The last time I had made the loop up to the Lick Observatory I was still an Indiana resident and actually still in high school.  I had come out for a visit to see my family during the summer.  When we went down to Santa Clara to see my aunt and uncle we took a trip up there.  I remember the drive up more than I remembered the Observatory as I was with my uncle in their Audi while my aunt and grandma were in my Grandma's car.  It kind of let Uncle Mike and I... cut loose.

20 years later and I'm now living in California and I had put off taking the ride up there for... well, ever.  I had heard that the road was a pain in the ass.  Some referring to it as "My own little slice of hell".  I had meant to get up there on several occasions, just never managed to make it happen.  

Today, as part of a memorial ride for a friend of a friend I finally made the ride up.  Wow!  They weren't kidding when they said it was a slice of hell!  I can tell the road would be a great technical road, if it wasn't for the chipseal.  Yes, wonderful chipseal.  If you're unfamiliar with it, it's basically putting gravel on top of the pavement and some chemicals to hold the gravel in place.  It's meant as a cheap way to resurface a road, and that it is.  The problem is that it leaves loose and fine gravel ALL over the place.  Just imagine how much of a pain that is when you're on a road that has tight 180+ degree blind turns and on 2 wheels.

I will say that I would LOVE that road if it wasn't for the slipping and sliding I did all the way up the mountain on my stiff suspension FZ-1.  I should definitely soften that up if I take that ride again.  Track suspension on a goat trail, not such a good thing.

But this view made it all worth it!