A Pashnit Epic Adventure - Riding Northern California

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Sometimes off into the trees



But always mountainous!

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Highway 96 is also known as the State of Jefferson Scenic Byway. Seems, back in 1941 couple locals got the tongue in cheek idea that they didn't want to be apart of California anymore. Seems couple folks up in southern Oregon felt the very same way.

So they took a vote to create their own state, the new State of Jefferson. Problem was the timing wasn't very good to promote their cause. A few days later on December 7th, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor brought about a World War and the idea was quickly set aside never again to gain the momentum that it once had. There's not much of a visible trace of this event some 60 years ago. Closest we saw was a bulldozer becoming engulfed in weeds that had 'State of Jefferson' painted onto the blade.




Remnants of another time are often along Highway 96

Photo by Alan

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Old fire truck

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Hwy 96 though in the motorcyclist's mind has quickly become the utopian destination for all those who love to ride. We were not alone on this ride and were often times watching the trains of Harleys riding on by. Oddly, there were not very many sport-touring style motorcycles out riding at all.

Many, many Harleys were out riding on Highway 96



A few sport-touring machines

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And lots of cruisers


And then of course, there's that Tuono again

Photo by Jeff

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The ride clings to the banks of the mighty Klamath River, a watershed that drains this entire northern portion of the state of California.

Haroldo points the way


Desolate, isolated, plain ole middle of nowhere

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I hope it never ends!



Klamath River flows alongside for the duration of the ride

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Also the site of much Gold Rush Fever, the river is still being dredged today by amateur gold seekers. Throughout the ride along the river, you could see the small platforms fitted with small pontoons on either side. Attached is a long hose 4" in diameter that the gold seeker uses to suck up the sediments on slow moving inside corners of the twisty river. All in search of gold.

The Hayabusa along Highway 96



Another of the Klamath River


The Tuono along Highway 96

Photo by Jeff

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The towns along the way are predictably small. Often holding only a few hundred people, surviving off of tourism or the timber industry that is a fraction of its glory days decades ago. Occasionally, or maybe more often that not, remnants of this time are everywhere in the form of old trucks, bulldozers, and caterpillar graders simply parked and abandoned.

Again, I rode with Haroldo & Megan loping our way westward. I passed them numerous times, set up my shot, and photographed them as they rode by. This takes a bit of practice, especially with these new fangled digital cameras. Hit the shutter and nothing happens. By the time the camera decides what it is going to do, they've already ridden on by.

So the trick is to set the shutter speed on the spot you want to take the pic, hold that, and then pan with the bike as it rides by. Get to that right spot and hit the shutter. In turn, the camera takes the picture at that exact moment. As I mentioned, takes a bit of practice.

Alan on the Beemer



Jeff roaring by on the Tuono

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In Happy Camp, this statue of an iron Bigfoot comes into view. Ah, Bigfoot that elusive creature we'll never know if he's really real. (Well actually, we would find out in a few hours when we visited the Bigfoot Museum in Willow Creek.)



Happy Camp is also the location of the only paved road that continues north from Highway 96. It starts off as Davis Rd (in the town of Happy Camp) and after changing names several times, crosses the border into Oregon and comes out at Highway 199. Back for that one another time.

The Bigfoot is right at Davis Rd, the gateway northward to Happy Camp Rd