There are certain benefits to living in Southern California. One such perk is the ability to travel about one hour and be in a completely different environment. We have mountains and desert, big buildings and farmland. But one very unique feature of the state is the awesome coastline. The Pacific Ocean is a sight to see, and Highway 1 is the way to do it. There are many websites dedicated to traveling Highway 1. Since I am creating this some three years after our first ride, this blog is more like a journal, and a place to post a few pictures.
Chrome on the Coast was the brainchild of my friend Mike. You see
, there were a few of us at work that decided it was time to buy a motorcycle. A big motorcycle, with lots of chrome and loud pipes. Yes, my friends all bought that legendary motorcycle the Harley-Davidson. The Road King, the Ultra Classic, the Fat Boy, and the Deuce. All beautiful, all very chrome. I (on the other hand), was born to be mild. I like it quiet, I like comfort, I like making my passenger comfortable. I ride a Goldwing. I tell people that the roar from my pipes sounds like a humming bird farting. (I throw the farting thing in there to give me a “bad boy” edginess!)So, in May of 2003, ten of us jumped aboard nine bikes and left from Southern California to ride Highway 1. A natural meeting place was the parking lot of one of the 200 local Starbucks (within a 5 block radius.) That said, with a full tank of gas, and a full caffeine dose, the road beckoned. Westward on the 134 to the 101, we weaved our way to the coast. Highway one is a welcome site, the blue water of the Pacific greeting you as you leave the crowded urban areas.
Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Carmel, Monterey…. beautiful. The sights along the way are incredible. Great food as well! Big Sur is a great place for photos and to just take in the beauty.
We stayed in Monterey, and based ourselves out of a terrific hotel. We would do day rides, then return to a great meal and cold beer.
Then, we went home. It was a great, safe ride. We all had a wonderful time, and decided that it should be an annual event. Let’s see if the Ride Lord will come through.
Mutual Aid
ReplyDeleteThe Captain calls the crew together. Training, inspections, fire and medical calls, maintenance and pre-fire planning. It is the typical shift for a firefighter's life. This is the life... on-duty. When the shift is over and the relief crew arrives, anticipation of the day off grows and plans for rest and relaxation come together. Such is the way of life off-duty. When a firefighter's motorcycle is involved and a multi-day trip looms on the horizon, passion sets in and the fever rises.
The Captain now becomes The Ride Lord. He calls the riders together and a plan becomes a reality. When The Ride Lord in on-duty, he is the Captain and he commands the company during a given "incident", whatever that incident or event may be. When the "incident" is in an area that covers multiple department jurisdictions, a call goes out for Mutual Aid from the surrounding departments to assist in mitigating the event. When The Ride Lord is off-duty and the ride is at hand, the call goes out to other departments for Mutual Aid and a rolling Brotherhood of riders is born again. Such is the history of Chrome on the Coast.
Pasadena Fire Department is located just outside of metro Los Angeles at the base of the foothills to the North and East of downtown L.A.. It is the home of a fire department steeped in tradition, wealth, poverty, celebrity home owners, The Rose Bowl and The Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA. When it's firefighters are off-duty they play hard and have fun which includes a large group of Firefighter Special Edition Harley-Davidson motorcycles ridden by members of all ranks - firefighters, engineers, captains and battalion chiefs. Captain Mike Riordan, aka, The Ride Lord, is the de facto leader of the group and the creator of Chrome on the Coast = a multi-day ride up the coast of California exploring the endless possibilities of unique roads, sights and adventures. He, and the other Pasadena firefighters, were gracious enough to put out the call for Mutual Aid. The call was answered by a Pasadena Electrical Supervisor, a Long Beach contractor and an engineer from the San Bernardino City Fire Department. Chrome on the Coast I (May 2003) was born and the fellowship was established. Because the ride was a success and the Mutual Aid was the key...
...Chrome on the Coast II (May 2004) was bigger and with more participants. The Mutual Aid callout was answered by Los Angeles County FD, Los Angeles City FD & PD, Garden Grove FD, San Bernardino City FD, and a couple of civilians from the city of Glendale. The city of Hollister and the Corbin Factory was a welcome and interesting destination. The Corbin Factory even took pictures and published our visit in their newsletter and website. We managed to stop by Alice's Restaurant and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. The ride, the weather, the sights and the riders were impressive enough...
...to do Chrome on the Coast III (May 2005). Mutual Aid was answered by the same departments and civilians only more of them. This ride is starting to take on a life of it's own. We toured the Napa Valley where all the car parts are made. Oh, I mean wine. LOTS of wineries. Owned by incredibly rich people making some of the finest wine in the country and some of it in the world. The area is amazing to ride through with non-stop sights to see. We drove through Bodega Bay and the Russian River countryside. The food is spectacular and the coastline is second to none. In fact, plans were made and ideas were kicked around for a more ride-intensive tour next year. Of course, Chrome on the Coast IV promises to be a milestone for road exploration and one-of-a-kind California sights in May, 2006.
Hello from the mint green FATBOY! Many miles of blacktop have worn my rubber, but not my memories. The tire plug remains intact in my rear tire. It symbolizes an event that has burnt crystal clear for 3 years. Rides 2 and 3 have passed and all I have to show for it is a rebuilt thumb. Mike has kept me abreast of your adventures. My hats off to the BROTHERHOOD OF THE COAST. Gleaming chrome and filed running boards run amok in my mind. Sean, I congratulate you on your web site. Better be careful where this leads you. Sponsors, t-shirts, charities and Jay Leno. (You never know).
ReplyDeleteTake care participants,
HE