As wonderful as San Francisco always is, getting out of the city and into the countryside is always a welcome, and in these parts usually beautiful, event.  Such was the case on this gray yet dry day, on a group motorcycle ride heading north.

A touch of Indiana, a glimpse of Wisconsin, a slice of upstate New York, and even a little piece of Maryland.  All of these places flashed through my mind as we rode on two-lane roads through the wide-open regions of Marin and Sonoma Counties.  For the diversity of topography throughout the relatively small area we covered, I did indeed experience moments of feeling as if I were in other parts of the country altogether!

Our ride destination today:  Dillon Beach.  This very tiny coastal town does not even have a gas station.  (Trust me, I know this, as my tank was bone dry by the time we reached the nearest place to fill up.)  Nonetheless, it was truly wonderful on this day to feel so far from, yet so close to, San Francisco.  I highly recommend Dillon Beach as a day trip for anyone who wants some “time out” of the city for a few hours, while enjoying some gorgeous countryside.

Then of course, this was a day back on my motorcycle, at last!  It’s hard to believe that from my bike’s one-year anniversary on November 1 until today, I rode a total of only about 150 miles.  Then today alone, we put on roughly 135.  I’m always happy to be back in my motorized saddle, especially when the roads are dry.  Today was the ideal day for a relaxing and rewarding excursion.