NoCal by the numbers

[FJRBluesman]

Each year my friend Cort (some of you met on one of the Malibu rides) and I go off to the Sierra's or further up north to Lake Almanor and ride all over the place for a week. Never did the infamous Hwy 36 to the coast so this year we thought we'd do it.

Alas this trip did not start off well. I got sick a couple days before we were to leave, and we postponed the trip a week, swine flu or something, it was nasty. Two of my other kids were also sick during this time and it was their finals week too. It totaly messed up other plans for this trip, but oh well.

We took Hwy 36 from Lake Almanor to Arcata. Awesome ride. Took Hwy 299 back from Arcata. Another awesome ride. I highly recommend these two incredible roads. Enjoy the pix.

I invited everyone to come ride on this post. I also invited everyone to the Chester 4th of July parade. No one showed to either.

This looks like fun!

The only thing that slowed us down…. Ran into many of these little involuntary rest stops.

Fairlaner recommended this little establishment for lunch, I have no clue why, it didn't have any fish & chips.

The Redwoods were AWESOME! They are HUGE!

Finally at the Northern coast, in beautiful downtown Eureka, Ca.

The Carson Mansion.

The bridge/causeway over the bay.

The park and Marina.

Downtown Arcata, home of the Humboldt State Lumberjacks. Oh, I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK, I sleep all night and I work all day…

The town square. I believe all the hippies from Berkeley relocated here. I didn't see JB though….

One of the cool old theaters.

One of the many gorgeous vistas on Hwy 299.

I have no clue why we stopped here…

In Westwood, Ca, an old lumber mill town for many years, now gone. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox. You know those lumberjacks.

Deer Creek in Chester, Ca on Hwy 36 near Lake Almanor. We hung out hear for the Chester 4th of July Parade.

The big parade! This is Chester's big event each year. They close off Hwy 36 for an hour and do this great 4th of July parade. Very low budget, small town feel. It's pretty cool. Needless to say if your traveling thru Chester on this day just before 11am in the future, you'll be in quite the traffic jam for a while.

I think this was the 1940's and 50's forerunner to the FJR.

 

[ynotride]

Thanks for the pics. Just what I needed to cure the India Blues. I get home from my trip on the 24th and I'm taking 3 weeks off to ride around with a buddy from AZ. I have 3 days left in India then I'm headed to Manila,Philipinnes for 2 weeks. I am at that point of the trip where all I can think about is getting home and going for a long *** ride.

So far the tentative plan is to hit AZ,CO,MT,WY,ID,Jasper,BC,Nakusp,BC,Vancouver,BC then head down the coast from Vancouver back to Socal. Should be around 6000 miles. I should have plenty of nice pictures to post after the ride and see some of these same roads you just posted :yahoo:

 

[Old Michael]

I invited everyone .... No one showed .....

What are you talkin' about Simon?

But seriously Amigo, I'd have loved to have joined y'all on 36 and 299, if I could have kept up.

Excellent photos, and I could almost feel the cool air in Eureka and Arcata.

Geez, it does seem like there are a lot of panhandlers etc. on the main drag there. But it sorta

gives the place some character, don't you think?

 

[FJRBluesman]

Thanks for the pics. Just what I needed to cure the India Blues. I get home from my trip on the 24th and I'm taking 3 weeks off to ride around with a buddy from AZ. I have 3 days left in India then I'm headed to Manila,Philipinnes for 2 weeks. I am at that point of the trip where all I can think about is getting home and going for a long *** ride.
So far the tentative plan is to hit AZ,CO,MT,WY,ID,Jasper,BC,Nakusp,BC,Vancouver,BC then head down the coast from Vancouver back to Socal. Should be around 6000 miles. I should have plenty of nice pictures to post after the ride and see some of these same roads you just posted :yahoo:

I feel sorry for you. I watched that show, Out sourced, it's you! Get home quickly and safe.

Enjoy your ride around the country, should be a blast!! :yahoo:

 

[ynotride]

I feel sorry for you. I watched that show, Out sourced, it's you! Get home quickly and safe.
Enjoy your ride around the country, should be a blast!! :yahoo:

Yeah that is me :angry2: Unfortunately my job was sent overseas a few years ago and I had to make the decision to say F'm or join them. Still not sure i made the right choice

I actually don't have anything to do with the call center stuff I just tell people that because they don't ask anymore questions. I work for a big Title-Escrow company and I train people here how to read legal descriptions and lot line maps h34r:

 

[FJRBluesman]

I invited everyone .... No one showed .....

What are you talkin' about Simon?

But seriously Amigo, I'd have loved to have joined y'all on 36 and 299, if I could have kept up.

Excellent photos, and I could almost feel the cool air in Eureka and Arcata.

Geez, it does seem like there are a lot of panhandlers etc. on the main drag there. But it sorta

gives the place some character, don't you think?

Geeesh guys! I missed you! Michael - Your camera always captures stuff I missed, unreal. Thanks!
Man... Bust, Fairlaner, and dcarver look good. Interesting Richards new European body change, and Don was acting a little immature... and Bust well.... he's plain old Bust.

 

[FarWestFastEddie]

What the Crap Bluesman? I live in Eureka! I would have loved to

show you some of the riding sights, and Simon Legrees is only a few

miles from where I grew up, Burnt Ranch, and if you do get the

time, and hurry, do ride Highway 299 from Redding to Eureka!

Caltrans is in the process of realigning all the twisties just west

of Whiskey Town Lake, and that is one sweet peg scraping ride,

going up hill!

FWFE

 

[FarWestFastEddie]

What the Crap Bluesman? I live in Eureka! I would have loved to

show you some of the riding sights, and Simon Legrees is only a few

miles from where I grew up, Burnt Ranch, and if you do get the

time, and hurry, do ride Highway 299 from Redding to Eureka!

Caltrans is in the process of realigning all the twisties just west

of Whiskey Town Lake, and that is one sweet peg scraping ride,

going up hill!

OBTW, Great Pictures! glad you had fun!

FWFE

 

[FJRBluesman]

Ya know FWFE I did post a little prior but.... I should have looked up those that lived near by.

Two things though why I didn't put out a mass notice real early. I did get sick and had to postpone, that would have been ugly with a bunch of people to ask them to also postpone. The other thing is we still deviated by one day on our trip when we arrived at Lake Almanor. I didn't want to be tied down to a rigid schedule to meet others, just in case we got a wild hair and changed it up, etc. It was great just cruising around at our pace (stopping and taking tons-O-pix) and not having to worry about being anywhere at a specific time.

I loved both 36 and 299. Way fun! Whiskey Town is awesome and they have a great looking lake.

Next time I'll look people up and PM them for riding.

Now I know another FeeJer rider in the great white north .... of Cali.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Ya know, I told Carver he was going to look like a Charlie Brown character in that get up.. :blink: Fairlaner was just dying to show off his "new look" And I just hadta show off me new mule. Hey I see Michael did show up!

It was quite a day! Good times, good food, good beer.. We need to do it again soon :lol:

Oh, Nice report Simon :good:

:jester:

 

[big ears]

Thanks for the photos. Love northern Cal.

 

[beemerdons]

In preparation for WFO, I went back and looked at FJRBluesman-Simon's great Ride Report to Northern California. Can't wait to get to the Cool Coast, already getting hotter than Hades here in Phoenix!

 

[Old Michael]

... already getting hotter than Hades here in Phoenix!

Good prep for your "long-term" future, Papa Chuy.



I know. You'll be among friends.

 

[beemerdons]

... already getting hotter than Hades here in Phoenix!

Good prep for your "long-term" future, Papa Chuy.



I know. You'll be among friends.

Irishman & the Devil

An Irishman is trying to learn golf and having a terrible time of it. "I'd give just about anything to get this right!" he says aloud.

Straight on the Devil appears and says "Anything?"

"Well, short of selling my soul, yes."

"How about giving up *** for the rest of your life?"

"Done and done!" He finishes the game in rare good form and rumor of his deal spreads thru the clubhouse. One of the members, a reporter, sees a story here and asks him, "Sir, is it true you made a deal with the Devil to become a great golfer?"

"True, enough."

"And you gave up *** as your part of the bargain?"

"True again!"

"And may I have your name, sir?"

"Certainly. Father Michael O'Keeffe."