Sierra lakes, views, Tahoe National Forest, great day

I have been itching to use my DRZ400SM that has its dirt wheels on to go explore in the Sierra. I lit out of Orangevale at 9am and basically slabbed 60 miles to fill up at Emigrant Gap before I headed off the beaten path.



I took I-80 to Hwy 20 to Bowman Lake Road.





I was heading to a place where in 1866 people branched out of the main gold mining areas to strike their claims in more remote places. The good thing about all this gold mining is that we have roads to places and trailheads that would simply be too difficult otherwise.

How we ride bikes up those hills.



So, I often find myself thanking the hearty prospectors that searched the Sierra for gold. Often time they created wonderful mountain towns for us to visit, other times they dammed lakes to allow for their hydro cannons so they could strip away the earth from the rock. We are left with many, many lakes that PG&E deftly utilize for hydroelectric power and wonderful roads into the wilderness that let us find them.

Another by product is the NID ditch.



I hope that my age leaves similar such things behind that are of use and a pleasure to visit. The Internet? Rovers on Mars? Skyscrapers made of metal and glass? Cinder block walls between our roads and our neighborhoods? Stories about trips on motorcycles around this beautiful world? Who knows what will be the most coveted by who? But today, I coveted access to places that I could never have visited in a short 8 hour day without these roads and my DRZ.

Heading up Bowman Lake Road, it starts off with tar that takes me past two rivers, the NID Ditch and some nice views.



The tar ends and a dirt road of vastly varying condition takes its place.



Just before I got to Bowman Lake, I found this couple relaxing after a slow and scary ride up a pretty nasty dirt road. He said he won't be bringing his full dresser up here again.



Bowman Lake





I have a lot more, but the software is screwing with the formatting if I post one after another...so I'll just wait and post later.

Post to let Andrew continue with his post. :blink: That makes no sense unless you read Andrew's other post about posting. Got it?

twowheelnut said:

Post to let Andrew continue with his post. :blink: That makes no sense unless you read Andrew's other post about posting. Got it?

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Thanks twn

Catfish lake is a natural lake. I may assume incorrectly, but I imagine the miners stocked these lakes with catfish to provide a food source.



There were three small lakes between Bowman and Meadow Lake. I saw 5 inch long juvenile catfish in each one. This picture shows them feeding in the shallows.



I wouldn't mind living at this lake as long as it wasn't frozen! At 7,774 feet, you can be sure this place is cold in the winter.





There are camp sites at all the lakes. My DRZ looked good in this one.



Here is the smallest lake of the day. I'm not sure what it is called, but it had a family of water birds with tiny chicks that hid as close to rocks as they could and utilized their camoflage. I bet you can't see them in this picture, but I happen to know three were in sight.





I saw a few cars, a few ATVs and 2 KTMs today.

Post.

Hey Slappy? :dntknw:

twowheelnut said:

Post.
Hey Slappy? :dntknw:

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Thanks again

The flowers were out.













I took this road...



someone post quick!

Post. Oy.

...I parked here



and took these shots













Then I sit down and ate lunch...my first ride report food shot:



I added to a rock wall



I saw this weird in ground bee/wasp type insect nest thing



just one more

Post.

Then I rode some more





Meadow Lake



The original granite dam capped with cement.



This sign is about the only thing left of the ghost town other than the dam.



There was a helipad, but I think that is new.

A water crossing.



I like the granite that is exposed in these hills. I often wonder how much was stripped away to reveal it, or if these rocks were standing here all along.











Bear River at its small point.



Rides like these are a gift. I'm lucky, thankful, and passionate. I have never ridden dirt before this year and I am getting much more comfortable with it now. I think riding 60 miles on some pretty technical at times stuff helps a lot

Done...

"Excelsior!" - Manbearpig Hunter, Algore :lol:

OrangevaleFJR said:

Rides like these are a gift. I'm lucky, thankful, and passionate. I have never ridden dirt before this year and I am getting much more comfortable with it now. I think riding 60 miles on some pretty technical at times stuff helps a lot

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Excellent post! Great stuff! Looks like you were just east of some of the areas we rode the weekend before.

Takes guts to ride out in the remote areas alone.

Perhaps later this year or sometime next we can get FJR DS'ers together for a ride. I'm lovin' it...

dougc

dougc said:

Perhaps later this year or sometime next we can get FJR DS'ers together for a ride. I'm lovin' it...
dougc

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Someone else said something like that too. I just found a 7.3 gallon tank that is made for the DRZ... a 357 mile range sounds good enough for me

OK, roomie, bring maps to WFO. Sounds like this will turn into an Event. Paging Reno John, Highlander, MadMike, Carver... to the mountain fire roads, STAT! FJR's need not apply.

This forum is a study of extremes. With one click, the reader can navigate from reams of banal insults, to engaging prose or National Geo type photography.

Wow - am I ever impressed here O'Vale. The photos are simply amazing both in content and composition. You did a great job in re-creating some of the magic experienced on your ride.

I'm a brand noobie dirt convert. So far, both bike and gear are way too clean - haven't seen anything but the housing tract yet. If I could see half of what you photographed, then the new hobby will be truly validated. Perhaps we should head north for the inaugural dirt ride.

Jill

Silver Penguin said:

This forum is a study of extremes. With one click, the reader can navigate from reams of banal insults, to engaging prose or National Geo type photography.
Wow - am I ever impressed here O'Vale. The photos are simply amazing both in content and composition. You did a great job in re-creating some of the magic experienced on your ride.

I'm a brand noobie dirt convert. So far, both bike and gear are way too clean - haven't seen anything but the housing tract yet. If I could see half of what you photographed, then the new hobby will be truly validated. Perhaps we should head north for the inaugural dirt ride.

Jill

Click to expand...

Right-on! It's a party, then! Now, about those banal insults...

Once, again, your photography and narration is outstanding, Andrew!

I need a dual sport. I know much of that area, and Judy really knows it well (she once owned an outdoor gear shop in the area) and has spent a LOT of time in that neck of the woods. We were out there back packing the last weekend of October, and she's even been out there snow camping in mid winter by herself with her recently deceased Samoyed.

You really hit a gold mine area of beauty. Makes some of the gorgeous paved roads we are privileged to ride seem mild by comparison. Thanks for breaking up an awful day of asshole wrangling with some of nature's beauty. (I have a splitting asshole induced headache, but that helped.)

Silver Penguin said:

... to engaging prose or National Geo type photography.Wow - am I ever impressed here O'Vale. The photos are simply amazing both in content and composition. You did a great job in re-creating some of the magic experienced on your ride.Jill

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Wow - am I ever honored! I think you put more thought into your reply than I did my report! Thanks Jill!We hope to see you at the first ever FJR Owners DS ride in Northern California the weekend of...uh...September 15th? Then we'll take you to a lot more places than are shown in my pictures. I'll take this to ride planning.

exskibum said:

I need a dual sport.

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Thanks Rich...and yes you do. You really DO need a dual sport --the enabler.

twowheelnut said:

Sounds like this will turn into an Event.

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Okay,Maybe I can get Safari tanks to donate my 28 litre tank for the DRZ :yahoo:

dougc said:

Perhaps later this year or sometime next we can get FJR DS'ers together for a ride. I'm lovin' it...dougc

Click to expand...

Just look what you started! :clapping:

NICE. Andrew...really nice! :clapping: Sorry I couldn't make it, but Zac did get my forks done and the FJR is back together. :yahoo:

Was that little lake "Webber"?

Hmmmm, exskibum as a few months to get a dualsport......or two, 2-up in the dirt isn't likely to be much fun. And Mr. Skyway???--The Encourager

Sept 15th? Is that chiseled in stone? Don't make it any earlier...eye gots playans ohn duh pervious weekend.

OK, roomie, bring maps to WFO. Sounds like this will turn into an Event. Paging Reno John, Highlander, MadMike, Carver... to the mountain fire roads, STAT! FJR's need not apply.

Click to expand...

Uberkul...CAJW...DougC...TurboDave?

BTW, all the roads he was on ARE in Garmin Mapsource v.8. I'll try and remember to bring my topo/forest sevice maps of that area.

O'vale you need a bigger tank check out Clark tanks in Oregon, they make them for most bikes for enduro riders that use motor cross bike on enduro rides of Gncc rides as well as any other bike.

I would love to go off roading in the hills with a group, I/ll get my CR250 back I have a green sticker and lets do some dirt riding. My range id only 54 miles dirt only. The bike is a motor cross bike set up for the dirt I used to race it.

Great pics of theat area. weekend rider