...well, sorta south-west and then north.
Left Thursday morning from Livermore. A short ride west on a
remarkably tore-up 580 (your tax dollars at work) and then south on
680. The sky looks like a maxfield parish painting. The kind of
brilliant blue between white fluffy clouds that you don't usually get
in real life.
Passed a couple dozen hills covered in brown grass and wizened trees,
the kind of hills called "golden" by marketing people. Coming up on
my exit... Take Saratoga south over Skyline, or 17 south?
Decisions... Decided to take the faster route, endured the smell of
burning brakes in the downhill lane for a half hour or so, and was in
Santa Cruz. Got distracted by a girl trying (unsuccessfully) to keep
her sundress modest in gusty winds, took a wrong turn, had to double
back. Finally arrived on the boardwalk, had lunch, took a couple
photos, got gas, then headed north on hwy 1.
An odd thing -- bike died in traffic just as I turned onto 1. I
glided to the side, noticed I had no power at all. I remember reading
(here, I think) about the main breaker sometimes flipping. I turned
the ignition off for a minute to reset, ignition on, power restored.
Scary thing to happen 700 miles from home. Makes me wish I'd renewed
my AAA membership.
I pulled into a gas station a little further up the road, checked out
the bike. All connectors tight, nothing shorting out. A mystery.
Started out cautiously and just tooled around for a bit waiting for it
to happen again. Never did. Cautiously resumed trip.
The day stayed dry, partly overcast and about 60 degrees. You
couldn't ask for better biking weather. North on 1 with a stop in
Half Moon Bay, through Pacifica, stop again at the golden gate for a
couple photos, then north on 101. Bike ran perfectly.
Just for the hell of it, and because I'd never been on that road
before, I turned off on hwy 1 at mill valley. That's a challenging
road (lots of twisties, corners canted the wrong way, decreasing
radius turns), and an absolutely beautiful drive, but it's a slow road
and after 50 miles at 35 mph I'd had enough. Headed east to Petaluma,
caught 101 North, and made time.
I had intended to get as far as Crescent City for tonight, but the sun
was going down and it was getting cold. Time to find food and sleep.
Stopped in some place called Willits, paid highway robbery for a hotel
room, and had dinner at some place with the unlikely name of "the
lumberjack". They had some kind of log sawing competition on the big
screens. I guess it's a local thang....
My intention was to be in Rockaway Beach by end of tomorrow but I'm
behind schedule and would have to make 590 miles from here in one
day. Doable, but uncomfortable. Hey, after this trip I should be
able to do Sturgis no problem...
Where *are* my manners? A round on me. Make mine something strong.
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