Day Four - And Now the Vacation Begins

Today: 127 miles

Total: 2224 miles

So what can I say about today?  When I was thinking about this ride it seemed to make sense to me to ride hard for the first few days and then have an easy day into Lake Shasta and relax.  That is pretty much what happened.

I took my time this morning.  Had a long conversation outside of the motel with two guys who are on their way to Prudhoe Bay.  Clearly one of the ultimate bucket list rides for anyone who likes motorcycles.  I would love to do it someday but a Harley Ultra Classic is not the bike for that ride.  You need a sport touring bike, something lighter, with knobby tires.  Like a BMW GS1200. The fantasy bike I will never own but still lust after.  (It is free to go to the BMW store and sit on it.)

Different tools for different jobs.  The Harley can’t handle the periodic gravel and often muddy Haul Road to Prudhoe Bay.  But it did a great job today of cruising through beautiful northern California on Hiway 44.

My motel last night sat right on Hiway 36.  Who knew?  I guess I didn’t realize that 36 joined 395 sometime along the way.  So all I had to do this morning was turn right and follow the road.  One more right on 44, another on I-5, and I was at the exit for The Fawndale Lodge, my home away from home for the next two nights.

Today’s ride was great.  Most of the ride was lined with evergreen trees that smelled wonderful.  Like riding with one of those green trees hanging from grandma's rearview mirror.  I didn't take any pictures today but I did make some music videos.  

Click here if you want to join me for 10 minutes of today's ride - including coming around a corner to see Mt. Lassen off in the distance, rising 10,457 in the air.  

Having it on video is great but nowhere near as majestic as it was in real life.  A good point to remember about everything we see on television.

At some point today I was over 5000 feet above sea level.  The weather was perfect.  The road was beautiful, tree lined almost the whole way.  And then I stopped for the only gas stop of the day.  At that point I had been going downhill for awhile.  What I didn’t realize is that I would still be going downhill 20 miles later.

Redding CA sits at 495 feet above sea level.  While it was cool in the high lands, it is HOT in Redding.  I believe that Redding is the hottest place I have ever been.  Last summer it was well over 100 degrees when I got here.  This year is just as bad.  It is blistering hot.  My fingertips were burning as I rode into town and up the freeway to Fawndale Lodge.  I’m going to have to remember to wear gloves on Saturday when I leave.  It is brutally hot here!

I got here early enough (c’mon, I only road 127 miles today!) that I could set up my room, run to town for food, etc., and still have plenty of time to hit the pool.  There I met a guy named Rocky.  He lives here with his mother.  Both of them receive social security disability payments.  I didn’t meet his mother but it is clear to me that Rocky could not possibly hold down a full-time job and normal life.  I’m thinking he is called “Rocky” because, if I wasn’t talking to him, he constantly rocked back and forth.

Rocky told me that a lot of the people who live here full-time are on SSI.  It is cheaper for the people in their families to buy an RV, and pay $400 a month rent to live here.  He said that Debbie and her husband (the owners who run the place) are very nice people.  I agree.  Debbie couldn’t have been more welcoming when I checked in.

So I add it all up and I think I’m staying in the perfect place.  I’m on vacation!  And tomorrow I head into town to Russell Cycles to get a handmade, custom, built live just for me, motorcycle seat.  This IS living large.