Bugnatr
Well-known member
We know Joe is in rehab from his back surgery and he heeds all the entertainment he can get, here's a RR from Sunday's ride. We are having mild weather conditions so after some mid week planing with my local riding buds we were a go.. Temps were between mid 40's launch to upper 50's, brisk but dry.
These ride always includes some cat hearding but Eric on his Bonniville, Tom with the Beemer and Golden Boy Brian with his new to him V Strom were not too much trouble to keep moving. The Katoom hasn't seen much winter duty so it was nice to get back on the 990 and some air time for the front tire. Damn.... that 990 is fun.
Eric had a real nice Tuono but down sized to this 02 Bonnie special. I have ridden it and it does quite well if you keep moving, 4th gear is your friend.
Plan ride to Oroville, eat breakfast and ride Chroekee Rd to Hwy 70 and the up the Feather River Canyon to Belden Town. Our route https://goo.gl/maps/J7lQA
Chroekee Rd is a tight undulating twisty paved road that begs for second and even first gear to handle the quick changes in road direction up and down in the hills. Bitchin'!!!
Eric mentioned we actually stop at the town site of Cherokee and learn some history. Turns out Cherokee was a huge hydraulic mining operation that also was the first Diamond Mine in the US. At one time the town had over 1000 people, 8 hotels and 17 BARS! The wild west gold style.
Good read here Joe, you have the time https://www.newsreview.com/chico/ghosts-of-cherokee/content?oid=10675111
The local plaque had tons of information but too small to capture however check out all the different types of rock used in the display setting. Even some petrified rock is included.
The old Assay office where you can still see the vault for the gold storage. Amazing it's still there after 135 years, buildings don't last as long out west with wood rot and earthquakes to break up the old foundations so it's cool to see this one still there-sort of.
GB walks past a giant water monitor used to wash down the mountain sides many years ago. Those miners were engineering marvels and an environmental disaster.
Another stop, yielding a fine example of a hard rock (underground mine) stamp mill for crushing rock and using mercury to extract the gold. These boys were real hard on the planet too.
After our history lesson in Cherokee we motored up to Hwy 70 and turned right up the Feather River Canyon. For those not familiar the FR canyon is an awesome road, along with the Southern Pacific Railroad that share the canyon with the Feather River but that can be a rr another time. Hwy 70 was designed for speeds of 65 in many places so with very light winter traffic let's just say we had some fun.
Here is my attempt at motorcycle art during a rest stop along the river.
We finally made it to Belden Town where temps were dropping in the 40's and sand was ever present on the road from previous snow falls. Good place to turn around. Note the Martini glass on top of the sign, it's a happy Belden town!
It was time to retrace our tracks toward home. Today was only 215 miles but considering the generous use of twisty back roads plus stops to kick tires and tell lies it was a mighty fine day to ride.
I did tell my comrades about your surgery Joe and we wish you a speedy and full recovery which finds you riding by the time the Apple trees bloom.
Doug
Eric had a real nice Tuono but down sized to this 02 Bonnie special. I have ridden it and it does quite well if you keep moving, 4th gear is your friend.
Plan ride to Oroville, eat breakfast and ride Chroekee Rd to Hwy 70 and the up the Feather River Canyon to Belden Town. Our route https://goo.gl/maps/J7lQA
Chroekee Rd is a tight undulating twisty paved road that begs for second and even first gear to handle the quick changes in road direction up and down in the hills. Bitchin'!!!
Eric mentioned we actually stop at the town site of Cherokee and learn some history. Turns out Cherokee was a huge hydraulic mining operation that also was the first Diamond Mine in the US. At one time the town had over 1000 people, 8 hotels and 17 BARS! The wild west gold style.
Good read here Joe, you have the time https://www.newsreview.com/chico/ghosts-of-cherokee/content?oid=10675111
The local plaque had tons of information but too small to capture however check out all the different types of rock used in the display setting. Even some petrified rock is included.
The old Assay office where you can still see the vault for the gold storage. Amazing it's still there after 135 years, buildings don't last as long out west with wood rot and earthquakes to break up the old foundations so it's cool to see this one still there-sort of.
GB walks past a giant water monitor used to wash down the mountain sides many years ago. Those miners were engineering marvels and an environmental disaster.
Another stop, yielding a fine example of a hard rock (underground mine) stamp mill for crushing rock and using mercury to extract the gold. These boys were real hard on the planet too.
After our history lesson in Cherokee we motored up to Hwy 70 and turned right up the Feather River Canyon. For those not familiar the FR canyon is an awesome road, along with the Southern Pacific Railroad that share the canyon with the Feather River but that can be a rr another time. Hwy 70 was designed for speeds of 65 in many places so with very light winter traffic let's just say we had some fun.
Here is my attempt at motorcycle art during a rest stop along the river.
We finally made it to Belden Town where temps were dropping in the 40's and sand was ever present on the road from previous snow falls. Good place to turn around. Note the Martini glass on top of the sign, it's a happy Belden town!
It was time to retrace our tracks toward home. Today was only 215 miles but considering the generous use of twisty back roads plus stops to kick tires and tell lies it was a mighty fine day to ride.
I did tell my comrades about your surgery Joe and we wish you a speedy and full recovery which finds you riding by the time the Apple trees bloom.
Doug
Last edited by a moderator: