10/13 2nd Sunday Ride
We schedule this ride on the second Sunday every month...same meet up place, same meet up time...pending weather.
Next ride: Oct 13
Informal ride to Lake Berryesa and access to
the 17,700 acre Knoxville OHV area. Convenient meetup point is less than 1 hour from San Francisco or Sacramento.
Fear not! This is not hard-core dirt bike riding and knobbies are not required to ride this jeep trail. So it is okay if you do not have a dual-sport or ADV bike. All are welcome but you should feel comfortable riding your bike in the dirt (or wet pavement).
Link to riding tips.
For the truly adventurous looking for a challenge: We've seen this terrain handled comfortably on H-D Sportsters, a V-strom with Passenger, a Ural with side car, a FZ6, vintage Triumph Bonnevilles, and sports bikes (See
Sjaak Lucassen on an R1: )
NOTE: This is an INFORMAL RIDE. There is no assigned lead or sweep.
For those that would like to join the ride but skip the dirt portion of the route, you have the option of continuing to Lower Lake on CA-29.
Hardcore dirt riders on plated dirt bikes/lightweight DS: Explore the single track around Knoxville OHV heading West (Jerusalem Grade to Hidden Valley Lake off CA-29)... you will be challenged: a Trials bike with a 4-gal tank may be more appropriate...
Gas stops are sparse on this route (80 miles to Cache Creek Casino refuel point, ~160 miles round trip) so please have a full tank of gas when you arrive at Starbucks.
So if you're feeling adventurous to join this ride, meet us at 8:45am.
PLEASE READ GUIDELINES BELOW. THEY WILL APPLY.
Meetup:
Starbucks
4470 Central Way Ste 100
Fairfield, CA 94534
Ample parking around meetup point, CP1 or CP2 if you truck/trailer in.
KSU at 9:00am (Adjust clock for DST)
Route: Test your navigation skills and route planning. Set up your GPS waypoints and roadbook reader, and navigate your way through the described route.
.gpx download
Link to Rallye/Raid navigation instructions
Link to GPS Coordinates converter
Additional .gpx Tracks courtesy of Catfish
Head North on Suisun Valley Rd to Rt-121 Wooden Valley Rd to Rt-128 Cappell Valley Rd (N 38 26.764 W 122 11.767) to Berryessa Knoxville Rd. (West side of Lake Berryessa) for the multiple stream crossings.
Morgan Valley Rd. to the South Entrance of the Knoxville OHV area (N 38 49.019 W 122 21.182). Turn left into Knoxville Devil's Head Rd. then follow signs to "Lower Camp" (N 38 48.518 W 122 22.502).
Bored? Take a dip at the waterfall 1/2 mile SW of Lower Camp (N 38 48.157 W 122 23.170).
Camping is Free in Knoxville OHV and Cache Creek.
Head North out of "Lower Camp" on Jeep Trail to "Upper Camp"/Staging Area and back onto Morgan Valley Rd.
Knoxville OHV Trail Map
Instead of heading to Lower Lake: Find the mysterious Rd-40!
Morgan Valley Rd. East on (N 38 52.524 W 122 25.445) Reiff Rd./County Rd 140A/Rayhouse Rd./Rd 40 all the way to CA-16 at Cache Creek Regional Park.
Refuel at Cache Creek Casino (N 38 44.070 W 122 08.639) on CA-16 if necessary.
Return the way we came to maximize off-road time and stay off the boring slab.
If you'd like to do a longer ride with 40mph+ to WOT dirt: From Cache Creek go 5.2 miles South on CA-16 to Rumsey (
Directions), turn East on Rd-41 (N 38 53.362 W 122 14.358 ) to Williams.
An all day ride would continue on CA-20 to Leesville Rd./Lodoga Rd to Bartlett Springs Rd. or Stonyford and Mendocino NF.
Link to Map.
Datum is WGS84
Stragglers: For those that can't get up at O Dark thirty in the morning... isn't that the reason Starbucks follows the word 'Beyond'? Try to catch us on the way:
First checkpoint: intersection of CA-121 and CA-128 (Poser's AKA Crossroads: N 38 26.764 W 122 11.767) ~ 9:45AM (depending on how fast we strafe CA-121.)
Second checkpoint: South Entrance to Knoxville OHV on Devilshead Rd. off Morgan Valley Rd, (N 38 49.019 W 122 21.182) ~ 10:30AM if no one drowns in the several water crossings on the Northend of Lake Berryessa. Chance to empty bladder and suck in the fresh air... and for the posers to excuse themselves by staying on the slab to make Lower Lake for lunch.
Third checkpoint: Reiff Rd./Rd-40 and Morgan Valley Rd. (N 38 52.524 W 122 25.445) Probably 12 Noon. Had enough dirt? break off and head out on slab.
Fourth checkpoint: Cache Creek Bridge in Cache Creek Regional Park (N 38 54.518 W 122 18.704) off CA-16. 1:00PM Ditto: Had enough dirt? break off and head out on slab.
Hint: The fast route back is through the dirt you just came from.
Usually back at Start point by 3:30PM
GPS, SPOT, Camelback, and Camera highly recommended. Brown bag lunch if you prefer.
Weather: weather.com forecast Rains 48 hrs. prior to KSU cancels events due to flooding and muddy trails.
**GUIDELINES TO RIDE KNOXVILLE OHV RECREATION AREA**
•All vehicles must be street licensed or have a current off-highway vehicle registration (green or red sticker)
•All vehicles must be equipped with a properly installed muffler and a U.S. Forest Service approved spark arrester.
•All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators must wear a D.O.T. approved safety helmet.
•No operator of an all-terrain vehicle may carry a passenger when operating on public lands. However, the operator of an all-terrain vehicle, that is designed for operation off of the highway by an operator with no more than one passenger, may carry a passenger when operating on public lands. (CVC 38506).
•Please respect our neighbors and stay out of private land.
•Yield the right of way to pedestrians, horses or bicycles.
•All roads and trails in the area have two-way traffic. Be alert and always stay to the right-hand side.
•Please stay on designated trails. Avoid cutting switchbacks or driving through stream bottoms and wet meadows. Devilhead Road is a county road, therefore only street licensed vehicles are permitted.
•This area is open to hunting year round. Be extremely cautious when riding during peak hunting seasons.
