Westward - to see the sea.

[MrBob]

For my first night along the ocean I get a room at this place in Crescent City, The Curly Redwood Inn. It's claim to fame is that all of the wood used to build the motel came from one Redwood tree.
The price was reasonable and the Redwood has been lovingly cared for.

Up the next morning for a walk along the shore and a visit with the locals.






These critters are picturesque but not exactly cuddly and I understand that their aggressive behavior has become a problem along some parts of the coast.

[achesley]

Enjoying the report NO WAY I'd be riding in that cold weather now days. My lasting memory of Cresent City was the driftwood for sale along the highway. Then we went to the beach on down from the city and it was every where.
I need to do that run again ( in the Summer of course ) from Central Cal to Washington along the coast. Been many years. '95 I'm thinking.

[MrBob]

From Crescent City I pick up #101 and begin to travel south along the coast. I don't cover much ground because of views such as this one.



And this one.


Riding heaven: endlessly twisty roads in beautiful surroundings and no traffic.

More rain is on the way and just after getting this photo the skies open up and I duck into an Oyster House to wait it out.


As I ride further south I find progressively more spectacular views. As has been the case with the trip so far, I encounter little or no traffic and even fewer tourists. The tourists I do encounter this late in the season tend to be among the more experienced travelers and are generally quiet and respectful of their surroundings. I imagine it's quite different here during, say, mid-July.

The ocean views are almost overwhelmingly beautiful at times but they're matched by views found on the other side of the highway.





I don't know how to fully express the wonder of these Redwoods using words or photos. You'll just have to see them for yourself.



Down the coast I ride averaging a speed of, maybe, 40 mph as I alternate views of the ocean with stops among the trees.


One of the most heartening aspects of this part of the world is how unspoiled the surroundings are. For all of the tourist attention this coastline receives, it strikes me as very well cared for.
If you've ever felt curious about this part of the world I encourage you to pay a visit and give yourself time to feel it as well as see it.

[MrBob]

Continuing down the 101 and the terrain gradually becomes less spectacular but still beautiful.
Arriving in Eureka, as I have in many other coastal towns, I head straight to the marina to ogle the boats. This abandoned-looking relic is a Folkboat. These boats have a long and colorful history of long voyages and many adventures. It's sad to see this one decaying at its mooring.


I contacted fellow inmate Summerinmaine, who summers in Eureka, and we spent a few pleasant hours chatting about cars and bikes and life.
When traveling solo there can be times of feeling isolated and encounters such as this one are a relief. There were other inmates who offered company and shelter but my travel plans changed almost daily and I didn't want to commit to being anywhere at any particular time.

Not far south of Eureka I pick up Hwy #1. This road twists and turns through forests like a snake on a hotplate and it's a lot of work to pilot my loaded bike through the tight turns. Rain arrives to add another element of excitement.
My GPS is warm to the touch as it works to map the route.



After an overnight in Legget it's back to another day of spectacular riding. It's begun to rain every afternoon, a cold rain with high winds, so I try to make time in the morning and then poke along in the afternoons on the wet roads.


I rode down the coast and a little inland to Santa Rosa, CA and that night my eternally faithful laptop died. That day's photos are on the hard drive and I may be able to retrieve them using a device I ordered. Time will tell.
The weather forecast was for rain followed by rain and then more rain along the coast. Seeking sunshine, I began riding east from Santa Rosa.

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by achesley

Enjoying the report NO WAY I'd be riding in that cold weather now days.

I celebrated my 63rd birthday on this trip and for the last 40 years have been telling myself that I'm sick of riding in the cold. Maybe I'll get the message some day.

[norton(kel)]

Thanks Bob. I was hoping we would see a report on this trip

[efredette]

These critters are picturesque but not exactly cuddly and I understand that their aggressive behavior has become a problem along some parts of the coast.[/QUOTE]

I once saw a dock like this in Astoria, OR and they were huge. If they are aggressive I wonder what the process is to reach that boat?

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by norton(kel)

Thanks Bob. I was hoping we would see a report on this trip

Originally Posted by norton(kel)

Stay tuned Jim, the next posts start at Donner Pass.
I've also been teaching myself to use screen shots to post maps so they're beginning to appear in the thread.


I once saw a dock like this in Astoria, OR and they were huge. If they are aggressive I wonder what the process is to reach that boat?

I happened to be standing there when the owners showed up to get underway. They walked down the ramp very slowly. I wasn't sure that some of the bulls were going to give way but they did, though they weren't in any hurry to do so.

[MrBob]

From Santa Rosa I took secondary roads through Napa. It was beautiful there and the roads in nice condition. Also, the sun was out. I've been spoiled from living in Colorado; two cloudy days in a row and I'm freaking out.
I hope I can recover the photos from this part of the ride.

Continued east and steadily gained altitude and before long find myself approaching Donner Pass. Vehicles coming the other way are covered in snow. Looks like more scary riding ahead and it makes sense to slab it for this portion of the ride.
Good thing I have a gremlin bell given to me by a friend.

The weather over the pass alternates between snow squalls that nearly shut down visibility and episodes of clear skies and then light rain. The road surface has patches of ice where snow has melted and refrozen. Truck traffic is heavy and it's clear that their drivers don't intend to slow down for 2-wheeler.
When I reach the top of the pass I need to get off for a while and unclench my hands.

Traffic in the other direction is at a complete standstill for miles due to stormy weather at a lower elevation. The idling cars and skidding wheels have formed a sheet of ice in the westbound lanes. As I begin my descent down the pass, I'm counting my blessings once again.


The worst of the storm is over Lake Tahoe so I divert to the north and arrive in Fallon, NV and the start of this road:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_50_in_Nevada
This is also where I celebrate my 63rd birthday and where I give thanks for over 40 years of motorcycle touring experiences.

[MrBob]

This "Loneliest Road" business has me examining the map carefully and wondering what I'll need to do to prepare for it.
I see a lot of Nothing on the map but also several towns on the route that seem big enough to have gas stations. With my better than 250 mile range I should be okay though the distance to the other end of the road is almost 400 miles.
Riding east from Fallon, it's good to feel that western sunshine again. The temps are in the low 50's but the air is calm.

Not far outside of town I encounter this sign:







The labor involved in making these petroglyphs and depressions in the rocks using stone tools must have been considerable. We have no idea what these people were trying to express with their work but it still gives me chills to see it.

The rest of the day looks a lot like this.

Some people would not find a stretch of road like this enjoyable but it looks good to me. Besides the passing scenery, and joy of riding, I welcome the opportunity to think about what I've seen on the trip so far. I also have a bunch of podcasts and music loaded onto the iPhone and good quality ear pods.

[MrBob]

Using computer magic I was able to recover most of the photos on the hard drive from the dead laptop and I taught myself to add screenshots of maps so I've gone back and added a bunch of both.
Meanwhile...

This type of terrain welcomes me back to the West. I guess you either love it or you don't, and I do.





And back to one of my favorite states.



Where I begin to pick up elevation again and, with it, forested land.


I stopped in Cedar City, UT for lunch and found myself quite impressed with what I saw of the town.
I had lunch in an absolutely delightful restaurant that I found by accident.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...City_Utah.html

And then continued on to Kanab, UT.

[doc_ricketts]

Glad you were able to retrieve most of your picture Bob, and that was a great trip at a marginal season. I have been most of those routes and some several times. Too bad you couldn't see Crater Lake and did you miss Monterey? Redwoods Park is a still untrammelled gem. The route through Nevada was great. I worked around Fallon and drove the same route as well as others in Nevada, but sure missed the archeology site which was very interesting. And Happy Birthday, dude!!!

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by doc_ricketts

Glad you were able to retrieve most of your picture Bob, and that was a great trip at a marginal season. I have been most of those routes and some several times. Too bad you couldn't see Crater Lake and did you miss Monterey? Redwoods Park is a still untrammelled gem. The route through Nevada was great. I worked around Fallon and drove the same route as well as others in Nevada, but sure missed the archeology site which was very interesting. And Happy Birthday, dude!!!

Thank you.
I planned to leave a month sooner but the gods weren't done toying with me and it was one delay after another so I knew I might not get to see everything I had hoped to. No regrets, though.

[bobfab]

Thanks for sharing Bob! the Connie looks great!

[ckjj888]

图片美极了~~~