Day 18 - June 29, 2015

Taking a break in the fog, along a stone wall that serves

as a barrier from the jagged and step descent to the ocean below.

That is Heceta Lighthouse on the point.

Larry zoomed his camera to get a closeup of the lighthouse.  He 

even got the light aglow.

A view over the edge to the sea.

That's me.  Still following US 101 as it turned 

away from the coast for a few miles.

Day eighteen.  June 29, 2015.  Overnight in Seaside, Oregon.  Today was our last day along the Pacific Coast Highway.

This morning when we awoke in Coos Bay, Oregon it was 56 degrees.  We check the forecast along our route and found that it was going to be a repeat of yesterday, which includes fog and temperatures in the high 50's.  The forecast proved to be accurate.  We also watched the weather forecast on The Weather Channel and saw that the entirety of the northwest part of the US (except for along the coast) was/is engulfed in a heatwave, with temperatures forecast to be 15-30 above average over the next three weeks.  So, we will enjoy this final day along the coast before we have to turn into the heat.

Traffic today was considerably heavier than yesterday.  Much of the traffic can be explained by the fact that this part of Oregon was more populated than what we experienced along the coast in northern California and southern Oregon.  We saw more super cruiser motor homes along the route, going both ways today as we traveled 220 miles today.  It is necessary for these behemoths to travel at a slower pace in areas where the road is narrower than usual.  The pace was slower, in part because of the increased traffic. 

The Oregon Pacific Coast Highway has more spectacular view opportunities per mile than much of the California Coast Highway, although the California highway has many beautiful locations.  Much of the highway in Oregon offered limited views of the ocean, and some of the highway is four lane, in keeping with the DOT's desire to increase the capacity of US designated highways.

Today's ride was at a comfortable pace, and enjoyable.

Another good day.

Day 17 - June 28, 2015

This is a view of the bay at Crescent City, California, from alongside

US Hwy 101.  The road winds and drops to almost sea level as Crescent

City is approached.

This photo looks back to where I made the first photo in

this posting.

Relaxing in Crescent City

Meyers Creek Beach along the Oregon coast

Riding the coast highway.  Not us.  Headed south.

Day seventeen.  June 28, 2015.Overnight in Coos Bay, Oregon.  Still headed north.

When we departed Eureka, California this morning it was 60 degrees.  We expected warmer temperatures as it got later in the day.... but that did not happen.  Today's warm temperatures to the east of us resulted in cool air from the ocean to push inland, which caused foggy conditions for much of the day.  That meant cooler temperatures (57-59 degrees most of the day) as we rode through low clouds and fog along the coast highway.  

Yesterday California Highway 1 and US Highway 101 became one, and as we entered Oregon the California state road designation went away.  We rode and are now on US 101, and we will continue to be on this highway until such point as we start back east.

We continued to see the Sequoia trees (a.k.a. Redwoods) in several locations much of the way to just south of the Oregon-California line.  We passed, but did not stop, at the Redwoods National Park. We did make several stops along the way, and we savored some local "characters" as we went. Many were quiet colorful, and harmless (at least today, and we assumed that to be - in the daytime anyway). You would be surprised (maybe) what people will tell two old guys on motorcycles . . . besides the regular tourist fare information.  

The highway conditions all day today were excellent, with some four lane roads on US 101.  Traffic was moderate, and noticeably less than yesterday. I do not know to what that (less traffic) might be attributed.  Today was/is Sunday, so that may have contributed to less traffic.

We are overnight in Coos Bay Oregon (Pop. 16,000), which is the largest city on the Oregon coast. Along the coast of Oregon the foliage is green and abundant, enjoying the temperate rain forest, with 75-100 inches of rain per year. We will not turn east in Oregon, but if we did we would move from the lush coastal areas to areas which gets very little rain (10-15 inches per year) after only 75 miles from the coast.  And of course further inland means warmer (than 57-59 today along the coast) temperatures.

Our day today started a little later than usual, but that is in keeping with the pace into which we have fallen.  If you check the map you will see we did not cover that many miles today.  We arrived in Coos Bay shortly after 8:00 p.m. PDT.  It was still daylight.  The sun set in Coos Bay at 9:01 p.m. PDT.  Sunset in Memphis today was at 8:18 p.m. CDT.   The further north we go the more daylight we will have at the end of the day, and at the start of the day...for the summer months anyway.  Today we got an additional 43 minutes of light at the end of the day.

Another good day. 

Day 16 - June 27, 2015

If you look closely you will see Larry amongst the big trees.

Hide-and-seek.

Check out the tree with this deck built around it.  Like Jack and the Beanstalk

it seemed to reach to the sky.

And then we got back to the coast.

That is the ocean beyond the foliage.

A look from high on the cliff (along side California Hwy 1).

And another.

Lunch in Fort Bragg.  This is an exterior view of  their rest room.  Out back.

Quirky.

Day 16.  June 27, 2015.  Overnight in Ureka, California,  Still headed north.

When we awoke this morning in Ukiah, California (Pop. 16,000) the temperature was in the 50's. After eating breakfast and loading the bikes we rode south on US 101 for about 4 miles where we picked up California Hwy 253 westbound.  253 took us over the mountains to Boonville, CA.  From there we worked our way back to the coast and picked up Hwy 1 again.

The ride on 253 across the mountains was spectacular, offering mountain riding amazingly similar in a lot of ways to the eastern Kentucky or eastern Tennessee mountain riding....at least to the road layout, surface, etc.  It had steep turns, switchbacks, turns that became steep climbs, and others that were descents.  It was the typical mountain road.  The difference was the scenery.  There were trees, in some places, and there was mostly good road surfaces.  The big difference was/is that the grass in all areas across the mountain was/is brown, and there were/are huge spaces where no trees were/are growing, only brown grass. I like this ride.

When we got to the coast we began to see more of the breathtaking views of the coastline we had seen yesterday. Occasionally the cliffs were higher, and the face of the cliffs were/are more jagged.  The tide was out so there was a sand beach at the bottom of those cliffs.  The temperature over the mountain increased top the mid 80's.  Along the coast it was low 60's.

Hwy 1, and later Hwy 1 and 101, took us away from the coast line for much of our trip to our evening's destination.  We went through one California state park and took a short side trip to another.  This part of the trip could easily be called "A Day With The Big Trees"  If you look closely at the top photo included with this post you can see Larry walking in a forested area where we stopped.  These trees are a re-growth of a cutting done a little over 100 years ago of the Old Growth Forest forest that stood here.  The stumps from the previous cutting still remain.  Redwood is very rot resistant,

Cutting in this area began in the 1870's.  The first trees cut were the ones nearest the ocean.  There were no roads in the area at the time.  Hwy 1 was commenced in the 1930's.  The stretch of road through Fort Bragg was not completed until 1955.  A renumbering of the roads and a completion of the full length of Hwy 1 (a.k.a Pacific Coast Highway) was not accomplished until 1964. In the early days logs were moved to the lumber yards along the ocean by teams of oxen (usually 10 or more to a team), and from there the logs were floated or shipped south.

The San Francisco earthquake, and resulting fires, of 1906 caused Fort Bragg (Pop. 7,500) and other logging communities to become boom towns as the big trees were felled with great rapidity to fuel the re-building of the great city. Although redwood tree logging continues in the areas north and south of Fort Bragg, the industry is but a flicker of the bonfire it was in previous years.

Highways US 101 and California 1 join and become one near Leggett, CA.  At this location it is a two lane road, but within less than 10 miles it becomes a four-lane interstate.  We continued to follow this highway into Eureka, California (Pop.27,000) where we spent the night.

Eureka, CA is approximately 100 miles south of the Oregon border and is 270 miles north of San Francisco.

Another good day.

Day 15 - June 26, 2015

The Golden Gate Bridge - barely visible through the fog.

A serious rider after navigating downtown San Francisco and 

crossing "the bridge".

The fog lingered all day along the coast.

Union School (K-6) - Petaluma, California

Grape Vines were in the fields along the highway as we approached our

overnight destination.

Day fifteen.  June 26, 2015.  Overnight in Ukiah, California, approximately 200 miles north of San Francisco.

When we awoke this morning in Pinole, California (Pop. 18,000) it was 62 degrees and foggy.  The morning was spent in the Oakland area, and when we departed Pinole it was nearly noon.  We again crossed the Bay Bridge into San Francisco.  We took a "Griswald-type Tour" by exiting I-80 in downtown. Traffic was typical downtown SF (horrible) but we did okay.  We crossed Market Street, rode through the edge of China Town, and drove by the intersection of Haight-Ashbury.  The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is known for its history of, and being the origin of the hippie subculture.  I wanted to stop for photos but there were no parking opportunities and the traffic was VERY heavy. So, we made our way to the south entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The entrance to the bridge that I remembered was under construction, but a parallel routing got us to where we needed to be.

We crossed the bridge without incident although it was very windy during our ride while on the bridge, with strong wind gusts.  Once on the north side of the bridge we stopped at the "Vista" (fancy name for rest area) on the northeast side of the highway and made a few photos.  At the vista the wind was still blowing hard, but it was not as bad as when we crossed the bridge, and it was not near as bad as it was when we reentered Highways 101 and 1 (which share the same footprint in this area) to continue our trip.

Last year (on June 11) when my friend Doug and I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge we followed US 101 until we found a place to spend the night (In Santa Rosa, California).  It was late in the day when we crossed last year and we did not stop for photos, which I now regret.

Today when we crossed it was early afternoon, and instead of taking Hwy 101 Larry and I took Hwy 1, which tracked the coast.  The fog along the coast was heavy and many times there was little visibility toward the ocean.  We were able to stop a couple of times and take in the scenery, and we got some acceptable photos at our stops and along the way.

We made a fuel stop about 100 from our start for the day, at which time we made room reservations for the evening (internet).  We continued to ride for another 100 miles to Ukiha, California (Pop. 16,000).  Ukiha is well inland, away from the coast, and is much warmer than it is along the ocean. Ukiha is the county seat for Mendocino County, which is a major producer of grapes, and thus wine.

Mendocino County has some infamy attached to it as in the mid 60's to the mid 70's Jim Jones developed the congregation of his Peoples Temple in Redwood Valley.  Many of these people accompanied him to South America where they participated in a mass suicide at his colony of Jonestown in 1978.

Our ride along the coast highway was very nice, with spectacular ocean views, in spite of the fog, and curvy roads, which were well maintained.   Last year when Doug and I rode this highway we discussed the tendency for some of the curves to have banks downward toward the outer edge of the road.  I am not sure why some of these were built this way, but it does make it difficult for motorcycle traffic.

Tomorrow we continue our ride north.

Another good day.

Day 14 - June 25, 2015

Riding California Highway One between Santa Cruz and 

San Francisco - Photo #1

Riding California Highway One between Santa Cruz and 

San Francisco - Photo #2

Riding California Highway One between Santa Cruz and 

San Francisco - Photo #3

Riding California Highway One between Santa Cruz and 

San Francisco - Photo #4

June 25, 2015 - Overnight in the San Francisco - Oakland area.  Cooler temperatures were the norm for the day.

Our intended ride of today was planned to be relatively short (a little of 100 miles) so we were in no hurry getting loaded and away from our motel in Santa Cruz.  After departing we were quickly on California Highway One, and we followed it along the coast until we neared San Francisco.

The weather when we got up this morning in Santa Cruz was 49 degrees.  As we departed the temperature was 61 degrees and the ride up the coast, with the wind blowing in from the Pacific, lowered the temperature to 57 degrees in some places, and 58 or 59 in others.  In the Oakland area the temperature upon our arrival was 69 degrees.

The traffic in Santa Cruz was typical morning rush hour, as with most cities of this size, but once outside of the city the traffic thinned and for the most part it was light.  There was some construction (tis the season) on-going along the highway, but we experienced only one "stop and wait" for the one lane traffic pattern. Tonight we are in the Oakland area.  Earlier today we did a ride-through tour of the University of California Berkeley campus.  I have long been fascinated with the layout of the campus and its integration into the neighborhood where it sets.

As we traveled to our current location earlier today the opposing traffic into San Francisco from the Oakland side, across the Bay Bridge, was extremely heavy across the bridge and beyond.  That is our intended route out of here tomorrow.  Hopefully the almost stalled traffic was temporary for today. The traffic in and around San Francisco - Oakland is usually quiet heavy, with some slow travel from time to time, so that is expected as part of the routine.  Traffic that is not moving is not the norm, even during road construction season.

Another good day.

Day 13 - June 24, 2015

Steam Locomotive on the Roaring Camp and Big 

Trees Railroad

Riding the train.

Larry with a felled giant from years ago.

Photos cannot capture these majestic trees.  Some in this are

are reported to be over 2,000 years old.

The train, with one locomotive and six cars, traveled up the mountain, crossing

this 42 feet high bridge.

Meanwhile, back at the camp, tranquility prevailed.

Day thirteen - June 24, 2015.  Another night in Santa Cruz.  Headed north tomorrow.

Today was spent entirely in the Santa Cruz (Pop. 63,000) area, and mostly on the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad located in Felton, California.  We rode the train into the land of the giant Sequoia's.  

Some of the trees are over 2,000 years old.  The oldest giant Sequoia is 3,500 years old.  For more information on The Giant Sequoias click here. This was an old growth forest, which means that none of the trees in this area have ever been cut.  Imagine that.  So many of the magnificent trees were cut in the first part of the last century. 

This is our last day in Santa Cruz.  We are headed north tomorrow.

Day 12 - June 23, 2015

A rested rider is a happy rider.

Santa Monica Pier

And the entrance to Santa Monica Pier.

The celebratory photo.

Then back on the road, and a stop for gas.  An oasis in the desert.

 

As we progressed further north the vegetation increased.

Still the landscape was brown mixed with the green.

The Joyce Ranch.  A stop along our route.  Wonder what brought that about?

We didn't get too close to this gate.

Day twelve - June 23, 2015.  Overnight in Santa Cruz, California.  Out of the desert and the heat near the end of the day.

We were delayed in completing of our end-to-end ride of Route 66 because of a day spent with getting Larry's bike repaired.  After the repairs we traveled east slightly, to Indio, California, where we spent the last two nights.

This morning we departed Indio, California before 7:00 to beat the rising temperature, which was forecast to go to 112 degrees.

We decided to complete our Route 66 ride that Bob had completed for us two days before. 

As we rode west the temperature moderated, and by the time we reached the coast in Santa Monica it was cooler, with temperatures in the mid 70's.  We spent an hour an a half around the Santa Monica Pier, and then headed north toward Santa Cruz.

We made it through Los Angeles, travelling north on I-5, with little difficulty. As we were leaving the city on I-5 we saw a four-lane traffic jam on the south bound side.  The stall stretched ten miles before we saw the north end - and it was still building.

Riding north we crossed more undeveloped desert area.  We stopped at a Mobil after 100 miles.  It was the only available fueling location for 30 miles either way.

As we progressed north the farming activity increased.  Even though there was farming the landscape looked like a continuation of the desert we had been crossing for what seemed like a week, but irrigation magically made things grow.  We saw hundreds of acres of green, with grape vines, almond trees, etc., all growing heartily in the desert.

Further north the desert began to give way to the beginning of small trees mixed with dried grass and still more farming.  Farming was still supported by irrigation. It is obvious that the farming activities in the areas we crossed were heavily dependent upon irrigation.  We saw posted billboards and signage of various size that apparently was placed by groups for and against agricultural water use.

Also, the further north we road the cooler the temperature.  We were soon riding in temperatures in the low 60's.  We layered up some, but probably not enough.  I add that last sentence in concession to Larry who quietly rode on, and then after we arrived remarked that it was cool riding, and maybe we should have layered up more with another shirt or jacket.  He was right.

When we arrived in Santa Cruz it was near dark, so we quickly unloaded, and found something to eat.  Then soon to bed.  Thus the delay in this posting.

Another good day.

Day 11 - June 22, 2015

Day eleven, June 22, 2015.  Overnight in Indio, California.

We arrived in Indio, California (Pop. 76,000) last night after ending our Route 66 experience, Chicago to Santa Monica.  Indio is east of where we started the day yesterday, but we will head back west, actually northwest, tomorrow.

The weather reports in California typically give multiple temperature forecasts, depending upon the geographical locations, which is related to elevation primarily.  As an example, the summer temperatures along and near the coast would be cooler than the temperatures downtown and the two desert classifications (low and high).  Indio is "low desert", and the low desert forecast, and actual, temperatures are the highest.  Indio is 13 feet below sea level, and it is HOT. Tonight at 9:00 p.m. it was 100 degrees and there was a hot, strong, gusty wind blowing in from the west.

We spent last night in Indio and again today.

Tomorrow we depart for Santa Cruz, California, which is south of San Jose and San Francisco.  Our plans are to depart early and get as much of the low desert heat behind us as quickly as possible, and before the most extreme heat arrives.

I am not sure how detailed this blog will be, but I will try to add photos and some comments of the day's activity daily.

You can email me with questions or comments at:  randal.little@gmail.com  

Another good day.