Windsor

John's 2012 Motorcycle Trip July 1-8
	We arrive at Worldmark Windsor, California, 623 miles from home. This is the view from our balcony. Tomorrow I go riding!
	I pass the Korbel winery. They make a lot of champagne. There are hundreds of wineries in the area.
	I get to Highway 1 as the morning fog is lifting.
	Real nice motorcycle road.
	Nice flowers.
	This was my coastal destination today. Now it is time to head away from the coast, go over the coastal hills back to Windsor.

	This narrow road goes for miles. Great riding!
	Lunch back at Windsor at the Patterson's Pub. I had the lunch special--pork belly sandwich. Yum. I have had my fat intake for the month!
	Next stop Chalk Hill winery for a tasting. Grape vineyards everywhere you look. Then, back to the resort. Into the hot tub and relax the rest of the day. Evelyn never left the condo. She had a lazy day.
	Tuesday I ride over the hills to St. Helena. I found the road fun yet challenging. Lots of tight turns. Constant shifting the gears. Lots of tall trees along the road which makes for lots of shadows making it difficult to see the road at times.
	One of my stops along the road.
	I had lunch at a restaurant/brewery next to this tasting room. Tomorrow is the big ride to Lassen National Park.
	We attend the Windsor Congregation meeting Tuesday evening.
	July 4, 2012. My big ride of the trip. From Windsor to Lassen. What a ride! Very exhilarating. Lots of WOW moments.
	On the way....
	At the Visitor Center, South entrance. I rode to the North Entrance (about 30 miles away) and back.
	Emerald Lake.
	Road climbs to over 8000 ft. Lassen Peak in background.
	Lake Helen. Still thawing out.
	Summit Lake
	Manzanita Lake
	I sat here by the King's River dangling my feet into the water until the mosquitoes decided to attack. I got off easy, only a few bites.


	A freak remnant of volcanic activity. Not me! The rock! I drove 330 miles ending up in Red Bluff for the night. I'll ride back to Windsor tomorrow and see if Evelyn managed to stay out of trouble. I mean out of the stores. Well, same thing.
	I took a different way back to Windsor. I take 175 from Clear Lake to Hwy 101. A definite WOW road. I didn't get photos because it was very narrow and I passed a few cars. To stop for a minute would mean passing them again. This picture is off of 101 where they either do hangings, or kids swing into the river.
	Friday, July 6 we just hang out at the condo, play games, read, watch movies. But Saturday we have a full day. I thought I had ridden some of the best roads in Northern California, BUT then I discover Skaggs Spring Road. Awesome road. Real nice.
"Coastal mountains are unique here in California because they retain their lushness much longer than the Central Valley or the Sierra Nevada at higher elevations. It's an entirely different climate here closer to the ocean. The road climbs quickly, snaking along through dreamy sweepers, to the top to the ridgeline and follows it westward. At times you can see in either direction- to your left - to your right- for miles across the low mountain tops." "To boot, you can see the road off on the next hill- snaking up the side. Virtually every single smooth corner will handle 60 mph and that's with your hand on your hip! No, don't try this at home." "I sense the fork compressing, rebounding, the tires contacting the silky smooth pavement. Leaned over, knee hanging out in the wind- If only I could freeze this moment in time." "Bliss." "This road almost has a surreal quality to it. Something out of my dreams." "All in all, I have never seen a stretch of road like this anywhere in California. There is nothing out there like this." "And that's why it's the Holy Grail of California Motorcycledom." (Quotes from pashnit.com from a rider who experienced Skaggs Spring Road.)
	First half of the road is like this. Then it narrows as it heads through the redwoods.
	And, since Evelyn wanted to go see the lighthouse at Point Arena, she follows me on the same route. Here we stop to view Lake Sonoma.
	Yes!
	We eventually reach Highway 1 and head North to Point Arena.
	The lighthouse had to be torn down after the big 1906 earthquake and rebuilt.
	View from the top, 150 feet up.
	Another view. Above to the right of the house is a big hole with some grassy patches around it. Before erosion, you could drive a car around the hole.
	Point Arena Lighthouse. It is on the closest piece of ground to Hawaii on the West Coast.
	After a stop back at the condo, we head to Glen Ellen to visit the Jack London Park. After visiting the Park I read one of his short stories online. jacklondons.net
	Jack wrote a lot of his books from this room.
	He and his wife were building this huge house called Wolf House. Right before they moved in, it burned down. He said he would rebuild it, but never did. He died shortly thereafter at 40 from kidney failure.
	It was a huge house. We get back to the resort and fire up the BBQ.
	On the way home we stop at FILOLI. For the story on this place see http://filoli.org/
	Many acres of gardens


	Flowers everywhere. I saw plants I didn't know existed.
	Next stop is the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose. http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/
	Then we drive to Morro Bay for the night. In the morning we spend a precious couple hours with our dear friends, Russell and Wilma Wertz. We met them in Georgia in 1990. They now live with their son in Grover Beach. Ask us about them. Wonderful people.
The End