Desert to the Crater to the Sea

[SFMCjohn]

... I thought you were supposed
to do ride reports while at work?

This photo tour from your link
is epic ... Fandango Pass! Trail swales!

http://emigranttrailswest.org/virtual-tour/applegate-trail/

... gotta find Fandango Pass ... arty

... can see why your friend got hooked by that
emigranttrailswest.com website ... I want to
do the whole thing now ...

 

[oobus]

... I thought you were supposed
to do ride reports while at work?

This photo tour from your link
is epic ... Fandango Pass! Trail swales!

http://emigranttrailswest.org/virtual-tour/applegate-trail/

... gotta find Fandango Pass ... arty

... can see why your friend got hooked by that
emigranttrailswest.com website ... I want to
do the whole thing now ...

You should meet him, one of the spots he really wanted to see was Fandango Pass..... and yea, where they say "wash" think sandy rutted creekbed.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Applegate-Immigrant-Trail-and-Beyond

... feel like I already know him ... arty

 

[oobus]

Back again. We got up 6:00am, me due to my riding partner making noise finding dead people, him due to a popped air mattress. After the excitement of the new found body, we got some breakfast loaded up and were on the trail by 7:30 with our destination Gerlach after following the Appelgate to the "main dirt road" that goes from Ely to Gerlach on the South side of the Playa. My understanding was this route was passable by any suv so I had little worry about having a tough ride. Well, I was a bit wrong.

 

[oobus]

Headed out to the North to Antelope Pass, which was a small rise and easy to climb. Kamma Pass had a couple short climbs but still not too bad. This is where things got worrisome for me. My partner has always been excellent with the gps but the trail heading to Painted Canyon was difficult to find and not marked. We headed off on some very faint tracks that headed downhill.

 

[oobus]

Eventually we ended up in a creek bed known as the Painted Canyon Wash which was rutted up, sandy and not easy to ride for me with my back heavy bike. I ended up loosing the front end at around 10mph with my left foot caught under the soft bag. It was about 10am by then and already hot and strangely humid. After I got the bike shut off and before I got my foot unpinned I was wondering if anyone would carve a nice headstone for me if I ended dried up under the bike.
Got my foot out from under, righted the bike and got going again. This sucked. We ended up coming out of the creek bed and a few minutes later were on the "main drag" dirt road heading next to the railroad tracks and to Gerlach. We were sitting there catching our breath and getting a drink, we were both a bit worn by this point. As we are sitting on our asses, we see another bike heading our way from the East at a fast pace. Another KTM. This one was a Super Enduro, with two hard bags on the side, bedroll on the back. Wish I would have gotten a picture of the guy, but he was wearing a old one piece that looked like it was insulated and had been slept in. The rider had a huge smile and was obviously glad to see someone. Out by himself on the way from Ely he had been on the road for a couple of months and was heading back to Oregon for some endure. He started out in Washington State and had been thru Arizona and was now doing the Nevada Desert. He was 70 years old. Again I felt like a wimp, and was in awe of his grit. We were all going to Gerlach for fuel and he said he might see us there. As he sped away I told my bud "we will not catch him in town". Sure enough he had already fueled up and was gone.

 

[oobus]

By the time we got fueled up, had lunch at Bruno's and sequestered 1/2 of their ice reserves it was 1pm and was hot. We headed out to the north to hit the Fly Geyser and then were to head up Fly Canyon and out to Cedarville.
Get to the entrance to the Geyser, and no luck. Closed. Locked up. Patrolled 24/7. The internets never said anything about NO ACCESS. Fuck me.
At this point we would have to head back 10 miles to pick up the road to Fly Canyon or Solder Meadows. We were already sweaty sacks and tired. We continued on up the road which apparently would end up in Cedarville. I think it was road 34. What an awesome dirt road! Started out winding up thru a small green canyon and then ended up on some long ass high plains marblie gravel. Came out thru Cedarville(beautiful, clean town).
We left for Alturas(ugly, dirt place) out running a storm and ended up shacking up in the Super8. After a big meal and shower, I was asleep by 7:45.

 

[explorin]

i wish i saw this sooner.. fly geyser was purchased by the burning man company and you can not go out there nor do they want you out there.

 

[WoodsChick]

A few random thoughts…

Never ever underestimate the old guys!
They've been doing it forever and know all the tricks
I learned that after getting smoked in the desert by a 70-year-old man on an ancient Husky with a completely bald knobby. I was much younger and faster then, too Seriously, no knobs down the middle. I have a photo somewhere. You wouldn't believe it.


If I were there I'd totally carve a headstone for you.


The desert is a harsh mistress. GPS is nice to have, but it's always smart to have good maps, and a good eye for terrain and such. I always carry a little pair of binoculars. They're tiny but powerful and they have helped me tremendously while route-finding in the vast expanse of the desert.


Your humility and sense of humor are refreshing!


I am not happy about some of the changes that Burning Man has brought to the desert. The purchase and closure of Fly Ranch is one of them.


As you came down into Surprise Valley, just before reaching Cedarville, you passed Surprise Valley Hot Springs on your left. Stay there next time. A little more pricey than the Super 8, for sure, but the private hot springs tub on the patio of your room would have been great after the day you and your buddy had! And breakfast in Cedarville.




Looking forward to more!



WC

 

[oobus]

As you came down into Surprise Valley, just before reaching Cedarville, you passed Surprise Valley Hot Springs on your left. Stay there next time. A little more pricey than the Super 8, for sure, but the private hot springs tub on the patio of your room would have been great after the day you and your buddy had! And breakfast in Cedarville.




Looking forward to more!



WC

Didn't know or we would have stopped, sound fantastic! When I got back was talking with one of the local "farm hands" and also told me about a place up in Ravendale called Spanish Springs Ranch which was a 70,000 acre working "dude" ranch. Looked it up and this is what I found:

http://www.californiaoutdoorproperties.com/listing/spanish-springs-ranch

Looks like it got cut up and is for sale . And to think someone could sell their 2,500sq ft. house in SF and pay cash...

Next morning we got out and on the road by 8am, made a right turn on Crowder Flat road and headed North twards Clear Lake in the Modoc Nat. Forest. Of course we had to stop at the Lassen trail sign and at the Lookout overlooking Clear Lake. One thing to note: every person I've met at a Lookout is pretty lonely and loves to talk. Guy was up there for weeks on end with his three dogs. Actually would be a good job for the summer to catch up on some reading, watch nature etc. I've yet to find someone who is a Lookout that has their significant other with them?

 

[oobus]

After the lookout we turned onto Clear Lake Road which connected to 139 to Klamath Falls. At the end of Clear Lake Road, I believe at this point, we had spend 1/2 of the miles traveled off road! Note: while the scenery was beautiful, the bike still felt sketchy on the gravel with all the weight in the back.

 

[oobus]

About noonish we pulled into the Klamath Falls Walmart so my riding buddy could get a new air mattress. Probably was 90 degrees which is quite warm for the area. I didn't want to unload stuff off the bikes and didn't need anything so I stayed outside next to the building in the shade. Half way down the building a Harley rider was sitting in the shade as well, wearing "biker" boots, leather vest and tee shirt, he looked worn out. Very nice newer Harley was up on the sidewalk. As I do, started up a conversation, where you going, where you coming from etc.
Grit.
Guy stayed at the same Super 8 as us the night before hiding out from the storm! Pulled his bike inside so nothing would get ripped off, that's why we didn't notice the bike. He left a couple of hours after us and still bet us to Walmart. I proudly told him that we had come from THE BLACK ROCK DESERT IN THE HEAT.
He said, "yea, it was a hot son of a bitch the last few days wasn't it, when I left Vegas it hit 118 out in the desert on my way north to Reno". He had one of those Easy Rider flag helmets that have no face shields, he wore sunglasses. Told me that it was hot, but would have been worse a few years ago when he weighed 80lbs more, and was glad he dropped all the weight. Very nice guy, had a couple of hours and he'd be back home in Medford. Shit, thought I loved to ride, got nothing on him. Wish I would have got a pic of him.

Hit the road and headed up thru Fort Klamath to Crater Lake. I had never been there before and my partner wanted to do the East Loop. Turns out, too much snow and that loop was not open. Didn't matter to me I just wanted to finally see the damn lake and cool off in the snow. I kid you not, it was uncomfortably warm until we got up to the lake and were surrounded by snow.

 

[HadesOmega]

Wow cool journey, aren't those mountain bikes going down the hill? Good thing you had a riding buddy in the desert I get lonely riding out in the desert alone.

Nice you made it to Crater Lake, looks hellza cold.

After we filled up we headed a bit south and jumped on Beckwith Road and headed out to the east again. Never have been out this way, always took 20 to 80 on to Reno. Beautiful valley and then headed up to the pines. May not have mentioned it, but it is wonderful to see the forest green and lush, everything looked healthy after a few years of drought. We both noticed it for the whole trip thru California, Nevada and Oregon.

So the bike. Under sprung in the back with all the gear and my weight. Most of this trip had been in the dirt(fine) or gravel(feels like the bike is pushing). I absolutely hate using anyone else's stuff and this all made me nervous as a long tailed cat at a rocking chair convention (yea, I hang around a lot of old folks). Getting up on the pegs helped some but the bike still felt sketchy.

After about 45 minutes we pull up to a sign "special event" with a group of dirt bikers standing next to it. I thought it was potentially an endure or time trials, turned out the route we were taking was part of a course for a bike race. For 250. On a dirt/gravel road. Guys told us to stay on the right edge of the road and we would be fine. We spent another 45+ minutes dodging riders until we ended up far enough east to get off the course. Have to respect these guys out at altitude in the heat in the middle of nowhere.

 

[oobus]

Wow cool journey, aren't those mountain bikes going down the hill? Good thing you had a riding buddy in the desert I get lonely riding out in the desert alone.

Nice you made it to Crater Lake, looks hellza cold.

A few had larger tires but most were street bikes, I was surprised too as it was damn rocky.

Crater was not too bad, it was actually refreshing!

 

[Norcalslowpoke]

Probably "gravel grinder" bikes, near road bike geometry, but a bit wider dirtish tires, beefier frames, no suspension.

Great report Oobus, really enjoying it. Love the history stuff too, gives the trip context.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Great report Oobus, really enjoying it. Love the history stuff too, gives the trip context.

+1!

One of you all is a former KLR rider, right?

I lust after the KTM 690 but feel like I'd
miss my stock 6 gallon tank and the range ... :|

 

[oobus]

+1!

One of you all is a former KLR rider, right?

I lust after the KTM 690 but feel like I'd
miss my stock 6 gallon tank and the range ... :|

My partner had the KLR and put mega miles on it.

My KTM has a safari tank on it so I almost have 6 gallons of capacity without carrying any extra rotopax.
Unfortunately, the bike is still no workie.

 

[WoodsChick]

Where'd ya go after Crater Lake?


(I don't want this ride report to end!)



WonderingChick

 

[oobus]

Ok lets wrap this up!

After Crater Lake, we headed North towards Diamond Lake, where we had stayed the previous year, with about 10 billion mosquitos and bugs. This is off Hwy 138 and is a beautiful ride. Stopped to get gas from a salty old guy who had the personality of a wedge and continued on to a campsite. Previous year we had pulled into a campground on Clearwater River and it was drop dead gorgeous! Found the campground (Whitehorse) and pulled in, figured since it was Monday, there was no one there. Still just a beautiful and the water was probably 45 degrees(my "hot tub" is fed by my pump and is 55, I can stay in it for some time). My feet were sore, bruised and swollen(from getting stuck under pannier in the desert). Stripped down and gave them a good soaking for as long as I could stand it and they were turning white. Did that twice before bed, and would have done it again except for the mosquitos. Oh didn't mention the hoards of mosquitos, holy shit. I never get bit, and find it quite funny that my wife and friends get devoured and they don't touch me. Not this time. Lucky for me my riding partner had deep woods nuclear, agent orange, pcb flavored high powered Off. Saved our asses and enabled us to keep the majority of our blood. Ate some freeze dried food, candy bars I stashed from the gas station and a few swigs off the ol' flask before turning in.

 

[louemc]

Where'd ya go after Crater Lake?


(I don't want this ride report to end!)



WonderingChick

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