Going to San Francisco the Hard Way

Roseberg was having a classic car show that was being set up as we were leaving the next morning, so we got to see some of the classic and vintage cars that were going to be displayed.

Mt. Shasta

We headed to Grants Pass, OR, so fondly remembered by Jane on our 2008 motorcycle ride, and then on into California.

School yard grillin'

California is such an interesting state to drive through, because the scenery and landscape changes so dramatically every 200 miles or so. It was a day for mostly driving and not a lot of stopping for scenery viewing, finally ending in the town of Ukiah. We drove to Ukiah so we could get on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and follow that down to San Francisco the following day. Our ride to Ukiah took us over a mountainous road that would unknowingly portend some twisty driving conditions to come. After we checked in we decided to go to a nearby park and grill, with our portable gas grill. some chicken breasts that we had marinated for something different. We found the park, but to our chagrin there was a concert series scheduled and all of the picnic facilities were taken. Not to be deterred, we searched for another park but could not find one. We were heading back to the motel to possibly grill there, when we spotted some picnic tables in the high school yard. Since everyone was on the other side of town (including the police because we worried about a burn ban), we pulled in, set up shop, and had a really great meal.

Along the PCH

The next morning we headed out for the PCH. We figured it to be about 70-some miles to our west and picked out a road named Mountainview Road to traverse to get there.

Gnarly trees along the road

It looked pretty straight on the map and the first 10 miles were mildly winding, but as we started to reach the higher altitudes, the road became as convoluted as Jane’s gut which was seriously wrenched due to her fear of heights and driving on mountain roads. For nearly two hours we slammed the car into this turn and that turn, winding up and winding down the mountains.

Pacific ocean coast view

The road was so twisty that there was virtually no relief between the windings and Jane was reintroduced to what “switchbacks” are. We had almost 2 hours of this heaving back and forth, and after an hour had passed Jane started to complain that she was getting sick.

Like Oak Alley in Louisiana

Even Capt. Larry was feeling a little queasy. But there was nothing to do but see it out. It’s like we found when boating across large bodies of water when conditions weren’t the best- once you commit there is little to do but see it through. We made it to the PCH and into some foggy conditions.

At Point Reyes, N.S.

Now we were twisting and winding on a road we could barely see.

Jane (on the right) and a elephant seal

For some reason, we both had this vision of the PCH being a four-lane road with broad, sweeping curves that provided spectacular coastal vistas. The road was nothing like we envisioned and was just as serpentine as the one we had just driven over. We did occasionally get some glimpses of spectacular ocean views through the fog. As we continued on, the fog lifted and we were able to see the breathtaking views we had hoped for. But the beating we took from driving the road seemed interminable.

Approaching the Golden Gate Bridge

We followed the road all the way to Marin County and the Point Reyes National Seashore. We watched a movie in the visitor’s center and viewed the exhibits before having lunch. We left and got back onto the “road to hell” for our final push to San Francisco.

On the GGB

We left the PCH just before the Golden Gate Bridge and were thrilled to ride across this landmark. We followed the route into downtown San Francisco and were amused by all of the lovely people who call that city home. We left the city and found our way to San Jose, before ending our day at a motel in Salinas. Totally exhausted and frazzled, we turned in early hoping there would not be any other days like today.

Some dome in San Fran