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Members
who have already
made
room reservations for 2008: |
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For Motel 6 reservations call 800-4-MOTEL6
(800-466-8356) or En Espanol (Spanish): 1-877-467-7224
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Sacramento River Delta |
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You probably didn't know it, but the entire western side of Sacramento is a maze of rivers and levees. Try 1000 miles worth! This is especially evident if you fly into Sacramento, especially in early spring and look down. There is water everywhere. And all the surrounding fields (soon to be tract homes) are flooded with water. Keeping all this water in check during the last two major floods (called 100 year floods- two in 10 years?) are endless levees. |
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The main levee along the American
River headed down to Antioch and then out to San Francisco Bay is Hwy
160. Both sides of the river are a great afternoon ride and you
will be accompanied by many other riders- especially Harleys and other
cruisers. This ride is perfectly flat with five mile long curves
(yes, really). The river delta has always been an enjoyable
afternoon ride. And it's minutes away from downtown
Sacramento. Follow the signs for Hwy 160 if you want the best
pavement as the road will change sides several times. |
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A few miles later, Hwy 160 runs head long into Hwy 12. Just across the river on the west side is the small town of Rio Vista. If you loop around and head north on the west side of the river from Rio Vista on Hwy 84 (the road begins just over the bridge), there'll be a ferry that takes you across Steamboat Slough and continuing north on Hwy 84 on Ryer Island along the Deep Water Shipping Channel for a few miles. Otherwise, you can take another ferry, this time a cable ferry that runs across the slough as Hwy 220 then heads east-west back to Hwy 160 on a rather bumpy ride. This is a great area to explore although I would strongly suggest a map. | |
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Salmon Falls Road
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This
is a great ride for Sportbikes and Cruisers, and depending on your
adeptness, can be a challenging ride. The western half (better pavement
too) will easily sustain peg scrappin' speeds in the midst of these
corners. Rising out of the Yuba Valley, the ride throws several
hairpins at you.
Be at the ready on the brakes! Keep a close eye on driveways & road quality as this road is a sleeper. As soon as you take your attention off the pavement- you could easily get killed on a road like this. |
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Headed eastbound out of Sacramento
on Interstate 50 (about 30 miles from downtown), exit El Dorado Hills
Blvd (aka Latrobe Road southbound) and head north.
At the east-west Green Valley Road (a busy but
relaxing motorcycle ride to Placerville), the name changes to Salmon
Falls Road. The first section holds big speed with recent
repaving. A few miles later the road is decent but you gotta
watch out for the potholes and bumps. |
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Great curves with lefts, rights, hairpins, up, down, very high speed stuff. This section of road can be extremely dangerous. The major hairpin on this road is a dip in the road in the midst of the corner which can be a sleeper for first-timers. Easy on the speed! If headed downhill, you can just about stand on the front brakes to scrub speed headed into the hairpins.
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Pauls Mexican Restaurant [6297 Main St, Georgetown, CA 95634, (530) 333-0727] |
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"Paved Mountaintop Perfection" |
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Remember
what it was like to be a child? That glee-like feeling upon being handed something new. The excitement, the sensation of your deepest desires fulfilled. Now imagine a glassy smooth swath of gently arcing curves, unprecedented perfection upon a deserted mountaintop. Imagine no homes, virtually no paved side roads, no people, just absolute wilderness. Picture mountain tops that frame the edge of horizons and before you lies something you once heard about, but couldn't believe in until you saw it with your own eyes. This is Wentworth Springs Road. Riding this will saturate you with a sense of motorcycle awe, a seeming spiritual experience. You, the road, the
bike, and nothing else. |
| It's a rare day when something new happens with California's roads. Especially when it involves a mountain pass. See, only a few mountain passes in California are actually paved. Yet, there are actually several more not yet paved. Wentworth Springs Road is one of these rides that for years has been a gravel path up to Ice House Road from Georgetown. For some mysterious reason, CalTrans has seen fit to allow some money flow from its coffers to pave this road. |
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| Georgetown,
like many gold rush towns in the foothills
resulted from various gold seekers striking rich claims, one of which
is said to have given up $20,000 in gold in a mere six week span.
Word spread, and this tiny alcove of homes once boasted a population of
10,000 in its Gold Rush heyday.
The original town was destroyed by fire in 1852 and rebuilt at its present location. The extra wide main street and brick buildings are the result of the desire for a fire proof town. Numerous historic shops remain today. |
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| Headed east
for Stumpy Meadows 16 miles away, the road
offers a center line and is well paved, although this is the older
section of road. There is another small collection of homes
called Buckeye so easy on the speed. Be on the lookout for
someone pulling out onto the road.
Thankfully, the further you get away from Georgetown, the more deserted the road becomes as you head deeper into the depths of the El Dorado National Forest. Onward through the tiny alcoves of Chiquita Lake, Quinette, Blodgett Experimental Forest and past Mosquito Road. |
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| Stumpy
Meadows
Reservoir fed by Pilot Creek is one of California's many caches of
water and the road rides right across the top of Edson Dam holding back
this man-made lake. Small boats ply the waters for its stores of
fish. Along its shores, kids from the nearby campground play and
the nearby 5159 ft. Lookout Mountain lords over the area.
Stumpy Meadows Campground, one of many in the El Dorado National Forest offers numerous camp sites. The map actually shows four separate areas around the lake to camp in. If you're traveling on the bike, this is a great stopping place for the night. Although be mindful of the elevation, it's a wee bit higher than in the Central Valley below and night time temperatures can drop depending on the time of year. On the west end of the dam is a large parking lot and boat ramp. This may be a good stopping point to collect up the riders on a group ride, or simply a good place for a picnic lunch. The new pavement starts up right after the dam. Up a small hill, a few curves, and the road straightens out across the mountainous finger. |
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A word to
the first-timers.
Wentworth Springs is by all means a very unique piece of pavement- possibly unlike anything you've ridden before. Imagine California when the roads were new, the people hadn't arrive yet to build condos and strip malls. W WWS will lull you into a high speed fixation- then throw out curves that'll catch you off guard. Several sections between Georgetown and Quinette are like this. Then again, just east of Stumpy Meadows. If you're riding this downhill westbound- you'll probably notice this more since the weight'll be on the front brakes as you try to scrub speed and you go blazing into a decreasing radius mountains turn. It is great fun, but it can catch you off guard. |
| East of Stumpy
Meadows and the Eleven Pines turnoff, the
ride comes into its own. This is what you came for. When
anticipation becomes reality. The motorcycle flows along beneath
you gently swaying to and fro. The ride envelopes you, pulls you
in, and a smile spreads across your face. What an amazing ride
that plays out before you.
The bike takes its own course, deeper into the mountains, steadily climbing in elevation, you're a passenger in a melodic dance of motorcycle dreamland. |
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There are
several
straights that morph into a constant string of smooth curves.
Pines line the ride on both sides, occasionally broken by a dirt fire
road. The elevation climbs upwards of 5000 feet, and yes, the
road will be closed in winter.
Onward for Uncle Tom's Cabin (I keep looking for a cabin every time through here, but have never seen one) towards Hartless Mountain. |
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On the east
side of the summit, the frivolity
continues. Paving a gravel road has its advantages, and this is
the poster child for such occurrences. You've figured out by now
this is not some cliff edge backwater trail. This is a ride suited for
all types of motorcyclist be they addicted to lean angles or just
cruisin'.
The east side of the mountain offers another series of smooth arcing curves of recently laid pavement as the last few miles flow down to Ice House Road. At several points along this portion of the ride are glimpses of intense views of the adjacent mountains off to the north. Robbs Peak, 6686 ft., anchors the area to the southeast. |
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The rest of ride on over to Ice House Road wastes no time throwing out dreamy curves, smooth apexes, and intense views. This section is short, only about 3 miles, but it's unlike anything you've ever ridden before. Quite the bold statement indeed but even the pictures don't lie. |
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Upon reaching the T-intersection with Ice House Road, Highway 50 is 24 miles to the south. Loon Lake is 6 miles to the northeast and if you head up that way, don't miss the turnoff eastward to stay on Ice House Road (watch the signs). The first time up that way, I rode right past it due to my, uh, pace. If you miss it, you'll find yourself on an older section of Wentworth Springs Road that turns to dirt a short distance later. |
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Ice House Road |
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| "The Sound of Silence" |
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Ice House Road is a dreamy piece of blacktop headed up to the Loon Lake Reservoir. And it's one of the last main roads headed into the mountains in this part of the Sierra Nevada. |
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It's 34 miles on up to Loon Lake. Along the way, the road also rides past Union Valley Reservoir, el. 4855 ft. and Ice House Reservoir, el. 5436 ft. These three are PG&E & SMUD's first big caches of water for generating power and for flood control built in the late 1950's. Depending on the snow levels during the winter, these reservoirs can vary widely in the level of water. |
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No towns to
speak of or major touristy oasis
along the way. There are several small rustic resorts surrounded by a
couple campsites and camp store. No gas available along this
ride.
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The Road... |
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Smooth as glass! Wide two lane with a center line, occasional shoulder, and no shortage of drop-offs. No guardrails here. |
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And no foliage means you can see forever, for miles across this mountainous terrain looking out from the road edge at every moment. Just an incredible view. Oddly, once you get used to the sight of this ravaged area and realize that much of it has been logged and replanted- you begin to appreciate the uniqueness of this wide open feeling coupled with the elevation. |
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The cows... There are several cow-catcher bars thrown into the ride- one of which is located in the apex of a corner. Always remember to slow and stand the bike up when you go over these- even in the middle of a corner.
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Just the sound of the wind flowing across this vast basin within the mountains. And that's it. No other sound.
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Ice House Road is accompanied for much of the ride with an incredible sense of space. Regardless of your riding style- Ice House Road also works well as the relaxed afternoon ride. When my wife and I need an afternoon relaxed ride- this is the place to take both our motorcycles. Sportbike, cruiser, dual-sport- whatever- this is the perfect road for any bike. |
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Mountaintops seem to have this immense calming effect. Here I am up above the trees. I can see for miles. Just the motorcycle and I. And when I come down from the mountain top- I am refreshed. If you're into that sort of thing- This is your road.
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This is one of the few mountain roads plowed clear of snow throughout the winter, weather permitting of course. The SMUD power generating station ensures that. This adds to the uniqueness of Ice House Roads since if you like to ride during winter, this is a great place to come. Just make sure you wait until the road is dry- clear of snow and ice- before riding up here. Two wheels and icy roads don't work less you have spiked tires!
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Lake
Tahoe
Sunday
Highway 88 - Carson Pass
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Up the hill ya go. In between the storms
(something to take note of), the Sierra Nevada can be the most
beautiful sight with a carpet of snow adorning everything.
Especially if you ride after the storm when the roads have dried
out. I would guesstimate this takes about 3-4 days of clear
weather, the snow will sublime off the roads and off you go. |
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The Ride... Imagine an endless barrage
of smooth corners. The pavement is rarely straight. If you
pull to the side of the road along Highway 88- you'll most likely be
standing in the middle of a corner. No hairpins, not a switchback
in sight, no rapid elevation changes, no surprises- this is Highway 88
for the majority of its higher elevation. A perfect two-up
ride. Those who like the relaxed rides will love this. The View... Did I mention the view? Amazing. Fantastic. Spectacular. The uniqueness of the Sierra Nevada Mountain passes vs. Southern Californian mountainous roads is actually the lack of switchbacks. The passes listed above right have the commonality of running up fingers which extend out westward from the Sierra Nevada Range. For much of the ride- you can see left and right... for miles. Pinion riders will have huge grins. I promise. |
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Kirkwood Meadows Ski Hill is one of the larger ski resort areas and lays claim to one the highest bases in the surrounding Sierra. Thimble Peak at 9827 ft. rises above the ski area which also has numerous fancy homes built into the mountain side. My favorite is the stares I get while riding the motorcycle around the zillion dollar houses buried in 20 feet of snow. Some even have tunnels dug through the snow to get to the front door. Kirkwood is also on the edge of the Mokelumne Wilderness to the south. Just thought all you survivalists might like to know that. A mile eastward is another reservoir, Caples Lake, which like its nearby cousin is a wondrous sight. Caples Lake is a pristine bucolic scene off the cover of a magazine. Jaw-dropping. Good camping here too. |
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Carson Pass is aptly named for the Carson
Fremont Party that ran through here on their way from Markleeville to
the Central Valley below. Pull off the road at the 8573 ft.
summit and read the little plaque about the Odd Fellows. You're
also standing on that nifty little Pacific Crest Trail that
criss-crosses all these mountain passes. The ride then heads down
one of those sections where all these signs warn you not to stop along
the side of the road or else a house size boulder will roll off the
9950 ft. Red Lake Peak, gather some speed, and flatten ya. No
stopping. In the summer and fall, you will see many motorcyclist headed up this main highway across the mountains. And while this isn't the greatest super bike ride, it is one of the few passes kept open year round. All those other bikes may be a clue that this is a pleasant little ride. |
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In Hope Valley, you'll hit Highway 89 headed
north to Lake Tahoe. The valley is a favorite to cross-country
skiers
in winter and horseback riders in summer. Even in the midst of a
drought, this valley will be glowing in alpine green grass fed by
waters from the West Fork of the Carson River flowing out of Faith
Valley. South on Hwy 89 loops around through Markleville to
Ebbetts Pass, aka
Highway 4. If you do continue eastward on Highway 88, it'll
plop ya down into Nevada. Highway 50 -
America's Loneliest Highway and The
Extraterrestrial Highway 375 through Rachel are some nearby options
for Nevada bound riders. The rest of us may take a little longer. |
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Mormon Emigrant Trail
Iron Mountain Road
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I stumbled on this one a few years back when a giant landslide closed Highway 50- the main byway b/n the Central Valley and South Lake Tahoe. Traffic was diverted onto Alternate 50- aka Mormon Emigrant Trail. What a wonderful world. Great pavement, wide road with an actual shoulder in many parts, sweeping corners gently carved around mountain edges, intense views looking both north and south. |
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Ridden west to east uphill: Find Mormon Emigrant Trail at Sly Park- a rather well known summer camping area. Exit Interstate 50 at Sly Park Road and head south a couple miles to Jenkinson Reservoir- better known as Sly Park- past Starkes Grade Road. Or, come eastward on Sly Park Road from Newtown & either Cedar Ravine Road or Newtown Road out of Placerville. |
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Careful making the turn onto Mormon Emigrant Trail at both ends- if it's early spring there may be a lot of sand left on the road. One time riding this road, the intersection of Sly Park Road and Mormon Emigrant Trail - the western terminus of the ride- was completely covered in a fine sand. 'Gingerly' is the word for the day. Ride over the two earthen dams for Jenkinson Lake, kick it down a gear, and off you go. What a ride! The road opens up with some very smooth arcing corners (right & below) and then straights appear. Oh cool! Another great thing about the road's location is there are no paved side roads connecting to this. This is it. One road. No towns, gas stations, people, nothing. Just the road, the bike, and you. |
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