Back in the Saddle: Going to California: 2011

[beast775]

excellent read,thanks kingfish .

[ohzee]

Kingfish you should write a book as your writing style had me stuck to the screen.

Great job on making it 1/2 way and I hope you keep reporting for the other half.

[deVries]

Also, SF peoples – we are tentatively planning on meeting Sunday August 14th at the Presidio at Noon, specifically the Sports Basement at 610 Old Mason Street, SF, CA 94129, @37.803087,-122.45872

Somebody take a thumb drive, netbook, or whatever connects & transfers his pics & videos to help KF get these posted. I mean, this is 2011 & the road journal would be more interesting with pics & vids posted while you are actually traveling, not back home, imo.

[Kingfish]

Ye kind peoples of ES

A most humble thank you. I am working with bear rugs and stone knives trying to coax this ancient PC into editing a few pictures. A couple of notes: I have finally been able to review the quality of the pictures than my Samsung Droid Charge has taken – and I am definitely going to pack my camera next time; the quality and color depth has a long way to go before it can rival my semiprofessional equipment. Therefore I apologize; not all the pictures are of a caliber that I am accustom to using.

Also – I have some panoramas that need to be stitched together and this old box can’t manage that with the low-tech image editor. However – I have posted some of the easily cropped pictures. Below are the links to the backfills containing them.

Backfill 1
Backfill 2
Backfill 3
Backfill 4
Backfill 5
Backfill 6

Sunday
The Plan is to meet at the Presidio on Sunday at Noon; I wish to thank Edward Lyen for setting this up. The idea G.M. has floated is that we take a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin. This is certainly an intriguing invitation. I will be riding up from Santa Cruz – putting in about 75 miles to reach the Presidio.

My original plan was to come up, meet with a few of you folks, and possible stay an extra day to go for a ride. By meeting on Sunday we are essentially killing two birds with one – and moving my caravan towards the next destination by 20 miles or so.

My hope is that this will be an agreeable arrangement. And I wish to tip my hat to Edward for initiating the organization. Can’t wait to meet up with you fine folks!

Best, KF

[deVries]

Also, SF peoples – we are tentatively planning on meeting Sunday August 14th at the Presidio at Noon, specifically the Sports Basement at 610 Old Mason Street, SF, CA 94129, @37.803087,-122.45872

Somebody take a thumb drive, netbook, or whatever connects & transfers his pics & videos to help KF get these posted. I mean, this is 2011 & the road journal would be more interesting with pics & vids posted while you are actually traveling, not back home, imo.

UPDATE: Somebody take a good digital camera/video for this event, so KF & ES can have some high-rez pics/video posted...

Thanks KF for posting the pics. Your 1st pic of your eBike & trailer is epic-classic -very nice-beautiful rig & setup. Cute pic of your cousin beautifying your eBike. At least your camera shows she has pretty hair.

[amberwolf]

I am working with bear rugs and stone knives trying to coax this ancient PC into editing a few pictures.

I believe the term you are looking for is "stone knives and bear skins", spoken in quite the dry sarcastic voice.

That said, this has so far been an educational and entertaining journey and thread. Fortunately no accidents with automatic rice pickers have occured. Yet.

[dbaker]

Pics look great Don't you hate that your tire got screwed DOT rated next time for sure

[chroot]

Sweet, I will bring my thuderbolt cell which it can do 8MP digital camera super crispy picture

I will see you all at SF Noon this sunday.

Also, SF peoples – we are tentatively planning on meeting Sunday August 14th at the Presidio at Noon, specifically the Sports Basement at 610 Old Mason Street, SF, CA 94129, @37.803087,-122.45872

Somebody take a thumb drive, netbook, or whatever connects & transfers his pics & videos to help KF get these posted. I mean, this is 2011 & the road journal would be more interesting with pics & vids posted while you are actually traveling, not back home, imo.

UPDATE: Somebody take a good digital camera/video for this event, so KF & ES can have some high-rez pics/video posted...

Thanks KF for posting the pics. Your 1st pic of your eBike & trailer is epic-classic -very nice-beautiful rig & setup. Cute pic of your cousin beautifying your eBike. At least your camera shows she has pretty hair.

[Lyen]

We can probably do this on Sunday.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=30822&p=446598#p446622

But I will let you guys decide.

[Kingfish]

Back in the Saddle and on the return route!

Left Fresno about 11:30 AM, though had to make a couple of stops on the way out of town. I am taking a short break at the junction of I-5 & Panoche Road. The next big town is Hollister - about 45 miles - maybe more. I have plenty of water and Gatorade but it is very warm. Hofefully it will cool off as I climb out of the Big Valley. Feeling the need to move, I'll be leaving shorty and will try to check in when I reach Hollister.

Cherrios, KF

[Kingfish]

Greetings -

I had to call it short today. Ended the day in Hollister after 122 miles. Between the heat, the nasty road, the nasty Dirt road, and the headwind - I was pretty well spent.

The alternate route would have been over Hwy 152 - Pacheco Pass - and that is a lot more traffic. As it was, between I-5 & Hwy 25 over Panoche Pass - only ONE car passed me in my direction! Lots of solutude, plenty for the mind to work with, cows to moo at, ranchers to talk to, horses in need of carrots - and snakes to avoid! It was a wild trek; I'll have to backfill cos it's an interesting tale to be sure

Tomorrow I have a longer ride to get to SF and expect to get an early start. Figure 100 miles easy. I hope the winds are light in the AM.

The charge is going great guns. Time for ol KF to get a shower, some food, and then off to see the Sandman.

Cheers y'all! KF

[Kingfish]

Sunrise in Hollister; leaving now!

- KF

ADDENDUM: It's about 9 AM and I've just jioned up onto Hwy 1 in Santa Cruz. One quick stop before continuing on to SF. It's overcast, foggy , damp or all 3 at the same time. I expext to be a little late due to metro areas. So far so good. Abojut 46 miles this AM. I'll check in again as I get closer.

Cheers! KF

[Kingfish]

Sunrise in Hollister; leaving now!

- KF

ADDENDUM: It's about 9 AM and I've just jioned up onto Hwy 1 in Santa Cruz. One quick stop before continuing on to SF. It's overcast, foggy , damp or all 3 at the same time. I expext to be a little late due to metro areas. So far so good. Abojut 46 miles this AM. I'll check in again as I get closer.

Cheers! KF

I am now at Half Moon Bay taking a break after 95 miles. There was a nasty head and cross wind between SC and Pescidero that chewed off 2 volts and I've had to drop speed to xonserve the pack if we're going to San Rafael. I think it is a safe bet to expect me must after 1 PM given metro slowness.

Feeling peckish, can't wait to meet you folks; hope to see you soon!
Only 30 more miles, KF

[dbaker]

Maybe Green Machine can pick you up in the van

[Kingfish]

I am in GG Park. Navigating your way. KF

[Kingfish]

I met up with the guys at the Sports Basement about 1:30-1:40 PM. What a large good group of guys!

Atfer a bit it was determined better to stay on this side; I was a bit shy on my pack and the guys helped me set up for a quick top off. After that we blasted over the local areadown to GG Park and eventually winding up at the local brewery <backfill name> where we could chat and share. It is so very rare to meet kindred folks of this architecture - a real treat!

I need to take care of a couple of mechanical issues before heading out again so I will hang out for at least part of the day until completed, and possibly move across the bridge to get a bit closer to the next target - Fort Bragg!

Available through the day here in SF, KF

[chroot]

Hi Kingfish-

I had blast good time with you and the e bikers in group yesterday. I took some pictures and video records.

Give me few hours resize the pictures cuz ES wont let me upload super big picture 8MP 3mb each picture.

[Kingfish]

Thanks for a fab time in the City by the Bay

I wish to particularly thank Green Machine and Lyen for their kind hospitality and grand efforts!

Lyen escorted me over the GG Bridge this afternoon and down into Sausalito. From there I blasted over to San Rafael, only 19 miles from the Sports Basement - though it took 90 minutes to get there.

Tomorrow will take me to Fort Bragg, and now I have a tiny head start

I've been writing furiously for the next chance to backfill. BTW - the total odometer is now 1589 miles, and I figure there's another 800 ormore to go. What a great ride, and made better by spending a bit of it with my e-pals

Thank you again! Most honored, KF

[dnmun]

way cool, he is on a mission from god. watch out rassy, he was only 2 days into this when i saw him.

whatta trip, but this is the future, people gonna do it. the old man i bought my place in colorado from had made an epic journey like that on a motorcycle back in 1921, before they had the freeways across the rockies.

android fons make it knarly.

[Kingfish]

Hello ES peoples from Fort Bragg, CA.

I left San Rafael at 6 AM heading out on Sir Frances Drake Blvd, all the way to Hwy 1 at Point Reyes by 7 AM, then proceded northward. The weather was damp, foggy, overcast, chilly, blazing hot, bright sunny, windy, and blustery, often within the same mile. It was slow going; great for a bike! Mostly light traffic, good road conditions and margins most of the time, and the same can be said about the drivers ~ except those Lexas SUVs: They were mosty buttheads.

Got to speak to many folks. Enjoyed spectacular scenery, got some pics.

The wind though really affected my progress and I kept my speed slow to extend the pack. But 11 hours on a bike is rough no matter how you sugar-coat it.

Distance today = 165.3 miles. Total trip Odometer is now 1754 miles over 22 days.
AveS = 23.8; pokey

Tomorrow I hope to make Eureka. Bike still has grinding noise but now I (think I) know what is going on and will affect a fix to it soon.

Tired & ready for my shower, then food, then z z z
Cheers, KF

[chroot]

Hi, I wanted give you the status, I am uploading into Picasa server and each pictures worth 3mb (all 8MP pictures include videos).

*updated* Here the link: authkey=Gv1sRgCJus-cmCtIqHfg

[deVries]

Hi, I wanted give you the status, I am uploading into Picasa server and each pictures worth 3mb (all 8MP pictures include videos).

*updated* Here the link: authkey=Gv1sRgCJus-cmCtIqHfg

Super! photography & video... good views of KF's setup, other eBikes, and that insane acceleration of the trike...

Thanks!

[Kingfish]

From the city that gave California its' motto, hello from Eureka!

I left Fort Bragg about 7:15 AM and headed north on Hwy 1 to Leggit where
I picked up Hwy 101. Good news for cyclists: When the highway changes to freeway there is good margin most of the time and cops won't bother you ~ even if you pass them doing 32 mph

I made my way north via "The Avenue of the Giants"; simply awesome!!

Eventually got to Eureka at 3 PM but took me an hour to find a suitable room.

Stats
Start V = 63.4; End V = 55.2
Distance = 141.8 miles; Total Odometer now at 1896.

Fixed nasty grinding by removing the rear ebike fender.

Time for the shower, and thenI'll hit the Lost Coast Brewery

Addendum: My smartphone isn't and I am quickly coming to the grievous opinion that it needs to be crushed under foot. Grrrr and double-grrrr, KF


Cheers to an awesome ride through the spectacular coast Redwoods!

[Rassy]

way cool, he is on a mission from god. watch out rassy, he was only 2 days into this when i saw him.

I'm ready, and I've got my fishing buddy with me for support. He caught a 30 pound "King Fish" today.

Kingfish, we are at the RV park I mentioned. It is called Oceanside RV Park. We are in spaces F4 and F5. If no one is there, just call the cell phone number I gave you the other day.

See you soon.

[Kingfish]

way cool, he is on a mission from god. watch out rassy, he was only 2 days into this when i saw him.

I'm ready, and I've got my fishing buddy with me for support. He caught a 30 pound "King Fish" today.

Kingfish, we are at the RV park I mentioned. It is called Oceanside RV Park. We are in spaces F4 and F5. If no one is there, just call the cell phone number I gave you the other day.

See you soon.

Will do; looking forward to it
Cheers, KF