OC Rider: Cruisin' In Southern California

The California Tour: Sonora, CA

Sonora California

Day 5 of The California Tour ended in Sonora, CA. around 7:30 PM. Before I tell you about Sonora let's review the days ride:

I started out from my friend Jeff Ross's house in Roseville nestled between Sacramento and Lincoln around 8:30. I took Hwy 65 north to Hwy 20 east through Marysville, Penn Valley and Grass Valley. In Grass Valley I hit Hwy 49 South through Auburn, Placerville, Jackson, Angels Camp and ended the day in Sonora. 

I had travelled many miles but in reality I wasn't all that far from my starting point had I taken a direct route which of course was totally out of the question.

The map below shows the day's full route:

 

 

The Sonora Gold Lodge

So let's quickly talk about the Sonora Gold Lodge. If you're lookin' for The Ritz this ain't it. It was rustic which is code for old & beat up.  It was out of the way: a few miles off of Hwy 49 and away from downtown. The $49 per night price was right and I thought rather poetic since I had been reliving the rich history of Hwy 49 all day. In other words it was exactly the kind of place I was looking for.

The sleeping area and the bathroom were clean, the TV was small but it worked and the bed was comfortable. Plus they had Wi-Fi!

I unpacked, took a shower, checked my email while I ate my sandwich and was fast asleep by 10.

The next morning I slept in, 8AM. Late for me but day 5 had been a long one. My room had a little coffee maker which was cool and tided me over until I could find the local Starbucks. Also The Sonora Gold Lodge served a continental breakfast which featured fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, juice and coffee. I grabbed a couple cinnamon rolls, a couple bananas (for the road) and more coffee.

Online the place doesn't get very good reviews but all in all I had no complaints.

These shots show the view from my room which included a big old locomotive from The Sugar Pine Railroad, a very cool old pink house and of course my Honda Shadow packed and ready for the day ahead.

    

 

The City Of Sonora California

In 1848, miners from Sonora, Mexico, found gold here and established a camp. Sonora became known as the "Queen of the Southern Mines" and was the biggest town in the Mother Lode. Sonora is one of the oldest cities in California. It was incorporated on May 1, 1851. It is the county seat of Tuolumne County.

The "Great Fire" of 1852 damaged or burned down every building on Washington Street, the main drag of the town. Some stone exteriors from the subsequent reconstruction are still around.

On this Monday morning Sonora was bustling. Here are a few shots of Washington Street:

  

   

St. James Episcopal Church: The Little Red Church

St. James Episcopal Church, often referred to as the “Little Red Church,” built between 1859 & 1860 is one of the oldest churches in California. It's certainly one of the biggest tourists draws in Sonora and standing in front of it I could see why. Unfortunately I didn't go inside but again from the outside it was very impressive and while these shots are pretty good I don't thing they really do the place justice.

   

 

I rode through many of the back streets branching off from Washington St. Honestly the entire town was like a living, breathing museum. I could easily have spent the whole day just wandering the town but as I've said many times this was all about the ride so I hopped back onto Hwy 49 south.

As it turns out this was going to be one of my shorter days, mileage wise at least. I was heading for Bass Lake and the town of Oakhurst. But just like the miles of Hwy 49 that were already behind me the road ahead was filled with history and incredible landscapes. More in my next posts...

The California Tour: Jackson To Sonora, CA

I just re-read some of my previous posts and one word comes to mind: Sensory Overload. The rest of what I'm gonna write and what you will hopefully read isn't going to be much different. I'm quite positive that there are many place in this great country of ours equally filled with the kind of splendor that I experienced on my California Tour but my God how did all this beauty get packed into such a small stretch of highway. Well, small when you consider the grand scheme of things. 

And with that opening I'll tell you how this, my 5th day on the road ended.

It was now almost 4PM and I was still in Jackson. Checking my map the next "big" town on Hwy 49 was Sonora and looked to be about 50 miles south so I hopped on the old Honda Shadow 750 and rolled on.

Now remember Hwy 49 is not a big slab of cement like the I-5. It's a two lane road that twist, turns, rises and falls as the landscape dictates. I had no illusion that I'd be in Sonora in an hour. The fact is I didn't roll into Sonora until sometime after 7PM. but I had lots of good reasons for that. Here are just a couple of the distractions that kept me entertained as I headed down the road:

   

I don't know about you but I just can't haul ass down a road like this without taking the time to enjoy the surroundings. The scenery was so incredible there were times I found myself going no faster than 20 MPH all the while gasping to myself, "Holy Shit!"

Here are few more of the "magical" distractions I found on my way down to Sonora:

Carson Hill

Carson Hill is located about five or six miles north of Angles Camp (more about Angles Camp in a second). Today Carson Hill is nothing more than a blimp on the map. In fact Wikipedia calls it a ghost town. That's not too far off from the truth as I didn't see one single person or car as I rolled through. But at one time Carson Hill was a hot spot of the Gold Rush. It was one of the most productive mining camps in the state. The Morgan Mine was one of the richest mines in the area, so much so that the miners didn't even have to dig. They would simply blow up a vein and collect the pieces of gold that were strewn about the land. The mine was also where one of the largest nuggets in the state was discovered, a 214 pound block of gold that was worth $43,000 at the time.

The image on the right is what's left of the Morgan Mine.

   

Robinson's Ferry

Just about six miles south of Angles Camp I rounded a left hand corner and was again met with a view I had a hard time believing was real. There on the left hand side of the road was a turn out and a historical marker immortalizing Robinson's Ferry.

On August 13, 1850 John Robinson and Stephen Mead were licensed by the Court of Sessions of Calaveras County to maintain a ferry on the Stanislaus River and here I was 159 years later standing in that very spot! Here's a picture of the plaque:

 

Here's the view of the bridge and the Stanislaus River from the turn out:

   

Angels Camp, Jackass Hill & Mark Twain

In 1848 Henry Angel, a shopkeeper from Rhode Island, opened a trading post after deciding this would be a more profitable use of his time than digging for gold, thus founding the town of Angels Camp. At one point in Angels Camp's early history there were as many as 4,000 miners working the claims. As with all the extraordinary towns along Historic Hwy 49, Angels Camp has many stories of pioneers striking it rich but Angels Camp has a bit of history that goes even beyond the Gold Rush stories of early California.

Just after crossing the bridge at Robinson's Ferry I noticed another historical marker that said Mark Twain's Cabin next to a road sign that said Jackass Hill. Obviously this was not something I was gonna pass up. 

I hung a quick u-turn and headed up Jackass Hill. It was a narrow rocky, dirt road about a mile long but I'll be damned if at the end of the road directly in front of me was Mark Twains cabin. Now the whole Mark Twain story in Calaveras county is just too long for this venue so I'll give you a bit of the history and let the images do the rest of the talking but let me again tell you. Standing in the very spot where one of the most famous authors in the world had also stood, had more than just a magical effect on me. It was another one of the many truly spiritual experiences that this California Tour provided me. 

So here's just a little of the history of Mark Twain and Jackass Hill:

Mark Twain lived in this cabin on Jackass Hill in 1864-1865, when he was unemployed and trying his hand at gold mining. But as winter turned bitter he spent more and more time at the saloon in the Angels Hotel. It was there, on a cold February night in 1865, that Samuel Clemens first heard the tale of the jumping frog from bartender Ben Coon. He hiked back to his cabin and wrote his version of the fable -- "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." The story that launched his literary career. The cabin burned, but was rebuilt in 1922 with the original chimney and fireplace.

Here is the plaque that sits just out side of Mark Twain's Cabin:

 

The inscription reads:

Stopping place of packers carrying supplies to miners. Often 200 jackasses on hill over night furnishing concert suggesting name “Jackass Hill”. Very coarse gold found here. $10,000 taken from 100 square feed of ground. Quartz found containing 3/4 of total weight in gold. Mark Twain, Steve, Jim and Bill Gilis and Dick Stoker, the “Dick Baker” in “Roughing it”, were cronies. Mark wrote here “Jumping Frog of Calaveras” from notes made at Angels Camp Tavern.

Here is the cabin and the view that Mark had of the Stanislaus River from his cabin:

  

 

Here is a view of the grounds, and look there really is a jackass on Jackass Hill, please no comments about there being more than one, I get it...

  

 This had been a long day. Remember I started in Lincoln just outside of Sacramento and was now well into the Gold Country on Hwy 49. 

As I said earlier it was almost 7PM when I rolled into Sonora and checked into the Sonora Gold Lodge. I grabbed a Subway sandwich and hit the sack. I decided to get some rest before exploring Sonora itself. I'll tell you about that in my next post.

 

I grabbed a Subway sandwich and hit the sack. I decided to get some rest before exploring Sonora itself. I'll tell you about Sonora in my next post.

The Route

While a lot happened between Jackson and Sonora the route was simple. I stayed on Hwy 49 south. Also know as the Mark Twain Bret Harte Trail.

 

The California Tour: Auburn to Placerville

I hit Hwy 49 in Grass Valley but I didn't stop. My head was still reeling from Hwy 20 so I rolled on down through Auburn, Coloma and Placerville.

Having grown up in Sacramento I was quite familiar with these little towns but I had not visited them in decades, no matter though because as I rolled into Auburn I got the distinct feeling that this place had not changed in many, many years. Auburn was like a movie set. It was real but only because "they" told me it was was real. It sure didn't feel real.

The American River

Just past Auburn came one of the most spectacular views of the entire trip, a pretty big statement when you consider that just about every corner I turned was even more incredible than the one before. But this one was a memory maker: Crossing the North Fork of the American River. Just outside of Cool, CA. This was part of the same route I had taken the day before on my Victory Ride.

As a kid the American River was a huge part of my life especially during the long hot Sacramento summers. On this day the heat was exceptionally high for early April closing in on the triple digit mark and the river was a glorious site. Needless to say childhood memories came flooding back. I stopped for about 15 minutes and let it all soak in. I'll let these pictures speak for themselves...

   

Coloma & Sutter's Mill

Having stopped in Cool just the day before I rode on through and hung a left at the town's one and only stop light which kept me heading south on Hwy 49. A few miles down the road I was rolling into Coloma and Sutter's Mill. If you grew up in Northern California nearly every grammar school class takes a field trip to Coloma the site of the first discovery of gold in California and the beginning of the California Gold Rush. For you history buffs the date that gold was discovered was January 24, 1848. I love California history but this is not a history blog. Visit Coloma.com, a great site with all the details.

Coloma itself like a lot of these old gold towns is just a small stop on an even smaller stretch of the road. It was still hotter than hell and getting hotter so I pulled over and snapped a few shots then headed to Sutter's Mill just a few miles down the road.

Coloma:

  

 

Sutter's Mill

Sutter's Mill while mostly restored was still awe inspiring. I looked around imagining what it must have been like for those guys dreaming of finding their fortunes. Some of them of course did. Most did not. And even though it had been over 100 years, to me it felt like they were all still right there.

  

   

Placerville

Placerville is a huge tourist town filled with history. It has been virtually completely resorted to look like it did during it's glory days of the Gold Rush. This day the town was bustling with tourist and the street were jammed. I rolled up and down the main drag a few times, took some pictures then continued south.

I know I keep bitching about the heat but Christ is was 103 when I rolled into Placerville and I could feel it.

  

  

I sucked down a banana and a big ass bottle of water (my two favorite road snacks) then continued south. Placerville was cool but I knew that there were smaller less visited sites ahead and I was eager to get to them. Check out the next entries.

The Route

 

The California Tour: Highway 49 South

The Yin and The Yang

Yin yang transform each other. Like an undertow in the ocean, every advance is complemented by a retreat, and every rise transforms into a fall. Thus, a seed will sprout from the earth and grow upwards towards the sky - an intrinsically yang movement. Then when it reaches its full height, it will begin to weaken, and eventually will fall back to the earth in decay - an intrinsically yin movement. Yin always contains the potential for yang, and yang for yin. My California tour was a living example of Yin Yang.

Before I continue let me clarify a couple of things. First, from the moment I bought my Honda Shadow this trip was on. I didn't know the details, the exact route or any of the particulars but in my head I knew I was taking this trip.

Second, riding up Hwy 1 was a breathtaking experience but Hwy 49 and the Gold Country were always my goal. As I mentioned before I'm not a big beach town guy. A fact that's kind of strange considering the fact that I live in a small beach town.

Dana Point is a great but having grown up in Northern California (Sacramento) and having lived in Sonoma, Napa, Santa Rosa and other Northern California counties my heart has always been in Northern California.

If it were a perfect world and I could have everything I ever wanted, I'd live in a tiny northern town very much like the ones I'm about to describe. As I rolled down Hwy 49 from Grass Valley into Oakhurst, just outside of Yosemite I either bought or built my dream house at least three dozen times. I saw my wood burning stove. I sat at the local cafe drinking coffee with my mountain neighbors. I cleared the snow from the walk to make my way down to the mailbox - Something I decided I'd only do once a week. I napped in the sun near the stream that ran past my door. I even died quietly and happily in my bed, nestled in a big down comforter.

The California coast is majestic and powerful indeed. But for me the serenity and ancient wisdom of the Sierra Foothills are beyond compare.

I've broken down my Hwy 49 experiences into the towns and places I saw. Rather than cram a bunch of information into one long post. These amazing places each deserve a section of their own. Each one has a unique and powerful story. You'll read about Placerville, Sutter's Mill, Coloma, Jackson, Sonora and Chinese Camp; the first real Ghost Town I've visited.

I hope that my words can come close to describing what it was like to be a part of these places.

The California Tour: Marysville, Penn Valley & Hwy 20

Back on the road I headed north on Hwy 65 to Marysville to meet my niece Brittany and her boyfriend Marc for a quick cup of coffee. I made one last stop at Grumpy Bear's on the way out of town. I peeked through the window at my Vegas Low sitting just inside the door. I cursed my friend Jeff for having shown the damn thing to me and then headed north.

  

 

Hwy 65 is a two lane highway that seemed to have more gravel on it than I thought it should and although I was going to end up making a big half circle to get to Hwy 49  there is no way I could have ridden this far without seeing my favorite niece Brittany who lives in Chico. 

Marysville

I had been to Marysville several times as a boy, I grew up in Sacramento and these were my old stomping grounds. Sunday morning seemed to bring out the locals as well as the tourists, the town was buzzing, the traffic rather thick.

As I rolled through town two things hit me; the first one was that things had changed. The second was that nothing had changed. 

Brittany, Marc and I met at a Starbucks and sat for about an hour talking and watching the people pass by. It was nice to meet family out here on the road. Finally we said good bye and I slid back onto the Honda Shadow and continued east.

Hwy 20 East & Penn Valley

Our Starbucks was located at the intersection of Hwy 65 north and Hwy 20 east. Hwy 20 was going to be my route to Hwy 49 south where I would begin the downhill leg of the trip. As I turned on to Hwy 20 there is no way I could have known or even imagined what lie ahead of me. I'm not even sure that I'll have the words to describe what I was about to experience.

Within minutes maybe even seconds of hitting Hwy 20 I was blanketed with shades of green and gold that up until then had only existed in my dreams. The colors were overwhelming. They were thick and rich and lush. I wasn't "seeing" them I was actually touching them or I should say they were touching me. The farther down the road I rolled the deeper the hues became until I thought I actually was in a dream. 

How could something, some place as beautiful as this be right here in my own backyard? How did I come to be right in the middle of it? How long could I stay? Was this even real? My head was swirling, my heart was pounding. I felt like Dorothy drinking in her first glimpse of Oz.

The two lane road gently twisted and rose as I headed east. The road was safe enough to ride at 60 MPH but when I glanced down I saw I was barely doing 40. There was no need to rush this.

Ahead to my left I saw a red farm house nestled among a grove of tress, I slowed even more and eventually stopped in front of it.

I got off the bike, as I took off my gloves and helmet the warm morning air filled me with scents of pine and straw and sweet grasses. I don't drink but at this moment I was throughly and completely intoxicated. Looking, no staring at the house, the trees and the rolling hills all around me was not easy. The beauty was so intense I was lightheaded. It was a very long two or three minutes before I "came to" one of the few cars I saw on this road passed, barely bringing me back to semi-consciouness.

I had pulled over on the westbound side to get a closer look at the house. On the eastbound side was a road sign announcing where I had landed - Penn Valley. Again Dorothy and the house crashing into Munchkinland flashed in my head.

I remember thinking: People Live Here! A phrase that I would repeat for the rest of my trip.

 

Forcing myself back on the bike and back on the road I headed on to Grass Valley still not sure if any of this was real.

Grass Valley

Just 15 minutes past Penn Valley I rolled up to the Grass Valley city limit sign and the turn off to Hwy 49 the real destination of this trip. I stopped at the sign and took a picture. I looked back west down Hwy 20 and said a prayer. It was quick and simple but they were the only words I could muster: Thank You.

The Route

Hwy 65 north to Hwy 20 east through Marysville, Penn Valley and Grass Valley

The California Tour: Jeff Ross the Grumpy Bear

Needless to say after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge the rest of the ride into Sacramento was rather uneventful except for the weather. The second I was on the other side of the bridge the temperature rose a good 15 degrees. I took Hwy 37 to I-8o and by the time I hit Fairfield I had to pull over and shed a few layers. Up until then I’d had been wearing three top layers: a base, a long sleeve t-shirt and a hoodie under my leather jacket. On the bottom I had a base layer and the thick liner of my riding pants. In Fairfield I hit a Starbucks and shed everything but the top and bottom base and the jacket. It was still pretty warm.

The traffic into Sacramento was brutal but I hooked up with a Ninja just outside of Fairfield and let him lead the way as we split the one and two lanes for quite a while. I finally ended up in Lincoln (Just north of Sacramento) to find my dear friend Jeff Ross worriedly waiting at his Victory dealership Grumpy Bear’s MotorSports.

We headed over to Jeff’s house in nearby Roseville and feasted on steak, yams, broccoli and salad. Jeff and I stayed up until nearly midnight reminiscing about “the good old days” and they really were great days. We hit the sack at midnight with a “warning” from Jeff: “I’ve got something big planned for you tomorrow so be ready.” He wasn’t kidding.

VICTORY!!!
Saturday morning we were up and out the door before 7AM. Jeff and I headed back into Lincoln and had breakfast at a cool little café. Back at the dealership Jeff rolled out a 2008 Victory Vegas Low, a beautiful blue, black and silver touring rocket. He said, “This one’s yours for today. You’re going on a ride.” Waiting there was his friend Bud who had ridden up on a 2005 Victory Vegas. The Vegas Low that Jeff had picked out for me was unbelievable. Being unemployed I knew that I could not buy a new bike, still I found myself trying to figure out how I could pull it off. Explaining to my wife was the one hurdle I just could not get over.

Bud and I rolled a couple of miles down the road to a Starbucks and met Mike another friend who was also riding a 2005 Victory Vegas. We had a quick cup of coffee then hit the rode. Bud led, I rode in the middle and Mike rode last in case I got into trouble he would be able to call the authorities to scrape me off the twisty roads we were about to take on.

I can’t remember the exact route but we rode up into Auburn, and then headed across the American River into a little town named Cool. We stopped for a smoke and a bottle of water then headed down the road around Folsom before heading back into Lincoln.

The bike was unbelievable. It’s a six speed 1600 CC but only weighs about 100 pounds more than my 750. The ride was smooth and tight. It took me all of about 5 miles to get used to it. On the way back into Lincoln we hit one of the few open stretches of rode we’d come across. Bud opened it up. I didn’t hesitate and rolled that throttle back. I don’t know how fast I got it up to (Bud later told me we hit 82) but it got there fast! If and when I buy another bike the Victory Vegas Low is definitely at the top of my list.

Bud and Mike were both great guys and very kind to take a “rookie” like me out on the road. I want to thank them both for an experience I will never forget. Jeff claims that Bud doesn’t work for him but I’m not so sure. Bud seemed determined to see me leave the Honda Shadow behind and roll out of there on my new Victory Vegas Low. I wish I could have.

Carne Asada & Texas Hold ‘Em
Back at Jeff’s I took a quick nap while he mowed the lawn. We picked up Jeff’s friend Steve, one of the funniest guys I’ve met in a long time then headed over to his stepson Keith’s house for a Carne Asada feast and a very serious Texas Hold ‘Em tournament.

There were two tables of eight which would later be combined as the field grew smaller. I knew I was way out of my league when they set the timers to raise the blinds and one of the players set down a sheet of paper with the numbers the blinds were going to go to every 15 minutes.

In a tournament everyone loses except one or in this case the final three. So it’s a pretty good bet you’re not gonna be one of those three. My only victory was that I was not the first one out. I went out second.

Early Morning IHOP
In case you’re not familiar, most “friendly” games of poker involve lots of beer and in this case copious shots of high end tequila. Since I don’t drink I was the default designated driver. The next suggestion came as no surprise. It was past midnight when we left and Jeff had to have a strawberry waffle.

Jeff and I had spent many a late night / early morning is assorted Denny’s and Sambo’s back in the day and tonight we were going to revisit those times. We ended up at an IHOP back near Jeff’s house. Jeff grilled our waitress demanding to know if the strawberries were fresh. She assured him that she would have the “chef” open a fresh can for him. Jeff tried to bitch but Steve and I quickly shut him up with a variety of insults that would take this blog from PG-13 to R in a heartbeat. We sat there eating and laughing for a good hour. Finally back home we hit the sack past 2AM. It was a perfect day from start to finish.

Leaving Las Vegas
Sunday morning I was out the door by 8:30 and heading north to Marysville to meet my niece Brittany and her boyfriend Mark.

I can’t thank Jeff and his wonderful wife Patty enough for their gracious hospitality. I hope to seem them both again very soon. And as for Jeff’s friend Steve Coolman we made some plans that he’s going to keep me apprised of. I can’t wait to here how it goes… Tear it up Steve!

 

The California Tour: Santa Cruz to The Golden Gate Bridge

I didn’t leave Santa Cruz until noon on Friday because I wanted to get the Hwy 1 info posted to the blog and I was just too tired Thursday night.

Getting out of Santa Cruz was not quite as easy as getting into Santa Cruz but once I was finally back on Hwy 1 I was rolling toward Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, The Golden Gate Bridge with my ultimate destination being Sacramento where I was to meet my high school buddy Jeff Ross owner of Grumpy Bear Motor Sports.

Since I was running “late” I didn’t take a lot of pictures on the way. However the lighthouse at Pigeon Point and the surrounding area were so amazing that I had to take these two shots.

   

 

San Francisco
Just past Half Moon Bay was Daly City and that’s were Hwy 1 turned back into Hwy 101 and a full blown freeway. The 101 eventually led me onto 19th which turned into Presidio Park Drive and rolled me right onto the Golden Gate.

I stopped at 19th and Noriega to get gas, send a text message and get ready to cross the Golden Gate. I was really excited. Cruising down 19th was cool. There was quite a bit of traffic but hey, I had just been splitting lanes in LA two days before so San Francisco was no big deal.  At 2PM I got back on my bike and 15 minutes later was crossing the Golden Gate. I only took a few pictures in San Francisco and there are no pictures of me on or crossing the bridge. Those images are stored in my head and are for me only. I will however describe the experience. The three images below are first of 19th when I stopped for gas and the other two are of the city and the bridge once I was on the other side.

   

 

The Golden Gate Bridge
WARNING: The section is not a recommendation or suggestion of how to ride a motorcycle across the Golden Gate or any other bridge. This is only how I did it. This section does contain some language. This is exactly how it happened…

Since the day I bought my Honda Shadow 750 I’ve had a fantasy of riding it across the Golden Gate Bridge. This is how that dream came true:

I pulled out of the Shell Station at 19th and Noriega at a couple of minutes past 2 on Friday afternoon.  I knew I was very close because I could see the towers from the gas station. 19th turned into Presidio Park Drive, a beautiful winding tree lined street. It was busy but the traffic was moving which was nice because 19th was bumper to bumper and I was white lining it all the way through the city.

If you know me, you know that for me music is a huge part of my life and I’ve been listening to my iPod the whole trip (Please: no lectures or legal advice – It’s my choice). As I rolled onto Presidio Park Drive Bob Seger was belting out “Hollywood Nights” I was excited and the adrenaline was starting to pump. I came around what would be the final curve and saw a sign that said: Northbound No Toll and I knew this was it…

The curve straightened out and I was at the entrance to the bridge. Bob’s song ended and as I rolled past the toll booth in the far right lane I heard an electric guitar hit a single note and a bass drum start pounding. It was Tom Petty singing “I Won’t Back Down”. I thought my smile was gonna crack my face.  I rolled down the right lane for about 30 seconds barely doing 25 MPH. I was gonna savor this moment. Suddenly I heard a voice come into my headset over Tom’s vocals. The voice said: “Shadow this Houston; you are go for full power.” I don’t know if I said it or not but I heard myself answer: Roger Houston we copy.

I swung over into the Suicide Lane; I was leaning forward as far as I could, almost standing up. My right hand rolled to W.O.T.  And in classic NFL style my left fist pounded my heart twice then pointed my index finger forward over my windshield. My ear buds went completely silent everything around me turned into a blur of blue and white and I was screaming: F--k Ya…!!! at the top of my lungs.

The next thing I remember I was stopped just on the other side of the bridge on the side of the road in front of a sign that said: The Redwood Highway. Behind me, The City and The Golden Gate. I had done it. I was shaking, sweating, laughing and crying all at the same time. I got off the bike and just stared at the top of the North Tower for I don’t know how long. I finally sat down on the grassy shoulder and just gazed back at The City. By now it had been almost ten minutes my heart rate still hadn’t slowed. I just sat there and stared. I can’t even remember what I was thinking about. I do remember thinking about going back and doing it again but decided not to.

Everyone has dreams but most of us (including me) never realize most of those dreams. This is one that did not get away…

 

Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty
Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You could stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground
Won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground
And I won't back down.

Hey, baby. There ain't no easy way out.
Hey, I will stand my ground.
And I won't back down.

Well I know what's right
I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I'll stand my ground
And I won't back down.

 

The California Tour: One North

Santa Barbara, Bulleton, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Cambria, San Simeon, Big Sur, Santa Cruz.  They’re all here.

No Regrets Coyote
There were so many towns, so much to see, so many places to visit and so many photo ops that there was just no way to get them all.  Every single mile of the 354 miles I rode on Thursday are etched into my head. I decided about an hour into the trip that as far as pictures go I’ll shoot what I shoot and the rest are memories that will be with me forever. Besides, this trip is about the ride!

Blinded By The Light
If this post sounds like a cliché I make no apologies. I’m not sure I’ll even have the words to describe what I experienced yesterday. There were places I rode through that nearly brought me to tears and some that did. I’m 50 years old. I’ve traveled extensively. However I can’t remember ever having the kind of experience like I had riding up Hwy 1. There is way too much to tell and show so I’ll try and keep it concise.

Ventura – Santa Barbara – Gaviota – Buellton
The ride from Ventura through Santa Barbara was kind of a bummer. I left my Mom’s house at 7:30 so I hit a lot of traffic. Having just experienced the LA traffic is was no big deal. Once past Santa Barbara the road was wide open.

Gaviota is really just a small State Beach and a rest stop but it’s got a special place in my heart because my Dad and I used to stop at this great farm/restaurant/commune back in the 70’s.  It’s gone now but I still love riding through there.

Bulleton I guess is famous for Pea Soup Andersens. A once thriving destination along 101. For those of you that grew up along the 101 you’ll be disappointed to hear that PSA is now nothing more than a fairly rundown motel.

Santa Maria – Guadalupe
In Santa Maria I cut across the massive farms along Hwy 166 to Hwy 1. Guadalupe is a town stuck in time. One main drag and the whole place smelled like the best Mexican restaurant you’ve ever been to.

 

Oceano – Pismo Beach – Morro Bay
OK, tell me what I’m missing here. Oceano is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen SO someone decided that it is so beautiful that people should drive their cars on it. I’m not that bright so somebody help me out here. I can just hear it now: “Honey, it’s so beautiful we should drive our SUV up and down the beach so we can really appreciate it.” AND THEY DO!

   

  

Pismo Beach was kind of a non event. It was cute, its got a famous name but I was not awe struck. Morro Bay on the other hand was incredible. Giant rocks shooting up out of nowhere. Water on my left and green rolling hills on my right

San Simeon
The ride to San Simeon was relatively easy. Gentle curves with slight inclines. There of course I made my pilgrimage to Hearst Castle. I actually only rode into the parking lot. The Castle itself is a good one to two mile up a huge hill and you have to take a tram to get there. I took the require picture and rode across the street to see the Sebastian Store that was built in 1852. One hundred and six years before I was born.

  

Riding On The Edge Of The World
As I left San Simeon everything changed. I was in a land that some folks could not even dream of. The rode was windy, steep and rough. The wind was howling and the most dangerous part of the ride was me turning my head around to see if what I just saw was actually real.

I know there are folks out there that don’t believe in God or at least are not sure and that’s cool. My advice is check out this part of the planet. I think you might come away with a new perspective. Here are where words will not do. I’ll let the images speak for themselves.

 

 

Big Sur – Monterey – Santa Cruz
If you’re looking for Big Sur I’ve got a news flash: It’s not there! Not the way you might think. Big Sur is not really a town. It’s and incredible spot on the map that is a series of State Parks and campgrounds. The closest thing to a “town” was this little roadside shop/motel I stopped at and ate a banana.

Monterey was a bit of a disappointment. It’s a pretty beach town. But it was very crowded and ultra touristy. I’m not a big beach town kind of guy anyway but I stopped and took a few shots.

 

Santa Cruz was my final destination for the day. I rolled in at 7:30 twelve hours after I started. Honestly I felt like I could keep riding for hours. Santa Cruz is a tourist destination and a college town. It’s small but busy. My room at the Beach View Motel was not five stars but it did have a beach view and a very tempting tattoo parlor next door. Maybe next time.

 

Friends Of Bill
A buddy of mine told me that some friends of Bill were gonna get together early Friday morning. I got up and rode to Starbucks to grab a coffee. I decided I was not going to meet with them but as I was riding back to my room I rode rigtht by the church where they were gonna meet. Need I say more? I stopped and spent a great hour with my new friends. Here's a picture of the great old church where we met.

John Mellencamp
Somewhere around Morro Bay John Mellencamp had a chat with me. He started out by telling me that “My Life Is Now”. Then he asked me a question about my job and my life that went right to the heart of the matter: Do you believe you're a victim of a great compromise? No John I don’t.

Here’s what he said:

See the moon roll across the stars
See the seasons turn like a heart
Your father's days are lost to you
This is your time here to do what you will do

Your life is now your life is now your life is now
In this undiscovered moment
Lift your head up above the crowd
We could shake this world
If you would only show us how
Your life is now

Would you teach your children to tell the truth?
Would you take the high road if you could choose?
Do you believe you're a victim of a great compromise?
'Cause I believe you could change your mind and change our lives
Your life is now!

Today I’m off to San Francisco to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge then off to Sacramento where I will be staying with my friend Jeff Ross owner of Grumpy Bear’s Victory Motorcycle Dealership. Jeff has a couple of bikes he wants me to test ride and from what I understand the one I like best he’s going to give it to me. At least that’s what I heard when we spoke on the phone last night.

The California Tour: Ventura

Late Start
I had a lot of last minute details to take care of so the Honda Shadow and I didn't roll out of Dana Point until 4PM today which was fine because we were only heading up to my Mom’s in Ventura. Door to door the ride was 127 miles.

Early Morning Surprise
I got a phone call this morning from my dear friend ALAN SANTO informing me that he was on his way over with breakfast.  20 minutes later ALAN SANTO was at my door with a huge burrito, salad and assorted salsas. If you don’t  live in California this might not sound like breakfast but for us it’s pretty typical.

ALAN SANTO said he was sent by the “Unemployment Welcome Wagon” bearing gifts: My first free meal. He also brought me a beautiful silver ring for my key chain with this simple inscription: Serenity.  It was perfect. Thank you my friend.

By the way in case you’re wondering why I use his full name and in all caps it’s because ALAN SANTO loves to see his name in print.

Packing For A Motorcycle Trip
Obviously traveling by motorcycle requires one to travel a lot lighter than normal. I thought that I had my list pretty lean but still had to move up to a bag slightly larger than an airplane carry on. I’m guessing the weight to be about 40 pounds.

I don’t think I over packed: Three sets of base layers, socks, two pairs of jeans, one pair of sweats and a hoodie. But the laptop was a bummer. It’s a 17” and carrying it in its own case would have been way to bulky so I’ve got it sandwiched in between my clothes which is what adds the extra weight to the bag.

The Ride To Ventura
I think I did this right. Starting tomorrow I’m going to be riding through some of the most beautiful country in the world so I think it was only fitting that I start by riding through the biggest human cesspool in the world, Los Angeles. To make this short leg of my ride even more enjoyable I left Dana Point at exactly 4 PM, which put me at the LA County line at the height of rush hour. Like George Carlin used to ask: Why do they call it rush hour if nobody’s moving?”

Now I’m not big on splitting lane but honestly in LA it doesn’t really matter. As I mentioned in my Los Angeles Fashion District Post in LA the lane markers are only a suggestion. A suggestion that no one really takes too seriously. So I was able to wind through the traffic with a minimum of terror. The nifty part is that in LA Soccer Moms in Escalades are also splitting lanes so the competition is tough.

On top of all the traffic the wind was blowing like hell. It had been all day. The news said gusts were up to 50 MPH in some places. I got pushed around pretty good a few times but it was annoying more than anything. Besides how bad can it be when you’re going 5 MHP?

My ride to Ventura usually takes me right about two hours. This afternoon’s jaunt took me two hours and 45 minutes. But like I said LA in behind me now and I’m glad I won’t have to deal with it in the morning.

My plan for tomorrow is to head up the 101 north to Santa Maria, cut across the 166 west to Guadalupe and hit the 1 north. I’m hoping to end up somewhere near Santa Cruz by the end of the day but I think that’s a little over optimistic. There is so much to see and so many places to stop that I’m going to have to pick and choose carefully. We’ll see what happens.

Tom Petty
I had Tom Petty's Square One in my head all the way up here. Great song, great verse. It certainly seems to fit:

Had to find some higher ground
Had some fear to get around
You can't say what you don't know
Later on won’t work no more
Last time though I hid my tracks
So well I could not get back
Yeah my way was hard to find
Can't sell your soul for peace of mind

Square one, my slate is clear
Rest your head and meet my dear
It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears
It took a long time to get back here

The California Tour: Riding Alone

Well my California Motorcycle Tour starts two days early, tomorrow April 15th.  My Honda Shadow 750 and I will be rolling out of Dana Point sometime around noon and heading north to Ventura.  I'll be spending the night with my mom there and then heading up Highway 1 early Thursday morning.

Riding Alone

One interesting observation I've made since I first posted the trip is how many people have asked and seem surprised that I'm doing this trip alone.  I have a riding buddy Robert Prophet who initially was going to accompany me but business forced him to change those plans.  Although I enjoy riding with him the more I've thought about it the more I feel that this is the kind of trip I need to make alone especially in the wake of my new life developments. Read On...

Slight Change In Plans

Last Friday I was laid off from the job I've had for eight and a half years. I've not been unemployed in 22 years so this is all new to me. The thought of canceling the trip of course did come up but I spoke to a good number of people all of whom are much more wise and mature than I am and the overwhelming opinion was go now. Go now more than ever. Go now or you'll be miserable. So I am. I'm going to shorten the trip a bit. Same route just longer riding days but I really need to do this and so off I go.

Friends Of Bill

I know that a lot of Bill's friends are following along this blog and have asked me if I was planning on stopping and meeting any of his friends during my trip. The answer of course is a resounding yes. I can't say for sure in what city, town or county I'm going to meet with them but I'll figure that out along the way. I love meeting Bill's friends when I'm on the road. Even though we are strangers at first we always seem to have so much in common and we always part friends. I'll keep you updated.

Thursday's Route

Thursday I'll be heading north on the 405 to the 101 north into Ventura. It's a pretty easy 2 hour ride. The map below shows it pretty well. After tonight I'm not going to have my MAC to create these really cool and easy screen shots but I'll figure it out.

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