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California trip planning

4K views 33 replies 15 participants last post by  elevation 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys,

I'm going to be doing a trip this summer with a friend to ride some of the amazing roads in Northern California I have read all about on here, and was hoping to get some help planning it! Looking for the following...

9 day time frame
We're looking for a nice ride down, so what route?
How long we should give ourselves to get there?
Assuming it will take two days, what city should we aim to reach on day one?
What city should we base our riding out of?
The riding is the main focus of our trip, but one or two touristy attractions would be nice since we're all the way down there.
The big one, must ride roads and routes once there?
Any other tips or suggestions would be great!

I know a lot of you guys have done trips down there so hopefully I can get some help to make this trip one to remember!

Thanks in advance
Nick
 
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#16 ·
I've done teh northern cali roads 4 times, once in late May (froze my wet ass off through WA and OR), once in July, once in August, and once in first week of October (Wrong Way Down 2011). While it can be nice up in the mountains in July and August, you will fucking DIE once you are back in the central valley (look at geo map of the Redding/Red Bluff area).

September woudl be your best bet. Kids are back in school, and the temps will still be hot without risk of heat exhaustion.
 
#18 ·
If August is the only time you can go i wouldn’t hesitate that’s the only times i have rode in Cali. First trip was coming back through Nevada side through death valley that was hot,came over sequoia forest Sherman pass rd. high altitudes were around 70 dropping down into Porterville was in the high 90’s! that pass was not open until july that year. Northern cali last yr middle of august wasn’t that hot towards the coast spent most of the time with electric vest on. Perfect temp in higher altitudes where lots of the good riding is, like CDG said it was hot inland at lower elevations. Very little traffic on most of the good roads. Coast hwy was busy spent very few miles on that any ways. Doing the touristy thing we gave up on Yosemite that was a Hugh traffic snarl not a good time to go there, was on a weekend .Stay away from lake Tahoe sucks anyways, Lassen volcanic park on the other hand was empty. I would love to go back even in August.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I have been down a # of times. The first trip was with zero planning in the middle of August and I had a blast. I agree with most on here about taking the direct route down. I have ridden some great roads in Oregon between I5 and 101, But they do not meassure up to the Northern California sections. Hwy 36, as most people will tell you is great. I also LOVED the ride between Eureka and Fort Bragg via the Avenue of the Giants and Hwy 1. Pretty much the picture of what you imagine California riding to be.

In August there will be moments in the hills where you are cold and moments when you will melt your bag off, but the riding takes your mind off things, as does a pool and a cold beer at the end of the day.

This is one of my fav rides in Oregon. However I am usually leaving from Kelowna so its not so out of the way

http://goo.gl/maps/yRCO

If you do end up heading down the coast/101 I highly recommend renting a quad in Coos Bay, shop around if you do. Some places rent old boring shitters....however I found one that rented YZ450s with paddle tires...had a BLAST, and paid less than 100 bucks for the half day of great fun. No tour just "here's the keys see you at 530"
 
#23 ·
#24 ·
9 days is good amount of time. Plan 2.5 days to get down. Spend 4 nights in NorCal. Plan 2.5 days to get back home.

The roads of NorCal are as great as everyone says they are! The roads to get there are fantastic too. Oregon is a fantastic place to ride too. If the weather is really hot take the coast down to Norcal with a few switch backs from the I5 to the Pacific Coast Hwy. If the weather is cold (always a possibility with the coast. Take the roads inland and switch back from the I5. Once in NorCal I would spend 2-3 nights in Anderson, CA (Gaia Resort!). Ride as much as you can. Then try to spend a night in Fort Bragg to ride some of the roads between the 101 and 1. On the way home ride up the coast if it is hot or further inland if it is colder.

Doser has posted up some great links. Buy the destinations highway maps, a washington roads map, a oregan roads map, and a roads california map. Open as many Oregon and California ride reports as you can on here and highlight the routes in your california map. You are welcome to copy my highlighted routes on my worn california/oregon map (PM me). As with any trip there are route changes on the fly. Having a map with the great roads indicated is perfect for route changes.

Damn this is getting me all excited for the fall!!!
 
#25 ·
beg borrow or steal a trailer and slab it down to Shady Cove Or. Stay at the Edgewater INN. The nice people there will let you store your truck/trailer there while you are away.U can be down there by 4 oclock the same day. Unload and you can have a week to enjoy northern california. Make sure you head west and start by going thru Happy Camp. If you are going in August just base your camp out of the coast (say Eureka) this way its cool and you can enjoy the mornings riding east before the heat gets too you. PS i have the Destinations Northern California book as well if BANDITO doesnt share.
 
#26 ·
beg borrow or steal a trailer and slab it down
The other benefit to trailering, is that you don't burn half a set of tires getting there and back,
need an oil change, and have to carry the extra weight of gear, luggage, yada yada.

I'm far from an expert on N. Cali, but it did not take much for me to see the obvious benefits
and enjoyment of taking bikes down the easy way, in comfort, with no wear and tear, to spend
100% of the time on the good kind of wear and tear. With the money you save on hotels, meals,
and bike related consumables, you could probably find a cheap trailer or pickup truck rental,
and have more time on both ends for great riding......foods for thoughts, just an option anyway.
 
#30 ·
If you ride down or trailer down you will be happy either way. It will be a great trip either way. I would go the touring route just because there are so many great places to see and lots of entertaining random stuff. You will miss that with the trailering down.

I hope next year I can organize the best of both worlds and get a huge ride going with a support vehicle.
 
#32 ·
Having a support vehicle would be lovely. Definelty requires and understanding wife/gf/partner
It requires your wife/gf/partner to have a hobby she/he is equally passionate about. It is pretty tough to have a motorcycle when the other half has no hobby. Thankfully mine is into Horses, which are three times as dangerous as motorcycles! I should raise hell... :p
 
#34 ·
She has done it before. Even better than she has her own truck.

In 2007 when we rented a full sized Dodge Sprinter. We had a designated driver and we also took turns driving it. It has been discussed here before on the cheapest way to do it. With 6 -10 people the cost ranges from $200 to $400 per person. Worth every penny.
 
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