On The Road

AUGUST 5, 2010 - DAY 1 – HOLLISTER, CA TO FERNLEY, NV

Why is it on the nights you need plenty of sleep you get so little? But that’s just how most vacations seem to begin, running on adrenalin and today is no exception.

I have never taken such a journey, so I'm not sure how you are supposed to start. But after all of the lists were made, the packing and repacking (even this morning), checking and rechecking, I pulled my loaded bike out of the garage and parked in front of the house. This is an important moment for me so I have forced the kids out of bed early (for summer) and out comes the camera. Then it’s off to Angel’s for a repeat performance at her place.

After the obligatory photos we gas up the bikes and then ourselves at Starbucks, where else? We started with fog and drizzle and a cool 56 degrees, but as we dropped from the summit of Pacheco Pass the sun filled the blue sky, and the air warmed up. We were lucky, as I don’t think we were ever in anything above 90 degrees.

The biggest decision for today was whether to ride straight to Fernley on the interstate or take any one of the scenic routes that we could “do anytime”. I made the executive decision to enjoy the ride, and there is nothing enjoyable about the interstate.

Some might not enjoy the slower moving backroad highways but I love them. You get to see glimpses of the past in the old towns; farm houses mixed with new housing developments; learn that they are replacing the wood along the railroad tracks; watch a crop duster dive over the above-ground telephone poles; and breath in the heavenly smell of the rich earth mixed with the crops and orchards. So we skip I-5 and ride along Highway 33 from Santa Nella to Tracy.

Of course we make a pit stop (remember the coffee?) at the Lathrop Harley dealership. Besides, ever since they built it when I drive past I always want to stop. Then it’s a brief jaunt back onto I-5, across Hwy 4 to Hwy 99 and exit at Hwy 88.

What I especially enjoy about Hwy 88 is it’s diversity. You start there in the Central Valley farmlands, then wind through the foothills and the once thriving towns of the Gold Rush (and good sightseeing / eating places), then climb into the Sierras with the rich smell of pine filling the air. There were times we saw no other cars, and other moments we eagerly awaited the passing lane. But you could always tell when one of us was staring at the majestic beauty all around because we would begin to drop below the speed limit.

At the start of the day we were going to swing down into South Lake Tahoe but changed our minds over lunch. Instead we stayed on Hwy 88 into Nevada and onto Hwy 395, the portion of the road I had never seen, and on to another pit stop at the dealership in Carson City. Thankfully we haven’t found things we’ve “had” to buy yet, but probably only because we’d have to find places to pack them!

While there we realize it is “commute” time, and I know Hwy 395 through Reno is not the place to be. So we alter our route again, heading east on Hwy 50 then up Hwy 95 right into Fernley. We are tired, hungry and thirsty, and eager to use our Starbucks treat receipt. We are lucky because it turns out the Starbucks, gas station, restaurants and the Best Western are all together. We decide to leave the hotel for last because we know once we get there we won’t leave till morning.

We’ve had a long but wonderful first day. We know that tomorrow’s ride is nothing but desert, asphalt and exhaust so we are grateful for the scenic but longer routes we took today. And sleep is screaming our names!

Today’s stats: 9 hours and 331 miles