Elk Grove B.A.D. Ride Report

Today started off a little on the chilly side. It was in the upper 50s when we arrived at the Devil Mtn shop around 6:30. We were greeted there by Owen who had come in early to see us off on our ride. Thanks Owen!!

After having coffee and donuts we headed for Elk Grove with 32 bikes. We rode up Hwy 160 to Twin Cities Rd, over to Hwy 99 and up to Elk Grove from there. We parked the bikes and made our way up to the registration table to sign in. Then we were off to find the coffee and donuts.

When everyone had finished socializing we were off on the poker run. The first stop was at the dealership, so we got that stamp before we set out on our journey. The route to stop #2 took us back over to Hwy 160 and Walnut Grove. Instead of turning and crossing over the bridge leaving Walnut Grove, we continued straight on Walnut Grove Blvd, crossed I-5 and pulled into the Chevron station on Thornton Rd for stamp #2.

We found ourselves a little 'directionally challenged' when we departed stop #2. We turned north on Thornton Rd instead of heading east on Thornton Rd. Yes, I said that correctly. Thornton Rd makes a 90 degree turn at the intersection, and we went the wrong way. We rode a couple of miles north before we figured out where we had gone awry and, once we identified the need, we made a course correction to get back on track. As we rode back to the intersection to get on the intended route we passed a bunch of other riders that had done the same thing. They too turned around and fell in behind us to get back on course. From there we rode down to Pletier Rd, over to Hwy 88 and into Locke for stamp #3.



We departed the Chevron station in Locke and zig-zaged the back roads back into Elk Grove for our 4th stamp at the Chevron station on the corner of Grant Line Rd and Wilton Rd. From there it was a quick trip down Grant Line Rd and a right turn on Stockton to the dealership.

Once at the dealership we got our 5th stamp and receive the news that we did NOT have a winning card. Bummer! Oh well, we were off to get some food. They had tri-tip sandwiches, beans, chips and salad. That was what we needed to quiet the rumbling in our stomachs. Now we were ready for the bike games and raffle.

The bike games consisted of a slow ride while staying on a board, a ride where the passenger attempted to scoop up stuffed animals with a fishnet, and a ride where the passenger attempted to place tennis balls on the tops of some cones. Mt Diablo participants performed valiantly, but with the exception of the plank slow ride, won by Ron Stevens, we were denied a victory. I must add that Carrie K. did well on the plank ride too. Way to go Ron & Carrie!

It was now time to head for home. We reversed the route we had used to get to Elk Grove and rode along the river back home. Another great day spent riding with friends.

Breakfast Ride Report

Fifteen bikes showed up at the Devil Mountain shop early this morning in search of food. The temperature was in the low 70's when it was time to go and most of us were comfortable with sweatshirts or light jackets. We headed south on Loveridge Rd and zig-zaged our way through Pittsburg and Antioch emerging on Deer Valley Rd. Then we turned east on Marsh Creek Rd followed by a turn north on Walnut Blvd. From there we turned onto Concord Ave and, with a little detour due to a road closure, rode north on the Hwy 4 bypass. We exited the bypass at Laurel Rd and turned onto Neroly Rd taking that all the way to Main St in Oakley.

We merged onto Hwy 160 north, going up and over the Antioch bridge. As we rounded the curve approaching the bridge over Threemile Slough, just before Brannan Island State Park, we came up on some traffic. I originally thought the backup was due to the bridge being up, but as got closer we noted that the traffic was still moving, but slowly. When we made our way across the bridge we could see the flashing lights a half mile or so ahead. There was an ambulance with lights flashing headed back toward Antioch, but sadly they didn't seem to be in a hurry to get there. We were able to get around the accident by using the turn lane and continue on our way. As we passed by the accident scene we could not tell what had happened. There were a couple of cars pulled over and the road looked pretty 'messy', but no obvious collision.

From there we continued north on 160, but just a bit slower, and then turned east onto Hwy 12. About 2 miles down the road we turned south onto Jackson Slough Rd, taking that down to Brannan Island Rd, then following that the rest of the way to Korth's Pirate's Lair.



While it wasn't hot yet it had warmed up enough to make the sweatshirts uncomfortable, so everyone peeled them off before going inside. We were greeted with good food, good service, and reasonable prices. What more can a bunch of hungry HOGs ask for? We ate, chatted for a while and then it was time to head for home. As we usually do, the group broke up into smaller groups taking different routes home. Some back tracked down Brannan Island Rd the way we had come while others opted to continue up to Hwy 12 and home.

Another great day spent riding, eating and mingling with friends.

See you on Tuesday ...

Calaveras Big Trees Picnic Ride Report

Yep, this was another beautiful day for a ride. We had 11 bikes in the group as we departed the Devil Mtn shop in Pittsburg and headed east. We jumped on Hwy 4 and took the bypass down to Balfour. Just before we rejoined Hwy 4 in Brentwood one of the riders in our group dropped out, he was not feeling well and decided to pass on the rest of the ride. The remaining 10 bikes continued on Hwy 4 to Stockton and made our first scheduled stop at the Chevron station on Charter Way.

After our break, and peeling off a layer due to the rise in temperature, we continued through Stockton and on toward Farmington. As we rode across the valley on Hwy 4 I couldn't help but notice the tall corn in the fields along the side of the road. I was thinking that this is probably the same scenery our Milwaukee travelers are seeing on their trip across the plains.

When we reached the twisty, narrow stretch of Hwy 4 between Copperopolis and Angels Camp we had a sheriff's car come up from behind the group with lights flashing. There really wasn't any place for us to pull off the road so we just slowed and pulled as far to the right as possible, let him pass, and then continued on our way. We made a fuel stop in Angels Camp and the proceeded east on Hwy 4. As we rode toward Murphys we had another sheriff's car approach the group from behind and pass us. Wow, twice in one ride! We later discussed this and decided that he must have been in a hurry to get to the doughnut shop ;?)

We made a stop at the Deli in Arnold and bought sandwiches and drinks for our picnic lunch before continuing on to Big Trees Park. We arrived at the park, paid our $6 entrance fee and made our way to the parking lot. We didn't find any picnic tables but we made do with the benches at the theater.

After eating someone had the great idea of walking down to see the big trees. I won't mention her name, but her initials are Carrie. This was supposed to be a 'short' trail of approximately a quarter mile or so and a bunch of us took the bait. We wondered through a small grove that didn't really have any big trees and then found out we had to go down this other trail. So off we went, down this 'quarter mile' trail, which went on forever. We looked back and the people that originally came up with this idea were not with us. Hmmmmm ... But we forged ahead. I'm not sure exactly how long this trail is, but I'll bet it's a mile or more. It wasn't all bad though. We did get to see some awesome trees. Some of the trees were so tall we couldn't see the tops. Others were so huge that after they had fallen they were hollowed out and tourists go through the tunnels that they make. And still others that are still standing have arches cut through the trunks that tourists walk through as the make their way along the trails. Definitely worth the long walk.

When we got back to the parking lot we discovered that the others had already departed and just our 3 bikes remained. One bike opted to take an alternate route home so it was just the two of us returning on Hwy 4. We pulled over for a short break in Farmington and while we were standing there along the road here comes the rest of our group. Turns out they had made a 'refreshment' stop and we had passed them. They decided to get something to eat there, so it was just the two of us the rest of the way home.

This was a great ride. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold, and traffic was relatively light.

See you on the next ride ...

Jamestown Train Ride Report

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.

August GAR Report

August GAR Report;

Well, we had six bikes show up at the Devil Mountain shop for the August GAR to Suisun City. Not a bad showing considering that we have numerous members on the way to Milwaukee and had over 20 bikes leave early this morning for the Gold Rush Run.

Our group departed out the back of the parking lot onto Leland and followed that over to Bailey Rd. We rode over the hill to Concord and made our way via Concord Blvd, Farm Bureau Rd and Port Chicago to Hwy 4. We merged onto 680 north and proceeded across the Benicia bridge taking the Lake Herman Rd exit to our scheduled stop at the Jack In The Box/Gas station. The wind was gusting a bit when we crossed the bridge, but other than that the weather was perfect for a Saturday morning ride.

After a quick cup of coffee and a short break we were back on the road. We crossed over 680 and turned north onto Lopes Rd, following that all the way into Cordelia. Then we turned right onto Cordelia Rd and made our way east to Suisun City and Babs Delta Diner. Babs has good food, good size portions, great service and reasonable prices. What more can a hungry group of HOGs ask for ;?)

After eating we made our way back to the bikes and prepared for the ride home. We rode up Main St to Hwy 12; HEY! Where did the on-ramp for 12 East go? The only signs, and subsequent on-ramp, was for 12 West. We had to make a course correction (no, not a U-turn), ride back under 12 and turn left into what looked like a parking lot. This street took us to the on-ramp for 12 East and we were back on track. We took 12 back through Rio Vista and then 160 back into Antioch.

Great food, great ride and great company. How I love this chapter ...

Get Acquainted Ride to Waterloo

Overcast, cool and windy was the weather report from most riders arriving at the Pittsburg shop this morning. The May Get Acquainted Ride brought out the sweatshirts and winter gloves. But a strange thing happened while we waited to stage up: The sun came out and it began to warm up. After grabbing cookies and coffee generously provided by Devil Mountain staff, we staged our 11 bikes and made our way down Leland for our routine Railroad Avenue entrance onto Highway 4. Making our way over to the Antioch Bridge we took Highway 160 to the toll booth. We had a math genius this time and sped through the gate and out onto the span. That’s where we discovered how windy it had become this morning. Down on Highway 160, we bobbed and weaved over to Highway 12 and took a right turn on our way to Waterloo. Passing under I-5 we took a quick right and left into our “gas and get aquainted stop”. Then following a series of back roads expertly arranged by Darcy, we made our way to a great roadside restaurant and bar for lunch.

BBQ steak, ribs, burgers and club sandwiches with sides of pesto-pasta, spaghetti, potato salad or salad, were consumed in mass quantities. It must have been good since the place got pretty quiet for awhile. The proprietor was able to accommodate all of us in our own room and service was swift.

After lunch, most of us continued on into Stockton to the Weber Point Event Center to view the Vietnam War Memorial “Moving Wall”. A scale presentation of the War Memorial in Washington DC, it was a very powerful exhibit viewed by a lot of people. The names of over 58,000 service people were being read over the PA system while we were there. This is worth seeing if you have the opportunity.

We hit the road and took Highway 4 through the Delta back home. It was a great day with new and old faces. The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, and another fine ride was logged into the Chapter books.

See you all next time…

Capital City MC Poker Run Ride Report

On Saturday morning a small group of hardy soles met at the Pittsburg Dealership for the Capital City Motorcycle Club annual poker run. Coffee and pastries were waiting for us to enjoy. The folks at Pittsburg are very nice to the Chapter and they all deserve a great big round of thanks from all of us.

We departed the dealership with 11 bikes and headed for a route that took us on 160, Twin Cities, and I5. Our approach to the Capital Cities club house was on Riverside. We made a gas stop at a Valerio station at Riverside and Broadway which was a mistake for several reasons: (1) real bad restrooms, (2) credit cards didn’t work at the pumps, (3) attendant was overwhelmed. As it turned out, we could have walked to the club house which is a very nice facility with very clean restrooms.



At the club house we met up with 4 additional bikes representing the chapter that took a different route. After registering, some coffee and goodies to eat we gathered up and left for the poker run.

The first stop was in Woodland at Schoeder’s Motorsports. The route took us along the river using the Old River Road. It was a pretty route that kept us off the freeways.

After checking in and getting our envelops punched we took off for Dixon using I5 and Hwy 113 for the second stop. One of the bikes didn’t make the exit for 113 from I5 but caught up with us at the Dixon stop which was another Schoeder’s Motorsports.

The last two stops were in Rio Vista at the Chevron Station and at the Bates Elementary School in Courtland. When we arrived at the Chevron Station there was a group of classic cars were pulling in from the opposite direction. The left turn off 12 was a little difficult but everyone made it ok. We left the station and headed to the Ryer Island Ferry and then the Howard Landing Ferry. After the Howard Landing Ferry we ran into a long line of real old cars pocking along at about 30 mph. The group was able to pass all the cars and continue on our route to the final stop.

The Chapter won the "mileage" participation award and Elk Grove won the member participation award. Diane and I dropped off the award at Pittsburg on the way home. Alan F won the high hand in the poker run with queens over jacks for a full house.

On the way home we saw a lot of emergency equipment on the River Road between Walnut Grove and Islenton. We were on 160 across the delta. We could see a car turned over and a life flight helo on the road and traffic was blocked in both directions. Hopefully no motorcycles were involved. A few miles up the road we ran into a couple of fire trucks putting out a grass fire.

Other than these two events, just a nice ride home along the delta.

-- Alan Fitzgerald --