2008 Sep 28 - Happy Wanderer Send Off Ride

2008 September 28 - Happy Wanderer Sendoff Ride

{Click on any picture to view it full sized.} photos by Cranky, K.C. and VSP

Happy Wanderer, Paul S. is leaving NorCal {Defense Language School in Monterey} and being assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA in three weeks. He is a Russian translator on active duty in the USAF.

Today we rode Hwy 25 to Hwy 198 to Coalinga. Then used I-5 and Hwy 165 to get to the Wool Growers for his send off dinner. Temperatures in the Valley were in the high 90°s.

Here's HW

We meet at the McDonalds in Hollister at the south end of town.
Six bikes will make the Ride. K.C. from Sunnyvale, Cranky from San Jose, Jim S from Alberta, Cat from Oxnard, VSP from Stockton and Happy W.
K.C., Jim S., Cranky and HW
VSP in the lead Jim S. and Cat as we leave the McD's parking lot
Heeerrrees Cranky riding Sweep
From Pashnit.com:
Highway 25
Hollister to Hwy 198

"63 Miles of Bliss"

There's something unique about this road and I think I've finally realized what it is. It's the length really. That unimpeded length. It's but another deserted stretch of pavement that's become a playground of sorts for motorcyclists of any persuasion. You might even say this road has it's own fan base. A road built with motorcyclists in mind.

Hwy 25 headed south out of Hollister (home to one of California's biggest biker rallies) is probably one of California's poster-child motorcycle roads. It's one of these forgotten roads surrounded by bigger and better well traveled rides. I-5 to the east, Hwy 101 to the west. In between is this little gem and any motorcyclist will love this road!.

About 2/3 along the way on Hwy 25 there is a wide spot in the road just before the King City exit. This is the usual break spot.
Not much traffic on this road. This is one of the few trucks that I have seen on it.
We reach the intersection of Hwy 25 and Hwy 198 and go over the Grade. In the middle of our ride on Hwy 198 we stop for a break at Priest Valley. Not much in Priest Valley.
Priest Valley Station Bar and Grill


Next door is the Priest Valley Dance Hall. There was actually a band practicing inside the dance hall!

Note that the Harley sign is from Kingman, AZ HD. The old phono was blasting out tunes.
After Priest Valley Jim S. can't stand the leisurely pace that we are doing especially in the twisties. So he and HW take off toward Coalinga at high speeds. After a bit K.C. decides to follow. Somewhere in running down the other two K.C. manages to get his GPS to record a top speed of 109 mph.

Here the rest of us pulling into the Chevron, which is my usual gas stop and rest break in Coalinga. Sherm and SAG and I stopped here on our Tucson trip last year.
Along Hwy 198/Hwy 33 east of Coalinga.
We eventually get to ride I-5 for some 54 miles of heavy traffic interstate riding, not my favorite roads for a day ride, but we were getting hungry. Hwy 33 the alternate is just as straight as I-5 and slower since it goes through four or five small towns.

The parking lot of the Wool Growers in Los Banos.
Three of us parked in front of the building. Redbeard was already there waiting to have dinner with the rest of us.
Nicole our waitress took this photo of the group.
Taking our orders, which at the Wool Growers is your choice of the main course.
We got there for dinner which meant that the choices included a New York steak and prime rib.
Green salad, potato salad and beans. A bottle of house wine.
Cranky holding the chicken and rice which is Sundays entree on the other days it is lamb stew.
The prime rib and Cranky's steak.
Cat's pork chops. HW and I had the roast lamb, but we both ate it up before I got the camera out. :-)
Desert. Ice cream and pieces of cheese.
The six of us chipped in to pay for HW's dinner. Dinner is a flat $18 which includes the sales tax, but not the tip.

We say our good byes and good luck to HW. Everyone but me heads for Hwy 152 to head to I-5 or Hwy 101 via Pacheco Pass. I am the only one headed north. I take Hwy 33 as far as I can but get on I-5 just north of Vernalis and head home. The I-5 traffic is really heavy for a Sunday afternoon.

Cranky, HW, VSP, Redbeard, Cat, Jim S.

Cranky leading the South Bay group home

Redbeard


Map of today's Ride

View Larger Map

~end

2008 Aug 17 - Kilo Ride

2008 August 17 - Kilo Ride
{Click on any picture to view it full sized.} photos by Cranky, K.C. and VSP

Today's Ride was the NorCal - Northern Nevada Chapters portion of spreading Kilo's ashes as he had requested. Unlike our other Rides this one had less to do with the roads than to help Bruce Rojo spread Kilo's ashes. For the Northern California site we will be spreading his ashes at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Here are today's Riders in ascending VROC number order:
Bruce "Biggtwin" Rojo...........................247
Howard "nite lite" Sublow....................4234
Don "Very Short Person" Inamasu......5569
Rick "Jest" ..........................................6372
David J. ............................................13157
Bill "Cranky" Snodgrass....................16804
David "Redbeard" Crabtree..............18179
Ken "K.C." Muir.................................23847

We met at one of the McDonalds in Novato. I like the Senior coffees and clean rest rooms. :-)

Cranky is the last to show. He has to stretch his joints before he can ride.
From left to right: Cranky, Jest, David J., Biggtwin, nite lite, K.C. and Redbeard.

From left to right: Jest, David J., Biggtwin, K.C., VSP, Redbeard and nite lite.
Here we are leaving the McDonalds and heading onto Hwy 101 South.
Here is K.C's photo of Bruce "Biggtwin" who is carrying Kilo's ashes.
This is on Hwy 101 just north of Sausalito. The marine layer is really thick. Both Jest and K.C. had come over the Golden Gate to get to Novato and they both said that the fog was so thick that it was more like a drizzling rain.
Nite lite is leading at his usual 75 mph. We are of course in a 55 MPH Speed Zone.

We have arrived at the Fort Baker Battery Spencer inside the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We parked down the hill and hiked up to this spot.
VSP, Jest and Redbeard catching their breath. Redbeard has had recent heart surgery. Jest and VSP are just old. :-)
We are just discussing where the exact spot will be.
Bruce at the spot we selected. This may be the only photo where the Golden Gate Bridge is not shrouded by some sort of marine layer this afternoon. The marine layer is drifting from right to left at about 15 knots. So normally one or the other of the bridge towers is hidden from view.
Today is a typical Summer day for this part of the San Francisco Bay.
You can see the Marina District of San Francisco and Crissy Field of the Presidio behind the Bridge. And a little speed boat going under the Bridge. It is a gorgeous view despite the marine layer. Or maybe because of it.
Getting ready. From left to right: Bruce, K.C., Redbeard, VSP, Jest, nite lite and David J. Cranky took this photo.
Bruce is probably our longest term VROC member here in NorCal since the passing of Papa Cats VROC#6. He will have the honor of spreading Kilo's ashes. The next three photos are of this ceremony.


Rest in Peace, Kilo.


This is a view of Alcatraz from here.
This is a view of a marina at old Fort Baker. It is about 150° from the Bridge photo.

After this we all head our separate ways. Some south. Some north. Some east.
K.C. took a ride around the rest of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Here are some of his photos:






End