Went Down

[Old Michael]

I've been riding all over California lately, but hadn't ventured far into Southern California.

So last Thursday, March the 26th, I packed my gear and headed that way.

Like most folks, I love warm sunny beaches, so I figured I'd spend some time

looking around that part of the south state.

Oops. I hit enter before I meant to. Gimme a few here.

Duh.

From Sacramento, I simply headed down 5 to 152 and turned right.

When I got to the ocean, near Monterey, I turned south, and kept to the right.

Enough wordage. Here we go.

First photo stop, about an hour in. Good morning forum!

Morning light makes even Hwy. 5 offer up some pleasant scenery.

And zooming toward the coast on 152.

San Juan Batista

Aaaand the good ol' PCH.

It's seldom always sunny, or always foggy. But it's always beautiful and fresh.

Not much traffic here during the week.

Business travelers take other routes up and down the state.

Sometimes the coastline talks to me.

What?

I pulled into a number of little camping areas along the way.

Taking notes, in case I'm ever camping.

Not a bad site, huh?

It seemed as if I'd only been riding for a couple of hours,

when I suddenly found myself

gliding through Santa Barbara, and approaching

my first night's stop at Carpinteria State Beach.

I'd camped here last year when I came down to get

my saddle made in Ojai, and I'd promised myself

I'd come back.

My humble shelter for the night.

Ah, but I was on the coast, yards from the beach,

and the sun was going down.

There was absolutely nowhere I'd rather be.

Humor me here for a few frames.

I need a cigarette.

Be right back with Friday morning.

Hello?

 

[FJRONAMISSION]

I've been riding all over California lately, but hadn't ventured far into Southern California. So last Thursday, March the 26th, I packed my gear and headed that way.Like most folks, I love warm sunny beaches, so I figured I'd spend some time looking around that part of the south state.

Oops. I hit enter before I meant to. Gimme a few here.

Duh.

???????????????????? and..................

:dribble: :dribble:

I thought you were gonna say you went down on odot...... :blink: or something

B.

 

[James Burleigh]

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[Old Michael]

Edited first post.

Tough crowd tonight.

 

[Tyler]

Be right back with Friday morning.Hello?

Waiting in anticipation... :clapping:

 

[FJRBluesman]

Awesome pix Michael.

Now we're all a little miffed you dissed us SoCal folks, but..... It looks like you had a great time. :yahoo:

 

[k7lvo]

Edited first post.Tough crowd tonight.

Tonight?!?

Great pictures - especially the beach.

 

[Old Michael]

Well you guys, I sprung from my cozy sleeping bag the next morning, eager

to continue down this beautiful highway. I'd slept well, and was feeling great

- for a beat-up, late middle-aged putz.

Sometimes a fellow is just happy. Know what I mean? And I'm finding lately,

that most of my happy times come when I'm on the road with my bike.

Cant' help it.

Okay. Okay. Moving on.

A few miles farther south.

Although I'd committed to staying along the ocean, I was coming into the

greater Los Angeles area, and I kinda wanted to see some of the touristy stuff it has to offer.

There aren't a whole lot of things I don't like. And lately, I've been trying hard not to hate anything.

It's just better that way.

So I actually often enjoy cities and traffic. And stoplights, and pedestrians, and the whole mess.

Humanity.

Here's some stuff I saw on this part of my trip.

 

[Old Michael]

 

[Old Michael]

I got a little disoriented :blink: riding around the city, and landed on 405 South at about

3 o'clock on Friday afternoon.

Well, it was intense. I fell in behind another bike, piloted by a lane-splitting maniac,

and we hooked along for what seemed like an hour or so, until I jumped off near

Long Beach and got back on the PCH.

As sunset approached, I found a Best Western, checked in, dumped my gear off,

and headed out in search of another beach where I could take another couple of hundred

pictures of the sun sliding into the ocean.

I ended up on-oddly enough- Sunset Beach, or Bolsa Chica State Beach, or something.

A sign also said Dog Beach!

Holy cow, it was jumping! There were dozens of people, mostly women it seemed,

frolicking with their dogs on the entire stretch near where I parked.

And there are few things as joyful as a dog romping along the surf.

There were tennis balls and sticks being chased, and butts being sniffed,

and water being splashed, and ...the dogs were enjoying themselves too!

I'd encountered some camera problems, but I still got a few pics.

I think I even spied an Alsatian heel-biter(JB!) Bernese mountain dog,

similar to the type of dogs that Terri and Mikey HYCLE raise.

 

[Old Michael]

I was treated to another blue and orange and gold display before heading back to my motel.

Thassall I got right for tonight. I thought I'd finish, but I'll have to wrap it tomorrow.

In the morning, Dana Point, the Ortega Hwy. and Elsinore, L. A. Crest, Mojave, and heading back north.

Good night all. Your comments welcomed of course.

 

[Niehart]

OM, glad you take that camera with ya. Means when I fire up the PC in the morning, I will have a awesome new back ground.

Lots of fun to see the world through your eyes.

Did I tell ya that it was 38 and snowing at my shack this morning?

As always, thanks for taking us along! :fan_1:

 

[SacramentoMike]

Michael, you total dickwad, I thought you were going to tell us you dumped your damn motorcycle again. "Went down," indeed. I was so relieved I almost forgot to chastise you for sniffing all those ladies' butts. BAD Michael!! No! No!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I don't know what to say. Just beautiful and thanks for showing me some of the things I'll be seeing later this month on the PCH. Beautiful photography old mike and the commentary was great! I really liked Superwoman near that feejer....

 

[exskibum]

Hehehe -- nice pics, O.M. Imagine my surprise this early morning to see that last week I was buried to my chin in sand on the beach in SoCal. Had a nice view from there though!

 

[Gizmo]

Sometimes the coastline talks to me.

LMAO :lol2:

OK...That's it. I'm moving to California.

Great Pics OM. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Panman]

"Although I'd committed to staying along the ocean, I was coming into the

greater Los Angeles area, and I kinda wanted to see some of the touristy stuff it has to offer.

There aren't a whole lot of things I don't like. And lately, I've been trying hard not to hate anything.

It's just better that way.

So I actually often enjoy cities and traffic. And stoplights, and pedestrians, and the whole mess.

Humanity.

Here's some stuff I saw on this part of my trip."

OM, good thought, good shots!

 

[Gramps]

Great report!! Love the pictures. :clapping:

Hollywood & Vine...I remember all those characters there back in '76, guess nothin' changes much.

 

[Tyler]

Great pics and dialogue so far, OM... the sunset shots are stunning... always a favorite... and you have a great eye for catching the color and "chatter" of the city... :clapping: