Back in late Sept I joined up w/ some friends and took off on a pretty epic 3 day tour of the Sierra and the foothills, along with the earthquake country around Parkfield/Carrizo Plain. It was a blast- 1218 miles in 3 days of spirited driving....almost 100% two lane backroads.

We are planning the sequel, a North Coast run, covering lots of ground from SF north, all the way to the border, the route being made mostly of the same type of little-used backroads.

Anybody else interested? We camped last time two nights (warmer, drier season), but will probably resort to getting rooms somewhere along the way. Rain camping can suck ***.

??

 

I'd be happy to help, and possibly participate in something like this. Having driven quite a few roads in Northern California, I might be able to help you plan out an epic drive.

Would you like some dirt roads included with this? I have some ideas about the Lost Coast (King Range) from experience which put us through some really rugged terrain (with no other cars around)...

If no dirt roads, then we still have a slew of back roads...just waiting to be explored.

BTW, in your location... try www.pashnit.com (already been logged).

 

would lowered cars be able to go on "dirt roads"? i'm on prodrive springs which isn't too aggressive... but i do have the 3pc OEM front lip which i might remove since i don't want it to get ripped off.

 

Problem is, between now and April or May, a lot of the best roads wind up impassable because of rain and mudslides.

Besides, this club is just a bunch of posers that never like to go out and drive.

They might scuff up their 18 inch rims or something......


Where were you last month Jim?

https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...6&page=8&pp=20

 

Hey jimr,

I'm interested in principle, but as psoper mentioned, winter is not the greatest time of year to hit up the far north coast.

I'd consider a trip down south this winter: mojave, Death Valley, Joshua Tree. All that desert country is at its best right now. Save the north coast for the high-season.

BTW; when you hit up the Carizzo plain, did you check out Elkhorn Rd, or just Soda Lake? Elkhorn is on my short list of great dirt stretches in California.

 

Actually a really great road trip can be had in working the Ramada Express International Rally.

www.rallyusa.com

Based in Laughlin NV, the stages run in Arizona and on the Hualapai nation, which encompasses the southwest corner of the Grand Canyon.

They also do a GPS based "adventure Rally" out by the Grand Canyon, if you aren't interested in timing race cars in the forest Friday and Saturday or watching the Super Special stages Sunday.

Workers get hotel rooms real cheap, like $15/ night or something, and for the trip down and back you have all of the Mohave, Death Valley, 395 or 97 through Reno as possible alternate routes.

At least that's the next big road trip I have planned

 

here are pictures from the Sept trip

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kaferc...FUuzBBrW2nElI0

We didn't get on Elkhorn, as the two other cars were severely limited clearance wise. I have been out on Mocal, Hurricane and Elkhorn many times, coming over the range from the Fellows area. My friends and I used to camp out there in my Vanagon. I did some college work out there as well, studying the San Joaquin kit fox. On the September trip, we did get on gravel up on Round Mountain Road, northeast of Bakersfield, and again on Quincy-Oroville highway (route 162 from Oroville to Bucks Lake).

The trip I had in mind for the winter wouldn't involve unpaved roads. Too hairy in the muck and mud. Probably up backroads thru Navarro, Comptche, then end up somehow near Hoopa, on highway 96 or Highway 3 (if it isn't snowed in). We'll see.

Thanks,
Jim

 

I can't go this month as all weekends are booked up, even into December, I wouldn't be able to do it until the 18th.

But it sounds like a fun trip, I'll do it if you schedule it when I can.

(Yikes!)

 

No date set in stone yet. Holidays are coming, and I'll be in Boston again around new years. Probably sometime in mid Jan? Looking forward to the rainy, misty weather up there(N. Coast...not New England).
A Death Valley trip sounds good in late March, when the wildflowers are in full swing. I've been there in the winter, it gets cold out there @ night.....camped up @ Mesquite, on the road up to Ubehebe and Racetrack road. I like camping @ Furnace Creek or Mesquite in the spring, before it gets fiery. Another cool trip would be to the June Lake/Mammoth area, once it thaws. My wife and I wanted to make the jazz fest there earlier this year, but the dates conflicted, maybe next year?
A Sequoia Sequel sounds fun too, Western Divide Hwy, SR 190, and the road along Kern River. Again, once it thaws.

 

Well it looks like I can't go to the Ramada due to other commitments - have to take daughter and friend to 105 not so silent night I am told. It promises to be loud. So I may well be interested in a north coast trip on another weekend.

The BluBuru's desert trip idea sounds more the thing for this time of year though. I'd might well be interested in something like that too around Xmas or in the new year.

I did Western Divide Hwy, SR 190, and the road along Kern River a couple of years ago back from Rim - the other way round of course. This year I took a slightly different route. Jawbone cyn road to Puite mtn rd to Bodfish - Great view of lake Isabella

 

190 between Death Valley Junction and Furnace Creek is expected to remain closed for repairs from the flood a couple months ago through April, so that part of Death Valley is right out.

But yeah the desert can be really nice at this time of year...

 

I think he means this part of 190 - Johnsondale to Porterville - at least that's what I meant. A mega twisty paved road

Thanks for the Death Valley tip tho.