California road questions

[Paul Mihalka]

I hope to do a great ride this September spending a couple of days riding CA roads, stopping at the Torrey shindig on the way back. First question, there will be more: Is road J41 from 395/Pearsonville going west to Fairview all paved?

Thanks for answers.

[SageRider]

Paul,

This is Sherman Pass and is all paved.

Starting from the east:

9 Mile Canyon Road

Becomes Kennedy Meadows Road

Becomes Sherman Pass Road

Ends at the Kern River near Fairview.

Truly a beautiful road.

 

[AdventurePoser]

Jeez, Paul, and I thought I'd ridden every road in Cali....I am stumped on this one. Guess I better go there and check it out!

[SageRider]

Steve,

I don't recall ever seeing the J41 designation before, but it is listed as county highway "41" in the Benchmark Atlas I have.

This is the only paved route over the Sierras between CA178 (Walker Pass) and CA120 (Tioga Pass / Yosemite)

[David13]

I am on my way up there this month.

dc

[Paul Mihalka]

I am on my way up there this month.

dc

Hoping for ride tale and pictures!

[RT Russ]

Paul, PM CoarsegoldKid Joe. He knows that area well.

[cali_beemer]

Jeez, Paul, and I thought I'd ridden every road in Cali....I am stumped on this one. Guess I better go there and check it out!

 

+1

[Paul Mihalka]

Paul, PM CoarsegoldKid Joe. He knows that area well.

Already done. Thank you.

[SageRider]

More general area info:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/recreation/visitor-guide/kern-plateau.html

 

A short hike from the road is the Bald Mountain Lookout Tower. (Info in the above link.)

The view is truly stupendous, and visitors are welcome!

 

[mrduck]

Now you're gonna be in my backyard! Lemme know when you'll be passing thru...lotsa good stuff up there

 

 

Don J

[CoarsegoldKid]

That worked out well. Always ask the brain trust.

[mbelectric]

Paul,

 

I'm going to do a west to east ride thru Sherman this weekend, starting from my cabin on 4 Sat morn so I'll have info for you on Monday. McNally's booked up Sat night, so I'm barnstorming right on through to Lone Pine. Stout trip/mileage on Saturday to be sure... Hopefully get it done before dark.

 

Pic's if I have time and daylight.

 

MB>

[Paul Mihalka]

Paul,

 

I'm going to do a west to east ride thru Sherman this weekend, starting from my cabin on 4 Sat morn so I'll have info for you on Monday. McNally's booked up Sat night, so I'm barnstorming right on through to Lone Pine. Stout trip/mileage on Saturday to be sure... Hopefully get it done before dark.

 

Pic's if I have time and daylight.

 

MB>

[mbelectric]

Ham and eggs at the Happy burger Diner in Mariposa, just leaving now. 90 degrees, but the "little dragon" CA49 new asphalt....weeee!!!!!!!!!!

 

MB>

[CoarsegoldKid]

Don't have too much fun. AH go ahead. Twist it.

[Paul Mihalka]

My tentative plan: Sunday 9/23 sleep in Solvang after visiting the bike museum. Monday 9/24 checkpoints: Cuyama - Taft - Arvin/223 - Caliente/Bodfish - 178/395/Pearsonville - Sherman Pass/Fairview/McNally's dinner and room.

Am I nuts?

[Ponderosa]

Kinda of a round about route but what the heck, where are you headed after McNalley's

[Paul Mihalka]

Coarsegold via Sequoia NP. Joe's house (Thank you!) Round-about is good. Just consider I'm riding from Maryland to Torrey UT via the Pacific.

[David13]

178 is a nice, fast, curvy two lane, in excellent condition. However, 395 is quite boring, 178 so so, and you could just proceed north thru' Kernville, and out to Kennedy Meadows on Sherman Pass Road and out to 395 on Nine Mile Canyon road. Then turn around and ride back to Kernville.

Thus optimizing your ride on the very curvy mountainous roads.

For me all that would be about a 3 day ride. But I have heard you are nuts and never like to get off your bike. So it may be a short day for you at just over 300 miles.

Not real fast miles. But most scenic and interesting.

It's a different road going in the other direction.

dc

 

[mbelectric]

Just got in to the room (Dow Villa) after dinner in Lone Pine...

 

Last check on the odo was 420 mi in Olancha. Had to skip the Kernville cut at Johnsondale. Didn't make the steakhouse in Kernville for chrissakes.. Wanted to see Sherman pass in daylight, so I pressed on for the summit.

 

101 in the foothills on the way up, 67 degrees at the pass 9200 ft...light monsoonal showers in spots... No bikes for 3 hours.

 

What a great road!

 

No issues whatsoever, but some of you hoons may want to dial it back a bit... Some sandy corners and potholes, but nothing this group can't handle. Fantastic elevation changes, Some excellent dual sport single track throughout, but gas would def be an issue.

 

4 hours, 135 miles from hwy 99 to 395. You will avg 30 to 35 mph from Johnsondale to 395, which is approx 70 miles, or 3 hours worth of riding, all pavement.

 

Pic's may follow, if someone can tell me how to upload from my Iphone .

 

Tomorrow, Whitney Portal, then press on up 395 to 108 Sonora Pass.

 

MB.

 

[mbelectric]

Oh and by the way, the west to east direction on Sherman Pass is very dramatic as you drop down 9 Mile Canyon and have your first view of the Owens Valley.

 

Get some.

 

MB.

[CoarsegoldKid]

Thanks for the recon report.

[billp]

 

Here is a photo on Sherman Pass Road.

[billp]

 

Here is an image from Chimney Peak area, (road is between 178 and Kennedy Meadows). This is where the Cycle World Adv Bike shootout was in this months magazine.

[billp]

All these roads are a easy day loop trip from Loserfield, CA.

[Selden]

I was fortunate enough this week to drive (not ride) from Murphys to Groveland, and the following day to drive from Mariposa to Groveland on SR49. On the way in to Groveland, I spotted "Old Priest Grade Road" and decided to take it out of town this morning, en route back to the SF Bay area. Wow! These were some of the best roads (including reasonably fresh asphalt) I have been on in some time. Apparently the "new" Priest Grade road (SR120) covers the 1600 feet elevation change in a distance of six miles, while the old road covers the same change in elevation over about 2.7 miles. They are both fun, but there is less traffic on the old road. Makes me want to come back on a motorcycle. I can imagine riding a loop, then reversing, and riding the same loop in the opposite direction.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Good thing you caught it when the moron skateboarders weren't on it.

Nice road as long as it isn't too hot and......really importantly, no one has blown their transmission fluid or coolant all over it. That also goes for the new priest grade too though.