cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #201 Posted February 20, 2015 Tip and I laid shoulder to shoulder inside our worn out old Menards tent. We listened to the trucks passing by on the highway that makes a very unique southern border to Memeloose State Park. Having just gone thru a fabulous day of touring St Helens, having dinner at the Venture West Rally with all those great new friends and than spending time getting to know them all in the parking lot at Cousins was overwhelming my brain and I was having trouble getting it to quit processing it all and go to sleep. Laying there talking, we made the decision that we would ride over to Portland the next morning and follow the edge of the Pacific Ocean back down into California and then drift back over to my daughters in Sacramento. When we got up the next morning we noticed the westerly winds coming from Portland had a decent amount of rain clouds imbedded in them. Being the type of natural born drifters we are and really not caring for taking on what appeared to be an Oregainian thunderstorm - we instantly changed the plans we had made the night before and headed east along the Columbia. We said our goodbyes to The Dalles and headed away from the rain. It was a blustery day with no consistency to the Oregon winds. Because of this, the three of us CTFWed in a zig zag fashion across Oregon. By evening the winds had pushed up deeply into the beautiful forests that surround a area called Sun River in southern Oregon. We stopped for fuel in a really neat resort spot called Cottonwood, filled all of our tanks and set out to find a decent place to drop our bedroll on the two tracks of the national forest lands there. Even though we had not made reservations, the three of us were able to secure a really nice camping plot on one of the many forest logging trails that lay hidden under the limbs of the sweet smelling pines that cover this vast area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #202 Posted February 20, 2015 The following morning blossomed with the return of calm seas and some glorious warm sunshine. The timeless fragrance of the pine air filled our lungs and made the desire to leave the trails difficult so we just started following them. We finally exited those Oregon two tracks onto a paved road that sported a sign that mentioned Weed California on it. Having not had the time to explore Weed on the way into Oregon, the three of us decided to CTFW in that direction with hopes of finding a late breakfast in the beautiful old California mountain town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #203 Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) Once in Weed, Tip noticed a resident who appeared to not be in to much of hurry. We stopped to asked the likeable fellow about general Weed information and to see if he possibly knew the best CTFWing trails heading in a southern direction. This soft spoken fellow stood very still as he gave us perfect directions which we later followed. His demeanor was one that reminded me a lot of someone I had met before and I thought he looked like a friend of mine that I had gone to high school with many years ago. Tip said that she thought he smelled funny and had the looks of a Sasquauch but when I asked her if she had ever met a sasquauch before, she said no. I than asked her how she could know what one smelled like. She gave me that glare that let me know I better stop asking questions. Edited February 20, 2015 by cowpuc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #204 Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) Following the directions that the furry Weed California resident had offered, we soon found ourselves in a town called Anderson. Before we arrived in there, the taste buds on my tongue started reminding me that I had not had a potato chip in many days. I love potato chips. When I was younger I lived on Potato Chips, Snickers Bars and Mountain Dew for a whole summer and had found them very nourishing. I did so to prove that Potato Chips are actually a food group in and of themselves. Having successfully acquired the life long need for frequent Potato Chip sampling and being very familiar with the signal that my taste buds were sending, I leaned back and mentioned to Tippy that I felt like I needed to find some chips. No sooner had we had that conversation than we found ourselves stopping in the small town of Anderson. After feeding Tweeks, we rolled up to a convenience store to see if they had anything that would quench the call of the Chip. As we walked past a couple of Hobo's who were sitting in the shade on the sidewalk in front of the store, the young lady hobo asked where we were from. We sat down next to them and started telling them about our trip, they in turn told us about how much fun they had been having doing the same thing on foot (and some train hopping). Ironically, this lovely young couple of Hobo's had a huge stack of Potato Chips sitting behind them and they asked if we would like a case or two of them.. They said that some person had gone into the store, bought them and given them to the couple with the understanding they would give them to any other Hobo's that happen to show up but they could not sell them. They said they thought our bike - Tweeks - looked enough like a Hobo kind of bike that she qualified us for free Chips.. I laughed and agreed to take some chips off their hands if they would sign Tweeks. We shook hands on it and a Hobo-Potato Chip friendship was made!! We sat around with Kelly and Brandon (the Potato Chip Hobo's) and visited, watched as they proceeded to fulfill their part of the Hobo Bonding by signing Tweeks and we wished them well as we continued on our trip. One thing about CTFWing, you never never know what kind of friends you are gonna make along the trail! Edited February 20, 2015 by cowpuc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #205 Posted February 20, 2015 Right after we left our two new Hobo friends in Anderson, Tips sister called our little Trac Phone and left a message for us. We were told that Tips Father was in an RV Park in a place called Nicolaus California which was suppose to be located somewhere near Sacramento. We stopped at a McDonalds, bought a couple burgers, dumped a salad over each of them and started digging around on Mapquest to see if we could find the little town Tips Dad was suppose to be near. The crosswinds of CTFWing that were pushing us toward a pow wow with Tips dad found us southbound out of a city called Marysville. Having never ridden in this section of the big state of California, Tweeks, Tips and I had no idea of what we would find - PERFECT!! As it turned out, the area had miles and miles of grape farms (reminded me a little of Napa Valley). Also some strange looking orchard trees and bushes that looked like some kind of nut farming arrangement. Nicolaus turned out to be a very small town that consisted of a bar and a small store. A lady was sitting in her front yard so we stopped and asked her if she knew where Tips dad may be staying. She said she had never heard of Tip's dad but directed us to the nearest RV Park and sure enough, we found him. Tip had not seen her father for a couple years. He had stopped in and visited us 2 years ago at our home in Michigan but we had not seen him since. He looked like he was doing very well living in his motor home. Her father told us that the reason we had seen very little of him up in Michigan was because his old bones could not handle the cold Michigan winters. He invited us to camp next to his coach for the night which we did. We visited with Dad for pretty much the rest of the next day. It came as no surprise to me to hear of his love for the open road and the joy he found in exploring our vast country. He smiled as I told him how much his daughter reminded me of him - Tip has certainly got an endless supply of love for making memories while CTFWing with her best friend - me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #206 Posted February 20, 2015 We left dad's campsite with plenty of time to pick up dinner for our kids who live south of Sacramento. We stopped in the town of Galt to pick up some Fried Chicken (if I am buying dinner, I am buying my favorite). When we pulled into the Fried Chicken place, the shiny chrome of a big block Hot Rod caught my eye and, once again, I felt my body being dragged by my feet toward the gorgeous unfinished vehicle. I stepped inside the shop where the vintage Pontiac had come to rest and asked if they would mind if I took some pictures. After receiving permission to do so, I made friends with this gorgeous muscle car, it sure brought back memories of days long gone by! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #207 Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) Whether its working at your job or CTFWing all over the country, there is nothing quite as relaxing as having your family waiting for you at the end of a long day. After dinner, my two daughters cuddled in by their own father. With my oldest - Awawhoo, on my left and my second born - Cappie on my right, one of those precious daughters of mine pushed play on the remote control and the three of us sat down and enjoyed a before bedtime movie together - the way it has been and the way it always should be! Edited February 20, 2015 by cowpuc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenner Posted February 20, 2015 Share #208 Posted February 20, 2015 First you make me envious of the trips you are able to take then you show me that 68 firebird you came across... I am sooo jealous..... Dang it puc, how will I be able to keep up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #209 Posted February 20, 2015 First you make me envious of the trips you are able to take then you show me that 68 firebird you came across... I am sooo jealous..... Dang it puc, how will I be able to keep up? Indeed, that thing was something!! Hey, any idea what motor that was? I never was a real deal muscle car guy like some of the folks around here,, I just know when I saw the thing setting in that parking lot I was drawn to it like a moth to the flame.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted February 20, 2015 Share #210 Posted February 20, 2015 Still enjoying the ride very much as I sit here with it about 2 degrees outside with a -15 chill factor. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenner Posted February 20, 2015 Share #211 Posted February 20, 2015 Puc, to answer your question about the size of that engine pictured I would have to say looking at the intake and water pump hose to intake it is an early chevy big block ( manifolds and alternator/power steering pump location tell that) and to estimate size well I would guess a 396 or early 427 as most 454 engines has a different water pump/ intake configuration. But you never know what an engine builder has done or changed on it. It reminds me of my old 67 firebird I had but the difference is that the 67 was a one year only with the vent windows on the door and the rear quarters did not have marker lights as they were not mandated till 68 and 1969 had a more square look to the sides and different tail lights. I had fun in that car and christened my local walmart parking lot with lots of burnt rubber marks when they were building it. Mine had a 327 small block the previous owner put in it and she sure liked twisting the mono leaf springs when I hammered it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dueyk1111 Posted February 20, 2015 Share #212 Posted February 20, 2015 PUC, wonderful adventure so far!!!! Makin me want to go out 'n' ride all the more! Tis 2 degrees at this moment, don't think i'll be ridin round here anytime soon!! Am headed for california first part of march for 10 days, told my cousin i wanted to rent a bike while i was out there to ride the coast hwy! So i might get to do a little winter ridin, not around her but, riding none the less! KEEP up the great adventure, tiz help'n with the cabin fever blues, least wise for me anyway!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share #213 Posted February 20, 2015 PUC, wonderful adventure so far!!!! Makin me want to go out 'n' ride all the more! Tis 2 degrees at this moment, don't think i'll be ridin round here anytime soon!! Am headed for california first part of march for 10 days, told my cousin i wanted to rent a bike while i was out there to ride the coast hwy! So i might get to do a little winter ridin, not around her but, riding none the less! KEEP up the great adventure, tiz help'n with the cabin fever blues, least wise for me anyway!!!!! @dueyk1111 ,Thanks for the on the ride along Duey, its a pleasure to have you with us!! OH MY GOSH - about the California trip your talking about - DO IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE! Gonna let ya in on one of California Coastlines BEST KEPT SECRETS that we happened upon. Ride the Coastal Highway (highway 1) going North out of Bodega Bay, follow that unbelievable "1" roadway North past Fort Ross State Park until you come to a small town called Stewarts Point, about all that is at Stewards point (besides endless beauty) is a small store on the ocean side of Highway 1, across from this store is where Skaggs Springs Rd. meets highway 1, turn east (turn right if you were heading north on 1) on Skaggs Springs Rd!! You will NOT believe this road!! It is almost a one lane paved road with some of the most gorgeous scenery known to man!! That road is some of the most beautiful riding Tip and I have ever found!! It is a hair pin laden paved pathway thru Redwoods and scenic lake overlooks. Its beautiful all the way out to Geyserville but the best part ends at Lake Sonoma.. By the way, if you happen to want to camp on the coast, be warned that the folks in Bodega Bay dont really like people tent camping in their bushes , instead of that - if you make it up to Stewards Point Store and look at their parking lot, there is plenty of room on the sides of the lot to camp and they dont mind (they didnt when we were there) if ya spend a night camping there.. It is normally not busy at all when you get that far north on 1 - just LOTS of peaceful, sea breeze filled endless beauty By the way, the wet morning fogs burn off around 11 a.m and, no matter what it feels like, it is NEVER followed by ,, I am and want to go too!! Puc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbjman Posted February 20, 2015 Share #214 Posted February 20, 2015 Geeze, Puc I think you could describe paint drying and it would be a good story! Keep it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted February 20, 2015 Share #215 Posted February 20, 2015 Geeze, Puc I think you could describe paint drying and it would be a good story! Keep it up! Even with Pucs endless love of SNOW, He could even make watching a blizzard mesmerizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbjman Posted February 21, 2015 Share #216 Posted February 21, 2015 Even with Pucs endless love of SNOW, He could even make watching a blizzard mesmerizing. Well, watching a blizzard can be mesmerizing! Especially when driving, if the snow is big and coming at your windshield at a certain angle....it nearly puts me into a trance and makes it hard to stay in my lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share #217 Posted February 21, 2015 Well, watching a blizzard can be mesmerizing! Especially when driving, if the snow is big and coming at your windshield at a certain angle....it nearly puts me into a trance and makes it hard to stay in my lane. You know what I have found that really helps in those situations PB? Close your eyes and use the force!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dueyk1111 Posted February 21, 2015 Share #218 Posted February 21, 2015 THANKS for the info there puc, i will write that down and take it with me to tell my cousin bout, if they don't already now it! I love all those twisty, turny, little back roads. Thats where you find all the little mom 'n' pop resturants 'n' neat little towns that sometimes it seems time forgot or just passed by! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted February 21, 2015 Share #219 Posted February 21, 2015 Hey puc, I just took a virtual ride on Skaggs Springs road. I went to Google maps and keyed in Stuart Point, CA and it drops you right down in front of the store. From there I moved over to Skaggs Springs Rd, which has the blue highlite and moved along it. It was neat and it did not take long to realize how off the beaten path you were in the forest. It really reminded me of some of the roads here in east TN, western NC. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share #220 Posted February 21, 2015 Hey puc, I just took a virtual ride on Skaggs Springs road. I went to Google maps and keyed in Stuart Point, CA and it drops you right down in front of the store. From there I moved over to Skaggs Springs Rd, which has the blue highlite and moved along it. It was neat and it did not take long to realize how off the beaten path you were in the forest. It really reminded me of some of the roads here in east TN, western NC. Randy :group cheers: Oh yea!! Ya got that right Randy!! Speaking of your neck of the woods, many years ago my daughter and I were playing around in the mountains of northern Georgia. We came to this small town whose main street was the actual boundary of Georgia and Tennessee - Georgia on the left, Tennessee on the right.. Shortly after leaving that town in a westerly direction, we started winding hairpin turns while working along the mountain side that made the tail of the dragon look like a flat - straight highway!! As I recall, there were signs posted that said "no trucks" along the trail! I have never been able to find that place again (part of the problem of CTFWing) but would LOVE to know where it was as it is definitely on my list(s) of the most beautiful spots on earth!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted February 21, 2015 Share #221 Posted February 21, 2015 What you described sounds a lot like Bristol, TN/VA where Main street is actually State St with TN on one side and VA on the other side of the street. And, if you go east, you will end up on 421 going thru Shady Valley and the "Snake". Not sure of any town like that on the southern border of TN, but now I will have to go look on Google Maps. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share #222 Posted February 21, 2015 What you described sounds a lot like Bristol, TN/VA where Main street is actually State St with TN on one side and VA on the other side of the street. And, if you go east, you will end up on 421 going thru Shady Valley and the "Snake". Not sure of any town like that on the southern border of TN, but now I will have to go look on Google Maps. Randy I think Tip and I actually camped on the outskirts of Bristol last year on our way home from the International (I know, your gonna yell at me for not camping in your yard but it was 2 a.m. when we finally shut Tweeks off and dropped the tent and we didnt wanna bother you guys).. Anyway, THAT area has some of the most gorgeous views known to man,, too:big-grin-emoticon: That wasnt the spot I am trying to find though.. Awawhoo and I found the one I am referring to years ago during a long weekend she had from school in Greenville.. We had left Greenville the day before - went west into Georgia and than CTFWing into the northern Georgia mountains. It was the second day, late in the day and we came to this little Northern Georgia Mountain town that was right on the border of Tennessee - Georgia flags flying on one side of the little main street and Tennessee flags on the other.. I am telling ya bro,, the mountain roads we took shortly after leaving that little town were AMAZING! Some of the most outstanding riding and views known to man!! :big-grin-emoticon: Isnt it funny how some of us feel the same way about all motorcycles,, I feel the same way about them,, I simply have never met a bike that I didnt love and have yet to find a place that doesnt somehow come out to be the greatest place on the planet to be riding em!! I am one screwed up mess I tell ya!! I even LOVED riding Death Valley,,, lights disconnected, full moon night, 105 degrees,, UNBELIEVABLE!!! Like a different planet!! Like you and everybody else, I need spring,, really really really bad!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share #223 Posted February 22, 2015 My daughter had long since gone to work by the time Tip and I walked out into her kitchen to see how many eggs and how much bacon the young lady had left in her refrigerator. Having spent the better part of 35 years of marriage raising those four kids has to have some form of benefits and, the way I figured it - being able to rob the contents of one of their refrigerators had to be written in that benefit package somewhere. Tip finished frying the last couple eggs the kid had and I dug around and scrounged up a half a package of bacon in her freezer, we ate real well that morning. After breakfast we left a note on her table to let her know that we two loafers had eaten her last couple eggs and would try to replace them when we came back, our daughter loves us and knows we are good for dozen eggs. We headed towards our grandsons, Dead-Eye and Earth Movers, house down near Wilton California. When I pulled onto their little ranch, I heard Tip start laughing. I joined her when I looked at what she was pointing at - I had left their dirt bikes hanging in a tree in their front yard when we left for The Dalles - now there were two dirt bikes and two bicycles hanging in that same tree!! Their dad told me later that those two boys LOVED my storage idea and had been hanging their bikes there since the day they had gotten home and found what I had done! The new 65 dollar Full Bore rear tire I had ordered was sitting in my Son-In-Laws kitchen waiting for me as I walked in the door. Tip had started a load of laundry when I announced that I was gonna go out and start the process of prepping Tweeks for the ride eastward.. I walked outside, dropped the tent off Tweeks rearward rack, looked down and could not believe what I saw!! That Metzler 880 that I had been bragging about (it had lasted a lot longer than any tire I could remember) was coming apart at the seams! I thought about all the mountain riding Tweeks had just endured with Tip and I on her back and I shuttered to think of what could have happened had that tire had let go while we were hugging the corners on some of those twisted Northern California mountain back roads just a couple days earlier. I had gone over the tire carefully before we had left The Dalles (I even checked CMCoffeys and the other bikes before I left too, I cant stand having flat tires when on the road and don't want my buddies having them either). I have had to ride fully loaded touring bikes down with flat tires and it is NO fun!! I checked the air pressure again in the bad tire, it was perfect. I looked for any sign of something that may have caused the tire to come apart and could find nothing - THAT was really really strange! I was very happy that the new tire I had ordered had gotten delivered because there was NO WAY I would have trusted the one that Tweeks was wearing for even a short ride into town to try and track down a new one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagleeye Posted February 22, 2015 Share #224 Posted February 22, 2015 I'm glad luck was on your side!! Those 880's have been a problem for MANY years. So glad you found it AFTER you were done riding. As far as those bicycle's and motorcycle's in the trees? Here's what I have to say about that: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edbo Posted February 22, 2015 Share #225 Posted February 22, 2015 :group cheers: Oh yea!! Ya got that right Randy!! Speaking of your neck of the woods, many years ago my daughter and I were playing around in the mountains of northern Georgia. We came to this small town whose main street was the actual boundary of Georgia and Tennessee - Georgia on the left, Tennessee on the right.. Shortly after leaving that town in a westerly direction, we started winding hairpin turns while working along the mountain side that made the tail of the dragon look like a flat - straight highway!! As I recall, there were signs posted that said "no trucks" along the trail! I have never been able to find that place again (part of the problem of CTFWing) but would LOVE to know where it was as it is definitely on my list(s) of the most beautiful spots on earth!!! I wonder if your talking about macaysville Ga. and copper hill, tn? May have been on hiway 64 not sure about which road you where on, There are some great riding up in north Georgia for sure. I have truly enjoyed your adventures that you are sharing. Makes me want to get out and ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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