The Native Iowan

Highway 1 offers so much. It goes from overloaded with hazard and risk to being down right boring. And after the first couple hours of riding I was happy to welcome the boring… The first jump this morn was pretty intense… I was on the road basically alone and still only averaged about 30mph over my first 80-some miles.

It does not look like much but the 80-some miles took me 2.5 hours and had me breathing hard and stilling my beating heart. It is a terrific, demanding, hard, frightening, beautiful, and fun-filled ride… I found this online…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrRokto2U1c

It is 80 miles of switchbacks, steep up n down hill runs, and dangerous traffic.

The roads are pretty good, indeed, very good. Lots of traffic entering from the sides and the roads, even the straightaways are hillock prone so you seldom, rarely see what is coming up on you. My eyes are looking as far ahead as I can see. Which is not very far in some places…

A nice, snakey down hill run into a 15mph right hand turn. Down fast, drop 2 gear, pop the clutch and rev the engine and lean in one fluid motion. Speed has been spilt off and I am into the tight-right where I accelerate, up hill, over a hillock which almost raises my front wheel as I accelerate into a 30mph left hander. I am probably hitting 50mph, uphill, and just picking my line and leaning into the leftie… All I see ahead of me is blue sky and a bank of clouds, down on the water, about 800 feet below. I’ll use what camber there is and lean the bike into right tire track of the road… and I see it. The massive chrome bumper and the huge chrome grill. All attached to a fire-engine red PeterBuilt, pulling a 40 foot long load of logs… down hill, with steaming brakes, halfway into my lane, as he turns his nose downhill… yep, a shot of adrenaline is useful… I snatched the front brake giving it two quick pulls, dropped down a gear, popped the clutch then hit another lower gear, as I stood the bike up, out of the curve and bled speed as I almost went onto the very small shoulder which is attached to the 800 foot sharp decent…

I rode out of that at probably 25mph. it was not a drastic encounter, but it could have been. I saw the truck first. Then I saw the bus sized mobile home and the 12 cars behind the truck. All itching at the brakes and frustrated by the truck.

There is so much to mention… the high, winding switchbacks, visible into the distance, above the fog and clouds hundreds of feet below, on the water. The small and interesting looking towns… Manchester, Guhulala, Sea Ranch… so many sights, so many smells, so many fleeting visuals.

And its the fleeting visuals thats gonna get you in trouble… the vehicles coming in from the side are the worse… You see them, they act like they’ll stop then “DAD” gooses his minivan in an effort to hit 60mph within the 2.3 seconds he has before you get to the intersection. Its only after you brake hard, stare Dad in the eye, so that he hangs his head in shame for being so impatient… The log trucks are so, so dangerous… because they are so, so big… And the local buses… these guys know the roads and drive “too fast”. Follow them closely at your peril. Anything with lights, any official vehicles should be well watched. I was cranking on 101 yesterday, doing 75mph in a 65; I was passed by a big-arsed cop, on a big white hog, passing me at speed. They think they own the road. There is lots to watch out for… old men in fancy cars… and even worse… old women in fancy cars… I love the huge mobile-homes with the car and the boat hitched behind… going down hill you can feel the heat from their breaks. I’ll write this all up later as it is an important part of my riding, but…

HWY 1…wow… what a ride! After Bodega Bay is mellows out but from Leggett to Bodega Bay… gotta be one of the top rid’n/ driv’n roads on the planet. I shall come back, again and again.

From Jenner I shot to Petaluma, across the golden Gate Bridge, through SanFran and down to Monterey.

The HWY1 here is a bit different. Different scenery, flora and fauna. More agriculture. more traffic, more bugs and bad drivers.

So sitting in a fancy place in Monterey. Have been emailing with Andy and his gang and they are going to join me for supper tonight. Hope they get here soon. I am going to be poor company after this next beer. I am fading quickly. But I shall survive… not much to do in the morn, no… Only another 7 hours in the saddle…

Tomorrow…

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…

miles n trials

miles of trials

tears of rage

the pains of age

arthritic motions

lively pain n poetry

monolithic mountains

historic fountains

ancient earth works

castles, keeps and homesteads

airports, departures arrivals

a sense of survival

pervades mankind

past and present

All is evident

And real

And fun

And dynamic

And frustrating

And lesson filled

Emotion infused

And I remain enthused

Decade old muscles

Adjusting to the rigor

My youthful vigour

Not what it was

But it is a buzz

The family and friends

Memories and nostalgia

Generations coming

Generation past

All rehashed

Never meant to last

Gone t0o fast

With a big arsed grin

Maybe a gin

Or a vodka

Or bier

Or sparkling bubbles

My life is a gas

The world is a gem

Sharing is the key

As has been said before

Let it be…

with bro Bruce n Co…

mountains out the front door..

li’ starletts…

Big kids… 

outside the window… 

What a nice, nice ride. Through some great country. On some great roads. But with loads of traffic and plenty of impediments and obstacles. About 150 miles took me 5 hours today. But it was great riding.

My only road side stop today. Pumped the bilges and took a couple picts…

such green!

can you say “fantastic motorcycle road”?

So, more tired after 5 hours/150 miles of real riding than I am after 5 hours/400 miles of cruising.

All is guud…

Tuesday eve here, about 530pm. I have not rode more than 350 miles in 2 days but it has been an interesting 350 miles…

My plans, desire, need to visit the Isle of Man has been circumvented. Basically I fudged up n realise too late that I need to plan further in advance for this. I can catch the Ferry over on the date I want, but not back when I need. Hotels are pretty booked out and my plan of just rocking up and getting a room, where I want, is not happening.

So this will be where I am riding over the next couple days. Based out of Westmorland I have some 600 miles of good terrain to ride through, enjoy and write about…

And all is indeed very, very good

London weekend almost done. I am shattered/ exhausted/ depleated and hapi, hapi as hell.

Tomorrow morn I go pickup a rental bike and head off…

1)Herforshire to Liverpool:

Then to the Isle of Man, the home of 2 wheeled speed…

From there I shall ride the “Lake Country” of Cumbria…

And end up “home’ in Swepstone by the week’s end…

Gonna be a great ride…

big smiles…

On the Thames: Mr M: Bren n Pete: London Tower: Greenwich meridian line:

Golly, what a great City this is. I really enjoy London. I can’t say enough good about it.

Been here over a long weekend with Nick n Bren and Ol buddy Pete Wilson. A Gizo/ Solomons reunion of sorts with last eve, big smile n drum roll, The Monty Python Reunion.

What a great show. What great company. Laughs n smiles n so much fun.

I am shot, buggered, exhausted… n hapi, hapi…

Tomorrow morn I head off on two wheels to the Isle of Man.

More to come but I need a nap.

More later

My dreams are filled with the sound of speed;

Like a sailor whose wobbly legs are a memory of the sea,

I dream of wind and motion and sound and images phlashing past.

I hear the 80mph winds rush over, past n through me.

I see the shadows of faster vehicles before I see or hear them;

they come up fast from behind, tooling along 10 to 20 mph over my speed.

I hear the gears of the big-rigs shifting and toiling, up hill and down.

I smell the fried brakes over heated and warping from the down hill friction test.

I see the majestic scenery; the Colorado River, the Veil Pass, Utah in its barren glory,

Vegas in the glare of daylight, Nebraska in its flat nothingness; green, fertile n rich.

Those lonely sound filled hours of solitude;

a study of stillness in motion, man being still on the machine in motion…

Or such is the theory… how still can you be whilst in control of a 440lbs beast?

You are moving all the time, is the answer, moving and controlling and shifting and…

I think that riding long distance – at speed – is a perpetual motion sorta gig.

It’s about motion n control n awareness n being – out there –

OUT THERE, exposed n vulnerable n on the proverbial razor’s edge,

where the sound of speed is real, alive and an important part of life.

Thursday the 3rd of July in Pasadena. I got back to the apartment here about 10am on Tuesday, the 1st. Total distance was :

So 3867 miles. I picked the bike up 2 weeks ago, tomorrow.

Total time was, lets see, 630am Sunday to 1030am Tuesday. I sat for Thursday and Friday in Iowa then rode back. Basically 4 days of riding each way. Some days I rode over 550 miles. Some days 400. The more I rode the easier it got. Day after day of distance riding does take it out of you. Riding and being aware is the key.

When I got back Tuesday I dumped my gear and went to Trader Joe’s. I needed a big pot of soup. So some potatoes n onions n leeks n tomatoes all in a big pot. I have been eating this since Tuesday and it’s still real good.

Once I was fed n watered I passed out. Slept about 16 hours between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morn. Yesterday I did a few errands, ate soup n slept some more.

Today I am packing up to fly to London. The same minimalistic travel sense applies. I do believe I am traveling with less than I did over the 4000 miles.

Cleaned the bike up: 

The put her to bed while I am gone…

Look forward to riding in the UK.

More later

I am south of Las Vegas by about 25 miles. I am only about 3 hours from “home” in Pasadena. What a journey.

I’ll talk about riding. Riding the way I ride.

It is all about the ride. The symphony of man and machine…

It is all about the road. The landscape and the weather and towns and truck stops… the experience…

Each day’s road is different. Cold in the morning at 4500ft and sweltering in the afternoon, through Vegas. Some roads are real fast. There is one stretch of 100 miles from Green River to Salina…

This streach offers nothing to help a motorist. It is 100 miles of harsh nothingness and beauty. For 2 wheels it is a great ride. Loads of 55mph corners with the speed @ 75. So I cruise these at 80. Switching right n left on empty roadways. Very little traffic. Cranking it to a ton is not difficult. For a cafe racer this is a wet dream with heaps of vroooom.

Some of the ride is flat and boring and, at times, real fast. Some stretches are posted at 80 so I ride @ 90mph/ 144 kph. There is a lot of road-works so some stretches are slow, hot, stinky and no fun for a 2wheeled maniac….

Today’s average speed was…

About 76mph avg. Not bad for a pretty easy day.

I do ride quick. I ride at the head of traffic. If traffic builds up I ride through it and get away from it. If traffic runs too fast I ride along side. I do not like vehicles close behind me. My experience of 2wheels is “death comes from behind.”

I literally ride “on my toes”. My boots are in the stirrups and its the stirrups that control the hoss. I don’t get to be “still” very often. Today was a very, very windy day. My neck n shoulders were in play all the time. My saggy back side shifts as I ride. It is a symphony of man and machine… a tilt of a knee or a shift of the head can change a lane at speed. Too much of anything is bad.

Being light makes it easy to be quick.

Traffic is traffic… world-wide. Most drivers simply suck. Most drivers are over occupied and distracted. I have daily been run off the road by semis that decide to change lane without any signal or looking in their mirrors. I can wind it up and get past. I am quick. And I watch closely. My attention rarely falters. I can’t recall the last time I stomped on the brakes. I normally hit the throttle to get out of trouble.

I shot past a semi that was pulling into the fast lane. He decided he could have his way and probably knew I could jump out of trouble. But the car behind me ended up off the road. I watched in my mirror as the brown sedan braked into the knee-high grass in the ditch.

If someone wants to pass me I make it easy for them. I need a slot between me and any traffic in front and behind me. Today in Vegas I found a nice slot I rode through most of the city. Speeds varied but my slot held good for a long while.

The ROAD is a living being. All travelling on it are parasites; some more worthy, than others.

I have listened to the “HIGHWAY” as I rode these past 3 to 4 thousand miles. I hear it as I ride; the wind, the machines I share the lanes with. I have had one “sport rider” zipp by me with a thumbs up. I ride past most other motorcycles. Most have trailers, or 3 wheels. I saw a Ural with a side car today… way, way cool.

I saw a trailer throw some tread from a flat. I ride watching for faults in the road. I have missed pot-holes that almost threw me. At speed you need both hands on the controls and all 7 senses at play and functions to high levels. I watch my mirrors all the time. I watch the wind in the grass. I watch way, way ahead; looking for trouble, brake lights, pot-holes.

It is an interesting balance of man and machine. One I enjoy. It makes me strong.

So, a few more days n I’ll be riding in the UK.

More later