Bugnatr
Well-known member
Unlike last year which broke records for no rain, this fall and winter Northern California is having a very wet start to our winter rain season. With a break in the weather I needed to get out for a ride and check on our progress against the drought.
Even though the weather man predicted partly sunny, most of the day was in overcast or heavy central valley fog.
Here's the days route with the first stop at the bridge over Lake Oroville on Bucks Lake Hwy. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Peardale+Rd,+Grass+Valley,+CA+95945/Forbestown,+CA/Oroville,+CA/Glenn,+CA/Elk+Creek,+CA/Sites,+CA/Colusa,+CA/Peardale+Road,+Grass+Valley,+CA/@39.3776062,-122.3586527,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m65!4m64!1m5!1m1!1s0x809b76ab4d6d7e4b:0x7a5d9f6349f2384b!2m2!1d-120.9838628!2d39.1928141!1m15!1m1!1s0x809c95dff7122203:0xc20e26a8f2a42918!2m2!1d-121.2671825!2d39.5171268!3m4!1m2!1d-121.4300401!2d39.5497976!3s0x809cb833dd237279:0x7f3e27b3e34bb26c!3m4!1m2!1d-121.4324587!2d39.5661429!3s0x809cb81710f5ffab:0xd0697ad9fc3e17a4!1m5!1m1!1s0x809cb6034a842e11:0xb56919d60de28347!2m2!1d-121.556359!2d39.5137752!1m5!1m1!1s0x808317ca230cdb3d:0x3dcc556a3226ebda!2m2!1d-122.0138651!2d39.5218283!1m10!1m1!1s0x80824df7ef94579d:0x18dfc0742c735b27!2m2!1d-122.5398032!2d39.6050699!3m4!1m2!1d-122.5373791!2d39.4182638!3s0x8083b023dfcd922f:0x8d427a504c158b95!1m5!1m1!1s0x80830ab4717c435b:0xcd03378685f7ee75!2m2!1d-122.3385925!2d39.3087755!1m5!1m1!1s0x80836769a4f75f2b:0xa4092405c50e71eb!2m2!1d-122.0094175!2d39.2143343!1m5!1m1!1s0x809b76ab4d6d7e4b:0x7a5d9f6349f2384b!2m2!1d-120.98685!2d39.1894268!3e0?hl=en
They set records this fall on how low the lake dropped, we've got a ways to go to fill it up.
At least one boat out and about.
The Hippo.
Next stop was along the Sacramento River in the middle of the big valley. It was way up and even flowing water into the Sutter by-pass. Hasn't been this high in years.
Levee roads are fun to ride with plenty of green weeds and winter wheat.
A bit of a break in the clouds when I was on the coast side of the Valley, you can even see why it's called Snow Mountain out of Stonyford. Some real nice cloud effects against the hill.
The sun did finally pop out on the way home. Stopped to check out all the water fowl overwintering on the flooded rice fields. I guess they didn't cotton to me hanging around taking pictures. Always fun to watch the trumpet swans get air born. It was a great day for a ride with temps close to 60 the clouds and fog were no big deal plus not a single live forest rat all day, ahh what a good day. Doug
Even though the weather man predicted partly sunny, most of the day was in overcast or heavy central valley fog.
Here's the days route with the first stop at the bridge over Lake Oroville on Bucks Lake Hwy. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Peardale+Rd,+Grass+Valley,+CA+95945/Forbestown,+CA/Oroville,+CA/Glenn,+CA/Elk+Creek,+CA/Sites,+CA/Colusa,+CA/Peardale+Road,+Grass+Valley,+CA/@39.3776062,-122.3586527,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m65!4m64!1m5!1m1!1s0x809b76ab4d6d7e4b:0x7a5d9f6349f2384b!2m2!1d-120.9838628!2d39.1928141!1m15!1m1!1s0x809c95dff7122203:0xc20e26a8f2a42918!2m2!1d-121.2671825!2d39.5171268!3m4!1m2!1d-121.4300401!2d39.5497976!3s0x809cb833dd237279:0x7f3e27b3e34bb26c!3m4!1m2!1d-121.4324587!2d39.5661429!3s0x809cb81710f5ffab:0xd0697ad9fc3e17a4!1m5!1m1!1s0x809cb6034a842e11:0xb56919d60de28347!2m2!1d-121.556359!2d39.5137752!1m5!1m1!1s0x808317ca230cdb3d:0x3dcc556a3226ebda!2m2!1d-122.0138651!2d39.5218283!1m10!1m1!1s0x80824df7ef94579d:0x18dfc0742c735b27!2m2!1d-122.5398032!2d39.6050699!3m4!1m2!1d-122.5373791!2d39.4182638!3s0x8083b023dfcd922f:0x8d427a504c158b95!1m5!1m1!1s0x80830ab4717c435b:0xcd03378685f7ee75!2m2!1d-122.3385925!2d39.3087755!1m5!1m1!1s0x80836769a4f75f2b:0xa4092405c50e71eb!2m2!1d-122.0094175!2d39.2143343!1m5!1m1!1s0x809b76ab4d6d7e4b:0x7a5d9f6349f2384b!2m2!1d-120.98685!2d39.1894268!3e0?hl=en
They set records this fall on how low the lake dropped, we've got a ways to go to fill it up.
At least one boat out and about.
Next stop was along the Sacramento River in the middle of the big valley. It was way up and even flowing water into the Sutter by-pass. Hasn't been this high in years.
A bit of a break in the clouds when I was on the coast side of the Valley, you can even see why it's called Snow Mountain out of Stonyford. Some real nice cloud effects against the hill.
The sun did finally pop out on the way home. Stopped to check out all the water fowl overwintering on the flooded rice fields. I guess they didn't cotton to me hanging around taking pictures. Always fun to watch the trumpet swans get air born. It was a great day for a ride with temps close to 60 the clouds and fog were no big deal plus not a single live forest rat all day, ahh what a good day. Doug
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