2019 Iron Butt Rides

[SacramentoMike]

Send Eddie a PM. He doesn't post much, but he does sometimes--maybe comes on more often than he posts. I've ridden Mattole Rd. several times, but never all the way to Shelter Cove or Cape Mendocino, but what I've ridden of it--a lot--is definitely rideable. Lots of potholes, but you'll be going slow for sure and you can ride between them. I might even explore before July. I've got a kid living in Eureka who needs a visit one of these days.

Wonder who might be up for a meet-up and escort down that way in July? Anybody?

 

[101stpathfinder]

Thanks for the great info and updates!

Yes, I need to get a picture of Sugarloaf I am hoping to get the pic from the Mattole Riad as suggested. I will PM Eddie when I get home. My riding schedule will be really tight as I am planning all rides within the Longest month ride 31k in 31 days. After the Cape to Cape ride, I will transition to Earth, TX for a ride that must start the 16th. After that ride, its off to Alaska to do a ride that I forgot to do last trip to Prudhoe Bay called the Haul Road 1000.

 

[fljab]

I am interested in knowing more about this route and where all I can go on the FJR. I'll be doing a 10/10ths along when Tony is doing his BBGs basing out of Sioux Falls, SD. My plan afterwards is to get tires and service (tentatively @ Sturgis Motorsports), then roam west to see friends along the way in Oregon (small town south of Portland), Yreka, CA, and an old Navy buddy in Crescent City.

I'd love to explore some on the roads of the Lost Coast. Looking on Google maps I see both Ferndale and Shelter Cove, but no good way to connect them. From your statement below, I take it an ADV bike would be required to go all the way w/o getting on 101? If so, then what's a good route with that in mind?

It looks to me like heading south of Mattole Rd will take you down through Cape Town, The Lost Coast, Petrolia, Honeydew, Bull Creek, and then rejoin 101 @ MM 663. Is that the extent of FJR friendly routing?

At some point my kitchen pass will be getting near expiration date so will head east and south to Central Florida, but as long as I'm heading in the general direction, all will be good.

I rode the Lost Coast 2 years ago and can give you some skinny on what's there, all the way from Ferndale, down Mattole Road, to Shelter Cove, then exiting south onto 101 near Rockport using Usal Road in the south. Usal road was a fun ride on my KTM690 but would be pretty much impossible I think on an FJR - its not maintained anymore and has HUGE ruts for miles and miles, some of them 4-5 feet deep! A GS/GSA or big KTM twin with a competent rider would be OK as well.

 

[FJRay]

There used to be great fish n chips at shelter cove but the road was shit. I got a shirt that said " I survived the shelter cove road "