[CagersSuck]

Laureles Grade truly is one of the best stretched of highway in all of these united states (and being a military man i've driven all over the country), however it can also be rather tricky as me and a buddy found out this month. well being here right next to the Grade and Laguna Seca raceway(the only motogp stop in north america) i can't complain about my duty station. it's 65-80 degrees everyday and non-stop riding weather. well the morning before my parade lap at seca for the motogp a group of us went shredding it up on Laureles Grade, my first time out there. the nearly 4mi journey to the bottom of carmel valley was amazing(as was the 115 degree temp!) however i got too comfortable on a road i didn't know and on the way back up, only about a 1/4mi from top in a seemingly wide left turn, the turn began to quickly narrow and started to roll to the right. noticing this at full lean doing about 75 wasn't cool...i did my best and got squared up with the guard rail, put my right leg on the passenger as to not crush it and held the f*ck on. in the end i rode off the rail doing 60-70 still up only missing 3/4 of my right foot peg, a bar end and some paint....whew, thank god i put my leg up or it would've been with the peg somewhere!!!

 

[CagersSuck]

fast forward to 2 weeks later and a close buddy of mine, who rides the grade regularly, hit the same exact gaurd rail, except he t-boned it at 75 on his brand new zx10r, went over the rail and slid down into the valley over a hundred feet...on his climb back up he said he noticed quite a few other bike parts, went back to pick up his gauge cluster and headlight unit and called for a truck to take him and the bike home...damn i knew marines were tough, but damn

 

[hokie636]

[:M35] Damn, close call! Glad you made it through ok.

 

[Cargo]

put my right leg on the passenger as to not crush it and held the f*ck on. in the end i rode off the rail doing 60-70 still up only missing 3/4 of my right foot peg, a bar end and some paint....whew, thank god i put my leg up or it would've been with the peg somewhere!!!

Now thats what I call a rider.
Glad to hear your ok bro.

 

[h2oballer]

Check out highway 25 which is over in Hollister. It will take you about 45 minutes to get to where it starts to get good (coming from Monterey). There's also highway 17 which is in Santa Cruz. A little place up there called Alice's. Pretty cool ride too. Be careful on 25, ALOT of people get taken out there cause they get ahead of themselves. And of course, for scenery and twisties, just go south on highway 1 for about 30 minutes. Once you pass a place which I believe is called Strawberry with a little restaurant and snack shop on the right side of the road, it starts to get really good. Pure ocean cliffs. That goes all the way into San Luis Obispo. Stop for lunch, then come on back. Or come up 101 if you want to save time getting back. (I'm from Monterey).

 

[Cobra]

At least you are okay. Good save.

--David

 

[CagersSuck]

hey h2oballer, thanks for the tips up north. i take south 1 about once every other week with the wife down to big sur, and i frickin love it. i don't think we've gone all the down to San Luis Obispo on my bike, but when i had my trans am we'd go down there with the t-tops off from time to time.

 

[h2oballer]

Actually, Big Sur is when alot of folks turn around or whatever, but right past there is the best point. You get right by the ocean on the cliffs. Look for that snack shop and restaurant on the right side. Keep going, and thats where it gets good. Big Sur there is still stuff on that right side of the road that blocks your view.