After getting the First bonus list in early January, I downloaded the immense list of small, out of the way post offices. The list was available for the price of a blood or cash Red Cross donation. A worthy cause, and an outstanding value. My schedule is challenging at this time of year, so I decided to do a series of loops from my home in Fremont. The initial goal was to do an all California bonus finish.
Loop One
The first loop was dictated by the weather. A loop down through the central California coast. On an early February morning at 5:00 am, I headed south on US 101. With heated vest and insoles, I was quite warm, but my regular gloves were not up to the task, as it was 38 degrees, plus wind chill. A quick change to the insulated cloves did the trick.
The first stop was Greenfield, in the heart of California agriculture. The gps coordinates in the file were way off, but the town was small, so the bonus was collected and I was gone. Next stop, San Lucas. The post office here was a standard prefab model, to be seen a number of times throughout the day.
On to San Ardo. Again, the gps sent me down a dead end. Backtracking, I found the tiny post office. It was complete with a custom carved sign depicting their heritage, oil and farming. Lockwood was another prefab, but the road to it was fun, and deep into rolling hills of the central coast.
Bradley's another small agricultural town, slightly worse for time, forgotten by the thousands zooming past on 101. San Miguel was the next stop. This town showed the beginning of the wine country effect on the region. The town had shops and coffee houses and was more lively.
Next, I headed inland towards Shandon. The postmaster, an elderly woman' was very friendly as I took my bonus picture. She was loading her car for deliveries. Creston was next. Small and untouched by the modern world, only the cars gave any indication of what year it might be. Further inland towards Templeton. Nothing remarkable here. But a much busier town. Or maybe it was just later and more people were out and about.
Next it was out onwards tho coast to Cambria. I love this town. Just enough tourists, and lots of charm and good food. No time for that now. I shot the post office and was heading up highway 1. San Simeon was the next stop. A tiny post office sign on the back of the local store. I headed back south and stopped at Cayucos, a nice small seaside town. Would have liked to hang it there for a while.
On to Avila Beach. Everything in Avila beach is very new. This is because it was found that oil production in the area had turned the entire town into a toxic disaster. The town was leveled, ground scraped clean, and the new town rebuilt. Makes me wonder what swimming there in the seventies did to me!
Next stop, Grover Beach. A busy little town south of Pismo. From there, it was on to Arroyo Grande. The post office was located in a little shop on the corner of nowhere. Time to head back inland.
You see strange things in the middle of nowhere. As I traveled towards New Cayucos, there was a young man running fast away from town. He wasn't out for a jog. As I got closer to town, two cars were stopped in the street, and their owners were in a heated discussion. Not my problem, and the local Sheriff was inbound as I passed. In town, the PO photo was snapped.
One observation. Hanging out at rural post offices reveals a heavy usage of Netflix. Lots of red envelopes in people's hands. Now I was heading into the central valley. I hit 33 and went north to Coalinga for my last bonus location this trip.
33 is an interesting alternative to I-5. Known as the west side highway, it skirts the edge of the immense central valley, and towns like Shafter are part of the trip. Post office snapped, it was a sprint home up 5, across 152 and to 101 880 and home by 10. About 800 miles and 51 points in the books.
Loop Two
For this loop, I chose a route to the deserts and southern Sierra.
Another 5AM start. This time heading across 152down I-5 and over Tehachapi pass summit. Quick picture, and on Trona. Trona is a smelly mining town on the southern edge of Death Valley. Supposedly almost every mineral has been found and mined here. Next stop, Randsburg.
Another bad gps marker sent me up and back down a nasty washboard dirt road. I later found it had caused the aluminum mounts of my auxiliary tank to crack and fail. Back in town, the post office was found after a few Laps of main street. Now it was time to head out towards Lake Isabella. I stopped at Weldon,Lake Isabella, Bodfish, Wofford heights and Kernville.
The plan was to head over the pass into Glennville. Winding up the road, the surface became sandy and wet, with patches of snow dotting the edges. Nearness top, a sign announced "chains required, treacherous icy conditions". I didn't have chains for the FJR, so it was time to backtrack and head back through hwy 178. It was a fun winding road, following the Kern river back to I-5. From there I was back to the barn, another 800 miles and lots of fun riding.
Loop Three
I really wanted to get the points in and be a finisher, and riding time was getting scarce. So I decided to put in a hard full two day ride starting March 31. Two routes were planned; a northern CA, and a Southey Ca route. Weather decided for me. Rain would pound the north. The south was clear.
5:40AM and I headed for Sequioa National Park. Weather was perfect, am the ride through Lemon Cove smelled wonderful as the lemon blossoms filled the air. Snapped a photo of the park gate and headed south. Next stops, Posey, Glennville and Woody. Really pretty country and fun roads with no traffic.
I headed back over Tehachapi and into the Mojave again. Taking 58 to I-15 north, I exited at Baker, the gateway to my next stop, Death Valley National Park. Did I mention the wind? Since dropping into the desert, the winds were blowing 25-35 mph. Not unmanageable, but tiring and it sure made pictures with the rally flag fun.
Park sign captured, it was back to Shoshone for a PO pic. Next stop was Tecopa, another lost town in the desert. Then it was over Mountain Springs Summit, and down into the great basin. A quick stop in Blue Diamond, NV, and then on towards Las Vegas.
Skirting sin city, past Henderson, and gas in Searchlight. Heading down 95, I came to a dip in the road called Cal Nev Ari. I searched for the post office, and could only find a dingy casino with unsavory folks milling about. I found a resident washing his other pair of clothes at the trailer park laundry. He told me that the PO was located in the seedy casino. I skipped the photo, as I didn't want to leave the bike unattended.
It was now dark and Arizona. Saguaros loomed in the headlights as I headed to Bouse. Next stop, Salome. After Salome. It was time to rest. A room in Blythe put an end of day one, 1000 miles and 17 hours of nonstop fun.
Back on the road a 5AM and on the way to Joshua Tree National Park. A gas stop at Chiriaco Summit(no sign available, but lots of tanks at the Patton museum.) and it was back east. Sand was blowing across the road. After some hunting, I found the Felicity PO. Another strange place that can only exist in a desert. Forgot to take the second picture showing he bike, so no bonus. This section was intensely patrolled by CHP, but the Escort warned me of their position. Stopped in Ocotillo, and passed by Glamis and lots of buggies and bikes ripping up the dunes.
Now I was into San Diego county. Stopped in Jacumba, and then over Laguna summit, where I hit my only rain.
Then it was into San Ysidro for another bonus.I was also starting the Tour of Honor, and went to the SSN San Diego Memorial. Unfortunately, it was only 11:30,and the second bonus pack wouldn't tell me this was also a BMR bonus until I was long gone.
I stopped next at the West Coast Submariner Memorial in Seal Beach. Checking the new bonus list, this wasn't on it.
Into the abyss of Los Angeles. Four POs; Lynwood, South Gate, Compton, and Watts, mid Palm Sunday traffic. I CMOS--entered the Shriners' hospital address, and skipped it. Made a Stop in Pasadena, then headed back home. Another 970 miles, and now a total of 106 points.
Loop four
The new bonus pack had a nice collection of locations near home for a change. Leaving at 6:30, I headed to Oakland for the Holy Names University, then to San Rafael to Dominican University. Across the Golden Gate to University of San Francisco.
Out of the city, down the peninsula to Notre Dame in Belmont, then to Santa Clara University. I stopped at the Santa Clara Veterans Memorial for the Tour of Honor. The last bonus was the self made home town bonus. I chose the Tesla Auto Plant in Fremont, CA. Three hours and 137 miles later, I was done. The rally site confirmed I was a finisher, with 126 points.
Great fun, and still more riding to do. Five days of riding and almost 4000 miles. Excellent practice for the summer fall season too. Thanks Reno John and there's of the Big Money Rally team, for a fun and challenging new format rally. Using smart phones turned out to be a really effective way to collect bonuses.
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