2007 July 14 - Occidental

{Click on each photo to view the full size image}

Most of the photos were taken by Jess H. And some are mine.

We gather at the Jelly Belly parking lot. The weather is perfect around 70° and sunny.

Jess coworker and FJ1200 Rider, Theresa W. at the JB.We start out with 13 bikes and 15 people as two are riding two-up.
Because the weather is so nice, there is a bunch of traffic as we head west on Hwy 12 to Hwy 121 to Sears Point. Here we get on Hwy 37 to Atherton Ave/San Marin Ave around Novato. We catch Novato Blvd to Petaluma-Point Reyes Road. We pass the Cheese Factory and the smells are wonderful.


Here we have reached Hwy 1 and are waiting for a break in traffic to get a bunch of bikes onto the highway.


Our first rest stop at Point Reyes Station. With so many bikes the normal gas station stop is not possible so we wind up at the edge of town.

This is Linda hamming for the camera.
Jess and Theresa.

Scott with a smoke.

Here I am taking a photo.We just take over the whole street.

Jenn decides she needs another bike, so she checks out Theresa's 1990 Yamaha FJ1200.Phil is cleaning his face shield as Jeff watches.
"Hey Eric, Wait for me!"

We split into two groups to Ride to lunch at Howard's Station Café in Occidental.
We start in sunny conditions but not too far up Tomales Bay we get into the fog.




Okay. We get to Occidental and lunch. We just miss breakfast which ends at 12:30PM. But it also means that we get there just as a whole bunch of people are leaving, so we get seated right away. The place was crowded for breakfast.
Here's Cranky and Larry and Glenda C.

The back of Jeff's head, me and Mario and the back of Las.Eric, Jess, Jenn and Theresa.
Here is the "Food" shot.


After lunch Eric twists while Jeff, Phil and Las discuss the facts of life.
Another photo with Las in a strange position. Hey, Jess took this picture.

We split into two groups after lunch. A string of now 14 bikes, as Will J from Coloma has caught up with us after lunch, is too many for Coleman Valley Road. So we split into two groups of 7 bikes each.

Starts out sunny on this two-way one-lane road which is the road that the locals take to get from Occidental to Bodega Bay or vice versa.These are pics of Group 1.
Cranky from San Jose wrote the following:

"There were some foggy parts that puckered your shorts, and the one goin' over Coleman Valley Rd on a one lane two way road with 40 mph fog blown in your face was to say "a bit interesting"!!! And yes there was traffic coming our way... and I had trouble seeing Don at the front, I'm talkin' serious fog and wind.. but old smart me.... had come thru some sun.... took my sweatshirt off, from under my mesh jacket.... and took off my leather gloves and put on my mesh gloves..... !%)!#$%~#$)%*$)%*~$"
The camera lens is better than the human eye in looking through fog. The visibilty was not nearly as good as the photos indicate.

Here is the first group heading north on Hwy 1. Two bikes had decided to head to Bodega Bay since they had never been there.

Gas stop at Guerneville for the second group.
Same gas stop as the first group.

Second group.

Heading out of Guerneville.
From Guerneville the Ride continues along River Road into Santa Rosa where River Road turns into Mark Springs West Road. This gets us into Hwy 128 just north of Calistoga. At Calistoga though the Ride heads over to the Silverado Trail which is a much nicer Ride than the really busy Hwy 128/Hwy29. Hwy 128 crosses the Silverado Trail where the Ride heads toward Winters.

Epilogue:
It turns out that Group 2 had to stop again to eat:

"As we came to the stop sign in Calistoga, we looked to our right and noticed the bbq place (I forget the name), so we made a quick stop for more grub. Jess and Theresa had to go, though. This really is an eating club that utilizes motorcycles to get from restaurant to restaurant!

I've tried 2 times to send the picture of us there, but it's too big.

Thanks for a great day!

Jenn"

So anyway here are photos of Buster's from previous Rides.
This is the photo of the Group 2 Riders after eating. {Jenn finally sent it}

Now Group 1 had the "older" folks who are headed to Oregon for the FOOL Ride {Fogies, Old, Oregon Loop}. The young stomachs stop at Buster's to eat. The Fogies stop at the Soda Canyon Store for a soda, but more importantly a potty break. :-)

Jess wrote:
"I only trip oddoded at 296.5 miles total from my home round trip. Not bad for a great day's ride. "

Jenn checks out one more bike:


We had two Triumphs, seven Vulcans, two BMWs, a Yamaha, a Suzuki and a Harley.

Eric B ............................Elk Grove ..Low Rider
Jennifer B ....................Mt Aukum ..Low Rider Pillion
Larry C .........................Vacaville ..1500 Classic
Glenda C .......................Vacaville ..1500 Classic Pillion
Linda D .........................Pollock Pines ..VN 900
Mario D ........................Pollock Pines ..VN 2000
Jesse H .........................Sacto ..Sprint ST
Don I .............................Stockton ..F650
Will J ............................Coloma ..1500 Classic
Jeff L .............................Citrus Heights ..Nomad
David M .........................Roseville ..K1200LT
Las S ..............................Silver City ..Boogar
Scott S ...........................Sacto ..Sprint
Cranky S ........................San Jose ..Nomad
Phil T ..............................Citrus Heights ..Nomad
Theresa W ......................Rancho Cordova ..FJ1200