Coast Hwy 1 over to Bakersfield!

[tomsp]

3 days. 700 miles. Some of the BEST motorcycle roads I have EVER SEEN!

 

Left good 'ol Stockton at 8:00 ( I was gong to go to good 'ol Cedarville but changed my mind!) and headed down I-5 in CA and took hwy 152 over to Monterey and the Coast Hwy 1. It was highly cold and highly, highly windy going down 5 and over the pass on hwy 152. Puts a new meaning to being sideways! Stopped at Casa de Fruta for gas and flapped my arms to warm up! I put on a long sleeve t-shirt there too under my Comet jacket (OK, I thought it was going to be warm- <_>

 

At 3 hours I was below Monterey and heading down hwy 1! Light traffic. I had never been on this road before down to MOro Bay! You have got to do this! Great twisties and unbelievable views. Stopped at Gordo for gas on dead emply! No gas anywhere along this route too - so pick your spots carefully!

 

After 6.5 hours, I arrived at Moro Bay (Pic). That's me in a hot tub, with my big toe pointing at either my goose or Moro Head (the rock!). Great place with cool people (locals are highly sociable/friendly). Prices are like 10 years behind the times I think).

[tomsp]

Next day, left at 8:00 again and took hwy 41 out of Moro Bay over to Atascadero (spelling???) and continued on hwy 41 to Creston (village). Moro Bay over to Atascadero was little to none traffic and twistie but unforturnately the sun was coming up right into my eye balls! So I proceeded with caution due to sun when called for!

 

You have got to stop in Creston. Cool little place (I'd like to live there I think!). The owner of the general store owns a HD and just got back from the Reno bike thing. He pointed out a little used road leading to hwy 58.

[tomsp]

This is 17 miles of ..... SEE PIC..... newly paved, looks like a race track (i.e., one lane looking). Watch out for ..... deer, rabbits, wild pigs!)-- leading over to hwy 58. The road is like for gears 1,2,3 and maybe 4 although I'm probably wrong on that!

[tomsp]

The main event. Hwy 58 from here over to Bakersfield is like absolutely remote and unpopulated (no gas, no nothing) and zero traffic. Low spped twisties to high speed sweepers the whole way. Use all the darn gears. Go slow and sight see. Go fast and smile. You have 66 miles of this stuff until you get to McKittrict (spelling?).

 

I'm telling you guys, a bunch of us ought to do this run!

 

After Bakersfield, I visited long time friends and took hwy 99 up to Stockton averaging 80 I think going up (the 3rd day). stopped once in Fresno for 30 minutes and then again when I got home. Good for me to go like that on the darn hwy/interstate.

 

Nice ride too. The 03 le mans was PERFECT. Needs an oil change now too.

[tomsp]

after I got home I washed the goose, mowed the lawns, and had a .....

[callison]

I'm game. When? (not this weekend though, I'm working).

[tomsp]

Carl, (and all) -- I would definately suggest a week day as the traffic will be way less

[callison]

I have vacation days on the books and I've done NO rallies this year. This would help make up for all of that.

 

Hwy 229 is one of Californias best kept little secrets. Too bad the neat stuff is only 6 miles of it.

[GuzzTim]

Haven't done a good days ride in awhile... I'm game if you guys want to ride the coast, or maybe swing through stockton and head to the Sierras?

 

Tim

Danville

[tomsp]

Either of you guys have a suggested time frame here Hwy 1 to Moro Bay is definately an overnighter. Going Hwy 4 up to Lake Alpine and Mosquito Lakes is a day ride (2- 2.5 hours one way from Stockton)-- but mr. weather is getting colder

[Guest Dave Pott]

Hey guys,

 

If you don't mind keep me in the loop also. Just modded the Billabio with Staintunes, airbox, Stucchi X-over and PCIII and is running great.

 

I'm east of Fresno and often ride Hwy 49.. Gold country.

 

Also own a 2nd a second home near Mendocino and ride there often also. Maybe a group ride up there sometime?? Free lodging is alsways cool..right??

 

Dave

[tomsp]

Guys- if we're going to do something we need to do it like before next week is up (from my view!). And it's getting colder! And I don't have those cool grip warmers and butt warmer like Al has

 

That Mendocino thing sounds good- what route?

 

Funny thing on the Fresno thing - on my way up 99 to Stockton I stopped (my only one) in Fresno- Oliver? exit?

[GuzzTim]

I'd be up for a ride up the coast... I'll be travelling down to Phx the early part of the week, so a weekday ride would have to be Thurs or Friday..

 

 

Cheers

Tim

[tomsp]

Let's hear from the others, if still interested in next week -- thursday- friday thing

[callison]

Would that I could, but I'm going to get my guitar signed by Craig Chaquico on Thursday. I can suggest that we all get together for a pre-ride dinner/meet though. At least we could all get aquainted even if not all of us can go. There's a killer hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant here in Modesto. It is, oddly enough, owned and run by Mexicans that have never been to Italy. Go figure. At any rate, the food is very good and the prices very reasonable. I have been wanting to have some sort of Italian Food Night for guys and their wives on Italian bikes, but I've had to wait until at least one of my larger bikes was running before proferring the idea. This could serve double duty or perhaps become a regular thing for our region. Especially since the Doc Wong Italian dinner thing over at Alice's faded way.