Stockton California to Shelter Cove California

We're off to the Oregon Trails International Rally (aka this year's installment of the Wolfman's Wandering Rally). Departure time was supposed to be 7:30 AM and Howie, who would be traveling with us, arrived at 7:20. I met Howie back in 2000 at the V2K rally in Durango, Colorado, where he had a very serious accident involving a deer. At the time, he was a Washington State person by now he hangs his hat in Coos Bay.

Sandy and Howie wait while Don looks for his spare key

We were a bit late because Don couldn't find the spare key to the BMW. He had it on the Sunday ride, but now it was missing. Finally he left without it. (The key turned up later in the pocket of a pair of pants he had left in the laundry at his mother's.)

We rode up I-5 and across SR 12 to Fairfield. The winds were blowing quite hard and the little Beemer 650 was getting tossed around quite a bit. The Wing didn't hardly notice. In Fairfield, we stopped at Mickey D's for breakfast. While Don and Howie were standing outside smoking, one local said to another "Look at the guys in the bike jackets. Must be a Seniors club." I told him we started as a Juniors club but then we aged.

From Fairfield, we followed Don to Petaluma where we joined US 101 North and I took over the lead. It was four-lane with a hold-up in Santa Rosa due to major road construction. I was tempted to try lane splitting, but I looked at the space between the cars and the width of the Wing and chickened out. Clear of the Santa Rosa construction, we proceeded north without further problems.

Imagine coming around a corner and seeing this looking at you

The long and winding road

Through the redwoods

We followed 101 to the town of Garberville, where we stopped for fuel. You can see it wasn't cheap.

From Garberville, we headed towards the Lost Coast and Shelter Cove. The road was narrow and wound over several ridges before getting there. The 24 miles took almost an hour and we topped the last ridge at 2,400 feet only a few miles before ending up at sea level.

The Tides Inn, where we staying, was an interesting place. It sits on a bluff about 25 feet above the beach. They let us park the bikes in the garage and the clerk loaned us her car to go out for supper. They were tipped off about Sandy's upcoming birthday and had this card waiting with balloons and a bottle of wine.

This lighthouse sits in a park near the inn. It may look short but it's original location was Cape Mendocino where is sat atop a 400 foot bluff, giving it ample elevation to do its job.

The beach is stark and, according to this sign, unforgiving.

I got within about twenty feet of these seals to get some pictures. They didn't seem to care.

The Chart Room Restaurant. It was either this or pizza. The food was good but expensive but, given the remote location and the probable lack of volume, I didn't have a problem.

Sandy on the beach as the fog rolls in.