Motorcycle trip down Hwy 101

Laura and I went on a nice motorcycle trip April 2 thru April 9 down Hwy 101. First we had to get out to the coast, Hwy 34 from Albany to Waldport was the perfect road to do that. All the stresses of getting ready fell off somewhere on Hwy 34. Traffic was light, as it was our whole
trip, and weather was good. We left Portland at 8:30am and had lunch in Waldport then followed Hwy 101 for 4 hours and arrived in Gold Beach at 5pm. Tuesday was spent just relaxing, it was the best way to spend the first full day of a motorcycle vacation, by not riding at
all and enjoying the coast.

Wednesday we followed the lovely 101 all the way to Guerneville which is about an hour north of San Francisco. We left Gold Beach at 9:15 and arrived at 6:30pm. The resort room we stayed at had a Pink Flamingo theme but it was very nice. Next time we want to stay on the coast however. Thursday we went on a day ride following California Route 1 up the coast toward Mendocino. It was probably the best day of riding of the whole trip, although there were no bad days of riding.

We had more great food and scenery. Laura and I had fun chasing each other on the twisties, she even said she couldn't believe she was following a 250 at one point. We were both practicing what we learned through Team Oregon and the whole trip was safe and fun.

Friday Laura was starting to not feel well and we got a late start. We left at 11:30 and followed CA 101 back up (since we liked it the first time and it is pretty quick) to Eureka where we followed CA 299 to Willow Creek. It was as far as we could make it that day and we had to
find a hotel to crash at.

Saturday Laura was sick and we had to be very careful on CA 96. It is 150 miles of 25 and 35mph twisties, challenging even when not sick. It was still very very fun, I can't wait to get back on that road. There was almost no traffic. We didn't get stuck behind a single RV the
entire trip. April is a great time to do this route. Lots of rocks and landslides though. I was trying to avoid rocks as much as possible but my tires must have kicked up a rock as one of ther fog light lenses was shattered. The bulb is fine though. Then it was about 30 miles on
I-5 to get from Yreka to Ashland.

We arrived at my parents place around 2:30pm . Our third resort stay for the trip. We enjoyed the nice weather and Easter with my family, it also gave her a chance to get better before we left on Monday morning to head back to Portland. It was a wet and windy final 267 miles on I-5 and we got home at 4pm.

Pictures are here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lnxgrrl/MotorcycleVacationOnTheCaliforniaCoast

Hanna

BMW Dealership opens in Tigard Oregon

The folks who own and run the Eugene BMW Motorcycle dealership have opened a location in Tigard Oregon. Grand Open House is this weekend the 14th and 15th of April. Check the website for details and location...

It should be a big PDX Motorcycle Happening !!!

I must get my bike washed!

See you there.

First Ride of Spring!

Kristi and I hit some highlights of the coast yesterday.

She had had her shoulder bunged up a bit playing hockey with some rough girls over the weekend, so I was not certain she would make it. 'The Hockey shoulder might need another day of rest'; she told me on the phone Wed night.
Determined that it would be a good day weatherwise, alone or with a buddy, I slurpped down some coffee. I had just hit the bottom of the stairs when her nimble Yami FZ1 pulled up in my drive. What a nice surprise.

Being Hillsboro Women on Wheels the coast is always within easy reach.
We headed west on 26 just a ways then angled down the ever famous Hwy 6 to Tillamook.

Our few days of clearing weather with less rain had left the sceenery green and water in the streams and rivers high but clear. Moss, ferns and small wildflowers dotted the sides of the roads. The roads were clear, dry and void of many cars...one advantage of taking a weekday ride. Those that were on the road, we quickly dispenced of as we nimbly passed them. Liek they were standing still.

Tillamook, sweet Tillamook. To some the smell is overwhelming....oddly, I rather like it. It symbolizes a simple life to me...however, dairy farmers would argue it is far from simple.
Not much happening in town but the change in weather seemed to bring some folks out.
A few Motorhomes and some pickup trucks loaded with quads were seen headed north on 101.
One nasty Ryder truck gave us concern as he pulled to the centerlane without signal and looked to be coming further over. I pointed at him as if to say; "watch it buddy, there are some bikes here!' He stayed in his center lane till we had passed.
There is a nasty spot of pavement North on 101 near Nehalem. There is a sign warning you that there is a DIP. Believe it. Trust not the first little DIP you feel, for there is a massive chunck of pavement ripped and torn away in two or three lengthwise shreds aprox 12-20 feet long just past that 'little dip' that you think you feel. We surefootedly wrangled our way through this obstacle by clearing it all together far to the right hand side, very near the white line.

We arrived at Astoria around 2 for lunch. The 'homies' were hanging around on the docks and said hello to us. Some blue billed sea ducks paddled along under the pier and the trolley eased up and down the boardwalk. It was close to 75* and sunny. It felt so good to be out, doing what we love to do on a day we love to do it in.
After a terrific lunch of soup and salad and our experimental 'blueberry lemonade' at the Wet Dog we mounted the bikes again.
I love the bridge over the Columbia at Astoria. It is just so long and impressive. I always think about the history of this area and how Capt Grey and his group explored the area and lost like 20 men trying to get from the ship to the shores of Astoria in a dinghy. All of this long before the Dams on the Columbia of course. I can only imagine what the Coumbia was like, for it is so impressive the way we have always known it.

Touching down on the Washington side is some of the best riding real estate I know of. We headed west. Wide sweepers with nice smooth road, great vistas with water on one side, mountains on the other. The smell of salt and sea and that marshy, muddy smell that is distinct to the area. Kristi and I had become good partners with riding styles in sync with each other. Not too fast....but not slow at all. We both had the get up and go when the situation dictated and we exercised that quite nicely a few times. Damned motorhomes!

We dropped into the fishing harbor at Cathlamet. My thermometer on my bike read 77*. time to shed some liners. There were a zillion campers, motorhomes and trailers in at Cathlamet. This area is usually quiet in the summer. The sturgeon must be running we decided.

Out of Cathlamet it is just a half hour ride into Longview. We cruised on to and stopped at ProCaliber Motorsports where Kristi seems to know everyone. "Hey look what the sun brought out" I heard one fellow say from clear accross the showroom floor. It was like traveling with a celebrity! We poked around and looked at dirt bikes, Goldwings and quads.

It was rush hour by the time we wrapped it up and said goodbye to all of Kristi's pals. Crossed the bridge and tooted down Hwy 30 toward home.
I left Kristi and her trusty YZ1 on Evergreen Road near our homes.

Great day, great ride, great company.


Carol