 60 riders and we made our way up the coast.
Reviewing the route map, I knew we weren't supposed to make a left turn onto a particular boulevard, but I figured "ride or die, let's see where this ends up!" We made a bunch of unplanned twists and turns, often at the last minute, crowding a few cars out of the way. At least we were nice about it. The end point was a private club called "Hot Rods and Handguns", who hosted everyone with lunch and libations. Our group was the last to arrive, but with all of the detours, we no doubt had the most interesting ride than those who followed the route to a T.
We were treated to burgers and hotdogs, music, and were able to tour the facility. I had never heard of this place, and after the tour, I knew why. There was no earthly way I'd be able to afford a membership. It's a private car, motorcycle and memorabilia collection, and old hot rods, classics and vintage bikes were everywhere. The lobby was something like a James Bond bad guy lair. A two-story indoor shooting range, billiard room, cigar room, whiskey room, private dining and meeting rooms, outdoor patio dining, all available to private paying members.
All in all, a very nice day, and a few new friends too!
You know what? I actually would like a pickle.
