My New Adventures

I woke up to a beautiful meadow on hypothetical forest service land. I'll explain shortly. I took my time wrapping up camp and having a wonderful breakfast. Caffeine and Carbs, that's my definition of a good breakfast. I decided to scout out the trails that I'd come in on and o some exploring. There were a lot of dead ends but they were very established trails and some of them had been maintained to the point of having water bars. It was fun jumping the 690 over them.

I ended up riding into a State Park on some lakes. Now the trail into the park was barred which seemed weird but oh well, most gates are easy to go around on a motorcycle. I don't know if it's just human nature to be drawn to water, life giving like it is. Maybe it's a "Oh! Shinny object" knee jerk reaction but there's something about lakes, oceans, rivers, creeks that really brightens up a day. However upon leaving this park I was asked for a recipt. Uh oh. Apparently I was on private land camping last night (Victim less crime of the day number 1). Also all trails (and beaches) are nonmotorized so if I had hypotectically rode my bike onto the lake beach to take a pictures that would have been my 2nd victim less crime.

Headed south once again I was skirting south Lake Tahoe. There were some fun twisties and I ran into another motorcycle traveler. I like his helmet. It's good to put the information out there for people to know!

Over one of the passes I saw dirt roads leading off into the distance. It was too much tempation ot pass up. So I went off exploring and found some fun desert riding. A point of interest, the scorpion tires are like riding on ball bearings on hard packed trails like this... I might have gone down once or twice.

On my way to find some hot springs my mirror gave up the ghost and broke off. The vibrations finished the job that my crashes had started before. Of course it was the left side, which is the one that I use most.

I read about these hot springs online and decided to try to scout them out. The directions were sketchy and signs were few but an unexplained gravel lot of the top of the hill seemed to be a possibility. So I look over the edge and down next to the creek are these pools that have been built up using rocks. The hot water from the spring mixes with the cold creek water to make a perfect break spot.

For all of my Tech friends out there, ran across this in the middle on nowhere.

The rest of the day I pretty much just burned the miles. I've been away long enough that I'm ready to get home. Along the way I stopped and took a picture of a couple on a Harley from Houston. Texas people are always so nice, I ended up riding with them to Vegas. They waved to almost every vehicle on the road. I stopped for the night in a Motel in Vegas. A hot shower was calling my name.

I had a very enjoyable time on the way up to Grass Valley after I joined into a conversation some fellow travlers. I'm always amazed by the people I meet, the things they've done and the things that they're doing. Of course the good conversation made the trip fly and with just one connecting bus I was dropped off maybe 100 yards from the shop. Once again I set up camp at the flower/coffee shop to wait for my poor bike. The women there were very sweet and asked me if I was comfortable spralled out on their couch.

Finally a call came from the shop. I was waiting for the next calamity to strike, don't ask me what but I was preparing myself for disappointment once again. Thankfully the news was good, the bike was ready! Before I took off one of the tech's pointed out that the fuel hose under the seat was rubbing on a bolt but that it should be fine for the trip. Of course after the drama of the fuel pump I didn't want to take any chances and they rigged up guard for it to prevent any more damage.

After a quick gas stop I was off, I never realized how good it would feel to get back on the bike. It mellowed out my anzitiy, and calmed me be back to status quo. If you look at the SPOT my route was a little conviluted this evening but I figured it would be good to get some miles in close to friends and family before I truely took off. I left the bed made at my Aunt's house just in case! The bike felt great, the seat felt great, the wind on the freeway felt great, I'm was just happy to be in the driver's seat again. Major issues put in perspective of minor problems, aches, pains and discomforts.

You might notice the load has been lighted. I filtered through and removed some (hopefully) extraious clothing. I kept riding until the sun got low, and pulled off only because it's much easier to set up camp in daylight. I stumbled upon some cool two track and after some wandering around I finally found a spot that was flat and fairly well cleared off. It was getting close to finding a flat spot of two track to put up the tent. Who rides dirt bikes or quads on a Thursday morning? I can't wait for light tomorrow morning, what little I saw looked, the site should be breathtaking.

After setting up the tent, I headed back to civilization for some food. And Safeway was the place! Have you ever noticed how difficult, and expensive, it is to find single service food in a grocery store? Oh well, dinner consited of apple slices, water, cold chicken strips and a little bit of Ben and Jerry's. I feel like a queen with a full belly and the crickets singing me to sleep.

Well, it's official. I'm not going to be back at work this week. Yesterday, Tuesday, the day my fuel pump should have come in if it was overnighted on Friday, I got on a bus to to Grass Valley, CA. About half way there, I got a call "Um, your fuel pump didn't show up." That was about 4:30, well after Sierra Motor Sports knew that the pump didn't come in with their UPS shipment. Yes, I should have called them before I got on the bus but I thought it was a simple, sure thing. You order a part first thing Friday (I assume) to be overnighted (I assume) and the part gets there by Tuesday (again I assume). Also SMS knows that I'm trying to get back to Arizona (I'd never have thought I'd be in any kind of hurry to get back to the heat.) and would have kept in better touch about the situation.

Me after getting the news and trying not to have a hissy fit.

All of my gear I'm lugging around on public transportation.

Just goes to show you that assumptions can bite you in the ass whether it's work or real life. I have a coworker that gives me a dirty look anytime I use the word "assume" and after this I hope I've learned my lesson. With hind sight I would have flown home on Monday or Tuesday and come back later to pick up the bike. But of course I didn't know what KTM had in plan for me at the time. I should have been more forceful with the dealer. "Please check the fuel pump first so you can order it today instead of tomorrow" "What is the tracking number for the part? What do you mean you don't have a tracking number? That is not possible and I want you to explain to me how you could not have a tracking number." "Hello, I'm calling to check on the status of the 690" Of course that last one I should have done at least twice a day while they were open.

Yes, I sound bitter, it's because my patience only lasts so long. Again with hindsight I would have rented a car in Grass Valley so that at least I would have been mobile. Being dependent on people to fit me into their schedules is extremely frustrating and to some extent humiliating. That's why I'm currently camped out at a bus stop in Auburn, CA for the next hour and a half, to ride a bus for an hour and then get on another bus to finally reach my bike that had better be fixed. All that to make a trip that would take 30 minutes in a car. People have lives and after a week I feel like more of a disruption to their daily schedules then a guest. I'm not criticizing my friends and family, I would feel the same way in their positions. It's nothing that they planned or bargained for. And they suffered the inconvenience without complaint, it's just uncomfortable feeling like a burden and completely out of control. Looking on the bright side of all this, I have more experience in dealing with issues on the road. I have more options sitting in the back of my mind for another situation like this in the future. I did get a call this morning telling me the new fuel pump arrived. So here I sit, assuming (there's that dirty word again) that when I get to Grass Valley my bike will be fixed and I will finally be able to shake the dust of this valley off my boots. If my bike's not ready, I'm camping out at the dealer. Setting up a tent with a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and the whole shebang in the middle of the showroom. That'll show them.

It was a beautiful morning in Sacramento. My body rhythms had me up at 7am with Katie's three cats. The cats kept me company until 10am when David and Katie got up in time to watch the Georgia Tech football game. Breakfast was courtesy of a neighborhood bakery and donut shop. They had brotchen at the backery! Quite exciting!

After the freedom of riding my motorcycle anywhere I wish, I was feeling hemmed in and restricted by my lack of transportation. It's very frustrating having to depend on other people, even if they're friends and family. The dilemma of how to get up to Tahoe to visit with family while I'm waiting for my bike arose. David, hero for a day, loaned me his car while he's going to a family function with Katie.

So I made my way north to Tahoe and here I sit, dealing with all this beauty in the pines.

I'm officially not going anywhere until Tuesday. I'm quite heart broken. I have to spend the weekend here! Oh no, what will I do! I headed down to Sacramento to hang out with David and his lady Katie. Dinner was at Hamburger Patty that had mermaids on the celing.

From there we headed to friends for a drink before going to the Old Ironsides bar to watch a coworker's band, the Silver Darling. It was a nice night out in a cool town. It's been a long time since I've been to a city that was really walkable.

It was perfect morning to take off from Cotati, sunny and warm. After pictures and hugs I headed for Roseville, CA by way of Napa Valley. It was on the way! Really. The road was beautiful, twisty and sunny. Riding through the vineyards is much more peaceful then buzzing along at 65 on the Interstate.

I was early, let me repeat, EARLY to have lunch with David. He was as shocked as I was, it entirely accidental I promise. I was shooting for my normal 15 minutes late. I'm going to have to more regular trips to catch up with friends, there's nothing as grounding as talking things over with old friends that know you well.

After lunch I was in the no man's land of free time. All the people I'm here to visit have jobs that take up entirely too much of their time. So I ran some errands and set out to find a coffee shop to hole up in for a couple of hours. After some hits and misses I ended up in the Depoe Bay Coffee Co. chating with Ean, a singer, songwriter that likes keyboards. A great way to spend the afternoon.

Right in Auburn's backyard is this beautiful gorge. It's wonderful having the time and means to wander around and find things like this just around the corner from the places you were planning on being. The rest of the day was spent catching up with family. My family like most, they're at their best in small groups so all these stops are working out well! I also got to play a little repair-woman and tinker with some sliding doors at my Aunt's. Apparently I was the last in a long line of people trying to fix the doors and I pervaled!

After the never ending day that was Monday I (and my body) was ready for a break. Lake Malkemus was the perfect place to catch up on laundry, sore muscles and blog posts. For the those not in the know, Lake Malkemus is located in Cotati, CA, accordion mecca. It is equipped with soft beds, a hot tub, a loving golden retriever, taciturn cats and interesting produce like lemon cucumbers. Whoever thought of combining a lemon and a cucumber?

We took a walk to the downtown area for lunch and a view of the town. I have to admit I was relieved that I wasn't going to have to do any riding today. My shoulders and seat needed the time off for good behavior. Along the way we ran into this fellow, Jim Boggio, who was a driving force for the Cotati Accordion festival that takes place every summer in this park.

I noticed after experiencing such a long day as Monday, a normal day like Tuesday felt as if there was more time to do things. My perception of what is possible in a day has been stretched. I don't know if that will result in accomplishing more at home once I get back but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. The rest of the day was spent lazing around the house, picking up on my posts from Monday, uploading pictures and cataloging the statuary in the backyard. They're quite varied and entertaining.

As you probably can tell by now, Monday was a looooong day. Mostly because I was constantly taking alternate routes like this one. It was a neat old coast road that varied between crummy pavement and a bit of dirt.

Lunch couldn't come soon enough. By the time I found this little hamlet I was cold and hungry. A dangerous combination. It seems obvious but I really came to realize how being uncomfortable really takes focus away from everything else. It's difficult to focus on the beauty around you when you wish you had an electric blanket hidden somewhere in your pack.

After lunch I split off of the 101 to ride the 211 through Ferndale, Capetown and so on. After all the traffic on the 101 and speed limits of 65 it was nice to wander down this quiet deteriorating, twisty road. I was again bless with the sun for the stretch and it really made time fly.

The rest of the day was spent riding back on the 101. The trend was freeway until a stand of redwoods and it was filtered down to two lanes. Then back up to freeway size and speeds. It was really beautiful through the redwoods and some awesome twists and turns. Around that point I SHOULD have found a place to camp. However the campgrounds I found were either closed, under construction or wanted $35 for a camping spot. I didn't stop in those places for two very good reasons: I thought that $35 was ridiculous and I didn't have $35 in cash for after hours check-in. So I road into the night to make it to friends in Cotati... they had a hot tub. I was motivated. I showed up at 10:30 and was promptly escorted to the hot tub, there's not much more I could ask for! So today (Tuesday) I've been taking a break, catching up on posts, pictures and laundry. Clean clothes and a shower never felt so good.

Total Mileage for Monday: 504

Along the way I found where Arizona's ocean front property went... Oregon!

I finally filled my tanks for the first time of the trip. With the large extra tank on the bike I was interested to see how far it would take me, at least on paved roads. Dirt always requires more gas. 400 miles, not too shabby! I definitely don't last that long.

The bag works out fine for filling the stock, under the seat, tank. I wasn't sure how easy it would be. On another note, in Oregon there is an assistant to pump your gas for you. I kind of forgot that you're not suppose to pump your own gas so I just rode up to the pump and started the process. The guy came over and talked to me about the bike but didn't seem to mind that I was running my own pump. Whoops!

This was the first stop in California, I pulled my ear buds to go through the California border and needed to get resituated. I always feel like I need to get my passport stamped when I come to California with the border stop. Anyway, this also was my first tip over of the trip. I was on an incline and I couldn't get my leg swung over the seat to get off the bike in time. No damage to me and only a little scuff to the bottom corner of the tank.

Of course it wasn't just the Oregon coast the was foggy, damp and cold. California wasn't so much of a sunshine state for a lot of the northern section