California Gold Country Trip

[Tom MLC]

I'm a little bit tardy in making this thread. So sorry. Had to make up for lost time at work. That's what I get for taking a few days off to go on a road trip. Ah well, I'd do it again anytime!

Ken (jadesystem) and I had been planning a trip back to the gold country for quite a while. Here's a link to the thread I started back in February. http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=120149. This trip was planned out perfectly and went off without a hitch...well almost without a hitch. The goals were to ride new roads, take in a few tourist stuff we missed out on last year, and spend some time with friends new & old. I can surely report it was mission accomplished.

I don't want to bore you with a bunch of details. The short version of the story is that we covered many miles, met new friends (Richard & Paul F), and old friends (Kent, RenoBruce), had a GS sighting, did a lot of wine tasting, and just generally had a blast...with one exception.

BAD WEATHER! Forecast predicted a 20% chance of rain. We rode smack into it on Sunday. During the trip to Bruce's house we were pounded with sleet, hail & rain as we crossed the Sierra's into Nevada. Visibility was pitiful, temps were near freezing, and everyone & everything got soaking wet. Yet despite the 4 - 5 hours of poor riding conditions, it was still a memorable trip.

Pics of the adventure included. These came from two different cameras, so they're not in order. Enjoy.

http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h113/Tom_MLC/Gold%20Country%20Trip/

[jadesystem]

Hi Tom

Great pics - thanks for posting these pics up and recounting our great
trip together. You took some great shots of this rally. We will research
for other rides in the near future. I have put a new thread up for a 48
state national bike ride within 3 years. I will add and refine the route
as time progresses and from time-to-time.

One of the roads I've added (and is the beginning of the first leg) is
the famous Route 66. It is from LA to Chicago. So much history of
America is on this road. It should be a fantastic road traveling through American history and its pasttime when gas was cheap, and when transportation was exciting and freedom and love with the automobile
was affordable and appealing to the masses.

http://www.historic66.com/

http://www.national66.com/66hstry.html

Thanks again,

Ken :-D\\/

[renobruce]

Great pics, Tom and Ken! That was fun, except for the hypothermia portion. Glad we all made it home with all our fingers still working. :shock: I definately had the wrong gloves on!

Lots of great scenery on that run. I'd like to do 49 from start to finish like you guys did last year. It's just beautiful. And the roads are great, too! Too bad that last section was so wet... we missed out on miles of great twistys.

[jadesystem]

Hi Bruce,

OK, you got yourswelf a deal. You will have to stay with us in San Jose
before the tour from beginning to end. From Oakhurst to Vinton, NV. And
we must take it in June - August and no later. That storm was one of
the worse bike moments I've ever experienced. The other was coming down the mountain on Highway 50 from Lake Tahoe. I was with a bunch of Harley buddies back in the late 80s....and you guessed it, on my black
1981 Suzuki GS750e. My hands were frozen stiff, and would of definitely crashed if it were not for a Harley breakdown. My buddy's spark plug
threads got stripped-out. He was screwed, but he somehow managed it.
He owned a custom Harley parts shop in Mountain View which he sold Custom Chrome stuff. I haven't seen him in years.

This will be our third run of the old Goldrush 49(er) highway. Please let
Tom know of your intentions. I'm game for it. It will be far different than
what we experienced. This time it will be all sun, and smoother sailing.

I love those wineries along the way, especially at the Shanandoah Valley
in Plymouith. No charge, and very warm hospitality. You won't get that
ever in Napa/Sonoma Valley. I stopped going there when they started charging $10 per tasting. Everywhere in Napa now charges for wine tasting. Forget it !!

We havel local wine tasting here in Gilroy near San Jose. I love it. 5+
of my favorite wineries with no charge. Warm hospitality and service
with a smile. I will go there this Saturday with my family. Did I tell you,
I recently bought a professional all-metal wine opener at the local flea marj\ket for $5.......complete in a box. I love it !!

:-D\\/

[Tom MLC]

Paul, I'm trying to update my map of roads traveled on my GS. It looks like this, so far.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118072655378459365251.0004495838e2f535dabee&ll=34.795762,-117.993164&spn=8.493647,13.886719&z=6

You took us on a fun little backroad from Sutter Creek to the Plymouth wine country. There were so many little country roads out there, I was completely lost. I wonder if you could somehow map it for me?

Thanks a bunch.

[chef1366]

Good stuff guys! A warm up for July.