So, where were you on this day in history?
We were on our way to Jamestown to check out Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. There were 14 bikes as we departed the Walnut Creek shop. We rode over Ygnacio Valley to Concord and then via Marsh Creek Rd to Byron where we joined Hwy 4. The temperature was in the low 70's so most of us had either light jackets or sweatshirts on, and the skies were absolutely clear.
In case you were wondering, the construction on Marsh Creek Rd is complete, at least for now. The loose gravel has been completely removed from the roadway making the ride between Clayton and Deer Valley Rd quite pleasant.
There were some old cars in Clayton Park when we rode by. Evidently the beginning of a car show.
Hwy 4 between Discovery Bay and Stockton has not changed. It's still a rough ride no matter what you're riding. When we reached Stockton we pulled into the Valero station on the corner of Hwy 4 and S Fresno Ave. There was road construction in progress on S Fresno and we had to cross over a lane of gravel to get into the parking lot. Some of us fueled up here and some took this opportunity to remove a layer as it had warmed up a little on the way over. I chose to keep my sweatshirt on which I would regret later.
After our break we continued on down S Fresno Ave to the Hwy 4 crossover to Hwy 99 south. When we exited the Valero station we decided to exit the other side so the group wouldn't have to cross over the gravel section again. Much to our dismay we found that there was a huge puddle of water in this exit. Some of the riders decided to ride through it while others opted to circumvent it by exiting via the entrance. I was one that opted to circumvent the puddle as I have not yet installed pontoons on my sportster ;?)
We turned south onto Hwy 99 and picked up Hwy 4 again as we continued east. The farther we rode the warmer it got. I was beginning to regret my decision to keep my sweatshirt on when we reached Farmington. By the time we turned off Hwy 4 at Copperopolis on Obyrnes Ferry Rd it was officially HOT. Our ride down Obyrnes Ferry Rd was scenic and took us past Tulloch Reservoir where we could see numerous boats pulling skiers as they skipped across the water.
Our next turn put us on Hwy 108 heading east into Jamestown. We rode past Jamestown H-D and turned right onto 5th Ave at the north end of town and rode to Railtown. The parking lot was already full and we parked here and there wherever we could find space. As we were parking we heard the train whistle signaling the train's departure from the station.
We made our way into the station to find the ticket booth closed. Signs posted on the wall and the attendants informed us that the next train would depart in an hour. Bummer! Some of the group decided to take this opportunity to ride back into town and get lunch, then come back to catch the train. Others went on the round house tour to pass the time. I opted to forgo the train ride and headed for home.
My return route took me down Hwy 108, through French Camp, and then back onto Hwy 4 for the remainder of the ride.
Another fantastic day in the life of Mt Diablo H.O.G.
