Skaggs Springs Monster Railage!

[mxwinky]

So I took a nice ride up Highway 1 with a couple of buddies today, with the goal being a blast down Skaggs Springs Road from the coast to Healdsburg and then a freeway drone home, good for nearly 200 miles of mostly amazing and highly technical riding.  Having done this route a few times before, I was a bit unsure of my Monster S4RS's capabilities on Skaggs.  I knew it'd be super quick on Highway 1 along the coast as that's just good fun twisties.  But Skaggs, as anyone who's been there knows, is downright mega-technical.  The first two-thirds of it, starting from Stewart's Point on the coast, is darn near like riding single-track trail on a dirtbike except this is paved.  It's got hilarious and exhilirating elevation changes, steep off cambers, bumps, lumps and every form of gnarliness you can throw at a street bike.  I've done it on the Multistrada a number of times and always considered the adventure bike the ultimate weapon for this road.  Good old two-valve torque, long-ish suspension travel (yea Ohlins!) and a comfortable dirt-bikey riding position allow it to be thrown around with reckless abandon and really blitz this gnarly road.  The S4RS with its much revvier four-valve motor, brakes that are almost overkill, and shorter suspension coupled with the more sporting riding position had me thinking this wouldn't be the optimum weapon for these conditions.  Au contraire!  The Ohlins kept the bike well planted while the Testastretta sang its melodic song and the uber-strong Brembos allowed me to stand it on its nose entering hairpin turns without tiring out my hand.  And let me tell you, when you get the chance to sing a four-valver up and over 7,000 rpm it's really on song!  The Monster could drop my buddy's Hypermotard in an instant in every condition we encountered today, and when the two-valver is running out of breath the S4Rs is just hitting its stride and starting to stretch its legs.  As you pass 120, still accelerating hard, the Hyper is quickly fading in the mirrors.  And as I fade into sleep tonight, I'll be smiling as I remember corner after corner of wicked fun on the awesome Monster S4RS Tricolore. 

[supakpow2]

That was home turf before the wife and I moved to Kona!  We had a place on Highway 1 about 12 miles up the road from Stewarts Point in Gualala. AWESOME road! I miss it so much, I can't even tell you. Nothing at all like it here in Hawaii. We use to ride that but then add a lot to it. It would be a long day but worth the ear to ear grin you have on your face for 6 or 7 hours. 

This is the route we use to take.


Take some of it next time your up that way.You won't regret it.

KP

[mxwinky]

Great route!  I've done a lot of those roads, but haven't put it all together in a loop like you did.  Since I'm based in Marin it would be a full day's ride, at least, but oh so worth it.  Next time out I'll add in some of the more northern sections of your loop and see what I can put together.  It's sure to put some grins on my riding buddies.  Any others out there interested in putting together a major Northern California Monster/Ducati coastal ride, please chime in here and let's get it together.  Time to wheelie off to work.  Ciao for now!

[Jaman]

Is that gas station open on 1 @/near Skaggs yet?   last time I rode, I was in "fuel conservation mode" and didn't get to fully appreciate 

Great road! 

[teddy037.2]

 

I miss that road...

[Ivan]

That was home turf before the wife and I moved to Kona!  We had a place on Highway 1 about 12 miles up the road from Stewarts Point in Gualala.

Gualala is one of my favorite places to unwind, I spend at least a week there every year. 

[mxwinky]

The gas station isn't open yet, though I think they're working on it.  Best bet is to go the 10 miles to Gualala and grab some lunch & gas and then hit Skaggs.  At least that's been my usual routine.  Guys on Hypers really need to plan their gas stops on this ride, for sure.  Tons of fun!!!