WFO Big Dog ride route

[exskibum]

TC PM'd me to note that the routes I layed out some time back can't be found via search (undoubtedly, hack related). He wanted me to lay out the southern route again, so here's what I think I suggested:

Starting from the Reno Hilton early (suggest before 9 am), head south on 395 to Mount Rose Highway (431)**, making a right there (southwest) over Mount Rose to Incline Village on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Go left (east) on 28 through Incline Village and south along the east shore until it tees into Highway 50 (where you go right) to proceed further south along the east shore until you reach the city of South Lake Tahoe. Stay on 50 west through town to the "Wye" at Emerald Bay road, where you make a left (at this point, this is both 50 and 89) south to Myers, and just past the typically unmanned Ag inspection station, to make a left (south) on 89 over Luther Pass (instead of proceeding straight on 50 over Echo Summit). At Picketts Junction, 89 tees into 88, and you go left (east) to Woodfords (it's both 88 and 89 here). At Woodfords, make a right (south) through Markleeville (on 89). About 5 miles past Markleeville, go left (east) on 89 over Monitor Pass (instead of proceeding straight on 4 over Ebbetts Pass) to 395, where you make a right (south). Gas is available in Walker before you get to the turnoff to 108, where you make a right (west) over Sonora Pass. In Sonora, go right (north) on 49 to Angels Camp. At Angels Camp, go right (northeast) on 4 over Ebbetts Pass, which takes you back over the summit to Markleeville and Woodfords. At Woodfords, make a right on 88 to Minden, where it funnels into 395 north (left) at a signal. Go north through Carson City and the Washoe Valley to Reno. (Approaching Reno from the south on 395, make sure you make a right onto the 395 freeway on-ramp north**, instead of proceeding straight (which turns into Virginia Street). Get off on Mill Street and the Hilton is right there.)

** In the morning, a few miles south of the Hilton, you go right on a circular offramp to continue onto 395 south, and a couple miles south of there is the turnoff to Mount Rose Highway (same intersection where you'd go left (east) over Geiger Grade to Virginia City).

 

[Toecutter]

Group #1 (planned departure from Hilton 0600hrs or earlier)

1) FJRocket

2) Pending

3) Joe Head

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

Group #2 (0630 or earlier)

1) Groo

2) Yamahammer

3) 650cent

4) Worldbound4now

5) MNFJR05

6) The Bluestreeks

7) wpbfjr

8)

Group #2 (0700 departure)

1) DCarver

2) Weekday Rider

3) Coyote

4) Tripletango

5) Paste007

6) Chuckh

7) Rogue

8) Bike Effects

Group #3 (0715 departure)

1) Minuteman

2) Galaxy Blue

3)

4) Petey

5) 03silverbullet

6)

7) Machmann

8) Bluebullet

Group #4 (the happy couples) (0745 departure)

1)

2) The UberKuls

3) The Bugrs

4) OrangevaleFJR/JoyfulGirl

5)

6) Bearly Flying & FJRChik

7) The FastJoyRiders

8) The Mike-H's

Group #5 (0800 departure)

1) TwoWheelNut

2) Carla

3) John

4) Ojai Roy

5) TCfjr

6) Toecutter

7)

8)

 

[Groo]

If nobody else does, I can probably plug it into Navteq tonight when I get home.

 

[Ignacio]

Does someone with GPS capabilities want to input this and give us some numbers (mileage, est. trip duration, etc...) so we can figure out how much time we'll have for stopping and what meal requirements will be?

Computing as you were posting. Hopefully, I got it close to right. Below is the map image. According to Microsoft Streets and Trips it's 383 miles and with stock settings and no stops it's called 7 hours, 42 minutes.

If you have Street and Trips you can get WFO Big Dog Ride in Street and Trips

Looks like a GREAT RIDE!

 

[exskibum]

Whaddya think, Friday's best for it? You're leading, right?

Yep and yep. But as I said before, I much prefer leading a smaller group (maybe 8) on rides with this many twisties and this much distracting scenery bordered by sheer drop offs. Just safer, IMO. Should be more than enough route info there to allow others to lead other groups, and I know there are several of us familiar enough with large segments of this route to do a fine job leading.

But damn, it IS fun to be able to show people routes like this and know they're grinning their asses off. Lots of photo ops.

Nice map, Matt. Close to right??? You NAILED it.

 

[twowheelnut]

[SIZE=18pt]DIBS ON SWEEP!!!!!![/SIZE]

 

[exskibum]

[SIZE=18pt]DIBS ON SWEEP!!!!!![/SIZE]

Tag, you're it, TWN, or at least, you and TC can take turns, as he previously suggested he might handle the task. I'd be happy to have you both.

If'n you're in my group, recognizing that I hate any straight and less scenic slab where avoidable, I'll add a couple sweeteners. On the way back toward Reno, about a half mile northeast of Woodfords on 88, we'll make a right onto Carson River Road paralleling 88, but much prettier and more fun. At its end, we make a left, cross 88 and head north along Foothill Rd. through Genoa, past a couple golf courses (it turns into Jack's Valley Road) until we hit 395 well north of Minden (almost to Carson City), where we'll go left (north) toward Reno. I'll probably also detour along "Old Hwy 395" north of Carson City (west of the new 395 and past the Bowers Mansion and Davis Creek Park) before rejoining 395 just south of Washoe City -- ranchlands, no one on the road, well maintained and much better than summer Highway traffic on the main and straightened new 395.

BTW, there are two notoriously BAD places to speed on this route, most of which is pretty rural or downright out in the boonies. One is on 395 through Washoe City (you'll see all the residents' irate signage) and the other is between the Wye in South Lake Tahoe and Myers. Hwy 395 into and out of Reno can also be bad; it just depends.

 

[Toecutter]

If you have Street and Trips you can get WFO Big Dog Ride in Street and Trips

Snagged! Someday I'm gonna learn to use that program better.

Wow, 383 miles and ~8 hours! Sounds perfect!

Hey Nut, I thought you were going to do the roaming video work. Sweep means sweep. Speaking of video work, did I miss the production from 4/22?

Tag, you're it, TWN, or at least, you and TC can take turns, as he previously suggested he might handle the task. I'd be happy to have you both.

Works for me!

 

[tcfjr]

If you have Street and Trips you can get WFO Big Dog Ride in Street and Trips

Snagged! Someday I'm gonna learn to use that program better.

Wow, 383 miles and ~8 hours! Sounds perfect!

Hey Nut, I thought you were going to do the roaming video work. Sweep means sweep. Speaking of video work, did I miss the production from 4/22?

Tag, you're it, TWN, or at least, you and TC can take turns, as he previously suggested he might handle the task. I'd be happy to have you both.

Works for me!

Put me on the list for this ride - I've been eyeing it since it was posted on the WFO site.

 

[twowheelnut]

If you have Street and Trips you can get WFO Big Dog Ride in Street and Trips

Snagged! Someday I'm gonna learn to use that program better.

Wow, 383 miles and ~8 hours! Sounds perfect!

Hey Nut, I thought you were going to do the roaming video work. Sweep means sweep. Speaking of video work, did I miss the production from 4/22?

Tag, you're it, TWN, or at least, you and TC can take turns, as he previously suggested he might handle the task. I'd be happy to have you both.

Works for me!

Video? This is only the first ride of the weekend. I'm still deciding on Saturday's ride choice that'll make for some good vid. Besides, tailing a line of bikes snaking through the twisties can make for some good video, too! The swap thing sounds good. We'll work out the details over a sarsaparilly or two...

4/22 video is still on the editing table. I'm in a creative funk and lack a good sound track and sorting through the clips is daunting cuz there's so many good ones...

 

[PapaUtah]

I understand Radman wants in on the rear with Twowheel...TWN alongside a bare-chested Radman...what a sight that will be...

 

[radman]

"In on the rear".........comedy gold, that one.

 

[exskibum]

OK -- so here's who we have so far in the first squadron:

1) exskibum

2) toecutter

3) twowheelnut

4) tcfjr

5) Groo

6) Bluestreek

7) Mike H

8)

Solo or 2 up is fine -- NOT gonna be racing, even if we do set a spirited pace in some areas. We'll get together Thursday evening around a watering hole or at the bike storage pavillion to reconnoiter and set a departure time. If others want to go, we can set up a second and/or third discrete group then.

UNLESS one is to do Tioga Pass (120) as a part of a second ride that weekend, this may be the most spectacular route. One could do 395 south to Lee Vining, west over Tioga through Yosemite, then stay on 120 through Groveland to Chinese Camp, north on 49 to Jackson and then east on 88 over Carson Pass back to 395 in Minden and north to Reno. BUT . . . that is one really long ride.

For a Saturday ride, I was tentatively planning a more northerly route with twisties, Yuba River frontage and scenery (I'd also posted that before). It'd probably be something like 395 north from Reno to 70 west to 49 west to Nevada City, then 174 south to Colfax, and then a couple alternatives from there according to preferred length. The shorter route would be to take old Hwy 40 (a local's secret for much of the route) most of the way back to Reno, though 267 from Truckee to Kings Beach at the Lake and east on 28 to Incline and back over Mount Rose could be inserted instead of the last 25 miles from Truckee to Reno on I-80. The longer way would be to go to Auburn from Colfax along Placer Hills Road, then 49 south across the American River to Cool, 193 to Georgetown, then Wentworth Springs Rd. east to Ice House Road south to 50 east to Tahoe and then back to Reno via Carson City or along the east shore (or west and north shores) back to Mount Rose and then to Reno (very long, but a great ride). A lot of guys here will tell you that 49 over Bassetts grade and along the Yuba to Nevada City is a GREAT ride.

 

[Groo]

I'd like to throw my name in that hat...

 

[Bluestreek]

This sounds like a great ride. Add me to the list please.

 

[Mike-H]

Would there be a problem to do this 2 up or is everyone going solo...if not add me to the list please....

 

[chickey191]

not sure if I will make WFO - but i rode this route probably once a month most months when all the passes are open. I would suggest one short cut through Tahoe - that will bypass a great deal of casino traffic. I'll have to get a map to do it, but will check tonight. There is a local's cutoff that will skip most of the traffic from the casino's to the wye in the road section and get you to 50 much faster.

Those are some of the best passes in the Sierras. I rode Monitor probably twice a month most every open month as it is one of my favorite roads - with typcially very little traffic. Ebbets is one of those roads where you can turn tight enough to see your own brake light. A few years ago I got lucky enough to ride it right after re-paving. They hadn't even stiped it yet (though several miles are only about 1.5 lanes wide) - A glorious summer day - cool enough in the mountains to enjoy (but dropping down to the Pirate's Cove Cutoff - was a sweltering day) - one of those peak experiences and perfect riding days.

For any that are going toward Lee Vining - there is a a gas station on Tioga Pass - just west of 395. I think it is a chevron station - and some of the best food you will ever eat at a gas station. how many gas stations serve lobster?????

this station has had a trapeze set up in the grass where you can tie on some ropes and try your hand at a little swinging (there is a net).

Also - in Walker - someone was asking about food. There are a couple of burger places - depending on what time you get there - one serves adequate ribs - the other serves a pretty good burger. Don't remember the name, but one is something like Walker Burger - and the other has something to do with either BBQ or Ribs.

 

[exskibum]

I would suggest one short cut through Tahoe - that will bypass a great deal of casino traffic. I'll have to get a map to do it, but will check tonight. There is a local's cutoff that will skip most of the traffic from the casino's to the wye in the road section and get you to 50 much faster.

You're referring to Pioneer Trail, which takes you from just west of Stateline to Myers. Game time decision -- IF we're early enough to avoid traffic that starts to get bad a little before noon (and this would be a Friday morning), I was figuring on staying on 50 mostly to let people view the lake as we go by it in Bijou, and it's kinda pretty going from the Wye to Meyers through the meadows where the Lake Tahoe Golf Course is. Otherwise, yep -- that's the way to go. I was also concerned about describing where to turn, but: Pioneer Trail takes off to the left maybe a quarter mile past the Raley's shopping center (on left, south side of 50) at Park Avenue, so you have to get into the left turn lane for Pioneer (it Ys off to the left at a signal light, right where Applebees restaurant is on your right (lake) side).

All accurate stuff you report. I can never remember the name of the burger place in Walker either, though I've eaten there many times. As you know, about 2 miles north of where Monitor (89) hits 395, Topaz has a casino, food and a gas station, as well.

Hope you can make it up -- sounds like you'd be an ideal lead rider for an additional group. (I suspect quite a few people will want to do this when we're sitting around drinking beers in the bike pavillion Thursday evening and plotting the next morning's ride. At least -- I'm assuming we can drink in the pavillion.)

 

[skyway]

For any that are going toward Lee Vining - there is a a gas station on Tioga Pass - just west of 395. I think it is a chevron station - and some of the best food you will ever eat at a gas station. how many gas stations serve lobster?????this station has had a trapeze set up in the grass where you can tie on some ropes and try your hand at a little swinging (there is a net).

Its called the Whoa Nellie Deli and its located at the Tioga Gas Mart.

Tioga Gas Mart

Also - in Walker - someone was asking about food. There are a couple of burger places - depending on what time you get there - one serves adequate ribs - the other serves a pretty good burger. Don't remember the name, but one is something like Walker Burger - and the other has something to do with either BBQ or Ribs.

It is called Walker Burger, not sure about the other?