Maiden Voyage, Final Night

23rd St, San Francisco
N 37°45'15.76", W 122°24'42.49"
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=37.75438,-122.41180

Well, today was my final day in San Francisco and I spent most of it on the move. The first half of the day was spent divided between a southbound train and a southbound bus with Mishante.
We got to Santa Cruz around noon, confirmed the motorcycle would indeed start, and celebrated a ceremonial lap around Erik's new neighborhood with a feast of Little Caesar's.
After the meal, it was time to get down to business and actually relocate the bike to San Francisco. With a heady blend of fight, flight, and adrenaline I got on the bike, fueled up and made for the Pacific Coast Highway.
Aside from some initial hiccups with shifting and finding the right left turn, I made it onto Route 1 without incident and accelerated up to the posted 55. To the assumed chagrin of my vanguard on this two lane highway, I more or less stuck to the speed limit the entire trip.
The end of the story is that I made it back alive. For a first ride, I couldn't have asked for a better stretch of road or better weather - the clouds parted to a blue sky and for most of the run I either had the Pacific to my left or I was careening through forests and walls of hewn rock.

A few lessons I learned along the way:

1.  One layer is warm in the sun at 30 or 40 mph, in the shade or moving faster requires fortitude or more clothing. My legs started shivering off and on for part of the ride in the sea breeze and in the shade of the forest.
2.  Don't forget your earplugs. I did, and the wind didn't deafen me - this time. I can see how over hundreds and thousands of highway miles it could, though.
3. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Between the vibration on my left foot and the steady grip on the throttle with my right hand, I had to get creative with positioning to maintain circulation. 
4.  You wave to other riders with a hand angled DOWN from your handlebars. Put your hand UP if you want to see how a kite or a sailboat works. (Don't.)
5.  It is fun. Lots and lots of fun. The only sound I made was about halfway through as I rounded a curve in sight of breaking waves; I laughed out loud and filled my helmet with a "Woooooohoooooo!"

I plan to get up tomorrow at the crack of something, have a last cup of coffee at Thinkers with Jim, and hit the road with an end of day goal of Los Angeles. Wish me luck, and keep an eye on my little dot on the map.