Last week I met my family on the northern coast of California, hiking around trails, grazing beaches for special stones, and seeing an occasional friend, when our schedules coincided. But mostly I was a vegetable, cozy in the rental, with a view of the entire California coast, assembling 3D metal model puzzles and drinking wine. However, my last day I spent hiking beaches and bluffs with my friend Sara, and her friends; dinner at Tomo, my favorite Sushi restaurant in Arcata; bowling in Eureka then running to a concert back in Arcata; browsing the college bars, then back to Eureka for an after-partying. So, at a 5am bedtime, hitting the road at 10am, to ride from Eureka to Truckee, CA that next morning, was my kinda challenge. I'd never been to Truckee, and I had been trying to get up to visit some friends who moved there, for some time now.
Holy cow was Truckee a cute town to roll into at an early evening hour, bustling with restaurant goers, folks who looked like they'd spend their days hiking, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, and looking high mountain adventurous. Folks were sitting around patio fires sipping beers, faces aglow with boozy smiles. When I got to my friends home and parked my bike, we all shot promptly out to town so that I could take in the experience. Dinner, Breakfast, a day fishing at the lake, lounging, jamming the guitars, and watching E.T. all the way through for the first time, that was my awesome Truckee experience. Thanks Jeremy and Emily!
Today is Sunday, October 9: the day I complete my 2 months on the road meandering across my Northern States Crossing, from my old apartment in Brooklyn, NY to Sonora, CA. But before I left Truckee for Sonora, I decided to ride the entire 49 highway from Vinton, CA to Sonora. I had ridden the 49 from Oakhurst to Placerville, a dozen times, but had never done the 49 past Placerville, where I usually just jumped on the 50 coming to and from Tahoe or Sacramento on various different trips. So this was a real treat finally finding myself in Truckee visiting friends, and only 50 or so miles from the top of the 49. So this morning I rode north up the 89 and took a cut through at Calpine, that wraps around the western edge of a high sierra valley ranch land basin. It was a short jaunt to the top of the basin where I met the 70 and rode east, and another few miles I arrived at Vinton, CA where I met the 49 and with a quick right turn, I was on my official decent south. I had lunch in Sierraville and jammed some conversation and philosophy with some new found acquaintances. Turns out one fella was from Sonora, one gal was on a life journey of solo travel and career adventures, and the woman who worked the cafe owns a shovel head and an iron head, loves to ride and wrench. I'm super glad I stopped and took my time to visit with the locals in that little town. It was quickly 1:30 and I had an entire 49 highway to ride. So, after filling up at the quaint gas stop in town, I was back on my golden chain trail.
An approaching motorcyclist tapped the top of his helmet signaling me to some law enforcement up ahead, which I decided to approach the next few miles with caution, and not like speeding was an option, because all the approaching corners were prefaced with a sign that warned all motorcycles of the extremely treacherously tight curves for the next 15 miles. And for good reason. And no joke on those corners. There was no racing anywhere. I took my time up and through that mountain range, down along that flowing river, imagining all the old miners claims that used to pack these riverbanks and small towns. I took footage rolling through cute towns such as Sierra City, and Downeyville. Quaint historic 1800's buildings still living and breathing with commerce, and tourism.
I made it all the way to Auburn without scraping my pipes or kickstand on any of those mountain curves, but when I got to Auburn and tried jamming around those very first turns heading south, oh, man, there it was, scraaaape, scraaape, screeech, hahaha. I had to take it down a notch cause that tight old road way was really giving me a run for the metal on my bike. Soon as I stopped scraping through corners, I was on a bridge over some gorgeous swimming holes. I can't wait to head back and take some nice refreshing dips in those pools. The rest of the 49 gets pretty normal to me from there. The smooth sweeping familiar curves were in front of me, and I could really make the rest of the 50 or so miles home in good time.
Well, I was home just after the last light was in the dusk sky, and the final mileage on my bike read "81,639 Miles." When I left Brooklyn, my miles read about 74,800. That means I put on a good 6,800 miles or so. I am just now relaxing on the couch, and thinking about my new trek an opportunity to wrench on bikes again. So here we go. Adventure bound. Thanks for reading along as I was able to write my adventures and bring them to you.
See you on the road!
Sunday, October 9, 2016
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