Tiny Leads Ride
Tiny's SFBA VROC Ride - April 25, 2004
Lorin, Deputy Bob and I arrived at the Jelly Belly at 10:15. Nite Lite and wife were already there buying candy. TC shows up on his yellow V-Strom but needs gas so we send him off to Fairfield to the nearest gas station. Tiny arrives on his VN 1600 with Van on his ZR1000. Topdawg gets there on his VN 1600.
Tiny leads. Nite Lite is riding tail gunner. The eight bikes head off for Mankas Corners. Vineyards, farmland and orchards are on both sides of us as we get to Mankas Corners and turn onto Suisun Valley Road/Wooden Valley Road. We twist and turn our way along this road in the Coastal Range Mountains until we intersect with Hwy 121. A pick-up towing a boat lets the back half of us pass at that intersection. Hwy 121 is a winding main road from Napa to Lake Berryessa and is heavily travelled. The road needs to be repaved. After a fashion we get to the Corners (Moskowitz Corners), which is a gathering spot for motorcyclists. It is located where Hwy 121 intersects Hwy 128 and has a lot of parking.
A rest stop. Water break. Change to summer jackets. It is getting hot.
Tiny leads us out with Van, Lorin, Bob, Topdawg, VSP, TC and the Sublows following. We ride along the west side of Lake Berryessa. There are a lot of people out this weekend since it is a sunny day in the high 80's with little wind. Boaters and water skiers are on the Lake. We leave the Lake at Pope Canyon Road and get caught behind an RV. But it takes a turnout and off we go. After winding our way up and down the mountains we blast along Pope Valley. Until we exit onto Howell Mountain Road heading to Angwin. This is a slow very twisty road for a long stretch. We get to Angwin and pass Pacific Union College, a Seventh Day Adventist school. There is some function going on today since the place is full and cars are parked along both sides of the road. {note: Hi Don, When you went by PUC in Angwin last April that was Alumni weekend. We were there for our 40th reunion. Rod}
We get to Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley and get to Calistoga. A lot of tourist in town. Lunch stop at Buster's BBQ. Boy are we hungry.
BBQ chicken or tri-tip was the choice of most. Was it that good or was I really hungry. It hit the spot. TC had to have his dessert:
Now we are ready for the last leg of the Ride. Over Petrified Forest Road to Calistoga Road to Hwy 12 to Arnold Road at Glen Ellen. From there Nite Lite will lead to the Sonoma Cheese Factory (in Sonoma) and the end of the Ride. Nite Lite's son is working there this afternoon.
The Sonoma Cheese Factory is along the town of Sonoma's Town Square. The Square was jammed with people and cars. So the Ride kind of ended in the street. I headed off with TC to show him the way out of Sonoma. Bob was off to visit his brother who lived close by.
Don "VSP" Inamasu
'00 VN 750
Stockton, CA 95219
Lorin, Deputy Bob and I arrived at the Jelly Belly at 10:15. Nite Lite and wife were already there buying candy. TC shows up on his yellow V-Strom but needs gas so we send him off to Fairfield to the nearest gas station. Tiny arrives on his VN 1600 with Van on his ZR1000. Topdawg gets there on his VN 1600.
Tiny leads. Nite Lite is riding tail gunner. The eight bikes head off for Mankas Corners. Vineyards, farmland and orchards are on both sides of us as we get to Mankas Corners and turn onto Suisun Valley Road/Wooden Valley Road. We twist and turn our way along this road in the Coastal Range Mountains until we intersect with Hwy 121. A pick-up towing a boat lets the back half of us pass at that intersection. Hwy 121 is a winding main road from Napa to Lake Berryessa and is heavily travelled. The road needs to be repaved. After a fashion we get to the Corners (Moskowitz Corners), which is a gathering spot for motorcyclists. It is located where Hwy 121 intersects Hwy 128 and has a lot of parking.
A rest stop. Water break. Change to summer jackets. It is getting hot.
Tiny leads us out with Van, Lorin, Bob, Topdawg, VSP, TC and the Sublows following. We ride along the west side of Lake Berryessa. There are a lot of people out this weekend since it is a sunny day in the high 80's with little wind. Boaters and water skiers are on the Lake. We leave the Lake at Pope Canyon Road and get caught behind an RV. But it takes a turnout and off we go. After winding our way up and down the mountains we blast along Pope Valley. Until we exit onto Howell Mountain Road heading to Angwin. This is a slow very twisty road for a long stretch. We get to Angwin and pass Pacific Union College, a Seventh Day Adventist school. There is some function going on today since the place is full and cars are parked along both sides of the road. {note: Hi Don, When you went by PUC in Angwin last April that was Alumni weekend. We were there for our 40th reunion. Rod}
We get to Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley and get to Calistoga. A lot of tourist in town. Lunch stop at Buster's BBQ. Boy are we hungry.
BBQ chicken or tri-tip was the choice of most. Was it that good or was I really hungry. It hit the spot. TC had to have his dessert:
Now we are ready for the last leg of the Ride. Over Petrified Forest Road to Calistoga Road to Hwy 12 to Arnold Road at Glen Ellen. From there Nite Lite will lead to the Sonoma Cheese Factory (in Sonoma) and the end of the Ride. Nite Lite's son is working there this afternoon.
The Sonoma Cheese Factory is along the town of Sonoma's Town Square. The Square was jammed with people and cars. So the Ride kind of ended in the street. I headed off with TC to show him the way out of Sonoma. Bob was off to visit his brother who lived close by.
Don "VSP" Inamasu
'00 VN 750
Stockton, CA 95219
posted by VROC #5569-r @ 1:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home