2019 Pacific Coast Highway - Day 5

2019 Pacific Coast Highway - Day 5 - Susanville to Klamath Falls

This will be a fairly short blog.

I woke up at 5:00 but didn't get out of bed until nearly 6:30 because we won't be leaving until 8:40 and why get up if you can't do anything.

I read emails and looked through our group photos on PhotoCircle.  Then checked on a video upload that took all night.  The video was done, so I added it to the blog and posted it on facebook.

Once I got up, Ross got up as well.  We decided to get some breakfast at a cafe down the road.  He got a cheese omelette with some awesome looking sausage links as a side.  I got eggs benedict just because.  They were ok, but an omelette would have been better.  Or better yet, an egg in a frame.

Back at the hotel I put on the best clothes I had.  A collared black, button up T-shirt with a pocket and my cleanest pair of jeans.  We were going to church at 9:00.

We all gathered outside and rode off following Drew.  It was only 3/4 of a mile away. We arrived by 8:50 and found the parking lot almost empty.  We figured either it was a very small ward, or the "Mormon Miracle" was about to occur, where 90% of the people arrive in the last 5 minutes.

Most of us were in jeans and boots.  Some of the ladies had skirts, and 2 of he men had white shirts and ties.  We walked into the chapel and began quietly filling a couple benches when a lady came up and asked us about ourselves.

After a short exchange, she explained that today was Stake Conference, and that meetings wouldn't begin until 10:00.

We got to talking a little more and it turned out that she knew people in Arizona that John and Angela knew.  She also knew a guy in Castle Rock that I used to ride with.  We chatted for a while with her, then began discussion what we were going to do.

We went out to the bikes, to discuss it, then we all headed back to the hotel.

In the end, 5 bikes headed for Klamath Falls.  I really wanted to go to see Crater Lake, so I went with the Klamath Falls bunch.  3 bikes decided to pack their gear and a change of riding clothes, check out of the hotel and go back to conference.

I was already packed and ready to go, but the couples still needed to pack, and one couple wanted some breakfast, so we agreed to leave at 10:00.

I got volentold to lead the ride to Klamath Falls.  We talked about the weather and the ride.  I figured we would be in the 70s all day, so we dressed kind of light.  We had a prayer and mounted up.

I led us out of town, and within 5 miles we climbed up a big bluff and the temperature plunged down to 58.  I kept riding for a few miles while looking for a good pullout, and as soon as I found one, I stopped.

Nearly everyone clambered off the bikes and put on a few more layers,  I was feeling fine so I changed nothing.  Once we were ready, we set off again. 

Just as I got out on the road I realized that I hadn't re-connected my helmet to the bike, so I couldn't listen to the GPS, talk on the CB, or listen to my audio book.  It was hard enough getting us all stopped once and I didn't want to do it again, so I tried to plug the cables together using just my left hand.  It didn't work.

I fiddled for a bit, then said to myself "Just let it go, you can live without it till the next stop".

Then a few minutes later I found myself trying it again.  But with my riding gloves on I just couldn't get enough touch sensitivity to pair the two ends together.  Or if I got the ends to match, a bit of glove would be in the way and prevent the connections.  So I gave up, then a few minutes later I tried again.  This went on and on for about 30 minutes.  I get kind of bored without a book or music, but I was more worried about missing a GPS navigation or some announcement on the CB.  (In hindsight, I could have put the CB and phone on external speakers, DUH!)

Finally I decided to take my glove off and try it with my bare hand.  It's actually hard to take a glove off one handed. I had to unvelcro the strap, then bite different fingertips to worm it off, but I finally got it.  I stuck the glove in my tank bag, then gave the cable another try.

Just so no one thinks I was doing all this and ignoring riding, I wasn't.  I never looked down or tried to navigate a turn while fiddling with the cable.  I waited for long straight stretches with no oncoming cars before trying.

With my bare hand I managed to get the ends matched up but it wouldn't slide in.  I tried several times but had no luck.

Finally I felt desperate enough to try something really crazy.  I waited for a good straight and level piece of road, grabbed the cable with my left hand.  I hit the cruise control, let that settle, then removed my right hand from the throttle, and with 2 hands, tried to get the cable connected.  No luck.

So, I've never ridden the motorcycle without at least one hand on a handlebar, EVER!!!  I've ridden bikes without hands many many times, but never a motorcycle.  I occasionally let go of a steering wheel, but I usually steady it with a knee.  It just never felt right to let go of the motorcycle handlebars.

I have no idea if others do it all the time or not.  Maybe it's no big deal and I shouldn't have ever worried about it.  Maybe the centrifugal force (or is it centripital) keeps it all aligned.

So here I was, no hands, staring at the road, feeling the balance of the bike and trying to put the ends together.  I could feel the bike and the balance just like when I was a kid riding hands free.  I tried this twice but decided I'd probably bent something earlier, so this time I really did give up.

Hands back on the handlebar I settled in to ride.

We went another 20 or 30 minutes to the town of Adin where I stopped at a gas station for bio break.  A couple people did add gas, but the attendant told us the bathroom was broken.  We asked about other stations but there were none.  Maybe there was a bathroom at the town park, but for sure there was a bathroom at the local BBQ place, so off we went, rather hurriedly.

The place was named "The Oney Frosty In Town" and was pretty good.  We decided (most of us) to go ahead and grab lunch.  I got a small fish and chips.  The most common order was for a milk shake.  Everyone who got one said they were great.

We sat out on a covered patio to chat and eat.  We took allot longer than we should because everything was just so perfect.  Great temperature, some sunshine if you wanted it, a slight breeze, and good friends.  Once again we solved all the world's problems, but no one would listen to us.

Eventually we had start riding again.

The road condition up to this point had been fair.  There were some teeth rattling sections and a few smooth sections, but mostly it was just ok road.  The scenery was really good, and the twists and turns were pretty good.  The speed limit was 55 and I tried to keep us right around 60 but I'd back down when the road got rough.

After we left Adin the road condition was perfect.  Very smooth and well maintained with a speed limit of 65.  But the road itself got boring.  No more hills, few turns, and very flat.  We zipped along somewhat above the speed limit and ate up the miles.

It wasn't all that long until we were in traffic again.  Not city traffic, just 5 cars ahead of us, and oncoming traffic every 20 or 30 seconds.  You know, annoying cars that prevent you doing a truly righteous ride.  (said with a valley boy accent).

We meandered the last 20 miles into Klamath Falls and headed for the hotel.

We stopped for gas, bio, and snacks just short of the hotel.  I had COMPLETELY forgotten that we were not in Oregon.  I pulled up to the gas pump, and before I could move, an attendant came up and offered to pump the gas.

If you don't know, Oregon does not allow drivers to pump their own gas.  By law, it is full service.

They do allow motorcycles, big trucks, RVs, and probably a few others to pump their own gas because for example, motorcycle tanks can be very finicky and will splash gas all over if you don't know the quirks of your particular bike.

I pumped my gas, then parked and went inside to grab a snack.  We all got to talking, and when I pointed out the attendants and explained about the law, Scott was litterally slack jawed in amazement.  "You're kidding me" was said by more than one person.

Then when it finally hit the women what that meant, they wished that they didn't have to get out of their cars to pump gas at home.  I don't know that I've ever had full service gas in my life, except when I travel through Oregon.  It's so bizarre, not that they have full service, but that they forbid self service.

So we talked to one attendant and he explained his role for motorcycles.  He is supposed to remove the nozzle from the pump and hand it to the drive, then when completed, he's supposed to take the nozzle back and properly and safely insert it back into the pump.  So I really shouldn't have done those parts myself, but I did.

Once we were all over our shock, we headed on to the hotel.  And this is one nice hotel.  A Shilo Inn and it's better than anything we've stayed in so far.  Ross paid this bill so I don't know what it was, well settle up at the end of the ride.

We checked in and I started the blog.  After 45 minutes I took a long break to go to the pool & hot tub.  This was a pretty good hot tub but no powered jet, just big bubbles that shake you.  I went back and forth between the 2 a few times until I was nearly asleep.

Then back to the room for a refreshing shower and finishing this part of the blog.  I'll finish up after dinner.

We met in the lobby at 6:00 to decide on dinner and to plan tomorrow's ride.  It seems like half of us still want to go to Crater Lake, and half of us want to ride the Klamath river road, otherwise known as the Bigfoot Scenic Byway.

We will meet for breakfast at 7:00, evaluate the weather over Crater Lake, then make final decisions about the route.  My plan is to go to Crater Lake unless it looks nasty.

For dinner, we decided on Applebees because it's within walking distance and no one felt like riding tonight.  When we arrived, they just gave us a big area and said "Sit wherever you want".  All of the tables sat 4 people, so I wound up sitting next to Ross because all the couples wanted to sit next to each other.

But since we were 14 people, that left one couple by themselves at a table.  I'm proud to say that it only took me a couple minutes to realize that "Ross and I aren't a couple", so I could move over and sit with Larry and Nan.  I've been able to remember their names because I have a best friend Larry, and my wife's name, like hers is Nannette, and spelled exactly the same.  They even had many of the same nicknames growing up.

Larry and I talked about flying.  I had a plane for a while, and he used to fly ultralight airplanes.  Then we talked about kids, grandkids, relatives, the church, and many more subjects that my poor memory has already forgotton.  It was a great conversation and Larry has done some cool things over the years.

This looks like it will be an early bedtime for me.  It's only 8:30, I'm done and ready for some sleep.

Not many pictures today.

Rogues gallery out in front of the LDS church


Lunch in Adin


A wider view of lunch