East bay to Nevada city route suggestions

[reasonable_max]

As the title says, I'd be grateful for any route suggestions up to the grass valley/nevada city area. Doing my usual bit of looking for squiggly lines on google maps but thought I might benefit from others' experiences.

TIA!

[ichabodnt650]

CA-26, Pioneer Volcano, Rams Horn Grade, Shake Kidge, Fiddletown, Ostrom, E16, Pleasant Valley, Newton, CA-193, CA-49,
I-80, Placer Hills, Dog Bar

[Maddevill]

If you don't mind going south a bit,
Corall Hollow, out to 5, south to 132 through Modesto, stay on 132 to Coulterville. North on 49 and just take 49 all the way up. It's a great road.

Mad

[Brokenlink]

Originally Posted by ichabodnt650

CA-26, Pioneer Volcano, Rams Horn Grade, Shake Kidge, Fiddletown, Ostrom, E16, Pleasant Valley, Newton, CA-193, CA-49,
I-80, Placer Hills, Dog Bar

Wave as you ride by my house.

[cheez]

"Ya gotta cross the Valley somewhere." Sorry for the 104 stint.

https://bit.ly/3f8lEgs

[Heywood]

https://tinyurl.com/kurviger

[reasonable_max]

Holy smokes you guys are the best! Glad I'm coming back so I'll get to experience two of the routes

...and the other two next time I'll go up there! :-)

[DonTom]

Above Forest Hill, the unpaved road is most likely still closed towards I-80. There has been some heavy snow this month, about ten or so days ago at the higher elevations.

A better ride without the snow (at least less likely) would be towards Iowa Hills down to Colfax. And there could still be some snow in the shady areas to even there.

That's a great ride in that area.

-Don- Reno, NV

[ScottRNelson]

Originally Posted by reasonable_max

As the title says, I'd be grateful for any route suggestions up to the grass valley/nevada city area. Doing my usual bit of looking for squiggly lines on google maps but thought I might benefit from others' experiences.

The last time I rode to Nevada City, fall of 2017, it was a route similar to this:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Plea...39.2615606!3e0

The important part is at the end, taking Placer Hills and Dog Bar out of Auburn instead of the most boring stretch of Highway 49 along its 300 mile length. Consider following Highway 88 a little further to Highway 49, then taking that to where the above route connects to 49.

The one posted by Cheez also looks good. I'm pretty sure the one posted by Heywood includes dirt roads and at least one road that is closed with no good alternate route.

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by ScottRNelson

The last time I rode to Nevada City, fall of 2017, it was a route similar to this:

Next time, take the smaller roads to the east of Grass Valley up to NV City. Much nicer in there if you're not in a big hurry.

BTW, did you notice Mathis Pond on Dog Bar Road? It's very easy to ride by it without even noticing it.

But I have never seen the water as low as it shows in the above photo.

-Don- Reno, NV

[ScottRNelson]

Originally Posted by DonTom

Next time, take the smaller roads to the east of Grass Valley up to NV City. Much nicer in there if you're not in a big hurry.

Don, there won't be a next time. I left California two years ago and won't be coming back for riding like that. I can only relate what worked well for me in the past.

[DonTom]

Originally Posted by ScottRNelson

Don, there won't be a next time. I left California two years ago and won't be coming back for riding like that. I can only relate what worked well for me in the past.

Yeah, I noticed it said you're in Idaho.

I often take Hwy 20 between here (Reno) and Auburn and have checked out many of the side roads.

-Don- Reno

[reasonable_max]

Hey! Thought I'd give an update --
I ended up taking these routes:
https://tinyurl.com/y9ohj38g
https://tinyurl.com/y9xa9yx3
(for the most part because google maps sometimes decides you want to go a faster route).

Conclusions:
Crossing the valley is hot and boring
49 sure is a great road
I need to learn how to stop more often

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

I suck at taking pictures but here's one from a place I really had to pee at: