Motorcycle Adventure To California
- Thread starter pru7536
- Start date
Oh NO...... not that again :lolrolling
Motorcycle Adventure, Day 16
Half Moon Bay was a perfect stopover place. I slept so good I woke up at 0345 and made a couple of comments on other threads. It was to dark to load the bike or ride and I wanted to get my moneys worth from the motel by eating some of the delicious and nutritious waffles you cook for yourself, so I hung around until 0700. In the meantime it was getting lighter so I started strapping my gear on the bike. There was a liquid dropping out of the grey, overcast clouds as I loaded up. I really can’t squeal, the weather has been more than acceptable up to this point. It was also cold. I rooted around in the pack and pulled out my leather jacket liner, balaclava, rain gloves, sweat shirt, lined jeans and rain suit. After consuming the heretofore mentioned gourmet delight, I loaded the bike and donned my riding attire. I could barely walk to turn in my key, but I wasn’t cold either. I headed toward San Francisco on Hwy 1. It was a real adventure. To me the traffic was horrible. I didn’t have a detailed enough map to let me know exactly where I was, but I knew I must be within a few miles of the golden gate bridge. The rain had let up and I was now roasting with all the gear I had on so I pulled into a gas station and got rid of the rain suit and cleaned the water off the windshield. A couple of people came over and spoke to me in broken English, but they were friendly enough. I saw an old fellow who sparked my interest and chatted with him. I can only assume he is homeless as he had a shopping cart and spent significant time loading it with items from the gas station dumpster. I told him I was documenting a cross country adventure and asked him if I could take his picture and he was thrilled. There has to be a story behind his circumstances, but he couldn’t have been any nicer. I felt sorry for the guy, but he appeared perfectly content. I saw a sign through thick fog that said “no toll for northbound traffic”. I knew I was real close. It took a while to realize I was on the golden gate bridge, but the fog and mist on the windshield made it virtually impossible to see. I couldn’t see a thing from the bridge, I have no clue how long I was on it and any prospect of finding a place to pull over and photograph it had vanished. I’m sure glad Jim B said to stay on 101 to Petaluma before heading to the coast, because I would have not been able for see where I was going. By the time I hit Hwy 1 the fog was moving inland and as has been the case, the scenery was exceptional. The coast highway has tight turns and steep grades. You can’t make very good time, especially if you are a flatlander and want to take pictures. By the time I had done 202.7 miles I was beat and ready to call it a day. I had figured on stopping at Leggett, CA., but when I was passing through Fort Bragg, I saw chow places and motels. As I was ready to call it a day, I made it an early one. There was no purpose in pushing myself; tomorrow is another day. The lost coast is on the agenda for tomorrow, but I’m not sure I will run the coast all the way to Oregon, it is too grueling. Pictures to follow. Thanks again for all the encouraging responses to this adventure.
Half Moon Bay was a perfect stopover place. I slept so good I woke up at 0345 and made a couple of comments on other threads. It was to dark to load the bike or ride and I wanted to get my moneys worth from the motel by eating some of the delicious and nutritious waffles you cook for yourself, so I hung around until 0700. In the meantime it was getting lighter so I started strapping my gear on the bike. There was a liquid dropping out of the grey, overcast clouds as I loaded up. I really can’t squeal, the weather has been more than acceptable up to this point. It was also cold. I rooted around in the pack and pulled out my leather jacket liner, balaclava, rain gloves, sweat shirt, lined jeans and rain suit. After consuming the heretofore mentioned gourmet delight, I loaded the bike and donned my riding attire. I could barely walk to turn in my key, but I wasn’t cold either. I headed toward San Francisco on Hwy 1. It was a real adventure. To me the traffic was horrible. I didn’t have a detailed enough map to let me know exactly where I was, but I knew I must be within a few miles of the golden gate bridge. The rain had let up and I was now roasting with all the gear I had on so I pulled into a gas station and got rid of the rain suit and cleaned the water off the windshield. A couple of people came over and spoke to me in broken English, but they were friendly enough. I saw an old fellow who sparked my interest and chatted with him. I can only assume he is homeless as he had a shopping cart and spent significant time loading it with items from the gas station dumpster. I told him I was documenting a cross country adventure and asked him if I could take his picture and he was thrilled. There has to be a story behind his circumstances, but he couldn’t have been any nicer. I felt sorry for the guy, but he appeared perfectly content. I saw a sign through thick fog that said “no toll for northbound traffic”. I knew I was real close. It took a while to realize I was on the golden gate bridge, but the fog and mist on the windshield made it virtually impossible to see. I couldn’t see a thing from the bridge, I have no clue how long I was on it and any prospect of finding a place to pull over and photograph it had vanished. I’m sure glad Jim B said to stay on 101 to Petaluma before heading to the coast, because I would have not been able for see where I was going. By the time I hit Hwy 1 the fog was moving inland and as has been the case, the scenery was exceptional. The coast highway has tight turns and steep grades. You can’t make very good time, especially if you are a flatlander and want to take pictures. By the time I had done 202.7 miles I was beat and ready to call it a day. I had figured on stopping at Leggett, CA., but when I was passing through Fort Bragg, I saw chow places and motels. As I was ready to call it a day, I made it an early one. There was no purpose in pushing myself; tomorrow is another day. The lost coast is on the agenda for tomorrow, but I’m not sure I will run the coast all the way to Oregon, it is too grueling. Pictures to follow. Thanks again for all the encouraging responses to this adventure.
Here's proof I was in San Francisco, although I didn't see much of it.
A side street shot I took from the gas station.
Hwy 1, or whatever it is called in town, trying to get accross the bridge.
This picture was for the missus (kclowrider19) to show her how a Starbucks in San Francisco is painted.
A friendly San Franciscan that was thrilled to be documented in a cross country motasickle adventure.
A side street shot I took from the gas station.
Hwy 1, or whatever it is called in town, trying to get accross the bridge.
This picture was for the missus (kclowrider19) to show her how a Starbucks in San Francisco is painted.
A friendly San Franciscan that was thrilled to be documented in a cross country motasickle adventure.
This is looking down at the ocean, not up at the sky!
Looking down through the trees.
How's this for some fancy shrub pruning?
A couple of French Canadians I met. They have been circumnavigating the USA! They are on their way back to Ottowa via Vancouver on Hwy 1. They spoke perfect English to me, but when they spoke French to each other, they may have been making rude comments about the Harley rider.
I haven't seen anyone fishin' from the surf in California, maybe it's to difficult to get down there!
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow with the scoop on the lost coast that Retired Jake has been telling me to check out.
Looking down through the trees.
How's this for some fancy shrub pruning?
A couple of French Canadians I met. They have been circumnavigating the USA! They are on their way back to Ottowa via Vancouver on Hwy 1. They spoke perfect English to me, but when they spoke French to each other, they may have been making rude comments about the Harley rider.
I haven't seen anyone fishin' from the surf in California, maybe it's to difficult to get down there!
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow with the scoop on the lost coast that Retired Jake has been telling me to check out.
Mighty nice touring area around Golden Gate Bridge, underneath at Fort Point or before the north end toll plaza called the Marin Highlands...a sort of little traveled path. Also like Muir Woods...and eating dungenuss crab and clam chowder at the pier in a REAL sour dough french roll bowl...life is good, ENJOY your trip!!!
