A few photos can be found here.

I pre-rode this route on Thursday and it was fun.  No traffic & a few cool new-to-me roads.

Saturday morning looked gorgeous for a ride.  The first order of business was to take the freeways to the Hwy-1 exit in Marin County.  I was cruising along at 10 over the limit, like the few cars in the left two lanes.  As I580 exited I80, a CHP came zipping up, paused for a few as I slowed, & continued past me at ~80mph.  I slowly got back up to 10 over after he disappeared in front.  Then I saw a SECOND CHP sneaking up behind me.  I slowed to 70 as he goes by at ~80.  He takes an exit before the San Rafael bridge.  Weird.

As I merge onto 101 south, I see a THIRD CHP in my left mirror 2 lanes over.  WTF?!?  I cruised up to +5, like everyone else was doing, and he speeds up & motors away.  Not 3 miles later there's another black&white in my mirrors.  I see its a Marin City Police car as he passes by & then takes the next exit.  Paranoia set in and I stared looking around for Rod Sterling and the Twilight Zone camera crew.  YIKES!

As I took the Hwy 1 exit, another motorcycle pulled up behind me.  It was Jim Cairnes on his Versys.  As I filled up with gas at the ARCO, Jim was teasing some guy in a RED Porsche Targa.  I think his name was George, but I definitely remember him saying it had 400Hp!  Sweet car.  Jim's guest, John Anthony on a BMW GS, stopped by & continued to the shopping center.

We headed up Hwy 1 at the appointed time.  We had a few cars exit for Mt. Tam and then a couple to dispatch as we took the curves to the coast.  We stopped for the view above Stinson Beach.  John Anthony joined us again.  Traffic was light along the lagoon and the road flowed wonderfully.  Before Thursday, I hadn't ridden this section of Hwy 1 in a few years.  Sweet road!

We stopped for breakfast at the Station House Cafe in Pt. Reyes Station.  We had our pick of many tables.  I had the blueberry buttermilk pancakes with a side of home-made sausage patties.  MMM-mmm-GOOD!

As we finished breakfast, a vintage motorcycle club arrived.  A red BSA Rocket III (with those trippy stock exhausts!) and an immaculate black Ariel Square Four really caught my eye.  Talked to the Ariel owner as he finished his cigarette.  He said his black Vincent in the garage at home was his baby.  I wish I had remembered I had a camera in the tankbag at the time.

As we rode north out of town, we turned east on Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Rd.  We met a huge GAGGLE of bicycles before the reservoir and passed many more smaller groups as we climbed the hill.  Must be a training ride or something.

Left on Hicks Valley Rd, and then left on Marshall-Petaluma Rd towards the coast again.  Fun roads!  Stopped at the Marin County Motorcycle Association (MCMA) property for a view.  Many folks were there for a club event.  Jim said they open the place up for a public event one weekend a year.  We'll have to find out WHICH weekend and check it out!

We turned north on Hwy 1 again & rode up along the bay to Tomales.  I think I had one car to pass.  :-)  Left on Dillon Beach Rd. to the top of the ridge, & then right on Valley Ford Franklin School Rd.  Wheeee...  Back at Hwy 1, we waited for a herd of Harleys to go by, headed north.  Most turned right towards Bodega later.  Hmmm...

We turned right on Bay Hill Rd, and climbed the poorly-patched "pavement" over the ridge and down to the coast.  :-)  We stopped at the beach for a restroom break, and to see if the sharks were feeding on any fresh surfers.  MANY Harleys were heading north on Hwy 1.  Could they ALL be headed for Bones BBQ in Gualala?

We turned east on Coleman Valley Rd.  The climb up the ridge was FAST with no traffic.  :-)  Once on top, we met a large group of Harleys.  On Coleman Valley Rd.

We then met a SECOND group of Harleys.  On Coleman Valley Rd.  WTF?!?  Then we CAUGHT a group of 3 Harleys that only two of us passed before Occidental.  John left the ride in Occidental, but not before we saw 20-30 more Harleys passing north through town.  WTF?!?

Jim & I headed east on Occidental Rd, then left on Facendini Rd to Tanuda Rd, and right on Harrison Grade Rd.  We followed the twisty Harrison Grade as it dropped to Green Valley Rd and turned left.  At the Guerneville Highway we turned left.  Then a left on the little Mays Canyon Rd.  Left again on Guerneville Road & across the Russian River.

Neither of us needed gas, so we turned right & continued to Rio Nido.  As we got near, I noticed two guys in the road waving red flags.  Then, as I got closer, I noticed their leathers & chaps.  WTF?!?  They waved us onto Canyon 2 Rd & the entrance to the Rio Nido Roadhouse.

HOLYFUCKINSHITBATMAN, the place was FILLED with a SEA of Harleys!  We stopped & talked to a guy (on a Harley of course!) that Jim recognized.  He was "Greg, the Drain Man."  Jim knows EVERYONE!  Greg said it was a River-City Motorcycle Club Poker Run.  Claimed they registered 600 bikes for the run.  We did NOT get in line at the bar.

Actually, we arrived nearly an hour before I figured we would, so Jim & I agreed to continue on our ride & stop later.  Next was the back way out of town on Rio Nido Road.  The herbal scents along this unique road were quite medicinal.  ;-)

We turned right on Armstrong Woods Rd, and then right on Sweetwater Springs Road.  This was one of the "new" roads.  It climbed a steep ridge past an old, large mine area.  Many gravelly slip-the-clutch-in-1st-gear switchbacks to the top.  Then we dropped down the east side of the ridge, past the Sweetwater Ranch entrance.  Appears to be QUITE the compound back there.  The road is steep, wet, & gravelly in places.  As we drop along a winding creek, the redwoods appear overhead again.  What a gorgeous little valley.

Then I noticed that SAME car, with the SAME reclined person in the driver's seat, in the SAME place on the road I saw on Thursday, two days ago.  WTF?!?  I stopped around the next bend and told Jim what I noticed.  Now I was wondering, was this person alive?  So I rode back, made a u-turn, and looked more closely at the person.  She then moved an arm.  I yelled, "Are you OK?"  She waved me on & I left.  I was GLAD we didn't find a problem.

Sweetwater Springs Rd. emerges from the trees to beautiful green hills.  Then it ended all too soon.  A right on Westside Rd. led us past several wineries with "SLOW, Special Event!" signs.  Met a few cars.  Turned left on Wohler Rd and stopped at the Sonoma County River Park on the left.

Next came River Road east over 101, and then Mark West & Porter Creek Roads towards Calistoga.  Traffic was light.  Right on Calistoga Rd, and then a left on St. Helena Rd.  This turns into Spring Mountain Road at the county line on top of the ridge and continues down to St. Helena.  Nice tight twisty road (with NO wineries) that would have been PERFECT if it were clean & dry.  Technical when it wasn't.

We were ready for lunch by now & Jim found parking in front of the Model Bakery.  I saw Deli sandwiches & Panini's on the menu board, so it looked interesting.  We agreed to split a Chicken-Asiago Panini & two pieces of strawberry-rhubarb pie with a thick cinnamon-crumb top.  :-)  OMG, they were both SOooo delicious!  I will definitely return to the Model Bakery for lunch again!  EXCELLENT choice, Jim!  FYI, the nearest public restrooms are at the Chevron on the corner.

Cruised down Hwy 29 with the traffic to a right on Oakville Grade Road.  Climbed the sweepers up the grade to the twisty Dry Creek Road across the top.  Then down Trinity Road to Hwy 12.  Another sweet set of curvaceous roads!  We then cruised though Glen Ellen and down to SearsPoint to end the ride.  186 miles of Northern California hills on a beautiful spring day.

And 600 Harleys at the bar!  =:o

Catfish ...