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Northern California ride June 2018 (planning thread)

jqueen

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Justin
Got a trip coming up this summer and thought I'd post up here to see if anybody had some must-see destinations or can't miss roads, etc..

JQ1.0 will be riding from the Graham area to San Francisco to meet up with myself and his other, less attractive son. He will be on a Nc700x, and the two of us will be renting bikes from Eaglerider (HD Road King and Heritage Softail). We leave San Fran on June 7th.

We are planning to go North from San Fran up the Pacific Coast Highway, run through the avenue of the giants to see the giant sequoias, and on up to Mckinleyville. Then we'll make our way over to near Weed, and North into Oregon. We'll hit Crater Lake and then head back to the coast to see Thor's Well. After that up to Portland area, and then we head South again.

JQ1.0 will split off around this time to head back to TX, while my charismatically challenged sibling and I make our way back to San Francisco. I have a route mapped but no real destinations or plans for that portion. Return the bikes on the 13th and fly back home.

So, anybody got tips and tricks for the area, or suggestions for a well travelled (I mean experienced) rider on a trip from TX to CA and back? I'd do the same except he's a lot more retired than I am, which seems to come with nearly unlimited days off.


We are all pretty accomplished dirt bike riders and fairly comfortable on the street as well (this ride is expected to be all pavement). On dual sport trips we tend to run 200-300 mile days, but we don't normally do long pavement trips.. I'm guessing 250-400 miles per day will be comfortable. We may even go on into Washington if we are way ahead of schedule.

We aren't really tied to any particular parts of the plan except for the Pacific Coast highway, Avenue of the Giants, and Crater Lake. We generally like the curvy roads with lots of elevation changes, etc, but it's 7 days of riding so we'll probably see some interstate and mile-munching roads as well.

The tentative route should be viewable here:
San Fransisco 2000 mile loop DISTANCE: 2151.6 mi. TIME: 47:54:58 https://a.rever.co/embed/rides/777945



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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Also.. if i can get the upload to work..
 

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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Sounds like a great trip and a great time.

I would recommend you not loan a bike to this JQ1.0 fella and I would look into one of those training wheel kits for his Honda.


:duck:
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

...suggestions for a well travelled (I mean experienced) rider on a trip from TX to CA and back?

I rode from east Texas up to San Francisco, and down the PCH to L.A. and then back to Texas a few times.

My suggestion is to trailer to the Pacific. That way you avoid arriving in the Bay area sunburned and road-weary, which will significantly detract from your enjoyment of that unique landscape, especially the slippery moist forest roads.

Arrive fresh and receive maximum enjoyment of the money it costs to be there.

Second: It will be colder than you think it will. Bring more cold-weather gear than you think you will need. Mail it home if you really don't need it.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

I would recommend you not loan a bike to this JQ1.0 fella and I would look into one of those training wheel kits for his Honda.


:duck:


I have recently joined a " Do Not Ride Other Peoples Bikes (DNROPB) " support group. We meet twice a week at Starbucks, the one next to the Hospital, for Lattes ( my favorite is swiss mocha ). One mantra of the group is " Stay Away From Enablers" (SAFE). I have been clean for about 3 1/2 weeks.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

I rode from east Texas up to San Francisco, and down the PCH to L.A. and then back to Texas a few times.

My suggestion is to trailer to the Pacific. That way you avoid arriving in the Bay area sunburned and road-weary, which will significantly detract from your enjoyment of that unique landscape, especially the slippery moist forest roads.

Arrive fresh and receive maximum enjoyment of the money it costs to be there.

Second: It will be colder than you think it will. Bring more cold-weather gear than you think you will need. Mail it home if you really don't need it.
I think he's planning to get there two days before we arrive so he's got a free day to rest. Thanks for the tip about cold. We are planning on low to mid 40's in the morning and 60's midday, so we will have layers with us on the bike to cover a little lower than that range.

Also we normally do dual sports in the same temp range, so hopefully having a big windshield on all the bikes will help as well (but speeds/wind are likely to be a bit higher).

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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Contact cheez a TWT member who lives there now. He might be able to help.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

I have recently joined a " Do Not Ride Other Peoples Bikes (DNROPB) " support group. We meet twice a week at Starbucks, the one next to the Hospital, for Lattes ( my favorite is swiss mocha ). One mantra of the group is " Stay Away From Enablers" (SAFE). I have been clean for about 3 1/2 weeks.

That’s funny.

James, 3 1/2 weeks is not very long. Besides, that eye injury helped keep you clean for most of that time. Ha ha

I’ll contact a friend in Oregon- see if he has any suggestions.

Y’all have a great trip.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Contact cheez a TWT member who lives there now. He might be able to help.


Yeah, we thought he might see this thread and chime in. I also remember seeing a post from Texas T (IIRC), on a ride through Arizona, into Utah? I may try to route back through southern Idaho, Wyoming. Still very much in the planning stage right now. I have a few places I'd like to see but trying to be realistic about tying them all together.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Good luck on the journey James! I adamantly advise routing thru Utah if possible. Lynn and I rode out to CA, and went thru there then dropped into AZ in summer of 2016. This area was the highlight of our trip for sure. That state seems to have wall to wall great scenery and riding! Fair warning; You are going to wish you had your dual sport bike with you when you ride thru. It is on our short list for another much longer visit.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Thanks Donny. Utah is definitely on the menu either going or on the way back.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

I agree with Donny. Silverbullet and I rode back from Utah when I flew to Vegas to buy my Tenere. We rode through Zion National Park and also rode the Burr Trail. All I can think about is when am I going to get back out there.
7cc7059078c8f34729651503e642fd32.jpg
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

I agree with Donny. Silverbullet and I rode back from Utah when I flew to Vegas to buy my Tenere. We rode through Zion National Park and also rode the Burr Trail. All I can think about is when am I going to get back out there.

So did ya'll take the Ferry from Bullfrog Marina to Halls Crossing and 276 to 191
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Thanks for the heads up KP!

Couple of notes- since moving here I've been getting familiar with the area and riding a lot of the NoCal roads. If you're going up 1 and want to have a "more fun" experience, there are TONS of great roads between 1 and 101 that are fun riding.

Roads we like (my riding groups):
Skaggs Springs: https://goo.gl/7ZTpyQ
Boonville Ukiah: https://goo.gl/qAcPUq
Comptche Ukiah: https://goo.gl/Kb8yK1
CA36 (140mi no services, all twisties): https://goo.gl/Yjk1ts

If you're looking for more dirt type routes, here is a map from a yearly ride called "SheetIron 300" which is done by all levels of skill.

2017 (a/k/a the StraightIron):
https://goo.gl/dMgjPc

2016 (less straight):
https://goo.gl/gtoHzL

There's nowhere you can go up there (save the Central Valley, AVOID) that isn't good riding, at the very least scenic as heck. I'm getting rather spoiled. ;)

Ya'll have a fun trip! If you need a free lodging point in NoCal, I can put ya'll up for a night. I'm in Livermore (1hr east of SF City, 1hr southwest of Stockton.) We have 2 guest beds and two sofas.
 
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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

So did ya'll take the Ferry from Bullfrog Marina to Halls Crossing and 276 to 191
That was the plan but the ferry either wasn't working that day or we didn't wait long enough to ride it. We went back North. I remember riding a 191 I believe. If that's the road that goes over the Apache National forest .
dc01e2d3863de32040cfd371722bfbca.jpg
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

That was the plan but the ferry either wasn't working that day or we didn't wait long enough to ride it. We went back North. I remember riding a 191 I believe. If that's the road that goes over the Apache National forest .
dc01e2d3863de32040cfd371722bfbca.jpg
North from the ferry 276 hits 95 which goes to Hanksville (Hole in the Rock Store)


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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

We also rode through Bryce NP and Grand Escalante. Maybe next time we can ride the ferry.

bab0986ff12057cbe02a92b627479056.jpg
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

North from the ferry 276 hits 95 which goes to Hanksville (Hole in the Rock Store)


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Went south instead on 95 through Fry Canyon. Very scenic views and a fun stretch of pavement. Needed to head south to ride the entire Coronado Trail. No way I could let JMZ miss that road on his first bike ride in the west.

_

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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Thanks for the heads up KP!

Couple of notes- since moving here I've been getting familiar with the area and riding a lot of the NoCal roads. If you're going up 1 and want to have a "more fun" experience, there are TONS of great roads between 1 and 101 that are fun riding.

Roads we like (my riding groups):
Skaggs Springs: https://goo.gl/7ZTpyQ
Boonville Ukiah: https://goo.gl/qAcPUq
Comptche Ukiah: https://goo.gl/Kb8yK1
CA36 (140mi no services, all twisties): https://goo.gl/Yjk1ts

If you're looking for more dirt type routes, here is a map from a yearly ride called "SheetIron 300" which is done by all levels of skill.

2017 (a/k/a the StraightIron):
https://goo.gl/dMgjPc

2016 (less straight):
https://goo.gl/gtoHzL

There's nowhere you can go up there (save the Central Valley, AVOID) that isn't good riding, at the very least scenic as heck. I'm getting rather spoiled. ;)

Ya'll have a fun trip! If you need a free lodging point in NoCal, I can put ya'll up for a night. I'm in Livermore (1hr east of SF City, 1hr southwest of Stockton.) We have 2 guest beds and two sofas.

Thanks for the roads and info. Appreciate the lodging offer, but we will probably motel it to kinda decide on the fly. I'm sure we will include some of those in our route.
 
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Re: Northern California ride June 2018

We also rode through Bryce NP and Grand Escalante. Maybe next time we can ride the ferry.

bab0986ff12057cbe02a92b627479056.jpg

The Map helps a lot. I am somewhat directionally challenged at times. The Utah DOT website reports the Ferry ro be down due to mechanical problems.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

Went south instead on 95 through Fry Canyon. Very scenic views and a fun stretch of pavement. Needed to head south to ride the entire Coronado Trail. No way I could let JMZ miss that road on his first bike ride in the west.

_

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That is a little south of where I was planning to cross NM, but hey plans may change. Looks to be entertaining.
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

My friend says you can expect snow at Crater Lk in June.

He also said it would take him 2 weeks to do what you are planning out of SF. :shrug:
 
Re: Northern California ride June 2018

My friend says you can expect snow at Crater Lk in June.

He also said it would take him 2 weeks to do what you are planning out of SF. :shrug:
Yeah... we've heard that kinda stuff before (but usually on dual sports).

2100 miles in 7 days seems pretty doable though.

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