2016 Summer Adventure

After a week in Tijuana, we crossed back to San Diego, and the remainder of the Otts clan joined us for our annual summer family time.  We rented a large house in San Diego and enjoyed all of the tourist attractions.

There is a BIG wall in San Diego.  These young ones look longingly at the Land of Opportunity.

Any trip to San Diego must include a visit to the world famous Zoo

And, the beach at the Hotel Del. 

And, the best seafood.

2016 Summer Adventure

The next portion on Summer 2016 consisted of planes, trains, and automobiles.  

After spending the weekend with Brooke in Venice and celebrating her birthday, I boarded the Amtrak Coaster from LA to San Diego.  Why more people don't take this option is a mystery to me.  There is beautiful scenery, no traffic like on the 5, wifi and no stress.

With historic Amtrak stations at both beginning and end, it's an enjoyable trip.

Upon arrival in San Diego, I joined Vickie, and Chris' family along with Antioch Wheaton church for a week long mission trip in Tijuana.  This being our second trip with many of these folks, it was another enjoyable time with them.

Birthday date with Brooke in Venice.

Amtrak Station Los Angeles

Amtrak Station San Diego

Plaza Centrale Tijuana, MX

2016 Summer Adventure

After spending the morning walking around Bandon, we made our way a bit north, then turned eastward across the mid secction of Oregon.

Eugene is a lot like Austin 30 years ago, smaller, less crowded, but still hip.  I consulted my trusted restaurant guide, YELP, and decided on dinner at Wildcraft Cider Works.  With great live music and food much like Contigo in Austin, it was a fun evening.   Band member, Tim, aka Eugene Jeans Huy, told me when he learned I was from FW that his mother was born there in 1938, as his grandmother was traveling from east coast to CA.  He said that since she was Jewish she had to go to the black hospital for delivery.  Didn't realize FW was still that backward in the 30's.   Wondered if my old friend Dr AI Goldberg delivered her.  In 1975 when I first started working as a pharmacist in FW, he was the only white doctor that would treat black Medicaid patients.  At least some things have changed, maybe.

The next day we tried to go to Crater Lake, but it was showed in and cloudy and cold.  This was a cold rainy riding day, in the 40's and 50's most of the way from Eugene to Klamath Falls, OR. 

Friday was also a cold ride from Klamath Falls to Reno. Arriving in Reno, we had dinner at Campo, a great little place downtown, and drinks at Death and Taxes, one of Brad's favorite haunts when he in in Reno.

The last day of the Brooke and Dad show, was a ride around Lake Tahoe, followed by dropping off the bike at the local BMW shop for maintenance, tires, and storage till I return later in the summer.

Brooke and I fly back to LA for her birthday celebration, and my next leg of the summer travels.

Tim, Our entertainment at Wildcraft Cider Works in Eugene.

Batman is alive and well in Klamath Falls, OR.  While vacationing away from Gotham City, he is saving the world by picking up trash.

We took a little tour around Lake Tahoe before ending our bike trip

Thanks, Brad Otts, for suggesting this great drink establishment in Reno.

2016 Summer Adventure

After a week of riding the beautiful Lake Tahoe area, my riding partner,Bill started back to Texas on another adventure.  My daughter, Brooke flew in from LA and jumped on the bike with me. We started out on CA 36 to Weaverville. CA 36 sign at the beginning said  140 miles of twists and turns and it was.  I wish I had taken a picture of that road sign that had the S curve sign and 140 miles.  It was one of the most challenging roads of my riding career to date.  Passing through Lassen Volccano NP, we ended the day at the Red Hill Motel in Weaverville.  The hostess and owner was a widow, originally from San Francisco.  She said she tries to keep the "riff raff" out but loves to rent to bikers.  The motel office was filled with art work by her late husband.  I'm constantly surprised by the diversity and interesting people I encounter on these trips.

The next day we continued west and arrived on the Northern Californa coast at Fortuna, and toured Humboldt Redwoods SP and the Avenue of the Giants.  After a marvelous dinner and the night at the Trinidad Inn, we continued up 101 to Redwoods NP.  After a very twisty dirt road we arrived at the Fern Canyon section of the park.  Parts of Star Wars was filmed in this canyon.

Continuing into Oregon, we stopped in Bandon, OR for the night.  We stayed at an 80's furnished motel on a secluded beach; reminded me of the Dingle Penisula in Ireland.

Weaverville, CA is a quirky little Northern California as evidenced by this.

Old school truck for the 30's with portion of a redwood.

Redwoods that are 1000+ years old are fantastic.  This one fell naturally and was cut so that the path could continue.

Fern Canyon in Redwoods NP

Fern Canyon

Bandon,OR beach. 

A sculpture made entirely from debris picked up from the beach in Bandon, OR.

A jobs preservation law??  

2016 Summer Adventure

Reno, NV is an interesting city in transition.  My last visit here was probably 20 years ago, and a lot has changed since then.  Tesla is building their "giga factory", people and businesses are relocating from the very expensive Bay Area and Silicon Valley.  With its' lower cost of living, lower taxes, and beautiful surroundings, Reno is rapidly becoming a tech and business hub.  

A friend and business acquaintance lives here and has been our guide and host for several days.  His passion for the city is evident and he has been instrumental in re-developing older casino hotels into upscale non-gaming properties that improve the business community and the city environment.

Using this as our base camp, we have taken day rides into the Northern California mountains.  There is a wealth of beautiful scenery, challenging roads and interesting people.

A fun gathering and private dinner at my friend's hotel in Reno.  Chef prepared a multi course Italian dinner.

One of my friend's hotel project.  Once a seedy casino hotel, it's now an upscale property with the world's tallest claimbing wall on the outside. You can stand on Main Street Reno and watch the brave climbers.

Interesting stone sculptures along the Truckee River in downtown Reno.  The artist travels around the country doing this.  He will be in Austin during the winter.

Reno is home to the Harrah family auto museum; over 200 vintage cars.  Well worth the visit.

2016 Summer Adventure

For my readers who have not yet visited the Grand Canyon, I will repeat what I said in a post a few years ago; the South Rim is like Disney, with hordes of people, shuttle buses, and general chaos.  The North Rim is secluded, quiet, and just as beautiful.

Traveling north found us at Jacob Lake, AZ, a great little lunch stop on the way to Reno. Why Reno, you ask.  A couple of reasons; it is a good base to stay and do some amazing rides in the Lake Tahoe region, and a good friend and business associate lives there.  He owns an amazing hotel (among other projects) and graciously allowed us to stay for free.

Reno is too far to travel in one day from the Grand Canyon, so we stopped for the night in Ely, NV., which reminded me of this..............

Traveling across Utah into Nevada showed me the interesting contrast between the two states.  It's almost as if one is traveling from one country to another.  The Mormon heritage of Utah has had a great influence on the culture and appearance of the state.  Many of the small towns and cities are pristine, with beautiful landscaping, well preserved downtown areas and parks, and a general sense of well being.  Once you cross into Nevada, the history and culture of this state shows up in completely different ways.  Casinos, bars, and a rustic western appearance is more the norm.  The people are warm and welcoming in both states, however, the cultural differences are distinct in many ways.  

Arriving in Ely, NV., a stop on US Hwy 50, dubbed as America's loneliest highway; the only room available was at the Prospector Hotel and Casino.  Quirky, to say the least, this hotel reflected the weirdness of this town, in the milddle of nowhere, but every hotel and motel room filled for the weekend.

Reno, and a much nicer hotel is my next stop and home for a week, as Bill and I ride some of the best motorcycle roads in America.

Unusual collection of memorobilia in the lobby of a hotel/casino in Ely, NV.

2016 Summer Adventure

I am daily becoming more aware of how blessed I am.  One of the many blessings I have is the ability and good health to indulge three of my favorite pastimes; family, travel, and motorcycles.  I don't always get to combine all three of these at the same time, but this adventure gave me a chance to combine them.

This summer, at different times, and in different places during a multi phase adventure, all three occur as follows:

Phase 1. Some motorcycle time and nature time with a good friend.

Phase 2. More motorcycle time with daughter, Brooke.  We try to carve out time periodically for a bike ride together.

Phase 3. Family time in Tijuana, MX with Chris and his church family.

Phase 4. More family time with all nineteen of us in San Diego

Phase 5. Some time for just Vickie and me exploring Grand Canyon, Zion NP and Las Vegas.

Phase 1 starts with our bikes loaded on my trailer and a departure west towards Reno, NV.  I decided to avoid the bike boredom of Hwy 287 through Texas, and pull the bikes out west.  Traveling in the rain almost all the way to Grants, NM made me glad I made this choice.  Meeting a guy from Dallas who was riding his bicycle from Dallas to LA, and who had spent 3 days in a motel in west Texas b/c of the rain reinforced to me the sheer lunacy of riding a bicycle on the Interstate.  I'll stick to motorized transportation and the back roads when possible, thank you very much.

Arriving at the Grand Canyon on day 2 began the fun part of this adventure.  A couple of hikes, some good food, and a helicopter tour of the Canyon provided a good start to this adventure.

After a day of driving thru the rain, HI Express is always a dependable place to stop for the night

Near the Grand Canyon, the summer fires have already started.

After a hike along the rim trail, a great dinner at the historic El Tovar lodge.

An early morning hike down the Bright Angel trail.  We decided to not go too far, as it was 110 degrees at the bottom.  We met a couple coming up who had to spend the night on the floor of a toilet at the bottom, as they ran out of daylight and water the day before.  They didn't listen to the park rangers who warned them at the outset they were unprepared. One of the many things I like about our National Parks, the Rangers give you good advice, but let you be brave or stupid, you make the choice.

I highly recommend a copter tour of the Canyon.  It gives you a sense of just how majestic and massive this creation of God really is.  Over a mile deep and hundreds of miles long, it is beyond description.