2016 Road trip, SanDiego to Prudhou Bay, Alaska, seven weeks, 11k miles...
Week 1, May 29-June 4 & Preramble
Week 7, July 10 - July 14 & post trip
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Week 7, July 10 - July 14 & post trip
July 10, 156 miles - Trinidad to Fort Bragg
Trinidad to Fort Bragg and time spent with Mary and Greg Flanagan. Greg is Kevin’s father who I’ve known for what seems like forever, or maybe it was the great impact he had on my life.. Kevin, a good friend, always with a smile and quick wit, will always make me laugh. Unfortunately, Kevin passed away several years back, not very expected, for him, his family and friends and missed by many.
I think about these things as I head down the coast. Such amazing coastline, and lovely twists and turns that only a motorcycle could love. The drive is amazing and hard to start out as I'm been hanging with the Tissot family for a few days, having a great trip down strolling down memory lane, remembering of all the wonder adventures and students that have gone on to do great things. Suddenly it is late in the morning after a great breakfast and talking story, time flies and I need to hit the road. Load up, double hugs and off I go, headed down the coast continuing south. Such amazing scenery of redwoods, the ocean and the hills.
I arrive at Fort Bragg, and get to see Mary and Greg Flanagan a couple of my favorite people. Greg had contacted me less then a year earlier, he said he had cancer, skin cancer and it wasn’t looking good for him. I’ve thought about losing Kevin, and now his father, Greg, is now looking at life from a perspective none of wants to view it from. At the campsite, we sit and chat for hours until it is late talking about Kevin, life and what is next. Greg is battling cancer amazingly better than I could imagine, but time is short, to short for anyone, but especially for such a great guy like Greg. A fire pit warms our hands and great burgers warm our stomachs, but the talking truly warms my heart, talking story late into the night. I hate for the night to end, but everyone needs to get some sleep. I go to sleep thinking that this world would be a better place if they could kick cancers ass.
It is strange to think I head home in a few short days... Six weeks go by in the blink of an eye, where has life gone, and what is next?
July 11 - 220 miles, Fort Bragg to El Dorado Hills (Nubee and clan)
I'm up early and pack up before anyone is moving. I have never felt such turmoil I want to stay and have the fun, laughter and stories go on. I hate saying goodbye and even more so, fear that there will be no "see you later" with Greg, my eyes tear up just writing this. I feel bad for leaving early, but know if I had said something, they would have all gotten up early to make breakfast and coffee, and I wanted to leave with the warm thoughts of last night at the campfire. I write a note to leave on the table and Greg comes out to say good morning. Not knowing if I'll see him again, we hug several times and we both shed tears we both agree, damn cancer. He looks good and is very positive about life, but reality plays into it all and he will be receiving more chemotherapy this coming week. Back on the road, I get gas and hit the twisty roads leaving fort Bragg. The light in the early morning is streaming through the trees, so surrealistic and beautiful, bands of light I think of Kevin and Greg and others that have fought the fight, such good people, so deserving of life. I ride on and eventually stop for gas and food and take a deep breath. Deep in thought the waitress asks if we know each other and I say no, I'm from Hawaii. She mentions she is headed there in a few weeks and will be at Manoa studying psychology in the fall. I give her my card with Jeff's office number for MOP on it and strongly suggest she contact Jeff when she arrive in Hawaii. This gets me out of my blue funk, and with some food and gas I'm back on the road to sister Nubee's.
The ride is nice, but civilization is looming ever more present, more internet, more cars, lots more cars. I stop for gas again and suddenly I have arrive, so good to see Nubee and amazing kids. Emma and Sophie have grown into amazing young adults, Emma is driving and Sophie is a lifeguard, loving the water. We head out to pick up Charlie from his first day of camp, and that is one big strapping eight year old. Charlie had hurt his chin previously, so we go to get his stitches removed at the clinic. Nothing like a cold of some yogurt to make the day better. The day is warming up, and pretty warm at this point, but it is a dry heat (if I had a penny every time I heard that one). Back to the house, and then dinner at a great Thai restaurant with discussions of life and pokemon, school, dating and life in California. We watch several people try to catch them all (pokemon game) from our table. It is funny, but interesting and we discuss some of this for a while. Full to the tops of our teeth, we head home to talk some more before hitting the hay.
July 12 - Hanging out in El Dorado
Cute little kitten slept with me last night, Hapa, a young kitten with great personality kept me warm last night. She started out in the living room falling sleeping on my shoulder. Nubee has gotten up early, and returns from taking Charlie to camp. Day two and we sit having coffee and hot cereal before deciding what to do. SUP, stand up paddle boarding on the river it is. Sophia is amazing and Nubee cranks along while I try with great effort not to eat it and go swimming in the cool lake waters. A beautiful day, blue sky and water feel great. We paddle like crazy people up the river to the prison. While I'm trying to stay on the dry side of the board, Nubee and Sophia are doing yoga positions on their SUP's, over achievers I tell you! Fun nonetheless, we continue on and finally see the prison. At this point, we sit down and chat, as the current carries us back down to the landing. Other kayakers and SUP's go by, and we pass a bend with kids jumping from a cliff into the water. Back at shore, we stop off to mail some of my items home. Some tools and heavy items to heavy to bring home on the airplane. As any good Hawaiian, life seems to go from meal to meal, with food in between. We have a great Mexican lunch, and back to the house. On the way back I check my phone to see that Steven has had a great check up on his thyroid surgery, life is good. Things are looking good all the way around for sure. Dinner is a great a Thai recipe, that tastes pretty good. I avoid beer as I'm up early. It is getting late, so I finish packing the bike and reviewing my driving directions for tomorrow. It will be a long one, over 500 miles. I’ll also be headed into some some pretty hot weather inland, no ocean breeze, will make this less then fun, but should have me in San Diego by 3pm, in time to drop my bike off to ship home..
Well this is it, vacation about over, one more night in California before I head home. I am looking forward to some quality Janet time for sure, and can't wait to see all the great projects Janet and Jessie have been working on since I have been away/.
Safe travels - jc
July 13 - El Dorado to San Diego
I’m up early, and I hug everyone, before taking off in the cool morning air. I’m still uncertain of my route. Should I take it to the freeway, or some of the lesser roads, time vs quality, I go with quality. It is early as I get gas, and a short hop on the freeway before I find my self on the E2 before connecting to 99 south. I can smell the farmland as I go, nice. Morning traffic is light, and the road is slower than the highway, but very nice driving. I make great time and find myself, stopping for gas and food every couple hundred miles, amazingling after over 11 thousand miles, I realize I could do more of these bike trips. I look back to the great people I’ve meet, fantastic weather, great roads and my bike doing me very well. Hmm, what could the next trip entail, florida, north east, europe… I continue but eventually I stop for lunch in Bakersfield, think my mom grew up in this area. Wow, it is really hot out. I get gas at a costco’s and add some oil to the bike. I think the hot weather is a little harder on the bike and myself. I think if this stays this warm, I should be ok. Not the case.
Leaving Bakersfield, I head to Grapevine only to find a long slow hot climb over the pass. No trees found here. Trucks and cars seemingly race ahead to look for cooler air, I lag behind doing my 70mph and watch my bike start to warm up. This is a real gradual long climb, and I’m not sure when it will get better. My bike has climbed another hot notch and not many left, I think do I pull over and wait for it to cool, or keep going? I continue to make this long hot climb, must be noon, or maybe it is just to hot for a shadow to form, not good. It eventually levels out, still very hot out, the bike is still a couple notches in the hot zone, and this continues all the way to through San Fernando and Burbank into Los Angeles. Now it is slow going, and hot. As tempting as it is to split lanes I avoid this, and eventually pull off the freeway for fuel.in East Los Angeles. This proves to be stranger than fiction. Spider sense is tingling, as I pull into a chevron for fuel, and wow, I’ve got to take a leak like no tomorrow. What do you do in a strange area, my life is on the bike, not like taking the keys will really slow anyone down. I look around and one guy in his car, sorta hanging out. I pop into the station store and watch for a bit wondering if guy is going to do anything. Wow does this air conditioning feels like amazing, and now my bladder is screaming at me, I hit the head. I come back out, to get gas and the guy is still hanging out, at this point he comes to my bike with window spray and window wiper asking if he can clean my windows? I look at the guy, and it takes a few “no” and “no, I don’t need my windows washed” before he leaves. I guess I’m back in civilization, but at least the bike has cooled and has more fuel. Only about 120 miles left before I drop my bike, I can do this, but I hope the ocean is not far away. Soon I’m past Irvine and Mission Viejo, and things are cooling off as I head to the ocean. I’m now on an amazing stretch of road heading south, when I am now being followed by another biker. At first I feel he is being friendly, and after 50 miles, it starts to get creepy, switch lanes, speed up, slow down, not cool. I finally shake the guy by crossing several lanes of traffic and taking an exit. I think I can wait and continue down the coast, but instead, continue inland to Escondido. I’m feeling good, traffic is ok, it has cooled down, and only about 50 or so miles left. I pass a bike cop on the side of the road, he smiles and waves. On reaching Road One towing, my timing is perfect as planned, about 3pm time to say goodby to my trusty bike, for now. I unpack my bike, only to realize, I really had a ton of crap loaded up. Forms filled, I bid my sweet ride ado for now and call for my uber ride. Two ubers and both from Iran, funny I think, but cool and interesting people. I’ve got a motel near the airport, and trudge my stuff up to my room. Ugh, smells like wet cigarettes. Heading back down, I come across a group of ladies in town for a bridal shower party, young bride to be looks like a deer in the headlights and very freaked out. No joy on changing rooms, apparently booking a room at Motel 6 puts you in a smoking room. No other options I decide to keep the room and walk out smiling. I unpack, shower and head to little Italy, some groceries, a big arse cigar, from little Italy tobacco and a beer. Next stop, food and a beer at a restaurant, that has a ton of taps. Great food, wonderful climate and since I’m not driving, a couple beers. I take the long way back to the hotel wandering San Diego harbor and front street. Nice area, but time to stink up my hotel room with a raunchy cigar and another beer. They have a pool, so a swim is in order. Motel 6, no bed bugs this time. I catch up on some computer work, repack and set the alarm.
July 14 - about 11,000 miles
I Fly home! I’m a short hop to the airport via the shuttle. I’m finally worn out, coffee and eggs at the airport, I chat with some airport cops also having breakfast. It doesn’t seem like they are worried about a massive airport take over and we part ways laughing. Looks like I'm back to reality all to soon… But not soon enough.
Looks like boarding is commencing, so more later!
Post notes…
On returning home, a hug from my family, shower and a few weeks later to pickup my bik. The windscreen is gone, somehow it got knocked off. I call the shipping company to put in a claim, but I guess laughing didn't help. I said I just spent seven weeks and over 11k miles and this is my only problem. It took sometime to convince the lady they needed to pay for a replacement wind screen. Great trip, good fun, family, old friends and new friends and more, made for an amazing trip, scratch that, journey. So fortunate to have been able to do something like this, a dream for so long, and a reality that went by all to quickly. The images, smells, sights, sounds and impressions that I will remember for the rest of my life, others for a few weeks and some I've already forgotten about. I was fortunate to have great weather, sprinkled in with a dash of rain, a bit of heat, some cool weather, but really some perfect traveling weather. Fortune truly smiled down on me for this adventure. I left San Diego, and headed up the coast to some cool weather. No camping in Yosemite, but Tioga pass had opened the week before, and got me to highway 395 and a great campsite, just 10 miles from the highway. Heading north, perfectly cool temperatures. Dinner and hanging with my favorite daughter Jessie, was priceless, so proud of her and how well she is doing in school and life. Up to Canada with the Tegler's, Rick and Barbara, such an amazing place that they live at and have made a part of their lives. Off to Banff and Jasper, where I meet a fellow headed to Prudhoe bay as well, so we traveled together for about a week, great guy, very funny, and I'm sure we will both look back at our fear of trying to avoid feeding the bears as we camped along the way.
Things I would have done differently…
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Bike, worked great. Paying $600 in fairbanks for a tire and oil change, not cool. I had taken notes on this cool dude that works on BMW’s, but couldn’t find my notes once I got there. I would rather pay a lot for a cool dude working out of his house, then a harley store with bikes lined up out the door.
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Less stuff. I packed spare gear, parts and things I would never have changed on the road. Less clothing. A better tent drop cloth.
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Camping water, I would have carried more water, and while thinking back, for safety a couple liters would have been smart to carry.
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Less electronics. My phone did everything, music, reading, navigation and a great camera. I could have left the giant SLR, chromebook and ipad at home. Although typing on a keyboard is nice.
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Blogging as I went was nice. I wish I setup a page for people to respond, but it all worked well.
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Food worked out well. Jetboil for quick hot water,saimin at night, hot cereal in the am, cheap and easy. I gave up coffee due to weight and space, but tea worked well.
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I was worried about people, other than a few crazy people in LA, I meet a ton of great people. Reach out and meet new people, they might surprise you in a good way.
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Weather, I was lucky. One very scary windy day in alaska with cross winds, and coold air, but I survived. We left one campsite ahead of a storm outside of Banff and Jasper, I hear a few days later roads were closed for about 10 days.
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Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. I expected delays, breakdowns and bad weather, but it all worked out.
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I wish I did this earlier in my life. This was my 50 year old hurray, If I did this sooner, I would have done more of these trips.
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Keep it cheap, you gota buy gas, but food, simple camp food and icead tea for the road works. Occasional burgers are nice, but you don't need hotels and a giant meal, campgrounds are nice.
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Stop more often, as soon as I left Banff, I wanted to stop at mirror lake, 6am, beautiful, I didn't stop and regreat that to this day.
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Safety is easy, keep to speed limit, use waze for road issues, and don't stop looking around. Its not you that will do something wrong, its usually someone else that is the problem. Stick to your skill level, and don't speed.
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Have fun!
Animal Checklist
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Bison, lots of them
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Fox
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Moose,
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big & little Eagles,
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Ravens (tons, See Banf for the rascal bird and my bike)
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Raccoon (Mayor of camp at Morro Bay)