End of Pavement Rally....Cedarville, CA August 13th-16th 2026

[CrazyCooter]

Is it too early to belive the forecast?

 

[SFMCjohn]

that’s a wonderful looking forecast! keeping my fingers crossed … technically, I’m on my way to Cedarville, already. gonna bee riding through the heat, I guess.

 

[PASTAPWR]

Fires erupting between U.S. and Cedarville. Hopefully we can drive up that way on Thursday.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Fires erupting between U.S. and Cedarville. Hopefully we can drive up that way on Thursday.

That fire definitely not a great situation! Hopefully they are able to keep it mostly under control.

You should be fine even if you have to go up 447 which would be my preferred route anyway.

 

[PASTAPWR]

That fire definitely not a great situation! Hopefully they are able to keep it mostly under control.

You should be fine even if you have to go up 447 which would be my preferred route anyway.

I’ll check out 447. Looking forward to the trip. We’ll both be in her for this trip. Been using Google satellite to scope out your routes. Looks like some nice areas to explore.

 

[CrazyCooter]

I’ll check out 447. Looking forward to the trip. We’ll both be in her for this trip. Been using Google satellite to scope out your routes. Looks like some nice areas to explore.

The 447 has you driving through Gerlach which is the western gateway to the Black Rock Desert.........You definitely want to do some riding and exploring out there someday! Just make sure you don't speed through the res as I've read they like to get speeders. It only a few extra miles, but you bypass Reno and the roads might be a little less congested?

 

[SFMCjohn]

I’m up above Callahan-Gazelle Road on Kangaroo Creek Road this morning, and no smoke!



yesterday was brutal in the smoke and heat on Hwy 299 by Hwy 96 (which was closed at Hoopa due to the wildfire), but I rode out of the smoke at Weaverville and on Hwy 3. ran out of steam here and just camped on Kangaroo Creek Road at a view to the west.

in years gone by when I was riding from SF I’d stay west of Pyramid Lake and then cut over to Hyw 395, just for fun, or instead swing by the little hotspring and then on to Gerlock/447.

hope to see everyone soon!

 

[CDONA]

Watch out for Burners, Some of those loads leak stuff, along the road.
Sturgis then Burning Man, both achievable, did it in '07

 

[CrazyCooter]

I’ll check out 447. Looking forward to the trip. We’ll both be in her for this trip. Been using Google satellite to scope out your routes. Looks like some nice areas to explore.

Well......Now with the Stallion fire on a run and the winds blowing from the west, 395 might be the best way again?

Things were going so well for us in CA and NV this year.......

 

[SFMCjohn]

here’s a view of how things look this morning, in Shasta County, I guess:



looking south from The Whaleback at 6:15 am on 08/11/2026. I’m planning on taking Hwy 97 to Red Rock Road to Schonchin Butte Lookout/Lava Beds NM and will try to post up about smoke later today.

 

[budman]

That is another SFMCjohn epic photo!! Love it!

Have fun John!!

 

[SFMCjohn]

thanks Mr budman … I’m having fun!

the smoke report is it was smoky on Hwy 97 and in Lava Beds NF, but I rode out of the smoke as I was heading east, and it’s clear now in Alturas.

see what tomorrow brings.

 

[CrazyCooter]

So I want to advise everyone that this will be the last year I make the calls/emails to organize this event and I'm hoping someone else will step up to keep it going.

I have so many other things in my life competing for energy and I have so many other places I would like to visit. I HATE the heat and the prep/loading/unloading that has to be done with no way around it. Lucky for me it wasn't that hot this year, but I'm still dreading going home tonight when it's 99° but even warmer with the sun beating on the surfaces from the south west side. It seems every year I ask myself WHY do I keep doing this trip? Well, I have done it to see my homies because that's where I can count on meeting up with them.

I'd really like to get together with many of you guys in different locations, but there are just too many other competing events spread out year round to make that happen it seems? I'm not planning to make StonyBARF this fall either. I've come to the realization that I really enjoy the company, but the riding and locations not so much. I desire more variety and now that I have Tracie riding along, were adding more rides to other areas to the calendar.

We will probably still attend some events when the weather cooperates. We're really a far out planners who commit and show up when we say we will, so this will be new territory for us to just show up or not?

I'm going to cross post a variation over at ADV as well and I'm expecting some more conversation this weekend around the BS circle.

 

[PASTAPWR]

I don’t think we’re going to make it. 445, 447, 395 are all closed due to the Bug and Stalion fires.

My only option is to go up through the Plumas Nat’l forest to Susanville. But it doubles our drive time. Going from a 3:45:00 drive to a 6:45:00 drive.

 

[PASTAPWR]

We talked it over. It’s only like 1 hour longer than we take to get to Stony. It’s an adventure ride. We’re going to start with an adventure drive. See y’all tomorrow late afternoon or early evening.

 

[CrazyCooter]

We talked it over. It’s only like 1 hour longer than we take to get to Stony. It’s an adventure ride. We’re going to start with an adventure drive. See y’all tomorrow late afternoon or early evening.

I was thinking you could just go around Tahoe to 89? It's like 40 miles longer.

Maybe conditions will change by the time you leave and the shorter way will be open by then main thing is you have a decent back up option to get back home!