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Sweatmark
| | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 03:45 pm: | 
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OK - I've blabbed about these favorite roads and a possible PBR weekend trip in late summer/early autumn. Here's the first 1.5 days' itinerary for those interested; we've done this route several times riding BMWs:
Day 1 Friday - 200 miles, 3+ hours using Salem as starting point. Ride the slab down to Grants Pass. Pack bike beforehand, avoid last-minute fiddling. Enough saddle time to get'cha into the motomojo groove. Quick light dinner, 1 good beer, get to bed ASAP.
map Day1
Day 2 Saturday - 336 miles, 8+ hours. Hotel breakfast, gas & tire check, onto 199 towards coast, hang a left after Cave Junction, ride over the hill to Happy Camp. Fuel stop. Down to Willow Creek for lunch at Raging Creek Pub. Fuel stop. Over to Weaverville for Starbucks. Fuel stop & tire check. Down 3, then epic Hwy 36 to hotel in Fortuna. Good dinner, 2 beers, many stories.
From Fortuna there's plenty of options depending on extent of trip/available free time. Bill's Lost Coast loop starts there, or it's possible to retrace route and head back north... last September we did Fortuna to home in one long day, including 36 and 96 in the morning. Riding up the coast is another possibility.
Please check you summer+ schedules for preferred travel weekends.
(Message edited by sweatmark on February 22, 2008) |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 12:04 pm: |
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Mark, I would be interested. As long as I was back sunday night. I can take friday off no biggie. I am also pretty open in the late summer.
How far between fuel stops? Who all usually goes? |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 01:27 pm: |
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Aron-
Friday after work through Sunday is a good trip; leaving Grants Pass early makes for good timing at the various stages.
Distance between fuel stops is an issue, especially for my '03 XB. Got 120 miles out of the tank during the recent PIR Saturday, and hoping that's representative of road trips mileage. Will have to plan accordingly, and probably carry a small quantity of emergency fuel.
Last NorCal trip for me was with a Beemer riding buddy. A PBR trip could be Buells-only, though it's more a matter of finding compatible road trip companions who get along well, in my experience. |
Borrowedbike
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 03:02 pm: |
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I have very little interist in Buells only unless a sponsor or dues are invloved. If a sponsor wants to pony up a demo bike, a Sag Wagon or similar I'd be willing to reconsider, but we founded ourselves on just getting out an making some turns together... |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 03:13 pm: |
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Mark, I second what Paul said. If you need to take the BMW to make it work (comfort, bags and miles) then you should do it. It would be nice to get a little larger group then two to go.
I was just wondering because I only get about 130 - 140 on the FZ1 if I don't Hot Rod too much and closer to 160 -180 on the Buell. |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2008 - 11:40 pm: |
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Mark any updates on Dates? |
2wheeler
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 10:49 am: |
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I'm in if the dates cooridinate with the rest of my schedule/life ???. I'll keep checkin in. Sounds like great fun, I've been down that area on I-5 so many times with truck and trailer, its finally time to see what's over the hill!
Kenny |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 04:52 pm: |
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How's August or September for those interested in a quick NorCal loop? The ride could be limited to Friday after work through late Sunday, but that means serious hours riding the slab to get home... not that I mind much after sampling Hwy 36 a couple times!
Let me know, and I'll check the family Master Schedule (including BMW rides) for any free weekends. |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 11:34 pm: |
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Sounds like it could work. |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 08:17 pm: |
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OK - looking at the master schedule now. Lots of moto-trips!
The aforementioned NorCal Buell ride could work here:
Aug 15-17
Sep 19-21
Sep 26-28
Depending on available vacation days, the weekend could include Monday.
Plan would be to meet up in Grants Pass on Friday night, depart Saturday morning for sublime CA roads.
Take a look at your schedules to see what might work for you interested parties. |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 10:12 pm: |
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I am in for either Aug 15-17 or Sept 19-21. Which ever one works out for everyone. |
Borrowedbike
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 11:32 am: |
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I just might be able to make one of those work... |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 - 07:49 pm: |
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The road from O'brien to Happy Camp was closed over Memorial Day weekend due to excessive & recent snow. I'm hoping for another try in July, possibly with extended ride down CA1. Will get a chance to evaluate the Buellability of the roads prior to our small group trip in Aug or Sep. |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 07:27 am: |
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I look forward to it. |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2008 - 07:46 pm: |
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OK - Memorial Day weekend was snowed out, now closed out due to wildfires.
Links to fire info & maps:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php
http://www.oes.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/Inter activeMap?readForm
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/
In the latter, look at highways 1, 3, 36, 96, and 101.
Cross your fingers for good conditions during late summer! |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 12:01 pm: |
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Time to get serious about this trip. Who's in at this stage?
Option 1 = meet Friday night in Grants Pass, down & back by Monday night.
Option 2 = meet Thursday night, back Sunday night
The weekend of Sept. 20/21 is probably more likely for us all, considering how it's near August [shakes head in amazement].
CA 1, 3, 36, and 96 are all open again after fires. No info on the Happy Camp road, but no fires reported. three fires currently on the map near 96, so plan on enjoying that smoky flavor deep in your pores for a few days following the ride. |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 - 01:17 am: |
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Quick note: got some negative feedback about the 9/20-21 weekend from the Mrs., so a different weekend might be necessary. |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Monday, July 28, 2008 - 11:20 pm: |
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So what are you thinking? September 27th? |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Friday, August 01, 2008 - 12:14 am: |
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Yeah, that's as good as any.
My BMW Airhead buddy would like to come along on his '70s bike. It's definitely not a PBR-only thing, so if you've never ridden those NorCal roads, then take advantage while there's still gas to be had! |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Friday, August 01, 2008 - 09:08 am: |
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Leaving it open to all is good. |
Borrowedbike
| | Posted on Friday, August 01, 2008 - 10:09 am: |
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So it's open to all Weekend of Sep 27th? |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 03:00 pm: |
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Trip report from last weekend:
My BMW buddy Bruce and I did an abbreviated NorCal loop this past weekend, taking off Friday morning and returning midday Sunday. We elected to keep the trip short and hence missed the Leggett/Hwy1 stretch, but the route for Saturday was worth it alone.
Friday - home to Weaverville, CA. Good section over the hill to Happy Camp. Riding 96 along the Klamath is sweet. Late lunch at the Raging Creek. Made it to Weaverville before dark, which is a consideration for a late October ride.
Saturday - Weaverville to Redding via 299, long section of switchbacks, a better road than expected. Slabbed down to Red Bluff for gas and brunch, final preps for CA36. Then epic riding along CA36 to the coast. Gas in Fortuna, then up through the redwoods and final cruise into Grants Pass for well-deserved steak dinner and beer.
Sunday - Interstate 5 home, with side-trip along Territorial Highway up to Corvallis, and back roads to home for me in Salem.
I need more fuel capacity in the Buell to ride this same route without carrying a full gallon container to avoid runout. My Beemer gets me a solid 180 miles on a tank, but that's barely enough when juicing it along CA36's 140 miles of twisties; no way the XB would make it without spare gas.
So if anybody's interested - and if I can figure out the Buell-fuel problem - then I'm headed back down on this same trip next year, probably twice. |
Sweatmark
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 03:08 pm: |
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The pics I sent the group via e-mail were from Saturday. CA36 is the epic 140 miles, and Buell Alley was discovered in the historic town of Shasta.
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Sweatmark
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 03:35 pm: |
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And just a video taste of CA36 moto-mecca:
http://haverkamp.com/movies/hwy36-lan.html
http://haverkamp.com/movies/hwy36v2-lan.html |
Xbswede
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 11:22 pm: |
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Mark yes we should get this in our plans fro next summer.
I am interested in this type of trip myself and would have gone if we could have pinned down a solid date in advance. |
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