With a new 3 day plan in hand and new reservations made we started our journey this morning to partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures around 55. No rain in the forecast for are entire route so things were looking good. Still I could not be just a little disappointed that after 5000 miles covered that we were going to miss the Redwood forest, the drive thru tree, and Crater Lake. Lori and I will just have to fly out here some August, their dry season, rent a motorcycle and drive up there a see the sights.
First order of business today was to travel back to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge. As we headed toward that way using the morning commute interstate, Mark got his first chance at lane splitting. In California it is legal, but I wasn’t 100% sure of the rules. So I saw a police getting ready to join the traffic flow and I flagged him down. Traffic must be moving 30 mph or slower, your speed cannot exceed 10 mph of the traffic flow. You cannot do it on two lane roads. You can use it at stop lights. When traffic comes to a complete halt, it is a great tool to have and their lanes here are a little wider. But, Lori still held here breath the few times that I did it. Pulling a trailer made it a little tricky but most drivers see you coming and give you more room. Pretty cool. In DC it would never work with all the road rage, here it is accepted and the law.
The Golden Gate bridge is a sight to see in person and no picture will do it justice. It’s pretty, it’s unique, it’s old, it’s weathered, but it is still a cool sight to see. I think Lori and I were the only English speaking people on the ground. Nothing like being strangers in our own country.
Leaving the Golden Gate, we venture back the wine country of Napa Valley and the rest. We did not stop at any of the Vineyards but they were pretty, the vineyards themselves covered so many acres I would only be guessing how much land they covered. If I had to guess looking at all the vineyards, there is gold in them there grapes. I’m glad we decided to cover this ride we missed yesterday because I finally got to use the sidewalls of those motorcycle tires. Where there were flats running around the middle, I rounded them flats out today. I would say we did at least 200 miles of curvy roads thanks to the layout from Road Runner Magazine. I also did not drag a peg the entire day. I feel very limited pushing the motorcycle so far from home, on a broken shock, and pulling a trailer. I’ll drag them pegs when I get home. Today would have been a great day to have two good shocks!!!!
About the only negative of the day was, in the middle of nowhere USA, we got stopped for road construction for such a long period, it was engine off and kickstand down. We sat for a total of 30 minutes in the construction zone. Ugh! At least it wasn’t a 100 degrees.
Last highlight of the day, we rolled into and through Dixon California and maybe just maybe, I might retire here. That’ll never happen because it is to far from Virginia and family. Also of note, today officially marked our turn eastbound toward Virginia even if it is just a gradual turn until Pueblo Colorado. Once I reach Pueblo, it will be a three day sprint across the country just to get home and through Tornado Alley.
We are currently in Sacramento, Ca. and will be spending two nights here. I have a 400 mile loop laid out to run here tomorrow, but I will make the decision in the morning with Lori to see what she feels like doing. If she would like to do something other than ride, then we will do it.
Todays run was 336 miles, and our total is now 5558.
Click here for todays pictures:
Tomorrows route is pictured below:
he Picture below shows what we have completed and what we have left. The Red is complete and the Green is what is left.
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