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| Ready To Roll |
Tuesday April 2, 2013
I Left home at 10 a.m. Destination .... Dunnigan, California. The alleged forecast was 65 degrees and partly cloudy. Maybe that was for later and not necessarily for me during my ascent up and over the snow-bordered Willamette Pass where a fine mud mist drifted up from the wet pavement and coated the back of my recently shined bike. It was hovering around 32 degrees at Chemult where, suffering from a near case of hypothermia, I stopped to thaw my hands over the hot exhaust pipes and stomp life back into my numb toes. I didn't realize my face was frozen until later, at Klamath Falls where I stopped for gas and my lips didn't work when trying to communicate with the station attendant. After Klamath Falls the sun was breaking through, shining promise on the horizon.
The sun was shining birght and warm near Redding before dipping low in the west, casting an amber glow on the landscape, the ingredients of a very pleasant ride. The only wind was that generated at 70 mph. The Harley was on cruise control and purring like a kitten. I was loving it.
The sun was shining birght and warm near Redding before dipping low in the west, casting an amber glow on the landscape, the ingredients of a very pleasant ride. The only wind was that generated at 70 mph. The Harley was on cruise control and purring like a kitten. I was loving it.
Back to reality ……. my left leather chap became unzipped from the little wind turbulence there was. It split like a cheap corset all the way up to my hip and was flapping in the wind like a loose sail. I feared the metal snaps/zipper would beat the paint off the saddle bags before I could safely stop. I was able to hold it together, literally, with my left hand until the next off ramp where I stopped and remedied the problem.
It was a little later than planned
getting to Dunnigan, arriving at 7:15, just before dark. I've amassed quite a bit of video footage of the day's ride but due to the time involved in editing and uploading it will be a while before I can post anything.
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| MT Shasta Viewpoint Between Klamath Falls and Weed, CA |
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| Cloud-Buried MT Shasta |
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| MT Shasta |
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| Oakridge To Dunnigan, 395 Miles |
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| Video of Ride From Oakridge, OR to Dunnigan, CA (Select 640 from video task bar for best resolution.) |
2 comments:
I'll be the first I guess in commenting. A kind of cold start but you made it on the road. You'll be wishing it was colder when you get further south. Good to hear the ride so far is working out well. Looking good cousin. RA
I was watching the weather forecasts in your neck-of-the-woods and wondered if you would delay your start date. Glad to see you have hit the road. I'm cold just thinking about your first day out. Your writing is superb. Keep it coming. Best wishes for the best weather possible.
Ride on! LA in Tustin
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