What a ride Russ Drake showed us on the September ride to Hornswoggle! I gave the lead to Russ so that he could show us some secret roads in his dirt-riding backyard, and he delivered. Some of his roads were already in my kit, like Pleasant Valley (below 49) but the rest are in my files now. The route, which started early due to its ambitious length, began at the Black Bear in Tracy (amazingly fast service, people who obviously enjoy the large portions.) Early on Russ showed us yet another way through the Stockton Airport (on Old Sperry) then up Jack Tone and Clay Station to riding country. Bass Lake, Green Valley, Lotus, Bayne, Spanish Flat, Darling, Wentworth Springs, Dog Bar, Rough and Ready – we hit them all while avoiding the Georgetown Fire area. I drew the GPS route and instructions from Russ’s pre-ride track The Hornswoggle group camp was large, flat, beautifully wooded and had large parking areas with a drive-through for boat trailers; worth remembering. There was no wood on site, but Mike Huntzinger and friends scavenged enough to keep the wild animals away. This was billed as a cookout, so another rider and I carried bags of charcoal for cooking dinner. There were a lot of stoves out at breakfast, I had bacon and eggs.
At the meeting Tom Harris told us about the nearby goldrush- era Henness Pass, which connects Gold Country to Verdi Nevada (read his article in the newsletter.) Next day I took a ride east on Ridge Road, a wide and swoopy road to nowhere, toward the pass. There’s a bar in Allegheny, and the Clampers who run the museum and campground in Forest City were drinking their morning beer when I rode up. Should be a good GS ride over the top.
The October 24 meeting is the Oktoberfest at Rancho Seco Park, 25 miles southeast of Sacramento. That’s also the same day as the Clearwater Lights’ open house (and free lunch!) in a Sacto suburb. So I put together a route that goes up the delta to Clearwater before proceeding through the foothills and dropping into camp.
The route took careful planning because I didn’t want to re-use and of the roads that Russ Drake picked the month before. The start in the Railroad Café, 833 E Stanley Blvd, Livermore; stands up at 9:00. The route will be on Meetup and the web page.
The November meeting, actually on Dec 5, is at Plaskett Creek, on the coast below Big Sur, with Joyce leading in my absence. January 2016 will be at Laguna Seca, Februaury is at Fremont Peak. For the March meeting in Death Valley I’ve added 2 single sites to the double site and group site that we already had. I’ve booked Black Butte Lake (near Orland, NOT Lassen) for April. May is the 49er, and the June election meeting
is TBA.
Speaking of the June election, I’m hoping that you will look into your hearts (and your friends’ hearts!) to see if they say “Tour Captain” on them. And the Newsletter Editor job is open NOW.
Enjoy the ride. --Ted Crum Tour Captain
