Saturday exploritory ride and visiting friends in CA

[GreenMachine]

The weather should continue to be 10* above normal for highs and lows, both here and in California tomorrow.  I was hoping to piggyback onto an SCR group ride, but that one's been postponed two weeks.  Instead, I thought I'd take one for the team and go scout out some of our old roads and buzz around the warm Central Valley.   California is beautiful at this time of year and the air always seems to have a sweet scent to it.  Passing the Sierras in the early morning will be the tough part.  Chilling I mean.


I'll post up some pictures Saturday evening, if I do end up making the venture. 

Saturday 03/09/12
As it stands, I'd like to tag along with SCR's coast ride next Saturday for that day only.  Their ride is an overnight to Point Arena/Manchester, CA.  They'll be taking some roads I've never been on, so it'll be good to have other riders out front to gauge from.  Not sure if daylight will allow making Point Arena, but definitely lunch on the coast somewhere before heading back, if some of you veterans of long-distance rides want to partake.   

[GreenMachine]

DR1150 asked to come along and I kindly accepted his company for today's ride.  But before we could get started he changed my simple plan.  Instead of a simple out and back to VC or Auburn, he made us zig-zag across the Sierras, doing no less than 3 passes and totaling almost 400 miles.

Damn U DR!!!!  If it weren't for some friends coming to my rescue he would have demanded we do VC this evening before beer.  I'm so tired as it is, I can barely even type this.  Got pictures and video, but seriously exhausted.  I'll post more tomorrow. 

I can't say it was all that bad though.  The day turned out to be quite spectacular overall.  And washing it down with suds at the end capped off the perfect ride day.  Better than expected.  Can't wipe the smile off my face.



THANKS DR!

[GreenMachine]

Lunch in Nevada City after snaking our way up goat trails from the south.

Nevada City Winery in the distance and various pictures along the way.  Decent road surface grip despite the cold temperatures, when it wasn't covered by sand, branches, rocks, water or mud.   

[GreenMachine]

Too cold for riding much today and going all the way to the coast and back just wasn't going to happen.  Probably not riding tomorrow either even though it's suppose to be warmer.

I know the passes were sanded again for the last storm that passed through, so be careful if you venture out into the hills.