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[JCZ]

Got up at 4:30 a.m. this morning to meet Don (DDavidson) at Denny's in Cordelia (an hour from Elk Grove) for breakfast at 6:30 a.m.  We're off on a quest to visit the area that has a history for having more big foot sightings than anywhere else on earth.....the Trinity Alps of northern California.





A quick breakfast as recommended by the Iron Butt Association......oatmeal.  Don tells me he had a lot of fog coming up from the bay area.  I was surprised since I didn't have any fog riding across the Sacramento valley where it's notorius for the fog.

We leave Denny's a get on the road.....I-80 West to Vallejo and over to US-101.  A beautiful sunrise as we enter the on-ramp.....





As soon as we come over the summit into Vallejo, we see the whole valley floor socked in with dense fog.  This is not going to be good.  It was 40F when we left Denny's but in just a few more minutes it's going to be down around 32F-34F and stay there for the next four hours of riding.





Riding down the hill into this, we just know it's going to be cold, wet and miserable riding.....we press on.  Big Foot is waiting to bring in the new year with us.....







a clear pocket and we see the sun rising, from across the bay....



Don's cold.....



clear skys ahead......there's hope......



Shooting up Hwy 101 north.....our route is 6.5 hrs. of drive time.  With gas stops, photo ops, lunch, etc. I'm thinking at least 8 hrs....

[JCZ]

We rode in and out of heavy fog pockets all morning.....up past Willits, Ca.

























Our first big foot sighting......

[ThunderBueller]

Great pics! Love the yellow '09! 

[johno]

Looks like you had good weather and a nice ride - did you make it to the bigfoot motel?

[jonga]

Great pictures as always, glad the sun came out for you guys. Have a great New Years Day ride, keep the pictures coming so we can join you on the ride. Thanks JC. Happy New Years to You and Don....and everyone else on the site !!!!!!! Jon

[JCZ]

We're having a great time.  Unexplored territory for both Don and I, so it's all new to us.  We're in the heart of what is referred to as the emerald triangle (spell that wacky-tobaccy, aka hemp, aka refer, aka canabis, aka marijuana) and it's pretty obvious.  Last night on TV there was a documentary about it and saying that California, while it's been the number one agricultural producing state in the nation for years, marijuana is the number one cash crop in Calif.

Still riding through the redwoods here, we're riding Avenue of The Giants....















Back out on US 101.....while not the same as Ave. of The Giants, still a beautiful ride on a nice highway.  Unlike the summer months when this area is loaded up with motorhomes, campers and trailers...tourists vacationing, there was very little traffic making for a very nice ride.

[JCZ]

Tsunami Hazard Zone....



We finally arrive in Eureka.  Headed over the bridge, across the bay, to the Samoa Cookhouse for lunch.......and we can't get there fast enough.  We're HUNGRY!









We have arrived......SAMOA COOKHOUSE.  http://www.samoacookhouse.net/



and it looks like we're in good company (they're from Vancouver)....





a lumberjack's dog (he was in there eating) had jumped out of the truck and was seriously wanting in the front door.  Don let the dog in the first door....accidentally....but got him back outside by promising him a piece of the pot roast that was the lunch menu.



At the Samoa it's still as it were when it was the lumber company owned town.....everything served family style and you eat what's on the menu for that day.  You can't go wrong.....it's always excellent.









The caption below this picture.....this tree was 24' wide (at it's widest) and they used a 28' two man whip saw to cut it down.

















the cows had their own underpass to the pasture on the other side.....

[Chains]

Awesome ride thanks for sharing.  Raining and cold here in Alabama

[willyB]

Great ride report.

I was just thinking how great it was to get my bike out yesterday for a 3 hour ride. Here in the St. Louis area this time of year it's pretty unusual to get a warm day to ride.

Now I want more.

Thanks,

[UFO_HOG]

Great pics JC, I love that area. It always seems to be good weather this time of year, cold, but normally clear skies. Keep your eyes peeled for the big furry guy, and have a great ride.

[jonga]

Nice ride report, We had breakfast at the cookhouse last time I was there with you....Looks like time has stood still since then, alot of interesting artifacts to look at and facts to read about. Great place to stop at if your inthat area.

[Craigisdad]

Awesome pictures, thanks for taking the time to share!!

[Jock]

Let there be no doubt there is no fair weather only riders in your group my friend!

Really enjoyed the views!

 

[JoMo]

Great pics JCZ thank you for sharing so does Big Foot ride a Harley 


                                 Jo Mo NYC 

[JCZ]

We headed east from Hwy. 101 on Hwy. 299 for big foot country, the Trinity Alps....























We have arrived....





The Big Foot Museum is closed in the winter.  However, I contacted them earlier in the week and the lady volunteered to come in and open up if I'd call her in advance.  I did and she did and we really appreciate it.  More than just a big foot museum......many hisorical artifacts and items from the gold rush days of 1849.  The lady that runs the museum was very nice and full of information regarding big foot (none of it first hand experience), the filming of the documentaries in the area (and in their museum) and all the books, magazines, web sites, etc. about big foot.











and Don fist bumping the baby foot....



other artifacts and items in the museum....

[JCZ]

Our home for the evening.....Big Foot Motel.  An old motel with creeaky beds but it was clean.  The rooms were actually two rooms....the bed room and the kitchen with a two burner stove top.  It's smack dab in the center of town and so everything is within an easy walk.  I also found the Sasquatch Beef Stick at the store....













Don trying to kick start his bike....











enough exploring back to town to find someplace for dinner.....







There seems to be two camps in this town and clearly the locals are on one side or the other and don't mind sharing their thoughts about it.  One camp feels the community should focus and their big foot connection and that the community should capitalize and focus on that.  The other camp is the marijuana industry.  There, coincidentally, was a documentary on TV last night about that.  California has been the number one producing state in the agricultural industry in the nation, for years.  And marijuana has been the leading cash crop in California for the past few years.  Three counties, in particular, are referred to as the Emerald Triangle.    The lady from the museum was telling us about how the sidewalks are filled with hippys during cultivation season (a few weeks in the fall) that come from all over the nation to work the harvest and that she wishes they'd stay on the back streets so that the big foot tourists aren't intimidated or scarred off by all the drug trash (marijuana workers).  Like I said, definatel two distinct camps.

And from the other camp and directly next door to the motel is the Hemp Connection....  The owner is a 27 year old lady that grew up in this town.  By the way, everybody in this town is very, very friendly and talkative.  The owner of the Hemp Connection engaged Don and I in conversation for half an hour in her store, then followed us out front and continued the conversation for another twenty minutes or so....



Yep......they even have smoking paraphanlia for the discearning biker....



and right inside the showcase/counter.....



and on one of the ladie's tank tops (all the clothes are made of a hemp/cotton blend).... 

The motel even has a cage for Big Foot out back....



Don.....talking to his boss.

[VANAMAL]

Don looks like son of sasquatch

[Buy early]

Great shots JC! Looks like a fun trip. Stole one of your shots for another thread.

[johno]

guess you did find the bigfoot motel

Great shots as always.

Thanks,

[JCZ]

Great shots JC! Looks like a fun trip. Stole one of your shots for another thread.

Thanks for all the complaments everybody.

Not a problem using that shot.

I'm about to post today's pics, as soon as they finish downloading in Flicker.......and now Don and I know why they call it "Trinity Alps".  You definately feel like you're in the Alps.....or what I'd think it would feel like.

[JCZ]

As we were walking to dinner last night, there was another big foot sighting....



and the dinner house....  Cinnabar Sam's,  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g33274-d739235-Reviews-Cinnabar_Sams-Willow_Creek_California.html











This is the view as we pulled out the back drive way of the motel....



and $4.089 is what we paid for gas there in Willow Creek, before we got on the road.



The fog was in very dense pockets.  If it was foggy, it was very foggy.  But if it was clear, it was very clear. It definately made for some interesting riding this morning.



















The foggy pics almost look like they were taken at night, it's so dense and dark.  Then another 50 yds. or so and it's totally clear....





















Don's scootin down the road....

[JCZ]

Look across the river, on the road.......a tiny yellow spec.  That's Don blazin the road.....









and interestingly.....look on the front porch of this cabin.....a bike of some kind.





































That's Don, riding over the crest in the road up ahead.....





Weaverville is down in the bottom of that valley somewhere and that's where we're headed....

[JCZ]

Interesting looking town.....but the streets were rolled up....nothing open and we were hungry.  I see a guy raking leaves at the curb in front of the museum.  Let's stop and ask him if there's someplace open for breakfast.....



His name is Sonny and he happens to have an 07 SERK.  Now what are the odds of that?  He doesn't do computers so he isn't aware of this forum but we get to talking.  He mentions a cousin that owned the HD dealership in Auburn when it burned up in a forest fire.  I told him that I know Carlo and Emma well.  Carlo was very well known in the Harley drag racing circuit and had quite a reputation in the 80s and 90s.  Small world.














They even have a little biker shirt and leather shop....







The Nugget is where we had breakfast....





and our breakfast was cooked exactly as we'd asked for it.



Sonny put his shovel and rake up and jumped on his bike and rode on down to the Nugget to join us for a bit of conversation.  He informed us that he has photos that are published in Easyriders magazine from time to time....



this picture is taken of the local HOG chapter at the museum where he's the caretaker......where we'd first met him....



This is a local parade, but you can see the Nugget Restaurant over the top of the crowd....



and the girls with big foot.... 







Sonny's done some mods to his bike to get it to run cooler.  Besides cams and tune, he's got an over sized oil pan (visable in this pic, just in front of the back tire)....



and he has a horn that also has a fan built into it.....





as we're leaving town, we pass a large lumber mill that was working on Sun. New Year's Day....








That's it for tonight.  I'll finish posting the rest tomorrow.....

[110tHunDer]

 
I wish you would think about taking a few pictures when you go on these trips, JC.

[JCZ]

7% grade and down hill all the way....













It's a bit challenging riding these roads with one hand while I'm shooting pics with the other....     Just want to be sure that you guys get the full effects on this ride!

[JCZ]

obligatory over the shoulder shot....

[JCZ]

He's got his eye on the hooligan on the yellow bike......





































Mt. Lassen in the background.....
















and now 150 miles or so back down the slab and we're home.  Great time, great ride and great company.  Look forward to going back!

Where's the Donald's pics?

[JCZ]

Don and I both agreed we'll be spending a lot more time up in this area......riding roads we've never ridden before.....this coming summer.  If anybody else is interested, you're welcome to join us.

[Jock]

Don and I both agreed we'll be spending a lot more time up in this area......riding roads we've never ridden before.....this coming summer.  If anybody else is interested, you're welcome to join us.

Lucky Dogs!

[hdbrad03]

Lucky Dogs!

Lst's go Jock!   


 


    Brad

[DDavidson]

A lot of these Pics will be similar to JC's, but what the hell! It's a Bigfoot adventure so duplication is necessary to confirm we didn't use smoke and mirrors to authenticate this ride was real.

Dennys at 7:00 am. The whole two of us showed up.

Red sky in morning





 

Sunrise over JC's shoulder


Clear and Foggy ride


Entering Mendocino County, great coastline, Redwood forests, Cannibas, and wineries


Shooting a little too high


Normally the hills would be green but we've had the 2nd driest December since recording. It's hard to spot Sasquatch, especially the big ones when it's this dry. They migrate to wetter areas like Oregon.

[DDavidson]

It's nice to see the smaller farms




The Skunk Train connects Willits with Fort Bragg. Great place to gas and warm up.


JC hasn't learned


Who me?








Entering the Redwood dimension




Lot of resemblance. Notice the eight-pack abs.




It was Bigfoot, blurred the pic by rushing the shot. What a rookie!


Didn't get a clear pic of Bigfoot but luckily caught a Space Alien taking samples

[DDavidson]

Eureka Boat Harbor




Samoa


Concrete fencing. Vandalized, no surprise, just disappointing.


Overlook of the bridge and road we just road up






Willow Creek


Flat top Bigfoot. Took while sitting still? 


Probably the best hotel in town.










He sleeps with his camera.

[DDavidson]

Sunday morning






Nothing better than heading east in the early morning.


A great route


JC had to dump some pics














Trinity River ran most of 299




Trinity River famous for Steelhead and Salmon

[DDavidson]

Set my camera timer and spun the camera around in circles using the strap. Whoooo!








Not sure where humans raft.








Getting curvy




Former town of Bagdad












Riding into the heavens






The foggy areas are cold.

[DDavidson]

10:00am in Weaverville


Dirty ass bike


JC had to stop to meet Sonny because who would be working on Sunday New Years Day. Come to find out he knows Sonny's cousins very well. JC knows a relative or somebody close to any stranger he meets!








Very good food and service


Took a blow torch to JC's food. He was happy.


Sonny stopped by to show us his Easy Rider postings.


Manager giving us local information. Very friendly folks.






My mirror






Ice on the shoulder






Curves.

[DDavidson]

Like a gift when they post a warning sign.




Okay I'm riding too close to the line.










Trinity Lake


JC on I-5 with Lassen in the background.


THE END

[JCZ]

You got some great shots too, Don.   And you couldn't ask for a better looking subject. 

[110tHunDer]

 
Why do I live in Illinois?

[JCZ]

Why do I live in Illinois?

Come on out Brian, we'll give you the $1.98 tour of Nor Cal.    But you have to bring a camera and you have to do a ride report!

[SBB]

Come on out Brian, we'll give you the $1.98 tour of Nor Cal.    But you have to bring a camera and you have to do a ride report!

Do it Brian!
In 10 days JC and Terrie showed us more than most Californian's have seen in a lifetime.
If moderating pay isn't enough then JC could always be a tour guide.
You just have to be willing to keep up.

 

SBB

[WestCoastRuss]

Great stuff guys!!!  Really enjoyed your tour...   

[Panhead_Jimmy]

Why do I live in Illinois?

I used to say that until 1985.  

Go Illini.

JC and Don:  good report.  I took the 299 from Eureka to Shasta one night.  Dark as hell.  I always intended to do it again in daylight.  Thanks for making my wishes come true.

[GregKhougaz]

Great ride and pictures, gentlemen!  If one picture is worth a thousand words then a thousand pictures must be....      Did you see any "real" BigFeet?   Besides your own, of course.  Have to take a poke at JC.           

[~The Defilippis's~]

Great Pics!!!!  Especially the ones of Bigfoot on the yellow bike! (or was that a banana?)

[sgchick]

Great pics JC and Don!! Looks like a fun time. 

[Thehexter1]

Have done this ride many times, great roads up the 101 and across the 299.  When in Weaverville stay at the Weaverville Hotel and thell Jeanne that Hector and Bob sent you, you'll be treated like royalty!     Great pic's and commentary guys.

[spydglide]

Great pics & ride narrative Don & JC !!!    spyder

[260SCRMR]

Great write up and pics. My pics while riding don't come close to what you guys are getting. What kind of cameras do you have?

[1sharprdkg]

Beautiful pics and ride report. Nice job!

[ice6900]

Great pics JC and Don!! Looks like the sort of area I would enjoy visiting!   

[trwtow]

Beautiful pics and ride report. Nice job!

[JCZ]

Great write up and pics. My pics while riding don't come close to what you guys are getting. What kind of cameras do you have?

I use a Nikon D-60.  It's the smallest of the Nikon DSLR cameras but kind of big to be riding with it hangin around your neck all day.  I've kind of gotten used to it.

[JR]

Anytime I see you posting a ride report I know it's going to be good with great pictures! Once again I wasn't dissapointed! Thanks for the ride!

 

[darth davidson]

Awesome, thanks for sharing!!!