St. Helena - The hills around Napa in Spring

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OrangevaleFJR

R.I.P. Our FJR Riding Friend
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
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Location
Orangevale, CA
Sherri and I were bummed to miss the great ride with friends on the Occidental ride yesterday. While all of our friends were riding, we were watching my son play lacrosse. That was fun too. We missed riding so much with the great weather that we decided to ride to St. Helena today in the Napa Valley. The weather was perfect with sun, few clouds at all, 71 degrees and mostly light winds, except on the flats of the Central Valley.

Were you the guy on an 05, blue helment, on Lower Chiles Road that waved to us?

This time of year, from now until June, is the best in Northern California for weather and greenery. While the Fall is also great for riding here, we are certainly entering the most scenic time of year. The greens are incredibly rich and the wildflowers are blooming. With the high volume of rain we had we might get as many flowers as we had last year! That would be a photographical treat that Sherri and I will have to take advantage of!

Our route started with a quick escpape from Orangevale and the Sacramento area so we superslabbed East on Hwy 50 to West I-80 to Mace Blvd in Davis where we turned North. From there, we rode through the town of Davis, gassed up, and got into the agricultural lands. We left our house at 12:20 in the afternoon

Here is a map of our route:

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From Left to Right our route followed:

Hwy 50 West to where it merges with I-80 West

Exit Mace Blvd North (where the route color changes to blue)

Mace bends hard Left to become Covell Blvd through Davis

Covell becomes County Road 31.

County Road 31 bends Left in a fast sweeper to become County Road 93A (purple)

County Road 93A bends right to become Russell Bouldevard through Winters when it turns into 128 (green)

We took 128 past Moskovits corner and all the way up to Lower Chiles Road for a right turn. We then took Chiles Pope Valley Road. (black)

We forked Left onto Howell Mountain Road, which turns into Deer Park Road and takes us to 128 again, just North of St. Helena so we turned Left to go to town and eat! (red)

So...how about some pics of the day's travel?

Well, we seldom see pics of superslabbing. Here is the superslab close to downtown Sacramento. It has the characteristic traffic building up due to the bay area people returning home from Lake Tahoe. We should put up a Sunday only toll and rake it in ;-)

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The Yolo Causeway takes us over emergency overflow areas that are flooded to relieve pressure from the Sacramento River's levy system. Guess what...they needed help. Here is the flooded area with Mount Diablo on the horizon:

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If the fields haven't been recently plowed, they are turning green. Off of County Road 31, here is a field with the mountains in the background. The roads in the mountains are beckoning my FJR to them and she goes with a seemingly pumped up pace!

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If we ride through agriculture we'll take pictures of it and share. We aren't farmers, but are saving up to buy some land for an orchard.

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More pics next post...

 
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As you enter the hills, the slope is gradual and follows Putah Creek. The creek was FULL and I commented that it should be called a river.

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This section of 128 liesurely bends around small hills. The FJR smells the exhaust of another bike so the throttle opens a tad more ;-)

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Here is an example of the green grass, wildflowers and the Putah Creek in the background. Here is a turnout so people can go picnic by the creek.

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Some pics need to be posted even though a cage is in it.

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Another rider enjoying the weather and scenery right in front of an old Winters FD truck where we were going to pull off.

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and just as we were pulling off, a Honda rider was waving to us...good 'ol friendly riders.

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We pulled off because I thought the parking lot would offer a good view of the creek. Here is the picture that Sherri snapped :) This is Putah Creek just about 3/4 of a mile from Lake Berryessa Damn.

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more to follow...

 
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We turned to leave the parking lot and keep going up 128 we saw these Hondas (a VFR and an ST). I was really beginning to enjoy the ride. I like including pic of riders just in case they get to see themselves on the World Wide Web...Now they're famous!

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Sherri said ,"Ooh!" and snapped a picture of Putah Creek and the Damn for Lake Berryessa.

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128 starts climbing now and the road gets a fun kind of twisty...DARN another cage!

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This is the mountain on the other side of the damn. That rock running through this ridge is why the damn was built here; nice and solid footing.

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more to follow...

 
One cage became two and I decided to pull off at the damn where many bikes and cars were pulled over to take a look at the lake. The "Glory Hole" was taking water from the lake and I took a crappy picture of it through the fence...but here it is for those that like seeing spillways in the middle of water.

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I thought the end result was impressive at the bottom of the damn as the water exits the hydroelectric plant:

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A closer view that shows the great velocity of a large volume of water. No swimming.

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A gaggle of bikes rode by quickly

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These three Harleys lucked into a pretty cool shot of the rock on our side of the damn, the sun and the spring time plants.

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We were on the road again and Lake Berryessa was to our right

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More fun was in front

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More to follow

 
They mark rock/mud slides with signs on the side of the road. There were 4 such slides along our route. One took out a good portion of a lane of the road so there was a stop sign. One such slide had rocks covering half the lane. Take these signs seriously and slow down for you safety.

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We caught up with a couple riding. The lady was riding a BMW F650 ES? (the street only version of the F650). She had a pink jacket and helmet. Sherri thought that was cool.

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Here is the view of the famous Moskovitz Corner with a bunch-o-bikers. I rode on by as I didn't want any trouble with those kind of people ;)

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Sherri snapped some great pics of some old and character full Oaks:

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We started hitting vineyards. Where are we going again? Oh yeah, St. Helena, one of my favorite Napa Valley destinations. The yellow flowers were incredibly bright...just beautiful!

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We rode by some more riders;

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and some more (big group)

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yep...some more

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and we missed a pic of an '05 Galaxy Blue FJR on Lower Chiles Road...well that road gets awfully twisty!

As we approached Mount Howell Road, we passed another group. I was able to take in all of Mount Howell Road without hitting any other traffic at all!!! WOOHOO what a phenominal road!

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and the Dragon isn't the only road with one of these signs:

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More to follow

 
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Mount Howell turns into Deer Park and took us down into the Napa Valley. As you get closer to the valley, you run through some residential areas on the hills. Readers, these people live in beautiful country!

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See my cool helmet? Who would have guessed that out of 3 helmets, this cheapest Scorpion EXO would become my first line wear? I wouldn't have guessed it, but it is the most comfortable, quiet and aerodynamically stable helmet that I own.

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We hit traffic, but it didn't slow down these Hooligans who passed on blind corners. They made it safely, but I feel they are riding in a manner that makes the statistics lean in my favor.

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I'm going to end on this picture, because why say more? This, along with all the good things that we get from riding, is why we came here today:

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All photos except those at Berryessa were taken by Sherri :)

 
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Hi Orangevale,

It was me you saw there on Lower Chiles. I figured it was you or Toecutter....but then Toecutter would have been a long way from home. Great pics and a great day for a ride....

 
Hi Orangevale,It was me you saw there on Lower Chiles. I figured it was you or Toecutter....but then Toecutter would have been a long way from home. Great pics and a great day for a ride....
I knew I had seen that helmet either on this forum, or somewhere else. Well...

Here's where I saw it before

Well, nice seeing you finally! Maybe next time we'll be going in the same direction and we can actually chit chat. At least we got a wave in, which was pretty good considering the twistiness of Lower Chiles!

 
I hear that...I'm looking for some mid-week riders...my days off are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....I'm always solo and it sucks riding alone all the time....a Napa Valley rider.....willing to travel!!!

 
I hear that...I'm looking for some mid-week riders...my days off are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....I'm always solo and it sucks riding alone all the time....a Napa Valley rider.....willing to travel!!!
Apparantly not this week, but in case you forgot...

707-224-9262

 
Great pics! Thanks for sharing them. Got me into my California Dreamin' mood. What type of camera is your SO shooting with if the pics are that clear at speed?

 
Great pics! Thanks for sharing them. Got me into my California Dreamin' mood. What type of camera is your SO shooting with if the pics are that clear at speed?
This has to be the most often asked question so I guess I'll put that info in my sig!

It is a Sony DSC H1 Cybershot set to "Action" setting with the anti vibrate functions working.

Camera Info

 
I hear that...I'm looking for some mid-week riders...my days off are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....I'm always solo and it sucks riding alone all the time....a Napa Valley rider.....willing to travel!!!
I can take a day off once in awhile. Also, as summer comes along, the sun stays up much longer and we could do some good riding with starting early afternoon. Let me know if that sounds good!

 
Very nice O'vale.. Your narrative combined with Sherri's pix are the best. Huel Howser had better watch out. Heck, I'd like to ride with you just so that when I got home I could see all that I missed! ;)

 
Gret pic's Orangevale. My wife and I visited Monterey, San Francisco and NAPA and Senoma County a few years back and did the wine tours, etc. Rode some of Silverado Trail, etc. the usual tourist stuff. We rented a car though, no bike experience on that trip. That is beautiful country, your pic's took me back, and you guys are lucky to have it available on such short notice. We spent the night in St. Helena at Cinnamon Bear B&B across from the elementary school there in St Helena. Sat out on the front porch a couple nights there and smoked a few Acid cold infusion tea cigars, we had a blast, were there for 2 weeks, shipped back two cases of wine and I think we tried just about every winery tasting. Hope to go back and do again some day. That culinary institute is incredable!

 
Thanks dcarver! We'll ride with you anytime!

and you guys are lucky to have it available on such short notice.
That culinary institute is incredable!
We do feel lucky in many ways to live where we do. We do plan on getting a house in Colorado too so we can summer in CO and spend the rest of our time here.

That culinary insitute of America? :

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Here is a nice place in St. Helena

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There...now smoke some of those LSD soaked cigars...I mean Acid infused tea cigars and it'll be just like you were back! ;)

 
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That's it!! that's the place!!--no LSD cigars though, I did all the window paynes I could handle many years ago, just stick to wine and scotch these days! Ain't that last pic Berenger Estate?

Google: Acid Cigars--you'll see what I'm referring to

 
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That's it!! that's the place!!--no LSD cigars though, I did all the window paynes I could handle many years ago, just stick to wine and scotch these days! Ain't that last pic Berenger Estate?
Google: Acid Cigars--you'll see what I'm referring to
I quit smoking tobaccos 13 months ago so now when I smoke I only smoke ^&*%&*($&%^.

Yep that is Beringer House.

However, maybe we need to share a bottle of this at WFO! :D

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:hyper: :hyper: :hyper: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: Damn that's the good stuff!!! Usually my favorite and best I can afford is Glenlevit 12. I'd sure take you up on that offer, unfortuantely I wont make Reno, I'm trying to make EOM in Boone NC, I have made my reservations. I'm buying 3 Macallan 25's this year for my dad, He turns 75 next year, I'll take out a second mortgage and pay it back over 5 years :D
 
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