Day 1, pt 1

I'd like to begin by thanking my beautiful wife for totally supporting me on this trip. It's not been easy putting up with my obsessing, planning, and seemingly endless preparation. And she's home takin care of business, while I'm out having a ball without them.That's love. Thanks sweety.



Wow! What an awesome day! Amazing country, spectacular and freakishly dangerous mountainsides covered in snow and ice. Today was the first day of my 4-state 1,800 mile ride on a motorbike. So let me rewind to this morning, and try to recap some of the highlights as well as some tricky bits.

Here I am starting out from Folsom, California...

It was a beautiful cold clear day when I rolled out. Departure was later than planned but figured no worries. Better rested than dead, and I had a long ride ahead. After tearful goodbyes, I was off. The Suzuki felt smooth and responsive, even with the additional gear. I was in full riding gear with liners, winter riding gloves (not heated though...more on that later), and trusty zipper sides combat boots.

The miles up Hwy 50 went fast, as traffic was steady 75 MPH. Saw first snow along road at Sly Park. From there up to the pass over the top is some of my favorite sections anywhere. The views are amazing, and really tight turns begging for throttle and lean. But I took it slow and steady, making sure I return safe. Before you know it, you round a turn and Lake Tahoe comes into view. But instead of going into south shore, I took 88 to Luther pass on the way to Minden, where I picked up 395 south.

Luther pass had all sorts of flashing Caltrans warning signs about chain control 2 miles ahead. And by now it was snowing steadily and the clouds solid, thick, and dark swirls. It was more foreboding to see the snowplow coming back down the other way, and not another vehicle in sight. I never did see a chain control. There were a couple Caltrans trucks off to the side of the road, but that was the last sign of human life as I passe them into the thickening snow. The roads curve steeply upwards, and the view was incredible. But the snow kept coming, and the road now had snow and slush about an inch deep, except in the two bands where the Caltrans trucks had driven through.

My cold weather gear was working, but you could still feel the temperatures dropping like a stone as I kept steadily climbing. I was thinking about the weird stares everyone I passed gave, astonishment that some idiot would be so foolish as to drive a motorbike through these mountain passes in the midle of a snow storm. Not a sign of anyone else in either direction; and then I saw the sign ahead...so I stopped for the picture (nobody ever drove by).

Seems every elevation sign was 7,000 feet today. Many times I'd be suffering the storm on the peaks, and be thinking "I'm going downhill; it will warm up soon." But then I'd spot another elevation sign, hoping for a lower number. But it was ALWAYS 7000 feet. Weird.

Here's a pic of the road at that point.





Then, came down the mountain into the valley where Minden is. Saw the Nevada border crossing sign and ot the shot. It was a very cool valley, right in the middle of some serious mountains.


It was lunchtime by the time I reached Minden, Nevada. So stopped at Dairy Queen (mainly because it was right next door to a Starbucks).

As I put the kickstand down, and prepared for dismount, an old dude whips in behind me, and parks in the parking spot right next to mine. Well, I'd just come down from the snowy mountains of death, and my legs were stiff. With all the gear on the pillion seat pinning me between the tankbag, I guess I didn't look that graceful in my dismount. In fac, I stumbled backwards a bit towards his car. He says something snotty about my abilities in dismount. I ignore him. As long as the bike stays upright, Im good.

Here'a a pic of the filthy beast at that point.

(continued next post...)