Motorrad

We arrived at Los Angeles Airport at 2 pm taxitransfer to KLM Cargo to get the bikes. No problems with the customs, we only had to pay $ 10. We put the bikes together (front wheel, mirrors, etc.), filled up the tanks and at 6 p.m. we checked in at the hotel we booked.

We watched on TV that the weather wouldn´t be nice the next days in the Los Angeles area, so we decided to leave the city. It was very nice to find out, how to find the right way and the differences between roads, highways, interstates and backroads. We took the I-5 south to San Juan Capistrano (pretty town), #74 Ortega Road (great curves), via Hemet to #243 Pine and Palms Highway and had our first campground in the US neer Idyllwild.

We visited Joshua Tree NP (marvellous). At noon we were at Twenty Nine Palms. Because we are greenhorns, so we took the Amboy Road and crossed the Mohave Desert during the highest heat of the day. 250 km. The first cafe´s we saw were all closed, it was torture. From Amboy we took Route 66 to Essex, Goffs to Lake Mohave.

We got up before sunrise (because of the heat), great road #68 via Kingman to the I-40 to Williams. There we watched the Memorial Day Parade and took #180 to Grand Canyon. Our first view of the canyon .... and for a few minutes we couldn´t speak. Such a huge hole, my brain can´t grasp it. The campground there was full, so we rode back to Ten-X-Camp at the #180. To sunset time we went back to the canyon, took the shuttle bus for the West Rim Drive to Hopi Point. The sunset was dreamlike.

We crossed the Grand Canyon NP, stopped at all viewpoints and had a look. South Rim Drive, #89, #160 to Kayenta, #163 to Monument Valley. Checked in at the Mitten Valley Campground (recommendable). We met a friendly man from Texas who was there with his family and he invited us to go on the valley-loop in his car. I was very happy, I didn´t like to go by bike, because it was so windy that I had sand in my eyes all times.

I-70 and #24 to Capitol Reef NP. After one week there we saw brown huge valleys, brown mountains and brown meadows most of the time, the first small road with narrow curves and a beautiful scenery, I felt good. Rode on to Calf Creek Campground. If you are in this area, try to get a place there, or, at least, have a look to.

Rain. We drove to Bryce Canyon NP. It was still raining. We warmed up in the Visitor Information Center, the rain stopped. We took the bikes and visited the NP and the snow began to fall. Minus degrees, so, when we were on a view point, we let on our rainclothes and helmets. It looked funny, but inside we were warm and dry. And we met Lee and his son from Las Vegas.

#89 to Glen Dam, Lake Powell. Impressive. Via Page #98 to the Corkscrew Canyon. Bizarre. Back to #89 south to Bitter Canyon to #89A. Over the Navajo Bridge to Lee´s Ferry.

Sunrise 5.55 am - blue sky without clouds - nice. On #89A past Vermilion Cliffs and we reached the mountains. Slowly it started to rain, a few miles uphill to snow, frost. There was ice on the bike, on the helmet and the clothes. When you move yourself the ice crunchs. On top of the hill- Jacobs Lake: Should we have a coffee? No, it´s better to close the eyes and go downhill to leave the high. At Fredonia we went to the library to warm up, have a coffee and send emails. During this, the rain stopped, we rode via Kanab to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, really nice. Red and pink dunes, green trees and bushes, a little bit withe snow like confectioner´s sugar and the sun was looking through a blue hole. Looked like a picture-book.

Zion NP, nice roads in a great nature to ride if the traffic is not to much. Took the I-15 west, #169 to the Valley of Fire. On the campground we got the last free space, a walk in. There we felt as if we were living in the stone age, because there was a grotto with a fireplace. And the roads at the SP (Mouse Point) are really nice to ride.

We arrived Las Vegas at early afternoon. Our hotel was the "Imperial Palace" ($ 29). Then we gave Lee (we met him at Bryce Canyon) a call. He picked us up in his car and he showed us the strip and told a lot of stories about it. Then we visited the suburban with the golf courses and at last his family. It was great. After said good bye to Lee and his family we had a walk on the strip and through the casinos.

We took the #160 to the Red Canyon Scenic Loop (beautiful) and to Pahrump (boring). Then over Bella Vista Road to Death Valley (great). There we drove to Dantes View (excellent), Zabriske Point and slept at Furnace Creek.

Got up early because of the heat and drove to Badwater. On the way back we took the Artist Drive (georgeous). Then straight on to Lone Pine. There we had a rest and tried to repair my bike (some trouble with .....................). Then went on #395 to Big Pine. Left side, 12 miles to the mountains, the last campground: little bit cold because of high, but really nice.

In the morning the next attempt to repair my bike. We followed the #395 to the #158 (loop, recommendable) and then via Tioga Pass to the Yosemite NP. Dreamland: the pass had only just opend, so the snow was very withe, blue sky, high mountains and the sun was shining.

With the shuttle bus we went around and had a look at the Yosemite Falls. Then in the direction of San Francisco. Stayed overnight at Caswell Memorial SP.

Via big roads and the San Mateo Bridge to San Francisco. Looked for the tourist things like Downtown, Ferry Building, Fisherman´s Wharf (very crowded), Lombard Street (funny), Coiltower and so on. And we visited the BMW-Dealer to buy screw´s to repair my bike. In the afternoon we went over Bay Bridge to Berkeley to visit Bob Shilling.

The day where I began to like Baseball: Bob and us watched at the Oakland Coliseum a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics. Marvellous!!!!. In the afternoon the final repairs to my bike. A lot of small mistakes were the reason, that the engine was running badly. But now: she is purring like a cat.

Said "Good bye" to Bob´s place. (Thank you for the nice time Bob). We went to the Golden Gate Bridge. Really foggy. Then the #1 to Muir Wood NM. Beautiful walk during sunshine. Next stop was the Point Reyes National Seashore Lighthouse. Again really foggy. Campground at Bodega Bay. Fog.

Fog in the morning and it was cold. At noon a little blue hole in the sky. We took the Mountain View Road inland to Boonville. After 3 miles the sun was shining. The road with the curves was great, not to much traffic and we are happy.

We took the #128 back to the coast, Fort Bragg. The weather was not fine, so we took the Branscomb Road inland. Via Laytonville to the Avenue of the Giants.

At Humbold Redwood SP we drove left to Honeydew and followed the loop back to #101 (great). Redwood NP, we drove the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, then Coastal Drive (gravel) to Flint Ridge walk-in Campground.

Got up with damp fog (the clouds dropped). Took the #101 to Crescent City. At Jedediah Smith Park we drove along Howland Hill Road (a small gravel road, georgeous), then via Grants Pass towards Crater Lake NP.

Sun was shining as we arrived. Netherthenless we put all our warm clothes on. Only the West Rim was open, the East Rim and the North Entrance were still lost in snow. It was a great experience to drive the Rim, because the snowwall´s at the side of the road were so high, it looked like a tunnel you drove thru. Then drove to the #138 toward the coast.

Cape Perpetua Lookout - spectacular. It´s the highest point on the Oregon coast (a girl told us) and the view ....!!!!! We followed the #101, it began to rain, first a little bit, but then it started raining cats and dogs. So we took a motel in Garibaldi. Round the corner there was a really nice pub and we met nice people and we tasted different kinds of draft beer. Now I know the taste of apricot-beer. No, thank you.

I had a little bit of headache this morning. Fortunately we were invited for an Original American Breakfast at Twin Rocks. So I had to do nothing, only to sit and drink and eat. After that we drove via Astoria (great bridge) and Aberdeen to Lake Quinault.

It is a lot of rainforest there and as the name said, it was raining. We drove the Hoh Rain Forest Road, but it wasn´t fun, because of the rain. We had a look at Lake Crescent (nice) without rain and camped at Elwha Campground.

It was a bad mistake to sleep in the tent and not in a motel. During the night heavy rain began and it didn´t stop. Fortunately ou tent was standing near a BBQ-hut with a big roof. So we could jump out of the tent directly under the roof. And had to get up early, because we had to reach the ferry (10.45 a.m.) from Port Angeles to Victoria / Canada. As we were on the ferry, the rain stopped and a little blue hole was waving us. From Victoria we drove to Qualicum Beach to visit our friends.

USA 1999 Los Angeles - Vancouver:

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