45 Days on a Gen3 Hayabusa - 2023 Pashnit Touring
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All the houses along this stretch of levee are on stilts or elevated earthen platforms, while levee breaks are rare, they had one locally on the nearby Consumes River a few weeks ago just a few miles from here. State and local agencies currently budget $30 million each year to maintain the 1,600 miles of levees in the Central Valley, although pundits argue we should be spending upwards of $130 million annually to meet current federal standards.
What 1600 miles of levees look like:
The water you see here is higher than the farmland that lines the other side of the levee.
What 1600 miles of levees look like:
The water you see here is higher than the farmland that lines the other side of the levee.
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Along the river is the historic town of Locke.
In 1970, Locke was added to the registry of national historical places, by the Sacramento County Historical Society, because of its unique status as the only town in the United States built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese. The influence of the Chinese is still evident today and the original buildings are still standing, although the one in the center of town appears to be falling over into the street and has been this way for many years. Tin Sin Chan founded Locke, 23 miles south of Sacramento, when he erected the first building, a saloon, in 1912. The historical marker in Locke reads: Founded in 1912, by Tin Sin Chan, on this site. This unique Chinese community grew rapidly after a fire destroyed the Chinese section of Walnut Grove in 1915.
That's it. This is the entire town.
At one time, Locke had a population of 1,500, with a theater, hotel, school, church, nine grocery stores, six restaurants, a bakery, lodge, and post office. The entire town is Chinese architecture and the original buildings are still standing. Locke's residents contributed greatly to the development of levees in the Sacramento Delta.
Despite their contributions, much animosity faced the Chinese, and they were forbidden to own land. The Chinese could not vote or gain citizenship until 1943, ironically, while their neighbors the Japanese were rounded up and sent to war internment camps across the western United States like Manzanar War Internment Camp starting in 1942.
In 1970, Locke was added to the registry of national historical places, by the Sacramento County Historical Society, because of its unique status as the only town in the United States built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese. The influence of the Chinese is still evident today and the original buildings are still standing, although the one in the center of town appears to be falling over into the street and has been this way for many years. Tin Sin Chan founded Locke, 23 miles south of Sacramento, when he erected the first building, a saloon, in 1912. The historical marker in Locke reads: Founded in 1912, by Tin Sin Chan, on this site. This unique Chinese community grew rapidly after a fire destroyed the Chinese section of Walnut Grove in 1915.
That's it. This is the entire town.
At one time, Locke had a population of 1,500, with a theater, hotel, school, church, nine grocery stores, six restaurants, a bakery, lodge, and post office. The entire town is Chinese architecture and the original buildings are still standing. Locke's residents contributed greatly to the development of levees in the Sacramento Delta.
Despite their contributions, much animosity faced the Chinese, and they were forbidden to own land. The Chinese could not vote or gain citizenship until 1943, ironically, while their neighbors the Japanese were rounded up and sent to war internment camps across the western United States like Manzanar War Internment Camp starting in 1942.
Alleys in between the buildings. The town is built up against the back of the levee.
The top of the stairs is level with the top of the levee, so the main street in the town is below the level of the water a few feet away.
This building is leaning so much, it looks like it's going to fall over. But it's been this way for years.
20 years ago visiting Locke. Not much has changed.
The top of the stairs is level with the top of the levee, so the main street in the town is below the level of the water a few feet away.
This building is leaning so much, it looks like it's going to fall over. But it's been this way for years.
20 years ago visiting Locke. Not much has changed.
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In 1915, when parts of nearby Walnut Grove burned down rendering the Chinese homeless, rancher George Locke leased parts of his ranch to the Chinese and the town of Locke took hold of permanence along the levee. The Chinese that migrated the short distance to Locke wanted to create a riverboat and train destination. But tourists in 1915 avoided Chinese communities.
Locke would instead become "California's Monte Carlo" with 5 gambling halls, 5 brothels, speakeasies, and several opium dens.
In the present day, Locke is a rundown ramshackle wonderment. The narrow streets are barely wide enough for two vehicles, and second story open balconies line the narrow streets. At its peak, 1500 people lived in Locke, today an estimated 75 permanent residents live here.
The Dai Loy Museum in the center of town was a gambling hall until the 1950s, when officials closed its doors. Prior to the 1950s, Pai Ngow, Fan Tan gamblers and the Chinese lottery using 80 Chinese characters were the games of chance that were popular among Chinese.
Locke would instead become "California's Monte Carlo" with 5 gambling halls, 5 brothels, speakeasies, and several opium dens.
In the present day, Locke is a rundown ramshackle wonderment. The narrow streets are barely wide enough for two vehicles, and second story open balconies line the narrow streets. At its peak, 1500 people lived in Locke, today an estimated 75 permanent residents live here.
The Dai Loy Museum in the center of town was a gambling hall until the 1950s, when officials closed its doors. Prior to the 1950s, Pai Ngow, Fan Tan gamblers and the Chinese lottery using 80 Chinese characters were the games of chance that were popular among Chinese.
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The sun was setting, and I didn't want to be atop the levee road after dark. I had to night ride a couple of hours south to make it to the meet point for the ride.
Cruise control and the heated grips are welcome additions while temps dipped into the 40s.
Group meeting in the tiny Central Valley farming community of Chowchilla. It's wet and cold. Temps in the 40s. But clear blue skies and no rain predicted.
Danny is one of my newest converts, He did his very first tour with us last year and one ride, and he is hooked.
Previously tour he was on a Z400 and not happy with the bike. Change is required.
He showed up for this tour on a new bike. Always been a fan of non-traditional bikes being used for sport-touring.
And the usual suspects, of course
Danny is one of my newest converts, He did his very first tour with us last year and one ride, and he is hooked.
Previously tour he was on a Z400 and not happy with the bike. Change is required.
He showed up for this tour on a new bike. Always been a fan of non-traditional bikes being used for sport-touring.
And the usual suspects, of course
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This guy. Randy came on a tour 15 years ago, and has been coming back ever since.
I've lost track, but he says he's ridden over 40 tours with me. Probably more.
Chowchilla is flat and surrounded in farm fields, and trains.
And these guys constantly buzzing overhead. Crop dusters.
I've lost track, but he says he's ridden over 40 tours with me. Probably more.
Chowchilla is flat and surrounded in farm fields, and trains.
And these guys constantly buzzing overhead. Crop dusters.
We need to escape all this flat land. The Sierra Nevada Range is far off in the distance.
The concern with this ride was the question of closed roads from all the flooding. I can look up the major roads to see if they're open. But the backroads, it's all hit or miss. It didn't take us long to find the first one.
The Central Valley is a giant grid square of roads so you're on your own to detour around the closed road.
And if you are of a certain age, this should remind you of the Dukes of Hazard. The Duke Boys never cared about closed roads.
The concern with this ride was the question of closed roads from all the flooding. I can look up the major roads to see if they're open. But the backroads, it's all hit or miss. It didn't take us long to find the first one.
The Central Valley is a giant grid square of roads so you're on your own to detour around the closed road.
And if you are of a certain age, this should remind you of the Dukes of Hazard. The Duke Boys never cared about closed roads.
Friant Dam & Millerton Reservoir
Still a wee bit chilly out. The kids needed a break to warm up.
Remember the rule, there's no such thing as a cold rider, only an unprepared rider.
The plan is to slowly weave south along the base of the Sierra Nevada Range. But we have to stay under 4000 ft to stay below the snow line.
Still a wee bit chilly out. The kids needed a break to warm up.
Remember the rule, there's no such thing as a cold rider, only an unprepared rider.
The plan is to slowly weave south along the base of the Sierra Nevada Range. But we have to stay under 4000 ft to stay below the snow line.
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I have one of those, and as it's great offroad, any distance on road, or anything over 45mph cruising isn't much fun.
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And if you are of a certain age, this should remind you of the Dukes of Hazard. The Duke Boys never cared about closed roads.
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Danny is lovin' the new Ducati. Much better choice for this type of riding than his old Z400.
Bruce is a Victory guy, and been taking his Victory on these tours for the last 10 years. He bought a Goldwing thinking he could ride with his wife. She's been on it twice.
Gary signed up for every tour I'm offering this year. I'll just do all of them, he says.
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