Advice? Circle Tour of the Sierra Nevada Mountains...

[pashnit]

Today's email... Pitch in and help Scott out. (not sure if he's on the board or not)

Originally Posted by Scott

My friends and I are looking at a trip route for a summer
ride. My friend Rich Sims contacted you about our last
trip, Bay Area up to Eureka, then across to Lassen and down through the Feather River Canyon. This year, we are looking at a 3-4 day trip (the fourth day is optional, for those that cannot take the time for the whole route.

Here is the plan:

The basic starting point is my house in Manteca. It is the
most central point I can think of for all of us. Ride down
to Kings Canyon and stay overnight somewhere around there.
If you want the route details, keep reading. We will trek
out 120, cut down to La Grange, Snelling, Hornitos,
Mariposa, hit 49 and take that to 41 and cut over to
Auberry Rd, Pine Flat Res and hit 180 to Highway 198.

The second day is 198 to Exeter to Springville and 190 down
to Johnsondale, where we were planning on taking the
Sherman Pass over to 395 and then up to around Cartago for
the night. I am concerned that this may be too far to go in
one day, without enough time for stops and mis-haps (we
always hope nothing happens). I have looked up the Kennedy Meadows route
(http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/KennedyMeadows.htm) and
it looks like it is paved the whole way. Can you confirm
that? The map program my friend has was calling it out as a forest road, so we want to confirm this.

Our third day will be 395 up to 89 and over Monitor Pass,
then down 88 and over the Kingsberry Grade into Tahoe and
spend the night in Incline Village. For those that cannot
keep going for the fourth day, they can take the easy Highway
88 into the Central valley and home, or 4 or 108...

The fourth day, we will go up 267 into Truckee, then take
89 north to Highway 49 - Yuba Pass, then down to Auburn (alternate route 50
miles shorter is 80 out of Truckee to 20 to 49 into
Auburn), stay on 49 and take that down to 26 and back to
the central valley.

All days are at or around 250 miles, the hardest day being
the second with all the tight twisties or the third with
the long straights of 395 (depends how you look at it).

Any reccomended changes? We are going to be doing this in
either July or August. I was thinking that if we needed to,
we could take the 178 instead of the Kennedy Meadows route
if that would be better. We will have sportbikes as well as cruisers and sport tourers.

Last years route is here: http://www.mixography.com/ride/

- Scott

[vnsfxr]

Alternate for 3rd day turn right at 88 instead of left, down into Nevada then Hwy 121 back over to Tahoe. This will drop you onto Hwy 50 and take you through South Lake Tahoe and casino row. Fun to people watch when with a group and Hwy 121 is nice.

Another option on the 4th day........down Hwy 50 to Ice House Rd, Wentworth Spgs, to Georgetown then down to Hwy 49 and on to Auburn.

[SVonhof]

Right at 88? That is what we had planned. Take 395 to 89, then take a right at 88 and come back down to 395 and then cut over the Kingsberry Grade into Tahoe. Also, I don't see a highway 121 except in the Napa area. Unless you are thinking of the Kingsberry Grade (I think that is what it is called) and it has a road number or something.

Nice options for the fourth day. It would make the day a little shorter, but probably a whole lot more fun!!

I will take notes of that!

[vnsfxr]

Originally Posted by SVonhof

Right at 88? That is what we had planned. Take 395 to 89, then take a right at 88 and come back down to 395 and then cut over the Kingsberry Grade into Tahoe. Also, I don't see a highway 121 except in the Napa area. Unless you are thinking of the Kingsberry Grade (I think that is what it is called) and it has a road number or something.

Nice options for the fourth day. It would make the day a little shorter, but probably a whole lot more fun!!

I will take notes of that!

My mistake on Hwy #s. I have got to get me down to Wally World for a new Streets CD so I can export pics.

Lets try this again.................Right on 88 take a left on Foothill Blvd outside of Woodfords. This is also shown as Rd 206, then a left on Rd 207 which is the Kingsbury Grade. If you hit 207 at the right time it is very sweet. Be aware its used by the locals on the Nevada side to commute to work in Tahoe.

[SVonhof]

O.K, that's what I thought. When I rode up the Kingsbury grade the first time, it was totally beautifull. Some of the homes as you start going up to the hills were awesome... I remember one had a large pond with a floating thingie in the middle with a diving board on it and a little sitting area on the shore alongside a slide that went into the pond. That was their version of a pool!!

Very cool!

[Fastfar]

Made the ride over 207 last fall...Nevada Hwy Dept. was in the finishing stages of laying new asphalt from top to almost the bottom of the Carson Valley side.
By this summer it should be seasoned to perfection. Last year it was a sucky ride in a line of traffic and construction trucks,
with NHP everywhere!

[vnsfxr]

Oooooh was I lucky. I hit last fall also but I was there when they had just finished. Moved to the front and waited yakking to the flag lady.

She informed me they were done with the job and I had the road to myself till the summit. She wished me luck and told me to have fun.

And I did Wish it had been longer

It was great

[Grover]

The road from Johnsondale, over Sherman Pass and on to Kennedy Meadows is paved all the way, clear on to 395.

Enjoy the ride and scenery!

[pashnit]

oh wow! What a blast from the past thread! Indeed it is Grover! It's Nine Mile Canyon on the eastern side of the Sierra (fun!), and Kennedy Meadows Dr in the middle and then back down to the Kern River Valley on Sherman Pass. Make sure you have a full tank of gas if heading up there!

Kennedy Meadows Dr




top o Sherman Pass

[nodaclu]

I always wondered if there was any way across the Sierra's between 120 to the north and 58 to the south.

Hope I get a chance to check this out one day....