Here is one riders report from the 2010 Utah 1088.  RENO JOHN’s RIDE REPORT

Just click on the picture of the Tire.

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.

I am on my final leg home, just one fuel tank away. As I swing my leg over my machine one last time, I will reflect on the last month and the Vistas I leave behind.

Come back over the next week, when I have to time to sit down and finish chronicling my month long ride.

We awoke on the Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion and it was raining. We packed our bikes and it was raining and when we left the Resort it was raining. Did I mention it was raining?

The resort had no cell phone service but did have Wi Fi for the lodge. Unbeknown-st to them I  hacked into their network to get a quick Facebook message to my girl back home. I got a message from Cecilia with an attitude, so I thought I should call and hash it out ASAP. As usual, I was packed within ten minutes and Merritt was still skillfully packing his kit. Impatient, I told him I would head down the road and stop at the first fuel station which was about 22 miles west. I left Merritt and headed out.

I reached a fuel station, topped off my tank and got my bottle water for the day. While I waited for Merritt, I called Cecilia. I guess after 3 weeks of separation nerves were raw and we got into an argument regarding her text with an attitude. Needless to say I was pissed to have something domestic ruin my trip and was becoming sick of riding in foul weather. Shortly after I hung up on Cecilia, Merritt arrived and topped off his tank. We continued west into the rain. My only thoughts centered around being angry at the home front, the slick road and the inability to see through my foggy and rain beaded face shield.

I had told Merritt that it would be a no brainer to the coast, as we would just stay on Hwy 126. Due to the rain, there was little photography going on. Traffic was pretty light because no one else was stupid enough to be driving around in the rain. We rode at slightly above the speed limits until we reached Eugene, Oregon. As we reached the city limits, I noted that Hwy 126 went north and the Business Route 126 continued straight ahead. When we went past the northern route and reached a red light at the next intersection I yelled to Merritt and pointed to the route north. After the light turned green, Merritt continued on the Business route. Knowing that the Business route would go through the downtown filled with signal light after signal light, I made a U-turn and took the route north. The route north was a loop around the center of town. I figured I would beat Merritt and would end up ahead of him and allow him to catch up.

I continued west on Hwy 126 until I reached Mapleton. It was still raining, so I decided to stop, top of my fuel tank, grab a Red Bull and wait for Merritt. After 15 minutes, I saw Merritt approaching the fuel station and flagged him down. As Merritt got his stuff together, I checked the doppler radar on my Iphone. We would luck out and would continue to get rain until we reached Bandon. Thank God for Aerostich suit!

We continued west and vowed to find some fresh seafood place in Florence, the Oregon namesake to my Texas hometown and on the Oregon Coast. As we entered town we realized it was Sunday so the food fare would be limited. It looked like the bad economy had hit Florence, as two of its Sea Food restaurants were closed for good. I spied a Coffee.Sandwich shop whose name escapes me towards the south end of town. We got in a half an hour before closing and the staff looked at us like we were freaks for riding motorcycles in the rain. To break the ice, I asked if we could sit outside and they all laughed.

Soup De Jour was Lentil and I am a sucker for a good Egg Salad Sandwich, which I received. After the hearty meal I was in better spirits and ready to tackle riding some more in the rain. I stopped briefly just down the road to take a pictures of the bridge at the south end of town. Many such bridges exist along the Oregon coast and they look like they were all designed by the same Architect.

The sign for the bridge. I’ll let the sign speak for itself. As we continued south on Hwy 101 in the rain!…you can see Tsunami Escape route signs posted with frequency. It must be a precaution following the big one that hit Asia in 2004, since I don’t remember seeing so many of them on my last trip along the coast.

With all the rain, I thought I was getting a Tsunami one ounce at a time. We missed a lot of good scenery because of the rain and it finally started to let up once we reached Coos Bay. From experience, I knew we were only a half hour from Bandon, so I was looking forward to getting to a Motel and hopping inot a hot bath. I am usually not a bath person but today it seemed like something I needed. While riding through Coos Bay, Merritt’s attention was caught by a couple on another Motorcycle. They were yelling but Merritt thought they were arguing. They were trying to tell Merritt that his fishing line was trailing off the reel and pole strapped to the back of his bike. I had removed my reel and packed it in with my camping gear. After a brief stop Merritt secured the line and we finally made it to Bandon.

The Oregon Coast, Bandon, Oregon. We found the Best Western with another hotel across the street with views of the coast. Merritt went to check the rate across the street, while I checked the rate at the Best Western. When Merritt returned I told him the price in front of the desk clerk. Merritt said the Motel across the street had a cheaper rate and ocean view to boot! This prompted the economy weary clerk to best the price and we each got our own rooms. I told Merritt we should try this tactic from now on to get cheaper rates.

Weary and wet, I got my bath and the restaurant at the Best Western was serving a special Texas BBQ assortment. I was craving Lobster after reading their fresh Lobster sign and when I ordered the Lobster, I was told they were out. With my hopes crushed, I settled for the BBQ special which was okay but shy of what we get in Texas.

After three weeks on the road, half of which was ridden in less than perfect weather I was spent. With my belly full I laid down to watch TV for the weather forecast and fell fast asleep.

I was falling behind on my daily Blogs and hoped I could catch up once I reached California. There I would have a few days of down time before heading towards home. Tomorrow would be good weather for a change and it was about time.

The wet route for Day 18. Clear Lake Resort to Bandon, Oregon.

We awoke this day to partly cloudy skies with threats of more rain moving in later in the day.  As we left Redmond on Hwy 126 and fell in amongst the holiday camping traffic, we slowly ascended towards the Deschutes National Forest. As we neared the village of Sisters, it became apparent why a friend an former Oregonian, Lorraine Kratz, recommended we see it. With magnificent pines lining the roadway, breaks in the tree line gave way to spectacular views of the Sisters to the south. At 10,000 ft plus in elevation, the three snow covered Mountains, the North, South and Middle Sister, provide the villagers with a spectacular back drop and the sense I was in a resort area on par with Aspen, Colorado.

Hwy 126 west of Sisters, Oregon.

The Three Sisters

As we continued to make our way our main goal for the day was to reach Bandon, along the Oregon coast. If you recall we had to abandon our coastal route and remained in Redmond for two nights, waiting out the bad weather that was hitting the coast.With the main weather threat passing, we were going to catch the remnants of the storm so we would be getting some light rain over the next two days.

As we motored on, little did I know that this day would be a rare gem, where I would find one of those destinations that I often fantasize about. One of the main reasons I ride. To use my machine for which it was designed, to get me to a place I covet and find Nirvana.

Moving west on Hwy 126 you will also see Mt. Washington to your left or south and as the highway curves, you will see it from many angles.

50 miles down the road, there was hardly any traffic as we moved further from any civilized towns. I was in the lead when I saw a pretty lake to the right of the Highway. Worrying about getting to the coast while the weather was still good, my last thoughts were about stopping but then I remembered why I was on this ride. I vowed that I would stop and look at the next lake and take time to enjoy the scenery. Just five miles further, I saw a sign that said Clear Lake. Something in my head said stop, so I signaled left and began braking hard to make the turn. I sure Merritt was thinking, “What the #$%^ is Zeke doing now?”.

After a mile of curvy roads, I could see the crystal blue water appearing through breaks in the trees and we ended up at the end of the road. The road terminated at a dock and small lodge building. I got off of my machine and said to Merritt, “What do you think? You wanna try some fishing?” Merritt said “Game on!”

Clear Lake, Hwy 126 in Linn County, Oregon. This is what you see at the end of the road.

Another view of the Lake from the Lodge.

Clear Lake Lodge has row boats to rent and had fishing gear in stock, along with one day fishing passes. I asked the rugged young Lodge Worker who name was appropriate for the location, Talon, if they had any cabins. As he checked, I started piling fishing poles and tackle on the counter. We rented an boat, bought the minimum in fishing gear with worms and put our stuff in our cabin. I had a good feeling about fishing here, so I couldn’t wait to get onto the lake. There are no motors here and the lake is a favorite haunt of scuba divers. Clear Lake is know for its clarity and divers take advantage of looking at the underwater formations of petrified trees and other thingies.

This photo I got from the Lodge. It gives a good example of the clarity of the lake at its best.

Our little home for the evening. The cabins are rustic, supplied with heat, light and furniture. Bathrooms and potable water is found outside. You have to bring your own linens or sleeping bags. The generators are shut off at 2200 hrs, preceded by a brief blackout for a warning.

Merritt has fantasies about living on a sail boat so I thought it only proper he steam us out of the harbor. No motors of any kind are allowed to prevent wakes from disturbing the shoreline and the clarity of the water. Fish are routinely planted and a schedule can be found on their website.

I am pretty confident of my fishing prowess for Mountain Lake Trout, having fished the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges since I was 9 years old. I have fished the Mountains every year since and have continued this tradition, even after moving to Texas. I will be back to Alaska in August, for Halibut fishing, so this would be a great precursor for things to come. I directed Merritt to a likely spot and armed with Python sized Night Crawlers, my thoughts began to center on how I was going to cook tonight’s catch.

Its been a while since Merritt had fished, so I showed him how to tie a Surgeons Knot. A knot I use for most occasions, especially when I am fly fishing. It’s a simple but strong knot and it has rarely failed me. I also showed Merritt how to properly threat the wriggling Pythons onto the hook, in what’s called a Texas Rig. This allows the worm to appear somewhat normal and helps it stay on the hook.Merritt was not use to the open bale spinner reels, so had a little trouble getting his line to cast.

In less than ten minutes, I had the first bite. I could feel a tug on my line and waited until the 3rd tug and then I set the hook. I could feel the resistance and the tip of my rod pointed towards the water. I loosened the drag on the line but knew that I didn’t have a monster but at least it would be a “Keeper”. I hammered in two more, one right after the other, when Merritt hooked his first. Unfortunately he lost it and it doesn’t count as a catch in my book unless you get it in the boat. There was little need to cast and all you had to do was let out about 60 feet of line and let the boat drift along with the current.

Merritt’s second fish and single catch of the day.

My first three fish all caught within the first 30 minutes.

This was the biggest catch of the day. I played him until he was tired before pulling him into the boat. He weighs about 2.5 lbs and 16 inches long. He hadn’t swallowed the hook so I let him go to be caught another day. We had plenty for our meal and I only keep what I can eat. I caught a total of 6 trout, letting two go.

I told Merritt that I would clean the fish, if he would head into town for the cooking supplies. I gave him a list of what we needed for our dinner. I told Merritt to do what he does best; Ride Hard, Ride Fast! Merritt remarked that the way I had said it, didn’t sound flattering. But it is true. Merritt likes to ride the corners hard, so  I let him lead in the twisties. I have had my thrills from years of Law Enforcement riding and prefer a more relaxing pace than he in the turns. My pace in the twisties is faster than most riders but I do not find the need to push my machine to the limits, leaving my performance envelope with some to spare.

Merritt returned after an hour and a half, after being directed down a dirt road by his GPS, which I often refer to as the “Bitch in the Box”. The woman’s voice is constantly telling you where to go and it often misdirects you. Thus my analogy. I did not use my GPS on this trip and have cut down on using them. I use my lap top and MS Streets and Trips to plan my route for the following day and just write the way points or road numbers on a piece of motel paper and put them in the window of my tank bag. I am an advocate of using paper maps but I often forget to bring them along.

Since the fish were too big to fry with our back packing mess gear, I showed Merritt my old stand by trout recipe. Using sliced lemons and fresh garlic I built a bed on which to lay the trout. Seasoning the inside of the trout with salt and pepper, I put slices of garlic inside too. Then I poured bottle Italian salad dressing over the trout and sealed the foil pouches. Merritt picked up a loaf of Garlic Bread and a can of beans. We did a short hike to the picnic area which afforded us with a beautiful view of the Lake as we prepared dinner.

Our view from out picnic table.

Before: Heating the coals and bread.

During: No pots to clean!

After: Restaurant quality trout!

I learned a lesson for that day, one that my Dad had taught me but I didn’t heed. “Never cut fishing line with your teeth!” I had earlier in the day and I literally cut my tooth.

You can see where I cut a chunk out of my left front upper tooth. I guess it will help me in my final transition to that of a “Billy Bob Texan”. I can’t remember if I have a retiree dental plan. I guess I have to wait until I get home to figure it out.

With bellies full, I puffed on a Cheroot and enjoyed a cup of instant Starbucks coffee to help settle my meal. For dessert I had a package of Oreo cookie cakes which satisfied my sweet (chipped) tooth. It was one of those “It don’t get no better than this days”. As we went to bed it started to rain and continued on into the morning. We would receive no break on Sunday but it would be our last day of bad weather. Weather forecasts showed that  on Monday we would have clear weather for at least the next five days as we made our way into California.

The route, Redmond, Oregon to Clear Lake Resort on Hwy 126. 53.7 miles.

]]> http://www.kratzmc.com/2010/06/17/day-17-north-to-alaska/feed/ http://www.kratzmc.com/2010/06/16/ride-to-work-day-june-21st-2010/ http://www.kratzmc.com/2010/06/16/ride-to-work-day-june-21st-2010/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:36:10 +0000 admin http://www.kratzmc.com/?p=2191 For all you folks who still have to work for a living, “RIDE TO WORK DAY” is fast approaching.

“Ride To Work Day” was created to promote using Motorcycles as an alternative and efficient source of transportation. Motorcycles put out less pollutants, burns less fuel and take up less space than Cages (Automobiles). That’s why they are allowed to use the HOV lanes. “Ride To Work Day” is also used to educate the public about Motorcycling and their presence on the road.

Click on the image to learn more.

According to local Dennis Madsen, Honda World of Salt Lake City has dropped the ball to many times, so he goes a few extra miles to Monarch. They are very competent and accommodating for riders who are passing through.  I give Monarch Honda a “Thumbs Up” if you ever need service in the Salt Lake City area. Ask for “Ben” the tech to work on your bike and “Herbie” is the service manager.

I will make my last legs of this month long ride to Texas starting tomorrow, as I wait out today’s high wind gust warnings (60 MPH) through out Utah. I will use the time to catch up on my posts and try to bring them up to date.  According to my last post, I am still in Redmond, Or.

I hope you have enjoyed my postings as much as I have in writing them. It gives me something to do at night in the motel room and helps me to relive the ride in my mind. I call it a “Twofer”, Two for the price of one.