Whole Enchilada Ride Report

Today started out much like yesterday, clear with sunshine in Antioch, and a fog bank as I descended the hill into Concord but clearing before I got to McGuire's. We had 23 bikes show up for the ride to the coast today and after our pre-ride briefing we were on the road.

We took 680 south toward San Jose and the traffic was fairly light considering this was in the middle of a three day weekend. Our ride down to Pleasanton was under sunny skies, but as we rode up the Sunol Grade we could feel the temperature drop five or ten degrees as we rode under the cloud cover. I think this layer of clouds was the lifting fog bank as we could feel the moisture in the air, which made the already cool air seem a little colder somehow. We continued down 680 to south San Jose and merged onto Hwy 101 toward Gilroy. The cloud cover persisted until we neared Gilroy where we finally rode back into the sunlight. We took the Leavesley Rd (Hwy 152) exit to the west and pulled into the Chevron station for our scheduled stop.

We took this opportunity to use the facilities and get some refreshments as we warmed up in the sun. Then it was time to move on. We continued down Leavesley to Monterey Hwy where we turned left and then after a couple of short blocks we turned right onto 1st street, which turns into Hecker Pass Hwy. We rode up and over Hecker Pass, in and out of the sunshine that filtered through the trees. We crested the top of the hill and could see the coastline below as we descended the west side of the hill. We rode past Mt Madona Inn and I noted that there were only a couple of cages in the parking lot there. It seems that this place is never crowded and I wonder how they manage to stay in business. Maybe, since this is also a restaurant, they have a good dinner crowd. We rode on through Watsonville and turned south on Hwy 1. The lights in Watsonville broke our group up so we waited for the others to catch up before proceeding down Hwy 1 to the Whole Enchilada. We pulled into the parking lot and those that wanted to eat here parked while the rest of us continued south to Castroville to eat at the Central Texan BBQ.

The Central Texan is an interesting place with lots of seating, wood tables and benches, and sawdust on the floor. And the food was good, plentiful and reasonably priced. We ate and talked our way through lunch and then it was time to head for home.

We rode over to the Chevron station a couple of blocks away and refueled before turning north on Hwy 1. Most of our trip home was under an overcast sky and somewhat cooler than it had been. As we rode past the Whole Enchilada we saw the other part of our group waiting for a break in traffic to pull out onto Hwy 1. Because of the heavy traffic this is the last we saw of that group. We continued up Hwy 1, through Santa Cruz and up to Pescadero where we turned east. As usual, the traffic in Santa Cruz was heavy and our group was split up yet again and we didn't get back together till we stopped at Alice's for a break.

We took a short break and then were back on the road, homeward bound. We rode up Skyline, where we encountered some more fog, to Hwy 92 and took that all the way into Hayward where we began splitting off for different routes home. Our group of five bikes continued through Hayward, up Crow Canyon Rd to 680 and home.

What a great day! The weather, while chilly, was good, the ride was fun, and the people were great. What more could you ask for ....

Sweetheart Ride-n-Dine Report

It was clear here in Antioch this morning when we departed for Walnut Creek. Then as we rode up the hill out of Bay Point we hit the fog. The visibility wasn't that bad and by the time we got to the bottom of the hill we were out of it and it looked to be a beautiful day. As we stood in the parking lot at McGuire's we watched bike after bike roll in with the final count at 33.

We staged in the usual spot under the BART tracks in two groups and then we were on our way. We jumped on 680 heading south and made our way to the Sycamore Valley exit. Then we rode down San Ramon Valley Blvd, past the old San Ramon shop , and turned onto Deerwood Rd and then onto Deerwood Dr. It was here that group one pulled over to investigate a problem one of the bikes had when departing Walnut Creek and group two took the lead. From there the two groups took different routes. Group two turned south on Bollinger Canyon Rd while group one rode north on Bollinger Canyon Rd up and into Las Trampas Regional Park. I was with group two and from here we turned west onto Crow Canyon Rd and we could feel the temperature drop about 10 degrees as we rode in and out of the shadows. We turned east onto Norris Canyon Rd following the twisties through back toward San Ramon. There was a spot along Norris Canyon where there had been a mud slide closing the westbound lane and they had the stop sign traffic control system in place to get past the one lane section. After that it was a short ride back into San Ramon where we turned right onto Bollinger Canyon Rd., crossing over 680, and turning north on Dougherty. From there it was a right turn onto Crow Canyon Rd, which turns into Blackhawk Rd, and skirting the east side of Danville. Through this section of town the signal lights were really quick and caused our group to get broken up. Our tried & true 'bread crumb system' worked like a charm and those of us that were separated at the lights eventually got back together with the main group. We made a right turn onto Green Valley Rd and then onto Stone Valley Rd as we made our way back to 680. Once back on 680 we rode north through Walnut Creek and into Concord taking the Willow Pass Rd exit. We turned left onto Willow Pass Rd, which turned into Taylor, and turned right onto Pleasant Hill Rd. which took us into the south side of Martinez and to the home of Steve & Vicki Guderian. There was no parking directly in front of their house so we parked around the corner and walked over.



The Guderian's hosted the brunch stop and it was great. We had coffee, eggs & sausage, eggs and ham, eggs and bacon, eggs and veggies, fruit, bagels, and muffins. We ate and chatted until it was time to go. We thanked the Guderians for their hospitality and headed north for still more food. The Guderians joined us for this part of the ride so our bike count was now up to 37.

We departed Martinez as one big group and followed Hwy 4 to 680 and turned north. The traffic was moderate at the approach to the toll plaza which caused some problems for our big group but we managed to stay together till we got to the toll booth, where we sat for a long time. I think the batteries died in the toll collector's calculator and he had to take his shoes off to compute the correct toll. But we did finally proceed and once through the toll plaza we continued north on 680, again with numerous cages amongst us but they continued on when we exited at Lake Herman Rd leaving us all together. We followed Lake Herman Rd over to Columbus Pkwy, onto Hwy 37 and then north on Hwy 29. Hwy 29 had the usual heavy weekend traffic and quick lights causing our big group to get broken up several times on our way to Al and Liz Donaldson's in American Canyon. But yet again our bread crumb system got us all there. And there was not doubt that we had found the right place. Check out the flag hanging over the garage door!





The temperature had risen quite a bit during our journey and after parking our bikes we began removing jackets, sweatshirts and chaps to make ourselves comfortable. Then it was into the house in search of food. This was our lunch stop and we were treated to some great BBQ, beans, rolls and drinks. We chatted and ate till we could eat no more. Then it was time to head for home and people began to trickle out. We thanked the Donaldson's for their hospitality and headed home via Hwy 29 to 12 to 680 and then Hwy 4 to Antioch.

This was a fantastic day for a ride, filled with good weather, good food and good people.

Auburn Sweetheart Run Ride Report

I don't think it was as cold this morning as it was yesterday morning, but it was still cold. My hands were fine on the ride over to Walnut Creek (those heated gloves work great ;?), but they got cold as I was standing around waiting for departure time. As we were waiting it seemed like there was a never ending stream of motorcycles arriving, with the final count being 41 bikes on the ride.

When it was time to go, we roared up 680 to 80 and then on to our first stop at the Chevron station in West Sacramento. The traffic was light and other than being cold it was a pleasant ride. We did hit some fog along 80 just before we got to Sacramento but it was only a couple of miles before we rode out the other side. This is a good thing because it was fairly thick and I had to keep wiping the moisture from my face shield so I could see. It took 20 minutes or so for everyone to gas up, use the facilities, and warm up, but then we were back on the road.



The rest of the ride to Auburn was up 80 and again the traffic was fairly light. We pretty much had the number two lane all to ourselves with an occasional cage moving through the lane. We took the Hwy 49 exit in Auburn and turned North. The traffic signals weren't with us today though as we were segmented several times as we rode through town. Oddly enough we were able to get back together just as we reached the dealer and have all the bikes ride in together.

After we all registered, we went in search of coffee and sustenance. The only coffee to be had was from the vending truck in the parking lot, which was out of regular coffee so they offered us some watered down espresso that really didn't taste too bad. Food however was pretty much out of the question. There was a taco vendor there as well as a hot dog booth, but neither were appealing, and the line for the hot dogs was long. So we chatted and listened to some way too loud music blaring over the loudspeaker system. The longer we stood around the warmer it got until most everyone there had removed all their jackets. Some folks headed for home and some went on the Sweetheart Run. We decided to make our own ride and take the scenic route home. A group of ten or eleven bikes headed down Hwy 49 through Placerville and into Jackson where we ate lunch at Mel & Fayes. The diner was packed as usual but they got us seated in short order and served up some good chow.

Once we'd eaten we geared up for the rest of the ride home. We make a quick stop at the Chevron station in Sutter Creek for fuel and noted that one of our group was not present. They had left the diner a bit ahead of us and were supposed to meet us at the Chevron station, but that didn't happen. We sent out a scout to search for them but to no avail. We called their cell phone and left a message, then proceeded on our way.

From there is was down 88 to Peltier Rd, I-5, Hwy 12, and Hwy 160 into Antioch. It had started to cool down a little so we had donned our light jackets before departing Jackson. Even so, it was another beautiful day with temps in the high 60's or low 70's. Another great day spent with friends, eating & riding.

Speaking of eating, the Valentine's Day Ride-n-Dine is next weekend. I can't wait! Hope to see you all there.

Jamestown Polar Bear Ride Redux Report

Wow, 53 bikes showed up for this ride. What a GREAT turnout!

The weather was forecast to be sunny and in the mid sixties, though it was still chilly when we arrived at the Devil Mountain shop. As folks were arriving Weldo showed up with coffee and donuts. Then, a few minutes later, Rocky and Melanie showed up with more donuts. And since this was an early departure we didn't expect the shop to be open, but then Jim shows up with still more donuts! At least we had lots of folks show up to help us eat all those donuts.

Then it was time to hit the road so we split up into two groups and headed east. Group two went down Loveridge to Buchanan and made our way through town to Hwy 4 while group one jumped on the freeway. As group two waited at a signal light approaching the Hwy 4 bypass, group one turned in front of us. The light changed on queue allowing us to proceed as one large group of 53 bikes. Remarkably we were able to stay together most of the way down Balfour before group two began to get separated at the lights. Oh well, it looked cool while it lasted.

From there is was Hwy 4 out of Brentwood, past Byron, and across the delta on the levee roads. As we crossed the delta we rode through several miles of fog. Then we rode out of the fog and into Stockton for our scheduled stop at the Chevron station. We took this opportunity to use the facilities and chat a bit before getting back under way.



We continued down Charter Way to Maraposa and onto Hwy 99, exiting at Hwy 120. We followed 120 all the way to Oakdale where we turned onto 108, taking that all the way into Jamestown. The ride over was pleasant with plenty of sunshine, except for the few miles of fog along Hwy 4.

Everyone registered for the Polar Bear ride and then discussed who was going where. Some departed for other destinations, some decided to go on the Polar Bear Ride, and others of us decided to do our own ride to the destination (ie.. "to where the food was"). The end point for the ride was in La Grange, so off we went back down Hwy 108 to Hwy 49. The original plan was to follow 49 to 132, but as we rode into Chinese Camp we saw this sign that said "La Grange, 18 Miles", so we turned. This was Red Hills Rd, which took us through the back streets of Chinese Camp and through some very scenic countryside. The road was not too bad, though we found ourselves frequently dodging potholes. Along the way we crossed two creeks with several inches of water flowing over our wheels. Got snorkels? Eventually we made it to La Grange Rd which took us to, of all places, La Grange.

We found The Saloon and made our way inside for food and conversation. Upon entering we found some of our brethren had already arrived. We said our hellos and sallied forth in search of food. The food wasn't bad, and after getting ours we found a table in the sun. As we were finishing up more of our group showed up. Now it was time for us to head for home.

We departed La Grange on Hwy 132 (Yosemite Blvd.) and made our way to Waterford, where we turned northwest toward Oakdale. As we rode along 132 we had to slow down to avoid colliding head on with a cage passing on a double yellow. What's with these impatient cages?!?!? From Oakdale we followed 120 to Escalon where I waved goodbye to the group and turned toward Farmington. From there it was Hwy 4 the rest of the way home.

Wow! What a great day. Some nice riding, nice weather, and nice folks. Let's do it again tomorrow.

Buffet Breakfast Ride Report

Well, we got this ride in even with the rain clouds looming on the horizon.

It was cold this morning as we arrived at the Devil Mtn shop. The parking lot was empty and the shop was closed. I had flash backs of the Polar Bear ride last month with only my bike in the parking lot and wondered how many riders would show up today. Then as I was parking the bike Jim came out to greet me. He was ready for us with coffee and donuts. Ummmmm doooonuts.

It wasn't long before some other bikes began pulling into the parking lot, and by the time we departed we had 11 bikes total. Not too bad for a cold winter morning with rain in the forecast. After the pre-ride brief Dave, from Devil Mtn, talked a bit about the closure of the San Ramon store and how things like gift cards would be honored at the remaining two dealerships. He also mentioned that there will be someone from the dealership(s) at the next meeting to talk about the closure of the San Ramon store.

Then it was time to ride. We pulled out of the parking lot headed south on Loveridge and made our way to Deer Valley Rd. It was sure nice of the road crews to dig up all the streets along the way. It makes the ride through town so much more interesting ;?)

We followed Deer Valley Rd to Marsh Creek Rd and then over to Byron Hwy. We turned onto Mountain House Rd taking that to Grant Line Rd. where we turned west. From Grant Line Rd we veered right onto the Old Altamont Pass Rd. As we rode through this section I noticed that none of the windmills were turning. Weird as the weatherman said that it was going to be windy today. From Old Altamont we turned onto Carroll Rd and headed south. Carroll Rd turned into Flynn Rd as we crossed 580 on our way to Patterson Pass Rd. We turned east onto Patterson Pass Rd and headed for Tracy. I thought I noticed a couple of sprinkles on my face shield as we rode through the hills here, but nothing that I could definitely call rain. And it seemed like the temperature dropped a few degrees here. We stayed on Patterson Pass Rd and rode through the twisties up and over the hills. The wind had picked up now and the windmills that we saw here were happily spinning in the breeze. As we crested the hill and began our descent into the central valley we were treated to a beautiful view of the valley opening up before us. The gray overcast formed a ceiling above us making the view appear as a panoramic painting on display. And with no guard rails along the sides of the road we could clearly see the drop off into the valley below.

After descending on the east side of the hills we crossed over 580 again and turned right onto Schulte Rd. Then it was a left turn onto Lammers followed by another left onto Byron Hwy and finally a right turn onto Grant Line Rd which took us to the Golden Corral. The parking lot at the Golden Corral was fairly full so we scattered to find parking for the small group of bikes.

Most folks headed inside to partake of the festivities while a couple of us decided to head for home. I headed home along the Byron Hwy and Marsh Creek Rd. One section of Byron Hwy now has a reduced speed limit of 35 MPH because of the new signal lights that have been put into place. While I was speeding through this section at 50 I had two, yes two, cages pass me crossing over the double yellow to do so with oncoming traffic. The driver of the second cage was talking on his cell phone so failed to properly calculate the appropriate amount of clearance for this maneuver and didn't have enough room to get by me. To avoid a head on collision he pulled back into my lane forcing me to the shoulder of the road. I used my horn to get his attention and then signaled that I thought he was #1. Yet another reason to be constantly aware of what's going on around you as you ride.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful, and as I rode along Marsh Creek Rd. it began to sprinkle. Not enough to get really wet, but enough to dampen the road. Not sure if any of the others got caught in the rain. Hope not.

So here's to another great day riding with friends. Can't wait till the next one.