Denver, CO to San Francisco, CA in eight days.

[Scott1911]

The header says "for epic rides" I'm not sure this ride belongs, not when compared to the truly awe inspiring rides on this forum but here it is.

I'm Scott, I work in a little town north of Denver as a fabricator we're busy and its hard to get time off but I manged to scrape up a weeks leave and decided to go west. West was the extent of the planing, that and be back in Denver in eight days. Saturday morning I got up downed some coffee stuffed the still damp French press in my tank bag and slabed it out of town. Soon hitting the old familiar dirt tracks that a person comes to know riding every week. Then all at once you get to the end, the turn around point and blast on through in to the world. A world of new people, places and challenges, a good place to be.


Signs like that make me happy, no more anything for a while, like a break from reality. The first stop was Vermillion Falls, had I an indefinite end date I would have made camp here.










On we go down little bumpy ATV track and back roads until a monument to nifty solutions looms in the distance.









They call it Swinging Bridge, and yes it indeed undulates as you cross. Stopping for a while for water and rest I figured I'd go through Utah and part of Wyoming planing to camp near the Flaming Gorge reservoir, thump thump off we go.








Putzing around the res I met some Harley guys headed for Denver they too were looking for a place to crash and had come up empty, campgrounds, motels, hostels, everybody full up. With independence day coming up I figured as much and decided to push on. It was mostly paved roads from then on that day with the sun setting in my face and no plan I ended up just outside Ogden Utah. Camp ended up being a patch of dirt between a rail bead and the mighty river I-don't-know-what, good spot and all, so I ate and orange made tea and stared at the map. This is what absolute paradise looks like.





Five hundred thirty three miles that day, laying in the tent that night I planed to go slower and to have more than one lonely orange in the bag when it was time to stop tomorrow.

That's it for now, going to grab some food and ill be back.

[damasovi]

Originally Posted by Scott1911

The header says "for epic rides" I'm not sure this ride belongs, not when compared to the truly awe inspiring rides on this forum but here it is.
I'm Scott,

oooo amigo Scott!! you never know!! maybe it will be a domestic trip But it can be a great one! I am in!

Keep it up!

Damasovi

[GB]

Good to see you taking the scenic route to San Fran

[Scott1911]

Got up the next morning, caffeinated an rolled out by seven. Deciding to follow the old Transcontinental Rail Road bead around the north end of The Great Salt Lake, I started to see odd signs. ATK space systems where the US government builds and tests nuclear delivery vehicles, and other rockety things. cool stuff really.












After that last pic I ended up making a wrong turn and was apparently on the wrong side of the "Outer perimeter". The guard was friendly and we chatted for a bit about the FUBAR state of the current space agency. Got a great shot of the vehicle assembly building though.










From there I visited promontory point the meeting point of the Trans-con Rail system. They were closed but there was a ranger knocking around he warned me about road conditions and such and told me all about the site, the have a working steam engine you know. Blasting through the desert on the bumpy as all hell former rail bead dodging old rail spikes I came upon an old cemetery the most resent head stone I found was dated 1887. Someone was still leaving flowers.













Back at Promontory Point the ranger had warned me about the spikes causing flats. They stuck out ageist the white sand and were easy to avoid but when my back tire decided shake its grove thing I was sure I'd hit one.













That friends is the remains of a wrought iron screw driver that damn near caused me to join my salty dead friends a few miles back. Repairs took a long time maybe two hours, didn't see a sole the whole time. With the tire and tube fixed and the bead even seated! On we went. A few hours later I pulled into some forgotten Nevada town with a gas station and motel got fuel and a, rare for me root beer, mmm life is good. A bit later two 1930's era cars pulled up occupants of one clad in full Bonnie and Clyde garb, they were on a trip of there own and headed south, man what a way to travel!
The truck was there sag wagon, tires and the like.












Nevada was bleak, hard and for reasons unknown incredibly depressing. The people seamed angry and hopeless I was sad for them not knowing how to help I pressed on. It was getting late pulling into a small town outside Reno I spotted BLM land just outside of town and found a market snagged some food and went looking for a place to sleep.
The trail quickly devolved, go down a hill and half of it came with you. SAND. On top of that the area was the town dump/shooting area garbage, shells, and empty booze vessels everywhere. Screw this I'm gone: on the way out I got stuck many times, just no good in the sand, sometimes the bike would sink up to the cases front tire swinging in the air a flag of my misfortune. By the time I got out of my granulated hell it was dark so I motelled it.








The motel manager caught me doing this, telling me it wasn't allowed we talked for awhile and he agreed to make an exception, cool guy really knew the value of a clam mind and a cold drink. The bread I bought at the marked tasted of soap but the bananas were great, sleep came easy.

564 miles that day, so much for slowing down.

[WRC51]

Not "epic" my a$$. Solo, across Neveda, and Westward who could ask for more.

[Scott1911]

Indeed.

[Scott1911]

After crossing into California I was surprised to see mountains looking very much like the ones we have here in Colorado. A few gravel passes and pine forests you drop down to near sea level. Farm land and orchards, if you're into fruit and nuts as a major part of your eating habit this is a very good place to be. Later we rolled by Clear Lake, cool place boat houses small towns happy people I regret not stopping for pictures but the ocean was just too close. Crossing the 101 I found Low Gap road, the sign said closed due to wash out; like that's going to stop me.










So much for the wash out, fixed better than new, oh well. had a cool bridge though.








After what seamed like a very long time the ocean raised up all at once, I hadn't seen it in years an it felt; wondrous!


There was screaming and awkward victory dances.









Cursing down the coast road the sun started to near the horizon and a camp was searched for. The state wanted thirty five bucks a night, I don't think so. A little farther south I found a good place, very very moto friendly ten bucks gets you full amenities showers and a short walk to town great place can't say enough about the really.









What a glorious day 378 miles and about 120 north of San Fran, this is what life was meant to be.

[PacificPT]

Looking good so far, waiting for more.

[eakins]

[aiMhi]

Your bad-ass Scott. I tell you this guy just takes off into a direction, even in mid winter and just keeps going

Glad to have ridden with you, sometime hopefully when I have more time to myself I will join you on one of your crazy rides.

Post the rest of your adventure mon

[Scott1911]

Thanks everybody, more on Monday.

[Scott1911]

So I woke up did the coffee thing, went for a swim and had the bike packed just as the sun came up. From here it was 120 miles to SF on one of the twistiest paved roads I've seen, California HWY1. It follows the coast; every cove every bay, and some steep elevation changes make it one hell of a ride.










Traffic was non-existent so early in the day and very quickly I found myself crossing one of the most iconic bridges in the world. Sensibility be damned the front tire was up-lifted.








Sticking around for a few hours, seeing the sights, scaring the crap out of myself on the insane, and slippery concrete hills, something familiar. I had been here before some fifteen years ago, there was a man who would sit behind some branches and scare tourists near the famous pier 39, The San Fransisco Bush Man, he's still there. We started talking and he tells me he's been at it for 32 years, we chatted a bit more and I let him get to it, what a show. Parked near the water had some clam chowder, talked to locals and decided to have a look at Yosemite national park the next day.











Knocking around the pier my mind started to wander, boats for sale you say? Yes I will have a look.







But what the hell do I know about sailing? You need wind and a map oh and a compass.... I'm just glad there wasn't a bank in sight.

This guy was dredging the: slip area? parking lot? marina? boat corral? with such speed and skill he had attracted a crowed. Very cool stuff.












Puttering out of town south east passing through more amazing country side and little dirt tracks we ended up hanging the hammock near a lake and annoying the neighbors with my lacking harmonica skills.







343 miles

[bigcappa]

Great RR Scott, I am quite jealous of you. Good luck on the rest of your trip, I'll be here waiting for the updates.

[aiMhi]

Nice brudda, keep em coming I know its lotsa work!

Buy the boat man, make sure it has a nice little diesel Volvo engine, GPS and no leaks and go for it, you dont need much just a place to put your bike and I'll come along - oh wait reality --- awwww $hit - BUT it is on the bucket list

[Scott1911]

Originally Posted by aiMhi

Nice brudda, keep em coming I know its lotsa work!

Buy the boat man, make sure it has a nice little diesel Volvo engine, GPS and no leaks and go for it, you dont need much just a place to put your bike and I'll come along - oh wait reality --- awwww $hit - BUT it is on the bucket list

Oh man you would have loved the GPS unit in the one I looked at, BIG screen, easy controls, built in NOAA radio and water proof.

Teach the wife to ride and snag a side car rig for the kids hahahah wouldnt that be a blast!