Arrived at Coco's a little after 8:30 a.m. to find a reasonably decent turnout for the Capitola Event, including a couple of faces I haven't seen on a ride in a while. After hashing out a route that skipped all the tollbooths, we set out a little after 9:00 a.m. under a clear sky and pleasant temperature. We got on Hwy 12 to 101, cruised down to San Rafael, and picked up the Richmond bridge exit. We proceeded across the bridge, taking note of the serene blue waters below. After clearing the bridge, we took our first break at the Chevron Station, (now back up and running after a company overhaul), in Richmond. Jumping back on the freeway, we turned south on 580/880 and navigated down through the East Bay to Hwy 17. After a short traffic hiccup near the Los Gatos exit, Hwy 17 opened up to a nice winding roadway and vibrantly green trees. Clearing the Santa Cruz Mountains, we continued to the Capitola exit, following it to the 41st Street off ramp, where, with a right turn and a couple blocks ride, we arrived where the event was being held in a portion of the Capitola Mall Parking Lot.
The Happy Gang
Electric bike
Although there were a lot of visitors, plenty of interesting bikes to see, and a few vendors, it wasn't as big as the event we visited in Dixon recently. The general consensus still was, while it wasn't as much as we hoped for, no one was disappointed. One bike that drew a lot of attention was a Harley Vietnam tribute bike that was being displayed by the local Harley Dealer. It probably would have won the People's Choice Award, but we discovered that it had not been entered in the competition.
We meandered about until we got hungry and, instead of grabbing the outside fare, which did look good, we opted for a place inside the Mall with A/C and seating. During our meal, we decided to take a more scenic route back via Pacific Coast Hwy 1. Finished with lunch, we took a final spin around the event area for any last pictures, etc., then mounted up and headed to the nearest gas station. With full tummies and full tanks, we escaped the Santa Cruz traffic, rolling along to Half Moon Bay, where we took another break. From there we continued on 1 until 280 into San Francisco, cutting over on Shoreline Blvd to Golden Gate Park, where we rode along the Great Highway, up past the Cliff House, and down Geary Blvd. We then took a short jog over to 25th Ave and through the coastal end of the Presidio to the Golden Gate Bridge. On this last leg before home, we encountered several interesting microclimates. It was warm and comfortable over the bridge, and then cold wind flurries buffeted us before the tunnel, then warm air again on the other end. It got increasingly hot as we neared Novato, where we stopped to refuel and refresh ourselves. People were pulling over to shed gear before we even got to the pumps. While we were there, Scott, Debbie, and their pooch pulled into the station in their PT Cruiser convertible. After chatting with them awhile, we all headed up 101 for home. Another Great Day in the books! Shiny Side Up!
JT