The first annual High Desert Run

[GP Kevo]

This was a 2 day event organised by Marcus Baird, a British scooterist living in Los Angeles. I agreed to join, although my TS1 isn't running as well as I'd like it to. But at just under 180 miles each way, it was just what I've been looking for. The weather was cool and downright cold at the higher elevations. I've just got back from it.
Here's a video of the beginning part of our ride to Joshua Tree, California. It's unedited and it was quite windy so sorry in advance for the wind noise from my camera.

[ULC Soulagent]

Not sure if it’s my phone but I’ve never see your links for viewing

[GP Kevo]

It should work. You could also try going directly to https://youtu.be/IRqqVzcKYSs to view.

[ULC Soulagent]

Cheers

[Herbert]

That's great and many thanks.
I could listen to recordings of Lambretta engines all day long. It does n't matter whether the recording are of a highly tuned or standard engine-exhaust systems. Someone should go about the scene and record the Lambretta engine sounds, 'bottle it' and supply it to us insomniacs out there/here.
Superb GP Kevo.

[GP Kevo]

Thanks, guys, I'm glad you're enjoying these. Here are the rest of the parts so you can binge them! Sorry about the wind noise! I have an external mic but I had stepped on it so it was out of commission. Marcus Baird did a great job planning the route, having driven it with his car first, and kept the pace so Doug from Minnesota, who was riding Marcus' Sprite Servetta Li190, could keep up with us. I tend to go a lot faster around the bends, so it's good he was up front, keeping me on the road and not tumbling down the mountain.

I'm sure the weather looks lovely and warm, and the sun did feel quite warm indeed, but the air was chilly and downright cold up the mountain and even still in the desert. We were expecting low temperatures around 4 degrees C, so I was wearing my winter riding gear which I hadn't had the opportunity to use since riding in Poland during the cold months.

Part 2: Riding up the Angeles Crest Highway - The elevation changes made my already too rich 1/4 throttle point even richer. The top elevation on this road is over 7,000 ft.


Part 3: We descend out of the mountains to the high desert, which we have to cross to get to Joshua Tree. The ride is slow and my scooter wants to go faster, but we still have a long way to ride.


Part 4: The desert is flat, man, flat as a pancake! Variable roads, the longest fuel up ever, passing, getting passed, as we continue toward Joshua Tree.



Part 5: Road hazards include the usual cars, but also sand blown across the road. I got a little faster riding in after getting separated from Marcus and Doug, but my slipping clutch prevented any silly speeds. Anything above 3/4 throttle results in slip.


Pt. 6: I'm not sure what this valley is called, but it pretty much sucks riding through it. Lighter traffic than in LA, but it's of the same type.

[GP Kevo]

We did finally get there but there's no sense in watching vids of us riding in traffic and getting to the motel. The next morning we rode over to Joshua Tree National Park and that had some nice scenery.

[Toddy]

Thanks for sharing looks great

[GP Kevo]

Thanks for watching, everyone! Here's the end of the Joshua Tree ride we did on the Sunday. I'll post some of the slog home, too, but unfortunately my helmet cam battery died by the time I got on the freeway. It was pretty crazy anyhow, especially on the 405 as it goes through the Sepulveda Pass, so much traffic I was slicing and dicing between cars at high speed, probably best I wasn't able to record that bit.