The Place: Fortuna, Humboldt County, California
The Time: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 29th through May 31st, 2009
Wha? This is a video that I put together from everyone's pics of WCRM III. I think it pretty much captures the feeling of these meets. You can view it HERE...long may you run!
What's Happening:
These WCRM (West Coast Regional Meets) are generally pretty laid back affairs. We do try to loosely organize some times and places where everyone can get together but for the most part everyone is responsible for making their own fun. The meets are a wonderful opportunity for members to renew old acquaintances or to finally get to put some faces to all those names you've been seeing on the ST.N site. With that in mind...here's what we've got so far.
Friday Evening:
For riders arriving on Friday we're planning an "Early Bird Meet and Greet" evening get-together at the Eel River Brewing Company in Fortuna's Riverwalk area from around 5:00 p.m on till whenever. Lots of tasty food and award-winning beverages will be available. Everyone will be responsible for their own ordering and tabs.
Saturday Riding:
There is generally an informal get together of riders for breakfast at the Denny's restaurant at the Riverwalk. It's a good place to meet up, find out where everyone is heading and join in on one of the numerous groups going out on day rides.
(For some suggestions about the interesting roads in the area click HERE)
Saturday (an alternative to riding):
In the early years of the WCRM Becky and I hosted a barbecue on Friday night expecting to grill up a some burgers for a few of those arriving early. Well, we seriously underestimated how popular this was to become (60+ riders)and we ended up seriously straining our modest house's integrity (like overloading the plumbing, if you know what I mean...ugly). Last year at the "V" event we switched the barbecue to all day Saturday and while we still had 60 to 80 riders show up they were more spread out and things went more smoothly. The barbecue will take place from around 10:00 Saturday morning till about 4:30 that afternoon. (WARNING: If you show up before noon you WILL be put to work preparing for the barbecue and if you stay past let's say 4:30 you will be put on clean-up). The menu will consist of some kind of barbecued meat (I'm tending towards an "assorted sausages" sort of thing currently, along with side dishes (including Gil's famous "Crooked River Roundup" beans), fluids, etc. throughout the day. There will be some alternative foods available for those of us who prefer not to eat their fellow mammals...this IS California after all! There will be a tip jar available for those who wish to donate to this worthy cause.
Last year at WCRM V we had a local reporter show up to do interviews for the local paper.
Saturday Evening:
We will all be getting together back in Fortuna at the Eel River Brewery. This is generally our best attended event. People start gathering around 5 in the afternoon and the party continues until they shut down the brewery or until the last remaining ST.Netter staggers back to his or her tent/cabin/room.
Sunday Morning:
Many of the riders before returning home like to get together one last time and make the ride north (about 20 miles from Fortuna) to the world famous Samoa Cookhouse just outside of Eureka (it opens at 7:00) and gorge ourselves on the Cookhouse's famous "Lumber Camp" style breakfast!
Where Stuff Is:
Below is a map of the "Riverwalk" area on the south end of Fortuna (the Big 'Tuna) and a webcam link HERE). Riverwalk has all we need: the Eel River Brewing Company, a Denny's restaurant, a gas station, a Subway sandwich shop and all the motels and the campground discussed further on down the page. The Brewery will be our main meeting area on Friday and Saturday nights. If you're heading south down Hwy 101 take Exit 687, Kenmar Rd towards the south end of Fortuna. Turn right at the stop sign and right again at Alamar Way to get to the brewery. If you are heading north up Hwy 101 then take the Kenmar Rd/Riverwalk exit. Turn left at the stop sign, go under the highway and then turn right on Alamar Way...the brewery will be on your left.
The Samoa Cookhouse (Sunday morning breakfast option) is situated on a narrow spit of land between Humboldt Bay and the Pacific ocean. Hwy 255 is actually a set of bridges across the bay. Follow the "Samoa Cookhouse" signs once on the other side.
Dr. Gil and the bodaciously named Beck-zuki's modest home (site of the Saturday barbecue) is located at: 3234 P Street in Eureka (18 miles north of Fortuna) on the southern side of town.
Lodging:
There are several motels within easy walking (stumbling, crawling) distance of the Eel River Brewery in Fortuna.
Super 8 (1-800-800-8000 for reservations) is right next door to the Brewery.
Holiday Inn Express (1-800-483-9446 for reservations) is right next to the Super 8 and offers a AAA discount.
Best Western Country Inn (1-800-679-7511 for reservations) is down a block and around the corner...probably 200 yards from the Brewery. For what it's worth I believe this motel is a little bit slicker (and a few dollars more expensive, natch) than the motels down the block.
Then there's the new kid on the block, the Comfort Inn and Suites. For what it's worth this is where Tim from the Pashnit site likes to put his people us when touring the area.
Riverwalk RV Park and Campground (1-800-705-5359) is directly next door to the Best Western. Still an easy walk from the Brewery. They rent tent sites and cabins (minimalist stuff here...still need sleeping bags). The cabins will sleep multiple people and give you a roof over your head.
Food, Fuel and Motorcycle Shops:
The Eel River Brewing Company has great food - they raise their own beef, win many awards for their brews, and make the best darned onion rings in the ENTIRE WORLD.
Also within walking distance in the "Riverwalk" area are a Denny's restaurant and a Union 76 gas station that has a Subway sandwich shop attached. Fortuna is a town of about 10,000 people and pretty much has all the conveniences you would expect from a town this size...except for a decent motorcycle mechanic, sigh.
Which brings us to motorcycle shops and mechanics just in case anyone needs one, heaven forbid, while in the area. Sadly, Humboldt is NOT known for its sport bike shops. The best shop in the area is probably Eureka Motorsports (707)445-3093, located at 1601 Broadway in Eureka, about 20 miles north of Fortuna. It's on Hwy 101 towards the south end of town. They are an authorized Kawasaki and KTM dealer but will work on most anything. There is a Yamaha dealership in Redway (near Garberville) called Dazey's Motorsports (707)923-4332 that is spoken well of but I don't know much about personally. We also have a local Honda dealer in Eureka that has recently changed hands and is getting mixed reviews. They are Pacific Motor Sports (formerly Richard Miller Motorcycles). (707)443-8031, located at 1725 Tomlinson Rd (south end of Eureka just off Hwy 101). There is also German Motors (707) 822-7265, a BMW (car) garage in Arcata (another 10 miles north of Eureka) who reportedly work on BMW bikes but I have no knowledge of them nor the work they do. For you Buell/Harley riders we have an brand new, excellent dealership and shop (with dyno) for you. It's Redwood Harley-Davidson, (707) 444-0111, located at 2500 6th Street, just off Hwy. 101 at the north end of Eureka.
We do not really have any dealerships or shops for those "exotic" European motorcycles in the area...fortunately they rarely break down ;-)Emergencies:
We may as well be adults about this and discuss worse case scenarios. If anyone does get into trouble while in the area the local U-Haul rents motorcycle trailers and our Honda Element is set up to pull one. I also have some simple hand tools and a tumble-down garage for repairs and emergencies (I actually rebuilt my motorcycle in it the winder before last so it's crude but effective). We can be reached at: (707)443-0111 or (707)498-6616 for my cell.
Ahh the weather. It often rains and can be quite cool on the northcoast in the month of May. Our temperatures are generally pretty moderate (no snow and no heat strokes) but it can be moist and we could still be seeing temps drop to the 40 degree range at night. Gray, overcast days are common and rain can appear at ANY time up to late June. Even if it doesn't rain often there can be a HEAVY dew at night. A few more miles inland it can turn completely around and get quite warm. Actually, hot. The inland valleys very possibly could be up in the mid-90's during this period. I guess I'm not telling this crowd anything they don't know but touring at this time of year in Humboldt County is a "PREPARE FOR EVERYTHING" sort of deal. ;-)
