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My solo trip up north started on a gray morning, Friday the 13th no less. The forecast was for rain later in the day, but it looked like rain right now when I headed my loaded up 2004 BMW R 1150 R (also known as “Bruce”) down the driveway. My plan was to head up the coast to San Simeon, then do the Big Sur Highway 1 on Saturday morning and stay somewhere in Monterey area. From there I had a free night to visit with a friend in Santa Cruz. On Monday I would travel to Sacramento where I had three days of work and a rather stressful exam awaiting me. De-stress from the exam would be the trip back, with two nights reserved in Yosemite and some fun Gold Country Roads to loosen the cobwebs from the brain and refresh some rusty riding skills.



On the ride Saturday I had clear but gray weather and minimal traffic in front of me on the 1 north through scenic Big Sur and into Monterey. Trouble was it wasn’t that scenic on account of the low gray clouds still hanging around. It’s still a beautiful stretch of road and challenging in places too.



A friend recommended stopping at Point Lobos State Reserve. I got there around noon on Saturday, and spent the next four hours walking around and taking pictures:


After a quick breakfast at the Econo Lodge, I headed north again on Sunday. I was looking around some of the estuaries for some bird pictures, but the gray sky again wasn’t helping the photography thing.

Around noon time I stopped at Seacliff State Beach just south of Capitola to take a closer look at the legendary cement ship that’s sunk at the end of the pier there. Lots of seabirds roost on the carcass of the old ship, but you can’t even walk out on the pier to get a closer look. It’s interesting, but a bit of an eyesore. My surfing friends hope that it’ll sink below the surface just enough to make a new surfing reef there.



I stayed with friends in Santa Cruz on Sunday. Monday morning we drove out to Ano Nuevo State Reserve for a somewhat wet hike and a futile search for elephant seals. The seals were on the island, we could hear them … but they were staying away from the beach. The docent told us it was still too early in the season. Come back in November or December, and then the seals are having pups on the beach only steps away from the path.



The ride over the mountain from Santa Cruz via Old San Jose road was definitely a highlight of the trip! I could have gotten into a lot of trouble on that road, except I followed a local driving a beat up truck with skateboarder stickers on it most of the way up. He was moving along at a good clip, but that was enough to kept the bike to a sane pace on an unfamiliar road. It was a beautiful road though with the leaves changing color and falling onto the roadway. It was cold up at the summit there too! But that peaceful revere was soon over and I was back on the freeway. The drive down on the 17 and through San Jose on the 880 through the East Bay was harrowing to say the least. I was glad to see that I got through there fairly quickly and the freeways were just starting to back up when I got to the Mission Road exit. I didn't leave Santa Cruz until 2 pm, so there was no time for the planned route up and around Mt Hamilton and into Livermore, but, maybe next time.

The second highlight on this stretch of the trip was the 160 into Sacramento. There’s no toll for motorcycles over this HUGE single lane bridge that crosses high above the San Joaquin River near Antioch, and then the road twists and turns as it follows the Sacramento River atop the levees. The road crosses three or four old drawbridges back and forth and back again across the river through the delta lands. Very cool and scenic with even a couple of barges on the river. I had to deal with massive bug splatter on the face screen though -- some big yellow and pink splats, and my Thurlow gloves did nothing but smear it around some. Of course, my dad used to always say the sign of a happy motorcyclist was the bugs in his teeth. Thank goodness for full face helmets. I pulled into the hotel in Sacramento just as the sun was going down. Perfect timing yet again.

I left from Sacramento on Friday Oct. 20, took Highway 16 into the foothills where it meets up with Hwy 49 southbound thru California's Gold Country. Highway 16 is mostly farmland industrial for the first few miles, two lanes but light traffic. Thankfully no truck traffic at all. As it leaves Sacramento behind there were only a couple small towns on the way. The rest of it was lots of golden fields and rolling hills. The turn onto Highway 49 was well marked and immediately sets up for lots of twists and turns.

The weather was clear and warm and dry, perfect riding weather. No rain in the forecast either. Passed thru the familiar towns along the way – Sutter Creek, Jackson, and Angels Camp. I made a pit stop at the Melones Lake a little after noon for a banana, rest, map check and water.


One of the highlights of my trip to Yosemite was tackling Highway 120, also known as the New Priest Grade east from Highway 49. I was going this way because in 1984 I crashed my Nighthawk 450 on this very road. I was younger then (obviously) and feeling like I could conquer the world. But I couldn’t conquer that guardrail, and I was extremely lucky at the time that I didn’t go over the edge. As it was, the memory was a bit of a scar, and reminds me to this day that mountain riding requires discipline and concentration. I wanted to know that I had the skills to get past that. So I went. I recognized the corner right away. I remembered the tree, and the guardrail. I looked at them both, briefly, and then continued on my way. Eyes front, look where you’re going, not where you’re at. Road conquered, ego intact.

It’s a great road by the way. After some tight turns going up the grade, and past the little towns there, the road straightens out and you fly along what seems to be a ridge top, amidst forests of pines on smooth, clean blacktop. Turn right at Crane Flat and you’re treated to amazing views just beyond an old low rock wall that lines the road, down down down where the Merced River cuts a path through the granite from Yosemite valley. It was hard to keep eyes on the road in some places.
Since it was past mid-day by the time I got into the heart of Yosemite Valley, I decided to stop at Bridalveil Falls for another shot at some pictures.

Here's Bruce of the Sierras ...


Bad thing was Friday night I was starting to feel really bad, and had full blown fever-chills-head cold- the works by the time I settled down in the tent cabin. I medicated up and hit the hay early. I was still pretty beat-up on Saturday. My plan had been to ride out to Glacier Point for pictures and views. I had to skip that and settled for walking around the valley taking pics.

After a leisurely loop around the river, I went into the village for lunch - just fruit and some juice because I still didn't feel too hot. I saw the Ansel Adams gallery, and wandered around like a tourist for a bit. Then I got lost coming out of the village (still walking) and ended up on the wrong side of the Merced River at the end of the parking lot. Well, there were some picnic tables there, so I thought I'd just sit down for a rest. Then I saw the view. And then I saw a doe and her fawn right below me in the scrub. I guess all the deer in Yosemite Valley are this tame, I walked very close to them and they didn't spook at all.



There was also this spectacular view. Here's to getting "lost" ...

The next morning was my long trip home. I took Bruce on a warm-up ride around the valley and one last shot at pictures.


This is El Capitan reflected in Bruce's mirror ...


And Bruce and Bambi ... where the deer and the BMW's play ...


When I stopped for gas just outside Mariposa I saw the first of many CHP vehicles passing on the 49. I guess it was motorcycle Sunday, and they were out in force. I didn't think much of it at the time, I had a long road ahead of me and I'm not one to push the limit too much anyway. Well, the 49 south from Mariposa is pretty tame most the way. But somewhere down there I get behind a slow moving rental car, and decide to pass while I can. Well, the line is broken yellow, on one side at least. To tell the truth I thought it was on my side for a little while there, so I just pass licketly split like I’ve been doing all week. Then I see a car up ahead of me pull off to the dirt shoulder in a cloud of dust ... it's another CHP!
I hit the brakes quick ... well, I was going 70 when I looked down at my speedo. But there were no lights behind me ... I couldn't tell if the CHP stopped or pulled back onto the highway. I decided to keep it down low anyway, and kept checking my rear. But I couldn't tell, there was a car way back there but was it the cop or someone else? ... On I go. I swear ... I had to have gone a couple miles. I remember this bridge at the bottom of a grade and a nice stretch of road climbing the mountain through the trees ahead. I almost stopped to take a picture there. I should have! At the top of the hill, I round a corner, and ... oh no ... those are red flashing lights in my rear view.

Well, the short of it was she didn't write me for speeding, but said I passed that car ... way back there ... on the solid yellow on my side. Yes ma'am, whatever you say ... yes ma'am, I'll keep the speed down. Anyway, she turns around and goes back the other way. I guess I should be thankful that I wasn’t speeding, or it might have been worse.

I headed down into the valley via Highway 41 which goes straight through Fresno. It was HOT in the valley that afternoon, and I was still wearing a heavy shirt under my jacket. I bypassed the 99 freeway and stayed on the 41 (straight and flat and faster than I expected but boring as hell) all the way to Kettleman City. I stopped there for gas and met up with a trio of Harley guys out for a Sunday ride from Santa Maria. Well, it's almost 3 pm by then. I've got at least 5 hours to go. I can get on the 5 freeway, or I can stay on 41 and meet up with the 101 at the coast above San Luis Obispo. It's so friggin’ hot ... I have to change my undershirt and get hydrated ... I decide the coast it is. It has to be cooler that way and the less freeway the better.

Trouble was, I had used the last of my maps. Well, I knew that 41 went all the way to the 101, and that’s easy from there. I’ve done it a million times at least. But, I got a little too overconfident. One unplanned detour on a San Luis Obispo road that had lots of winding turns and no line down the middle just for extra suspense … it was one for the record books, or at least one I’ll remember for a long time. Not much of a short cut and it added an hour and a half to the end of the trip, but what the hell. I kept telling myself I just delayed the pain of LA for an hour and a half.

Well, with my little unplanned detour it's almost 5 pm by the time I reach the 101 above SLO. My Nomad runs out of battery juice just before the rest stop at Gaviota, so no more tunes the rest of the way. Traffic was mercifully light thru Santa Barbara, and it's about 730 pm when I stop for food and gas in Oxnard. A short rest then hit the 1 toward Malibu. It's dark but a nicer ride than the freeway and I made really good time on the coast route, hit only two red lights the whole way.

The rest from Santa Monica was boring freeway. I think I really tested my endurance on this last stretch. When I was tired and the joints were aching and I was wondering if I'd make it, I'd just yell at the cagers on the road: "None of you F***er's were in Yosemite this morning! I was in Yosemite this morning and I know none of you a-holes were on 229!" That actually seemed to make me feel much better for a little while. I pulled into the homestead at 1130 pm, and went straight to bed (after being thoroughly greeted by two dogs and two cats).

California is one amazing state, that's all I can say.

So my first solo long distance trip on Bruce:
1,523 miles total
570 miles on Sunday
Average 45 mpg

Oh, and more ride photos posted at ...
http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/ ... to%20trip/

thanks -
dm

Wow!....thanks darcym...great photos...thanks for going to the trouble to post them for us...I certainly appreciate it...beautifil country..great Bambi shot.

DJ

Very nice. California really is motorcycle heaven.

I have heard, to my great sorrow, that Thurlow Deerskin has closed.
San Diego will never be the same.

What a great report! Thanks Darcym. And the pictures are wonderful. Hope you exam went well too. Keep the ride reports coming - and the pictures. Thanks.

Awesome ride report!! Thanks for sharing.

VM

Very nice Darcym...beautiful photos. Bruce looks very happy among the redwoods.

Very nice! One of these days I want to start a photo thread on bike mirror photos...and see who has the most creative mirror pic. Is there anybody out there who has not taken a picture in your mirror?

Thanks Darcym...And I lust after that all-black bike...well actually...but you know what I mean.

Nice report and great trip! I have a similar Half Dome shot blown up on my office wall! Back from my Nikon/Kodachrome 64 days!

great report.

great at making me jealous. i love these vicarious experiences while stuck here in the back room at work. keep it up.

Nice trip. I have done it the other way around in a motorhome long time ago. Time to get an assignment in US and bring my bike over...

Thanks for the photos. I recognize many of those from the Yosemite area - I travel there frequently (was there Thankgiving, and once again, drove up and down the Priest Grade - in my Explorer with family). Since I got my R in October, there wasn't time to get up to Yosemite for a ride, but I am 100% certain I will next summer. Last summer, I rode my cruiser (before I made the BIG SWITCH) to BC, Canada (and back) from the Yosemite area (and YES, I did ride down and up the Priest Grade with the cruiser).

Thanks for all the nice compliments. And by the way, part of the trip to Sacramento was to take a promotional exam. I passed, ended up 2nd overall (73 passed out of 140 total applicants), so actually I did a lot better than I'd thought. So I got my promotion. I'll be getting about a $400 raise from it retroactive to Oct 24th, and another 5% raise next July.

That's my justification for buying Bruce!

Fantastic stuff! Thanks for those, enjoyed it.