California, bottom to top ride report(s)

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by henrypretz

So glad you made it up to the southern Yosemite area. The Oakhurst area is my favorite. I did not realize that YBC offered lodging.
We did the Bass Lake ride I messaged you about yesterday.
The picture at Chilkoot campground leads me to ask, how far up Beasore Rd were you able to make it? The road is not plowed, so is often late to open.
That climb/descent is a staple of our riding in the spring and fall.
This coming Sunday we will be fire roading in the Nelder Grove area. (looks like you made it up there too) There was a devastating forest fire there up last year.
Cheers,
Henry

First off- sorry to have had to miss you Henry, my schedule was so tentative every day that i never knew when i'd be where, and i didnt want to inconvenience anyone. next time for sure, and i'll definitely be back!

I did not stay at YBC, just stopped at the sign for a picture. Actually my instagram message at that photo was "it must be time to start praying" . Did stay in Oakhurst though at a small ranch, b&b type of place, very laid back establishment.

i wish i could more intelligently answer your question about how far i went up at the campground, but i didnt encounter ANY snow closed roads in that area. I did ride full way around bass lake and down to manzanita lake also. took beasore the whole way back to whatever spur gets you back west to 41.

it was a pretty epic day all told, and i was wiped by the time i was back to my lodge, but huge smile on my face. these roads you have access to are something special, for sure.

[livingminimal]

Originally Posted by Drmojo

Every year via Monterey, Big Sur, Morro Bay, SLO-- in January 2005-2013--200K each day, twice on fixed gear with Peter B
Magic
Too bad Big Sur Coast is closed due to bridge washouts and mudslides

Maybe only Humboldt/Lost Coast can compare

Don't get me started on the rest of the State--Trinity Alps, Borrego, Tahoe etc etc etc etc

Oh yeah man. 3-4 times per year I spend a few days in the greater SLO area riding. Prefumo Road, Turri Road, See Canyon...the absolute best.

[BobO]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

Im especially keen to check out the trinity alps area. because its the only place in CA i had never heard of until recently. there has to be something awesome there.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stnf...ea/?recid=6521

http://umontana.maps.arcgis.com/apps...27.7758,102113

I surveyed part of the boundary of the wilderness on the Six Rivers side near Willow Creek. It has been almost 30 years since I was there, but I recall it being a very beautiful and extremely rugged area. It was extremely rugged, and I never got to the really rugged part. That part is the Salmon Mountains that truly do look like Alps.

I remember some areas that were large swaths of loose rock like shale. It wasn't too hard to slide several hundred feet down the hill completely out of control. There were lots of black bears too. One time I found a mom and two cubs,... I didn't get too close. I also saw a pair of huge jet black wolves in there. Every expert I asked said there aren't any there. There are some amazing experiences to be had in the places that are hard to get to. There are also places like that in eastern Oregon near the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Definitely be prepared if you go exploring in there.

[homagesilkhope]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

Im especially keen to check out the trinity alps area. because its the only place in CA i had never heard of until recently. there has to be something awesome there.

US cycling's awesome Mike Neel has lived in the area for a couple of decades now. We used to do training camps out of Fort Jones this time of year because it's the earliest the road over the top of Etna Mountain is open. Pick up Salmon River Road at Somes Bar and at Forks of Salmon go left and continue up and over Etna Mountain. After the descent, you can visit Steve Potts in Etna. He's awesome, too.

[doomridesout]

Originally Posted by homagesilkhope

US cycling's awesome Mike Neel has lived in the area for a couple of decades now. We used to do training camps out of Fort Jones this time of year because it's the earliest the road over the top of Etna Mountain is open. Pick up Salmon River Road at Somes Bar and at Forks of Salmon go left and continue up and over Etna Mountain. After the descent, you can visit Steve Potts in Etna. He's awesome, too.

Ha, I just PMed him this very information. I've wanted to do that Forks of Salmon ride for a long time.

[CaptStash]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Only one picture, but soon went further up north to the Strawberry CA area.

rode as far as i could up Sonora Pass...




to be continued...

OK So I couldn't tell how far you got. Did you make it out to Kennedy Meadows (basically the base of the pass)?

This is my all time favorite ride and I have done it enough to know it is epic. We are not going to camp at Lair of the Bear this year, so I don't get to do the ride. Let me know if you ever get back to Cali and are thinking of doing Sonora Pass. It is an amazing ride. Hard to the point of ridiculous, but so, so, so worth it to complete it. I will definitely find an excuse to come out down and do it with you. I'll bring my friend Eric the Berkeley beast to push us up the 23% grade.


We should talk...


CaptStash....

[xnetter]

I've ridden bits and pieces down the coast, mostly in Humboldt/NW and the Bay Area. The point about there being several lifetimes of exploring waiting in the state rings true. I would pay cash money just for *one day* riding in the redwoods with that heavenly sage-y smell - oh my!

KJ

[bobswire]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

I am a Californian, born and raised, UC Santa Barbara grad, who choose to move north. The playful exaggerations are yours to take as you like. I have a sense of humor about my home, perhpas others don't. bit of a case of the mondays in here it seems.

yes, California is a massive state with a lot of different things to offer. if my statements are offensive to anyone, sorry about that. and sorry to derail a nice ride report, i was not aware talking about a geographical region would be taken personally.

I understood your post, I'm born and raised San Franciscan though I've lived in other states ( Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, Texas) but always returned, wouldn't live anywhere else if I continue to have my druthers.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by CaptStash

OK So I couldn't tell how far you got. Did you make it out to Kennedy Meadows (basically the base of the pass)?

This is my all time favorite ride and I have done it enough to know it is epic. We are not going to camp at Lair of the Bear this year, so I don't get to do the ride. Let me know if you ever get back to Cali and are thinking of doing Sonora Pass. It is an amazing ride. Hard to the point of ridiculous, but so, so, so worth it to complete it. I will definitely find an excuse to come out down and do it with you. I'll bring my friend Eric the Berkeley beast to push us up the 23% grade.


We should talk...


CaptStash....

yes, i'd love to hit this ride again in the fall, and it would be motivation to seriously UP my fitness before attempting it. there is no way right now i could clean the whole thing without a breather stop or three. a few more gear teeth would help too. 23% - ouch.

[FlashUNC]

California is the jam.

[Ken Robb]

Another beautiful area for riding is around Ponderosa which is a tiny community east of Visalia. Pine and aspen woods and plenty of up/downs. Very little traffic on mostly paved roads but the paving isn't billiard table smooth so I wouldn't want to ride it on 23mm. tires. At Ponderosa there are homes for rent on-line and the only local business is a combination bar/grill and general store with a gas pump. They also have about 6 motel rooms that were pretty nice when I was there 10 years ago.
If you have a cross-country style mountain bike you might want to have it there so you can enjoy off-road trails too.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

Another beautiful area for riding is around Ponderosa which is a tiny community east of Visalia. Pine and aspen woods and plenty of up/downs. Very little traffic on mostly paved roads but the paving isn't billiard table smooth so I wouldn't want to ride it on 23mm. tires. At Ponderosa there are homes for rent on-line and the only local business is a combination bar/grill and general store with a gas pump. They also have about 6 motel rooms that were pretty nice when I was there 10 years ago.
If you have a cross-country style mountain bike you might want to have it there so you can enjoy off-road trails too.

In a couple of weeks we are doing a ride in the area which climbs out of Kings Canyon up a one lane road carved out of the granite wall. Should be awesome.

I did my Post Doc at the USDA Station in Pariler, Ca and became very familiar with this area.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

yes, i'd love to hit this ride again in the fall, and it would be motivation to seriously UP my fitness before attempting it. there is no way right now i could clean the whole thing without a breather stop or three. a few more gear teeth would help too. 23% - ouch.

Hey AS you got to get tougher. Thats the grade up to my house. My 7 year old runs up the 300 yards almost everyday after school. However Flash parks his car at the bottom of the hill when we go riding now.

[72gmc]

Is there much road (paved or USFS gravel) to ride in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

thanks.

our national parks are fantastic.

Yosemite in particular, i can understand why the "dirtbags" of the 60s and 70s would opt to live out of a van and spend months in the park. there is just so much there.

i cant wait to get back to CA.

additionally, it has inspired me even more to explore the public lands here in the northeast. the spring and fall especially are pretty magical out this way too. i know there is a ton within driving distance of me that is waiting to be checked out.

i'm pretty high on life at the moment.

My first job post-college was in Lancaster,PA. and there was wonderful ridng just out of town. OTOH when I look at satellite pix of the area now I see that "just out of town" is quite a bit farther than it was 50 years ago but I'll bet it's still nice.