I'm out of Orange County, 30 miles south of LA, CA. 92705 Google it, you'll see nothing but tract homes and Hi ways. I'm 6 miles inland from the ocean so a trip down the coast and then cut back inland and home is a real pleasure... during the right time of the year... and this aint it!! Right now, the beach roads are clogged with tourists and getting through is a job/adventure. I ride the other direction this time of year, I jump on the freeway for 10 miles and then get off at the canyon exit head out a fast 55-65 2 lane with stripes and double solid lines, to the local watering hole. Place has been there forever, Cooks Corner, you meet all kinds there. I'm usually careful of car salesman and bikers that just start talking to you. Most times the best guys, but be careful of that rotten apple...
I share you're problem most of my closest friends are now sprinkled throughout the country, jobs and life changes. We all ride and some times we plan a get together and meet up and then base camp and do day rides. Yosemite is a very good one for that.
Just keep riding and learning so when those times do come you can show off to your buds on how good you got.

BTW: I just checked out your pic, nice bike. How old are you?

Matt I live in New England and I ride every where. I get 5 weeks vacation and I use most of it taking 2 wheeled trips. Like roadking alluded to I prefer to wait and take my multiple day/week trips before school lets out and after it starts back up. Its a bloody war zone out there between June thru September.

Luckily I have been married for 30 years and my wife loves to ride(passenger) as much as I do otherwise I'd be riding alone too.

In the last 2-3 years we've ridden to Ashville,NC/Nova Scotia/Ocracoke Island,NC/Key West,FL/Paintsville,KY/San Diego,CA/pigeon forge,TN/Marble Falls,AR to name a few. We been trying to slot in a ride to Alaska.

I'm getting old (55) and running out of time here.

I am from the possibly drunken yet advertised loving union between my parents centered upon the folly that my presence would seal a viable marriage. It was a course of action that left all of us unfulfilled.

This heretofore project happened in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, a region known for copious amounts of beer and large domestic motorcycles. Eh, sometimes a cigar is really a cigar.

I'm 25, I have been wanting a harley for a long time (me and my wife both), so I just went out and got the superlow. I thought it felt nice and was a nice begginer bike for my needs. I'm not too tall so it fit nice with my feet planted on the ground. I'm in Indiana, not many tourists here just alot of corn fields. Soon, my wife will join me on rides but she is 6 months preggers now so I'm making her wait. I will get better while we wait for her

Some of my favorite memories were made in cornfields
Been through Indiana a dozen times, just never stopped for more than gas and restrooms.
25 was 26 years ago for me, my favorite boots are older than that, they need to go back to the shoemaker, but he's back in NY.
At least now when I refer to you as "kid" I'm not far off.

You just keep practicing the slow stuff and with or with out a passenger on the back you'll be fine.

Getting cold outside already, I hate the winter... So for winter storage, I need some kind of battery drip? What about fuel in the bike? Put some winter fuel additive? I need a good jacket for riding

Take the bike inside. Do you have a spare bedroom? Yeah, for the first few years your wife will scream like crazy. You'll find that either she will stop or you will become 'wife deaf.' If you need some mods and your shop offers winter incentives, sometimes they will store it.

"Drip" is a new term for me. Go to Harley, buy a "battery tender."

https://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/gma_ ... cale=en_US

Matt, I have the leads to Betty on the right side of the bike, and the leads for Spinner on the left side. Whichever bike I ride I plug the other one in. The tender will not over-charge, and Spinner was plugged in all winter at the shop.

The new Sportsters require that you have to disassemble half the bike to remove the battery. I gave my wrench the tender, and he kept her plugged in while the winter work was finished.

https://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb23 ... 001-16.jpg

Depends where you keep it, I kept mine in a garage when back in NY, gets plenty cold back there. The garage was just as cold if not colder than outside. I'd start it every so often and even rode it when the roads were clear enough of ice to the gas station and out for coffee and errands.

IF
you aren't going near it for months at a time then Harbor Freight has a battery trickle charger for 5 bucks. Definitely use gas additive and throw a cover over it to keep the dust off. I know guys that put cardboard under the tires to keep them off the cement floors for longer storage.

A good jacket - good protections from all the elements, wind, cold, rain - padding/armor - abrasion.
I have my short leather 60 degrees and up, cost me 65 bucks wholesale when I bough 6 at a time, retail at the time was about 200.
My long leather jacket is like arctic exploration wear with 2 zip in/out liners and special neck collar and cuffs.
It covers down to mid thigh and when you ride I found it best to sit on the jacket, it keeps it from blowing up and chilling your back. I paid full boat on this one and it was 700. I've had both of them for years and worth every penny I spent.
I also have a set of Engineer Gauntlet Gloves with thinsulate liners that work great in cold weather. The gauntlet goes up over the cuff and keeps the wind out. If I remember right they were about 50 bucks.

Hope it helps, this stuff isn't cheap.

I find that if you buy quality you will be more satisfied with it and it will last longer. Heck I have jackets that are over 20 years old and still look good. Take care of your outer ware and it will last. This is probably for another thread but if you go to your local cycle shop and see the jacket that you like make sure that it fits and shop it online sometimes you can save 10% to 50%. Winterize your bike if you are not going to ride it make sure that you use a battery tender like the other advised.