5 Day ride in Cal.

[TripperMike]

Used to live in So Cal, but haven't been back in 7 yrs. Finally taking the oppotunity 2nd wk of June. Starting out in Ontario, heading up to San Fran (is PCH worth it?), over to Tahoe then down to Yosemite before wrapping up in Ont. again. Any great roads I should consider when going from one destination to another? Looks like there might be a few great roads around Tahoe or on the way to Yosemite.

 

[puppychow]

Used to live in So Cal, but haven't been back in 7 yrs. Finally taking the oppotunity 2nd wk of June. Starting out in Ontario, heading up to San Fran (is PCH worth it?), over to Tahoe then down to Yosemite before wrapping up in Ont. again. Any great roads I should consider when going from one destination to another? Looks like there might be a few great roads around Tahoe or on the way to Yosemite.

Check out Wheatie's riding to California thread for a detailed discussion of routes..

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=134649

 

[madmike2]

There was a rockslide on Hwy 1. You'll want to make sure it's open through Big Sur.

https://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

 

[FJRBluesman]

IMHO NorCal has the best roads to ride. :yahoo:

Too many to think about, but.... Hwy 49 is always a kick. Some of the neatest towns form the Gold Rush era, and some great Cali beauty and twisties.

Enjoy, and ride safe.

 

[DaNav]

we're doing somthing like this in a couple of weeks... 33 out of ojai... if it's still cool inland wind over to 58 and take that to 229, go north on 229, and then west to cambria, north from there on pch... might need to take nacemiento road due to the slide mentioned above, then go north to carmel valley road into carmel.... if hot inland, then just head for the coast on 166 after doing 33 out of ojai

hwy 1 is mostly great, sometimes just okay north from there all the way to fortuna.... from fortuna you could take 36 east to lassen park, then south on 89... make sure to do bucks lake road from quincy down toward lake oroville, then back to 89 on laporte road or 49... south past tahoe and on to ebbetts, monitor and sonora passes... into yosemite on tioga pass.... and homeward.... what a trip...

if you do hwy 1, try to get out early in the am and avoid it on weekends if possible... lots of tourist traffic

you'll want to check the sierra passes at the site mentioned by madmike to see whether they're open... lots of snow this year

 

[SacramentoMike]

... Hwy 49 is always a kick.

It's a fun, scenic, twisty road, but we have this organization in California. Kind of a gang. They often hide and waylay unwary travelers. They all dress alike. And they carry guns. :dribble: Be careful. They hang around 49 from one end to the other.

Seriously, 49 is fun but heavily traveled and heavily enforced. So many back roads and lesser state roads, and all way fun. Study the thread on Wheaton's Cali trip, or consider subscribing to this site--$20 for a year. Pashnit has lots of services, organizes and leads group bike tours, and provides some of the coolest routes you'd never find by subscription. Might be a great way for an out-of-stater to get some real good inside dope for a fun week of riding.

 

[Fairlaner]

yeah what he oster_stupid: said......(sorry mike thats the only one i could find with an arrow)

R

 

[TripperMike]

Thanks for the route suggestions DaNav. I started reading a thread Fairlaner started about a Yosemite ride and read about all the snow in the passes. Looks like it'll be 49 to get to Yosemite and I'll have to pass on those other great roads, 108 & 120. 120 was in my plans to get to Yosemite. But I think I will try to take 36 East out of Red Bluff on my way Truckee before heading to the Big Park. Next time I'll plan this ride for mid-July!!

 

[exskibum]

Thanks for the route suggestions DaNav. I started reading a thread Fairlaner started about a Yosemite ride and read about all the snow in the passes. Looks like it'll be 49 to get to Yosemite and I'll have to pass on those other great roads, 108 & 120. 120 was in my plans to get to Yosemite. But I think I will try to take 36 East out of Red Bluff on my way Truckee before heading to the Big Park. Next time I'll plan this ride for mid-July!!

2 things:

1. The part of 36 that you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to ride is between Fortuna (or Hydesville) on the coast and Red Bluff. Check out Wheaties' route for Tuesday, May 24 at p. 1 of his Wheaton Finally Rides to California thread for the route we rode from Fortuna to 89 to 49 to Grass Valley.

2. Next time, you probably won't have to plan your trip for mid-July, when it's usually hot in the valley and places like Yosemite Valley are crowded. We are having an unusually long and unseasonably cool spring, on top of something like 180%+ of average snowpack this year. Snow is supposed to fall tonight in the mountains, with snow level starting at ~6,000 feet after midnight tonight and lowering through tomorrow night. Enough already!!!

 

[Pete Bansen]

1. The part of 36 that you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to ride is between Fortuna (or Hydesville) on the coast and Red Bluff. Check out Wheaties' route for Tuesday, May 24 at p. 1 of his Wheaton Finally Rides to California thread for the route we rode from Fortuna to 89 to 49 to Grass Valley.

Good call: 36 from Fortuna to Red Bluff is MUCH more fun than 36 east of Red Bluff.

Highway 1 between Fort Bragg and Leggett is an amazing ride. The Quincy-LaPorte Road is terrific riding also, but may still be closed due to snow (I doubt it, but it's not plowed). 108 (Sonora Pass) and 120 (Tioga Pass) will probably not be open by the time you come through, 88 will be fine and is a better route over the Sierra than Highway 50. 49 between Grass Valley and Sierraville, then 89 down to Truckee. Feather River Canyon (Highway 70) between Oroville and Quincy - pretty cool ride, but not technical or fabulously scenic. 128 between Boonville and the coast - very cool redwood grove out towards Elk. The Lost Coast Highway between Ferndale and Weott - if you've never done that, it is really not to be missed.

 

[TripperMike]

Thnx for the input folks. Sounds like there'll still be plenty of good roads to take. And for those that I can't, guess they will have to wait for the next trip.

 

[Fairlaner]

The Lost Coast Highway between Ferndale and Weott - if you've never done that, it is really not to be missed.

Make sure you get you suspension checked out before you ride this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R

 

[Happy Rider]

I'd head down SR 395 and take Sonora Pass (SR 108) over to Sonora. Sonora Pass opened up last Friday at noon. I've been over it twice so far and the roads are clear. There was about 12 feet of snow on the sides on opening day. They closed it today because we are getting light snow. It should be open again tomorrow. I'd then ride south on SR 49 down to SR 140. SR 49 between Sonora and SR 140 is some of the best riding anywhere and often skipped. Not crowded at all and very scenic. Google Little Dragon and you can read about it. The northern parts of SR 49 are too crowded to have fun I mean ride safely. Once you get to SR 140 enjoy the ride into the park. Remember the speed limits in the park are the limits with very little wiggle room. No opening date has been given on Tioga Pass (SR 120). I'd say it will open at the end of next week. You could then exit the park on SR 120 back to Groveland. If you really enjoyed the Little Dragon you could go for another qualifing run, I mean scenic ride when you get to the bottom of Priest Grade. Cal Trans keeps their road advisory line up to date usually within minutes of pass opening and closings. 1(800)427-ROADS If you need any more info in the SR 108/SR 4/SR 120 area give me a PM. BTW SR 4 also opened last Friday at noon.

 

[Tyler]

Starting out in Ontario, heading up to San Fran (is PCH worth it?), over to Tahoe then down to Yosemite before wrapping up in Ont. again. Any great roads I should consider when going from one destination to another? Looks like there might be a few great roads around Tahoe or on the way to Yosemite.

PCH is always worth it, however, there is a landslide on one section at Alder Creek so you can't do a straight shot up the coast. However, here is a suggestion for a way around the slide and back to Hwy 1 via some Paso Robles backroads and Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd.

And there are about a gazillion roads around Tahoe or on the way to Yosemite (if they're open!)... okay, maybe I exaggerated... maybe there's on a bazillion.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Suggestion: Get other people to plan your routes, host parties for you, and even put you up for a night or two. Seriously, I hear it can be done.

 

[TripperMike]

LOL Wheaton....from what I've read you were on a parade route you're whole trip through Cali. Was pretty cool to read about though. Glad you guys had a successful trip.

I'm already benefitting from great input from the CA forum members. Should be a trip wife and I will remember for a while (at least till next summer).

 

[SacramentoMike]

I don't know what's coming up for myself in that period, but if you're nearby, it's always fun to ride out and meet folks from the forum, and others feel the same. If you have the means to post from the road (well, from your motel, I suppose), do it. Bet you'll scare up a few escorts. Have fun.

 

[TripperMike]

"I don't know what's coming up for myself in that period, but if you're nearby, it's always fun to ride out and meet folks from the forum, and others feel the same. If you have the means to post from the road (well, from your motel, I suppose), do it. Bet you'll scare up a few escorts. Have fun."

Always nice to put a face to a moniker. Hopefully our first night will be up around Monterey Monday night, and then a tour through the aquarium the next morning. Funny thing about looking at a map and reality of the roads. It just may take longer to get from point A to point B than I think. Hopefully the wife will be in a forgiving mood if I have to step up the pace in order to keep up the schedule.

 

[TripperMike]

Finally here in sunny Cal. Feels like we never left. Arrived in Ontario in just 39 hr.s. Today the real trip begins with a quick trip to Irvine to visit a friend and then head up PCH the rest of the day.