HWY 49 ride (date TBA)

[wrxboy76]

I want to test the waters and see how many people would be interested in making a ride through the Gold Country down HWY 49, with a few other secret twisty sections added in. I grew up in Coulterville, which is located between Sonora and Mariposa, and I am familiar with most all of the roads in that area.

If there is good response to this idea, I plan to do a scouting ride to test the route, and then I will need a little help organizing and managing the ride.

Spring in the foothills is the best time to ride. You beat out the tourists and avoid the heat.

A possible route might be HWY 4 to Jackson, 49 to Sonora, then to Coulterville, then to Mariposa (the Coulterville to Mariposa section has been called the "Little Dragon" on this forum before). From Mariposa back up 49 to Bear Valley Road, to Merced Falls Road, to HWY 132, to Blanchard Road, to J-59, to HWY 108 (an alternate to this route would be to go Merced Falls to 132 to Marshes Flat), to HWY 49 then back along the same route.

Thanks for looking,

[blrmaker]

I am interested.:teeth

I am on this crap shift for the next six weeks though so if its after May 6 I'm in.

[wrxboy76]

Cool,
and since you are a part-time Sonoran, you may be a good candidate for a group leader :teeth

[Cafe Racer]

I love the Gold Country. Correct me if I am wrong but.... Old Priest Grade? I will keep watch on your posting to see if it works with my "old ladys" schedule. :wow

Miguel

[wrxboy76]

Old Priest Grade... thats a 12% grade and wicked twisty... we could probably go up it :)

[blrmaker]

Cool,
and since you are a part-time Sonoran, you may be a good candidate for a group leader :teeth

C- mayby:laughing

[wrxboy76]

C- mayby:laughing

"Right" (said in my best Doctor Evil voice)

[HOTRODHAIRY]

It's New Priest Grade now.We went last week.That road and the little dragon were spotless.There was a little rain and hail but nothing to stop the fun.Might be going back Saturday.

[wrxboy76]

Hairy,
Old Priest Grade is still runnable, you just have to turn off of the main road at Moccasin. Old Priest goes up the south side of the ravine as opposed to the north. It is steep and very twisty.

[webmouth247]

It's New Priest Grade now.We went last week.That road and the little dragon were spotless.There was a little rain and hail but nothing to stop the fun.Might be going back Saturday.


dood... i got to change my tires... man im so down for this. lets roll!

[HOTRODHAIRY]

Hairy,
Old Priest Grade is still runnable, you just have to turn off of the main road at Moccasin. Old Priest goes up the south side of the ravine as opposed to the north. It is steep and very twisty.

I've been up and down both.The old one definately keeps you on your toes.

[Kwang]

These were posted on the 19th by mnb on sbr. Its the little dragon.
I rode through there a week before that and there were some spots with fine sand.
Has anyone seen it since the 19th?
247577

247578

[tenaRe]

I may be interested...would be my first group ride though

[wrxboy76]

Looks like this is getting some good response. Any suggested changes to the route? A side trip up New or Old Priest Grade will add about 30 minutes to the ride (min). The route that I suggested will take ~9hrs (time figured from Fairfield). 3.5 hours riding out, 3.5 hours back with 2 hours for eating and breaks.
Recommended chow would be the Pizza Factory in Mariposa. My wife will follow the ride in our Land Cruiser, and my parents live in Sonora and have a 1-ton truck and a trailer if there are any real problems.

[SteveS]

Any suggested changes to the route?

I'd suggest skipping 4 and the portion of 49 north of 120, both of which are relatively heavily traveled and enforced, less windy roads.

Of all the miserable ways across the central valley, I think 132 is the least miserable, so I'd do that both directions.

Adding a loop up from Courterville to either New or Old Priest Grade and back to Coulterville or Priest-Coulterville and Greeley Hill Rd would be very nice.

Finally, if the ride participants have decent endurance, you could start the ride in Livermore and do Mines and Del Peurto Canyon roads on the way to 132 (and finish with Corral Hollow on the way back.

This and your route would really make for a nice day in the saddle!

[alva219]

woah steve. That will def take some endurance, my usual ride is just mines and del puerto, but I live in WC. I'd go, but I havent been on any group rides b4.

[wrxboy76]

Alva,
You are welcome to come along. If you are interested in doing group rides you'll have to go on your first one sometime.

Steve,
There are 2 reasons why I wanted to avoid 132: Modesto and Waterford. Otherwise I agree that 132 is the superior road.

If we changed to 132 then the route could go something like: 132 to 49, 49 to Mariposa, lunch, 49 to Coulterville, Greeley hill Road to 120, 120 to 49, 49 to Coulterville, 132 home

[HOTRODHAIRY]

Why not 120 to 49?That route is much better.That way you can catch New or Old Priest Grade up and down a few times and if need be,gas up at the top in Groveland.Then you're only a little ways from Coulterville.

[wrxboy76]

Hairy,
I'm game for nearly any route. I actually like several portions of 49 north of 120. The stuff near the Melones Bridge and the Mark Twain Cabin is cool.
We need a good centralized meet point. Is Livermore a good choice? It's about an hour from me, and I think it would be about an hour from SJ and SF as well.

[wrxboy76]

Hate to double post, but here is what I got worked up for a route:
Meet in Livermore, 580 to 205 to 120 to 49. 49 S. to Moccasin. Priest Grade (old up, new back down), 49 S. to Mariposa. Lunch. 49 N. to Coulterville, 132 W. to La Grange. 132 W. to 505 to South Corral Hollow Rd./West Corral Hollow Rd./Tesla Rd. to Start Point.

This route is 320 miles. The computer says it should take 7 hrs. 20 minutes. Make that 9 with lunch and stops. It gives us 2 rides over the Little Dragon.

What do you all think?

[blrmaker]

Sounds real nice. :cool

When though?

[wrxboy76]

Blrmaker,
When will you be available? When will others be ready for an epic ride like this? I have tomorrow off, so I think I may make a quick scout run over most of the terrain we are headed toward (wife's approval pending).

[blrmaker]

Blrmaker,
When will you be available? When will others be ready for an epic ride like this? I have tomorrow off, so I think I may make a quick scout run over most of the terrain we are headed toward (wife's approval pending).


I can't until after May 6th. Nightshift and 6 days a week ruins the potential for epic riding.:mad

If you guys get to go sooner post up some pics so I can see what I missed.:cry

[SteveS]

Hate to double post, but here is what I got worked up for a route:
Meet in Livermore, 580 to 205 to 120 to 49. 49 S. to Moccasin. Priest Grade (old up, new back down), 49 S. to Mariposa. Lunch. 49 N. to Coulterville, 132 W. to La Grange. 132 W. to 505 to South Corral Hollow Rd./West Corral Hollow Rd./Tesla Rd. to Start Point.

This route is 320 miles. The computer says it should take 7 hrs. 20 minutes. Make that 9 with lunch and stops. It gives us 2 rides over the Little Dragon.

What do you all think?

That looks like a great route to me.

[SteveS]

When will others be ready for an epic ride like this?

I'd be game just about any Sunday.

[tenaRe]

looks like a good ride. I can't do any long rides til after May 11th.

[wrxboy76]

Sounds like mid may is the best time... I just got done removing the rear wheel from my bike to get a new tire. It should be all scuffed in by that time :)

[immortal]

i might be in depending when it is.. and hopefully warmer weather this time :)

[HOTRODHAIRY]

I'm going Saturday.May is too long to wait:teeth.

[ithaca00]

I'd love to join! I could meet you in Livermore or somewhere on the route since I'm in Sacramento...

I'm available any Friday or Saturday except the middle of May when I'll be riding to Oklahoma.

[immortal]

I'm going Saturday.May is too long to wait:teeth.


i'll be there to meet you at malotts at 9 am :)

bringing my bala this time! and my camera.

[HOTRODHAIRY]

Right on dude.I just got back from mounting my new tires.See you in the morning.

[Joseppi]

Right on dude.I just got back from mounting my new tires.See you in the morning.
yeah,but I mounted your bike last night.oh it was good.:teeth:teeth

[webmouth247]

finally got my new tires mounted also.. see you there guys! Immortal.. i sent you a pm

[wrxboy76]

good luck gents... be safe

[webmouth247]

great ride... besides the ton of gravel on 49 it was A.O.K.:thumbup
it was nice meeting everyone, and im glad everyone made it home safe... immortal post them pics! till next time.

RIDE SAFE!

[HOTRODHAIRY]

49 is ruined for probably a month.They put down tar snakes and then threw fine sand on them.It's still fun,but too far to go to not be able to jam.

[immortal]

good ride :) indeed it is a little far away but i enjoy those roads! shame about the gravel...

http://railmaster.net/49ride.jpg


here is the HDR stuff i was talking about harry... just brings more detail to the image

http://railmaster.net/49r1hdr.jpg

[lc1526]

Nice meeting everyone, the ride was nice except when I got pulled over for no licence plate:twofinger gotta do it again guys.

[HOTRODHAIRY]

That picture is badass.You can see 49 and the piles of grit on it!Mines next Saturday.

[wrxboy76]

Good to hear you guys had a great time. I think I may try to run up there tomorrow. Couldn't go today... son had a baseball game.

[webmouth247]

http://railmaster.net/49r1hdr.jpg

man, that pic is badass... great shot and nice camera work!

[immortal]

Nice meeting everyone, the ride was nice except when I got pulled over for no licence plate:twofinger gotta do it again guys.

http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread.php?t=95636

you need that :)

[Joseppi]

it was nice riding with you guys today,thanks.:thumbup

[webmouth247]

http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread.php?t=95636

you need that :)


yea that might help, but since your under warrenty... take it back. first off i would send it to modesto for being dumb asses and filling your oil to high.. then take it to tracy where you got the bike and tell them to check your tappets out... piont in saying.. get it checked out before your motor blows and your stuck with out a bike for a minute.

[lc1526]

Went to tracy and told them about the problem plus the over filled oil. They said Modesto should adjust the cam shaft (something like that) when they did the first service on it. They said to take it back to Modesto and let them redo the service, screw that:mad they are not touching my bike again. So I set an appointment with tracy to adjust the cam and do a diagnostic check on the bike. Should never take it to Modesto!! Thanks guys.