Day 7 (the day or rest)Not so much really. I will say it was nice not to HAVE TO get on the bike today but I did still get on it and ride.
A lot of people know Im not a fan of So Cal even though I grew up here but I did still want to ride to some of the places I used to go to.
I got out to the garage and pulled her out. Man she was dirty! So i took her to a local place to get her all washed up. They made me a pretty good offer to do a detail on her so I left her and walked back to mom an dads place. A few hours later, actually a lot of hours later she was finally done. DAMN! S-H-I-N-Y!!!
With the bike all cleaned up, the sun shining down on her and making all that chrome twinkle like a vegas showgirls sequined bikini bottom I really wanted to get her on the road for a short bit. As soon as I pulled into the driveway (ok, a few minutes later) a line was forming (not really, I called people out) to get a seat and a picture.
My mom (haha, awesome!), no hands.
My Nephews...
Tommy - looking all cool with my shades on. He could barely get on... LOL!
Nicholas (he was too cool)... Heck, big enough to actually ride this thing.
My Sis in Law, Pam
And the most shocking of all... my aunt was more than happy to throw a leg over.
One of the neighbors came over with her kid and wanted to get a pic but the kid threw a fit so I fired her up to drown out the kid. I then headed to my aunt to visit with her and got the above picture. Stayed there for a bit then took off on a short ride through the Royal Palms area of Sane Pedro then over to a Starbucks to meet my friends Dave and Mike.
All thats left now is to get her packed up tomorrow and get to riding with Brent.
A bit of bummer news... a section of PCH is closed due to landslides. Of course it happens to be in an area just south of Gorda. What this means is that we will have to detour around the Big Sur portion of PCH missing Hurst Castle, Rocky Creek Bridge (the bridge in every picture or video you see of PCH) and a little known attraction called Nit Witt Ridge.
I guess we can only hope for a miracle in the next 48 hours.
No matter what it has been a fantastic trip so far and if it ended right now I could honestly say it has been a blast... heat, wind, rain, allergies and all!
Day 8 (San Pedro Ca to Cambria Ca)Oh what a day! We had a late start to the day. I didn't fire the bike up till 11am and that was to go meet Brent who was slightly lost due to some poor directions on my part. Amazing what one mistyped word can do to a person. One we knew where he was I geared up and headed out.
My parents were amazingly calm about the bike and seeing it in person. My dad was talking to everyone that would listen about it and my mom actually liked it. That was actually good and now I don't have to worry about them worrying.
Even though we were finally moving we still had a slow time getting on the road. Fuel stop followed by a food stop and a quick detour to a local Triumph dealer and we were FINALY on the way. Im not complaining, it was actually kind of fun being in my old stomping grounds on my bike.
A quick blast up 110N to 405N with a smooth transition to 10W and we were finally on PCH.
As we rode up PCH we quickly got to Malibu Canyon Rd, tipped em to the right and startup up the canyon. What I can only imagine as a fellow rider in his cage flashed up to let us know that LEO (police) was up ahead so we slowed to the speed limit, the gardening truck in front of us did not and was kind enough to distract the LEO so we could enjoy our ride.
We finally made it to the Rockstore and even though it was closed it was really cool to see it.
Now, I like twisty roads, I reeealy like twisty roads. I love that my cruiser can take a road like that and make short work of it. Mulholland was way above my skill level. My bike was making those turns but my ability to keep proper control at higher speeds was lacking. There was no Zen time on this stretch of highway. All I could do was hope that one of the few sportbikes that was out there was not going to come up on me. I wound want to ruin another bikers ride. We FINALLY made it to the top. I added a few new scrapes to my pipes and pegs
and a new realization what I am capable of.
Of course we stood there and watched a Ducati Monster and a R1 repeatedly bomb Mulholland. I swear these guys were like machines, one run up, a u turn and another run down only to repeat again and again.
Notice the dumb cager cross the line…
and barely get things together…
We headed down the other side and headed down CA23 (Decker Rd). This is where things got interesting. I was almost all the way down and realized Brent was not behind me. I pulled over and waited and waited and waited and started back up the canyon to find Brent on his bike, a white truck behind him and a guy on a Honda CB1000 next to him. But why was Brent's front when perpendicular to the guard rail and why was his shifter wrapped around his foot peg and when did his leather jacket get those scrapes on his arm.
As we talk about it still it seems as though one of two situations happened.
1) gravel on painted surface could have been a cause.
2) too slow a speed in a very sharp corner could have cause the bike to succumb to gravity.
Either way we got his bike back to rideable condition and minus a few scrapes and a bent part or two he is fine and very sore this morning.
The rest of the day was pretty much a race to beat the sun going down. We weren't able to stay on PCH the whole way and had to get on to 101 for some of it. We were on some amazing roads through the Lompoc and Vandenburg AFB area. We finally rolled into Cambria about 8:30pm and proceeded to unload and look for some dinner.
Tome to start planning todays route so stay tuned for more this evening.
Heres a shot of Brent, bike and waves ...
and mine …
Day 9 Kamikaze Squirrels (Cambria Ca to Santa Cruz Ca)Where to start, where to start!
This morning in Cambria was pleasant. I don't remember if it was blue skies but it wasn't chilly and not warm, I guess it was just right. The Palms was a nice little motel with courteous help and clean. We took the locals advice and had breakfast at a nice little cafe a few blocks down. I had a hefty breakfast burrito that has stuck with me all day long (at least till I refilled with yet another breakfast burrito, more on that later).
We hit the road about 10am and headed east on CA46. Now that was a real nice ride. We kept the speeds low as there was some sort of bicycle event happening and LEOs were abundant. Not saying we speed but 5-10 over is real easy and fun when your on two wheels. Heck I have friends that normally ride at 20-30 over so don't judge me :P
Anyway... We rolled into Paso Robles, gassed up and headed back west on County Hwy G14 (G14 for short). Yet another amazing road with some nice high speed sweepers*.
* a high speed sweeper would be a curve in the road with a posted limit of about 40mph. Fun and easy.
As we got closer to Lockwood Ca I started noticing something strange... Kamikaze Squirrles (KS for short).
Brent is following and Im lead. The grass starts to get shorter and browner (no trees, or very few) and as we are trucking along the first KS makes its appearance. It runs out to the middle of my lane and doubles back pretty quick. Not even close to needing to brake or swerve so no harm done.
A few miles later KS #2 makes an appearance. This little bastard was brave. It ran clear across the road, waited for me then ran right in front of me. I grabbed a handful of brakes and to slow and made a nice little swerve. After that I decided no more. I am not going to risk my life to not kill a road rat. Now it was game on!
KS #3 runs out and stopped just short of getting his little peanut eating head smashed by my Metzler (brand of MC tire).
Shortly after this Brent come blasting by me and pulls us into a stopping spot in Lockwood cause he had left his tank bag at the gas stop in Paso Robles (40 miles back, about an hour of riding). OK, ****** happens, no big deal. We take a shorter route back then come back to our stopping location in Lockwood. During this trip back to Lockwood KS #4 through #6 made their appearances. I swear if I didn't know any better Id say one of these little buggers jumped through one of my spokes like a ring of fire and made it. That or it really cut it close (most likely the latter).
So... Im not sure what was the deal with the KS's but my imagination is telling me it was some sort of initiation into a Squirrel gang or maybe they are just thrill seekers. This could be the equivalent to base jumping. I did count a handful that didn't make it though. Not by me thank god!
Lets get back to Lockwood here. Google maps shows a road (or combination of roads) that goes from Lockwood through Fort Hunter and onto PCH. By taking this road we would be back on PCH and not have to bypass the good parts between Cambria and Carmel. Sweet... were taking it. Famous last words here!
G14 to Mission Rd to Nacimiento Fergusson Rd is 34 miles and should only take one hour. Sure, it was all going as planned till we got to about 17 miles in. Then it turned into one of the narrowest twistiest roads I have ever been on. It was like the US equivalent of the Death Road in Bolivia. My speedometer never went over 15mph and every blind corner (and there were a lot) was met with a double blip of my horn in hopes the oncoming motorists would slow enough and move over enough so we could pass each other. The remaining 17 miles took about an hour. Did I mention that once we crested the pass that the temps dropped some 10-15 degrees and we were still riding the same dangerous roads but add fog to the mix? No! Well yeah, there you go!
There was NO joy here except at the end when we knew we could finally release the death grip on our handlebars and our asses could relax enough to pry the seats from within them.
We were rewarded for our bravery with this:
Where Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd and PCH meet. View to the left (S).
and this
Where Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd and PCH meet. View to the right (N).
Once relaxed and moving in a normal fashion we made our way up PCH and stopped for a few photo ops. Enjoy the next few pics...
One of many rest stops along PCH.
Bixby Bridge
Brent coming in over Bixby Bridge
Coastal view at Bixby Bridge
Saw this from the side of the road and had to go back for a pic.
Across the parking lot from the above pic was this...
We finally made it as far as Santa Cruz before we decided to stop for the night. We are tired but in a good way and the scenery is simply amazing.
Throughout the day we feel cold one moment only to round a corner and feel warm again. The skies change from clear blue to overcast at the twist of the throttle. We smell grass, flowers, trees and sea air at any given moment. The sounds we hear range from growling pipes to a mellow burble with crashing waves as backup. Its why we ride!
Day 10 (Santa Cruz Ca to Garberville Ca)Well... we lost more ground today. Only did 278 miles from Santa Cruz to Garberville. Its not that bad really. Were just not making as much ground as we waned. None the less we had a great day of riding.
We departed Santa Cruz and stopped at the Harbor Cafe for breakfast. Gotta say, it was surprisingly great! From there we headed up PCH and into San Fran. Riding in San Fran was a joy (sarcasm). Ill post a video later of what it looks like from my perspective when an idiot cager doesn't take an opportunity to make the light and I get stuck behind them on a severe incline. Lets just say I didn't know my bike could wheelie!
Anyway... We needed to make a pit stop at a Triumph dealer to get a new shift lever for Brent. Amazingly enough they had one in stock. Got it installed and headed to Fort Point for a photo op with the Golden Gate shrouded with fog.
Brent fixing his shifter in the streets on San Francisco.
Getting all artsy with my bike and the Golden Gate.
Another artsy moment with Brents bike featuring mine in the distance and if you squint you'll see Alcatraz.
We made a stop in Santa Rosa for a quick meal then proceeded to show US 101 who's boss. These were some high speed (50+)mph sweepers that were simply a blast. running down 101 through the redwoods was a thrill and there were plenty of bikes on the road. We had one more picture stop at some odd building.
Odd but cool.
As we were approaching Garberville we came around one of those 65mph sweepers and spotted a deer looking at us as if it was wondering if WE were good enough or if it should wait for something better. That pretty much sealed the deal and we rolled into town with the intent of getting a room.
Seems as though Garberville is full O' Harley's for the Redwood Run this weekend. Thank god they area headed south and we are headed north.
Day 11 (Garberville CA to Coos Bay OR)As I wake up on Day 11 (Im sitting on the bed typing this with my traveling companion Brent snoring in the bed next to me) Im thinking about this trip. Its almost over but still at least a day maybe two more to go.
I was expecting to be in bad shape by now and I am not. My back has been trouble free even though I have been sleeping on motel beds. My arms are doing fine even though they have been in the same position for days. My neck has not had to support that helmet in months and its holding up just fine. Heck, I even started riding with earplugs instead of earbuds to fill my head with music. Of all things my calfs have been sore, go figure.
Todays goal is to get up into Oregon. We need to get to as far up as we can so that I can try and make it to Garrett's (Karens brother) graduation party on Sat eve. I know I will miss the actual ceremony but Im hoping to make the party.
As for today it was a good day. The morning started with the rumbling of all the Harley's getting ready for the Redwood Run. Once awake and packed up we headed back to the place we had dinner at (House of Burgess). I don't think I wrote about this place yet but it looks kinda dumpy. The food was freaking amazing. Everything from scratch and delicious. A nice little surprise in this po dunk town for sure! If I ever pass though again I will be stopping!
We headed out and stop #1 was to drive through a tree. We headed north on 101 and took exit 645 to follow Avenue of the Giants to the Shrine Drive Through Tree.
Shrine Drive Through Tree (guarded by Bigfoot)
Me riding through a Redwood.
Brent driving through a Redwood.
After making our little side trip we headed back North on 101. It was cold and overcast till we got north of Eureka. Then it opened up for us for a bit. Blue skies and coastline. As we were making good time up 101 we came upon this little gem. A heard of Roosevelt Elk.
Roosevelt Elk Heard
Of course there was a stop to take a pic in front of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe.
Trees of Mystery, Klamath Ca
Hehe... yes I took a pic... Blue ox balls. hehe
After screwing around and all these stops it was time for some food. We made our way to the Hungry Clam (hehe) for lunch and it was AMAZING! Damn! The food stops on this trip have been awesome!
This place is in Brookings OR.
I had the shrimp and crab melt with a cup of chowder... o yeah! it was good!
The Hungry Clam, Brookings OR
From there we headed north on 101 again. Its a good thing lunch was good cause we needed that energy for the roads. More of awesome 45+mph sweepers, blue skies and warming sun. Still cold but the sun took the edge off. After a scenery stop at Port Orford OR (below) the skies closed up and things got cold and overcast.
Port Orford OR
Brent waiting for me to take my pic in Port Orford …
We finally arrived at a stopping point in Coos Bay OR and as we were checking in the rumble of bikes fell upon us. To our surprise it was a group of lady riders all on some really nice Motor Co bikes (Harleys). They obviously had great senses of humor as you can see below...
NT NUTS, IB NUTS, ME TOO
Tomorrow draws in the close to my trip. It wont be 100% done but I will make it into Vancouver WA in the afternoon/evening where I will check into a hotel, get ready for Garretts party and head to that. Sunday will be the true end of my trip when I arrive home to my garage and my bed and to Karen.
Day 12 The End (Coos Bay OR to Vancouver WA)Today draws in the end of this trip. Like I mentioned yesterday there is still one leg left on Sun morning from Vancouver to home (Sammamish WA) but that will be all fwy and no scenery stop (maybe). Jut the usual gas stations along the way.
Today was a short day (only 219 miles) and it seemed to fly by. There weren't a lot of stops and that included lunch. Brent was so close to home I think he wanted to see Stella and the wife and I really wanted to make Garrtes grad party, that said I think that helped us power through the day.
We did make one scenery stop that turned out to be a two-fer...
We stopped at the Heceta Head turn out where we had a view of Heceta Head lighthouse and the sea lions. Here are a few pics...
Our bikes with Heceta in the background.
Sea Lions... minus caves
Heceta Lighthouse
