Scott & John - NORCAL 2024

[bigjohnsd]

Wednesday and Thursday, September 25th - 26th, my riding buddy, Scott, and I trailered our motorcycles to Carson City NV stopping for the night in Wendover UT.

We unloaded the bikes in Carson City at about noon Thursday and set out on our adventure.




We went to Auburn CA via Reno, I-80 to Truckee, CA 89 to Quincy CA, La Porte CA (IYKYK), Oregon Hill Rd to North San Juan, and South on CA 49.












Friday morning we headed to Gilroy CA via CA 49, US 50, the Mormon Emigrant Emigrant Trail, Carson Pass (CA 88), Markleeville (CA 89), US 395 to Bridgeport for Gas, then over the Sonora Pass (CA 108) and across the San Joaquin Valley to CA 152 and into Gilroy.




These guys held us up just a little bit








Colors at altitude




Construction/Paving on US 39r between Sonora Junction and Bridgeport


Middle of nowhere CA (Bridgeport) and a captive market!






Sonora Pass (CA 108) no traffic - the road to ourselves


Good Burger at Strawberry CA.


Carson City to Gilroy (the Tracker took a break somewhere near Strawberry.

In Gilroy, we met two old shipmates of mine from 40+ years ago.


Burt



Mark

Mark and Burt are both long-time motorcyclists and we have adventured together in the past.

[bigjohnsd]

Saturday, 28 September - Gilroy to Windsor CA via Skyline Drive, Alices's Restaraunt, CA1, the Golden Gate, CA1, Bodega Bay,

We got an early start on Saturday morning and rode in the fog on 152 to Watsonville, CA 1 to CA 17 and then 35 to Skyline Drive and Alice's for breakfast.




More cars than bikes, but quite a few of both.

After Breakfast, we rode down CA 84 to the coast. Our pictures were taken along the way.

BigJohnSD with Scott in Trail


Scott


Mark


Burt

It was gloomy along the coast.

And while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.


We stopped to photograph the iconic structure


To no avail.




The sun finally came out inland and we stopped for a snack



We continued up the coast and then took the Bodega Highway inland and spent the night in Windsor CA

[bigjohnsd]

Sunday, September 29th - We rode along the Russian River and hit the coast and CA 1 at Jenner


It was a much nicer day


We stopped in Mendecino for Coffee and a snack.
and ran into a couple of guys from Israel on a bike trip as well.



We stopped for pictures as Burt, Mark, and Scott had not been up the North Coast before this.










After rejoining US 101 at Liggett we continued North to take in the Avenue of the Giants





Before ending our day at Garberville, CA

On Monday, September 30th, we headed West to Shelter Cove for breakfast and the view.


Possibly the world's fattest Breakfast Burrito

Certainly one of the world's best views





Scott was impressed!

On to Honeydew and the "Lost Coast"





The legendary Mattole Rd

We ended our day at Eureka CA

[bigjohnsd]

On Tuesday October 1st, we rode a loop out of Eureka, South on 101, East on CA 36 to CA 3, North to Hayfork,
we lunched in Weaverville, then rode Ca-299 back to the coast and down 101 to Eureka



Fresh Pavement!




The trip so far

On Wednesday, October 2nd, we rode North on 101 to the 299, East on 299, then North on CA 96 to Happy Camp, up a Forest Road to US 199, and back to the coast before heading North on 101 to Gold Beach OR for the evening.




We found Bigfoot at Happy Camp!

Then rode Grayback Road through a huge burned area to US 199




We stopped for a great lunch in Hiouchi at the Historic Hiouchi Cafe! no food porn shots taken but the food was great and the service better!


From Hiouchi we took CA 197 to the coast and proceeded North to Gold Beach








Our view from the room

[bigjohnsd]

Thursday, October 3rd was a real adventure off of the bikes - we "rode" the Rogue River via Jet Boat.

50mph in a foot of water is a real thrill!








Bald Eagle


In there somewhere






Kevin, our "Pilot" has been doing this for 27 years. His Grandfather started "Jerry's jet Boats"


Our last view of the Coast before heading inland towards Roseburg for the evening.

[bigjohnsd]

Friday, October 4th was our last day together.
We left Roseburg early, our destination - Crater Lake!











We broke up the band at the South Entrance to Crater Lake, Mark and Burt struck out for Winnemucca NV, while Scott and I rode to Burney CA.


Thursday and Fridays route

[bigjohnsd]

On Saturday, October 5th, Scott and I left Burney at 0700, the temperature was 43f and it got down to 36f as we approached Lassen National Park.
The Electric jackets and heated grips were both on!











We rode CA 89 to Quincy, stopped for a late breakfast, then repeated the La Porte Quincy Road (IYKYK) across the Bullards Bar Dam to CA 49, North up 49 to CA 89, South on 89 to Truckee then around the east side of Lake Tahoe


before taking US 50 to Carson City and loading the bikes back up on the trailer.
We left Carson City at 1600 and arrived in Elko NV for the evening at 2200.

Sunday we left Elko at 0600 and arrived in Spearfish at 2000.



2,700 great miles and smiles on the motorcycles - both Scott and I are ready to do it again!

[Bugnatr]

Very nice report John. Kudos on showing the boys some real nice mc roads around these parts.

[bigjohnsd]

Very nice report John. Kudos on showing the boys some real nice mc roads around these parts.

Thanks for your help!

[escapefjrtist]

Thanks for the pics and ride-along BigJohn! Your RR reminds me it's time to make another trip to those flat/boring NorCal roads...

~G

[Auburn]

Great RR John!

[Hppants]

Now THAT was a damm good ride. I've done a wee bit of that, but overwhelmingly, nearly all of it remains on the bucket list.

Thanks for sharing.

[gixxerjasen]

1. Ahhh, California, making European gas prices seem only slightly expensive.
2. That looks like just a normal breakfast burrito. What do they look like where you live?

Looks like some fantastic riding, super jealous.

[bigjohnsd]

That looks like just a normal breakfast burrito. What do they look like where you live?

Half the diameter. This thing must have weighed a pound and a half!

[FJRPittsburgh]

Excellent ride report John. That's a fantastic trip!

[FJR NorCal]

Great looking ride John. I live in Cali and may ride this route next year.