Our first overnighter of the season and boy oh boy, I guess I was not the only one who was ready to get out of town! While the number of bikes varied as we picked up and dropped a few riders here and there, we had a total of 32 riders & 28 bikes.
We left Shari’s minus a couple of riders who were waiting on a late comer and headed north on 101. The weather was in the mid 40’s but quickly warmed. At our first stop at the Coyote Valley Casino, we hooked up with some members who live in Ukiah plus the group from Shari’s arrived. We hopped back on 101 to Laytonville for our next stop. Since restaurant options were limited, a few folks opted to purchase lunch at the deli before heading up to the Peg House in Leggett for our lunch stop. The Peg House is “famous” for their burgers and offered a great outdoor eating area where we could all enjoy our bagged or bought lunches. It was reported the burgers were indeed very tasty!
A couple of riders who just came for lunch headed home while the rest of us mounted up and headed north on 101. I could not help but notice many, many law enforcement officers were out patrolling. I tried not to think about paying 28 speeding tickets and kept a close eye on the speedometer. We exited in Rio Dell for a bathroom break then took the backroads into Ferndale where we met yet another rider who was already in Fortuna. Thankfully, Ferndale was “open” and we were able to wander around the quaint town. Some folks went straight for the caffeine while others sought out a frozen treat. Another group went down to explore the beach and an old train tunnel. We headed over to Fortuna in small groups and everyone checked in.
As usual, the post-ride cocktail get-together offered everyone a chance to relax, mingle and get to know each other. Most of the group headed over to the Eel River Brewing Company for dinner where we had reservations, but a few decided to test the fare over at Bella Italia. I have to say, the dining experience was less than ideal as we waited over an hour for our food to arrive. Apparently, even though they knew we were coming, 25 orders at one time overwhelmed their kitchen. But, we won’t dwell…
The early morning ride out Hwy 36 was attended by no one as it was cold and foggy so I decided to scrap the ride and just head home early. A few riders left earlier and made their own way home. We were on the road a little after 9:00 just as the fog was clearing. We took the scenic Avenue of the Giants which meanders in and around some beautiful redwoods, small towns, and campgrounds. We took the obligatory group photo at the Immortal Tree. One group towards the end of the pack, missed one of the turns and ended up on 101 where we caught up with them just outside of Laytonville which was our first break stop. As the day progressed, folks peeled off and headed home.
The remaining group of 19 stopped in Willits for lunch at Lumberjacks where a hearty meal was enjoyed. Our final stop was in Cloverdale where we bid our good-byes and topped off our gas tanks. I was home around 3:00 with a total of 470 miles for the weekend.
Thanks for joining me on the ride and special thanks to our sweeps, George and Gretchen who did an amazing job keeping the 28 bikes on track – a herculean effort to be sure!
Ride Captain – Robyn LaMantia / Queen Lolly / Media Mistress
Click the Google Photos Image to open the Ride Album in Google Photos