First_Coast_Trip_Page

The winds were really kicking up there and the temperature felt like it dropped another 10 degrees. A thick layer of fog also made its way onto PCH, making it feel even colder. My hands started to get cold and I seriously considered pulling over and putting on another shirt underneath my jacket. I just kept on going and soon arrived at Carmel Highlands. Here, the amount of cars on PCH increased again. We passed by Point Lobos State Preserve which had quite a few cars trying to get into the area. The views along this Preserve were straight out of a National Geographic Magazine. The number of cars going into the area however, discouraged us from going in there. I can just imagine the views being blocked by 20 other people trying to admire the beauty. Best to visit this Preserve during the week.

We rode slowly along PCH as we entered Monterey. Passing was impossible due to the sheer number of cars snaking along the road. We just had to tolerate the slow going. We arrived at Monterey right around 11:30AM. We gassed up, and then we found a really nice Mexican Restaurant along Munras Avenue, called El Palomar! Dean and I laughed at the name since our favorite place to ride to back home was Palomar Mountain. We thought it was an amusing coincidence.

The food in El Palomar was very good. It was a big welcome to our hungry and cold bodies as we wolfed down some spicy meats and sauces. As soon as we finished eating, we didn�t waste any time and quickly headed back down PCH towards Carmel Valley Road. None of us had ever ridden this road before and quite frankly didn�t know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised. Carmel Valley Road, officially called G16, cut right across Carmel Valley, meandering through a totally undeveloped area of hills, dales, valleys & ranches. The road was a little bumpy and dirty in certain places. Also, it didn�t have a dividing line between opposing traffic and in some turns, there was only enough room for one vehicle to pass. The scenery however, was quite pleasing. The terrain and temperature varied greatly from the Coast. Near the ocean, lush Pine trees and juniper shrubs dominated the greenery, and the temperatures stayed fairly cool. Out in Carmel Valley, only a few miles from the coast, the greenery quickly changed to Oak trees and shrubs capable of surviving in more arid conditions. The temperature was also at least 10 degrees warmer. The further inland we moved, the warmer the temperatures became.

On one particular blind right hand turn on G16, a Volvo station wagon emerged and was taking up the whole road! I only managed to squeeze between the Volvo and the dirt embankment. On another blind, steep downhill right hand turn, I was about to cut into my apex when a Honda Goldwing emerged from the opposite direction and was about to cut across my path! I was in the right side however, which forced the Honda rider to drastically change his line to avoid colliding with me. Such were the conditions on G16 and it went on for miles and miles. Around the 30 mile point, I had to stop, rest, and wait for Dean. I found a nice shady spot with just enough runoff to park safely.

Dean soon caught up and both he and Patty couldn�t stop talking about how wonderful the road was. Indeed. It was a fun road that had good scenery all around. And the warmer temperatures were definitely welcome to our bodies.

G16 continued on until it crossed a river via a steel girder bridge. The road ended in the farm community of Greenfield. This place was nothing but a few barns and elevated water tanks, with rows and rows of green pastures being worked on by migrant workers from Mexico. We hopped back on the 101 Freeway southbound back towards San Simeon. We stopped at King City to gas up and have some cold drinks to quench our thirst. It was here at the gas station that I realized my rear Dunlop D207 had reached the end of its useful life. Even Dean gave me a sullen look of concern, which didn�t bode too well. He�s usually a cheerful person. A very small part of the cord was showing right in the middle of the tire! That and the fact that I was at least 450 miles from home encouraged me to say a small prayer to myself that I make it home in one peace.

We decided that it was wiser to take it easy all the way back to San Simeon via the 101. I had hoped to ride another nearby road called Jolon Road, officially called G14. However, the condition of my tire put a stop to that. Damn! So, we cruised back down the 101 at a fairly subdued speed. The ride down the 101 felt like it lasted hours although it lasted way less than that. It was a relief to get off the 101 and onto Highway 46, which lead us down the 25 miles back to the coast. That final leg from King City was a full 90 miles non-stop and we were pretty tired. It was only 4PM when we got back though so there would have been plenty of time to take G14, if it wasn�t for that rear D207 wearing out so quickly! When I pulled into my parking spot, I saw two motorcycle riders who just finished checking in at the hotel�s front office. One of them I recognized as a guy I�ve ridden with about a year before. I recognized his Ducati Monster 900 too. The guy recognized me as well, so walked up and re-introduced ourselves. It was just coincidence that I met Andre here in San Simeon, in the same hotel I was staying in. We arranged to have dinner together later on. Andre had ridden down the Central Coast along with his riding buddy for an overnight stay. They too wanted to ride up PCH to Monterey the next day.

Dean and I had ridden only about 260 miles, but most of it was twisties. Thus, we were pretty tired once we arrived back in San Simeon. Dean & Patty turned in for the day, too tired to do anything else. I on the other hand, still had energy to spare. So, after talking to Andre and making arrangements for dinner, I took a warm shower then rested for an hour. I then rode the 1,000 feet to a nearby Liquor store to buy some snacks. I ate the snacks up in my room as I looked out my balcony window at the nearby beach. Later, I met Andre and his friend downstairs for dinner and we walked right next door to have dinner at the Manta Rey Restaurant and bar. It was recommended by our Hotel�s counter lady. Big mistake. The food was not so good yet it was priced a bit too high. Inside the restaurant, there were no windows and people were crammed into a small area. It was hot and crowded. After the expensive but not so delicious dinner, we walked over to the liquor store to buy some snacks. Then, we talked for an hour outside the hotel. A thick fog bank moved in after sunset, along with a light drizzle so we went inside the hotel lobby to continue our lively discussion of politics, motorcycle, cars, family, travels, etc. Before this trip, I was a bit worried that I might get lonely in the evenings as I was mainly alone, yet there I was having a great time in good company up until 11PM! The night before, it was the same way.

It was around midnight when we all said our goodbyes, and went to our own rooms. I went to bed and slept soundly around midnight.