South Central

[Old Michael]

Hey. Wasn't going to post this ride, but it's a bit quiet here lately, sooooo....

Last weekend, I got up Saturday morning and went for a ride on my 2006 FJR.

Figured I'd go south, get a motel room, and come home Sunday.

I rode almost directly to the coast, turned left, and ended up in San Luis Obispo.

(That's a trendy little suburb of Creston, CA.)

Sprung from bed at 5. Packed a few things. Carefully chose which gear

I'd wear. Then selected a lid to match.

Locked up my tiny apartment, and jumped on my motorcycle. (It's a Yamaha.)

The neighbor got this thing last summer. He rides it sometimes...down to his dealer to buy stuff for it.

Okay. Rolling.

Stopped to get a picture on a little bridge nearby, but .....

Another case of the man tryin' to keep me down.

Took a few more pictures as I was leaving town. You can't just waste that gorgeous early morning light.

This is Sacramento, which is really a very nice town..............even though Dr. Rich lives near it.

Headed toward Santa Cruz, just south of the bay area. An hour or so on the freeway, zooming along,

listening to music.

Hey! A trailer of Triumphs!

A MadMike era Ford.

What an amazing journey so far, huh? Into the heart of darkness.

In no time, I was in lovely Santa Cruz.

"Hey guys. Act like tourists for me!"

Golly, winter sucks.

There's the boardwalk and rollercoaster and all that over there. The rides were closed. I think.

Okay then. Outta there and down the coast past Capitola, and Monterey, and Carmel, and blah,

blah, blah. I won't bore you. You know. Water, and rocks, and sky.

Good road to think on.

I wasn't sure how far I'd make it before dark. The shorter days this time of the year can keep your mileage down.

I only ride in the dark if I've got to get somewhere, and it's seldom I have to get somewhere. Almost 30K this

year, and most of it in the daylight.

Oh-oh. My piping hot, combination pizza just arrived. I must take a break. I'll get back to this later.

(Almost to San Luis Obispo.)

Hey, BTW, who's riding tomorrow? Gonna be sunny and crisp.

Me too.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Awesome OM!!! :yahoo:

Saw some funny looking sea monsters too. Some sort of MM2 creature???

 

[madmike2]

Nice, Michael.

BTW, that Ford isn't from my era.......it has pneumatic tires! :blink:

Saw some funny looking sea monsters too. Some sort of MM2 creature???

Haven't you seen shark bait? It's used to keep the surfers safe.

 

[MEM]

Oh my, my.

OM - your ride reports ..... well, how do I say this??

:yahoo:

Best I can do in public

 

[Niehart]

"Good road to think on." Now there's a statement that scares me.

Thanks for taking us along Mr. Yellow Hat!

 

[Old Michael]

Thanky Simon, Mikey, and MaryEllen....and Dave.

It's gonna be great to see you four in Death Valley in a few weeks. Now that'll be a cool ride report.

Alrighty. Let's proceed.

Near San Simeon, there's a beach where elephant seals gather.

Okay. No Los Robustos cracks.

Cayucos, I think. Just north of Morro Bay.

Brumm! [SIZE=12pt]Brumm! [/SIZE] [SIZE=18pt]Brummm![/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Brummm![/SIZE]

In SLO, I actually found a motel for less that $100 a night! It took some looking. Sheeesh. Isn't this

supposed to be the low season?

Lubed my chain, filled my tank, parked the bike, washed my face, and strolled down Monterey Street to

a Vallarta's Mexican Food and Cantina. I think it's a chain.

Fair fare. But I took a picture just the same.

Back to my room, a few minutes of the tube, and called it a night.

The ride home in a minute, okay?

 

[madmike2]

Gee whiz, you could've called Carver Shauna to join you (Don would probably have come along). They might know the best joints eateries in the area.

I'm just sayin'.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Nice looking meal OM.

Are you still afraid to sleep without your helmet? Grow up.

Waiting for more.... :yahoo:

 

[JT 384]

You lucky dog. I wish I could this time of the year.Keep the pics coming!

 

[Old Michael]

Sunday morning.

Checked out and set about looking for a breakfast spot, where I could look at my map and

decide where I'd go next. I stopped into a store down the street, and asked the gal there

where she'd suggest.

"The locals all love Louisa's Place."

"Groovy. Will you join me?"

She said she couldn't.

Rode around town for a bit, taking pictures....

...until I found it.

Great breakfast. Linquica, eggs, taters, etc.

Wendell, I'm two for two.

Country music playing in the restaurant. Not much of a fan, but as I was finishing, Marty Robbins

came on. I love Marty Robbins cowboy songs. El Paso. Cool Water. They're Hangin' Me Tonight.

Decided to ride down to Avila Beach, spend the morning there, and then point her north.

Avila Beach.

Nice place. I like it.

Well, it was approaching midday, so I started back. Returned up through SLO...

...and decided to take 101, to make better time, without hurrying. I wanted to ride up the

San Francisco peninsula on my way home, so when 101 got me just north of Monterey again,

I jumped back on Hwy. 1.

On 101.

dcarver country. Hilly and green.

Love getting these shots. Probably get run over one of these days.

And back along the Pacific.

And into the city.

It was about now when the battery in my small camera died, which meant I'd be unable to

take any more photos while on the move. My second camera is difficult to manage while

I'm riding. Dadgummit.

Farther into town, I began taking side streets, to see what I could see.

About now, I was wishing I didn't have to go back to work the next morning.

I'd have just kept riding north across the Golden Gate Bridge and up the coast.

It was one of those days.

Instead, I headed east across the Bay Bridge, and toward home. No sunset shots, but a beautiful,

late afternoon cruise back to Sacramento.

Thanks for taking the time. Have a good weekend.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Great report once again, my friend. Thanks for thinking of me!

 

[FJRBluesman]

Bust would fit right in with the SF locals.

Great Trip, thanks OM.

 

[beemerdons]

Another Masterful Tribute to the Photojournalist Arts, Old Michael! I'm nominating you for Pulitzer Prize in the M/C Category!

 

[Bustanut joker]

Funny.. Mike an Howie both breed in the water :blink: ..

:jester:

 

[Bustanut joker]

Near San Simeon, there's a beach where elephant seals gather.

Damnit! And me with no picture of Simon to toy with!

:jester:

 

[Mizz Bustanut]

Ya know OM, if you check in the closets and under the bed for ghosts and monsters, you

wouldn't need the helmet at night.

:lol:

Great report! :clapping:

 

[FJRBluesman]

Near San Simeon, there's a beach where elephant seals gather.

Damnit! And me with no picture of Simon to toy with! :jester:

:rofl: My lucky day. :rofl:

 

[Old Michael]

if you check in the closets and under the bed for ghosts and monsters, youwouldn't need the helmet at night.

Old habits. A lot of married years.

My lucky day.

Johnny80's fell asleep on your couch, ....on his stomach?

 

[rogdeb]

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: