FRIDAY, MAY 15th - DAY 2:
I'm sitting at the breakfast bar of my college buddy Bob Rugen's house, in Sacramento. He and his wife Ann, and kids… Lane (girl) age 19, and Robert Jr. age 21, are some of the nicest people I know. A lot of times religious people make me nervous, as I most likely make them, but with Bob it's different. I describe him as a Bible Tapper, instead of a Bible Thumper.
He has very strong beliefs but not only is he willing to listen to other viewpoints and opinions, he actually agrees with me sometimes about my ideas and viewpoints. Not that he changes his beliefs, it's that he is one of the rare birds… same flock as me… who can understand that what is right for one person, doesn't necessarily have to be the right thing for everyone else. He is totally refreshing and I do get spiritual enrichment from him. He is what I call a true Christian… not a flag carrying one.
He's playing in a 50's and over tennis league again this year and if his team wins their matches this weekend, they'll go the National's again for the second year in a row. One of the teams they'll need to beat is from Seascape, not more than five miles from where I live. Bob's team made it to the Championship match last year and lost. Pretty cool huh? Not that they lost, that they made it to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH!!
He plays the game much as my father did: Hit it where they ain't, and mess with their heads.
If they make it to the Finals this year, they'll be playing in Indian Wells, in southern California. I may already have my next road trip planned for me.
Well, it's 5am already (I was up at 3), so I better jump in the shower, have my morning beer, and get ready to hit the road. Bob and his team mates are gonna leave for Walnut Creek for their tournament around 8, so he and I are gonna have a cup-a-joe at his neighborhood coffee shop… solve all of the world's problems… and then have our hugs and say our goodbyes. I love Bob.
6:30am - After our coffee and long but manly hug, I was on the road. Two blocks from the coffee shop I passed a shopping center named, "Sunriver Village". Interesting… the same name as the place I was gonna end up at, at the end of that day.
7:30am - As I was about to re-mount Honey after my first stop, a nice looking couple walked up and started a conversation with me. Turns out they were not a couple, but twins from Mt. Shasta. Mark & Shelly took my card and said they'd send me an email so I could share my story with them upon my return.
9:30am - Red Bluff. Had to stop for fuel for Honey and me. High-octane gasoline for her, and a Grand Slam breakfast for me. The headwind was stronger than I had been aware of. Honey only got 24-mpg that leg. But I had been going over 80 for a lot of the time, so I slowed my pace a bit and it made a big difference on the following leg.
11:30am - Weed. I'd caught up to a BMW 1150 RTS about 25 miles back, and since he was only going about 3mph slower than I was, I dropped in behind him. It's much safer to ride in groups than alone. It makes us much more visible. I followed him past Mt. Shasta into Weed and directly to The Mount Shasta Brewing Company.
12:30pm - Back on the road after chatting with Jeff, my new Beemer biker brother at the pub for a while. Valerie (the brew maiden), Christine (the brew ho), and Josh (the brew master) were young kids and were very friendly. I sure wish my camera had been working, and I foolishly forgot that I could've taken pictures with my phone. Oh well… I have pictures of them in my memory and they probably look cuter in there, than if I'd taken real pictures anyway.
2:00pm - Klamath Falls, OR. I wouldn't be seeing California again until the last day of my trip. I needed more fuel… cold beer this time, which would be the principal staple in my diet for the next two weeks. Not enough to get intoxicated, just enough to give me the strength and hydration my body requires.
2:30pm - Chiloquin. It was time for more fuel for Honey. 91-octane… which is her principal staple beverage for all our adventure trips. One of the odd laws in Oregon is that the gas clerk must pump your gas for you. Or in my case with Honey, that means taking the handle off the hook, handing it to me, and standing next to me while I fill her tank.
3:30pm - A short stop to stretch just south of La Pine, which is just south of Sunriver, which is just south of Bend. What a freaking glorious day. Very light breeze, crystal clear, and about 75 degrees. Just about perfect, just like Honey was quietly telling me with the soft purring of her motor. Purr fect.
4:30pm - Arrived at Jacques and Lovely's lovely abode. They live in a park like setting. Very thick forest as far as the eye can see in every direction. That whole stretch of Hwy 97 all the way from Weed, was nothing but thick forest. Pines and Firs mostly. I'll find out what other types from Jacques later. He's very handy to have around if you have a question. He knows everything about everything. And unlike some people… he is not shy about expressing his massive array of knowledge.
7:30pm - We returned to his house after our sunset ride to Palina Falls. We had to walk in the snow about ¼ mile from the side of the road, elevation approx. 8K. I hadn't purchased my new camera yet… sorry.
Midnight - After some light conversation and some Jay Leno, I excused myself to a wonderfully sound and restful sleep. I'm gonna attempt to join in Jacques' conversations tomorrow… if I can manage to talk fast enough.
Day 2 complete. 21 hours and 518 miles.
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