Day 36 - 591 miles
Believe it or not, this was my biggest mileage day so far. Almost 600 miles. It probably was 600 miles when you add in the detour to Salem Honda/BMW in Salem, Oregon.
My back tire was getting pretty worn down. I noticed it in Alberta, and thought, "Yikes! Where did that all go?" I got new tires, front and rear, before I left San Francisco. By the time I got to Bellingham, I was starting to push it a bit. It probably would have got me to San Francisco okay, but you run a greater risk of punctures, as well as aquaplaning in the rain. Better safe than in an accident and sorry. Rain was forecast today for southern Oregon, near Grants Pass, as well as the very northern part of California, near Crescent City, where I was headed. I needed a tire, kind of badly.
Big shout-out here to Don Borcea back in San Francisco. Don has been my "technical advisor" for this trip, and I don't think I could have done it - certainly not as easily nor as comfortably - without his help and assistance. Don is great for tips - those little things you forget, that matter a lot - and useful knick-knacks that just make travelling on a bike a lot easier. He loaned me some great gear items for this journey.
I called Don last night, and he scouted out a few BMW places for me on the route today. I was up early this morning...well, early for me...8AM. I called Salem Honda/BMW, I think second - the first crowd didn't answer. Sean Henthorn, at Salem Honda/BMW, was very helpful and open to taking me whatever time I got there. Sean is a great guy. They have a great shop.
I hit I-5 South, about 9:45AM. It was moving, but fairly heavy-flowing traffic, all the way to Seattle, and the same down to Tacoma, and Olympia, and really didn't lighten-up until after Centralia, getting into the southern part of Washington state. I didn't realize I-5 was this busy, this far up. It's three lanes each way, much of the route. Shows how "California-centric" I am, I suppose!
I refueled, pushed on through Portland, and then made my way to Salem Honda/BMW in Salem, Oregon. Sean immediately came out to greet me, and got me a soda and we shot the breeze about all kinds of stuff while they fit my new tire. Sean persuaded me to go with the Michelin Anakee 2, as they didn't have the Dunlop I was using previously. I like the look of the Anakee, and it looks more "crossover" than the Dunlop - probably better off-road or on gravel. I'm certainly not an expert in this area, and unless you're really pushing the limits, I think it's probably hard for the average person to tell on normal roads.
The forecast was for "occasional" showers further south. It was 4:45PM or so, by the time I left Sean & Co. I went and got something to eat, and as I suited-up into the rain gear while I ate my "burrito" in the gas station forecourt, I had an interesting conversation with a rather unlikely-looking classical guitar player. By the time I got on the road again, it was 5:30PM. I had my room booked in Crescent City though, and I was determined to get there tonight.
As I moved south through Oregon, the scenery started to look more like I was used to. The sun was quickly heading down and towards the west to my right.
I hammered it out down I-5 to Grants Pass. I decided upon Crescent City for the day's destination, and tonight's stay, as I wanted to come down the California Coast as a welcome home present to myself tomorrow. Also, US-101 and the Golden Gate Bridge, would be a nice way to finish the journey.
Getting from I-5 to Crescent City and US-101, meant taking US-199 over the Siskiyou Mountains in the dark. It wasn't too bad at all. I was in a little "convoy" of cars for the first half of it. I stopped about 3/5 of the way in, when we hit the California border. I suddenly felt happy, at peace, and didn't mind driving alone in the dark (the convoy had moved on). I kept it slow, 30 or 40mph. I didn't meet many other vehicles. There was one biker, going very slowly through Patrick Creek...I think he was just travelling locally.
This, very remote, part of California is very beautiful. Okay, it was dark, but I felt like I was up in the Sierra Nevada. It smelled like a cross between that, and perhaps the Russian River area, much further south. I felt at home here. It's good to be back in "my" state!
The last bit of US-199, before it joins US-101, you pass through a magnificent grove of redwoods. This is the original Redwood Highway. I was gasping as I went past these giant sentinals by the side of the road. It was as if these ancient living ancestors to the past, were silently welcoming me home to California.
I fortunately never hit any rain all the way. It had been raining in a couple of places, but had passed by the time I got there.
I eventually got to 101, and a couple or three miles after that, I was in Crescent City, in Del Norte County. I checked in, went to Denny's for late-night "dinner." Then I came back and wrote this!
Tomorrow, we head down the coast....and home.
Onwards!
Mackers must be busy?
ReplyDelete