Country living and country riding, but first an hour or two getting away from it all. From my home its about an hour to cross the GG bridge just north of SF. 280 turns into 19th avenue in the City and then it turns into hiway 1/101 as it crosses the bridge. After the bridge, to stay on 1 you have to ride west over Mt. Tamalpais just south of Mill Valley and just north of Sausalito. The high up pics of the bridge are from the Marin Headlands up the hill just north of the bridge.
I had started out thinking I would ride 101 all the way but the weather was so nice I chose 1 instead. I could always ride 101 on the way back. The tourists were few early in the morning and non existent on hiway 1. Stinson Beach is the first sight of salt water but its really Tomales Bay that you ride around the edge of heading north to Bodega Bay. From there the road is nearly barren of vehicles as most don't take 1 (all the way). Why? Because they don't own motorcycles. Its a road made for motorcycles and today the weather was spectacular! Blue blue skies and unlimited view out to sea. No wind except for about a 20 mile section. Very unusual as there is almost always a north by northwest wind.
I ended up taking so much time riding up 1 that instead of riding the Lost Coast road the back way, I decided to ride the Avenue and then the next morning, ride the Lost road west out of Ferndale. I was glad I did too as I would have had to backtrack in the the other direction due to a lack of pavement...something I didn't know about until the next day. Aaah the Avenue. I still can't get over how majestic these old growth redwoods are, even after seeing them many times. To see the sky deep in the groves you have to look straight up. Easier to lie on your back to see the tops (less dizzying). Pictures just don't so them justice.
The Lost Coast road is what I'd call really off the beaten path. The road is in bad condition for most of the way but in over an hour, I saw only a handfull of motorcycles and even fewer four wheelers. Thought I'd go thru a town called Capetown. Its on the map even, but its really just a large tree with a hand painted sign that reads, Capetown! No kidding! One farmhouse and the tree with the sign and that's it! No cape and no town! See the little beachfront farmhouse? Man, if there is ever a Tsunami in this area, that house is gone! But the solitude! No neighbors for miles and the sound of the surf in your ears, the only (distraction).
Planning on riding the long version, ending up in Shelter Cove before turning away from the coast, I gave it a try. After a few uphill switchbacks in the gravel/rutted road, I decided to turn back. The 79 is no off road vehicle, for any long distance anyway and I wasn't going to tip toe around any more uphill hairpins in the gravel hoping for a better road around the next corner. A big dirt bike would have been nice at this point. Heading back over the short version I crossed a wooden floored bridge that had raised wooden tire tracks on either side. I thought it wiser to stay in the tracks. Kind of a creaky ride.
The good part of the crossing was that it lead me to an area of old growth redwoods that I'd never been to before. Surprisingly they were only a few miles off 101 and the Avenue. I'd just never taken that particular road. Not anymore though. I'll be back again and again. Walking out underneath them, stretching hundreds of feet in the sky is akin to being in an outdoor cathedral or something. What I wouldn't give to have a home in such a location! Having dawdled so long in this area, and riding south thru the Avenue, I'd run out of time to take 1 all the way home so I took 101, and in certain sections, 101 is a great ride too! Some very fast sweepers with some great straighaways as well. Almost all of course, lined with large green trees, my favorite 'side of the road' attraction. That is, until I reach civilization. From about Santa Rosa south thru the City, the traffic is terrible and I regret not taking hiway 1.
To see the pics enlarged, just click on them. Apologies for their quality. I'm still working on a good camera...maybe its just me....in any event, ride em if ya got em!
http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i87/j ... Coast%20I/
http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i87/j ... st%20Ride/
Where all the addresses have five digits...
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Terry
- ICOA Member
- Posts: 2306
- Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2003 9:45 pm
- Location: norcal
- Location: Northern California, USA
Where all the addresses have five digits...
Last edited by Terry on Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
It ain't the destination, its the journey...
