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The Perfect Fall Ride
By: Ken Hattan
The weather forecast was perfect so I planned a 5 day ride to Northern California. The roads that I would be riding were both roads I had done before and new roads that looked interesting or others had recommended.
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Day 1 :mellow:
Day 1 was the basic ride to Southern California. I chose a route that I have done many times so there wasn't anything new. The first leg was down I-5 to Eugene where I cut across on Beltline Hwy to W. 11th and then west about 1.5 miles and turned onto Crow Rd. a very nice country road. Left onto Territorial Hwy and then the first right on Wolf Creek Rd. This is always a treat and a road I consider one of the best technical twisty roads in Oregon, and that is in great shape. This road turns into BLM roads and eventually ends up as Smith River Rd. The road provides plenty of great scenery along both the Siuslaw and Smith River with neat cuts in the mountains exposing walls of rock, a gentle waterfall with a campground, suspension bridge, nice barns and a real nice 4 mile section of tight single lane twisties. Very little traffic so the ride is brisk and the there was time to stop and take pictures.
The road ends up at Reedsport where I turned right onto Hwy 101. The weather was nice but the temperature was hanging around 54 degrees. I left on the electrics as the coastal air is damp and 54 really feel like 48.
Pic: Wolf Creek Road: Click for pictures:
I stopped at Coos Bay to fill up with gas and then stopped at Bandon Dunes Resort to take picture of my latest project. Back on Hwy 101 all the way to Crescent City, CA. The Eugene to Reedsport leg was the most scenic and interesting, and I am very thankful that it wasn't the end of my ride.
About two miles out of Crescent City I come up on a semi making a left turn. I am following a pickup and there are cars following me. This section of road has road construction and we all had just left a pilot car lead passage through one of the construction sites. Well, there wasn't anything unusual about this situation, and for some reason I didn't pull around and pass the pickup and truck on the right. I thought about it, but there wasn't any real hurry, so I pulled up slighting on the right side of my lane, just incase I make the move. About 30 seconds later there is a big crash behind me, I look into the right mirror and see a small subcompact shoot out into the oncoming traffic, then another crash, a Ford Explorer crashes into the white LTD right behind me. My brain says I have time to pop the clutch and accelerate to the right of the vehicle in front of me, but the bike doesn't move as I somehow killed the engine. Thank you mister in the LTD who had the good sense to steer his car around me as the crash force pushed him forward. When the sub compact scooted into the oncoming lane, a yellow mid sized pickup dodged him by driving off the road into the ditch. It was interesting in that the open space between the white car and the red Explorer was where I had been stopped. The lady driving the Explorer was hysterical, the guy in the subcompact was out cold and the person in the yellow pickup couldn't get out of the tuck. First on the scene was the fire department with two trucks, then a CHP arrived, all within about 10 minutes. Everybody waited for the policeman to take care of business. Only the pickup driver and I move our vehicles away from the center of the road. I was lucky in that I was first to give my statement to the officer, and he let me go, so the whole thing only took up about 25 minutes.
I am thankful that the guy in the white car had sense of mind to avoid me. Somehow the bullet missed me. Nothing as exciting as that occurred on the rest of the trip, but I was out to attack mountain twisties and experience a different excitement. I ended the evening by getting a room at the Econolodge and getting some Thai takeout and retired for the evening. I rode from Sun up to Sun down and actually got a sunset picture in Crescent City.
Pic: Sunset at Crescent City:
Map: Day 1: click here
Day 2
The dew on the windshield made it easy to just wipe off the bugs from day 1 and to also wipe down the bike with an old rag. Leaving the motel about on time, I made my way out of Crescent City on Hwy 101. Love those bears at the entrance to the bridge over the Klamath River, and have since I was a little boy. The plan was to stop for breakfast in the mountains, but I stopped too many times to water the bushes and take pictures as I rode south. The coastline was foggy over the water and in the low lands, so it was cold. I saw one Elk grassing on some ones lawn. The neighbor said they are there every morning. At least a 6/7 point Bull.
After breakfast I turned onto Hwy 299. Now I like this road as it provides all the ingredients to make for a special ride. Mountains, curvy road with some really tight twisty stuff, canyons, rocks, interesting towns and changes in vegetation. I am riding the PACE and not a very fast one, but for me, the ride will be climaxed near French Gulch or W-iskeytown with a 5 mile down hill twisties. These curves usually get me to make a U turn and add a few more miles doing them again and again. I confess, I did it again; I had to, as I got stuck behind a truck doing the curves at the speed posted on the signs. Luckily, the trip back up and down was free from traffic. WAHOOO. :yahoo:
I made it through Redding with out any trouble and headed out of town on Hwy 44. The temperature had gone from 45 at the coast to 85 in Redding; and I'm now down to the wicking tights and long sleeve shirt under my Cortec jacket and pants. I make a right turn on Black Butte Rd. to take a short cut over to Hwy 36. After missed a turn on Wildcat Rd. I made a stop at a roadside corral to take a leak. Working with the GPS I figured I made a right (straight) turn on Wildcat Rd., which put me, heading west instead of south. Back on route, through some nice tight twisties, grabbed a barn picture, and ended up on the wrong road but made it to Hwy 36 by only adding about 13 miles to the intended route. I have got to get a map, as trying to do this from memory tends to make for a longer trip, but maybe more interesting results.
I stopped in Chester to get gas, this was a few miles out of my way but my gas mileage has taken a turn to the worse. I have been traveling around 70 mph which usually get me around 48+ mpg, but it appears I'm only getting around 40 mpg. The recent turn up has the vibration at 5,000 rpm up and the bike seems rougher at 80-85+mph. I hit a rock on Hwy36 and that didn't help the sense of things being out of whack. At the gas stop I put the bike on the center stand and checked it out. The front looked fine, but I found a nail in the brand new rear tire (800m). I pulled the bike over to the air tank and proceeded to install a plug. The sticky worm type. I think it will last until the tire wears out or at least I will run it that long.
With the extra miles on the French Gulch section, being lost on Wildcat Rd. and having to fix a rear tire I added another 40 minutes to my already 20 min. behind schedule, so not wanting to riding down Hwy 49 in the dark I settled in at Quincy for the night. I even put the bike undercover for the night.
I knew tomorrow would be interesting, temperature wise, because the heater was on and off all night. 2 days: 33.1 mph average - 55.3 mph moving speed – 737 miles for 2 days.
Map: Day 2, click here
Day 3 :biggrinsmiley:
Did I say that the plan was to ride to Sierra City on Day 2? Well, that was the plan, but do to the delays and staying at Quincy for the night I woke up to 30 degrees and not much desire in taking off, so I pooped around until 8:30 am before getting on the bike. The Sun was up, but it still was cold as I headed out of town. The scenery was grand, and the cold dry mountain air seamed to scream speed. Speed and cold don't really mix so I just cranked it up to 70 and left it there.
At Graeagle I hung a left onto Gold Lake Hwy, and started climbing. The temperature also started to climb. Nice gentle curves all the way to Hwy 49. Hwy 49 has always been one of my favorite rides in the area near Reno and Lake Tahoe with its repetitive curves mixed in with tight twisties, making for a broken rhythm in the ride. The temperature had climbed to 57 by the time I got to Sierra City, my intended overnight location, 70 at Nevada City and 75 at Grass Valley. 49 did not disappoint and I really enjoyed the tight windy twisty road all the way to Nevada City where I turned onto Hwy 20. I stopped in Grass Valley and finished off the Subway sandwich left over from the night before, checked the tire pressure and took a break. From there I headed west to Clear Lake.
On the West side of Clear Lake is a section of road about 17 miles long with approximately 11.5 miles of really tight twisty mountain curves. The road is Hwy 175 between Lakeport and Hopland. The road did not disappoint and I really was into the riding at this point, finding my line and hitting the corners at just the right speed and coming out of each curve lined up for the next curve. Most of the turns are 15-20 with a few at 25 and 30. There was plenty of traffic but the people on this day most likely were locals, would move over for the motorcycle. At the bottom of the mountain you enter wine country with winery after winery and the smell of fermenting grapes.
I jumped on Hwy 101 and headed south to try another new road to me that would take me over to Hwy 1. This road is called Stewarts Point Skaggs Spring Rd. You kind of have to find it first. Off of 101 you take Dutcher Creek Rd then right on Dry Creek Rd. then with a left on to SPSSR. The road is very nice for the first 15 miles, with wide lanes and as I recall, lots of repetitive 25mph corners, over and over again. Very easy to start dragging pegs. It was like the highway department had a template and just repeated the corners by flipping the template over and over again. What a gas that stretch was! I loved it. The second half of this road gets a little tighter and not quite as fast but still nice. Then the roads turns into one lane that takes you through Redwood Forests up and down 10-15 degree slopes. Each step of the way the temperature dropped 10 degrees. It was 85 when I got off Hwy 101 and ended up 55 at Stewarts Point. What fun, I loved the whole thing, with all its changes and will definitely make this ride again.
On Hwy 1 I headed north to Fort Bragg where I was planning on putting up for the night. The coastline was damp and cold with low clouds and I was more interested in getting a nice room then checking out Sea Ranch. That I will do another day. I stayed at the Super 8 and ate at the surrounded restaurant, but it was only just food. 38.5 avg.mph – 53.2 avg. moving mph – 1121 miles total. Superb day.
Map: Day 3, click here
Day 4 :biggrinsmiley:
For some reason, I didn't get off in the morning until 9:30am. What's with that? Well it was drizzling and in the 40's. A little cooler than I had researched 8 days ago, and there wasn't any sun. I was hoping to be riding in the Sun, after all this was California. After filling up with the most expensive gas on the trip, I headed north on Hwy 1. 1 is fun in an "on again" "off again" way, but until you get to Union Landing or Hardy, you haven't experienced how much fun. 22 miles of FUN, FUN, FUN, very intense corners and redwoods and coastal vegetation. Hard to take it all in when you are "one" with the bike and road. (*****) Five Star rating.
I turned left on Hwy 101 and headed for Hwy 254, "Avenue of the Giants Hwy. This, I believe is old hwy 101, the one I remember from when I was a kid, teenager and young adult making my first road trip in a 1957 DKW. I stopped and had breakfast at the Eternal Tree Café, which was completely deserted. Hwy 254 should always be taken when you are on your motorcycle traveling north or south as it is just one of those roads that represents the finest in engineering with soul or spirit. Now days you would call it Green, as the trees come right up to the Asphalt. You will find some of your own spirit when you travel this road. After 254, I got back on 101 and headed to Alton or the beginning of Hwy 36.
Hwy 36 appeared different from the last time I took it. Much more interesting this time with a smoother road, a little more traffic, more redwood forests, river etc, but maybe that's because I remember the section east of Hwy 3 more. It still has the single lane section that is real twisty and carves up the side of the mountain with a deep canyon on one side. Don't look down, as the next turn is only 50 feet away from the last one. 36 was one of the main reasons to do this ride, and it lived up to the part where if you want a road that does it all, Hwy 36 is that road. Tight and twisty, sweepers, easy short straights, smooth, bumpy, coastal vegetation, redwoods, Douglas firs, oaks, maples, grassy hillsides, green, yellow, brown, rocks, rivers, etc. Damn, am I having fun.
A left turn onto Hwy 3 put an end to the sweepers and we get back into repetitive 25mph corners just past Hayfork. I hadn't done this section of 3 before, so I didn't know what I was missing, but I am sure to be back for this happening again, even if it is just a quick side trip off Hwy 299 to Hayfork and back. On up to Weaverville on 299 for fuel and a right turn onto 3 again to take me north. The real twisty section just south of Callahan has been widen into two lanes, but still has killer-switch-backs that require you to look over your shoulder to look in the direction you need to go. One of those I kind-a went over the yellow, and I don't think I was doing 20mph. Kind of what I remembered from before.
At Fort Jones I turned left on to Scott River Rd., a recommendation from Bill Flannery, which cuts over to Hwy 96. I actually took Quartz Valley Rd. over to Scott River Rd. After doing this, I am with Bill; it is a lot of fun, but not for the weak or scaredy cats. This road is just plain beautiful winding through a couple high country valleys and then hugs the mountainside along the Scott River. People actually live along side this road! It turns into a single lane, about the size of your driveway, and is no fun when you meet the UPS truck coming the other way. Why, you ask? Because the UPS truck takes up the whole road. No shit. Your mind is always working, and checking as far down the road as you can see, at every opportunity. If you cut into the mountainside to catch a 10mph corner, you better have checked the road beyond for as you come back out of the turn you are immediately into the next one on the hillside. Careful, the drop off is very steep and starts at the edge of the pavement.
The road drops down to Hwy 96 at Steelhead. From there you have one of the best roads for high speed sweepers in the area and after those hillside twisties, it was beautiful, and so were the colors, river and good pavement. On to I-5 and a quick ride up to Ashland for the night. I stayed at the Knights Inn. They just put new mattresses in the rooms and they were good, the best on this trip. What a day, another fantastic ride and just out of this world roads. Too bad the highway department is going to straighten them out in the years to come. Avg. mph: 38.6 tot. – 52.7 moving – 1531.3 total miles. Map: Day 4, click here
Day 5 :mellowsmiley:
Easy day, just a little sight seeing trip as I will take in Crater Lake. I leave Ashland and take I-5 to Medford and then head out Hwy 62 to Crater Lake. I stopped at the Rogue Gorge to see what kind of excitement existed there and took some pictures. 62 from the junction with Hwy 230 is very nice sweepers all the way to the Park entrance.
A quick trip up to the Rim and around on the west side then down to Hwy 138. This used to be one of my favorite roads, but I have found others that I prefer. At Glide I crossed the river and continued to Wilbur on the County Rd. 200 or North Bank Rd. (?).On into Sutherlin for lunch, then back on I-5 to Home. Look at the Pictures. 39.2 – 54.0 – 1917 total miles. No map.
All the pictures: Click here.https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenhattan/sets/72157608500865885/
Map: Click for Map
By: Ken Hattan
The weather forecast was perfect so I planned a 5 day ride to Northern California. The roads that I would be riding were both roads I had done before and new roads that looked interesting or others had recommended.
[/FONT]
Day 1 :mellow:
Day 1 was the basic ride to Southern California. I chose a route that I have done many times so there wasn't anything new. The first leg was down I-5 to Eugene where I cut across on Beltline Hwy to W. 11th and then west about 1.5 miles and turned onto Crow Rd. a very nice country road. Left onto Territorial Hwy and then the first right on Wolf Creek Rd. This is always a treat and a road I consider one of the best technical twisty roads in Oregon, and that is in great shape. This road turns into BLM roads and eventually ends up as Smith River Rd. The road provides plenty of great scenery along both the Siuslaw and Smith River with neat cuts in the mountains exposing walls of rock, a gentle waterfall with a campground, suspension bridge, nice barns and a real nice 4 mile section of tight single lane twisties. Very little traffic so the ride is brisk and the there was time to stop and take pictures.
The road ends up at Reedsport where I turned right onto Hwy 101. The weather was nice but the temperature was hanging around 54 degrees. I left on the electrics as the coastal air is damp and 54 really feel like 48.
Pic: Wolf Creek Road: Click for pictures:
I stopped at Coos Bay to fill up with gas and then stopped at Bandon Dunes Resort to take picture of my latest project. Back on Hwy 101 all the way to Crescent City, CA. The Eugene to Reedsport leg was the most scenic and interesting, and I am very thankful that it wasn't the end of my ride.
About two miles out of Crescent City I come up on a semi making a left turn. I am following a pickup and there are cars following me. This section of road has road construction and we all had just left a pilot car lead passage through one of the construction sites. Well, there wasn't anything unusual about this situation, and for some reason I didn't pull around and pass the pickup and truck on the right. I thought about it, but there wasn't any real hurry, so I pulled up slighting on the right side of my lane, just incase I make the move. About 30 seconds later there is a big crash behind me, I look into the right mirror and see a small subcompact shoot out into the oncoming traffic, then another crash, a Ford Explorer crashes into the white LTD right behind me. My brain says I have time to pop the clutch and accelerate to the right of the vehicle in front of me, but the bike doesn't move as I somehow killed the engine. Thank you mister in the LTD who had the good sense to steer his car around me as the crash force pushed him forward. When the sub compact scooted into the oncoming lane, a yellow mid sized pickup dodged him by driving off the road into the ditch. It was interesting in that the open space between the white car and the red Explorer was where I had been stopped. The lady driving the Explorer was hysterical, the guy in the subcompact was out cold and the person in the yellow pickup couldn't get out of the tuck. First on the scene was the fire department with two trucks, then a CHP arrived, all within about 10 minutes. Everybody waited for the policeman to take care of business. Only the pickup driver and I move our vehicles away from the center of the road. I was lucky in that I was first to give my statement to the officer, and he let me go, so the whole thing only took up about 25 minutes.
I am thankful that the guy in the white car had sense of mind to avoid me. Somehow the bullet missed me. Nothing as exciting as that occurred on the rest of the trip, but I was out to attack mountain twisties and experience a different excitement. I ended the evening by getting a room at the Econolodge and getting some Thai takeout and retired for the evening. I rode from Sun up to Sun down and actually got a sunset picture in Crescent City.
Pic: Sunset at Crescent City:
Map: Day 1: click here
Day 2
The dew on the windshield made it easy to just wipe off the bugs from day 1 and to also wipe down the bike with an old rag. Leaving the motel about on time, I made my way out of Crescent City on Hwy 101. Love those bears at the entrance to the bridge over the Klamath River, and have since I was a little boy. The plan was to stop for breakfast in the mountains, but I stopped too many times to water the bushes and take pictures as I rode south. The coastline was foggy over the water and in the low lands, so it was cold. I saw one Elk grassing on some ones lawn. The neighbor said they are there every morning. At least a 6/7 point Bull.
After breakfast I turned onto Hwy 299. Now I like this road as it provides all the ingredients to make for a special ride. Mountains, curvy road with some really tight twisty stuff, canyons, rocks, interesting towns and changes in vegetation. I am riding the PACE and not a very fast one, but for me, the ride will be climaxed near French Gulch or W-iskeytown with a 5 mile down hill twisties. These curves usually get me to make a U turn and add a few more miles doing them again and again. I confess, I did it again; I had to, as I got stuck behind a truck doing the curves at the speed posted on the signs. Luckily, the trip back up and down was free from traffic. WAHOOO. :yahoo:
I made it through Redding with out any trouble and headed out of town on Hwy 44. The temperature had gone from 45 at the coast to 85 in Redding; and I'm now down to the wicking tights and long sleeve shirt under my Cortec jacket and pants. I make a right turn on Black Butte Rd. to take a short cut over to Hwy 36. After missed a turn on Wildcat Rd. I made a stop at a roadside corral to take a leak. Working with the GPS I figured I made a right (straight) turn on Wildcat Rd., which put me, heading west instead of south. Back on route, through some nice tight twisties, grabbed a barn picture, and ended up on the wrong road but made it to Hwy 36 by only adding about 13 miles to the intended route. I have got to get a map, as trying to do this from memory tends to make for a longer trip, but maybe more interesting results.
I stopped in Chester to get gas, this was a few miles out of my way but my gas mileage has taken a turn to the worse. I have been traveling around 70 mph which usually get me around 48+ mpg, but it appears I'm only getting around 40 mpg. The recent turn up has the vibration at 5,000 rpm up and the bike seems rougher at 80-85+mph. I hit a rock on Hwy36 and that didn't help the sense of things being out of whack. At the gas stop I put the bike on the center stand and checked it out. The front looked fine, but I found a nail in the brand new rear tire (800m). I pulled the bike over to the air tank and proceeded to install a plug. The sticky worm type. I think it will last until the tire wears out or at least I will run it that long.
With the extra miles on the French Gulch section, being lost on Wildcat Rd. and having to fix a rear tire I added another 40 minutes to my already 20 min. behind schedule, so not wanting to riding down Hwy 49 in the dark I settled in at Quincy for the night. I even put the bike undercover for the night.
I knew tomorrow would be interesting, temperature wise, because the heater was on and off all night. 2 days: 33.1 mph average - 55.3 mph moving speed – 737 miles for 2 days.
Map: Day 2, click here
Day 3 :biggrinsmiley:
Did I say that the plan was to ride to Sierra City on Day 2? Well, that was the plan, but do to the delays and staying at Quincy for the night I woke up to 30 degrees and not much desire in taking off, so I pooped around until 8:30 am before getting on the bike. The Sun was up, but it still was cold as I headed out of town. The scenery was grand, and the cold dry mountain air seamed to scream speed. Speed and cold don't really mix so I just cranked it up to 70 and left it there.
At Graeagle I hung a left onto Gold Lake Hwy, and started climbing. The temperature also started to climb. Nice gentle curves all the way to Hwy 49. Hwy 49 has always been one of my favorite rides in the area near Reno and Lake Tahoe with its repetitive curves mixed in with tight twisties, making for a broken rhythm in the ride. The temperature had climbed to 57 by the time I got to Sierra City, my intended overnight location, 70 at Nevada City and 75 at Grass Valley. 49 did not disappoint and I really enjoyed the tight windy twisty road all the way to Nevada City where I turned onto Hwy 20. I stopped in Grass Valley and finished off the Subway sandwich left over from the night before, checked the tire pressure and took a break. From there I headed west to Clear Lake.
On the West side of Clear Lake is a section of road about 17 miles long with approximately 11.5 miles of really tight twisty mountain curves. The road is Hwy 175 between Lakeport and Hopland. The road did not disappoint and I really was into the riding at this point, finding my line and hitting the corners at just the right speed and coming out of each curve lined up for the next curve. Most of the turns are 15-20 with a few at 25 and 30. There was plenty of traffic but the people on this day most likely were locals, would move over for the motorcycle. At the bottom of the mountain you enter wine country with winery after winery and the smell of fermenting grapes.
I jumped on Hwy 101 and headed south to try another new road to me that would take me over to Hwy 1. This road is called Stewarts Point Skaggs Spring Rd. You kind of have to find it first. Off of 101 you take Dutcher Creek Rd then right on Dry Creek Rd. then with a left on to SPSSR. The road is very nice for the first 15 miles, with wide lanes and as I recall, lots of repetitive 25mph corners, over and over again. Very easy to start dragging pegs. It was like the highway department had a template and just repeated the corners by flipping the template over and over again. What a gas that stretch was! I loved it. The second half of this road gets a little tighter and not quite as fast but still nice. Then the roads turns into one lane that takes you through Redwood Forests up and down 10-15 degree slopes. Each step of the way the temperature dropped 10 degrees. It was 85 when I got off Hwy 101 and ended up 55 at Stewarts Point. What fun, I loved the whole thing, with all its changes and will definitely make this ride again.
On Hwy 1 I headed north to Fort Bragg where I was planning on putting up for the night. The coastline was damp and cold with low clouds and I was more interested in getting a nice room then checking out Sea Ranch. That I will do another day. I stayed at the Super 8 and ate at the surrounded restaurant, but it was only just food. 38.5 avg.mph – 53.2 avg. moving mph – 1121 miles total. Superb day.
Map: Day 3, click here
Day 4 :biggrinsmiley:
For some reason, I didn't get off in the morning until 9:30am. What's with that? Well it was drizzling and in the 40's. A little cooler than I had researched 8 days ago, and there wasn't any sun. I was hoping to be riding in the Sun, after all this was California. After filling up with the most expensive gas on the trip, I headed north on Hwy 1. 1 is fun in an "on again" "off again" way, but until you get to Union Landing or Hardy, you haven't experienced how much fun. 22 miles of FUN, FUN, FUN, very intense corners and redwoods and coastal vegetation. Hard to take it all in when you are "one" with the bike and road. (*****) Five Star rating.
I turned left on Hwy 101 and headed for Hwy 254, "Avenue of the Giants Hwy. This, I believe is old hwy 101, the one I remember from when I was a kid, teenager and young adult making my first road trip in a 1957 DKW. I stopped and had breakfast at the Eternal Tree Café, which was completely deserted. Hwy 254 should always be taken when you are on your motorcycle traveling north or south as it is just one of those roads that represents the finest in engineering with soul or spirit. Now days you would call it Green, as the trees come right up to the Asphalt. You will find some of your own spirit when you travel this road. After 254, I got back on 101 and headed to Alton or the beginning of Hwy 36.
Hwy 36 appeared different from the last time I took it. Much more interesting this time with a smoother road, a little more traffic, more redwood forests, river etc, but maybe that's because I remember the section east of Hwy 3 more. It still has the single lane section that is real twisty and carves up the side of the mountain with a deep canyon on one side. Don't look down, as the next turn is only 50 feet away from the last one. 36 was one of the main reasons to do this ride, and it lived up to the part where if you want a road that does it all, Hwy 36 is that road. Tight and twisty, sweepers, easy short straights, smooth, bumpy, coastal vegetation, redwoods, Douglas firs, oaks, maples, grassy hillsides, green, yellow, brown, rocks, rivers, etc. Damn, am I having fun.
A left turn onto Hwy 3 put an end to the sweepers and we get back into repetitive 25mph corners just past Hayfork. I hadn't done this section of 3 before, so I didn't know what I was missing, but I am sure to be back for this happening again, even if it is just a quick side trip off Hwy 299 to Hayfork and back. On up to Weaverville on 299 for fuel and a right turn onto 3 again to take me north. The real twisty section just south of Callahan has been widen into two lanes, but still has killer-switch-backs that require you to look over your shoulder to look in the direction you need to go. One of those I kind-a went over the yellow, and I don't think I was doing 20mph. Kind of what I remembered from before.
At Fort Jones I turned left on to Scott River Rd., a recommendation from Bill Flannery, which cuts over to Hwy 96. I actually took Quartz Valley Rd. over to Scott River Rd. After doing this, I am with Bill; it is a lot of fun, but not for the weak or scaredy cats. This road is just plain beautiful winding through a couple high country valleys and then hugs the mountainside along the Scott River. People actually live along side this road! It turns into a single lane, about the size of your driveway, and is no fun when you meet the UPS truck coming the other way. Why, you ask? Because the UPS truck takes up the whole road. No shit. Your mind is always working, and checking as far down the road as you can see, at every opportunity. If you cut into the mountainside to catch a 10mph corner, you better have checked the road beyond for as you come back out of the turn you are immediately into the next one on the hillside. Careful, the drop off is very steep and starts at the edge of the pavement.
The road drops down to Hwy 96 at Steelhead. From there you have one of the best roads for high speed sweepers in the area and after those hillside twisties, it was beautiful, and so were the colors, river and good pavement. On to I-5 and a quick ride up to Ashland for the night. I stayed at the Knights Inn. They just put new mattresses in the rooms and they were good, the best on this trip. What a day, another fantastic ride and just out of this world roads. Too bad the highway department is going to straighten them out in the years to come. Avg. mph: 38.6 tot. – 52.7 moving – 1531.3 total miles. Map: Day 4, click here
Day 5 :mellowsmiley:
Easy day, just a little sight seeing trip as I will take in Crater Lake. I leave Ashland and take I-5 to Medford and then head out Hwy 62 to Crater Lake. I stopped at the Rogue Gorge to see what kind of excitement existed there and took some pictures. 62 from the junction with Hwy 230 is very nice sweepers all the way to the Park entrance.
A quick trip up to the Rim and around on the west side then down to Hwy 138. This used to be one of my favorite roads, but I have found others that I prefer. At Glide I crossed the river and continued to Wilbur on the County Rd. 200 or North Bank Rd. (?).On into Sutherlin for lunch, then back on I-5 to Home. Look at the Pictures. 39.2 – 54.0 – 1917 total miles. No map.
All the pictures: Click here.https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenhattan/sets/72157608500865885/
Map: Click for Map
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