227 San Fran to Carson City

12th Sept 2013
 Miles Today 218 Total 21,006

Here are a couple of videos we forgot to inset that made us laugh....

Continued from 10th....  Monteray Aquarium...

Continued from 11th.... Pier 39 after a couple of beers and dinner....

We packed up at the usual time and decided to take a walk around Pier 39. Fortunately we were able to leave the bike secured at the hotel.
The pier is just offshore from Alcatraz Island and the view over the estuary was full of boats including the American "Americas Cup" entry.  
We tried to get a trip onto the island and around the prison, but they were fully booked up until the 17th of September, due to the crowds for the yacht race.  That's twice we have been unable to do that trip, oh well we will just have to come back another time in the future.

Alcatraz

Pier 39 latest idiot

A local jet boat. We saw it take off, it was awesome.

More Pier 39

The locals

Fast, but not fast enough...

This picture shows it out of the water, riding on it's hydrofoils.  It could fairly move through the water, unfortunately not fast enough as they are losing to the team from New Zealand.  The last we heard, they had to win the next 10 races.

The main event of the pier aside from the shops and restaurants was the sea lions. They were just plain bonkers. Mum this is just for you, hope it takes you back to happy moments.

Neither of us were looking forward to the long haul to Lake Tahoe, but we set off along the interstate and it was very dull and boring.  We stopped just the other side of Sacramento for petrol and coffee, and as we were filling up we were approached by a guy called Sean Ritchie.  He is an ex California Highway Patrol Officer (CHiPs), who is now doing demonstration rides for BMW, but he seriously likes the Super Tenere and spent about 40 minutes chatting to us. 
   

As close as we got to Saceamento

Sean and his Italian Stallion

As we were about to leave, Ray popped back into the petrol station, and I was approached by this really scruffy bloke with long hair, who  mumbled "nice rig, I used to ride enduro in Guatemala".  He then bumped into Ray as he was coming out of the shop, looked back at me and said, "Now I ride the old brown one parked around the corner", and then he was gone.  Very strange man.

The old brown one.

The last bit of journey to Lake Tahoe was much nicer and the town was pretty too.  We stopped for coffee and took in the views.  

Lake Tahoe is 1640 feet deep and at a level of about 6340 feet

Tahoe in the sunset

Our destination today was Carson City, (for us oldies, Bonanza fame).  Ray had booked us into the Hardman House Inn and Suites.  The name conjures up all kinds of images, but it was very good and we booked a second night so we could spend tomorrow doing laundry and for Ray to get Wallace's wheel's balanced.
We had a fantastic Thai meal and then an early night.

Thursday 12th September 2013
Miles Today 5  Total 21,011  

I managed to get the wheels sorted and the rest of the day was spent chilling in front of the TV with the only other interuption being the laundry. After our admin, had a quiet meal and another early night.