October GAR - Schellville Grill

It was a beautiful day for a ride. There were 12 bikes as we pulled out of the parking lot under the BART tracks and headed north.

We rode up 680, over the Benicia bridge and took the Lake Herman Rd exit. We followed Lake Herman Rd over the hill into Vallejo. We turned right onto Columbus Pkwy and then merged onto I-80 east. We exited I-80 at Red Top Rd and made our way through Cordelia to the Chevron station on Central Way where we made our scheduled stop.

After a very brief stop (we wanted to beat another group to the restaurant in Schellville) we were back under way heading north on Wooden Valley Rd. We made a left turn onto Hwy 121 and followed that over the hill into Napa where we turned left onto the Silverado Trail. Our group got infiltrated by numerous cars at this point and we took a quick trip through a Shell station to regroup before continuing on our way. From there we turned onto Imola and made our way over to Hwy 29 headed south. Then it was a right turn onto Hwy 12 for the last few miles to the Schellville Grill. The weather for our entire trip was crystal clear with temperatures in the high 60's to low 70's, and no noticeable wind.



We managed to beat the other group (they actually never showed up. Guess they heard we were coming ;?) so we got seated right away. The food was good and prices were reasonable. Not a bad choice if you find yourself in the vicinity around mealtime.

After eating, most of the group headed back via 121, 29, 37, 80, 780 to 680 and home.
Another great day spent with friends.

Magoon's Saloon Ride Report

The parking lot at Devil Mtn was empty when we pulled in this morning at 7:00 AM. It made me wonder if I had the correct starting location, but then I spotted Daisy's truck and knew I was in the right place. Daisy had come in early, again, to open the place up so we would have coffee, snacks, and access to the restrooms before we departed. I can't thank the team at Devil Mtn enough for all that they do to support our rides. I hope they know that we really do appreciate all that they do.

It wasn't long before more bikes started arriving, and by the time we were ready to go there were 10 bikes in all. Just before the pre-ride brief Kelly informed me that my reputation was at stake on this ride because I had declared this route to have some of the best motorcycling roads in Northern California. Well, we'd know the outcome of this by lunch time, one way or the other. We jumped on Hwy 4 and made our way to the Antioch Bridge where we had a cage try to cut into the group at the last minute when he discovered he was in the FasTrack Only lane. One of the road captains convinced him that this wasn't the right thing to do, allowing the group to stay together at the toll plaza. Then it was up Hwy 160, through Isleton, followed by a turn onto Andrus Island Rd. We rode along the Georgiana Slough to the Walnut Grove Bridge, this time coming at it from the opposite direction, crossed the bridge, and took Walnut Grove Thornton Rd to the Chevron station in Thornton, our first scheduled stop.

After a short break we were on our way again, up to New Hope Rd and into Galt. We zig-zagged our way through Galt, crossed over Hwy 99, and made our way up to Hwy 104 which we followed all the way into Ione where we made our second scheduled stop. While taking our break here we noticed a yard sale across the street. A few of our riders walked over to see if there was anything of interest but came back empty handed. Whew! I thought we were going to have to find a way to cart all the booty back on the bikes ;?)



We departed Ione on Hwy 124, following that up to Hwy 16 and then joined Hwy 49 for a few miles. This took us into Plymouth where we turned right onto Shenandoah Rd. and headed up into the hills. We rode along Shanendoah, Mt Aukum and Sky Park Roads into Pollock Pines. These roads took us through some fantastic country, riding up and down hills, around sweeping turns, through vineyards, forests, and small towns, in and out of the shadows and past the Jenkinson Reservoir. As we rode along we could smell the pine trees and smoke from the chimneys of the houses along the road. We passed under Hwy 50 and made a left turn onto Pony Express Trail, riding the last mile to Magoon's Saloon. As we pulled into the parking lot we could smell the smoke from the BBQ that was out back. While parking the bikes we determined that my claim that these were some of the best motorcycling roads was indeed correct and my reputation was intact. What we couldn't decide on was what my reputation was, and whether it was good or bad. Oh well, that's a topic for another time and place.

So happens that the BBQ wasn't quite ready yet, but we were OK with waiting another 30 min. or so to eat. We sat around watching the NASCAR race and the football game till the food was ready. And it was worth the wait. We had BBQ'd ribs, tri-tip, chicken and hot sausage served with potato salad and beans for $15. A lot of food and it was good. If you find yourself traveling along Hwy 50 any Sunday you should make a lunch stop at Magoon's. You won't regret it.

We began splitting up for our ride home with one rider breaking off right away and half of the remaining riders turning off when we got to Ione. We took back roads out of Pollock Pines, working our way through the twisties on Snows Rd back to Hwy 49. This part of the return trip was as spectacular as the ride up. We joined Hwy 49 at Diamond Springs and followed that through El Dorado, Plymouth, Ione, and Flag City on our way home.

Another great day spent riding and mingling with friends.

Pescadero GAR Report

We had 5 bikes show up for our ride to the coast this morning. The day started off chilly and kind of gloomy with overcast skies.

We rode south on 680 and took Crow Canyon Rd to Castro Valley. We went through Hayward, across the San Mateo Bridge and merged onto 280 south. Then we took the Woodside Rd exit making our way to the Chevron station for our scheduled stop. After crossing over the bridge we started to see some sunlight peeking through the overcast. The sun would soon be shining bright, but it remained on the chilly side till we emerged from the tunnel on 24 heading home.

After a short break, and a discussion about the speed traps commonly seen on the other end of town, we continued on our way. We had seen a couple of different law enforcement vehicles while at the Chevron station so we rode at or below the posted limit all the way through town. Much to our surprise we did not see a speed trap. It must have been break time. We rode up Woodside Rd to La Honda toward Alice's. En route to Alice's we saw a tow truck with a sport bike suspended from the back coming down the hill. Someone was not having a good day.

We continued up the hill, past Alice's and down La Honda Rd on the other side. Then we turned left onto Pescadero Rd and followed that all the way into Pescadero.

The billed eatery, the Mercado & Taqueri, didn't meet our needs today so we opted to eat at the Deli in the Country Store. The food here was good and reasonably priced. A recommended stop any time you're in the area.

We finished lunch and made our way back to the bikes for the trip home. One bike split off from the group and headed south from Pescadero while the rest of us returned via Stage Rd, to La Honda Rd, to Skyline Blvd. Then Hwy 92 to 580, 13, 24, and home.

What a great day for a ride. Hope you had a chance to get out on two wheels ...

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.