DAY 18 MAY 31ST I COULD DO THIS OVER AND OVER

South on the 101 from the hotel cool weather beautiful scenery and a fast smooth road. Took a side loop off the 101 into the thick redwoods then back to the 101. Quick stop at Redwood Harley in Eureka and back on the road. At Leggitt we stopped for a break and gas before heading down one of the best roads in California, which has several, Highway 1.

At the store next to the two pump station I pulled into a spot with a downhill grade. This is not a good idea on a bike with no reverse and something I try hard to avoid but this time made the mistake of not backing in. An old drunk sitting out front said "I used to ride bikes the got them reverse gears on that thing now?" I told him no they still didn't have reverse and he looked at me and said "ya-all kinda stupid aren't ya" I couldn't disagree but when I left I cut between parking blocks onto the porch around the ice machine and up the hill. Stupid don't ride that good.

Then it was on to Highway 1 twists and turns cool temps, mile after mile of great pavement, lightly traveled. You dodge and dip into the redwood forests then back out to appear on a bluff a hundred feet above the ocean. Then it's back into the trees with a steep downhill grade suddenly back in the sunlight ten feet above the water. The forests so thick with moss covered redwoods and ferns five feet high on the ground blocking out most of the sun. The bluffs lined with cypress tree limbs permanently bent away from the steady offshore wind.

 He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cicle that took off like a gun
That fool was the terror of Highway 101

Well, he never washed his face and he never combed his hair
He had axle grease imbedded underneath his fingernails
On the muscle of his arm was a red tattoo
A picture of a heart saying "Mother, I love you"

He had a pretty girlfriend by the name of Mary Lou
But he treated her just like he treated all the rest
And everybody pitied her and everybody knew
He loved that doggone motorcycle best

He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cicle that took off like a gun

image: http://static.urx.io/units/web/urx-unit-loader.gif

That fool was the terror of Highway 101

Vaughn Monroe

Headed inland from Fort Bragg on highway 20, just another great road, rivers, forests, farms. Good friends, a good bike great roads and weather, can't get better.