Well the weatherman completely off about the weather. I woke at 5 AM, ready to make a day of running to Monterey and back in warm, sunny weather, at 6 AM it is still cold and the snow is slowly melting, Yuk.
I pack light and warm and crawl on to my sweetheart Beemer R1200 GSA and roll out. The day is gray and cold and the coastal mountains to the west are shrouded in a blanket of low clouds, Bummer!
Well I am not one to let Mother Nature interfere with my joy in riding. I will ride in sub freezing weather given a chance to spend time with a road and my bike.
So today actually looked pretty good. A whole day to ride and explore the Monterey Bay coast.
Ok I fly by the seat of my pants, the day before I looked a Google Earth map and kind of knew where I wanted to go for the day, South on Hwy 41 to Hwy 198 to Hwy 101 into the Bay, Hmmm nope.*
I head out of Fresno on Hwy 41 south, colder than H@!!, pick up Hwy 198 and head west out past Lemoore Naval Air Station. The wind starts to pick up to about 30+ MPH blowing across the road, I am heading across the west side flats, and I am leaning the bike 5+ degrees into the crosswind hard. There is nothing to stop the wind except the tumbleweeds ;-) I am cruzing along the straight to Harris Ranch (Great Food) at about 75-80 mph, flat clear Ag land, about 3 miles out of Harris Ranch there is a small dip, you will always find a CHP setting there ;-) SLOW DOWN, yes he is there, I wave as I roll by at 55 ;-) again.
I few miles later I stop at the place where Joaquin Murrieta (Bad *** bandit in 1853) was killed. I stop and take the required pic and roll into Coalinga a few minutes later.
Hwy 198 really starts here for serious riders. The road winds for a bit and then starts climbing the western side of Fresno County. Really good times, great road for anyone on a bike.
I had a pair of Red-tailed hawks circling above me on the thermals coming up from the valley floor, very cool to watch up close.
You will continue climbing and hitting for various plateaus, watch for sand! on the road. I continue on, cresting the first mountain range. and roll into Hwy 101 at San Lucas. Great ride in the morning, no traffic and a good ride. I check my map before heading north and see Hwy G16 at Greenfield appears to be an alternate to running up Hwy 101 to Salinas. If you ever get a chance to run G16 to Carmel Valley, TAKE IT! This is a jewel for anyone on a bike.
I take the Greenfield exit off Hwy 101 and look west; you will see the cut in the mountain the road runs though. You will be heading due west and there is nobody on the road! This will take about an hour and a half for 55 miles. The day I traveled the road I had a great experience in having a yearling dear step out into the road about a ¼ mile in front of me, I pulled the clutch and went into stealth mode. I rolled within 50 feet before she looked up and saw me, from the side of the road and in a single jump she cleared a barbed wire fence and was off and running hard parallel in the direction, I was headed. I slipped the clutch and burped the Beemr, Woah I picked up two more deer running with her mom and brother! I kept pace with them for about a quarter of a mile or more, they were running hard along the fence line, parallel to the road within 50 feet of me, very cool! Be aware on this road the deer own it.
Further on you will drop into Carmel Valley, you can run into Hwy 101 or hang a right and run up and over into Monterey Bay. Either or it is a really good ride. I chose the straight in route to Monterey Bay via Hwy 101; I spent some time walking the tourist traps, all good.
By now it was about 3 PM and getting colder. I topped the tank and picked up Hwy 68 to Salinas, watch your speed. Boring traffic filled tourist road, finally got on to Hwy 101, 4 lane, made up for traffic and hit the Hwy 156, Hollister exit, Showtime, damn the locals drive this road hard! I was rolling at 80 mph and the local plates were passing me, even in PT Cruzers, lol. I stayed in the right lane and let the traffic flow, picked up the Hollister exit and hung a right. Everybody slowed down and we rolled into Hollister.*
I went left at the light and stopped at Jerry’s Restaurant, first real food stop all day. Yeah it’s old and has seen better days, but so am I. You can get some good biscuits and gravy with eggs, taters, and sausage with coffee for less than $7.00 at 4:30 PM!!! I like road food that sticks! If you get the chance stop at Jerry’s, definitely worth the time. After my coffee, and looking at my map and the time, I realize I still had a 100+ mile run to home and it’s starting to get dark, crap.
OK I suck it up and head east hard, to Hwy 152, I again seem to pick up a bunch of crazies and we roll into Los Banos a little ahead of schedule. Hey if you have rabbits running out front, I always follow them from a discrete distance and watch for the oops’ brake lights ;-)
This is the hardest part of the day, I am nearly at 300 miles out and it is cold and dark. I feel good and alert, but I know I need to stay focused; I have 100+ miles to go before I get to the barn. I pick up two other bikes, we run it up a bit on Hwy 152, nobody is on the road, and it is straight forever. I find myself rolling into Hwy 99 South and my exit pretty quick.
My legs and hands are numb and tingly; I am stretching hard, and get her stopped at the sign. Damn I need to remember my stretching exercises during the ride! I roll up to my local Irish pub and get a hot cup of coffee, more for my hands than anything else. The bartender has a Ducati Moto, I tell my lies, and we both laugh. Good times!*
Thanks for listening.
I pack light and warm and crawl on to my sweetheart Beemer R1200 GSA and roll out. The day is gray and cold and the coastal mountains to the west are shrouded in a blanket of low clouds, Bummer!
Well I am not one to let Mother Nature interfere with my joy in riding. I will ride in sub freezing weather given a chance to spend time with a road and my bike.
So today actually looked pretty good. A whole day to ride and explore the Monterey Bay coast.
Ok I fly by the seat of my pants, the day before I looked a Google Earth map and kind of knew where I wanted to go for the day, South on Hwy 41 to Hwy 198 to Hwy 101 into the Bay, Hmmm nope.*
I head out of Fresno on Hwy 41 south, colder than H@!!, pick up Hwy 198 and head west out past Lemoore Naval Air Station. The wind starts to pick up to about 30+ MPH blowing across the road, I am heading across the west side flats, and I am leaning the bike 5+ degrees into the crosswind hard. There is nothing to stop the wind except the tumbleweeds ;-) I am cruzing along the straight to Harris Ranch (Great Food) at about 75-80 mph, flat clear Ag land, about 3 miles out of Harris Ranch there is a small dip, you will always find a CHP setting there ;-) SLOW DOWN, yes he is there, I wave as I roll by at 55 ;-) again.
I few miles later I stop at the place where Joaquin Murrieta (Bad *** bandit in 1853) was killed. I stop and take the required pic and roll into Coalinga a few minutes later.
Hwy 198 really starts here for serious riders. The road winds for a bit and then starts climbing the western side of Fresno County. Really good times, great road for anyone on a bike.
I had a pair of Red-tailed hawks circling above me on the thermals coming up from the valley floor, very cool to watch up close.
You will continue climbing and hitting for various plateaus, watch for sand! on the road. I continue on, cresting the first mountain range. and roll into Hwy 101 at San Lucas. Great ride in the morning, no traffic and a good ride. I check my map before heading north and see Hwy G16 at Greenfield appears to be an alternate to running up Hwy 101 to Salinas. If you ever get a chance to run G16 to Carmel Valley, TAKE IT! This is a jewel for anyone on a bike.
I take the Greenfield exit off Hwy 101 and look west; you will see the cut in the mountain the road runs though. You will be heading due west and there is nobody on the road! This will take about an hour and a half for 55 miles. The day I traveled the road I had a great experience in having a yearling dear step out into the road about a ¼ mile in front of me, I pulled the clutch and went into stealth mode. I rolled within 50 feet before she looked up and saw me, from the side of the road and in a single jump she cleared a barbed wire fence and was off and running hard parallel in the direction, I was headed. I slipped the clutch and burped the Beemr, Woah I picked up two more deer running with her mom and brother! I kept pace with them for about a quarter of a mile or more, they were running hard along the fence line, parallel to the road within 50 feet of me, very cool! Be aware on this road the deer own it.
Further on you will drop into Carmel Valley, you can run into Hwy 101 or hang a right and run up and over into Monterey Bay. Either or it is a really good ride. I chose the straight in route to Monterey Bay via Hwy 101; I spent some time walking the tourist traps, all good.
By now it was about 3 PM and getting colder. I topped the tank and picked up Hwy 68 to Salinas, watch your speed. Boring traffic filled tourist road, finally got on to Hwy 101, 4 lane, made up for traffic and hit the Hwy 156, Hollister exit, Showtime, damn the locals drive this road hard! I was rolling at 80 mph and the local plates were passing me, even in PT Cruzers, lol. I stayed in the right lane and let the traffic flow, picked up the Hollister exit and hung a right. Everybody slowed down and we rolled into Hollister.*
I went left at the light and stopped at Jerry’s Restaurant, first real food stop all day. Yeah it’s old and has seen better days, but so am I. You can get some good biscuits and gravy with eggs, taters, and sausage with coffee for less than $7.00 at 4:30 PM!!! I like road food that sticks! If you get the chance stop at Jerry’s, definitely worth the time. After my coffee, and looking at my map and the time, I realize I still had a 100+ mile run to home and it’s starting to get dark, crap.
OK I suck it up and head east hard, to Hwy 152, I again seem to pick up a bunch of crazies and we roll into Los Banos a little ahead of schedule. Hey if you have rabbits running out front, I always follow them from a discrete distance and watch for the oops’ brake lights ;-)
This is the hardest part of the day, I am nearly at 300 miles out and it is cold and dark. I feel good and alert, but I know I need to stay focused; I have 100+ miles to go before I get to the barn. I pick up two other bikes, we run it up a bit on Hwy 152, nobody is on the road, and it is straight forever. I find myself rolling into Hwy 99 South and my exit pretty quick.
My legs and hands are numb and tingly; I am stretching hard, and get her stopped at the sign. Damn I need to remember my stretching exercises during the ride! I roll up to my local Irish pub and get a hot cup of coffee, more for my hands than anything else. The bartender has a Ducati Moto, I tell my lies, and we both laugh. Good times!*
Thanks for listening.