Lap of California

[Lawrence]

Works says I must take 6 days of vacation between now and June 30. argh, but might as well take advantage of the situation.

Yesterday, I finally purchased a a replacement for my trusty '90 Concours with 110k. What better way to become acquainted with my '08 FJR1300A than a nice thousand+ mile get-to-know-ya lap of CA (or wherever seems like fun).

I;ll be starting from San Diego, so the likely routes will include Hwy 1 coast ride, NorCal including Shasta and Mt Lassen, and back and forth over the Sierras as much as there is time for (and the tires hold out)

My schedule is flexible. I'm thinking later is better to improve the chances the mountain passes are free of snow (been through the Sierras in July riding between 10ft tall walls of snow on either side of the road.. Pictures to prove it..) I don't want the fun interrupted by closed roads. I'm tentatively thinking near the week of Jun 15-19 (possibly 13-20th)

Anyone interested?

I'm not looking to compete against other scheduled rides, just thought this would be fun for a few people to go on such a ride. Maybe someone northbound for CFR would want to join for the ride north?

Lawrence Dee

 

[madmike2]

:yahoo: Lawrence, welcome to the forum. :yahoo:

Most of the high passes are open by May 30th (Memorial Day weekend). The last to be open are typically Ebbetts (Hwy 4) Sonora (Hwy 108) and Tioga (Hwy 120). CalTrans normally plows them for the opening of camping season in Yosemite.

I also replaced my C-10 with an FJR as many others here have done.

If you're headed up Hwy 1 there are a couple of groups talking about that route to CFR. You may have to check the CFR page to find them. One assumes you'll want to enjoy the NorCal highways between 101 and I-5 (299-lovely ride along the Trinity River, 96-farthest north along the Klamath River, 3-gentle and rolling on the north-some really technical parts in the middle-sweepers from Trinity Lake through Weaverville to Hwy 36, 36-140 miles of "yahoo" fun).

So many roads, so little time.

 

[Fairlaner]

Lawrence you could also come join us HERE........

R

 

[Lawrence]

So many roads, so little time.

Exactly.

Back in my time as SW Area Director in the Concours Owners Group (COG), we had a joint NW/SW rally in NV (think that was back in '98). It was a rolling rally to/from, and the SoCal contingent did a ride to the Bay Area, then up to/around Weaverville, across to Mt Lassen, etc. So I've been on 299, 36 (pretty sure), and others. I've used https://www.pashnit.com/motoroads.htm long before registration was required - always good info.

With the light rain fall this year, I do expect the Sierra Mtn passes to be clear (having ridden all of them multiple times on the Concours for various rallys and as fun diversions on the way to/from family reunion in Tahoe) in time this year.

 

[dcarver]

Sounds like a wonderful ride - enjoy every minute of it..

Sounds like a wonderful ride - enjoy every minute of it..

 

[Khunajawdge]

Lawrence dood!

I "assimilated" into the FJR 1300 "Borg" some time ago, after spending 5 years in the Concours "Borg".

Frankly, I was quite happy over there in Cogdom, (but I sold my '94 Connie).

I gotta say... this group keeps me "sharp" with my "newer tech" FJR 1300.

I am assimilated.

Hope you grow to "appreciate" the Owners here as I have! :clapping:

 

[Cello II]

Welcome to your new home with this forum. :clapping: With your organizing skills and friendly disposition, you should be a great addition to the forum.

I suspect I met you years ago when you organized a group of COGgers in the Sierra. I remember Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass, out toward Benton :yahoo: , and over Ebbetts. You had just added an alarm to your relatively new Connie.

As you work out your plans, let us know. I probably can join you for a day or two up here in the northern end of things; twisties on the coast, twisties in between and/or twisties up high.

Alan

 

[Lawrence]

I suspect I met you years ago when you organized a group of COGgers in the Sierra. I remember Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass, out toward Benton :yahoo: , and over Ebbetts. You had just added an alarm to your relatively new Connie.

I suspect you are remembering the COG Western National in Sonora in Aug '94 (which I didn't organize) and I had bought my bike only a few months before. Are you referring to the the Quorum alarm which allowed me to remote start the bike from a distance while folks were busy checking out the bike? ... I remember messing with a few folks with that.. especially the guy who reached out and touched the handlebar st the BBQ (I say him reaching out so I remote started at that exact moment he touched the bike.. good thing he only jumped back and didn't have a heart attack...) :yahoo:

If yes - that's me!

I recall that rally VERY fondly - first and only time I've had no tread left on both sides of a tire (front in this case) with plenty of tread left in the middle.

One road I recall fondly from that same area/rally (road only with Sam Ellington {SW AD in '95/96 ??}) was a short stretch of 168 east out of Big Pine heading up to Ancient BristelCone Pine forest. What a roller coaster! Real easy to get airborne .. the joy of a road that was paved over the terrain, with little to no grading, in a gully... you get lulled into pickup up the pace, weightlessness over crests, lots of fun... until you approach a small rise with a 50' vertical dirt wall 50 yards passed the crest, and your aren't sure whether the road turns right or left. As your get closer and see the crest, there are nothing but dark car skid marks (lots)... over crest and the road makes an abrupt 15mph, 90deg turn with a 10-15' rock with lots of scratch marks for those that tried to go straight.... oh yea fun road!!!

I so enjoy riding those passes (that was my first time at that rally over them except maybe Tioga in a car many years earlier), that one side of my family does a family reuninon approx every 2 years in So Lake Tahoe. Most years we send the kids up with my parents, and my wife and I ride up 395, and go west up & over every pass (Tioga, Sonora, Ebbets, Monitor) then once a few miles west of the pass, turn back and ride it again heading back to 395, then on up to next pass, repeat. I NEVER get tired of that ride (even though we go from LA to Tahoe, including riding all the passes) in one day.

I'm looking forward to meeting fellow FJR riders. Canada is a little far for me this year. Hopefully there will be a Western US rally where I can check out lots of other FJRs and meet all of you

 

[madmike2]

I'm looking forward to meeting fellow FJR riders. Canada is a little far for me this year. Hopefully there will be a Western US rally where I can check out lots of other FJRs and meet all of you

Moscow ID in late July.

Check this thread: WFO

There are usually some large weekend gatherings in late Summer/early Fall like the annual NorCal/SoCal "Gathering of the Clans" (Morro Bay?). Keep an eye on the California Ride Planning thread.

 

[Cello II]

Wonderful!! You are "that guy"!! I was one of the guys that helped you run your tires bald....the tall older one with lots of questions.

You have to PM me when you figure out your schedule. I'd be delighted to join you. Weekdays are best because I am playing weddings most weekends at this time of the year. I'm good for long days and lots of twisties.

Consider 168, Sonora, Ebbetts, Kings Canyon and Sequoia, Beasore Rd (Bass Lake) Cottonwood/Cherry Lake (Yosemite to so. of Sonora), La Porte Rd (Brownsville to Quincy), Bucks Lake pass(Quincy), Mt. Lassen, Hwy 36 Red Bluff to coast, Mad River to 299 on Titlow Hill Rd., Hwy 3 to Callahan, then south to Forks of the Salmon and back up to Etna and north to 96 and west back to 299, maybe Ferndale to Honeydew, Leggett to Ft Bragg (a must if you are in the area) Hwy 1, Stewart Point to Geyserville (Skaggs Rd.). There are more, but that is enough to keep you busy for a little bit.

Happy planning.

 

[Lawrence]

Plans are still on

Here is some tentative routes (3rd draft) and dates, and I'm looking for feedback

Assumptions

- start and end in Oceanside, CA

- 5 days of vacation, was flexible timing as to start/end. Mid to Late June is target, now have family event on Sun June 21 that is definitely in the way

- Don't want to Ride Hwy 1 thru Big Sur on a Weekend (So Day 6 should be a Fri or earlier in week)

- Possibly depart late on Sun Jun 21, so only a few hours up to LA (family), skip Angeles National Forest and Lake Isabella from Draft 2 schedule

-------------- 2009 Lap of California - June 2009 ------------

Draft 2 Route (likely to have to skip to cut a day out of the trip)

Day 1 -
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&so...5.42263,-118.737488&spn=2.027745,3.166809&z=9Google Map Oceanside to Camp Nelson, CA 322 miles
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&so...5.42263,-118.737488&spn=2.027745,3.166809&z=9

Oceanside to Santa Clarita - North on San Francisquito Cyn Rd to Elizabeth Lake Rd (Leona Valley) To Gorman to Bakersfield to Isabella Resovoir, Night in Camp Nelson?
 
Day 2
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&so...119.091797&sspn=1.953191,3.166809&ie=UTF8&z=9Google Driving Directions Start address: Camp Nelson California End address: Markleeville, CA 439 miles
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&so...119.091797&sspn=1.953191,3.166809&ie=UTF8&z=9

Draft 3 Schedule

Day 1 Sun June 21 - Oceanside to Northern LA (Santa Clarita Valley Area)

Boring ride, simply to get some distance completed (stay with family)

Day 2 Mon June 22 - Google Driving Directions Santa Clarita Valley Area towards Tahoe along 395 469 miles (long days ride, but usually ride all the way to South Lake Tahoe riding 2-up, so doable)

Though previous rides on Concours with lots of experience on bike. First long day ever for me on the FJR.....

Boring start to ride to make up distance, will have to explore Lake Isabella on another ride, leaving more time for Northern CA riding

Day 3 Tue June 23 Google Driving Directions Start address: Markleeville, CA End address: Redding, CA 400 miles

Includes slight backtrack over pass (not done day before to keep over total mile down)

Day 4 Wed June 24 Google Driving Directions Start: Redding, CA End: Hayfork, CA 390 miles

Draft 2 Start address: Redding, CA End address: Ferndale, CA 488 miles Long day
Needs more info / options?
Maybe not take 299 from Redding to Douglas, but head up 5 to Yreka to save time?
Or Skip Burney to Redding on Day 3 and head north instead?
Stop in Hayfork (or town in that area. Stayed in Weaverville before) and save 36 for next day?
Day 5 Thur Jun 25 Google Driving Directions Start: Hayfork , CA End: Santa Rosa, CA 444 miles

Friends in Santa Rosa, hence riding this far

Day 6 Fri June 26 Google Driving Directions Start: Santa Rosa, CA End: San Luis Obispo, CA 335 miles

- Skyline in SF Bay area is slow, maybe too long of a day? maybe stop in San Simeon or Cambria instead?

- Via Hwy 1 Big Sur

- Really needs to be during the week, not on a weekend

Day 7 Sat June 27 Google Driving Directions Start: San Luis Obispo, CA End: Oceanside, CA 282 miles

possibly longer if day 6 shortened (likely)

 

[Roy Epperson]

Day 6 Fri June 26 Google Driving Directions Start: Santa Rosa, CA End: San Luis Obispo, CA 335 miles

Highways 35 and 9 along Skyline to Santa Cruz has some great views of the Bay Area and good surfaces. One option would be after you come through SF in 19th Ave and hook up with 280 would be to take Hwy 1 to the coast and follow Hwy 1 all the way to San Luis Obispo. Faster route to Santa Cruz and for the most part you're along the coast

Day 3 Tue June 23 Google Driving Directions Start address: Markleeville, CA End address: Redding, CA 400 miles

Be sure and check if highway through Lassen NP is open. If not, Highway 36 into Red Bluff is nice "except" the last 10 miles into Red Bluff. There it's just the "valley"

 

[Khunajawdge]

Plans are still on Here is some tentative routes (3rd draft) and dates, and I'm looking for feedback

Google Driving Directions Start: Santa Rosa, CA End: San Luis Obispo, CA 335 miles

- Skyline in SF Bay area is slow, maybe too long of a day? maybe stop in San Simeon or Cambria instead?

- Via Hwy 1 Big Sur

- Really needs to be during the week, not on a weekend

I may find you somewhere on "the One" on this day?

 

[MCML]

It sounds like a great, well thought out ride. (Un)fortunately, I won't be able to join in at any point as I will wake up at the CFR in Nakusp, BC on 21 June - and will be heading north from there. Enjoy!

 

[Lawrence]

WoooHoo - change of plans so now I can depart on Sat Jun 20 (deal with Father's day when I get back)

As such, some of the long mile days will change. Here is the latest, with a floating day in there.

Assumptions

- Don't want to Ride Hwy 1 thru Big Sur on a Weekend (So Day 7 should be a Fri or earlier in week)

- I Live in So Cal, so save more interesting routes from North San Diego thru LA for another day (like Ortega Hwy).

- I am not the type that needs to stop frequently, stretch, take a break etc. I find a 250 mile on a fuel tank limiting/annoying.

- However, my multi-day long riding was years ago before kids. Also, I've only done 1 300 mile day on the FJR. This is our initiation trip together (having sold the Concours recently). On the Concours, I'd have no qualms about back-to-back 400-500 miles, for a week. My point being that I'm not sure how my body will react after 10+ hours in the saddle day after day on the FJR.

I have a floating day. My aggressive schedule may become simply more relaxed [i'm not in my 20s anymore ] or maybe I'm missing something you can suggest?

Request for feedback below

-------------- 2009 Lap of California --------- Rev 4 Route

Map - Day 1 Sat June 20 - Oceanside, CA to lower Sierra Nevadas Lone Pine, CA ~413 miles (or further)

Boring quick trip thru Orange/LA to Santa Clarita (errands) - North on Lake Hughes Rd to Elizabeth Lake Rd (Leona Valley) To Tehachapi to Bakersfield to Isabella Resovoir, Night in Lone Pine (or as far as I get)

My questions

1. I think I've been on Bouquet Cyn Rd. I don't think I've ridden San Francisquito or Lake Hughes Rd. - recommendation?

2. Route up to Lake Isabella - 178/Kern River Cyn Rd or one of the others?

Day 2 Sun June 21 Lone Pine (Or Independence), California to South Lake Tahoe, CA 360 miles

Possibly extend to North Lake Tahoe to shorten next days ride ??

The next coupl eof days can be broken up into shorter segments

Day 3 Mon June 22 South Lake Tahoe, CA to Weaverville, CA 450 miles

South Lake Tahoe, Quincy,CA Thru Mt Lassen National Park to Burney, CA to Red Bluff, CA down across Hwy 36, up to Hayfork,CA to Weaverville

Shorten this ride by riding to North Lake Tahoe the previous day? or by stopping in Red Bluff before starting on Hwy 36?

Pashnit.com and others talk of Hwy 36 being much better than 299, especially the section west of Red Bluff. I've stayed in Weaverville before.

Any recommendation on decent/cheap motel/nights stay between Red Bluff and Weaverville? Hayfork looks like a possibility? maybe something on 36?

Day 4 Tue June 23 Weaverville (or ??), CA loop and back to Hayfork, CA 390 miles (or Fortuna, CA

Weaverville/299 to Route 3 North to Yreka, west across 96 back down to 299, East to 3 then south towards 36 (stop in Hayfork, or continue to Pacific?)

Optional extension Day 4 Tue June 23 Weaverville, CA to Fortuna, CA 451 miles

all the way to Fortuna is most likely impractical. No point riding 36 tired.

However, recommendations on a place to spend the night on Hwy 36 between Hayfork and Fortuna?

Day 5 Wed Jun 24 Hayfork , CA to Santa Rosa, CA via Hwy 101/1 including Lost Coast 444 miles

notice I'm skipping a day here. I can always end the trip early (not likely). So I'm recognizing that some of the longer days above will be shortened.

Day 7 Fri June 26 Santa Rosa, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA ~335 miles

- Skyline in SF Bay area is slow, maybe too long of a day? maybe stop in San Simeon or Cambria instead?

- Really needs to be during the week, not on a weekend

Day 8 Sat June 27 Start address: San Luis Obispo, CA End address: Oceanside, CA 282 miles

possibly slightly longer if day 7 shortened (likely) but still an easy day ride. I may explore the Santa Monica mountains a bit. Rock House maybe?

For anyone that wants to join me for any of this route, I've updated my profile so PMs will arrive on my Blackberry. Please leave a phone number in your message so I can call you back.

 

[Lawrence]

Ride completed - 3150.5 miles in 8 days of riding (a couple of partial riding days in there) in a counter clockwise loop. Saw plenty of wild life (dear most every day, a bear crossing road right in front of me, and came came with 10->15' of cows on a number of occassions) almost all of which were in areas while riding solo and without cell phone coverage. This ride include a couple of hundred miles of single-lane roads (some well maintened, others not so much [Humboldt Co Road Dept - your road paving crews on side roads is terrible]). Having a bull stare at you with a "I'm not pleased at your presence" is unnerving when and even moreso wh it would be a 20 mile hike to the nearest cross-road and any sign of civilization/other traffic. GREAT STUFF!!!

The tires weren't new when I got the bike, but looked relatively new, and I had only put 2k miles on the bike in the 2 months I had it (and I'm genereally easy on tires). So I figure I could make the trip. Nope ... mid trip [oops - that is a 12" section of belt showing on the rear tire, isn't it?.. was okay this morning?!?!?... 50 mile side trip to Eureka the next morning (having to take it easy on 299) which only caused a 2-hour trip delay - got real lucky). As for my front tire, Like my '94 Western National COG ride in Sonora, the Front tire is completely worn out on sides with tread left in middle !!

What a blast! ride report and pictures to follow this week when I get a chance

Thanks to all who offered advice