The Native Iowan

Spending the night in a nice, yuppie class, kid friendly,with dispensers for “mutt-mitts”. When I travel I am willing to spend a couple of dollars on a good bed and an even better meal. After a long day of driving it is easy to end up with an upset stomach. The “runs” in super-zipped-up leather suits is not good newz. Nor is a week of constipation. So I plan my days and nights aiming to ride within my personal abilities. And staying as healthy as is possible.

Today was a funny, funny ride… first jump was only: 

I think it took me more than 4 hours to reach Santa Rosa. Mainly due to going through SanFran. A ride down memory lane in many ways.

It was worth a total of 8hrs of travel, maybe 6 to 7hrs of saddle time. I didn’t stop much but at one point I’d averaged 25 mph over an hour stretch of SanFran City. And all is good, my day’s ride is done. The Pacific Coast is over yonder. Pleasing place to end a long day….

Highway 1, what can I say…

Better have damn good brakes plus decent speed control… it is as demanding a ride as you make it…

The air is clean and crisp. The wind is worth note. Vistas are dangerous… don’t stare too long or you’ll be in honest trouble.

There is traffic and the narrow, through-forest, and along coast roads don’t allow for much “racing”. I had a couple “close calls” in traffic today but ifn you got your radar on and you’re rides eyes wide open, looking way, way ahead; you can see the dumb-shits, long before they hurt you. And the close calls I had were, honest, close calls. Ride eye-open or not at all, on these roads.

You gotta have it all switched “ON”.

Which is the kinda riding I like. I rode through downtown San Fran this morn. Down Mission, past all the once known names and places. Over the Golden Gate Bridge. North into Redwood Country.

And it is pretty country. All of it. But once you get north of Santa Rosa it just opens up with splendor. I rode from Santa Rosa to Leggitt to get on to Hwy 1…

All through amazing land. Much under the agricultural hand. Much still dry n wild. Lots of cool scenery and mini-mountains and small roadside towns. I turned onto Hwy 1 at Leggett. The next 40 miles are severe, to be kind, very severe… hard turns, up n down hill, traffic both ways. Demanding riding.

But it works… there are “turn-offs” where a slower vehicle can pull over. And it works. You can ride as fast or as slow as you like. And it is pretty but don’t be too much of a tourist. It is a demanding road and big trucks with logs or super-huge buses type campers take up a lot of room. These corners are blind. If they say 20 mph they mean it plus 10. But not plus 20.

It took a full tank of gas to get to Mendocino… A very decent and good day’s ride.

And I end up where I be… as I write this…

A dawg friendly Bar… what a place! I like it a lot. Three dogs are hanging at the bar.

Check it out… CHECK IT OUT!!!! ….

http://www.stanfordinn.com/

For light riders of my age-group, this is perfect…

The restaurant is ideal for my needs… I just said no to the “burger” and the gal said “we’re vegan”. I smiled and laughed. A vegan burger. I like it. I like it a lot. It’s a fun and friendly and hippy cool sorta venue. I dig it. The gardens are “over yonder” and the chef/ nutritionist chats the clients up, as the dogs rattle their chains and the beer’s bubbles dance in the end-day’s sunshine.

Much like the place I stayed in the Lake District, this has a good vibe. A solid, NorCal, hippie vibe which I most definitely identify with.

Tomorrow… 

And all is good…