| Motorcycle rides and riders in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia | |||||||
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08-06-2009, 06:35 PM
| #1 |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Nov 2008 From: Hillsboro, Or I Ride: 06 FZ WTF is that? , 06 WeeStrom, 05 FZ6 mini tourer | Northern CA adventure land One day while browsing I see Zygoat has posted a ride to leave Portland and go play around on Northern Ca roads. This was for a Wednesday through Sunday. This interested me for a few reasons; I had not ridden these roads yet, I am already planning on being down to Trinity lake on that Saturday to start a week of house boating and I need to get my final Oregon dams for the Dam Tour (www.damtour.com), which I can get on the way. We had a preride meeting at Ruby Tuesdays to get to know each other a little better and start to formulate some plans for routes we want to ride, etc. Seeing as I have not ridden any of these roads and this was an annual event resurrection, I made it clear that I was good with whatever was decided, with a lot of “okays”, “sures” and “sounds goods”. Great we have a plan. Well maybe not a plan so much as a decision that we will make decisions in the mornings before we take off. The dinner and company was excellent. The final group ended up being Jeff (the organizer), Ken (can't leave my electronics at home), Darryn (support truck in case anyone breaks down) and myself (Hope I don't screw this trip up too bad for these guys). For the first leg of this adventure I was going to be getting some of those dams I needed. This meant my route was going to be longer and more boring that the rest of the team. This also meant that I needed to leave earlier than the rest so I could pull into Weaverville (our first nights destination) at a decent hour. I set my alarm nice and early so I could be on the road by 6am. I already had my bike packed and ready to go pretty much 3 days previous. The big day has finally arrived and as any true adventurer does, I finally get out of bed at 6:18 after WAY too many snooze button hits. I'm not really a morning person, if you couldn't tell. On the road, my route will take me down to Roseburg via the I-5 superslab, then head east for my first dam. Down around Crater lake (but not actually going into the park or seeing it) further east to my second dam then head for my third dam in Redding CA via Klamath Falls and Weed. Everything was fine heading south on I-5 until I got close to Salem and saw the black clouds above our capital. I wonder what that means, because I don't see any rain at all. I've never been to DC but I wonder how big and black the clouds are there if our little state capital can produce clouds like this?  Passing through Salem I decided that turning on my heated grips was a good thing. I neglected to bring my liner for my Teknic jacket or any other warmish clothing. It has been really hot in the Portland area and even hotter in CA so I saw no need for it. How could I be so wrong, so early in the trip. /cue ominous music. I successfully get through the cold and arrive in Roseburg. Where I turn to the east on  and get my first dam of the trip. On my way to the second dam I stopped and took a break at Diamond Lake viewpoint.  Then it's off to lunch. I sit down at the table and see.  So my only obvious choice is to get.  While the burger was quite tasty I think there are burgers as good or better in the Portland area. I proceed to procure my second dam of the day. Along the way what do I spy? Oh lovely lovely fresh laid chip seal, gravel really at this point.  I survive the miles of chip seal hell and get my dam. Well to say that I “get my dam” just doesn't do it justice. While looking for the dam I ask a Forest service worker how to get to it seeing as I'm stumped at the moment. He says “Oh just go back up around the corner, past the gate and take the red ash road to the right.” Phew, I thought I was going crazy. I get there and it doesn't look to difficult, just like a normal gravel road and I figure I only need to go a hundred yards or so anyway. /cue ominous music again. Here is the dam. While the road across it resembles what the original portion of the road was, I didn't have to go further than where my bike is parked.  On my way to the dam, I was putting along and the road then turned into this, which I had to go down.  I'm writing this report so I survived. Who says you need an “adventure bike” to have adventure? My route from there south took me to Bly. The only issue that I had was my original planned route looked suspiciously like a gravel road. Tisk tisk, this will not do, I've had enough of dirt adventure on a “non-adventure” bike. I stay on the asphalt alternative instead of the gravel original route. I kept seeing mileage signs for Bly at lots of gravel road intersections, so I continue on the asphalt.  I come around a corner to see.  We ended up playing a game of stare down. He finally looked away then walked off of the road. I WON!!!! Take that Mr Sirloin. He made sure to take his sweet time though. I'm wondering if road kill rules apply to random livestock too? Oh well it doesn't matter. I don't think I could have packed all that meat on my bike anyway. I FINALLY made it out and off of those forest service roads. My new route added a significant amount of mileage.... grrrrrr. Heading to CA from K Falls. See Mt Shasta in the distance?  They had a recent fire near Shasta.  Another Shasta pic.  I get to Redding and get 1 of 2 CA bonus dams. Then its off to Weaverville. Talk about perfect timing!!!!!! I put on my turn signal to pull into the hotel we had reservations at, and in the turning lane coming the opposite direction is the rest of the crew. Couldn't have planned it better. Checking in.  We get all unpacked, eat dinner, set up our radios and chatterboxs and drink a couple beverages then crash. It's been a long day. The next morning we get up and set the ultimate destination for the day as Ft Bragg. During our radio check this morning we discover that my mic isn't working but I can hear them just fine. We're starting off superbly, electronics failure right off the bat. I follow that up promptly with communications failures a couple of times. First is that I think we are getting gas before heading out. I am wrong. Secondly, I think that when I see the last gas station and point to my tank, that our support truck actually see's me do this so he can report that I am stopping..... wrong again. Oh Boy I'm starting off great. I'm wondering if I'll ever be invited to ride again.    Lunch at Mad River.  After lunch we head for  If you haven't seen the Redwoods these pictures do them no justice at all. You have to just go and experience them for yourself. Doing our part to ensure they get enough moisture.  Random shots in the Redwoods.      Then we had to do the touristy stuff.   Support truck.    Someone got tired of listening to bad practice sessions I guess.  We get back on the bikes and head to the coast and Fort Bragg. Upon cresting and starting our descent over the coast range, I go from sweating out of all of my pores and worrying about getting a bad case of swamp crotch, to freezing in the same places. It's a mad dash to zip up all of my vents and turn on my heated grips again.    We're kinda high up at this lookout.  Cool tunnel effect from the trees here along the coast.    We arrive at our abode for this nights slumber.  We go eat and then partake in some beverages and victory cigars (I didn't do the victory cigar due to my repulsion of tobacco).    That is sea mist in the air not a bad case of dandruff from me. =P The next morning we awake nice and refreshed and raring to go.  Ok, maybe I exaggerated a little bit there. Anyway, we eventually make it out of our beds and head out for breakfast. We make a command decision that we will take it easy today and end up in Nice, CA. Maybe hit the casino there or something. We head out for some more Redwoods on the way. Stopping for a photo op at   Jeff draggin knee on a whole lot of wood.   Playing their own version of teeter toter.  We load up and take off down the road...../cue ominous music again We get out of the Redwoods and stop in front of a vineyard for another photo op.    I'm not sure how it works out but I must be part owner of this vineyard. My grandma's last name is Greenwood. We take off from there and wave at a silver truck that looks suspiciously like our support truck. Thinking he just didn't see us in time to stop for the photo op and pulled into the next turnout. Remember that ominous music is still running. We head through the next town and stop at our next hwy intersection where we are turning to wait for the support truck to show so we can continue. This is the beginning of a very long day. After waiting for about a half hour not being able to get the support truck on the radio or cell phone we decide to go looking for him. We head back through town and try to reach him again. No luck. Now we are stumped. We know he has gps and where we plan on ending up tonight. There are a couple of different routes he could be on at this point if he decided to take the non twisty route. We decide to press on, he should get cell phone service anytime now and hear our messages and let us know where he is. We get over the ridge and stop in Ukiah. Still no word from him and it's been a couple hours now. He could be anywhere. There is a distinct possibility that he is sitting in the casino gambling and drinking. After sitting there for another hour waiting for a phone call we press on yet again. We get to the casino and still no word. We are really starting to get worried. We decide to water and gas up and retrace our route.  On the way back a CHP thinks we might be in too much of a hurry to find our missing man.  No awards were received in the making of that photo. Back on the road, we get to Ukiah and finally receive a phone call. Our support truck broke down about ј mile from our photo op in the Redwoods. His radio was too weak to reach us and there was no cell phone service. We have no idea who we were waving to at the vineyards. Here is some shots being delivered to the repair shop.    After we got the truck situated, we got a hotel in Ukiah for the night. The shop was going to open it up first thing in the morning, but they suspected that it was the rear end. They were going to wait and see what the verdict was on the truck then decide what their plan of action was. I had to leave first thing in the morning in order to make the boat at Lake Trinity. I have since found out that the truck was fixed and picked up the following weekend. Tundra rearends are not cheap. Last edited by h2oboy; 08-06-2009 at 07:03 PM.. |
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08-08-2009, 11:48 PM
| #5 |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Aug 2007 From: Burien, Wa I Ride: I just keep it in the garage and make the neighbors think I ride | Gawd, I love that area. I grew up in S. Or and have ridden a lot of those roads. With a small group like that, I would have loved that ride. Some good brewpubs in some of those areas. One of the earliest ones in Ukiah. |
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08-09-2009, 12:09 AM
| #6 |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Jan 2008 From: Warrenton, Oregon I Ride: 2004 Yamaha R1 | Great pictures! I was born in Weaverville and grew up in Redding, CA. I'm thinking of doing some riding down there in a couple of weeks. It looks like you had a great time. |
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09-14-2009, 10:48 PM
| #9 | |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Nov 2008 From: Hillsboro, Or I Ride: 06 FZ WTF is that? , 06 WeeStrom, 05 FZ6 mini tourer | Thanks for all of the comments guys  
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