Indianola, Iowa - 2025: A very large tree, a friend, an opera, and a daughter

 Posted Sunday, July 13, 2025. (Left San Francisco on July 12)

Someone said that you can’t travel well if you are always trying to get somewhere, but I’ve found that having a destination serves to maintain focus along the way. This trip encompasses the world’s largest organism, an opera and a friend in Indianola, Iowa, and a short visit with my daughter in Golden, Colorado.

Unfortunately, the trip had an inauspicious beginning even before I left home. The Friday night before I was leave on Saturday I did a final tire pressure check on my 2008 BMW R1200R and noticed that the front tire was beginning to cup and that the tread was close to the wear indicator. I am obsessive about the tires on my motorcycles, but somehow this slipped my notice. The wear indicator is at 3mm and I measured a little over 4mm, which is probably good for 1000 miles, although I’ve noticed that when a front tire begins to cup (wear unevenly around the tread blocks) the tire wears faster. Once you reach the wear indicator there is still tread left, and in the past I’ve run tires beyond the wear bar, but it’s not a good idea for safety and I worried about the tire for every mile. Almost every motorcycle shop in the country is closed on Sunday and Monday, so that meant that if I didn’t get a tire on Saturday, when I already had a 400 mile day ahead of me, I would have to wait until Tuesday in Colorado (Centennial near Denver and Colorado Springs), which would upset my schedule and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the ride for working about the tire. There are three BMW shops on my route on Saturday - San Francisco, Roseville, CA, and Sparks, NV. 

(Saturday, July 12) I was up early and skipped my normal exercises and stretches and immediately walked Walter so I could leave early and be at BMW of San Francisco when they opened at 9. Of course I had slept poorly, worried about the tire, my change in plans, and what I would do if I couldn’t get a tire on Saturday. I even had a crazy moment when I thought about taking my car instead of the bike. I was at the BMW shop in SF shortly after they opened and went to the service department, but the service manager said that they were booked with appointments all morning and the earliest they could install a tire would be 3 PM. He suggested trying KC Engineering, an independent shop, around the corner, but they didn’t open until 10. I called A&S BMW in Roseville, but the service manager said that he was down three technicians out of six and couldn’t fit me in. Fortunately, Sierra BMW in Sparks (near Reno) had a cancellation for a major service and they could install a new tire in the afternoon, so I told him I’d be there around 3 in the afternoon. 

I left the BMW shop before 10 and crossed the Bay Bridge, which at that time of morning on a Saturday didn’t have much traffic, and neither did I-80 through Berkeley and Fairfield. The day was foggy and cool, typical Bay Area summer weather, but began to warm up once past Vallejo. I stopped at the Starbuck’s in Dixon for coffee and a sandwich wrap - an early lunch - and fuel for the bike, and I also opened my jacket and pants vents and switched to light gloves. The day had warmed considerably, but traffic wasn’t bad - there was a slowdown near Sacramento when I-80 lost a lane due to construction, but it wasn’t slow enough that I split lanes. The temperature was 95 in Auburn, but once in the mountains it cooled a bit. I noticed that the Gold Run and Donner Summit rest areas are both closed, which means that eastbound there are zero open rest areas in all of I-80 in California. Another California failure, since Interstate rest area maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the state Department of Transportation. 

After a stop for fuel in Boomtown west of Reno I continued through Reno to Sparks where I checked in at the BMW shop at about 2 PM - I had made good time. The one tech on duty was finishing up another bike, so I waited around in the lounge area, read a BMW club magazine, and chatted with another customer - an old guy like me, as are most motorcycle riders these days, especially BMW riders. I even walked outside for a few minutes, but since it was 95 degrees I soon went back in the shop. After an hour and a half my bike was ready and I got back on I-80, exiting after 30 miles in Fernley, where I picked up US 50 east towards Fallon. I saw a high temperature of 105 around Fallon. The 110 miles from Fallon to Fernley went by quickly, US 50 slowly gaining elevation and becoming interesting (hills and curves) for the last 50 miles before Austin. I filled up the bike at Champ’s and arrived next door at the Cozy Mountain Motel at 6:30, got my key for room 5 (where I’ve stayed before - a bit small) and immediately took a shower and changed into shorts and a T-shirt. Austin is at about 6500 feet so it was cooler than Fallon, but still hot at 95. I ate too much at Grandma’s, and asked Brandon, the waiter and co-owner along with his wife, Sarah, of the Cozy Mountain Motel as well as Grandma’s, if the Toiyabe Cafe was open for breakfast. Brandon went onto a bit of a rant about the owner of Champ’s gas station and food store, who had been promising to open the Toiyabe Cafe for 5 years but had made no progress. He went on to say that the owner of Champ’s (Champ?) also purchased the long closed Lincoln Motel (where I stayed many years ago) as well as a couple of other properties in town. This being Saturday night the bar across the street had a few Harley’s  parked outside and people standing around drinking beer. The biker couple at the table next to me at Grandma’s were speaking German, and the Harley Road Glide CVO parked next to my bike at the Cozy Mountain had Quebec tags, so there was an international group of motorcyclists in Austin that evening. (about 400 miles) 

Office at the Cozy Mountain Motel

Grandma’s

(Sunday, July 13) I was up early because I would lose an hour in Utah and I had a side trip to Fish Lake. However, after coffee (Keurig machine in the unattended motel office with pods for Peet’s Major Dickson blend) I  did a walk around town and took a few pictures of Austin, which is still struggling for a comeback, although with a population of less than 200 it has a way to go.

The turkey (?) and chickens wander around US 50 early Sunday morning

The International (inn, bar, restaurant), which was closed the last couple of times I was in town, appeared to be open for business last night

Bikes still in front of the saloon 

Maybe I’ll stay here next time I’m in Austin (kidding)

Nice old church - wonder if it will be open for business later in the day

Back at the motel I took a shower, packed, and was on the road before 8. Right outside of Austin US 50 climbs and twists, but I was taking it easy with a cold engine. After 7 miles I passed by the Bob Scott campground, where I’ve camped three times over the years, and I noticed that it was closed. I first camped there about 50 years ago, and it was primitive camping - pit toilets, pumps for well water. Then Carol and I camped there once and there wasn’t even water. Then it had been closed for several years, but the last time I stayed there 10 years ago was with two friends and the place had been considerably upgraded with running water, improved camp sites, and flush toilets. Closed again, though. The 70 miles to Eureka went quickly, US 50 climbing over several passes with interesting curves although nothing technical (we motorcyclists call very tight curves “technical” for some reason). In Eureka the Owl Club Restaurant was quiet with only another couple from Canon City (near Royal Gorge and Pike’s Peak in Colorado) in an RV who were returning from Sacramento where they attended a friend’s 95th birthday party. Carl was a retired LEO who worked as a motorcycle officer in Phoenix and Santa Clara for many years and at 87 was considering buying another bike. I noticed that the former Chevron across the street from the Owl Club is now called “Champs” - part of the ever-growing Champs empire.

The day had warmed considerably from the 60 degrees when I left Austin, so I opened all the vents on my jacket and pants and switched to light gloves. The 75 miles to Ely passed quickly - three passes (6500-7500 feet) with hills and curves and very little car traffic. In Ely I got fuel at a Shell station and continued on 50. Austin and Eureka may look somewhat abandoned, but Ely was bustling, even on a Sunday. Ely is a junction of US 6 and US 50 and that may help. There are a couple of food stores, casinos, bars and restaurants, a NAPA (auto parts), and many motels and gas stations. After about 20 miles US 50 began to climb and the road became more interesting. On the east side the last pass the curves became downright entertaining, but there were also many long tar snakes (long strips of tar used to fill cracks so water doesn’t freeze and wreck the asphalt) in the direction of travel which become slick and treacherous in hot weather if your tire catches one, so my enjoyment was tempered by the necessity of having to dodge around them. It had been 90-95 degrees in Nevada, but once in Utah where the elevation was lower and the road became straight and boring the temperature went up to 95-100. 

After 150 miles I stopped in Delta for gas and to drink some water, and continued on US 50, which joins I-15 north at Holden (speed limit 80) and after 10 miles exits at Scipio where it goes southeast to Salina.The speed limit on 50 had dropped from 70 in Nevada to 65 in Utah and I was conscious of my speed because  the Utah sheriffs and their deputies are enthusiastic and numerous - I saw a couple lying in wait before Salina, and another one had pulled someone over. I stopped at Mom’s in Salina for a slice of pie and an iced tea and to cool off.

Strawberry rhubarb pie at Mom’s in Salina

Refreshed, I joined UT 24 just outside of Salina and went southeast towards Canyonlands, passing through  a couple of small towns and going over one pass (8500 feet). In the distance to the west I could see smoke from a large fire - probably west of Koosharem (love that name) and towards Richfield.

A distant wildfire south of Koosharem

I turned east onto UT 25 towards Fish Lake (a popular recreation area) and after a summit of over 9000 feet I was in the Pando Aspen Clone, which looks like a normal if scenic aspen grove except that the “grove” is one very large single organism, the individual trees being clones that sprang from the root system of an original tree 16,000 to 80,000 years ago. And then of course more clones sprang from the roots of the clones. Pando Aspen consists of 17,000 clones and takes up over 100 acres.

A small part of the Pando Aspen Clone

I rode east a few miles to Fish Lake, which looked to be busy with boats, campgrounds, and RV lots, Back on US 24 I continued to Bicknell where I  found my lodging for the night, the SunGlow Motel. I checked in and discovered that the nearby Family Restaurant was closed on Sunday. I unloaded the bike and rode 10 miles to Torrey, where I got gas at the Philips 66 station and had a chicken salad dinner at Slacker’s Burger Joint. The staff wear black T-shirts with the following slogan written on the back: Born a genius, slacker by choice, Back at the motel I took a shower, organized my stuff for the next day, and (finally) worked on this blog. (458 miles) 

(Monday, July 14) 

It was 60 degrees and hazy when I left Bicknell this morning a little after 8. I rode through a very quiet Torrey and noticed that the motels all had their Vacancy signs lit - there were only two cars in the parking lot of my motel. After a very pleasant 60 mile ride through Canyonlands - hills and curves, red rock formations, interesting geography - I stopped in Hanksville at Duke’s Slip Rock Inn for breakfast. There were only a couple of other customers, and I was soon tucking into my eggs, hashed browns, toast, bacon, and a biscuit. I asked the waitress (the same one I think who was there when Carol and I ate there many years ago) about the few visitors to the Canyonlands area and the lack of traffic, and she said that it was probably the heat - their busy season is May and June, and then September when it cools off again. 

I had opened the vents on my riding gear and switched to light gloves at Duke’s and back on the road I followed UT 24 northeast for 45 miles (mostly flat road with some interesting rock formations) to I-70 where I went east at a legal 80 mph. Somewhere between Green River and my turnoff at Crescent Junction I was in the left lane about to pass a semi when one of its tires came apart and suddenly there were bits and pieces of tire carcass all over the road. Fortunately, it was a rear inner tire so the only pieces in my lane were small and easily avoided. This happened to me and Carol many (many!) years ago; we were on Boris (my 1973 BMW R75/5) and loaded with camping gear and we were right alongside the truck when the tire blew out, but fortunately again did not get hit with any pieces. 

At Crescent Junction I rode south on US 191 towards Moab. This is a busy road and the heat (95-100) didn’t faze the outdoorsy Moab visitors of which there were many. The scenery isn’t particularly interesting until you get near Moab and there was a fair amount of traffic, but it moved along. I had no reason to stop except for gas, so I did that and drank a lot of water and bought an iced tea at the gas station. After 25 miles I went east on UT 46 at La Sal Junction and followed that to higher elevation (which brought some relief from the heat). I could see several small fires to the east and there were firefighting staging areas along the road. A few miles before Colorado the road becomes more interesting and climbs and twists to the border where it becomes CO 90 and it climbs and twists some more with cliffs on one side and drops on the other. It finally descends very quickly with many 180 degree hairpin turns marked for 20 mph, which I didn’t take much faster. I made a quick detour to Paradox just to take a picture of the bike in front of the long abandoned building “downtown.”

I have an identical picture of my old R1150R, although now the building paint has faded even more.

Back on CO 90 I continued east to CO 145 and east to Naturita then on CO 62 to Ridgway (no “e”). The road is interesting and well-maintained but not particularly exciting until it climbs over the Dallas Divide at 9000 feet before descending to Ridgway, a Colorado outdoorsy mountain town that was very busy. There were very dark thunderclouds over the Dallas Divide and it looked like I had just missed a shower in Ridgway, where I turned north on US 550. US 550 to the south is a scenic road but to the north towards Montrose is rather boring with a lot of traffic, which moved right along to be sure. I got fuel in Montrose, then went east on US 50, where I noticed that the Black Canyon of the Gunnison was closed due to fire. There are many places to pass on 50 and there wasn’t much traffic considering that it is the middle of summer. It’s a scenic road that goes by ranches, lakes, and the Blue Mesa reservoir. The weather was hazy and there were even a few raindrops about 5 miles outside Gunnison. I arrived at the Alpine Inn and Suites at 4:30, checked in and unloaded the bike, which is parked under an overhang by the entrance. Gunnison is at 7700 feet, so there is a reason that I was puffing as I carried my luggage up the stairs to my room on the second floor. I changed into shorts and regular shoes and walked a half mile to Pie-Zan’s, a pizza and Italian food place that seems to be very popular with families with small children. Back at the motel I’m looking at the map and deciding on the scenic but shorter route tomorrow or the more scenic but longer route on a road I’ve never been on. (400 miles)

(Tuesday, July 15)  After breakfast at the motel I left at 8:15 and immediately stopped to fill up the bike, although I had a half tank, but I wasn’t sure about the availability of gas on my route. The day was hazy and around 60 degrees, although it slowly warmed up to the 70s. After a few miles I went south on CO 114 towards Saguache and the first 20 miles were a lot of fun. No traffic going my way, although there were several logging truck heading the opposite direction towards US 50. The road is in a long valley with a few ranches, cabins, and vacation homes. As the road climbed the scenery changed to pine forest, and the descended into another long valley eventually coming to US 285 and Saguache, which is a typical Colorado mountain vacation town. I followed 285 north to Salida, where I got gas. Most of the towns in the Colorado rockies are pleasant and charming, but not Salida. I went east on US 50 to the turnoff for CO 69 south, another scenic road, and in Silver Cliff went east on CO 96 which joins US 50 in Pueblo. By this time I was out of the mountains and into the plains and the temperature was in the mid-90s.

Near the Pueblo airport I exited US 50 onto Paul Harvey Expressway and followed the GPS to the Pueblo Military Air Museum, which provided air-conditioned comfort and many interesting planes and military gear. There is everything from a Stearman bi-plane to an F-16 fighter and a lot in between. There are two large hangers with planes, displays, and informative placards for each item.

Naturally, one of the first displays to catch my eye is this 1990 Ural motorcycle and sidecar, which is a licensed copy of an earlier BMW. The story is that an American officer became friendly with an inebriated Russian general, who gifted the American the bike. Not being able to ship the motorcycle home through regular channels, the officer dismantled the bike and sent it to his mother in multiple packages. Back home he reassembled the bike and some time later donated it to the museum. I have my doubts about this story, but that it what it says on the placard next to the bike.

An outdoor area has several airplanes on display, including a Korean war era Russian MIG-17 and MIG-17.

The Learjet looks as sleek today as it did in 1980.

An A-10 Warthog on the right.

The insanely complicated four row, 28 cylinder radial engine as used in the B-29 bomber. There is also a B-29 bomber in the hanger.

The affordable Piper Cub introduced many people to the joys of flying.

I’d intended to spend an hour at the museum, but ended up staying for two. Back outside the heat was unwelcome but expected, and I continued on US 50 east for 20 miles or so until CO 96 split off at an angle towards the northeast. The heat was tiring, the scenery was monotonous, and the road was straight and flat. US 50 to the south was probably more scenic since it follows the Arkansas River. 

CO 96 keeps its number in Kansas and the scenery didn’t change. This is the western edge of the plains and there were cattle ranches and hay fields and a small town every 25 or 30 miles, although some consisted of a grain elevator and little else. I arrived at the Lazy R motel in Scott City later than I intended, but was able to join our Taco Tuesday Zoom meeting with Carol and my sister and friends for a half hour. 

The Lazy R turned out to be a good choice - $69, clean, roomy, good Wi-Fi, and comfortable. (450 miles)

(Wednesday, July 16) For all its virtues The Lazy R did not include coffee, so I walked to the nearby The Grill  and got a cup to go to drink as I loaded the bike, leaving the motel at 8. It was 60 degrees when I started the bike and I was wearing warm gloves, but the temperature rose quickly and when I stopped at the Cactus Grill in Ness City it had warmed to 75. The breakfast was good and substantial and the place was friendly. Lyons is a typical plains town with a downtown area that was marred by a truck detour right through town due to road construction. After an hour I went outside where it had warmed up to about 85 and I continued east on 96 towards Lyons, KS where I made a stop at the office of the local newspaper, the Lyons News.

So-Cal Motorcycle Roads and Biker Hangouts. And a visit with Andrew

 Several weeks ago I happened to pick up an old (March, 1987) issue of Road Rider magazine in which one of the featured stories was "365 Reasons To Hate Southern California," the premise being that in So-Cal one can ride a motorcycle 365 days a year and people in other parts of the country are jealous. The article contained descriptions of several motorcycle hangouts and many good motorcycling roads, so I thought that this was a good excuse for a short trip and I could also stop in Long Beach to see my son, Andrew.

(Wednesday, June 26, 2024)  The Harley's (2021 Low Rider S) last prepaid service is this month, so I rode that bike figuring that the miles I put on the bike would be free. I left home a little after 11 a.m. and rode down US 101 past Gilroy to CA 25  to Hollister where I stopped for gas and a coffee and sandwich at a Starbuck's and continued on 25 to CA 198. This is the same route that John and I rode a little over a month ago on our way to an old bike show in Hanford, and the road was just as much fun this time - curves, hills, good scenery, and little traffic. The day started off chilly, but by the time I got to Coalinga it had warmed up and I stopped in the town park to switch to lighter gloves and open the vents on my Klim jacket. 

From Coalinga I went south on CA 33 to Blackwell's Corner at the junction of CA 46. This is the last place actor James Dean was seen alive before he crashed his Porsche 550 Spyder into a left turning Ford sedan at the junction of Highways 46 and 41 and died. I stopped at the Shell station there for gas and went inside the café/gift shop where there were many pictures and posters of Dean and other movie stars

Heading east on CA 46 I rode by fields of oil pumps before I reached I-5 and headed south to Buttonwillow where I went east on CA 58 to Bakersfield, where I checked into a Hilton Express. Bakersfield had reached a high of over 100 degrees earlier in the day, but it had cooled a bit before I arrived at 6:30 PM. The location was in a somewhat sketchy part of town, but the lady at the desk said I could park the bike at the covered check-in area by the front door, so I was happy. The room itself was slightly tired, but better than most places I stay at. Dinner was at a nearby Mexican restaurant. On my way to the hotel I rode on old US 99 for a couple of miles and went by many motels that dated back to when the street was the main route through the city. The fact that some of the motels advertised "Color TV" on their signs gives you an idea of their vintage. (300 miles)

(Thursday, June 27)  Yesterday in Coalinga I realized that my GPS was no longer working. It has an internal battery and the unit plugs into a power outlet on the handlebar, so I surmised that either the power outlet wasn't working or there was a fault with the GPS, probably the battery not accepting a charge. Fortunately, I still had a mount for my phone on the handlebar and I quickly switched devices and used the phone for navigation. Unfortunately, my phone is an iPhone SE, which is small (it fits in my shirt pocket) and the directions on Google Maps are difficult to read. 

Breakfast at the Hilton was good, and since I had a short day I didn't leave until 9:30 and then spent an hour at a Harbor Freight and Walmart looking for an SAE/female cigarette lighter adapter cable that I could connect to the SAE cable by the seat of the bike in case the fault was in the handlebar power outlet. Neither place had an appropriate cable so I continued on using the phone for navigation. 

Back on I-5 heading south I went over the Grapevine and down towards Burbank. It had become quite warm and in Burbank the traffic increased with inexplicable jams every few miles followed by 80 mph. Since I was on a motorcycle I took advantage of the Express (toll) lanes, HOV lanes, and lane-splitting and I kept moving. I stayed on I-5 to CA 22 south of Anaheim where I went east to Orange and then went south on Santiago Canyon Road, which is a pleasant and well-maintained rural road that is a big contrast to the busy highways and streets just a few miles away. The road goes through a corner of the Cleveland National Forest and the elevation had increased a bit, so the temperature was pleasant. After 15 miles I arrived at Cook's Corner (Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road in Trabuco Canyon), an old (built in 1884) roadhouse and motorcycle hangout that has barbeque, country dancing, entertainment, and of course drinks. On a quiet Thursday afternoon there weren't many people.

The building is larger than it looks in the picture - there is a large inner room where, presumably, the entertainment and dancing take place, and there is also a large, covered outdoor patio and another parking lot. I ordered a salad with chicken and ate on the patio. 

By this time it was 2:30 and I wanted to avoid the worst of the afternoon commute traffic - futile, I know. I followed Google Maps to the 241 toll road to 133 to I-405 into Long Beach, where there was a very slow few blocks before I turned onto the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway, which is several miles inland at this point) to the Hotel Current, where I stayed last year. I checked in, unpacked, showered and called Andrew who said to come on over. We chatted awhile at his apartment, played with the cats, and then walked a few blocks to the bluff overlooking the Long Beach beach. It was a pleasant afternoon and considerably cooler than inland. We walked away from the beach to E. Broadway (only a block from Andrew's apartment) to The Attic, where we've eaten before. We both had lobster rolls and Grandma's cornbread and roasted carrots. Back at the apartment we talked some more, and then I left for the hotel. (200 miles)

(Friday, June 28)  There was no hurry this morning because it was a short day and I was going through LA to Santa Monica and an early departure would just mean more traffic. I left a little after 9 and took I-405 to I-10 to the PCH. Traffic was Friday Lite (light for LA, anyway) and I split lanes in several places but otherwise had an easy ride. I had researched breakfast places along my route on US 1, and stopped at the Country Kitchen in Malibu, which is more of a take-out place but it does have three small outdoor tables. It looks like it has been there forever, and the clientele was a mixture of tradesmen getting breakfast to go, locals who walked down for coffee and pastry, and of course me. Breakfast was bacon and eggs and it was very good.

The buildings along Highway 1 are a mixture of old and new apartments, fancy private residences, older cottages, surf shops, restaurants, and a few strip malls. There were a couple of construction zones on the PCH with consequent slow traffic, but after a few miles I turned onto Malibu Canyon Rd. and followed that into the Santa Monica mountains to Mulholland Highway and then to the Rock Store, a famous motorcycle hangout and watering hole. The location was originally a hot springs and during prohibition Hollywood celebrities would travel there to soak and drink whiskey. In the 1940s and 1950s it was a gas station, and in 1961 a grocery store. Ed and Veronica (Vern) Savko purchased the place in 1963 and it became the Rock Store (the main building is made of stone) with a café and shop and it quickly became a motorcycle gathering place. Ed died in 2012 and now his son runs the place. Zapata Espinoza described The Rock Store in Mountain Bike magazine: "humble but infamous hangout is like a church for wayward souls whose paths to Heaven are found with throttle in hand,"

On this quiet Friday there were less than a dozen bikes in the lot and mostly older riders, like me. I wandered into the gift shop and found an appropriate T-shirt and paid for it in the café, then talked for awhile with a Triumph rider. The food is supposed to be good, but I had just had breakfast, so I was soon back on the road.

I rode on Mulholland Highway to Kanan Road then onto Latigo Canyon Road to the coast. This is a very twisty and enjoyable ride with dramatic views to the west, a few scattered and very expensive houses with more being built. One of the ads in that 1987 Road Rider magazine was for Yamaha and featured Latigo Canyon Road.

The road is just like the ad and it goes on for 15 miles. Back on the PCH I rode north and into Oxnard and US 101. I needed gas, so I stopped in Montecito, which is a popular vacation spot south of Santa Barbara and crowded with wandering pedestrians and expensive cars. My next destination was Cold Spring Tavern, a former stagecoach stop in the hills above Santa Barbara and normally reached via CA 154 over San Marcos Pass. Unfortunately, 154  was closed for several miles at the southern end, so I followed Google Maps to North San Marcos Road which joins 154 north of the closure. North San Marcos is a narrow, twisty road that is probably more fun on a smaller bike with no other traffic. As it was quite a few people were bypassing the road closure and the several 180 degree uphill hairpin turns were a challenge at a couple of miles an hour. Finally on 154 I went north for several miles and turned on Old Stagecoach Road and was soon at Cold Spring Tavern, where parking was a challenge for a 700 pound motorcycle. The only real parking lot is an uphill, unpaved area with rocks and soft dirt and after trying that and another slanted space near the road, I finally found a small spot that was mostly level and on firm ground. Cold Spring Tavern is definitely rustic, but the food and service are very good and most of the patrons (myself excepted) were expensively dressed and groomed. My house salad with steak was very good (and very filling) .

Continuing on Old Stagecoach Road I soon connected with 154 and followed that by Cachuma Lake, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos to US 101 where I went north to Santa Maria. After a tour of Santa Maria I found the Solaire Motel and checked in. The place was OK, but definitely my kind of place and not Carol's. I walked around the area looking for a place to eat, and finally decided that I wasn't that hungry after a large and late lunch, so I purchased a fruit bowl and a bag of trail mix at a Smart and Final and ate in my room. (210 miles)

(Saturday, June 29)  The morning was overcast and chilly, and I walked across the street to a donut shop where I got coffee and a maple buttermilk bar which would get me going before a real breakfast an hour away at Margie's Diner in Paso Robles. I've eaten at Margie's many times over the years, but never breakfast. I chose a Ranch Omellete which is served over a whole Anaheim Chile with salsa and sour cream, and it was very good.

After breakfast I packed my jacket liner, rode across the street to a Chevron station, and was back on 101. The day was just warm enough and pleasant and I rode through King City (where it was warmer) and Salinas and stopped in Gilroy for gas where it was quite warm. Back on 101 there was very slow traffic in Morgan Hill (early Saturday afternoon?) so I split lanes for a mile or two and soon I was on 85 and then I-280 and home, arriving before 2 p.m. (265 miles)

The Harley is very happy on the Interstates and freeways cruising at 75 mph, and equally happy on smooth and curvy backroads. On very tight roads (Old San Marcos Rd.) the 700 pounds make themselves known, but the bike manages.

Hanford Show & Swap Meet

 The Hanford classic bike show and swap meet is an annual event in the California Central Valley and has been around for over 50 years. I first went in 1974 a year after I moved to California. I had a 1972 Honda CB750 at the time, and I left San Francisco very early on Saturday morning and rode down US 101 to Gilroy, then CA 25 to Hollister, and further south to CA 198 where I rode east to Visalia where the event was held in a closed off parking area of a shopping mall. At the time the event was put on by the Classic and Antique Motorcycle Association and it was a real eye-opener for a guy from Ohio whose only exposure to old bikes was the occasional Triumph or BSA. Here there were bikes I'd never heard of from England, Germany, Italy, France, and other parts of the world including many American manufacturers that were long out of business. The show moved from Visalia to nearby Tulare for a couple of years, spent one year farther south in Lancaster, and eventually settled in Hanford, first at the downtown central square, then at the Kings County Fairgrounds where it has been ever since. The ownership of the event changed a couple of times, and it is now run by Classic Cycle Events. 

(Friday, May 17, 2024)  My friend, John P., arrived at the house around 11 on his Moto Guzzi (which he purchased last year on our way home from Hanford) and we rode south on US 101 to Gilroy, where we went on CA 25 to Hollister where we stopped for lunch downtown at Johnny's Bar & Grill. Johnny's pays tribute to the Marlon Brando character in the 1953 movie The Wild One. Hollister had long been a destination Gypsy Tour event around the Fourth of July with motorcycle races, and a general gathering of motorcycle clubs. The event was suspended during World War II, but in 1947 it was resumed. Postwar many military veterans turned to motorcycles for a sense of the excitement and camaraderie they'd found in military service, and they joined together in clubs such as The Boozefighters. The event turned chaotic with 4000 attendees overwhelming the town of 4500, although there were only three serious injuries, all to motorcyclists. A picture (probably staged) of a drunken lout on a stationary motorcycle surrounded by dozens of beer bottles appeared in Life magazine, and a story, Cyclists' Raid, in Harper's magazine went further to sensationalize the "riot." The Hollister event resumed for several years, and the 50th anniversary was celebrated in 1997. Johnny's Bar & Grill turned out to be a dive bar with a decent kitchen and there were ten or so patrons on a Friday afternoon. 

One of the signs behind the bar advertises the services of a bail bondsman - good information to have.

Back on the road we continued on 25 past Pinnacles National Park and enjoyed the empty road, hills, and curves until CA 198 where we headed west on another twisty road over the San Benito hills and through Priest Valley, over more hills and into Coalinga, where we stopped for gas before proceeding to Hanford where we checked into the Rodeway Inn. We've been staying at this place for years; it used to be called the Downtown Motel, but a few years ago Rodeway Inn bought the property and it has been slightly upgraded and modernized. I made a quick trip to the Hanford Mall, and when I returned John and I walked to dinner at Fugazzi's, where we've eaten before. 

(Saturday, May 18)  The next morning I walked to a nearby Burger King where I had coffee and a breakfast sandwich, and when I returned to the room we packed the bikes and rode the short distance to the Kings County Fairgrounds. It was beginning to warm up, but still pleasant and we first looked at the bikes in the show area.

This nicely restored Vincent with sidecar drew many admiring glances.

A very old school extreme chopper is short on practicality.

A nice, understated custom.

An unrestored Cushman scooter.

This trike features a VW engine.

The next two pictures are of a custom BMW crafted by a retired metal worker who did all the work himself. Note the unusual front suspension, the monoshock rear suspension, and the reversed cylinder heads with the intake at the front and the exhaust at the rear.

This Royal Enfield Interceptor is as handsome as a bike gets.

We walked through the large swap meet area, but didn't find anything we had to have, although there were a few tempting bikes, such as this Indian.

Want a wicker motorcycle?

This van may have been a support vehicle for an entry in the biennial Cannonball coast to coast event. 

This Harley Knucklehead is pure classic Harley. 

In truth most of the stuff in the swap meet looked to be junk that was cleared out of a garage, but maybe it was treasure to someone. 

This 1950s BMW single has potential.

Nice custom paint on this Shovelhead chopper.

This Motobike with a 5 hp Tecumseh engine is typical of small volume manufacturers in the 1950s and early 1960s.

We saw everything twice and left the fairgrounds before noon. We followed CA 198 west to Coalinga where we stopped for lunch at the 101 Diner at the west end of town at the Coalinga Mall (a glorified L-shaped strip mall). Back on 198 we enjoyed the twisty road and the hills in the other direction all the way to CA 25, and then north to Hollister and Gilroy, where we stopped for gas before heading home. 

The Harley did fine on the smooth and mostly empty country roads. It is not a sport bike but I am not a sporty rider and I no longer need to scare myself on every turn to have fun. The Hanford show is a little smaller every year, but I'll probably keep going just because it is so much fun getting there.

Quail Motorcycle Gathering, 2024

 (Friday, May 3 to Monday, May 6)

2024 marks the 14th year of the Quail Motorcycle Gathering at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, CA. John P. rode his Moto Guzzi over from Marin and he and I left about 11:30, riding down US 1 along the coast. It was a cool day and a bit windy, but sunny and pleasant. We stopped at a brew pub north of Davenport for lunch, which was just OK, and rode through the Friday Santa Cruz traffic, splitting lanes for several miles before Watsonville. We arrived in Seaside where we stayed at the Sand Castle motel, and right after we arrived four motorcycles pulled into the lot. They were there to see vintage car racing at nearby Laguna Seca racetrack on Saturday, but we told them about the Quail show and they thought that they might do that instead. One of the guys, Timor, was there with his father, who had flown from New Jersey and was on a rented bike. Another of the group was on a Moto Guzzi, so he and John spent some time talking about Guzzi stuff. We had dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. 

The next morning (Saturday, May 6) John and I walked to nearby Angelina's bakery, a new restaurant which served a good breakfast. The previous 13 years of the The Quail had been dry, but rain had been forecast for Saturday this year, and when we left a little after 9 it was just starting to sprinkle. We rode the 8 miles to the Quail Lodge, parked, and talked for awhile with a guy on a Moto Guzzi who was a professional photographer. The gate opened a little before 10, so we opened the AXS app on our phones and after a little difficulty the reader recognized us and we went in. 

Right inside the gate was a Vincent Rapide in Chinese Red. Next is a handsome Velocette, and then a Matchless, much like one I used to own, except mine was a 650cc. The Harley custom "dragon bike" matches the owner in the background (the lady with the pink pom-poms).

Many of the bikes in the show were under canopies. The Gnome Rhone was a well-regarded French aircraft company during WWI, and also built motorcycles from 1919 to 1959. This 1946 Vespa Model 98 was the company's first production model.

Nothing special about this early 70s Suzuki 500 two-stroke except that it is very similar to the one a friend rode when we did a cross-country trip (Ohio to California and back) in 1972. I was on a gold Honda 750.

This 1955 Velocette MSS is in unusual livery - they are most often seen in black with gold pin stripes, or grey.

This custom Norton has an Art Deco look. I like the helmet on the seat. This bike received the "Spirit of the Quail" award.

This scruffy, unrestored Brough Superior SS100 is like the ones that T. E. Lawrence rode. It belongs to actor Jason Momoa, who brought two other Broughs to the show.

A custom BMW cafe racer.

This Harley Sportster is a tribute to the one Bronson rode in the TV show, Then Came Bronson.

A lot of bling on this custom. It is badged as a BSA Golden Flash, but the engine looks like a new generation Triumph.

A Zundapp flat twin stands in front of a Harley board track replica.

A pre-WWII BMW resplendent in Art Deco style.

This charming 1926 Moto Guzzi C2V has an external flywheel and if you look closely you can see the exposed valve gear - wearing its insides on the outside.

The Rudians provided live music.

Henderson built elegant four cylinder motorcycles starting back in the 19-teens.

And, finally, a Honda 305cc Dream from the early 1960s that you would meet the nicest people on, according to their advertising of the time.

At noon the rain began in earnest, and at 12:30 Paul d'Orleans, the show master of ceremonies, announced that due to the weather they were moving up the interviews and awards. John and I left the show at that time and rode about 8 miles to Carmel Valley Village where we stopped at the Cafe Rustica, which was busy, so we ate at the bar and warmed up. After lunch John went on his way over the hill to Salinas and north on 101 to Marin County, and I went southeast on County G16, which is a fun, narrow, unlined road that climbs up over the coastal hills with many twisty sections. However, in the rain it wasn't quite so much fun, and after a couple of slips on wet steel gratings in the middle of turns I went a bit slower. It got down to 42 degrees going over the hills between Carmel Valley and US 101, and rained all the way to Santa Maria, where I stayed in a Best Western Plus, which was a real find - reasonably priced, a very large room with all the upgrades (good lighting, plenty of outlets, nice desk), and quiet. The carpet might be ready for replacement, but that was the only thing that I noticed to criticize. I unloaded the bike, turned the heat up to 78, and jumped into a hot shower. At the restaurant in Carmel Valley Village I told John that my gloves were working fine in the rain. Well, they eventually became soaked - thank God for heated grips - and I realized that they were my old summer rain gloves that I had replaced because they would soak through after an hour or so of rain. The new ones were on a shelf in the garage, and they are waterproof for an extended time. If I'd thrown out the old gloves when I got the new ones I would have been a lot more comfortable on Saturday. 

I'd planned to walk about a mile to a restaurant that had good reviews, but after I went a couple of hundred yards it started raining again, so I went back to the Mexican restaurant near the motel which was OK, although they did not have NA beer, but I've come to expect that outside of large cities. 

The breakfast at the motel was good, and when I left at about 9:30 on Sunday morning (May 5) it was a bit overcast (it gradually cleared) and chilly - low 50s, but I had my heated vest on about 3/4 power so I was OK. I went east on CA 166 and after an hour stopped in New Cuyama for a break at the conveniently located Richardson Park. Fifteen minutes later I turned south on CA 33, which gradually climbed in elevation and it got colder and cloudy. The temperature dropped into the 40s, then the low 40s, and it became more overcast the higher I climbed. At Pine Mountain summit (5000 feet) it was 34 degrees - I was dressed for cold, but not that cold. Highway 33 is one of my favorite roads, but last winter was not kind to it - there are at least a half dozen one lane sections where the road was badly damaged and under repair. The lane control was by automated lights, and the wait varied from 2 to 15 minutes, depending on how long the section was. Naturally the longest wait was at the summit, where in addition to being very cold it was also windy - while I waited for the light I nearly got blown over. Descending, the sky cleared, the temperature rose, and it became a very pleasant day. I stopped for lunch at the Ojai Deer Lodge on 33 at the north end of town. Deer Lodge is an old (1932) roadhouse that used to be quite rowdy, but it is gradually being gentrified like the rest of Ojai. The building is a rambling log structure with low ceilings. They have a barbecue along with sandwiches and salads, and a stage for entertainment. I got there a little after noon, and there were a half dozen bikes parked out front along with pickups and cars. I ordered and a couple of minutes later Andrew called to say he was about a half hour away, so he joined me for lunch. We left for the theater, about 10 minutes away, and met my nephew, Andre, in the parking lot. My niece, Nina, had driven up from LA so she was there as well. After 20 minutes of socializing with them and Laurie (Andre's wife) and Peter, their 7 year old son, we went inside and enjoyed the show, which was a lot of fun. Adeline, Andre's daughter and my grand-niece, played Annie and she was very good - Andre later told me that she's been in 21 different shows since she started doing theater five years ago when she was 6. This was the last performance for Adeline's cast, so she and the rest of the kids went to an ice cream party in downtown Ojai, and the rest of us had late lunch (Andrew and I had snacks) at Rotie, a rotisserie restaurant specializing in roasted chicken dishes. Most of the seating is outside at picnic tables, and it was a bit cool but pleasant. Andre went to get Adeline and a friend of hers whom they were giving a ride back to Ventura. 

We left the restaurant - Andrew was meeting up with Casey, the director of the show and one of Andrew's housemates when he went to SF State, Andre dropped off Nina at her car back at the theater, and the rest of them went back to Ventura. I rode to Ventura and checked in at the Shores Inn, which is about 100 yards from the Inn at the Shore, where I stayed several years ago when sister Linda (mother of Andre) was in town to visit. Vanya (my sister) and I drove down in her car - she had just retired and needed a little road trip to celebrate. The Shores Inn is more of a downscale establishment, but it was OK. I unloaded the bike and walked to Andre's house, which was a mile away, and we talked and the kids showed me their treasures and I got to visit with family. 

I slept well and the next morning (Monday, May 6) I was in the motel office a little after 7 looking for coffee, which was brewing and not yet available. The breakfast was minimal anyway, so I walked to a nearby Chevron and got a cup of coffee (not bad) and had a Clif bar for breakfast. On the road a little after 9 I got right on 101 and followed that all the way to south San Jose and then 85 to 280 and home. I stopped at Margie's Diner in Paso Robles for a roasted turkey sandwich with green Ortega chilies, jack cheese, and onion rings, which is what I always get there. I had a full tank from Ventura, and I got gas in Paso Robles and then again at the Chevron in Gilroy and got home at 4 PM - 370 miles. 

The gas gauge on the bike, which has been replaced three times already, bounces randomly between full and empty, but otherwise the bike is fine. (I'm told that BMW has an updated sensor strip, and I will get the gas gauge fixed sometime before I leave for Redmond and the BMW MOA rally in June.) I had my heated vest on at 3/4 when I started off in the morning, but later switched to 50% and kept it there the rest of the day - it was a bit cool most of the day in the mid 60s. (When I got home the vest battery was depleted, so I ordered a spare so I can ride longer with a higher heat level.) I kept the heated grips at low most of the time, but would turn them off occasionally. Overall it was a pleasant ride with light traffic, even through Santa Barbara and Salinas, and I enjoyed the stretch along the coast in the morning before 101 turns inland north of Gaviota.