Twelve days, eight states and 5,124 miles on a Valkyrie Interstate.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. I'm in New Mexico but in the cage and wishing my bike was with me......

[davit]

Being on two wheels and 2,000 miles extended with a finite amount of time to burn, I had been keeping pretty close tabs on the weather.  As luck would have it a storm was blowing up from Mexico, with heat followed by rain forecast for early Monday.  It never rains in San Diego!

From what I could tell this storm was taking a north-east track and if timed poorly I could get wet in San Diego and possibly even ride in and out of it all the way home.  So I enjoyed a Sunday morning in San Diego then headed north for the central coast.

I got churched by Pastor Robus.  He preached a pretty good five-minute sermon:




Southern California suffers from Sunday northbound traffic jambs caused by Mexicans heading back to work from their weekend home.  This was new to me but became harsh reality as traffic solidified in LA just before the 5 and Hollywood Blvd split.  I took the 101, Hollywood Blvd toward the coast and I swear all of southern California was headed the same direction.  Perhaps some were also headed north to beat the heat and dammit it was suddenly stop and go traffic with the emphasis on stop.  So I lane split for the first time in 25 years, it was a challenge with this wide-assed girl but we managed.

I gave up on traffic just south of Santa Barbara and stopped in the little coastal community of Carpenteria.   I sat in their McDonalds for a while cooling off with a bottomless glass of iced tea.  It turned out they have a nice state park on the beach, so I headed a few blocks west, unloaded the bike and popped up the tent.

Needing supplies and wanting a cold beer to enjoy while watching the sunset, I found Albertson's grocery store.  My groceries glided to the end of the conveyer belt, I paid the clerk then politely (I thought I was polite?) asked the elderly bagger-lady, who was standing with arms folded, for a bag for my groceries.  "sir, this a bagless community!" was the self-righteous response.  I was then offered a reusable bag, what the hell I'm a tourist on a motorcycle! which I (politely?) declined.  Holy shut, reminded me why I left CA 25 years ago.

Back at the beach I met my camping neighbors, a young couple from Germany now living in North Carolina.  They were excited to be at the the Pacific after a long cross country drive, and went on about how warm it was and how the water current from the storm had warmed things up.  Fishing boats danced several miles off shore, reportedly reaping a harvest pulled north by the currents.  A barefoot stroll in the surf told me it wasn't much north of 60 degrees, still wetsuit worthy in my opinion.

Sunset:



Dawn!:

[davit]

Monday was awesome once out of traffic.  I headed up 150 to Ojai, then north on Hwy 33, a serpentine two lane through the Los Padres National Forrest, passing through three tunnels and numerous avalanche and flood prone areas which Cal Trans was just finishing cleaning up.  Way to go Cal Trans, great timing!  

Allegedly this section of the highway was built by a family that wanted coastal access.

[davit]

Hwy 33 was a lonely road. 

The first mechanical trouble of the trip reared it's head here.  I had stopped and turned off the bike to take a picture, climbed back on and hit the starter.  Nothing.  As a wizened traveler I did the most natural thing a man could do, I panicked.  Once I realized that was doing no good I rolled the bike into position, coasted down the mountain a ways popped the clutch and zoomed off, with my heart still in throat.  Did I mention I panicked?  That demon would now lurk for the rest of the trip and I nearly wet myself yet one more time, but that would not be for another 1,000 miles.

[davit]

Dropping out of the Sierra Madre mountains I headed north east towards Bakersfield with hopes of setting up camp in Yosemite before dark.  There was no escaping the heat and as the mercury once again nudged the century mark I made the decision to head for higher and hopefully cooler ground, which would mean I would approach Yosemite from the east rather than the west.

Hwy 178 heads east out of Bakersfield and mercifully climbs rapidly into the Sierra Nevada.  The cooler temperatures and the rugged road were a pleasant respite, but the road was so narrow I could find no place to pull over to take pictures.  Passing just south of Kings Canyon I could smell smoke, and couldn't help wondering just how close to the fire I was. 

From 178 I turned north onto straight-as-an-arrow 395, a boring road but pleasant enough with light traffic:


I made it to Lee Vining about an hour before sunset, doubled back and rode up 120 towards the east entrance to Yosemite and set up camp.


I drank a beer, stashed my food in the steel "bear" locker and passed out early. 

A sneak peek of Yosemite:   

[davit]

By the way I wanted to say thanks for all the nice comments.    

[The emperor has no clothes]

I love Yosemite  I think you made a wise choice going up 395 versus up 99. 

[8Track]

Wow Davit! What a fantastic journey you are on. I visited the States two years ago and drove a car all over California. The whole time I was wishing for two things: My Valkyrie and unlimited time.

You are living out my dream. The photos are superb. What wonderful scenery.

I hope to get over there and ride someday!

[davit]

Tuesday morning I woke up early after shivering all night.  I had a warm sleeping bag but made the mistake of purchasing a tent from wally world just before the trip that has a top vented section that cannot be zippered shut. 

Frost on the bike:


It was a chilly ride into Yosemite, and the lodge I had planned to stop at for coffee wouldn't open for a couple more hours so I sucked it up while and enjoyed the scenery in solitude.























I threw this one in for artistic merit.     

[davit]

I rode the length of 120 to the east entrance, and there really wan't much that could be seen from the road much past the west entrance.  I considered riding further into the park but decided against this after consulting the calendar.  Yosemite deserves several days to be properly appreciated and I couldn't spare that luxury this trip, but I will be back!

Mid morning I stopped for coffee in Lee Vining, and a gentleman with a Electraglide came over and asked what year my "rocket" was, said he had one years ago and couldn't believe I had ridden it from Wisconsin with it's thirst.  He claimed he had an all time low of 90 miles on a tank once, into a headwind.  I nodded understandingly.

The rest of the day was unmemorable, with the night spent in Battle Mountain nevada.  Wednesday morning started off brisk with the temps in the high 30's and I figured no big deal it'll warm up  -  well, it "warmed up" about noon.  What is funny is I chose this northern route to avoid the heat of Arizona, and now I was praying for it!  I buzzed through Salt Lake City early afternoon, and navigated to Hwy 40 which would take me through northern Colorado and ultimately Steamboat Springs.

[davit]

Leaving Utah...


Back to Colorado!


Northern Colorado is mostly high and dry until you reach the Yampa Valley.  Somewhere along this high and dry stretch a couple hours from nowhere, I had stopped on a rise to get off the bike and stretch.  Climbing back on, I hit the starter button and once again, nothing.  Damn this sucked, this was not the place to call for a tow!  I pushed it into position, (luckily I was on the top of the rise) rolled to 15 mph popped the clutch and it coughed to a stop.  Tried again, the road was getting steeper now, and it coughed stubbornly for a good twenty yards until it surged to life.  I wiped my brow and continued on.

Things began to green up around Craig and by Hayden were absolutely spectacular.  Unfortunately I was unwilling to chance climbing off the bike for pictures, and really missed out.  The plan was to stay in the municipal campgrounds in Steamboat, but they no longer were there, and my feeling about KOA's at this point was this-is-where-camping-goes-to-die, so I called up Western Lodge and they had a room for me.

I had stayed there one night in 1990, and headed out  the next day in the rain but got so soaked riding up Rabbit Ear's pass I turned around and spent another night.  So the place held good memories.     The gentleman running the place bought it in 1991 so I couldn't blame him, but we had a good conversation nonetheless.

[davit]

I hung around Steamboat Thursday morning, doing laundry and talking with the owner of Western Lodge.  Turns out he apprenticed in
Switzerland as a machinist, moved to the states had his share of ups and downs then bought the hotel and moved to
Steamboat.  As he fed the crows (been feeding them 24 years!) we discussed work ethic, health and luck.  I left wishing I had the cash to purchase a business and move 1,000 miles away.

Riding up Rabbit Ears pass, the glimpses of the valley with the aspens turning was spectacular, but once again I missed the photo ops.  From 40 I turned east onto Hwy 14.



Rabbit Ears, in the center of the picture just above the aspens.
















Cache La Poudre River












I love these signs!

[davit]

Oops, I see I never completed this report. 




Nebraska...


Apparently I made it home safely.

25 days scratched off the work calendar, headed that direction again Monday...

[davit]

[Farside]

  Congrats on your trip. It looks like you had a great time. I really enjoyed your posts with the  great pictures of such a well planned trip. 

[3fan4life]

Sounds like an epic adventure! 

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about it and post all of those PICS to make us jealous.

[pocket aces]

Great write up n trip!!
How much was your camp sites? I'm sure they varied a lot.
So was your only problem with the bike is when you had to push start it? so no problems after that?

So are you planning another trip like that?  

[The emperor has no clothes]

have fun and be safe 

[davit]

Great write up n trip!!
How much was your camp sites? I'm sure they varied a lot.
So was your only problem with the bike is when you had to push start it? so no problems after that?

So are you planning another trip like that?  

Start button problems here:  
https://goo.gl/maps/ZPefDKyt9Er

And here:
https://goo.gl/maps/cinqaREkfFR2

Lonely places, of course.

No other mechanical issues.

Heading out again Monday!

[cookiedough]

what an awesome trip and pics you provided,  surely beats WI now doesn't it.

way to take 25 days of vacation off work, I am totally jealous!!!   

[JimC]

Nice report, thanks for taking the time to make it.
As much as I would love it, a trip like that is no longer a possibility for this old body.

Jim

[larue]

Great pics and great report. Thank you for sharing

[henry 008]