Motorcycle Trip to California & Oregon

Jan & I left late in the afternoon on my BMW K1200S for El Centro. The idea was to beat the heat and it worked. We got there at 11:00pm. Over the next two weeks we went up through the western side of the Sierras. We visited Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Then we stopped in Chester for two nights. Ed Wing and I took a 540 mile day ride over highway 36 to the coast and back. Most of it was on beautiful winding roads.

We then went to Grants Pass to visit old friends Cynth and Jim Frego. We came home down the northern California coast, staying in Fort Bragg. We stopped for two nights with Jan's folks in their new home in Aptos. We took two days to come home from there but the second day was 719 miles. We got home at 11:30 at night.

We had a great trip. Good weather, never too hot (4 days with our electric vests on down the coast) no motorcycle problems and no tickets. Beautiful roads and scenery.

Date To Miles July 19 Thurs El Centro 305 July 20 Fri Palmdale 380 July 21 Sat Three Rivers 240 July 22 Sun Oakhurst 246 July 23 Mon Sutters Creek 181 July 24 Tues Chester 257 July 25 Wed Chester 540 July 26 Thurs Grants Pass 306 July 27 Fri Grants Pass 0 July 28 Sat Fort Bragg 289 July 29 Sun Aptos 260 July 30 Mon Aptos 95 July 31 Tues San Luis Obispo 220 Aug 1 Wed Home 719 TOTAL 4038

We stopped over in Julian in the mountains above San Diego

Photo op in one of the stores. We had Apple Berry pie ala mode. It is a town specialty

We rode through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Huge beautiful trees.

That is Craig in front of the tree. Small guy...

The crowds were not too bad at Yosemite

The view as we came into the valley was spectacular

We had to take photos of the changes to Jan's parent's house they sold in May. They had trimmed many of the trees.

They added a new window in the back.

They also removed a wall. It would give better views of the lake.

They added a raised deck along the side of the house to access the deck from the side door

And a concrete pad on the side.

New landscaping is coming.

A new front sidewalk slopped up to the porch

And a new boat dock. It is on the left. The neighbors own their old one on the right.

In Chester we stayed at the Bidwell House B&B

We had diner with friends Greta and Ed Wing on their deck overlooking the lake.

Ed and I took off on a 540 mile ride. We went to the coast on highway 36. Great curves.

Then we turned around and came back. Ed was great to ride with.

There was road construction everywhere. This flagger offered us water.

Cynth and Jim Frego

The front of their house. It is a real cute house.

And the back

Cynth and her dogs. Sophie and Bruno. Sophie is just 3 months old. They are both Airedales.

Sophie taking a nap. She runs and runs and then drops anywhere to sleep.

We went to a car show in downtown Grants Pass

We stopped to talk to Paul Bunyan on the Redwood Coast

Michael and Jack Spinelli had to go for a motorcycle ride.

I dressed them in protective gear. My boots and Jan's coat and helmet.

Jack thought my motorcycle was "totally awesome".

On the way home we had to find this country store in Arroyo Grande

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