Calaveras Big Trees Ride Report and Pics

[James Burleigh]

Silent and I met for breakfast at Denny's in Pleasanton on Saturday morning at 8 AM, then headed east out of the Bay Area over the Altamont Pass into California's Central Valley, with the sun in our eyes as it rose slowly higher over the distant Sierra Nevada mountains.

Our destination was Calaveras Big Trees state park, home to the largest trees in the world. These are not the tallest trees; those are the Coastal Redwoods that are tall and narrow. Calaveras holds the Giant Sequoias, which are plenty tall but also wide enough to drive a car through. We would spend one night at a camp ground in the park. UberKul, who lives nearby, was promising to meet us there and spend the night as well.

On our way to Calaveras we would first pass through small towns built during the California gold rush of 1849. In one of these towns, Murphys, we hoped to meet MadMike2 and OrangevaleFJR for lunch.

We took SR 132 through the Valley, where we passed through Modesto. In the photo below, Silent, wearing a gray and black Aerostitch and sporting a CamelBack (the temperature was already about 85 F by about 10AM), shuts off his Black Cherry '07 as we wait for a train to pass. That looked like a good idea to me, so I got off my bike too. Just as I did so, the last train car passed in front of us, and I had to scramble to get back on my heavily-laden bike, start it up, and get moving.

The view eastward toward the Sierra (below). I was using my newly discovered OrangvaleFJR hangman's noose method of snapshot-taking, wherein you loop the camera around your neck, where it dangles till you set your throttle lock, grope for the camera and controls, somehow manage to turn the camera on, and snap away while veering off the road or into on-coming traffic. I'd learned Orange's technique after admiring his pics from the ride to WFO and asking how he did it. But having a lively mind for fear, I worried that I would crash, the camera would get caught on something, and my head would pop off like a New Year's champagne bottle cork. So later in the day I elected to keep the camera in my tank bag and pull over when I wanted to take a picture.

All systems go: Heading northeast at 60 mph; temperature 95.5 F (speedometer white-out dots are at 60, 80, 100, 120):

Rising out of the Central Valley into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and the Gold Country:

State Route 132 intersected Hwy 49 (named for the 49er gold prospectors), which runs north-south through the foothills, intersecting many old west style towns, like Coulterville and its Hotel Jeffrey, which was the site of a Harley rally (photo below).

Note in the photo above the road sign indicating a right-hand turn to continue on 132 to Yosemite. I had planned that we would go up that way in order to ride a great road I'd discovered on my way home from Yosemite the last trip there. But it was already 11 AM, and we wanted to get to Murphys to meet Mad and Orange between noon and one.

So we elected to take Hwy 49 instead, the road passing in front of the hotel, because it would be quicker. And although disappointed, I knew that was the right decision because I understood that riding motorcycles isn't just about the ride, it's about the friendships and the community and the shared experience, which of course is what this forum is all about. So on that day, at that moment, it was more important to meet up with Mad and Orange than to ride those extra roads, which would wait patiently for us to return another day.

We pulled over to the Harley rally to take a break, and tried to blend in with the Harleys and riders. But of course it was hopeless. Our bikes had color, and so did the gear we wore.

They were having some kind of competition. I tried to get a shot of the trophies, but this dumb girl got in the way!

Silent swapped out his 'stitch for a cooler mesh outfit, now that the temperatures had crossed the 100 F mark:

 

[James Burleigh]

We pulled into Murphys at around 12:30, and cruised slowly down its main street, looking for the dual-sports we knew that Mad and Orange would be riding. We spotted them parked on on the street, then continued to the end of town, made a U-turn, and came back. Up ahead we saw MadMike waving us down. Parking the bikes, we joined them in the garden restaurant of the Murphys Hotel.

L to R, "Silent," "James Burleigh," "MadMike2," and "OrangevaleFJR":

The Murphys Hotel. To its right is the outdoor garden restaurant:

The bar inside the hotel. Note the child under a bar stool:

After lunch, we all rode the 15 miles higher (further east) into the mountains above Murphys to Calaveras Big Trees. There we checked in and were assigned our camp site. I asked Silent to snap a shot of me (note MadMike2 in the background, that "bear of a man"):

Mad and Orange followed Silent and me to our camp site, where they waited patiently and made bad jokes while we set up our tents and stowed our gear. Then we all rode to the north grove of Giant Sequoias to take the walking tour. Here's a shot of our four bikes, including the two dual-sports ridden by Mad and Orange:

 

[James Burleigh]

A Giant Sequoia:

A giant of a man (Mad) inside a giant of a tree:

Mad on the stump of a Sequoia:

Orange displaying his photographic prowess:

The Three Environmentalists Existentialists:

More pics:

 

[James Burleigh]

Bikes at camp:

Love those bag reflectors!

Shiny....

 

[James Burleigh]

After walking through the grove of Giant Sequoias, we returned to the bikes and found a note from UberKul saying he'd be waiting for us at the campsite. When I had checked in upon arriving at the main gate and indicated that someone else would be joining us, they asked what his name was. I said I didn't know. They asked if he knew my name, and I said probably not. I think they thought I was crazy :blink: .

Later Uber explained to us that, when checking in and trying to find our camp site, he only knew my first name. He cleverly thought to call my cell number and got my voice mail, and picked it up off my greeting. (We had posted on the bulletin board our location, but the board was in a remote location you had trouble finding even if you knew where to look.)

Mad and Orange, instead of heading home at this point, came back to our camp site four miles away to say hi to their buddy Uberkul, who was indeed waiting for us when we pulled into the camp. Uber joined Mad and Orange for a ride out of the park and back down the hill for dinner at an Italian restaurant. Silent and I stayed at the camp and broke out the food we'd brought for dinner.

Below, Uber and Silent discussing existential phenomenology, Uber taking the Heideggerian position, Silent the Sartrean (Uber dresses like Heidegger to drive home his point, while Silent stands poised to demonstrate graphically that Uber's all wet):

Uber got back just before dark, and the three of us sat in the dark (we didn't spring for the firewood) talking and getting to know each other. It was a rare opportunity to really get to know fellow forum members. They say the best male bonding occurs in war zones and foreign bars, but I would add to that camp sites, and particularly camp sites with motorcycles parked nearby.

The next morning Uber suited up to head home "over the ridge" as he said (photo below, with Silent helping him find his handlebars). We offered Uber left-over scraps of food from dinner so that he wouldn't have to eat his own leg when he broke it and no one could find him for days, but he claimed he'd be all right. We said all right and watched him leave, hoping his new Avatar wouldn't be Donner (Party of Four).

Then Silent and I broke camp and headed for breakfast back down in Murphys at the same spot we'd had lunch the day before. Actually, what we had was more like brunch, since we got there at about 10:00, and breakfast didn't show up for about another hour after we ordered it. But the waitress was beautiful and the food was good. And we were on a motorcycle trip.

After breakfast we found our bikes had made some new friends: a Honda, Yamaha, and Kawi:

From Murphys we rode a mile outside of town to Mercer Caverns:

Self-portrait with sleeping kitty while waiting for the cavern tour to begin:

Entrance to the cavern:

In we go! Note Silent in his Aerostitch, a decision he would soon regret. (I carried a flashlight in my pocket just in case the tour guide stumbled and fell to his death just as the electricity went out):

Although it was about 90 F outside, we were told it'd be quite cool (cold) in the cavern. So I kept my leather jacket on, and Silent kept his 'stitch on. That turned out to be a big mistake for ol' Silent, who is less heat tolerant than I. Within a few minutes of entering the cave, he was perspiring and looking for new, creative ways to wear a 'stitch without really having it on your body. Before long he was looking pretty miserable, his hair matted with perspiration and his suit, all unzipped, hanging off his body as if he'd been flayed alive.

On top of all that, when we were about 16 stories (according to the guide) down into the bowels of the earth and expecting to see dinosaurs and lost oceans like in the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth, Silent turns to me and announces he's starting to feel a little claustrophobic. I'm immediately reminded of one of the conversations we'd had the night before over the campfire pit about how I was claustrophobic. So now I'm starting to think about how deep in the bowels of the earth we are, with no immediate way out, and tons of rock all around me. I feel my pulse begin to quicken, my brow begin to bead with sweat. I begin to take the same deep breaths through my nose that I'd just recommended to Silent. My mind begins to race like that of a cornered rat.... "Deep breaths.... In...out. In....out...." I manage to calm myself, but my brain is shooting out little barbs at Silent, who looks like The Mummy with his stitch hanging all off him like hideous, ancient bandages.

Silent tours Mercer Caverns:

Fresh air and sunshine at last! Silent climbs the last few steps out of the Blistering Hot Caverns of Fear and Death!

 

[evil_henchman]

Great write up and pics JB, always a great read even when I have no idea WTF you're talking about!

Uber and Silent discussing phenomenological existentialism, Uber taking the Heideggerian position, Silent the Sartrean (Uber dresses like Heidegger to drive home his point, while Silent stands poised to demonstrate graphically that Uber's all wet):

:lol:

 

[UberKul]

Evil, I was there and don't know what he is talking about! :dribble:

It was great seeing everyone again and an enjoyable night out.

I have wanted to go through to Hwy 4 on Summit Level Rd for some time. It starts off paved then gravel, and once you get past Fort Mountain Ranch changes to dirt. You see the darndest things out in the middle of no-where sometimes.

Oops, this wasn't on the GPS. Above this tree the road turned in to deep silt with ruts underneath to give you that 'oh crap I'm going to cross rut and eat dust feeling'.

Too bad that little camp ID did not stay in place, I drew heat.

I felt like the Omega Man at camp until the rest of the group returned.

Here comes that biker gang back from their flora and fauna exploration.

Off to dinner with Orangevale and MadMike for some great Italian food on they're way down the hill. With a full belly I made my way back to camp for an evening of adult beverage and BS with Silent and James Burleigh. Silent, have fun and good luck on your journey north. Sorry about the bad info on the cave temps guys. I remember it being very cool in every cave in the county?

Thanks again for the invitation and brief relief from the hunny-do list.

 

[exskibum]

Silt, Brad? Fun stuff on a DS. Ask O'vale about Sunday's "silt" on Soda Springs Road out in the middle of BFE. Sometimes 6 inches deep. Miles of it -- up, down, around corners, with ruts, rocks, washouts, etc. as the intermittent change up to keep you on your toes and prevent the resort to a little more speed for stability.

Looks like you all had a good time. Weird stuff out in the middle of nowhere. Can't help but wonder what the creator's intentions were in building that mini store front set.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Nice write up. I can definitely jive with Uber taifing the Sartrean side of things. He's a mister "I did this and I did that" kinda guy

I have to get up to those caves. We rode right past them on the way to Murphy.

So that you don't have to rely on self portraits, I'll throw in some of my photos.

Silent Ray sets up his tent

Hans Burleigh does the same

The bikes await

A campsight shot

James shows us how big the tree stump is

Big Tree

The sacraficial tree - those in the East didn't believe how big the trees were, so some bright guy with too much time and money stripped the bark from this tree and reassembled it back East as a promotional deal

The guys read about the Sacraficial Tree

The branch bigger than many trees

Nice forest

The guys

tree

 

[Silent]

Below, Uber and Silent discussing phenomenological existentialism, Uber taking the Heideggerian position, Silent the Sartrean

:dribble: :dribble: :dribble: Huh? Is that stuff even in the english language? :dribble: :dribble: :dribble:

It was a great trip to be sure, great hanging with the guys. JB did a great job of leading up and back, good speeds and stops to check things out on occasion. Mike had alot of knowledge to impart about the big trees, and JB enjoyed that exostentialism stuff with the guys as I played shutter bug with the trees (No, I didn't hit any of em. Sheesh :blink: ).

We'll kinda over look the 'Great Cave Fiasco' tho I was told it would be alot cooler in there. Turned out to be way to hot for me with the humid and stuffy air, and the exertion from the climb. Next time I'll be sure to spot what the tour guide is wearing before making my final decision.

On the way out, I followed JB as I had for the past day or so. JB and I split our seperate ways in Stockton, JB following 4, and I headed south down 5. Turned out that the 205 and 580 where near parking lots, so lane 'shareing' was the order of buisness. The pucker factor was definatly up for about awhile as there were high cross winds, and construction barriers on the edge of the fast lane pushing the cars ever closer to my narrow little lane between them. Needless to say there wasn't much room left for error.

Thanks guys! It was an awesome trip, great sites, and great peeps to hang with! And to all that didn't go, you missed out

I'll have to add pics later as I'm at work ATM.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

On the way out, I followed JB as I had for the past day or so. JB and I split our seperate ways in Stockton, JB following 4, and I headed south down 5. Turned out that the 205 and 580 where near parking lots, so lane 'shareing' was the order of buisness. The pucker factor was definatly up for about awhile as there were high cross winds, and construction barriers on the edge of the fast lane pushing the cars ever closer to my narrow little lane between them. Needless to say there wasn't much room left for error.

I agree , the wind was the most brutal I'd seen in years, blowing us constantly from the fog line to the center line mercilessly. We opted to take Corral Hollow through the backside of Livermore to avoid the debacle that's always on 205/580. Bummer we missed ya'll !! :glare:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Silt, Brad? Fun stuff on a DS. Ask O'vale about Sunday's "silt" on Soda Springs Road out in the middle of BFE. Sometimes 6 inches deep. Miles of it -- up, down, around corners, with ruts, rocks, washouts, etc. as the intermittent change up to keep you on your toes and prevent the resort to a little more speed for stability.
Looks like you all had a good time. Weird stuff out in the middle of nowhere. Can't help but wonder what the creator's intentions were in building that mini store front set.

Silt, I only got one thing to say about silt: Take it with speed, or walk the bike through it slowly. Riding tentatively in silt will result in some awfully squirmy stuff.

 

[UberKul]

You guys really have me doubting myself...

Although it was about 90 F outside, we were told it'd be quite cool (cold) in the cavern. So I kept my leather jacket on, and Silent kept his 'stitch on. That turned out to be a big mistake for ol' Silent, who is less heat tolerant than I. Within a few minutes of entering the cave, he was perspiring and looking for new, creative ways to wear a 'stitch without really having it on your body. Before long he was looking pretty miserable, his hair matted with perspiration and his suit, all unzipped, hanging off his body as if he'd been flayed alive.

We'll kinda over look the 'Great Cave Fiasco' tho I was told it would be alot cooler in there. Turned out to be way to hot for me with the humid and stuffy air, and the exertion from the climb. Next time I'll be sure to spot what the tour guide is wearing before making my final decision.

As I remember it;

Mercer Caverns is a mile north of Murphys off Sheep Ranch Road. Walter Mercer discovered these caves in 1885 when he was looking for water on a hot September day. Cold air blasted his legs, and he followed the air to the caves, which he excavated for public access by 1887. The temperature inside is a constant 55 degrees F.

Unless there is some new geothermal thing going on I think you ladies are experiencing the change of life!

 

[James Burleigh]

On the way out, I followed JB as I had for the past day or so. JB and I split our seperate ways in Stockton, JB following 4, and I headed south down 5. Turned out that the 205 and 580 where near parking lots, so lane 'shareing' was the order of buisness. The pucker factor was definatly up for about awhile as there were high cross winds, and construction barriers on the edge of the fast lane pushing the cars ever closer to my narrow little lane between them. Needless to say there wasn't much room left for error.

I agree , the wind was the most brutal I'd seen in years, blowing us constantly from the fog line to the center line mercilessly. We opted to take Corral Hollow through the backside of Livermore to avoid the debacle that's always on 205/580. Bummer we missed ya'll !! :glare:

I had high winds also going up Hwy 4 into the back and past Mt. Diablo. I had dust storms crossing the road and big gusts. No lane splitting required for me, thank goodness (sorry you guys ran into that situation). The casual pace Silent and I took coming out of the mountains on Hwy 4 (60 MPH) set my mind to casual riding, which was appropriate because it kept me from thinking I needed to pass long lines of cars along two-lane Hwy 4 in high winds and dust storms.

I have more pictures to post, and will do so later....

Hans

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Mercer Caverns is a mile north of Murphys off Sheep Ranch Road. Walter Mercer discovered these caves in 1885 when he was looking for water on a hot September day. Cold air blasted his legs, and he followed the air to the caves, which he excavated for public access by 1887. The temperature inside is a constant 55 degrees F.

Unless there is some new geothermal thing going on I think you ladies are experiencing the change of life!

Well, they did descend and have to climb 16 stories worth of steps. That's like exercise. I have never considered working out in my motorcycling gear

 

[Silent]

Definatly a workout in a 'stitch. But hay, it's all good B) The nviews were worth the sweat.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Definatly a workout in a 'stitch. But hay, it's all good B) The nviews were worth the sweat.

The pics sure look that way. that one that looks like meandering river is way cool

 

[Silent]

Time for more pics B)

JB just had to visit his Harley friends at this quaint hotel

OrangevaleFJR and JB

The camp site

These tree's are BIG!

We found another bear in the woods! Mike shows us how big that stump truely is

Did I say BIG?

The sacraficial tree

JB partaking of his Bota Bag (he'd kill me if I misspelled that )

The camp Chaplin stopped by. Not a very flattering pic I must admit

This lil one just wanted my bag of almonds

Mercer Caverns

Deep and steep

This one defys gravity

This formation is why Mercer is famous

Whaddya mean the guide's GONE?

Our guide, real nice fellow. I'm sure he had plenty of new material after we left tho "Let me tell you about those crazy biker fools..."

"Hay Silent! Where's Mercer Caverns?"

All I could think of was "Children of the Corn" :blink:

A great weekend, time well spent :yahoo: :clapping:

 

[James Burleigh]

Great photos, Silent! Fang and I cracked up with that joke about the missing guide :clapping: . And the quality of your camera really shows. Here are more pics from my camera, and some comments about a couple of interesting events on my way home--the encounter with the Harley guys, how I almost crashed into another bike, and how I saved some squids from a ticket.

Leaving Calaveras Sunday morning: "Do these bags make me look fat?"

The corn was as high as an elephant's eye: California's Central Valley, Breadbasket of the World. And here's what a M.C. helmet will do to a thick head of hair , so those of you who ride M.C.s and are hair challenged, I envy you.

Photo below: Highway 4 running along the Delta. Mt. Diablo in the distance. Just over those hills and mountain is the Bay Area. Note the fog rolling over the tops of the hills. I live just on the other side of the mountain. By now Silent and I had split off at Hwy 5. The wind really picked up, and I encountered large dust storms blowing across the highway.

A closer shot of the Bay Area fog spilling over the mountains:

While I was pulled over with my flashers on to take the photo above, three Harley guys approached from the opposite direction. Then when they're about 50 yards ahead, one breaks off and crosses into the opposing lane of traffic! I watch in amazement and alarm as he comes toward me in the "wrong" lane, pulls right up next to me, and stops. He is wearing a small helmet, a black leather vest, and oily jeans. His face and arms are darkly tanned, and his thickly-muscled arms are full of tatoos. He shouts across the howling wind and traffic: "Are you all right?!" I told him I was fine and thanked him largely for stopping to ask. Then I felt like a heel. Y'all know why.... :glare:

Getting closer to home:

Not much farther ahead from where I took the photo above, at a rural signalized intersection, I almost managed to crash into probably the only other motorcycle within a square mile or two. I approached the intersection, which had two lanes in each direction and no dedicated left-turn lanes. A pickup truck and I were the only vehicles in sight, sitting opposite each other waiting for the signal to change. We each were signaling left.

When the light turned green, I waited for the truck to demonstrate that it was really turning left in front of me and not going straight before I committed to my left-hand turn. So he goes left, and then I commit to my turn. Yikes! Hidden behind the truck was a motorcycle going straight. I hit my brakes while turned, and almost dropped the bike. He stopped just as I did, and even gestured for me to go. But I was too busy trying to come up with a hand signal that said, "Sorry I'm such an incompetent stooge!" I was embarrassed because this guy was on an ST1300 and looked like a "real rider." The light changed quickly, in the middle of our encounter, and I only had enough time to get out of his path backwards, and then back further to the limit line.

Almost home:

While I was on this great M.C. road, Marsh Creek Road, coming around the back side of Mt. Diablo (photo above), I spotted a CHP motorcycle cop hiding in the shade of a tree off the pavement to my left, pointing a radar gun at the on-coming traffic. So it was with a feeling of being a swell guy that, several miles up the road, when I passed three squids on sport bikes heading toward the cop, I was able to give them the patting-the-top-of-my-helmet signal, which they acknowledged. This was perhaps the payment forward of the Harley guy's having stopped for my benefit, and rounded out my feeling of being part of a brotherhood (and sisterhood!) of motorcyclists.

My only other LEO experience on the trip was coming down out of the Sierra with Silent along single-lane, fast-moving Hwy 4. Suddenly my radar detector, in the middle of nowhere, started popping. Then pretty soon it sounded like a geiger counter at Chernobyl. I couldn't for the life of me see where the signal came from. Then, up ahead, tucked in among the long line of on-coming traffic, was a CHP cruiser. As soon as it passed, my detector settled back down.

By the time I got home, I was deep in the overcast that I'd seen earlier spilling over the mountains. And while the day before Silent and I were roasting in over 100 degree heat, now I was downright chilled.

Pulling into my garage safe and sound after two great days of riding and meeting new friends. Thanks again, Ray, for coming along, and thanks again to Mike, Andrew, and Brad for coming out to play motorcycles with us. See you all next time!

Jb