Saturday was a good day. Was going to sleep in a bit, but work stress had me wide awake at dawn. Good thing, because checking my phone, my Petersen boss texted me with a request. Due to an unplanned spike in purchases of the early morning shop tour, they were short-handed. I was going to go in a bit later, but heck, I was up. Packed for the day, suited up and headed to West L.A.
At 7:30 traffic was non-existent. Cal-Trans had been working on smoothing out The 5 freeway north of The 605, which has been pretty rough. To my enjoyment, miles of fresh, smooth pavement greeted me as I started winding north through the industrial parts of L.A.
Getting to the museum, the motorcycle parking area was unusually populated by more riding employees that I had ever seen for a Saturday.
Had a great tour with people from all over, even Israel. I love it when I get to chat about cars with people from other countries.
Afterwards, I wanted to cruise by a few new museums going up in Exhibition Park including the Samuel Oschin Space Museum that will soon display the Space Shuttle Endeavor in launch position with tank and external rockets. It's now skinned in a shimmering stainless steel spire, but I could only glance, as there was no safe place to pull over and take pictures. Can't wait for it to open.
On the other side of the park is George Lucas' new museum going up, which looks like a space ship with a lawn on the roof. Couldn't get a full shot of it from anywhere, but I was able to sneak onto the edge of a construction area to glance at it for a moment. Another place I'm really looking forward to checking out.
Early evening now, so I made my way through Downtown to The Bike Shed to check out the doings and grab a coffee to perk up for the lane-split journey south till the freeway would open back up south of The 605.
As soon as I rolled in on the CB1100, as usually happens, a few people strolled up with "Wow, haven't seen one of those in a long time". Pulling up to a motorcycle crowd, you don't get the "What year is that?" you typically do from non-riders.
I greeted them with thanks for their interest in my Honda, and we started chatting. Then, we grabbed drinks, sat on the outside patio to talk more, and that became the evening.
Pietro from Italy was on a gorgeous R9T. I'm over my BMW lust, but if I were to go back, his would have to be the bike.
"So Bryson, what are you riding?" "The Ducati chopper over there."
"Um... Ducati... chopper?"
Yup.
His bike became the topic of conversation till it got dark, we bid safe riding to each other, and went our separate ways, hoping to meet up again. Pietro was heading home, Bryson was headed to a ballroom dancing class, and next to where I parked my CB, a group of lady sport bike riders, all with pink bikes, was revving up and heading out as well.
Rode home in the twilight, and had spent enough time with my new friends that the ride home was in light traffic, no splitting needed. Nice.
