Rolll Call - Icehouse/WWS/11 pines/MRR 08/03/14 8:30 AM

GreenMachine · August 03, 2014, 07:31:38 AM

Speed won't be an issue. You'll see though about the requirement for skill level once we're on Icehouse. MRR is Icehouse on steroids.

GreenMachine · August 03, 2014, 05:38:14 PM

Hard to believe, but we actually tried a different way home, Smurf and I, that was more dangerous than MRR; Iowa Hill Road from Foresthill to Colfax. It's much the same as 11 pines, only skinnier in places and the section closest to Colfax where the river is, is downright treacherous!! Some of the elbow switchback turns going down felt like doing bench presses on the handlebars. I was so thankful my brakes didn't fade by the bottom. A testament to how over-engineered these bikes are.

I was wrong about one thing, westbound traffic wasn't an issue, at least not coming home this afternoon.

Got to meet a new rider who seemed to get progressively better, Lolfest. I think I did see him at one point lol.

These backroads and MRR burned up a little too much time, so he went on ahead as Smurf and I cooled our heals at the Foresthill general store/deli. Excellent sandwich as always and supporting the local economy. Kind of doing our part to give back to the communities where we ride. I like doing that.

Oh yeah, we ran into a pack of SCR riders doing WWS. They were going to go forward onto Icehouse and back on hwy 50, but I recommended against that. Too many trains of campers and boaters going in that direction. Doing that would have sucked. So instead, they went back for a lap on WWS and we got to have a little fun.

Hope all of you did too.

RichVee4 · August 03, 2014, 05:44:22 PM

Wait you picked a goat road and Mel wasn't even along???

GreenMachine · August 03, 2014, 05:50:36 PM

You know!?

Two goat roads by the end. I don't know. Maybe he got scared from bragging it up and wasn't sure he could keep pace with the three of us today. Stranger things have happened.

Mel · August 03, 2014, 06:14:39 PM

Hey guys,

Got home too late last night from Gilley's, but chatting it up with the hot crossfit girl from Truckee was worth it

! I'm glad you got to experience Iowa Hill! I love that road, especially at a spirited pace where the downhill section separates the men from the boys LOL!! Sorry to have missed the ride, but it sounds like you fellas might have been running a little too fast for me

!

Mel

GreenMachine · August 03, 2014, 07:15:42 PM

I'm just not that into Iowa Hill road. I certainly wouldn't attempt it in a car or truck for that matter.

We almost could have tried another road going into Colfax from Foresthill, but the Fire Department had it all blocked off. I'm going to check that out as a possible alternate route to I-80. The one we took did seem like we rode a long ways out of our way. I doubt it was quicker than just going through Auburn. And it was a little tricky to follow the signs. It wasn't well traveled at all and did have some pretty nature spots. Kind of reminded me of hiking Feather Falls.

BTW, pics or it didn't happen.

RichVee4 · August 03, 2014, 08:02:01 PM

Iowa Hill is the only road from Colfax to Foresthill (paved anyway). Back in the day when I didn't know much I was trying to find a road from 80 to foresthill and explored roads west(down hill) of Colfax and nothing connected to Foresthill. A coworker that lives in Colfax told me about Iowa Hill Rd, never rode it and probably wont after your report.

GreenMachine · August 03, 2014, 08:28:02 PM

I'll try to preempt Mel. If you're going southbound from Colfax to Foresthill, it's doable, because you'll be going up the bad part. Maybe a little clutch frying in the switchbacks. But going down into that canyon heading north, like we were going, sucked!! Not to belabor the point, but I was seriously thinking of either pulling off on my way down to let my brakes cool before they fade and I lose control And if they did fade I was going to punch out and send the bike over the edge or into the hillside if I had to. It was seriously not fun. And I say that from the standpoint that Smurf and I didn't have to share this skinny deathtrap road with anyone coming up. THANK GOODNESS!

Mel · August 03, 2014, 10:52:13 PM

Dang GM, I really wish I would have went now if you were running it in that hot on the brakes in those downhill corners

! I love that shit

!

Mel

GreenMachine · August 04, 2014, 07:31:45 AM

Very funny, professor!

You missed out on riding with us yesterday, we had a good little group. I liked the (SCR) mixing it up part on WWS and doing laps on that stretch. You could have been doing laps on 11 Pines in the meantime.

Haven't heard back yet from Lolfest. Hope we didn't set a bad example yesterday. I think the game plan was thorough about expectations and where we were going. I gave everyone my plan of doing laps on WWS before heading down 11 Pines and he followed me out and back at my pace. I was impressed. He had to have been having fun back there. I know I was up front. And I briefed the two other riders once more on MRR at French Meadows that if they went off on this road, we may not be able to recover them or their bike. But nobody was there to prep Smurf and I for Iowa Hill road. We had no idea what we were in for.

There was a little miscommunication. Beforehand we were discussing bike tank ranges and we were all confident. So when we approached Icehouse at the 100 mile mark, I motioned back to the other two riders about fuel and got a thumbs up from Lol, but I don't think Smurf knew what I was referring to, he needed gas. But as it turned out, it was a good proving ground for seeing how far he could take his BMW's tank. At Foresthill, he told me with a grin, he had never put so much fuel in his bike. We were at about the 210 mile point, but he started the day from the UNR area and didn't take on fuel at Maverik.

GreenMachine · August 04, 2014, 07:38:11 AM

Lumber trucks spotted on 11 Pines: 1

On a Sunday? Seemed strange. Nothing better than meeting up with one of those in a blind corner.

GreenMachine · August 04, 2014, 07:41:53 AM

Oh look! It's raining.

Dodged that bullet yesterday.

Mel · August 04, 2014, 08:00:12 AM

All razzing aside, it sounds like I missed a fun ride! Yes, Iowa Hill can be very intimidating to those without lots of experience on goat roads and definitely would not recommend it for any newbies. I grew up on goat roads and have no problem running a spirited pace on any of them, but it's because of all the years riding them. It's just like if I tried playing some computer game, I would be lost because I have never done it, but the guys that spend hundreds of hours on them can rock n roll

!

Sounds like you have an easy day at work GM, or have the day off with all your morning posts

! Wanna go ride Geiger in the rain

!

Mel

nvgixxer · August 04, 2014, 10:22:20 AM

Ha, Geiger in the rain! Sounds like fun..............NOT!!

And to think us Carson peeps did Geiger/truck route three times on Saturday, can never get enough of the fun stuff!
Oh wait for it...............looks to be clear on Saturday, I'll be posting up a ride proposal prior to that, with Sonora Pass as the first choice. BUT, if the smoke doesn't clear some, an alternate route will be presented.

Jimbo

GreenMachine · August 04, 2014, 10:28:47 AM

Quote from: Mel on August 04, 2014, 08:00:12 AM...Sounds like you have an easy day at work GM, or have the day off with all your morning posts ! Wanna go ride Geiger in the rain !

Mel

Was that a question or a statement?

I can't ride today. I have to get busy working so I can play next weekend.

p.s. I'd go as far as to say thousands, maybe tens of thousands, not hundreds of hours playing games. I've watched my nephews on their games. I can't remember a time when they weren't stuck in front of the TV playing Xbox. I hope they amount to something someday.