Day Five by Dave Schultheis
Monday, September 8, 2003 - Weed, California
I slept very well, and was up at 7:42 a.m., packed, dressed (including my new lucky green shirt), and loaded the bike in 44 degree temperatures in the parking lot.
I checked out and got on the road at 8:30 a.m., 52 degrees, with soft lowers on the engine guard.
On southbound Interstate 5, I passed Lake Shasta, Redding and Anderson, then stopped at a Texaco Station in Cottonwood CA at 10:00 a.m. for 91 octane fuel, $2.339 per gallon, 75 degrees, cool breeze.
After another half-hour run down Interstate 5, I pulled into a rest stop north of Corning for a map check. It was 74 degrees.
Lunch was at Wendy's at Road 8 in Yolo County, just before noon, where it was 80 degrees and I removed the soft lowers.
Southbound I-5, southbound I-505, a stop in Winters for a Highway 128 photo, southbound I-505, westbound I-80, looked for Vacaville Harley-Davidson (newly moved from Fairfield), but could not find their sign; westbound I-80, southbound I-680.
At 1:20 p.m. I stopped at a Shell Station on Lake Herman Road near Benicia. This is the same offramp as the Vista Point, up on the hill, overlooking the "mothball fleet." It was 80 degrees, 91 octane fuel was $2.499 per gallon.
Southbound I-680 all the way to San Jose, then northbound I-280, stopped at San Jose Harley-Davidson for a quart of oil at 2:30 p.m., 85 degrees, then stopped at the Willow Glen post office and arrived home at 3:05 p.m., still 85 degrees.
Miles for the day = 329. Miles for the trip = 1756.
Although this was a good trip (I had an especially good time at Duffy's Irish Pub in Gray's River WA with Harry & Brenda, Evelyn, and gRIN), I decided that I would not be doing any more camping. I am simply too old and decrepit to sleep, and dress, in a tent, where I cannot stand up, and where there are no porcelain facilities.