1, 3, 36, 49, 96, 101, 254, 299 and a whole lot of other great roads over 4 days

[openhelix]

I didn't divert too much from my planned route. One or two road closures and few scenic ventures. Here are the pictures I thought worth posting. I'll link to the few flickr stream once I get them all up. I bought new, slightly warmer gloves for this trip. The Helimot Buffalo 365s ROCK!! By far the most comfortable glove I've ever worn for long trips.

I started out Wed morning around 11 from Santa Clara and headed up 101. 380 over to 280 and just on hwy 1 at 19th. Over the golden gate bridge and this is where the trip really started.

This is the northern GGB vista point parking lot


From the back of the bike


I ran into a cougar in a blue ferrari convertible and the mill valley gas station on 1.Total hottie, early 40s and fairly aggressive. I had a devil on one shoulder and tyler on the other. I listened to the tyler-angel and continued to ride instead of, well, other activities.

Here's a shot from a random vista just north of mill valley on 1.


Going up route 1 from Mill valley was great!! Lots of curves, not many cars and beautiful views. All the turns were banked and pretty clean of debris. Here's a little concrete outcropping about an hour north of mill valley. I'm not sure what it used to be...


This next one might be my favorite picture of the whole trip!!


I even made a friend! Mine, mine, mine, mine /findingnemo


I kept riding up 1 with a huge grin on my face! I hit the town of point arena around 4 and decided to stop for a short break and have a soda. $1 soda! I stopped in a little bar and everyone in there was singing movie soundtracks at the top of their lungs!


This was as close as I could get to the point arena lighthouse since it was closed.


I checked in at the Super 8 in Fort Bragg. Pretty nice place for ~$60. I had dinner at the North Coast Brewery on the north side of Fort Bragg. I don't recommend it. The food was mediocre. The beer was good but the service was lacking a bit.

I woke up early on thursday and got back on 1. More great curves and fun times! I saw a little dirt road that led down to a cool area under a bridge. I decided to head down and check it out!


This is another great picture that was indicative of most of the roads I rode on this trip. Imagine 250-450 miles a day of this for 4 days straight. BEST vacation ever!


What trip up the coast would be complete without a visit to the drive thru tree?


Just past leggett I took 254, aka the Avenue of the Giants

This is a VERY worthwhile detour! I only saw 2 other cars the way on 254. It's a tough decision to ride spirited or real slow and enjoy the scenery. I did a bit of both. It was really dreamlike being alone out there.

Somewhere on 254 I saw this place.

Funny I thought Humboldt was known for something else

Right before the road closed was the Immortal Tree. About 1000 years old and really cool looking.
Here's the downlow

And a shot of the tree


I stopped at Eel River Brewing company in Fortuna for lunch

You can't beat hot waitresses and GREAT food. ...and a motto of "Be Natural... Drink Naked" Thanks for the recommendation Tyler

I went up past Eureka toward Arcata and headed east on 299. Here was a quick rest break by a lake


I picked up 96 and headed north to Happy Camp. For future reference, there is NOTHING there!! There's a lonely gas pump with a credit machine on the far side of town that has 87 only... 96 has some GREAT turns! the whole trip was packed with great roads but 96 was a lot of fun! I hit a LOT of bugs on the far side of 96 and on 263 on my way to Yreka. This was after only 2 miles

The locals in Yreka said they were expecting snow on Friday but I decided to take my chances and stay the night there anyway. It was either that or slab in on 5 to redding, not a very attractive option.

I took 3 south through Fort Jones and Callahan and ran into a lot of snow above 4000 feet

It reminded me a little bit of hwy 9, but with snow... and cold. Lots of uphill and downhill turns. The Trinity Alps are breathtaking!! Even if the roads sucked, the don't, the views would be worth the trip.

I took 3 to 299 east into Whiskeytown. I looked all over but I couldn't find any whiskey anywhere!!

The first part of 299 into whiskeytown had THE BEST twisties of the trip. Linked esses for miles! It felt awesome to do perfect turn after perfect turn through the hills.

I slabbed it down to redding for my only real highway of the trip. Only 29 miles and a nice break before catching 36 by Lassen and out to 89 by Lake Almanor. I tried to visit Lassen, or at least see how far I could get into the park

But it was not to be. Lassen was closed at the main gate just past the ranger station

The ranger there said they expected it to open mid-july

I took 89 all the way east until it met up with 49, not far from Truckee. I spend most of Friday in snow. Kinda pretty, but it was nice to get out of the snow too. I had planned to take gold lake hwy but it was closed and still under about 3 feet of snow I KNOW Caltrans has plows up here! I took 49 into downieville and then into Grass Valley for the night. There were some GREAT turns between Downieville and Grass Valley but I've heard heavy police presence on the weekends.

I left Grass valley around 11 and headed down to Sacramento on 80 then picked up South River road which is on the top of the levee and follows the Sacramento river into Isleton. Not many great turns, but beautiful all the same.

I went into Bethel Island. It looks like mini discovery bay now :ibeenripp . I guess things change. Thankfully some don't and I had some TASTY mexican food at La Villa on the island.

Then I headed out and the nightmare began. There were 70mph gusts on Vasco road and I got blown off the road and into the shoulder a few times. I really thought I was going to get knocked off the bike. Probably the only part of the trip that wasn't fun. Thankfully I made it home in one piece :ride

I just finished unpacking and reliving the trip. It was a truly memorable trip. I needed a break from the stress of everyday life and this was perfect.

[Papa-Ken]

Applause in the background from me Alex. A really nice post with pictures to compliment your ride.

Lots of memories for me in all your pictures and I enjoyed reliving them once more VIA your story.

Thanks Ken.

[openhelix]

Thanks Ken. It was my first multi-day ride with no "support vehicle". One of the best times of my life and I hope to plan a few more long trip this summer/fall.

[TripleTee]

Great trip and pix Alex - how do you like that Speed 4 for long-distance touring?

[openhelix]

Originally Posted by TripleTee

Great trip and pix Alex - how do you like that Speed 4 for long-distance touring?

Obviously it's not a purpose-built touring bike but it did the job quite handily. I installed the Triumph luggage rack and a Givi E52 topcase. I never made it much past half full on the case.

Ergo-wise I was fine. The stock seat is pretty comfy. The backs of my knees were really the only thing to ache in the evenings. And, of course, some arm tiring.

[zelatore]

Excellent trip! I just did some of those roads on my Speed Triple earlier this month, and I've done almost all of them at one time or another.

I'll agree with everything you said about North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg. So-so food, decent beer, not the best service. When my brother and I walked in on a Friday night in our riding gear the hostess looked at us a little wiered and suggested there was no wait at the bar. I didn't make anything of it, but my brother was sure she just didn't want a couple scruffy 'bikers' in the main room.

If I'd known your itenerary, I could have given you a little company. You came right past my house in Walnut Grove before you got to Isleton, and you missed an excellent place for lunch in Rio Vista. The food's nothing special, but the decor is a must-see - Foster's Big Horn.

Then, to rub salt in the wound, not only does another Triumph naked bike go right past my house without a word, but you go right past my office on Bethel Island. OK, so I work at the 'home office' in Oakland, but I still get up there too.

Good trip! We don't need no stinkin' windscreens! (at least as long as we stay off the interstates)

Don

[Sbyllek]

great report.

I've only ridden some of those roads...so thanx for pics of roads on my future riding lists!

[Tyler]

Great report and pics, Alex! Congrats on your first "Big Kid" ride!!

[Buff]

Originally Posted by openhelix

The ranger there said they expected it to open mid-july

I'm sad to read this!

We've planned a trip to Lassen Volcanic in the first days of June. We had the hope, that the park road would be open earlier.


Thank you for your information and your great photos.

[openhelix]

Originally Posted by zelatore

Excellent trip! I just did some of those roads on my Speed Triple earlier this month, and I've done almost all of them at one time or another.

I'll agree with everything you said about North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg. So-so food, decent beer, not the best service. When my brother and I walked in on a Friday night in our riding gear the hostess looked at us a little wiered and suggested there was no wait at the bar. I didn't make anything of it, but my brother was sure she just didn't want a couple scruffy 'bikers' in the main room.

If I'd known your itenerary, I could have given you a little company. You came right past my house in Walnut Grove before you got to Isleton, and you missed an excellent place for lunch in Rio Vista. The food's nothing special, but the decor is a must-see - Foster's Big Horn.

Then, to rub salt in the wound, not only does another Triumph naked bike go right past my house without a word, but you go right past my office on Bethel Island. OK, so I work at the 'home office' in Oakland, but I still get up there too.

Good trip! We don't need no stinkin' windscreens! (at least as long as we stay off the interstates)

Don

I walked into North Coast, helmet in hand, and a waitress asked me "are you some kind of fighter pilot?" I knew it was a bad sign.

I wish I would have run into ya! I was lacking for company on the trip. I was trying to run into one friend in Sac but when I called he was "out shopping with the gf". grrr

I practically grew up on Bethel Island, right off taylor road. I'll have to check out Foster's Big Horn on my next trip up that way! thanks for the tip!