mcguirezone
New member
I am finally posting a travel log and some pics of my great weekend touring Northern CA. My buddy Mike on his Triumph Sprint RS and I on my new BMW R1200GS left Martinez Friday morning, We took 680 to Suisun/Wooden Valley Rds, to 121 to 128 to Silverado Trail in Napa. From Napa, we took 29 to Clear Lake, then 53 on to 20. 29 which is normally way too busy to enjoy was a very nice treat with no traffic heading North.
We took 20 into Colusa for lunch at a nice sandwich shop downtown on Market St. Leaving Colusa, we took 45 North to 162 and made our way into Oroville. After gassing up, we managed to split our way through busy weekend traffic onto the Oroville-Quincy Hwy. The road was in great shape with lots of snow at the top of the mountain (but none on the road).The late winter snow kept the weekenders from crowding the roads up there, so we had them pretty much all to ourselves. Very nice! From there, it was down the Feather River (on 70) and on into Chico for a night of beer drinking at the Sierra Nevada Brewing CO, and The Graduate.
Then it was on to Hwy ThirtySex! (36) We had a long day planned so nixed the idea of riding 32 to Lassen. (Did that last year and it was great fun.) We took 99 straight up to Red Bluff, then on to 36. This is one of the greatest roads to ride, and ride it we did. From 36, we headed North on 3 all the way to Etna, where we had a late lunch, a couple of beers and lots of water at the Etna Brewing Co. We hung there for quite a while, wanting to make sure we were clean for the ride back to Weaverville. The beer there is as exceptional as the views and roads surrounding it. We still wanted more beer, so we opted for getting a Growler to-go and heading back to our hotel in Weaverville. After getting some tasty grub and draining the Growler, it was time to turn in.
Leaving Weaverville, we headed back down 3 and on to 36. Just West of the Mad River we turned onto Van Duzen Rd, taking that to Ruth Zenia Rd, then on to Alder Ppoint Rd into Garberville. The RS did not like this beat up goat trail of a road, but the GS was right at home. From Garberville, we took 101 to 1, then all the way back down to the Bay Area. We stopped in Gualala for some tasty BBQ (at the top of the hill, before the main part of town). By the time we got to Bodega Bay, Mike was beat and headed inland. I wasn't ready for the ride to end so I made my way on down to Bolinas-Fairfax Rd, and up to W Ridgecrest Rd, where I watched the sunset. Then it was home via Fairfax, 580, 80 and 4.
This was another fantastic ride, (well over 1000 miles in 3 days). I was not sure how the Beemer would do, but I am more than impressed with it's capabilities after this trip. I never got tired. In past rides like this on my SV650, I would be really sore and tired and ready to go home. But on the GS, I just wanted to keep going and going. The GS didn't really like highways that much, but aside from the wind buffeting the front around, it was just fine. Everywhere else the GS just blew me away. I used to have a hard time keeping up with Mike on his RS, when I was on my SV650. But on the GS, the tables were turned and I rarely saw him in my mirrors.
Unfortunately, I can't remember the names of all the places we ate. (Sorry about that Kate Edwards.) I will try to take notes next time.
Feather River, Hwy 70
Hwy 36
Gazelle-Callahan Rd (Just off 3)
Hwy 3 (at Scott Mtn)
Hwy 1
W Ridgecrest Rd (Mt Tam)
We took 20 into Colusa for lunch at a nice sandwich shop downtown on Market St. Leaving Colusa, we took 45 North to 162 and made our way into Oroville. After gassing up, we managed to split our way through busy weekend traffic onto the Oroville-Quincy Hwy. The road was in great shape with lots of snow at the top of the mountain (but none on the road).The late winter snow kept the weekenders from crowding the roads up there, so we had them pretty much all to ourselves. Very nice! From there, it was down the Feather River (on 70) and on into Chico for a night of beer drinking at the Sierra Nevada Brewing CO, and The Graduate.
Then it was on to Hwy ThirtySex! (36) We had a long day planned so nixed the idea of riding 32 to Lassen. (Did that last year and it was great fun.) We took 99 straight up to Red Bluff, then on to 36. This is one of the greatest roads to ride, and ride it we did. From 36, we headed North on 3 all the way to Etna, where we had a late lunch, a couple of beers and lots of water at the Etna Brewing Co. We hung there for quite a while, wanting to make sure we were clean for the ride back to Weaverville. The beer there is as exceptional as the views and roads surrounding it. We still wanted more beer, so we opted for getting a Growler to-go and heading back to our hotel in Weaverville. After getting some tasty grub and draining the Growler, it was time to turn in.
Leaving Weaverville, we headed back down 3 and on to 36. Just West of the Mad River we turned onto Van Duzen Rd, taking that to Ruth Zenia Rd, then on to Alder Ppoint Rd into Garberville. The RS did not like this beat up goat trail of a road, but the GS was right at home. From Garberville, we took 101 to 1, then all the way back down to the Bay Area. We stopped in Gualala for some tasty BBQ (at the top of the hill, before the main part of town). By the time we got to Bodega Bay, Mike was beat and headed inland. I wasn't ready for the ride to end so I made my way on down to Bolinas-Fairfax Rd, and up to W Ridgecrest Rd, where I watched the sunset. Then it was home via Fairfax, 580, 80 and 4.
This was another fantastic ride, (well over 1000 miles in 3 days). I was not sure how the Beemer would do, but I am more than impressed with it's capabilities after this trip. I never got tired. In past rides like this on my SV650, I would be really sore and tired and ready to go home. But on the GS, I just wanted to keep going and going. The GS didn't really like highways that much, but aside from the wind buffeting the front around, it was just fine. Everywhere else the GS just blew me away. I used to have a hard time keeping up with Mike on his RS, when I was on my SV650. But on the GS, the tables were turned and I rarely saw him in my mirrors.
Unfortunately, I can't remember the names of all the places we ate. (Sorry about that Kate Edwards.) I will try to take notes next time.
Feather River, Hwy 70
Hwy 36
Gazelle-Callahan Rd (Just off 3)
Hwy 3 (at Scott Mtn)
Hwy 1
W Ridgecrest Rd (Mt Tam)
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