Wow!  2008 was rapidly coming to an end, and I hadn't done a SaddleSore in over a year.  Sound familiar?  (hint - see last year's ride).

Galt Squeeze Inn SS1K - 1,010 miles - 15 hours, 32 minutes.

I visited the original Squeeze Inn several times now, but I was curious about the Galt location that recently opened.  So I based a SS1K around going there.  Since Red Bluff was almost exactly 500 miles from my house, I quickly mapped out a freeway blast.  To make it a bit more interesting, I detoured a bit west through Danville, taking the 680 over the Martinez Bridge.

After some great weather earlier in the week, unseasonably warm with temps in the low 80's, Saturday brought on cooler weather.  I had been busy at work the past week, so I flopped down for some rest when I got home instead of packing.  Big mistake.

4:00 am came fast.  I got up, did the morning routines and then packed the bike.  By 5:15 I was pulling out of the garage.  Gas at the Chevron at the freeway for a starting time stamp.  Then I-210 to I-5.  As I was heading north over Tejon pass (4,144'), I was quite chilled.  No wonder, I forgot my windbreaker and jacket liner.  At least my hands and legs were well insulated.  Also having a large windscreen helps.  I figured I would warm up in the central valley soon.

Coming down the mountains and into the valley, my luck ran out.  It was foggy in the valley, visibility was down to 500' just north of Buttonwillow junction.  I forged on, getting gas at CA-46 - 154 miles from my house.  The Connie is more comfortable than the ZRX for these rides - I can go up to 200 miles without stopping, unlike 120 for the ZRX.  This made for a faster ride, since I only got gas 6 times.

So it was I-5 to I-580 to I-680.  The sun was peeking through the haze when I got to Danville at 9:50.  It never really cleared up all day, but at least the temps were over over 70.  I had my $4 for the toll collector ready in a baggie - I raided the change jar for some of it - so it was a quick breeze through the tollbooth.  After the bridge, I-680 merges onto I-80.  Turning north in Vacaville on I-505, I reached I-5 again and made it to the turn around point on the south side of Red Bluff.  It was 12:30.  512 miles done, just 498 to get home.

Back on the bike, I headed south on I-5, then east on US-50 to CA-99 South.  I found the new Squeeze Inn in Galt.  Like the original, it is not on the beaten path, sitting in a small industrial park a short distance off the freeway.  Also like the original, it was packed.  Since it is bigger, I was able to sit at the counter immediately and place my order (Squeeze w/cheese, small fries, and an ice tea).  The burger arrived after the usual wait and it was as good as the original.  45 minutes after arriving, I was on my way again.

Since I  still had some gas in the tank, I pushed on south, waiting to get gas at the last possible moment.  That moment was Modesto, 202 miles from Red Bluff.  Next gas was at the Flying J just north of Bakersfield (190 miles), leaving 106 miles remaining on the ride.  I got my receipt at the Chevron station to mark the end point time, and then was unpacking the bike at 8:47.

Feb 20, 2009 - My certificate came in the mail today.  WooHoo!