The Great Escape

Lost my job last week, but set a new distance record on my motorcycle -- 200 miles to Garberville. Henry and JT took the coast route all the way from Pt. Reyes. Don and I took 101 to Cloverdale before cutting over to the coast (128 to Mendocino). From there it was a windy ride to the Lost Coast turnoff to Leggett (home of the Drive-Thru Chandelier Tree, which we drove through on the way back). The stretch of Hwy 1 between Westport (on the coast) to Leggett (inland) was eerie. Beautiful, peaceful, windy road with no cars or houses in sight.

We stayed at the Best Western Humboldt House Inn in Garberville, a historic building with all the modern amenities -- including cable TV, so I could watch World Cup Soccer while waiting for everyone else to get up the next morning. We had dinner at Calico's, a great diner on the main drag. The guys took the fast route home -- four hours on boring 101. I took the coast route again because my head feels like a bobblehead doll at speeds over 55 -- 6 hours including a lunch stop in Mendocino. JT has lots of ideas for souping up my bike -- including a windshield and a luggage rack so I can carry more than a toothbrush on these excursions. (JT is already talking up a trip to San Simeon in July and Death Valley in November...)