Ode to my fellow Mild Hogs

Okay, I'm not planning to get sentimental, but as I was riding today with Outlaw and Repo Man, I was thinking how nice it is to have them to ride with. The weather today was pretty darn nice. Because of the inland temperatures (around 100!) we elected to head to the coast where it is cooler. That is one of the wonders of Northern California. If you don't like the weather, drive 20 miles and you can be in something totally different. We met Jersey for coffee. It was great to see him. I honestly miss riding with him. Now that he is retired he does not have much time to ride.... I did not realize that's how it worked... He had to "pull" an engine or something... It is in the back of a pick up, so that is more like lifting than pulling, but perhaps it is just semantics.... Any way, he was too "busy" to ride. We headed west and snaked our way to Marin and ended up on Lucas Valley Road.... This a beautiful road that winds through the hills of Marin County and eventually dumps you in the little town of Nicasio. As described in Wilkipedia...

Nicasio

The town center has a post office (zip code 94946), a general store, a tiny real estate office, St. Mary’s Church (established in 1867), a baseball field located in the town square, Rancho Nicasio, which is a bar/restaurant/live music establishment, a Druid's Hall, as well as a number of private homes. The town was founded in the early 19th century to support local agricultural, timber, and fishing activities. The town once boasted the twenty-two room Hotel Nicasio, which opened in 1867 but burned down in December 1940. Just north of town on Nicasio Valley Road is a beautiful red-painted one-room schoolhouse that opened in 1871. The building is currently a listed historical landmark.


Did you catch that, a Druid's hall. You just have to love Marin. We also ended up driving past the Luke Skywalker Ranch, estate of George Lucas. While I could not see the estate, I can tell you that the fence surrounding it is pretty darn nice...


The Dog Days of Tomales.....


From Nicasio we continued west Past Point Reyes and along the Tomales Bay eventually stopping in the tiny town of Tomales where we enjoyed a coffee at the local cafe. No Starbucks in Tomales, or any brand name for that matter. It was obviously dog day in Tomales as everyone had their pooches in tow. After coffee'ing up, we headed east towards Bodega where it gradually became hotter and hotter. For those unfamiliar with Bodega, that is where the "school" scene from The Birds was filmed. The school still stands and is a popular stopping place for visitors. We did not stop as it appeared crowded and we have been there many times. Really, once is quite enough... From there we headed over the hills into Napa Valley and eventually Lake Berryessa and then home as it progressively got hotter.


Outlaw and Repo Man


Okay, back to the title of this Blog...Ode to my fellow Mild Hogs.... I want to recognize the great guys I get to ride with regularly. Outlaw is always the leader, whether he wants to or not. He sets the course, the speed and the stops. He is conscious of all the riders in the group from the first to last and seldom strands anyone at a light. He is also unbelievable at spotting cops. He can see them a mile away, in the bushes or sitting on ramps. It's not that we are doing anything illegal, but sometimes we may exceed the speed limit ever so slightly. I often wonder if outlaw is smuggling automatic weapons in his bags, the way he is on the lookout. He is also on the lookout for all kinds of hazards that may effect the other riders in the group. He lets us know if there is traffic backing up that may require a stop, or debris in the road. He is the perfect leader of the pack. Thanks for taking the lead!

Repo Man regularly brings up the rear...okay, no snickering... He willingly rides last in the pack. This is by far the toughest spot because you are always catching the last of a changing light, or perhaps not. You get to change lanes or pass when the gap is quickly closing or already gone. This role has few benefits, one of them being able to witness the bone head moves of your fellow riders... For the record I was looking at that electric motorcycle and did not see the raised manhole. Besides, I only grazed it! I did see you shaking your head Mister Judgemental.... Thanks Repo Man for patiently fulfilling this tough and thankless position in the pack.

There, I better quit before I start getting all sentimental and mushy over my friends, after all we will be sharing a room in Sturgis....right Jer?

See you on the road!