2014 Rigid Ride

Sunday was our 8th Annual Rigid Ride. Twenty brave souls fought the elements; the warm 70 degree starting temp, the slightly brisk fog up on Skyline, the minimal ocean breeze at Pigeon Point light house and the comfy 85 degrees at lunch. Ahh, the SF Bay Area is blessed not only with great roads and weather, but a nice bunch of antique motorbike fans too. This year we were joined by riders all the way from San Diego, The Sierras, Portland Oregon and Australia!

Bill Huth has attended all of the rides I think, and the past few years he’s brought his neat 1940 Sport Scout.  It was in bare metal for a while, but now has some paint, some rust and some dirt. It has become a nicely worn bike and did the route without any issues. In fact all the bikes made the distance without assistance from the trouble truck. Remember folks–the best way to have a reliable bike is to ride it a lot.

  

The Fish Fence is still there. Just barely though.  This guy is the last remaining carcass and he looks a bit worse each summer. There is some sort of a story about it all, but you’ll have to chat up the barista at the San Gregorio General Store to get the info.  While you are there, be sure to check out all the bumper stickers and Socialist books… California is just as weird as everybody thinks it is.

 

Chris Carter brought his 1915 HD again.  The bike always does well and looks good doing it.  He almost had the Henderson four ready, maybe next year.

 

A prewar Indian Chief always looks good, and these red and orange colors work surprisingly well together.

After we crested Old La Honda Road from the east, we continued across Skyline and down the western slope.  What a wonderful road!  We’ve done it a few times before, but this time it was even more special.  There was a slight mist in the air as we rode through the Redwood groves. The one-lane road had zero traffic on it other that our bikes and some small varmints.  Great twisties, some views, good tarmac.  What else could you ask for? And going this route we bypassed all the squids on their way to Alice’s and the policemen who follow them.

 

Eventually we did make it out to the Pigeon Point lighthouse.  Parking was ad hoc in a plowed field.  Here is Terry’s custom Triumph TRW flathead twin.  They run well, with surprising engineering details in a motor design that looks primitive on the outside.

 

Our start/finish point each year is the Alpine Inn, still called Rossotti’s by the longtime fans. It was a card house and drinking establishment back in the gold rush days circa 1852. Now they have pinball instead of cards. And the occasional venture capitalist.

 

Terry’s Velocette with a Honda OHC top end, Kim, Atticus, Dave, Rick, Victor and Ben Binns.  Ben came all the way from Melbourne Australia. He seemed pleased to see that we have an assortment of Eucalyptus trees here in addition to the Redwoods.

 

Coffee at the General Store. Chris calls a chat line while Don Danmeier and Charlie chat face to face.

  

Rick parks his genuine Rocket Gold Star in the dirt, ‘cause that’s what you do.

 

Jim Romain and his swell 1937 Velocette KTS.  He restored it last year and it is perfect.

  

 

 

Here is Victor being Victor. His 1914 HD is ready for yet another ride across the USA next month.  The prewar Zundapp reminds of the great variety of machines that attend the Rigid Ride.  20 bikes, and almost no duplicate makes/models. Here’s a partial list: Knucklehead, Panhead, Chief, Sport Scout, Zundapp, ‘14HD, ‘15HD, Levis, Velo KTS, KSS, MSS, Triumph preunit twin and TRW twin, Matchless model X,  and probably 1-2 others. That’s the kind of variety that we normally see only on the 49 Mile Ride, and it is fun to be around so many different machines and riders.

 

 

 

Two dogs to keep him company.

 

Along the way we stopped at a friend’s house to look at some old bikes and cars.  Here are a few pics from the garage: