BackRoads California - A Pashnit Tour of goaty proportions!

[pashnit]

Our tour group




Mattole Rd has never struck me as that high up in elevation. These are low mountain ranges to traverse, typically an easy (but goaty) up and over. Nearing the crest though, ran into this.




Alan says I approve!

It's become The Adventure Tour

[pashnit]

Tim had been leading, and actually stopped a little too soon.

When we got to the top, snow stretched across the road and we had wheel tracks in the snow we were all careful to ride in. Shoulda took pics of that! Adventure Tour indeed!




Across the Mattole River on the wooden bridge




Mattole Rd

[pashnit]

My story on this (since just Alan and I stopped and the rest blazed on by) is last year I'd blown past this and caught it out of the corner of my eye.

Young lady baring all in the front yard? Could it be?

It couldn't. But that's what my brain told me I'd seen! Never stopped. Now back again, had to stop. Sure looks real. Someone (this is the Rigby Farm) really has a sense of humor, or just enjoys watching all the bonehead tourists do double takes.




While typically, the only pics you see of Mattole Rd are shots along the ocean, but that stretch is only 7 miles of a 50+ mile goat trail ride.

Much of it looks like this on the southern half.




Rick

[pashnit]

If you've hung around this site long enough, you've seen this pic. I never grow tired of it.




Or views from the saddle like this

[pashnit]

We had incredible blue skies along the coast for this portion. Have yet to photograph the northern portion. Will have to get to that someday. That section (super goat!) is just as scenic with fantastic ridgetop views of the Pacific Ocean!




Not tired of it yet? Didn't think so.




Reaching historic Ferndale for some eats

[pashnit]

The original plan was to ride out Hwy 36 and take Alderpoint Rd southward at Bridgeport. But as we were riding out of Ferndale, you could see all the mountains (albeit low) were covered in snow.

Uh, might have to ammend those plans there Adventure Boy.

So instead we stuck to Hwy 36, NorCal's greatest road. Once we got up in elevation, the white stuff appeared. Temps were in the 30's. Finally parked under a big pine tree to put the rain suit on as we rode through a couple downpours.






But what great pictures it produces!

Then it started to snow.

[pashnit]

So for all those that say in the pics, my bike always looks so clean.




Pashnit Riders on Hwy 36

[pashnit]

So while the rest of the guys headed back to our hotel, I moseyed on down the road and what should appear before my eyes.

The Eye of God perhaps?

Interesting part though- It was gone in moments as the ray of light swept across the valley and then the break in the clouds closed back up.

A satisfying closure to our 2nd day.


Right click, and you've got a new screensaver.

[pashnit]

[pashnit]

Our tour group in Garberville
L to R

Tim, Randy, Bob, Alan, Tom, David, Tim, Billie & Rick




We beelined south and I introduced the guys to a great set of curves - Hwy 175 Hopland Grade overlooking Clear Lake. The mountain to the north (Cobb Mtn?) was covered in snow, something I'd not seen before.






Some sweet curves