Bugnatr
Well-known member
Announcing a summer gathering for 2014. JULY 10-13 Mr Beemerdon, myself and a few others from here and the other sandbox have come up with an idea for a get together on the left coast in affordable Sparks, Nevada (next to Reno). Just minutes away from all the fun roads and passes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, both above and below Lake Tahoe.
Think of it.... Feather River Canyon, Yuba, Ebbets, Monitor , Sonora Passes plus Yosemite. Gerlach is an easy day ride if you want to visit the Iron Butt Memorial.
Summer can be warm in Sparks but the riding is way cool up in the Sierra's. There are many here who know Northern California has some of the best twisty roads on the planet. I'm sure we will have plenty of posted routes and even some goat trails for Old Michael long before the event.
P.S. We have shopping too, Scheels is almost next door and a Cabela's on the other side of Reno.
Come join us at the Western Village Inn and Cassino
All the info here: https://www.westernvillagesparks.com/
It's clean and affordable. Just book you room and we can all meet up at the Casino, parking lot etc. as it's not a huge mega casino.
$49 Sunday-Thursday These are the internet booking prices only. They will be10 more per night if you call in your reservation
$79 Friday-Saturday Book now as rates will be higher by next summer, you can always cancel 24 hours ahead
Rates are per night, based on single/double occupancy. Washoe County room tax is 13.5%. There is no resort fee or any additional service charge.
Heck, they even have a fake lake to walk around in the evening. Gas, stores are all right there. Easy on and off I-80 one block away.
There are no event fees, prizes or t shirts. Just good people on motorcycles having fun while terrorizing the locals.
I wonder who will ride the farthest to join us.
I will be posting ride routes through the winter for your riding pleasure.
RR Museum route
https://goo.gl/maps/G0M1G This route includes hwy 49 from Nevada City to Sierra City so you can enjoy riding along the Yuba River Canyon on your way to Portola where you can visit the Western Pacific Railroad Museum https://www.wplives.org/ This is a working museum so expect the smell of grease, oils and diesel, ahh... a manly museum. If you are a train buff or just enjoy looking at the old iron this is worth a visit. You can even drive a locomotive like I did with my family years ago. Easy day ride with plenty of time for a visit to the RR museum.
La Porte Rd.
https://goo.gl/maps/3SynQ This route again will have you riding through Nevada City and part of highway 49 before you turn toward Bullards Bar Dam (a mere 635 foot dam) where the road takes you across the dam on your way to La Porte Rd. From the tiny town of La Porte to you will ride a couple miles where you will turn right on the La Porte - Quincy road,This is a really fun road with little to no traffic,a good time to open up the Feejeer on some sweet sweepers before it drops down the other side of the Sierra's to highway 89 . There is darn good chance you will want to ride this section 2 times as it is just so damn much fun.
Be sure to back down the pace as you head down the east side as there are some real tight downhill turns that have sucked in many a rider, even a few of our own. The views are worth a slower pace anyway. You can return to Sparks via Truckee or a shorter route is Hwy 70 to 395 into Reno
Bucks Lake/Antelope Lake
https://goo.gl/maps/UZX4B Bucks Lake Rd. is a favorite for many riders in Northern Ca. You will want to get an early start to beat the heat of the lower elevations of Marysville Rd. but once you cross Lake Oroville's beautiful suspension bridge the road climbs back up the hill.Be prepared for some great sections of uphill twisties on the way to Bucks Lake.
The road near Antelope Lake gets a bit narrow and no center line but is paved to 395. Some real nice country up there so a relaxed pace is the way to go. By the time you get to Quincy and are not up to another hour and a half to get to 395 then just head back to Sparks from Quincy.
Mt. Lassen Nat. Park
https://goo.gl/maps/yOLwc Mt. Lassen was the last active volcano in California around 1914. This is a nice relaxed day riding the high country with the wonderful sights and sounds of mud pits and hot springs. Also riding by Lake Almanor is very pleasant on your return ride to Sparks.
On a warm summer day it's nice to be up around 9,000 feet on Mt. Lassen.
Iron Butt Memorial
https://goo.gl/maps/FNuP9 Just north of Gerlach is county road 34 at the Y. Turn right and within a few miles is a dirt road on your left with a small sign " Guru Lane" . The IB Memorial is at the beginning of Guru Lane and across from the Black Rock Desert.
Now go back to the Y and turn right on 447. This is a nice quiet desert road where some have been know to stretch the Feejeers legs a bit plus the Surprise Valley into Cedarville along the Warren Mts. is very nice. Gas and food are in Cedarville. The road over to 395 is nice too but from 395 to Sparks isn't that exciting so I would just turn around at 395 and ride back to Sparks if you wish.
Gerlach to 395 is a Northern Nevada favorite road for me.
More routes below Lake Tahoe from Uber the kul.
Doug asked I post up a few rides south of Hwy 88. I just threw these together so please don't crash into the farmhouse 100' off the main road if the GPS directs you that way.
All these rides and a few gas/food stops can be downloaded in this GPX file.
Little Dog Ride.
This one takes you south to Monitor Pass down to Sonora Pass then up to Ebbetts Pass and back through Virginia City 364 miles and the perfect sample platter. GPX download link.
Big Dog Ride.
Not quite the Big Dogs of NAFO past but still a good chunk of prime real estate. This could take longer than the the 553 miles would indicate with weekend traffic. Fast run down 395 with a little diversion on the way down over Monitor Pass to Hwy 120 Tioga Pass through Tuolumne Meadows up Hwy 49 to Hwy 108 over Sonora Pass and back up Hwy 395. GPX download link.
ADV Lite.
Paved all the way but no painted lines on a few of these less traveled paths. Watch for wildlife, rock fall and BMW GS's. A good way to see the majority of Lake Tahoe. GPX download link.
Have fun!
Think of it.... Feather River Canyon, Yuba, Ebbets, Monitor , Sonora Passes plus Yosemite. Gerlach is an easy day ride if you want to visit the Iron Butt Memorial.
Summer can be warm in Sparks but the riding is way cool up in the Sierra's. There are many here who know Northern California has some of the best twisty roads on the planet. I'm sure we will have plenty of posted routes and even some goat trails for Old Michael long before the event.
P.S. We have shopping too, Scheels is almost next door and a Cabela's on the other side of Reno.
Come join us at the Western Village Inn and Cassino
All the info here: https://www.westernvillagesparks.com/
It's clean and affordable. Just book you room and we can all meet up at the Casino, parking lot etc. as it's not a huge mega casino.
$49 Sunday-Thursday These are the internet booking prices only. They will be10 more per night if you call in your reservation
$79 Friday-Saturday Book now as rates will be higher by next summer, you can always cancel 24 hours ahead
Rates are per night, based on single/double occupancy. Washoe County room tax is 13.5%. There is no resort fee or any additional service charge.
Heck, they even have a fake lake to walk around in the evening. Gas, stores are all right there. Easy on and off I-80 one block away.
There are no event fees, prizes or t shirts. Just good people on motorcycles having fun while terrorizing the locals.
I wonder who will ride the farthest to join us.
I will be posting ride routes through the winter for your riding pleasure.
RR Museum route
https://goo.gl/maps/G0M1G This route includes hwy 49 from Nevada City to Sierra City so you can enjoy riding along the Yuba River Canyon on your way to Portola where you can visit the Western Pacific Railroad Museum https://www.wplives.org/ This is a working museum so expect the smell of grease, oils and diesel, ahh... a manly museum. If you are a train buff or just enjoy looking at the old iron this is worth a visit. You can even drive a locomotive like I did with my family years ago. Easy day ride with plenty of time for a visit to the RR museum.
La Porte Rd.
https://goo.gl/maps/3SynQ This route again will have you riding through Nevada City and part of highway 49 before you turn toward Bullards Bar Dam (a mere 635 foot dam) where the road takes you across the dam on your way to La Porte Rd. From the tiny town of La Porte to you will ride a couple miles where you will turn right on the La Porte - Quincy road,This is a really fun road with little to no traffic,a good time to open up the Feejeer on some sweet sweepers before it drops down the other side of the Sierra's to highway 89 . There is darn good chance you will want to ride this section 2 times as it is just so damn much fun.
Be sure to back down the pace as you head down the east side as there are some real tight downhill turns that have sucked in many a rider, even a few of our own. The views are worth a slower pace anyway. You can return to Sparks via Truckee or a shorter route is Hwy 70 to 395 into Reno
Bucks Lake/Antelope Lake
https://goo.gl/maps/UZX4B Bucks Lake Rd. is a favorite for many riders in Northern Ca. You will want to get an early start to beat the heat of the lower elevations of Marysville Rd. but once you cross Lake Oroville's beautiful suspension bridge the road climbs back up the hill.Be prepared for some great sections of uphill twisties on the way to Bucks Lake.
The road near Antelope Lake gets a bit narrow and no center line but is paved to 395. Some real nice country up there so a relaxed pace is the way to go. By the time you get to Quincy and are not up to another hour and a half to get to 395 then just head back to Sparks from Quincy.
Mt. Lassen Nat. Park
https://goo.gl/maps/yOLwc Mt. Lassen was the last active volcano in California around 1914. This is a nice relaxed day riding the high country with the wonderful sights and sounds of mud pits and hot springs. Also riding by Lake Almanor is very pleasant on your return ride to Sparks.
On a warm summer day it's nice to be up around 9,000 feet on Mt. Lassen.
Iron Butt Memorial
https://goo.gl/maps/FNuP9 Just north of Gerlach is county road 34 at the Y. Turn right and within a few miles is a dirt road on your left with a small sign " Guru Lane" . The IB Memorial is at the beginning of Guru Lane and across from the Black Rock Desert.
Now go back to the Y and turn right on 447. This is a nice quiet desert road where some have been know to stretch the Feejeers legs a bit plus the Surprise Valley into Cedarville along the Warren Mts. is very nice. Gas and food are in Cedarville. The road over to 395 is nice too but from 395 to Sparks isn't that exciting so I would just turn around at 395 and ride back to Sparks if you wish.
Gerlach to 395 is a Northern Nevada favorite road for me.
More routes below Lake Tahoe from Uber the kul.
Doug asked I post up a few rides south of Hwy 88. I just threw these together so please don't crash into the farmhouse 100' off the main road if the GPS directs you that way.
All these rides and a few gas/food stops can be downloaded in this GPX file.
Little Dog Ride.
This one takes you south to Monitor Pass down to Sonora Pass then up to Ebbetts Pass and back through Virginia City 364 miles and the perfect sample platter. GPX download link.
Big Dog Ride.
Not quite the Big Dogs of NAFO past but still a good chunk of prime real estate. This could take longer than the the 553 miles would indicate with weekend traffic. Fast run down 395 with a little diversion on the way down over Monitor Pass to Hwy 120 Tioga Pass through Tuolumne Meadows up Hwy 49 to Hwy 108 over Sonora Pass and back up Hwy 395. GPX download link.
ADV Lite.
Paved all the way but no painted lines on a few of these less traveled paths. Watch for wildlife, rock fall and BMW GS's. A good way to see the majority of Lake Tahoe. GPX download link.
Have fun!
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