Summer 2012 northwest ride. Part 1

Hello everyone! It is trip time. I swear I don't purposely coordinate my unemployment with summer time but it seems to have been my lucky streak over the last few years. This time I moved out of LA and back up to the foothills right in time to have an open carefree summer to ride north and have one last good visit with my old friends before I move to Phoenix for the next year and a half attending MMI.

 

     For this trip I specially made a pair of jeans and a vest from scratch.  I finished the jeans a week earlier, but I had barely finished my vest in the wee hours of the departure morning.  I woke up early and busted out the finishing touches, and within an hour I was loaded up, caffeinated, and rolling out toward my storage unit in Angels Camp so I could put some lacquer on the horse I'd painted on my tank the day before.  I laid the lacquer on pretty light and then locked up and headed out Angels Camp down Hwy 4, which is a windy two lane road through the golden foothills to Stockton.  I had to make it to San Francisco by 4pm for the premiere of the movie I'd worked on last summer in LA.  So I was really watching the clock.  I made it within an hour to spare, and I picked up my buddy and we headed to the theater.  There are bars all around, so being as we had 10 minutes to spare, we'd have a couple minutes to throw a cold one back.  Being my special guest we had preferred seating, so we finished our drinks, ran across the street into the theater, I grabbed some popcorn and a soda, and we made our way to our seats, and the movie began.  Lots of laughter later, the movie was over, and we were headed to the after party.  A choice location for afternoon drink specials, and a nice balcony overlooking Market Street and a farmers market.  San Francisco was a nice 3 day relaxation.  And on the morning of the 4th day I met up with a group of women bikers whom are as i'd discover later were known as "Hot Rides."

 Our agenda was to end up in Fairfax, via some beautiful sunny coastal routes, while our friend and photographer Matt Sharkey, would take photos of us from the back of his car being driven by one of his assistants and occasionally he'd jump on the back of my bike and take photos of the group as I'd weave us in and out intimately close to the other bikers.  We gassed up our engines with coffee and food, and then rode around the outer Sunset and on up out of SF over the Golden Gate, through the Presidio, up to Stinson Beach, and to Bolinas.  Leaving Bolinas two of us separated from the group, when one gal had bike problems and I stayed back with her to make sure she was alright and if she needed any technical support.  A short minute of kick starts, and she got her bike running, but the group had already disappeared around the bends ahead. Well, I didn't know the route, so we just raced on to see if we could catch the group. But 5 minutes of fast riding and I saw nothing, so I suggested we turn around, cause we probably missed a turn somewhere.  Headed back, I recognized the road we'd come in on, turned onto it, and soon enough there was the group.  Finally relieved we'd cauth the group, we went in a masterful swarm of two lane exploration and beauty.  When we arrived at destination awesomeness in Fairfax after a bit of stunt riding, and big laughs, we were treated hospitably to BBQ and a bucket of cold beer. Yummy!!! .


Arcata: I decided to stay in Fairfax for two nights, so I could go on a hike in borrowed shorts and cowboy boots, and to get more special visiting time with my good friend Dalila. My last night I gave Matt and Dalila a concert of my newly written songs. (Ya see I travel with my Martin mini. One really great reason for my sissy bar.)


In the morning I hit the road for Arcata.  There was word on the weather forecast of northwest coastal showers, but I've ridden in tons of storms before, so I just said to hell with it, and rode on into the threatening gloom.  It wasn't bad at all.  The weather is sort of humid in the north west right now, so I wasn't even cold.  I kept my head low, ducked behind my Mexican blanket, tucked my clutch arm under my body, and the only thing that really got wet was my throttle arm, and my shins.  I rolled in all grins.
     I stayed this week in Arcata with my friend Maya, and an occasional overnighter here and there after parties.  I was made amazing breakfasts by my friend Marie.  And had some fun nights out with my friend Ali.  Hit the river once with my friends Sara and Marie, and stayed till Sunday for my friend
Will's birthday.
  

     Which brings me to now. It's late, but I wanted to type this out first before bed while it was in my mind.  I have to change my rear breaks first thing in the morning before I head up to Portland, because I don't even have any pads on them, and I have 400+ miles ahead of me tomorrow.   So in a sec it's alarm setting and lights out.  And until I write again, I'll have more fun maintenance and travel stories for you.

See you on the road.