The Tour is structured much like a rally. Visiting each memorial in a state or region and photographing it with your bike and flag qualifies you as a finisher. By June, I'd visited all but two in California. The problem was, I live in the Bay Area,and the two remaining memorials were located in Big Bear, and north of Weed, CA. Each about 350 miles away, and 700 from each other.
Then a ride-to-eat breakfast was announced by the ToH for July 7. With a day off and light holiday traffic, I decided to plan a ride to both, ending at the breakfast. When I put the trip on the map, it measured at least 1400 miles, so I decided to go for a Bun-Burner Gold, 1500 miles in 24 hours.
With start witness forms signed, I headed out from a Chevron station in Fremont, CA at 8:56 AM. Friday morning. Traffic south on 880 and 101 was light, and the temps were in the 70s. I reached the first stop of the day, Paso Robles. Gassed up, got the required receipt and recorded the odometer reading for the log.
Time to head east. Highway 46 crossed over into the central valley and connected to 5 south. Made some good time. 5 connected to 58 east, climbing over Tehachapi Pass and down into the high desert. Temps started rising into the mid 90s as I reached 395 and turned south. A few miles south met 18 east, the back road through Apple Valley into Big Bear.
Here the long straight fast desert roads turned into the steepest, twistiest road I know of, with grades posted at 16%, and multiple hairpin turns posted at 10 and 20 mph. The climb is fast, and Big Bear Lake appears quickly. I made it around to the south side, and stopped at the Big Bear Veterans Memorial Park.
Then it was over to the nearby Chevron, filling both tanks after about 300 miles. It was time to backtrack my route to 99 North. Traffic had slowed my progress, and I was now almost an hour off my planned schedule.
Sunset came before my next stop, Fresno. I needed to stop again for gas. Although the FJR has a 400+ mile range, The IBA requires a stop every 300 miles. Filled and documented,it was back onto 99. At Stockton, I took hwy 4 west to I-5 north. Next stop, Red Bluff.
It was finally cooling off to a comfortable 70. Gassed and documented, then onward. I passed quickly through Redding, and then turned onto 97 at Weed. About 15 miles further, I turned left into the Living Sculpture Memorial Park about 2:30 AM.
As expected, it was deserted, allowing me to carefully ride up the gravel path to the specific memorial required for the picture. The ground was so soft, even the enlarged pad of the kickstand wanted to sink in. I tossed my street atlas down to act as a pad. Thankfully, there was a very bright moon. Mount Shasta's snow capped peak gleamed in the moonlight. It was now officially cold.
Pictures taken, I motored out and back south on 97. I then cut across A12 to I-5 north to Hornbrook Chevron. The station was closed, but the pumps were on. I had a brief moment of paranoia. As I pulled in, three Cadillac Escalades, two black and one white, pulled into the station with me. Was I crashing an early morning drug buy? Doors opened and kids, moms and dads poured out as they topped off for their family road rip. whew! Next, Chevron decided I've used that card enough today. Used another card, and filled up. 3:30 AM and the last required stop before my planned end point.
I-5 is very different this far north. No longer a super slab, it winds through the forest canyons, and is very challenging if you're trying to keep a good pace. Traffic was sparse, just me and the trucks.
I had one intense moment. Coming around a curve at highway speed, a pickup truck overloaded with lumber appeared in the right lane going about 30. Pays to stay alert. The dawn was breaking, and I was able to enjoy the views of Lake Shasta as I crossed over it on a high bridge.
I reached Corning before 6 and was in a severe caffeine deficit. McDonald's to the rescue. Large coffee, sausage McMuffin recharge. Homestretch. 5 south, 505, 80 west, 680 south to Pleasant Hill.
Rolled into the Chevron, and filled the tank. Final receipt - 7:55 AM. The odometer indicates 1544 miles. The GPS reads 1516 miles, 22:59 hours. Snapped the GPS right after the receipt/.
I rode another block down the street to the Original Pancake House for the ride-to-eat. Stretched out in the shade of a parking lot tree until Steve Brooks and Kim Leong arrived. My documents were witnessed, and we had a celebratory breakfast together. Kim also received his trophyt for First Place - CA.
It was a fun ride. Many thanks to Steve Brooks for putting on the Tour of Honor. It's a great excuse to ride, see inspiring memorials, and benefit a worthy cause.
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