Day 5 - Lee Vining to Hollister (via Yosemite National Park)

The Tioga Lodge was quaint and rustic. So rustic, when my roomy Drew took a shower last night, the shower head shot off and hit him in the chest. I decided to forego the resulting pressure wash treatment, since I'm out of clean clothes anyway. Phil and I decided to tour the park together since we seem to have a similar riding style and mindset for taking photos. The climb up to Tioga Pass at the entrance was close to 10,000 feet. Once in the park, we were greeted almost immediately to the vistas of granite faces with scattered alpine forests. Our first stop was Lembert Dome. It reminds me of Sugar Loaf Mountain, near Kyburz. We hiked up a ways towards Dog Lake to get a better view of the rock face. Curiously no dogs are allowed. It was a picture perfect day, despite the spectre of wildfires we were told of last night. There was not a cloud in the sky, and temperatures were pleasantly cool. A short stop on peaceful Tenaya Lake was teeming with swimmers and kayakers on the cold lake. Our next stop was Olmsted Point. It was a short hike to an outcropping of rock to view Half Dome. With my binoculars, I could see what looked like ants crawing up the rounded side of the peak, but it was a string of hikers climbing up a guide wire. The wind was whipping around the point where we were, and I can only image how windy it must be on top. It seemed like more than 100 hikers were visible. In the parking lot, we met another family riding motorcycles. Having a NC tag, and riding a scooter always makes for a great conversation starter. Once the Cable family, from Hollister found out we were on a charity ride, they immediately ponied up a cash donation. Thanks for your help. Mrs. Cable suggested we check out the Sequoias at Tuolumne Grove just before we turned onto Big Oak Road to leave the park. It wasn't exactly the 10 minute hike she said it was, but it was nice just the same. The pictures do not tell how huge these trees really are. Some as old a 3600 years, have somehow managed to survive fires, wind, winter, and man. Phil and I lollygagged plenty long and barely made it to Hollister in time for dinner at Johnny's Bar and Grill, compliments of Herb at CM Hoists. I got the Hawaiian Burger and it was pretty tasty. This is where it all started in 1947 with the Hollister motorcycle riots, dramatized by Hollywood with Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Laundry night! Slideshow,,,

Day 4 - Susanville to Lee Vining, CA

We backtracked on Hwy 44 till we met up with Hwy 89 south heading to Lake Tahoe. A few construction zones broke up the trip, not in the good way. Finally I get to see lake Tahoe in all its glory. I've been here two other times in the last three years. The first time it was raining and snowing, the second time it was wildfires. I stopped for a few pictures at Inspiration Point on the west side of the Lake.

We stopped for lunch at Brother's Bar and Grill, seemingly a biker bar. They managed to get out food out pretty fast for having 30 or so people descend at once. Someone picked up the tab, I think it was Jonathan and Sheryl. Thanks guys for lunch. Just before we left, Todd the cook was out back enjoying a smoke, and asked about our ride. He donated right there on the spot, telling me his Mom rides with about 100 or so bikes out of Sacramento to benefit breast cancer research. Thanks Todd.



The ride up Monitor Pass on Hwy 89 was a little more than 8300 feet. Once we reached the top, snow covered mountains spanned every direction my eye could see. Once the valley spread out coming into Bridgeport, the lush green fields on either side of the highway as far as the eye could see. Thousands and thousands head of cattle were lazily grazing.



We stopped at a vista point overlooking Lake Mono. The guard rail had become a favorite spot for bumper stickers. I added one for The Incriminators, my scooter club, yeah I'm not riding an old scooter…. We settled into the Tioga Lodge at Mono Lake, A quint resort just outside of Lee Vining. Rob, Suzanne, Phil and myself wandered down a primitive boat ramp with a decrepit boat house, to the lake as the sun set behind us. The seagulls eating the bugs were only disturbed for a little while. An orange full moon arose across lake Mono while we enjoyed BBQ compliments of Frank and Pat Stewart. Thanks for dinner.

I think I'm getting a cold. Drat. Here's some slides:

Day 3- Eureka to Susanville, CA

We left Eureka this morning at a chilly 51F degrees. I did bring a rain suit, and it came in handy. We headed east on Hwy 299. More twisting roads as we climbed through Trinity National Forest. A good deal of ride, the Trinity River was on our right side. Deep in the valleys, with no sight of the horizon, the optical illusion of traveling downhill and watching the river flow uphill is unsettling.





By the time we made Redding for lunch, it was 104F. We headed towards Lassen Volcanic National Park in the distance, still covered with snow. Once we arrived, we were told of 7.5 miles of construction with hard pack dirt and gravel. I took a pass with 12" tires and decided to hike around the lake at the entrance instead. Several others took a pass and went straight to the hotel. Phil and I took in the vistas of the long quiet volcano, woodpeckers, chipmunks, deer, ducks and geese. The water was clear and cool.

Phil and I took the last 60 miles to Susanville on Hwy 44 with the low sunset at our backs. Our longs shadows cast in front of us most of the way while the warm colors of the fading sun turned the fields and marshes on the plateaus around us a vibrant golden color.

Slideshow today:

Day 2- Lakeport to Eureka, CA

I noticed the bottom of the bathroom door looked a bit chewed up when I awoke. I didn't remember it like that last night. And sure enough it wasn't. Some mouse chewed a hole in my back pack and dined my granola bars and butterscotch. I was gonna say how nice it was to end up in a suite, but now I'm not.









We left town north on Highway 20 towards Fort Bragg. This day above all was more technical riding in twists and turns than any I have ridden anywhere. We skirted along redwood forests and took old Highway 101, now called Avenue of the Giants. The road was dappled with light and shadow from the massive giant trees, making the already twisting turns more challenging. The 30 miles or so of awe inspiring height and girth of the trees is humbling. I wish we could have stopped, you'll just have to take my word. We did stop at a tourist trap like drive through tree for a photo shoot. Greg got a shot of each.

We managed to go from 60F some degrees this morning to something past 100F once we got near the coastline. We finally settled at the Bay View Inn in Eureka. Not exactly a great view of the bay, but a nice place nonetheless. We decided the Applebee's across the street (within walking distance) was better than driving a mess of two wheeled vehicles several miles down the road to a local pub/watering hole. The mango margarita were tasty too, glad I could walk er… stumble back to the hotel. Someone picked up the tab for dinner, all thirty or so of us. I think it was Bill. Thanks Bill.

Today's short slideshow:

Day 1- San Francisco to Lakeport, CA

We had a great send off compliments of IATSE Local 16 at Presidio Park, at base of the Golden Gate Bridge. Unlike yesterday when I crossed the bridge coming into town, a heavy fog covered the top of the bridge. Alcatraz island was barely visible in the mist. I picked up a National Park pass, and a refrigerator magnet, with a foggy picture of a bridge and a quote by Mark Twain: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." He wasn't kidding. The BBQ chicken, beef brisket and ribs were tasty. Thanks Local 16.




I wandered over to the civil war era Fort Point. The cold wind was whipping in and around. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be stationed there, freezing day in and day out. The fort was saved from destruction during the building of the Golden gate bridge to preserve the artistry of the masons who built the structure.

We crossed the bridge heading north towards wine country. Vineyard after vineyard winding through Napa Valley towards Sonoma County. I can't fathom how the brown and withered hillsides can produce the grapes for such a huge industry. If there was irrigation, I couldn't see it from the road. Highway 29, north of Napa takes on small intestine appearance, and tested everyone's twisty skills. I re-discovered my side stand, and I figure by the end of the week it will have ground down to a shiny nub of steel.

We wound up in Lakeport, on the shores of Clearlake, although it looked pretty green to me. Loren found a great little lakeside restaurant for dinner. The Park Place Restaurant set us up on a small balcony overlooking the lake. I hoovered handmade mushroom ravioli in a pesto sauce, while a full moon arose over the lake. Nice end to great day.

A slide show from today:

Well, I'm off on another adventure, and the third time for this charity ride that started this whole crazy idea of riding a Vespa motorscooter across the country and back.

This year our ride will take us through parts of the northern California Redwood forest and Yosemite Park. The whole point of this trek is to raise money for a couple of worthwhile charities that have a direct impact on our industry: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS: the nation's leading industry based HIV/AIDS fund-raising and grant-making organization; and Behind the Scenes: providing financial support to entertainment technology industry professionals in crisis. There's lots more info here about the ride with links to the charities as well. The past rides have been exhilarating, exciting, and exhausting all in one. If you have an inordinate amount of time on your hands, you can read about these past journeys here. Look to the right, click on 2008 scroll to the bottom. The earliest posts start at the end.

Last month, Behind the Scenes awarded three grants. One went to a lighting designer/programmer who was hit by a car when on a bicycle ride, the second went to a stage manager / production manager who was in a car accident, and the third went to a person working at a theatrical dealer who is having major shoulder surgery. In all these cases, the individual has been out of work for several months and was facing the prospect of losing their home to foreclosure or being evicted from their rental. The grants allowed them to keep them in their home, cover utilities, food, and their health insurance premiums so they wouldn't lose their medical coverage.

This ride starts the end of this month. It's not a pledge per mile thing, nor does it cover of any of the ride expenses. Your donation goes directly to the charity, not to the riders. Here's a nifty form to send with your check if you prefer: Click Here for a PDF to print out and mail in with your tax deductible donation.

If you prefer the online route: you can make an online donation, fully tax deductible, with your credit card directly to either organization here: http://www.lrlr.org/donate.html Follow the links at the bottom of the page. Please be sure you check my name as the rider you are supporting.