Ride to Ft. Bragg and Fortuna

[RsvlFeej]

Old Michael's itinerary was:

From Fairfield, CA - Gassed up and Rolling at 0540!

Wooden Valley Rd. to Hwy. 128

128 to the coast, just south of Mendocino

Up the coast through Ft. Bragg, and out to Leggett

Up 101 to Fortuna

Hwy. 36 back inland to Red Bluff.

Back to Sacramento/Fairfield

Just under 600 miles. About 12 hours riding time. (Semi-urgent pace.)

We should all be home by dark.

The players included:

Me

Bokerfork

Feeger

ScooterActivist

and, of course, the instigator: Old Michael

Short version RR is: All went pretty much as planned, group was well-matched, with very good peeps who are also very good riders, plenty fun was had, many twisty and scenic roads were traveled (semi-urgently), and last I heard everyone was safely en route to their respective domiciles.

Longer version is - Start at O'Dark Thirty to make it to the meet (at an hour later version of O'Dark Thirty). Awfully glad I pulled the Motoport liner out of the closet - Chilly start for August. Bokerfork (Mark) and Feeger (Al) were at the Starbucks when I pulled up, Old Michael (Cheese Dick ) made it shortly thereafter. Somehow ScooterActivies (Sean) on his Zook 650 ferreted us out a couple of hours later at the (undisclosed to him) breakfast location.

The world looked like coastal OR or WA or some other sodden locale for the first few hours of the ride :Snorkle: - misty stuff sheeting off visors; shiny, slippery roads with iridescent oil spots begging us to use just a bit more throttle so the contents of our crank cases could join their rainbow-hued ranks, fogbound cars refusing to let us by...

And then, almost instantly, the world went from PNW weather and road-hogging a-holes :angry03: we couldn't pass to something akin to Cali-in-the-spring. Except for protected areas, all the roads were dry. Ambient temps increased to the mid-60s. The cars that wouldn't get out of the way could be safely and expeditiously passed. Birds may have been singing, but we didn't care, because the world got right just in time for the absolutely phenomenal piece of Hwy 1 between Fort Bragg and Leggett. :rockwoot:

Next up was 101N (where the bike with the radar detector was put in front of the pack), through a buncha trees and pot plantations and a bunch more trees (some of them quite big), --- I don't think Humboldt County will be using my description on their travel brochures --- until we got to the sign warning "Tractor-Semis over 30 feet kingpin to rear axle not advised, next 140 miles" that tells bikers the Mother of All Roads, Hwy 36, awaits.

Hwy 36: WHEE!!! :hyper: and more WHEE :hyper: !!! and, boy, my legs are starting to get tired, but gotta shift weight for these twisties, too, to do them justice and just when you think you've bottomed out, the fun is over, your legs have had 4 or 5 miles to recover :twitchsmile: , and the long trudge home is about to begin, 36 throws another 5 miles or so of roller coaster in just for fun. Did I say, "WHEE!!! :hyper: ?"

Finally, everyone parted ways during the long slab ride home -- in temps approximating the high 70s -- WTF?, is this NorCal in AUGUST? Excellent weather!

Total time ~15.5 hours, total miles ~640 +/- Would I ride with these hooligans again? In a second.

THANKS OM - I hadn't been to 36 in a couple of years - Really appreciate you thunk to do this run.

 

[Khunajawdge]

And then, almost instantly, the world went from PNW weather and road-hogging a-holes :angry03: we couldn't pass to something akin to Cali-in-the-spring. Except for protected areas, all the roads were dry. Ambient temps increased to the mid-60s. The cars that wouldn't get out of the way could be safely and expeditiously passed. Birds may have been singing, but we didn't care, because the world got right just in time for the absolutely phenomenal piece of Hwy 1 between Fort Bragg and Leggett. :rockwoot:
Next up was 101N (where the bike with the radar detector was put in front of the pack), through a buncha trees and pot plantations and a bunch more trees (some of them quite big), --- I don't think Humboldt County will be using my description on their travel brochures --- until we got to the sign warning "Tractor-Semis over 30 feet kingpin to rear axle not advised, next 140 miles" that tells bikers the Mother of All Roads, Hwy 36, awaits.

n. (...not sure why I clipped it here :unknw: )?

Ya know what? Since we were kids, we have always played on asphalt and there has always been weather...'jus sayin' :clapping:

 

[Old Michael]

...Total time ~15.5 hours, total miles ~640 +/- Would I ride with these hooligans again? In a second.

AMEN, my friend!

Running off to work now, but I've got a little report done (with some photos of you animals), and I'll post it later.

It was indeed a fucking GREAT day of riding!

Have a good week!

 

[tmc]

Yeah... I'm soooo glad I was at Kaiser all day in that class instead of with y'all.

The good news is I got my "new" shock mounted up on Sunday, so the bike is now extra-willing!

And hopefully next time I will have no class.

 

[Old Michael]

... next time I will have no class.

A lesser man than I would jump on that.

Not me, though.

You'd have enjoyed a ride for the ages, tmc.

.....and you coulda bought my lunch.

 

[beemerdons]

... next time I will have no class.

A lesser man than I would jump on that.

Not me, though.

You'd have enjoyed a ride for the ages, tmc.

.....and you coulda bought my lunch.

Thank God you are back, My Friend Michael! FJRBluesman has been absolutely insufferable in your absence and even SacramentoMike has been rather testy of late. MadMike2: Another sordid chapter!!!

 

[Old Michael]

Thank God you are back, My Friend Michael!

Don, I'm here for you, amigo!

And just in time. We've some issues to be dealt with over on the Greens and Whites Photo thread.

I'll see you there.

 

[feeger]

Nice write-up Patrick. What a day, great roads and even better peeps to ride with...

 

[FJRBluesman]

Excellent!

Looking forward to those pix.

 

[MEM]

.....I've got a little report done (with some photos of you animals), and I'll post it later.

Waiting ......

 

[madmike2]

.....I've got a little report done (with some photos of you animals), and I'll post it later.

Waiting ......

#1...waiting is good for you.

#2...he did say "little" didn't he? I mean...er...uhm...he IS a leprechaun.

 

[tmc]

.....I've got a little report done (with some photos of you animals), and I'll post it later.

Waiting ......

OM = slacker! :clapping:

I need to see the pics so I know where I could have been Saturday.

 

[Old Michael]

Okay.

So, I was gonna title my ride report -

5 - 2 - 4 - 2 - NA!

Get it?

Five to For - tu - na?

Whaddya think?

Kiss yer what?

Anyhow, here are a few of the out-of-focus, point 'n' shoot pictures I got.

As is often the case, I failed to get any pics of the bestest parts of the ride, ...because

I was busy trying to keep up .........and not crash.

Seriously.

If I were to run off the road while riding with this group, I'd NEVER hear the end of it.

The boys - (L to R)

Bokerfork (Mark), RsvlFeej (Patrick), feeger (Al), ......

...and of course, ScooterActivist -

Early morning. It was foggy and the road was damp and slick in spots.

Most of these photos are just my view from the back of the group.

But, they give you a glimpse of how this part of the world looks from a bike.

I should note that this was NOT a sightseeing ride.

There was no stopping for photo ops, and the pace was pretty good all day.

We stopped only for gas and fluids, and of course when one of the "older" fellows hadda pee.

RsvlFeej and feeger.

Bokerfork.

The flora changes as you approach the coast.

Like this one? I've got a bunch of 'em.

Lots of turning.

And then some more.

We stopped for lunch in Mad River. Richard, the eatery there was manned by the "B" team on this visit. No cleavage to

be ogled.

...and back at it.

And, all too soon, we were back in Red Bluff, and then back on 5 south. As Patrick mentioned in his opening post, it was

a HELLUVA day of riding. Hwy. 128, Hwy. One, parts of 101, and of course 36 going east from the coast.

If you're familiar with the route we took, you know what I'm saying. We're very fortunate to

live in an area with all of this nearby.

The last couple of hours droning south on 5, heading home.

Time to reflect and appreciate.

And I couldn't have asked for a better group of riding companions.

Thanks,..........ya bastards.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Very Cool OM. Great pix.

 

[feeger]

Thanks for the pics ya old bastard.

 

[beemerdons]

As usual, fantastic photos Old Michael. Bravo! Great Roads, Great Motos and Great Friends. Mas Caminos y Mas Amigos, Verdad! Life doesn't get much better than this. Even though a night with Eva Mendes does come pretty damn close!!!

 

[Old Michael]

Thanks for the pics ya old bastard.

I got yer "old bastard" right here, Laura.

Life doesn't get much better than this. Even though a night with Eva Mendes does come pretty damn close!!!

Yeah, Don. It'd be a toss-up, huh?

 

[Hudson]

Is it me, or do these guys....

The boys - (L to R)Bokerfork (Mark), RsvlFeej (Patrick), feeger (Al), ......

Resemble these guys?

We stopped for lunch in Mad River. Richard, the eatery there was manned by the "B" team on this visit. No cleavage tobe ogled.

I got your back, OM. Stock photos of Mad River Burger stand cleavage, complete with gratuituous Boob art.

 

[Old Michael]

Is it me, or do these guys....

...resemble these guys?

The second group looks more wholesome, Hudson.

I got your back, OM. Stock photos of Mad River Burger stand cleavage, complete with gratuituous Boob art.

"Mommy. Those old guys from Washington are creepin' me out. ...And I'm thirsty...again. "