Still Monday:
Lots of CHP on the road. I told myself that I was gonna be good and not speed. (I did break a few laws...but for the most part, I was good) I reach Humboldt at about 5:30pm and meet my son in the parking lot. Chain the bike to the bike rack (just like in grade school), and haul all the gear up 4 flights of stairs. (every year, my son bitches about having to haul all his crap up and down stairs when he moves into and out of the dorms..... this is his 3rd year there, maybe next year he'll get it. ;D) We then walk into Arcata and have a lil dinner. Then it's back to the dorms for a movie (Thanks Kaveh [thumbsup]) (we watched Office Space) Then I borrowed my sons lap-top and scanned the net for Cycle Gear stores in the Redding area. (my cheap-ass Dunlops were wearing thin)
Sleep
Tuesday: Up early (earlier than I wanted to be

)
Hugged my son....and said goodbye.
always the smart-ass (note ucla shirt

, just to tweek the professors)
Do these bags make my ass look big?
Hwy 299 to Redding. 2 1/2 hours aprox 145 miles.
This pic was taken atop one of the many hills on hwy 299. I had to stop and clean myself up. Let me explain. On many sections of the 299 there are passing lanes, and on many of the passing lanes, there are signs that say.... "keep right, unless passing". The first one I see, I think to myself..."ok", and move over into the slow lane(I'm heading up-hill). No sooner than I do that, I get hit in the face shield with the mother of all goo bugs. The very second I reach up to wipe some of the goop off, a car flies past me (heading downhill), in the lane I was just in moments ago. Not wanting to ride the next two hours in soiled leathers...I decided it best to mentally **** myself. What you don't see in that pic, is the Caltrans guy I hugged for putting that sigh up.
The 299 is a coooooold ride. I stopped in Weaverville to warm up, gas up, and eat up. Yummy homestyle breakfast.
Trinity river. You see lots of guys panning for gold in the summer.
Whiskeytown lake.
I hit Redding late in the afternoon. First stop...Cycle Gear. I needed a rear tire really bad. I had been riding on a slick the past 200 miles

Special thanks goes out the the manager for loaning me a stand and a tool, to take my rear tire off. (they sell and mount them, but don't remove them :-\)
Two blocks away.... my beloved motel 6. (I've stayed there at least 10 times over the years

).
I unload bike gear and head off to find my daughter.
Her first ever bike ride. I discovered something sneakey. Taking a moody teenager on a motorcycle ride, is one way to get them to hug you. Also..... auto theft must be low in Redding, we drove through 2 shopping mall parking lots trying to set off car alarms. Not one

.
Dinner and a chat...then it's back to the room for some sleep.
Wednesday: I woke up looking at this
I'm sick of putting it on and taking it off the bike.... I'm tired of wearing leather..... my ass hurts...my back hurts... I have an ear-ache....I miss lilysmama....I even miss Bob.
I wanna be home.
I pack the mule one more time. I meet my daughter and her boyfriend for breakfast. Then I hit the road again.
The plan was to stop in Sacramento, ride with Grio and CromoMann, drink Grios alcohol, and crash there for the night...... when I got to Sac, My ass said " stop and I will kill you". I kept going.
Redding to Bakersfield. I5 to hwy 99. 450 miles aprox 7hours.
Things I learned.
The monster is not a comfy touring bike.... it will do it...but it aint fun.
Obey all posted signs....it may save yer bacon.
Dunlops suck
Frank Thomas expandable saddle bags rock, and are quite the bargain [thumbsup]
There is a tool kit on the bike for a reason.
Harley guys up north will do the wave....down south... not so much.
6 hours on a bike will make you want to punch a Jack-n-the box employee with he asks, "for here, or to go"?
Hug the ones you love..... cuz bugs and bears can take you away from them at anytime.
bobspapa-11tyb CHP- 0 [thumbsup]