The first couple of
years were open to anyone that wanted to go and it just got to big and almost uncontrollable. So the last few years we have made it invitation only. Even doing it this way and getting it down in size, the ride seems to balloon every year.
We leave Windsor and head out Hwy 128 through Booneville to Mendocino on Hwy One and the beautiful Pacific north coast. We stop in Mendocino for lunch and then fuel in Fort Brag ten miles to the north. With tanks topped off we head up Hwy 1 for Leggit and the famous "Drive through tree", where it intersects with Hwy 101. A group of five or so
arrived at the intersection of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 and stopped to wait for the other riders. After more than enough time NO ONE was showing up . Not one bike!
Just has Andy and I were getting on the motors to backtrack a CDF (California Dept of Forestry) fire truck goes whizzing by with sirens blaring, not a good sign. Kathy my wife was among the missing on her SV650!!!!
We back tracked only about two miles and we came upon about 10 riders stopped in a turn out, Kathy's bike was there on the stand but she was not there. We could see smoke up the road.. I kept going. This is what I saw!
Kathy was leaning over Albert on the other side of the road and one of the CDF people was right there also. It appeared Bert had gotten just a little to hot (pardon the pun) into the left-hander and stood the bike up and rode it into the turnout and fell over at 0 miles an hour. Two more problems happened, seems Bert hit wrong and dislocated his shoulder and the FULL tank leaked onto the engine creating a small forest fire and totally melting his beautiful F4i!!!
Had he not gotten hurt I would have MADE him ride the rest of the four day trip on the back of my R1200ST. Instead Albert rode south with the tow truck driver and called home for a ride back to Headlsburg.
(Side note, Albert is a very good rider, He also does trackdays with his M5 BMW car and I would ride or drive with him anywhere, his accident was just a mille second of lost concentration that multiplied into a small disaster ... STUFF Happens)
After totaling lying to the CHP (It was a DEER that ran in front of him of course) and getting regrouped we headed on to Eureka.
AT right is a photo of my NEW R1200ST with my communications filled tankbag and our new rack bag. I have never used hard bags in my life. So I decided to give them a try for this trip.
This is Kurt's MV Augusta F1 at left with RKA tankbag and our 33 liter expandable saddlebags. Don't tell him luggage wouldn't work on a MV!!
We all went to dinner at the near by pub and called Bert to make sure he made it home ok and then had a nice evening of food and drink.
This is a photo o
f Kathy and I so now you know what we look like
Saturday morning we were off to Red Bluff via Hwy 36 (Remember the name of the story?) which is 150 miles to the east. About 30 miles into the ride we stop at the Bridgeville turn out to regroup.
Then stop in Wildwood for refueling (The ONLY gas on the route) The road is through the most gorgeous country side in the world! Curves to die for, Dips, and bends, elevation changes, rolly coaster effects you name it Hwy 36 has it
Once in Red Bluff we refuel again and have lunch.
After lunch we head back to Eureka just in time to order pizza and beer.
This year Kathy and I had to head back on Sunday but about half the group went on for another couple of days before heading back home.
This is just one of the many rides Kathy and put together every year.
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