California Wildfires

[bacon_crazy510]

My vacation is winding down - I just got back from a motorcycle trip up to Crater Lake, Oregon. I finally talked my brother into going on a moto adventure with me, and now he's swearing he's down for another ... I knew I could convert him to a long haul rider!

Like I said, my vacation is almost over, so I thought I'd go on a short ride today - I've got a scenic route I like to ride ... up 101 north to highway 116 - then 116 west out to highway 1, then highway 1 south to Sir Francis Drake in Pt. Reyes Station, and back into San Rafael, and ultimately home. Round trip it's a little over 200 miles, and can be done in 5-6 hours, with stops made for pictures and pitstops.

I decided to reverse the route today and ride up highway 1 to 116 .... I stopped for lunch just past Samuel Taylor State Park - I picked up a sandwich at a deli in Fairfax on the way out, and ate lt using my rear seat as a table. The first sight of fire was in Pt. Reyes Station on Sir Francis Drake - the hillside in the distance was ablaze. I proceeded out to highway 1 where I got some fresh air. I rode out Tomales Bay, and up highway 1 on the coast; I almost got to highway 116 - the CHP had the highway closed at Goat Rock State Park. I've been past Goat Rock probably 100+ times, but have never stopped in to take a peek. What a gorgeous landscape. I think the coastline, redwoods and mountains are the only things keeping me here - CA is becoming a cesspool. If you know, you know - if you don't - I'll leave it up to you if you want to research it or not.

Anyway, I couldn't complete my loop - I turned around and returned on the same route. I had to restrain myself from stopping for oysters in Tomales Bay. The wife was cooking dinner tonight, so if I came home with 2 dozen oysters in my stomach and no appetite ... they'd be some "splainin to do"!!!

My heart goes out to everyone that are effected by the wildfires. 2020 has been a cruel, oppressive year, and it just isn't getting better. For many it just keeps getting worse.

 

[Hungariantom]

Great pics. Looks like an awesome ride and the food looks good too.

 

[BandCollector]

With all the floods, mudslides, and wildfires year after year after year I'm surprised California still exists!

Such a beautiful part of the country. I feel badly for those loosing everything they worked for all their lives.

John

 

[sawhorseray]

Being a 4th generation San Francisco boy who moved to AZ last year I can tell you the coast is the only thing I truly miss. I fished the Pacific for 45 years in my boat and a friends, from Monterey to Bodega Bay. I grew up and worked in Redwood City, then moved to Elk Grove about 16 years ago when the Bay Area traffic made it impossible to come and go anywhere. It seems every summer the entire state is burning up and the air is just as bad or worse than smoking four packs of Camels a day. The tax situation in CA is a joke, but no one's laughing, they sure don't spend any of the dough on road maintenance. With easy access to the mountain and the ocean, great weather, it all just got too crowded. California, a great place to be from! RAY

 

[bbqbrett]

Right now believe it or not that smoke from the Cali wildfires is seriously affecting our air quality here in Idaho. It is currently all blowing this way. Not to mention we have some fires here as well and a number burning in Oregon so even when the wind shifts we will still be getting smoked out for a while. I hate seeing all the great land that gets burned up every year.

As far as the situation in CA becoming a cesspool, I hear the same thing from a whole lot of Cali people who have moved here.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Some beautiful pics you took! Nice bike also, that sandwich you had looked huge! Thoughts go out to all affected by the fires...can't imagine what that's like.

Ryan

 

[SmokinAl]

We have our hurricanes here, but your wildfire season is just insane!
I feel so sorry for all the folks that had to get out & watch there house go up in flames!
It’s just heartbreaking!
Al

 

[D.W.]

Just got back home about an hour ago. Mandatory evacuation at 2:30am Wednesday morning, police were banging on everyone's doors to tell them to leave. Step outside and see a wall of orange to the north. Have family in neighboring towns so we went there. Thank God our house and neighborhood is standing, fire came right up to the backyards of homes one street over that back up to the country. Power had been out since 5pm Tuesday, until this morning. Ash everywhere, what an ordeal.

 

[bbqbrett]

Just got back home about an hour ago. Mandatory evacuation at 2:30am Wednesday morning, police were banging on everyone's doors to tell them to leave. Step outside and see a wall of orange to the north. Have family in neighboring towns so we went there. Thank God our house and neighborhood is standing, fire came right up to the backyards of homes one street over that back up to the country. Power had been out since 5pm Tuesday, until this morning. Ash everywhere, what an ordeal. View attachment 459541

View attachment 459540

Wow with everything as serious as it is there you are very lucky! Stay safe.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Sounds like you still had a great ride, even if you had to stop part way. Some beautiful scenery along that route.
Lot of people are losing everything in that wild fire. Just a bad year everywhere.
Gary

 

[noboundaries]

Our kids are in the Santa Cruz area. They are fine, but they both have many friends who were evacuated and not allowed back. Their friends don't have much hope for their homes based on fire maps and news coverage. Time will tell. Prayers, please.

 

[cmayna]

I live too close to the fires above Santa Cruz mountains. With the winds at just the right direction, we are getting hit with ash and just crappy air quality.

 

[forktender]

With all the floods, mudslides, and wildfires year after year after year I'm surprised California still exists!

Such a beautiful part of the country. I feel badly for those loosing everything they worked for all their lives.

John

The same dummies are just a few months away from voting it away in the next election John.

I live too close to the fires above Santa Cruz mountains. With the winds at just the right direction, we are getting hit with ash and just crappy air quality.

I just read a report that said our air quality is worse than anywhere in the world right now. At times, we can't see 100' let alone 100 yards.
I'm in a small valley that the smoke settles into and stays. Right now I can drive in three directions and the roads are shut down because of fires north, south and west of us and to the east isn't much better. Our home is in no danger as of now but tonights lightening sure has me puckered up quite a bit.
So far I've only seen a few flashes but it's supposed to pick up through the night into the morning. I swear I'm so done with this state, I hate it here these days. That's very hard/ sad for me to say but it's never going back to how it was when we grew up unless there is a bunch of blood shed. Even then I don't think it's going to happen. The politics of this state have been over run and drained by illegals and the Communist party otherwise know as the Democratic Party.

Everyone stay safe and keep your windows shut and your AC /Furnace fan running to pressurize your home to keep that crappy smoke outside where it belongs. I can't wait to see our next PG&E/ local power company bill.

 

[noboundaries]

One of my daughters in SC had to prep today to evac. She's in the warning zone.

 

[sawhorseray]

The same dummies are just a few months away from voting it away in the next election John.I just read a report that said our air quality is worse than anywhere in the world right now. At times, we can't see 100' let alone 100 yards.I'm in a small valley that the smoke settles into and stays. Right now I can drive in three directions and the roads are shut down because of fires north, south and west of us and to the east isn't much better. Our home is in no danger as of now but tonights lightening sure has me puckered up quite a bit.So far I've only seen a few flashes but it's supposed to pick up through the night into the morning. I swear I'm so done with this state, I hate it here these days. That's very hard/ sad for me to say but it's never going back to how it was when we grew up unless there is a bunch of blood shed. Even then I don't think it's going to happen. The politics of this state have been over run and drained by illegals and the Communist party otherwise know as the Democratic Party.Everyone stay safe and keep your windows shut and your AC /Furnace fan running to pressurize your home to keep that crappy smoke outside where it belongs. I can't wait to see our next PG&E/ local power company bill.

I'm a 4th generation San Franciscan who moved to AZ a little more than a year ago. You hit the nail squarely on the head, the state of my birth sucks and will never be the same, EVER! If you own your home you can turn it into a lot more house just about anywhere in the country, and probably have change left over. I had a CCW permit issued by Sacramento County that'd cost me around $400 total to renew every two years. Here in Arizona anyone who is not specifically banned from carrying may do so legally, free, no charge. It's America! Our property taxes are a third of what they were in CA, and for more house! Where we live now, in Gilbert, is the sixth safest city to live in, in all of the USA. There are no gangs, no protests, no BLM signs, just normal friendly folks treating each other with respect. When I lived in Elk Grove with all the gangs that moved in I wouldn't go to the local Safeway without packing my S&W40MP. Except to go practice shooting I haven't touched it since we got here, stays in the nightstand, ain't needed here. Yeah, you'll pay more for power in the summer with the AC running 24/7, and the heat will take a little getting used to, but it's all worth it. For the house we had in Elk Grove, 2500sf, we got one the same size in Gilbert, in a better neighborhood, with a pool, 3-car garage, and RV parking, and had money left over. The traffic here is nothing compared to CA, diesel costs a third less, the roads are in far better shape. The only thing I miss about CA is the ocean fishing, and I can always load my Lance camper onto the back of the truck and be there in about 12 hours. Put out the for sale sign while you've still got more than a pile of burnt sticks and ashes, and get the hell out of there! Being a CA native, it's a scary thought, where could possibly be better. Dammed near anywhere these days, just takes the guts to pick up and go. RAY

 

[forktender]

Guts, I've got plenty of Ray. But unfortunately we also have elderly parents that refuse to leave that are under our care. Mark my words if Biden & Harris steal this election the whole country will be turned into one giant Kaliforication and there isn't a damn thing any of the other states can do to stop this, it's too late. CA has been the testing grounds for the communist Dem project for many years now. If you think that I'm full of crap just wait and see if the Dem's win/steal POTUS America as we know it is done as in over.
The thought of this makes me want to puke. You better keep that piece in your nightstand well lubed and at the ready cuzz you will need it sooner than later, and that ain't no B.S.!!!

 

[JLeonard]

Nice bike, Beautiful scenery, killer looking sammich.
Jim