Planning 2012 Memorial Day NorCal overnight trip

GreenMachine · May 25, 2012, 09:26:46 AM

I'm getting fired up. This morning driving into work, coming up from the opposite lane were a group of HDs all bundled up, wifes/gfs on back. They were riding in snowy drizzle, but I know that they know that the promise land of warm air and blue skis is just over an hour away on the other side of the Sierras.

Damn. It's like they're just calling us out!

GreenMachine · May 27, 2012, 08:25:14 AM

It was a little soggy getting over the pass yesterday, but through DR's leadership and his studded tires, we made it through. It was sunny and warm from Crystal Springs onward.

But totay's a new day and we've come to the realization that our bike's were stolen overnight. Yet again DR's leadership and wisedom has shined through. We purchased two Harley's from a band of Arcata gypsies and have a lead on where our sport bikes may be. There's an Indian reservation not far from here whose medicine man puts spells on people's sport bikes, where the bikes will literally throw themselves in gear and ride off unmanned or so we're told. Sounds fishy if you ask me.

I'll keep you guys informed when we come up with more.

GreenMachine · May 27, 2012, 10:12:31 PM

Would U believe we were able to get the bikes back! Straight up trade, but we had to join the tribe and go on a Vision Quest to be one of them. The HDs went back to the Gypsies, for a minor fee, but the really awesome icing on the cake was meeting Amber, a young hottie from Oregon who road back with us for a spell after she fuel up at the same station in Happy Camp...long story. Quite the rider too. She was on a new BMW 1000RR and she knew how to ride. Did I mention she wasn't wearing a ring? WHAT A COMBINATION! I offered to buy her lunch when we came into Hoola, but a bird had just broken off her mirror a ways back and now she was more insistant on making it to the coast. I guess we should have escorted her the 50 miles, but I couldn't hear clearly.

The Tri-tip was awesome though. So if you find this and Ur the girl from Oregon who was on hwy 96 and 299 today riding with a BMW and a green Kawasaki, if ur ever down my way, the offer stands.

dr1150 · May 28, 2012, 07:32:22 AM

That certainly is an imaginative story GM has there, but it's a little off the truth. A little.

First off, while it's true the bikes were stolen, it wasn't a band of Gypsies, it was a van load of Hooters bikini models and the reservation's medicine man was really their manager dressed up in Tap-Out apparel & top hat, much like Ozzy Osbourne. Lucky man indeed.

The Vision Quest he refers to must be all the awesome & deserted roads we took in yesterday, gonna have to be back next weekend or on a four night trip. Or it could have been the PREC-photo shoot oil of the girls. That I can see. They were smoking hot and their quite insistent that we not miss any spots.

GM. What an imagination!

But the last part about Amber, not her real name, is true. She also was a hottie. While GM would like to believe she was after him, he doesn't understand it's a Beemer thing and she was just riding with me and did mind if he came along.

Anyway, just thought I'd straighten things out. We'll post pictures when we get back tonight.

Long live BMW!

n10sive · May 28, 2012, 09:54:06 AM

Quote from: GreenMachine on May 27, 2012, 08:25:14 AM
It was a little soggy getting over the pass yesterday, but through DR's leadership and his studded tires, we made it through. It was sunny and warm from Crystal Springs onward.

So you rode peon?!

GreenMachine · May 28, 2012, 09:18:27 PM

what peon is, but probably no.

I took too many pictures to write all the HTML code for. Instead I'll post some random shots and descriptions.

Day 1, 7:00 AM. 43* in Reno, 32* and snowing in Truckee. Ran smack into the beginning stages of a blizzard. Best option was to just keep going. It was the right choice. DR and I polishing off a beer in Fort Bragg. The food was awesome as usual. Bad pic, but oh well!

DR at the Leggett drive through Sequoia Redwood & another from the other side. I must be a tree hugger, because it seems like a shame to deface such a majestic living object. We rode the Avenue of the Giants after Hwy 1. We should have stopped and snapped off a picture inside some of the tree tunnels, if you will. There were fern bushes and green everywhere, but alas we were getting tired and needed to check in at our hotel after 400 miles of riding.

Day 2, Our planned route into Oregon was blocked by a late snow. So we made the best of it, having lunch near our turn around north of Happy Camp. DR's preparing lunch and I'm getting my wish to cool off and listen to nature. Rode Hwy 299, 96 and part of Davis Lane & also briefly on hwy 3, but it was too covered with sharp rocks, so we turned and went to Happy Camp. Through all our course changes which prevented us from continuing north, we ended up making an unplanned gas stop and happened upon a third rider.

DR looking on, while our little filly mystery rider buzzes past moments before a bird was to take off her left mirror.

Day 3, getting started after a big breakfast. DR doing his best to make sure I don't get a good picture of him. Rode Hwy 36 to Red Bluff, then Hwy 99 to Oro-Quincy Hwy home.

Time for one last big meal at our BBQ hangout in Oroville, before challenging the summit.

And DR wishing he had a comfortable sportbike to ride.

I think we totaled something over 1,100 miles and I'd do it again tomorrow if you gave me the chance.

n10sive · May 28, 2012, 09:28:38 PM

peon is riding on the back

btw...nice pix..looked like a fun ride. You the man GM. I think I couldn't walk for a week after a ride like that LOL

GreenMachine · May 29, 2012, 02:27:04 PM

DR and I did pretty well on this trip. He was game for any of the obstacles and opportunities that presented itself, like having Sunday's route terminate half way due to snow closure and adding Oro-Quincy to our route home. What a trouper! It reminded me of last year's Fecta ride, where you not only don't feeling uncomfortable, but also are looking at each set of 60 mile-off-destinations as just minutes away.

It was a great set of rides over the holiday weekend, each different from the next. I'm still jazzed about the trip. It's hard to concentrate on work when there are so many roads still yet unchallenged.

GreenMachine · May 29, 2012, 06:10:13 PM

More pictures from Leggett. A medi-flight was flying in as we arrived.

Posing in Willow Creek on Sunday

In Happy Camp before heading back. Our unknown third rider.

One more picture taken after our late lunch in Willow Creek and one at Mad River on Hwy 36, from Monday's ride.