Monday, August 23, 2010

21 Aug 2010 - Bill's Breakfast Ride

21 Aug 2010 - Bill's Breakfast Ride

{Underlined items are links to more info. Click on them will open a new browser window. Clicking on a photo will open a larger version, use Back button to return.}

{photo's and text by Bill}

We started out with Paul, Tom, Mark and Phil arriving for breakfast at about 8:30.
Sonja had already arrived and made coffee while I cooked up the breakfast.
Here I am dishing up someone's breakfast


Pancakes on the stove

Blueberry pancakes, turkey sausage, scrambled eggs with cheese, peaches and strawberries.




It is such a beautiful morning that we have breakfast al fresco on my patio.
Clockwise from the left: Tom, Sonja, Pdub, Mark and Phil

Today we have six (6) bikes...Mark's Moto Guzzi, Phil's Vulcan, Tom's Yamaha, Pdub's WeeStrom, Sonja's Street Triple and my Speed Triple . The Little Dragon is the highlight of today's Ride.

We rode to Waterford then to La Grange and to Merced Falls. On to Hornitos for a short restroom break. {Hornitos means little ovens!}
The Hornitos Post Office parking lot

From Hornitos we ride to Bear Valley {Mariposa County} then turn north on Hwy 49.
We stop at the John C Fremont overlook for a photo op.


The Little Dragon is just this 16 mile stretch of Hwy 49. About half is down to the bridge over the Merced River and the other half is getting back up from the river on the north side.
Highway 49, “The Canyon” as it is known to the local riders, our section running south to north from Bear Valley to Coulterville. This 16 mile stretch is some of the best tarmac that California has to offer. This run is not about top speed, but rather finding a rhythm that allows you to connect a series of turns ranging from tight decreasing radius turns of 180 degrees to the “S” turns that will have you flicking your bike from right to left mile after mile. Liter bikes advantage none-supermotards and 600’s are the best tools for this nirvana and the lighter the better. But don’t get me wrong Goldwings, Busas and Road Kings can enjoy this switchback heaven too. from Pashnit.com

The Plaque at the Overlook



We wind up in Coulterville after 16 miles of Hwy 49.

After Coulterville we ride the short distance to Jamestown for "Here's the Scoop"


Phil and Mark waiting for their ice cream


Phil's double black cherry



The taste test


Mark took no prisoners


And more twisties and views to Murphys and the Firewood restaurant.
Tom showing the way to lunch


Pdub's carnitas tacos


Sonja and my each have a Gorgonzola Burger


From there we grab 11 more miles of twisties down the grade to Starbucks in Angels Camp.
135 miles from breakfast later.
There we share conversation and coffee before we part...


A Parting Shot


And most of today's Ride Route:

View Larger Map


Until the next ride....
Keep the rubber down my friends

~end
.


Saturday, July 17, 2010

17 Jul 2010 - Marin/Sonoma County

17 Jul 2010 - Marin/Sonoma County

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Next Ride anywhere near Sonoma I have to check and see if there is a big event happening at the Infineon Raceway. This weekend there was the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals. The traffic was horrendous. But more on that later.

Pdub led the Sacramento contingent to the Jelly Belly. Makini, Phil and Don H. rode on their own as did I.
Peter, Don H., Makini {hidden}, Steve, Stan, Ron's back and Pdub. {Phil missing}

Notice that Stan is dressed in shorts and a light jacket. He froze his tail off on the ride in from Sacramento. Ron also was so cold that he went into the Jelly Belly and bought a sweat shirt.

The Delta Breeze was in full force this morning and the temps were in the low 60's with a 25 mph head/cross wind.

Anyway, since we were going to ride quite a few miles along Tomales Bay barely sheltered from the Pacific Ocean, Stan became a "no starter". As the Ride headed west on Hwy 12, he headed east and back home.

That's Hwy 12 in the background.
An eclectic group of bikes

Pdub insisted that I post his Wee Strom with its new accouterments.


For the start of the ride through Jameson Canyon Road and around the south end of Napa the traffic was normal, which means it is always heavy but moving. The route plan was to take Hwy 121 to Hwy 37.

I rounded the curve where Hwy 12 turns north to Sonoma and saw the "parking lot" in front of me. Since we were still 10 miles from Hwy 37 it became a no brainer to reroute the Ride. {a map of our actual route is at the bottom of this Blog}

A gas stop in Novato where I was hoping to see Lil Doc and Manjo, but Lil Doc had her telephone ringer off and we never got messages.

We rode from Novato to the Marin French Cheese Company.
Some of the cheeses in the display case


I thought that this was a more interesting photo showing the Company sign than the one on the building


Ron had other obligations so bought a sandwich and a salad for lunch. He would head back home from here. Two down, so we are now a seven bike group.
Ron's lunch

The grounds have a couple of parks which are free to the public but close at sundown

Waiting for Peter to get his box of 20 rounds of 8 ounce Brie


We continue the Ride to Hwy 1 just north of Point Reyes Station and continue along Tomales Bay. It is really cool, sunny and crisp weather. The traffic is not real heavy.

We turn inland and ride to Freestone and Wild Flour Bread to buy some goodies.
Peter and Makini parked at Wild Flour Bread

The roadside wall of their building

The "menu" which changes a little daily

Waiting to order stuff


Then only three and a half miles north on the Bohemian Highway is the village of Occidental and Negri's our lunch stop.
Makini, Don H. and Phil

Pdub, Steve, Phil and Don H.

Peter and Makini

Our waitress who forgot to order Pdub's lunch and left Peter's glass of wine at the bar for 10 minutes. She was not too good.

The cheeseburger

Minestrone soup

Raviolis

Fried chicken

Pdub finally gets his all meat personal size pizza and shows his glee


After lunch we lose Steve as he has a brother who lives just a few miles from Occidental. Now we are a group of six.

I decide to change the route from Coleman Valley Road and we just head north on the Bohemian Highway to Monte Rio and Hwy 116. We follow Hwy 116 for many miles along the Russian River and through the redwoods and the vineyards.

Just before Cotati we take Stony Point Road to Railroad Avenue to Old Abobe Road back to Sonoma and the Chocolate Cow.
Along Hwy 116


We get to the Town Square of Sonoma and is it crowded. The weather is in the high 80's and sunny.

I love this little Town Square besides the Chocolate Cow there are bakeries, the Sonoma Cheese Factory and Cafes. Also there is the old Courthouse surrounded by a nice park.
Too hot to bring home any of the Chocolate Cows wonderful chocolates


Peter has the Vanilla Gelato

Makini has an ice cream cone

Phil, Pdub and Don H.

Makini has a son who lives in Sonoma so there are five of us headed back to I-80 and home.
As we get back to Hwy 12 from Napa-Sonoma Road I see a "parking lot". Luckily there is a Passing Lane which allows us to lane split for a nice long stretch. So we had about a 10 minute delay over a normal traffic day in getting to I-80.

It was a beautiful day and a good ride, except for the traffic.

Here is the actual ride route. But you will have to click on the View Larger Map at the bottom as there are too many variations to display on this embedded map.

View Larger Map


Today's Riders:
Pdub............West Sac.................Wee Strom
Phil T...........Citrus Heights........Nomad
Don H..........Walnut Grove.........Speed Triple
PeterJ..........Elk Grove................ST 1300
Makini..........Vacaville.................Custom Nomad
Steve H........Shingle Springs......R1200RT
Ron H..........Gold Run................FJR 1300
Don I...........Stockton.................F650GS
and a no starter
Stan K.........Valley Springs.........Bonne America

~end
.

Friday, May 21, 2010

15 May 2010 - Foothills

May 15, 2010 - Foothills

{Click on any photo to view the full size image}

{underlined items are hot links to more information about the item underlined}

Thanks to Jess H for the photos and route description.

The Ride Report in a nutshell...

Met up at MarSha Tes Coffee House in Rancho Murieta off of Hwy 16. Proceeded on Hwy 16 and exited Carbondale Rd. Then rode through Ione to the Pardee Dam lookout. Continued on and got back onto Hwy 49 heading up Hwy 88. Exited Omo Ranch Rd till it runs into Mt. Akum. Had lunch at D'Agostini's Bakery and Restaurant. Everyone took off for home after.
MarshaTes has a Sloughhouse mailing address

Ron H the Ride Leader gathering up the troops

More preride instructions

Okay who wants to do WHAT???

Arriving at the Pardee Dam Overlook.
Thirteen bikes lined up for the Group Photo




Sonja, Bill, Pdub, Gary G and

A quick pit stop at Jackson Tires.

Arriving at the Lunch Stop D'Agostini's Delights Bakery and Cafe in Mt Aukum, CA.





Bill, Sonja, Jess and Stan

...and Ron the Ride Leader


Cindy and Gary G

Wonderful blue sky

Not the exact route but something like:


View Larger Map


~end
.