When is the best month to ride Central/Northern California?

[Patriot]

PIE ??? If there's Pie, I might even come... :yahoo:

 

[James Burleigh]

We ought to do some kinda honorary ride or get together or sumpin'. But I don't want to organize it. :huh:

 

[madmike2]

We ought to do some kinda honorary ride or get together or sumpin'. But I don't want to organize it. :huh:

No use getting in a hurry until Mark gives a date. Once there is a concrete time frame I'm sure we can put something together. Or not.....

PIE ??? If there's Pie, I might even come...

Just for you, Mike. Niehart!

I wonder.....if this could lure the lovely Miss Barb to visit NorCal..... :dntknw:

 

[dcarver]

I look forward to visiting! This will be wifey's first trip over a weekend in length. I have to look into FJR rentals or whether I can borrow one of dcarver's HDs for a week.

You show up in my hood Wheatie and you'll have your choice of rides, jes' sayin'...

 

[Bugnatr]

He should be here this week, damn nice weather with temps in the mid to upper 70's.

 

[dcarver]

He should be here this week, damn nice weather with temps in the mid to upper 70's.

No kidding. Indian summer, 70+, beautiful sunrise/sunset, crescent moon..

and I had a great ride home with a guy on what looked to be a GPZ750? (80's era, red/white) on 58 home.. really fun stuff.

 

[wheatonFJR]

This is gonna be some fun! :yahoo:

 

[art miller]

As a late comer in this discussion, I would suggest mid to late May for ultimate northern CA riding. I have been riding in CA for 30 years and conclude the following. The coast north of San Francisco is generally subject to fog in the spring. The central valleys and Sierra passes are often open by mid May. The chances of rain or snow are minimal. A major consideration is the lack of traffic and availability of lodging. If overnight is required I only ride when school is in session. You avoid the tourists and get better hotel rates. April can be nice weather but chances of rain are much higher and snow in the passes is quite likely. If you choose mid-late Sep the coast is usually clear and the passes are generally open. The country side will be golden brown and the waterfalls will be minimal. My favorite months are mid may and mid to Late Sep.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks Art!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Well, based on the advice above and my preferences...it looks like I will be riding out for a 2 weeks plus weekends trip for the last half of May. I plan to do a full week of riding between SF/Sacramento and Eureka/Yreka. I plan on taking about 3 or 4 days to get out there (CBA member that I aspire to be). I may have others riding out with me if they choose to come out as well. Thanks for all your help on this.

Wifey won't be along on this trip. She and the family will be doing a minivan trip to Yosemite and points along the coast between SF and SB later in the summer.

I hope to ride with and meet many of you during this trip to NorCal and other points. I'll start a different thread when I start posting possible routes for this trip.

 

[Old Michael]

...I hope to ride with and meet many of you during this trip to NorCal and other points....

Señor Wheaton, I hope to share a few miles with you while you're out here

in motorcycling heaven. It'll be friggin' beautiful in May. See you then!

 

[exskibum]

...I hope to ride with and meet many of you during this trip to NorCal and other points....

Señor Wheaton, I hope to share a few miles with you while you're out here

in motorcycling heaven. It'll be friggin' beautiful in May. See you then!

+1

 

[Tyler]

...I hope to ride with and meet many of you during this trip to NorCal and other points....

Señor Wheaton, I hope to share a few miles with you while you're out here

in motorcycling heaven. It'll be friggin' beautiful in May. See you then!

+1

+2 B)

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great...I see my reputation has not yet caught up with me. :lol:

I'll see you guys in May! :clapping:

 

[madmike2]

Great...I see my reputation has not yet caught up with me. :lol:

I'll see you guys in May! :clapping:

Wellllll....it precedes you, but we're a forgiving lot.

That and we are carrying our own reputations.......

 

[TomInPA]

Late to the party since I was traveling this week, but with the snowpack this year, I don't expect travel over the non-seasonal passes until Memorial Day. Still would like to share some miles if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Late to the party since I was traveling this week, but with the snowpack this year, I don't expect travel over the non-seasonal passes until Memorial Day. Still would like to share some miles if the opportunity presents itself.

So maybe I-70 to I-15 then take to the coast via 58 west and stop in Creston? Go up north through all the zig zaggy roads then I-80 on the way back east after Memorial Day I suppose?

 

[exskibum]

Mark -- even if 108, 120 and 4 are still closed on Memorial Day, 80, 50 and 88 are year round and will be no problem. Unlike Tom, I'm not that certain that 108 (Sonora Pass), 120 (Tioga Pass) and 4 (Ebbetts Pass) will be closed when you come out. They usually open sometime in May, more often in mid to late May, and only occasionally in early June. It's really hard to say that there's enough snow yet (certainly isn't that much yet at the resorts around Donner Summit) to call it the kind of heavy snow year to anticipate a June opening of those passes at this time.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Mark -- even if 108, 120 and 4 are still closed on Memorial Day, 80, 50 and 88 are year round and will be no problem. Unlike Tom, I'm not that certain that 108 (Sonora Pass), 120 (Tioga Pass) and 4 (Ebbetts Pass) will be closed when you come out. They usually open sometime in May, more often in mid to late May, and only occasionally in early June. It's really hard to say that there's enough snow yet (certainly isn't that much yet at the resorts around Donner Summit) to call it the kind of heavy snow year to anticipate a June opening of those passes at this time.

Thanks Rich!

 

[Tyler]

Mark -- even if 108, 120 and 4 are still closed on Memorial Day, 80, 50 and 88 are year round and will be no problem. Unlike Tom, I'm not that certain that 108 (Sonora Pass), 120 (Tioga Pass) and 4 (Ebbetts Pass) will be closed when you come out. They usually open sometime in May, more often in mid to late May, and only occasionally in early June. It's really hard to say that there's enough snow yet (certainly isn't that much yet at the resorts around Donner Summit) to call it the kind of heavy snow year to anticipate a June opening of those passes at this time.

And even if, by some freak occurrence, all those passes are closed, there is still a plethora of riding in the area to keep you busy and very well sated. B)