Need Help with NorCal Sunday...

[jaytee]

Hello all! I am going to be in Cloverdale at the 101 and CA128 on Saturday and Sunday nights, returning to SoCal on Monday.

 

I am trying to develop an itinerary for me and a riding buddy (R1200ST) for Sunday that leaves from Cloverdale and returns there. The concept so far is as follows:

 

1. Leaving Cloverdale by 9am

2. Lunch somewhere nice, preferably a local brewery so we can taste (responsibly) the wares

3. Back by dark (6pm or so)

4. Hit at least the CA 128 through Navarro River Redwoods State Park and any other similar roads all day

5. Maybe some combination of the 1 though Legget , Branscomb road, CA 20 through Jackson State Forest, Comptche-Ukiah, Mountain View road through Boonville and maybe CA253 Booneville-Ukiah.

 

All the roads looks very interesting and I have been on some of them in previous years but I'm at a bit of a loss as to a specific itinerary. We will be riding at a brisk pace with no pillions although not dragging pegs (probably).

 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

JT

[JR356]

http://pashnit.com/

 

Maybe join/use this site to put together a route,as well

as future ride planning.

They certainly have most,if not all of the state,well documented.

 

JR356

[jaytee]

I've put together a route on Google Maps that runs the 128 to Booneville, the 253 to Ukiah, Orr Springs Road to Comptche Ukiah, Flynn Creek Road back to the 128, the 128 through Navarro to the 1 and north to Ft Bragg for lunch. The morning ride is 120 miles and Google Maps estimates 3 hours.

 

The after lunch ride is a bit more ambitious leaving Ft Bragg on the 1 to Leggett, taking the 101 to Branscomb Road back to the 1. Then we take the 1 back south to the 20 through Jackson State Forest to Willits and then the 101 back to Cloverdale. This route is 195 miles for 4.5 hours.

 

Proposed Sunday Loop

 

Anyone have any feedback on this route? Any closures, crappy roads, lack of gas?

 

JT

 

[longjohn]

I took a trip around CA in jul and one leg was from Red Bluff to Petaluma via 36 101, 1, 128 101. I did 128 from the coast to Cloverdale and it was the worst road on my 2000 mi. trip. Rough patches galore. Has the potential to be a fine motocycle road though. Try to get up to 36, anyway you can. It's the bomb.

 

There are some nice roads in Sonoma and Marin counties between 101 and the coast.

[mbelectric]

Try this if passing through:

 

 

 

http://www.avbc.com/age.html

 

 

MB>

[gottabmw]

a local brewery so we can taste (responsibly) the wares

I'm not sure that's even possible. I quit doing that a long time ago. The craft brews are high in alcoholic content. I found myself buzzed after even one and sleepy later. Not a good combination, especially since you'll "be riding at a brisk pace" on the way back. YMMV

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I've put together a route on Google Maps that runs the 128 to Booneville, the 253 to Ukiah, Orr Springs Road to Comptche Ukiah, Flynn Creek Road back to the 128, the 128 through Navarro to the 1 and north to Ft Bragg for lunch. The morning ride is 120 miles and Google Maps estimates 3 hours.

 

The after lunch ride is a bit more ambitious leaving Ft Bragg on the 1 to Leggett, taking the 101 to Branscomb Road back to the 1. Then we take the 1 back south to the 20 through Jackson State Forest to Willits and then the 101 back to Cloverdale. This route is 195 miles for 4.5 hours.

 

Proposed Sunday Loop

 

Anyone have any feedback on this route? Any closures, crappy roads, lack of gas?

 

JT

 

I think you selected a fine set of loops. I don't have any recent intel on the smaller roads. I haven't been up there in a few years. You should expect the numbered highways to be in good shape and there's gas in all the big towns/cities.

 

The beauty of your loops is the potential for "bail-outs" if you get tired.

[jaytee]

a local brewery so we can taste (responsibly) the wares

I'm not sure that's even possible. I quit doing that a long time ago. The craft brews are high in alcoholic content. I found myself buzzed after even one and sleepy later. Not a good combination, especially since you'll "be riding at a brisk pace" on the way back. YMMV

 

Thank you for your concern. If I felt buzzed and sleepy after one beer with food I would have quit doing that too! I think you made a good call there.

 

"Responsibly" means just that: Eat food and enjoy a beer in a responsible manner with a long enough break so that the limited alcohol we consume does not impair our ability to ride safely. Every person is different and we are all big boys and girls. In our case, we are both over 6 foot and in the 200+ lb range. We both are very fond of craft beers and have (mis)spent a large portion of our adult lives carefully sipping and comparing them from all over California. We shall be careful knowing our path for the day.

 

Our evenings will be spent with a good deal less responsibility, however. Our hotel is staggering distance from Ruth McGowan's Brewpub and I distinctly recall their local brews to be quite charming. I shall be sure to have lots of water on hand to limit the negative impact on my head the next day!

 

Prost!

 

JT