KRATZMC

Monday June 19th, 2010…..Bandon, Oregon to Fort Bragg, California……326 Miles

I awoke excited to show Merritt downtown Bandon. I use to frequent Bandon and loved to catch Dungeness Crabs right off the pier and relax with the harbor as my backdrop, while sipping on the brew of the day. First stop was a view of the Harbor entrance and a photo op of the Famous Bandon Lighthouse. I noted the Light House had been repainted to the original color and not the white I was use to seeing. I think I liked the white better.

Bandon, Oregon, a sleepy little Oregon Coast Town but I rather call it a Village. The is the entrance to the touristy side of town and the Harbor Area as you enter town from the North, this is what you will see. It is a great place for a relaxing few days or even a week of vacation. There is plenty to see but some icons are disappearing, such as the Bandon Cheese Factory, which was bought up and closed by Tillamook Cheese. At the Bandon Fish Factory near the pier, you can buy a bay shrimp salad for $5. They pile the bay shrimp high in a large styro-foam cup and cover it with Seafood Cocktail Sauce. You can also get crab cocktail but according to most, Crab is best if caught during the months that contain R’s. If you can take anything away from my weeks of blogging, remember what the best months for crabbing are!

The Bandon Lighthouse.

Our plan after a brief recon of the Old Downtown Bandon was to eat breakfast and think about our day’s ride to Fort Bragg, California’s version of Bandon. We stopped to have breakfast at the Minute Cafe, just one block from the pier and other harbor attractions. Taking advantage of the fresh bounty from the sea, I ordered a Shrimp Omelet. Shrimp Omelet was an Oxymoron in this case, since the Omelet was far from being (shrimpy) small….I could barely finish it.

Located next to the pier and public parking, you can rent your Crab Nets here and get some great chowder. They will even boil your crabs for you.

After filling out bellies, we topped off with fuel and headed south down Hwy 101 and took in the remainder of the Oregon Coast. The weather was fantastic and we were clear from anymore rain or weather misery for the remainder of our ride. Our arrival in Fort Bragg would mark the last night that Merritt and I would be together. For once we hit California, I would visit my friends in the Bay Area and he his friends in Sacramento. Merritt would then continue on his own, while I took care of personal business and ride my last week back to Texas “Solo”.

Every year before I retired, I would put together a yearly ride for my work mates. After leading the rides and having put a lot of work in the logistics, I would often take off on my own as the others returned home and headed back to work. When you facilitate a ride you don’t get to relax like the rest. You feel obligated to make sure they are all entertained and are having fun. So I usually extended my ride and rode solo for as long as two weeks alone, which allowed my bubble to return to center before heading into the World. Solo riding is the epitome of freedom and what Motorcycling is all about. I think I could write a whole book on the Zen of Solo Motorcycling but I won’t get into that for now.

This pictures was taken with my Iphone on Hwy 101 mid-way between Bandon, Oregon and Brookings, Oregon. It funny how many vistas from the coast seem like they contain similar rocks formations. If you ride or drive the coast, you will know what I mean.

As you ride down Hwy 101 in Oregon, you follow the beautiful coastline. Once you move into California, Hwy 101 moves inland and takes you amongst the low laying mountains and famous California Redwood Trees. The previous days ride with rain robbed us of the visual beauty of the coastline, so today I was taking it all in.

Yours truly along the Oregon Coast.  Photo by Merriit Francies.

We took a brief break for a drink in Brookings, Oregon. There is a nice public restroom at the Harbor and you can get fresh Chowder and Crab. Its a great place for lunch or sight see. The great weather continue to bless us after our break in Brookings. As we moved into California, a sense of familiarity hit me as I had lived in California most of my life. We went through Eureka and missed an opportunity to eat at the Samoa Cookhouse. Our timing was bad as we hit Eureka between lunch and dinner. The Samoa Cookhouse is a must eat at kind of place and not just a meal but a dinning experience. So put it on your “Bucket List”. There you will eat Logging Camp style and feast on fresh homemade dishes, breads and pies. If you check the visitors log for 2000, look for my May entry “Zeke Hatog and his Gay Motorcycle Friends”.

South of Eureka, Hwy 101 moves inland. We encountered a brief but mysterious blankets of fog. As you will continue south, you can ride through the Avenue of the Giants and further south, you will see some Touristy attractions like the One Log House and souvenir shops. We stopped at one to purge our bodily fluids and I was craving an Ice Cream Treat.

Look for the likeness of the “Big Foot”. There is a plethora of wood carvings for purchase and for your amusement at many of the attractions along Hwy 101.

Do not use this structure as an out house, or you may surprise the next Tourist. There are Porta Potty’s on scene.

If you are headed to Fort Bragg from the Hwy 101 S/B, you will eventually reach the beginning of Hwy 1, as it moves to the Mendocino Coastline. Here the roads get twisty for the next 22 miles or so. But before you head to the coast, you will get a chance to drive thru a Redwood Tree.

Merritt gets back on his machine after successfully driving through the “Chandelier Tree”. This is the coastal branch and it’s barks is worse that its bite, secure your trunk and hang onto your nuts so they don’t fall far from the tree!  Sorry, too many exhaust fumes.

When you head towards the coast, you will have many reducing radius curves, some rated at 15 mph. There is frustration at times, when you get behind a slow moving cage or truck. This road will keep you busy for 30 minutes and then the heavily treed lined road starts to give way and you are on the coast.

Hwy 1 just after you pop back out on to the Mendocino Coast. Here we are about 12 miles north of Fort Bragg.

I converted this image of the Mendocino Coast to Black n White to give it some character.

At the very north end of Fort Bragg is the local Best Western Hotel where we stayed, of course. After settling in, Merritt headed out to top off his fuel tank and perform a recon. I called the Home Front and patched things up with the “War Dept”. Dinner for the evening was at the “Mendo Bistro”. Their fare is wholesome and most of the meats are organic. It’s located in an old factory type building converted to accommodate commercial use. I think it use to be a cannery. Anyway, I have never had a bad meal there and their selection of beers always seem to hit the spot. Prices are moderate and I highly recommend it.

It was definitely a relaxing days ride with plenty of time to stop and see things along the way. Our route for tomorrow was not planned out, although we had thoughts of crossing the Golden Gate into San Francisco but battling the Bay Area Traffic was not something I wanted to do. It was one of the main reasons I left California. There are many things I miss about California but when ever I return, I am quickly reminded how much the quality of living has dropped since the 60’s.

Our route for the day, 326 miles.

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