October ride to Chico and Keno Oregon

Oct 24, 2011
Got up this morning at 4 AM, made coffee, put on my riding gear
and headed North to visit some friends in Chico California and then up to Keno,
Oregon. The weather was cool in the 50s but as always the thrill of a new ride
Me warm. Heading out the 210 Freeway , then up Interstate 5 to state Route 99 a
stretch of super slab that is fairly boring riding.

 Once I reached Fresno heading up state Route 41 the scenery got a
lot better. First rolling hills passing a few farms and cattle ranches and pine
forests, scenery more suited for motorcycle riding. Stopping it Oakhurst to pick
up some Atkins bars for snacks some bottled water I then headed out state Route
49 (one of my favorite roads) toward Mariposa. Continuing on Highway 49 I wrote
what motorcycle riders call the little Dragon, riding through towns like
Coulterville, Chinese camp, Jamestown, and Sonora all originally gold mining
towns of the 1850s. Just north of Sonora California is a small town called
 Columbia that has a state park. This part has re-created the 1800s town of
 Columbia California,  a nice place
suited to a few hours respite. This night I camped at Marble Quarry RV
campground a few blocks from Columbia. This is an old KOA campground run by a
family. The campground is clean although old that catered mostly to the RV good
neighbor Sam crowd. There were four cabins of different sizes that could be
rented and 10 tent sites. The tent area looked more like an afterthought since
although level had poorly maintained tables, no grills although it did have
water and electric at each campsite. I set up my tent my camp and inroad into
Sonora to a local grocery store right picked up some steak, a bag of salad, some
zucchini and a bottle of Merlot. After a nice dinner and listening to a little
music I climbed in the sleeping bag for the night. Only waking up a couple times
during the night as cars drove by I got a pretty good nights sleep. Waking up
about 5 AM I made coffee had one of my Atkins bars and began to break camp and
pack my stuff up in the trailer. By first light I was packed and headed up the
49er Highway through Angels Camp, to Placerville for breakfast. I always like to
get at least 60 to 90 min. riding in before I have breakfast. This is good for
attitude adjustments, waking up and fueling a good
appitite.

Once in Placerville I stopped at a small restaurant and
had a very nice low-carb meal. As spinach feta mushroom  omelette
with a side of bacon cup of coffee and I was good to go. Here I met up with two
riders they were headed south to ride over Tioga Pass SR-120. We exchanged
riding pleasantries and then I was off again heading north from Placerville,
 I rode past Sutters mill, where
gold was discovered in 1849. The Rd., North came with Tighter turns and rugged
landscape that took me to the North Fork of the American River. From the North
Fork of the American River there was a huge bridge maybe 700 feet from the
canyon floor to the bridge itself it was a met an amazing site. I got into
Auburn and picked up 99 up to Chico where I met up with some old friends,  Mike and Maureen Adams who I hadn't seen 42 years. Mike was the president of the car club I belong to in 1968 and 69
called“Valley Volks Club" and it's only been recently that I've come back into
 contact with some of the members. It was very nice getting together with old
 friends and rehashing old times and laughing and having a couple of beers and
reviving  old friendships. After an
afternoon and evening of visiting and a nice dinner at the Sierra Nevada Brewery
I got a nice nights sleep before heading out the next morning. When I got up in
the morning the outside temperature was 35°.  I packed up my clothes, and dug out my
heated gloves from the saddlebags and headed off towards Klamath Falls to visit
another friend. I rode up Highway 32 to 89 And rode. Through Mount Lassen
National Park. Stopping at the Park to see some of the sites take some pictures
and enjoy the scene I then headed up 89 towards Klamath Falls. During this part
of the trip I was following my GPS directions which had me turn on to Harris
spring Rd. Now this was an interesting road, in that was about 80 miles long,
cut through pine forests with no homes and only small logging roads to intersect
the main road. I didn't see one car or one truck or another person for the
entire length of this road. The road was cut through the forest with hundred
foot pine trees on either side of this road. Coming out on the other end I was
near town called Doris which is right on the California Oregon border. 20 min.
later I was writing into Keno Oregon where my friend lives. Getting to his house
has always been a challenge since is a gravel road for a mile and a half in my
motorcycle doesn't like gravel. But I made it instead a day and a half with my
friend Ed Aguilar. On Thursday I helped Ed deliver Meals on Wheels to some
seniors that live in Klamath Falls.

 Friday morning came and was time to head home the temperature
outside a brisk 24° I packed up the bike and the trailer hooked up the heated
gloves and headed down the East side of California for my return trip. Riding
from Klamath Falls to Susanville another great ride through pine tree forests
and farmland. Picking up Highway 395 I progress through Reno, and Nevada Carson
City Nevada deciding to press on to perhaps Bishop. I rolled through Bridgeport
about 5 PM Friday afternoon and as it was getting chilly I decided I would stop
for the night in a motel and get some rest. At the Bridgeport Inn had a great
grilled salmon dinner with maybe the best hooked mixed vegetables I've ever had.
I watched the seventh game of the World Series (not my favorite sport) as the
St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers for the title. Headed back to the
motel to watch a little television and went to sleep.

Waking up Saturday morning and looking outside to see the top of
my trailer frosted since the temperature was somewhere between 10 and 15°. At
that point I decided I would hang around for a while have breakfast and get a
little later start. By 8 AM it was 18° and I decided not to wait any longer put
on the heated gloves cranked up the motor and headed south. The ride was nice
albeit chilly but not painfully so and by the time I got to Bishop 89 miles away
it had warmed up considerably. The rest of the trip was run down 395, where I
finally got home.

 This was my fourth outing with the trailer and I think I've got
the packing down to a science. I'm pretty much ready for the big trip in April
2012. The bike is riding good and I'll probably need to put a new back tire on
before I leave but it looks like I'm set.

This will probably be the last ride of the year up the lenght of California, since winter temps will drop and most of the good roads will be closed for the winter season.