The Lost Coast: My First Twisted Road Motorcycle Rental

If you have lived in a place like Phoenix, you know there comes a point at which it’s just too hot to ride. That's exactly how I was feeling this June. Nearly three months into a global lockdown, riding had become my socially-distanced activity of choice for many reasons — one of them being my F650 GS Adventure bike, though it was slowly becoming intolerable to operate in the triple-digit Arizona heat.

As I lamented this over a chat with a friend in San Francisco, he revealed to me that he had just picked up a KTM790 Adventure R to cope with lockdown in his city. I instantly began planning out a motorcycle trip in my head: flights, time-off, and finally, a great reason to try out Twisted Road.

I started piecing it together, found the bike I wanted, a 2019 BMW G310GS adventure bike which would fit right in where we wanted to go, booked my flights for next to nothing (the pandemic had brought the prices down), and the trip was all set.

Arriving in Oakland

Fast forward two weeks. I get on the plane at Sky Harbor and fly to Oakland, to be greeted by a two-wheeled Uber of sorts: my friend on his KTM. We met up with fellow Twisted Road member Matthew to pick up my ride, took a picture, and off we went into the windy night. The wind shear on the Oakland Bay Bridge was so strong, the only solution seemed to be to ride faster and stay low to avoid being pulled off the bridge. Even with 14 years of riding experience, I found this both technically challenging and nerve wracking.

Going Off-the-Grid

The next day involved navigating traffic to get over the Golden Gate Bridge, which was nearly blocked off by protesters. Then we rode through a few hills in the Marin Headlands and up the coastal US 1 to Fort Bragg. We arrived late, locating an off-grid friend camped in a Sprinter somewhere along a fire road (Gate 666 specifically; not sure if that was coincidental), and spent the night in a dense second growth redwood forest with just the supplies in our panniers. That day alone might be the most memorable motorcycle road trip any of us had ever taken.

The following morning, we took a few winding roads until we came to a fork leading off the public paved road, toward the region known as the Lost Coast — a secret stretch of coastline known for its inaccessibility and rugged beauty. The trickiest part about those one-lane dirt roads is not knowing when a Jeep might cross your path. After the beach, traffic became quite sparse. In fact, we didn't see another vehicle the rest of the evening.

COVID-19 Foils Lodging Plans

We made it to Shelter Harbor which was firmly on lockdown and not accepting any guests. A nearby campground accommodated and we were fortunate enough to find some other travelers for company. As this was a destination motorcycle trip, I grew acutely anxious about making it back to Oakland for my return flight the following day. Not having a cell signal for a full 24-hours gave me p plenty of time to dwell on that unanswered check-in email from the airline.

In the morning, we rolled out at 8:00, stopping to give the bike a quick wash in town and pick up our last trip meal at Deb’s Great American Hamburger (one of TripAdvisor's 10 Best Restaurants Near Briceland Vineyards) in Redway, a town in Humboldt County. Once you go north of Sacramento, California really changes; desert farmland gives way to temperate rainforest and city life gives way to logger life.

Racing Against the Clock, But Ease of Moto Drop-off Helps

Cruising south, we took Highway 101 to make up some time. The 300cc motorcycle actually broke 96mph which is impressive for its displacement. I still prefer those winding roads for adventure riding, but of course we were pressed to beat the traffic. Dropping the bike off was the only thing faster than picking it up. I did not previously think I would ride that far, that quickly, yet so comfortably.

Twisted Road gave me the opportunity to ride in a very different place with no hassle. In a world where time is the primary limiting factor that governs our lives, apps like Twisted Road and motorcycle owners like Matthew make amazing experiences possible.