Some quick notes about temperature: Being fully exposed on a motorcycle, you're much more sensitive to temperature (and weather) changes than in a car, and I find that 3F degree increments affect how I feel noticibly. My gear is ALL summer gear, and designed for 65F+ temps, so with the severity of the cold we experienced being unexpected I had to layer a TON and even then was still cold most of the time; I'm honestly amazed I didn't get sick! Bottom layers: long johns, knee high socks, mid-calf leather boots, kevlar lined jeans, thick work pants OR waterproof ski pants depending on amount of rain. Top layers: camisole, long sleeve riding tee (or two), fleece ski sweater, perforated leather jacket (summer -_-), windbreaker, leather armored gloves, scarf around head, helmet. You know that scene in the movie "A Christmas Story" where Randy is all bundled up and is crying, "I can't move my arms!"? I felt that that in my full layers
Photo #1, day 1: Everett, WA to Coos Bay, OR ~450 miles
We started the trip with rain right off the bat (#1 left). Had to wear rain gear for most of the day (#1 middle, sans rain coat), and unfortunately couldn't see much of the coast through the bad weather. I was too nervous to have the camera out with the rain, but after the full day passed and I had no photos, I decided I really wanted pictures and I could always replace the camera For dinner (#1 right) we had yummy steaks and deep fried pickle slices which are now, officially, my absolute favorite fried food ever!
Photos #2-4, day 2: Coos Bay, OR to Fort Bragg, CA ~375 miles
Another wet and cold day, with added fog. Temps were between 40-50F all day, and full rain gear was again required (#4 center). We hit some pretty awesome twisty roads which we had all to ourselves (#3 right top, middle), actually saw peeks of ocean (#2 right), passed through a cool small redwood forest (#3 left), and drove the bike through a giant redwood tree (#3 right bottom). In the evening (#4 right) we had a delicious seafood dinner.
Photos #5-8, day 3: Fort Bragg, CA to San Fransisco, CA ~200 miles
Hubby's b-day, the reason for the trip! Started the day off with a great breakfast in a small coastal town (#8 far left, left). SUPER foggy and cold with intermittent rain, temps again 40-50F. Stopped at a lighthouse (#5 right), went up a mountain so foggy we could barely see (#6), then abandoned the coast (#5 left) and took the freeway to SF (#7). It was so foggy we couldn't see the whole Goldengate Bridge WHILE crossing it! After checking in (#8 right top) we had dinner, got candy (#8 right bottom), went to Rogue, then lounged at the Occidental Cigar Club.
Photos #9-12, day 4: San Fransisco, CA
Spent the full day in SF, decided to do touristy things to get them out of the way since it was my first time there We stayed in North Beach (#12 left), so after breakfast we walked through Chinatown where we stopped for tea (#9), walked through the retail shops (no time/space to shop this trip but I did pop in H&M for my first time and alas, no red blazer, but I did get a cute gray shrunken blazer!), took the trolly to Fisherman's Wharf and had crab for lunch (#10), then walked to Lombardi street and enjoyed the hills (#11, #12 right bottom). Had a delicious pizza for dinner, followed by gelatto and coffee for desert.
Photos #13-16, day 5: San Fransisco, CA to Grants Pass, OR ~400 miles
Well. This day was bloody cold, wet, long, and ROUGH. We left SF (#13) at 67F and drove through agriculture (#14), then hit mountain passes where the temps plummeted to the low 40s and continued to drop until 34F (#15 right top, middle). Even though I layered most of my riding tees (#16 left top) + the fleece sweater I'd been wearing all trip it was not nearly enough. Luckily we managed to ..barely.. make it to Grants Pass and found a great lodge to stay at, which offered us wine and cheese before dinner (#16 right top, bottom, #15 right bottom).
Photos #17-19, day 6: Grants Pass, OR to Portland, OR ~275 miles
Started with a hearty breakfast at the lodge (#19 left) Had some more mountain passes to get through but happily it was warmer, "only" in the low 40s; later it warmed up to 50F and we even caught some sun breaks, as well as a few minutes of totally random hail (#17). Made it to Portland (#18 left) while there was still daylight (#19 right)! Had dinner at Little Big Burger (#18 right top, YUMMM) then hit Ground Kontrol and played arcade games for an hour+ (#18 right bottom). After that had drinks at the hotel bar while watching cute YouTube kitty videos
Photos #20-22, day 7: Portland, OR to Everett, WA ~200 miles
Short trip to home, definitely glad we decided to split up this day and the previous one! After breakfast (#20 right, #22) we took I-5 all the way home (#21 left), and hit some pretty monsterous Friday rush hour traffic starting in Olympia that lasted all the way to Everett. Bonus shots of my views heading to my home off the freeway (#21 right), just as pretty as much of the scenery we saw on the trip
