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11/3 - Bay Area/NorCal #7 - Mosquito Ridge & Wentworth Springs

33 posts Started 19 Oct 2012 Last recovered post 10 Nov 2012 Wayback Machine snapshot 22 Jun 2015

#1
Alright kiddies, time for one last go before the season's over. This time it's a back-road attack on two of my very favorite roads: an out-and-back to French Meadows Reservoir on Mosquito Ridge Rd. and then a quick run on Wentworth Springs Rd., with a stop at the Big Hill Lookout.

http://goo.gl/maps/BsmwH

Because DST will still be in effect on the 3rd, and because South Bay guys need quite a bit of time to get to Auburn, I propose a 9:00 am meeting, but no slacking around once we're all there. Meeting point for the whole group is Starbucks in Auburn:

392 Elm Avenue
Auburn, CA 95603

There is fuel available directly west of the Starbucks, fill your tanks BEFORE the meeting time s'il vous plaît.

After the run up Mosquito Ridge, we'll return to Auburn for a little BBQ. There are 2 joints I have my eye on: Flying Pig and Bam Dazy. I'll confirm one or the other before the ride. We can fuel up then too. The run over Wentworth and Icehouse is actually quite quick, not nearly as technical as Mosquito Ridge. Big Hill has CRAZY views, and is worth the 4 mile detour. After that we can break the party up on US50 as we hit Sac.

Because I'm insane, I will probably do this ride rain or shine. As the weather shapes up, we'll consider other options if need-be.

THE LIST:
BrianF
tc339
ecn
tjclyde
FHR
wagzhp?
bayarearider (pending electricals)
jeffyjeff
Willy?

A preview of what's in store:

Mosquito Ridge Rd
[image: gallery_8099_2683_5044758.jpg]

Big Hill
[image: gallery_8099_2683_3963916.jpg]

And by the way (and I hope you're sitting down), I'm featured again. Oh boy.
#2
I'm heading up 80 if anyone want's to meet up for
The ride to Auburn.
Tj.
#3

I'm heading up 80 if anyone want's to meet up for
The ride to Auburn.
Tj.


I'm sure quite a few of us can meet in the Fairfield area. We'll figure that out as it gets closer and we confirm who'll be there.
#4
I'm a maybe on this one... :tour: And I thought that "We" were featured... :laugh:
#5
I hope you can come, crazybrother.

Miguel put up another of Brian's photos after the one with your two bikes.
#6
Updated:
BrianF
tc339
ecn
tjclyde
FHR
wagzhp?
bayarearider (pending electricals)
jeffyjeff
Willy?
crazybrother?

I'm a maybe on this one... :tour: And I thought that "We" were featured... :laugh:


"We" (reminds me of that scene from Top Gun) were featured earlier in the week, one of my pics from Colorado was featured today.
#7
If I am asking for the day off and it rains you bet your ass im still going if others are. I ride all winter anyways, might as well.
#8
I'm coming up 85 to 280 to 680 to 80.

I think I would drive by you TJ.

Do you have a place/time in mind?
#9
I'll have to skip this one, targeting some shorter rides, maybe we can do ride #8 to Monterey?
Hope you get nice weather :ph34r:
#10

I'm coming up 85 to 280 to 680 to 80.

I think I would drive by you TJ.

Do you have a place/time in mind?


I'm thinking the Starbuks on Olivera rd in Concord.
It's right off the 242 Olivera rd exit with a shell station across the street.
Not sure about the time yet, depends on when we meet the others in Fairfield.
Tj.
#11
tc we can meet at the Mondavi statue again if you want. 7am there?

North Bay/Fairfield meeting spot same as ride #5:
Peet's Coffee & Tea
1380 Holiday Lane, Fairfield, CA
7:30am

That gives us 90 minutes to get from Fairfield to Auburn, which is a 75 minute ride according to Google Maps, which means about an hour at "our speed." Get gas/coffee in Auburn and be on our way.

TJ/ecn does that work for you guys?
#12
Works for me. ECN, you and I will have to leave the Olivera Starbucks by 6:50 to get to Fairfield on time.
Tj.
#13
Grumble, grumble grumble.

My bike is back in the shop. As you may remember I had the left hand switch assembly replaced just before our last group ride because the turn signals and horn had stopped working. Well, at the end of a 100 mile loop yesterday, just as I turned onto my street, the turn signals (and horn) stopped working! When it happened last time I looked at the shop manual. I have a 2006 with ABS so the fuse box is on the left side rather than the right. I checked the fuse which (as best I could tell) serves the turn signals and also checked those around it. None were blown. I cleaned them off and put them back in. When that didn't solve the problem I took it in. They said the switch assembly tested bad and ordered the new one (which took a week and now doesn't work!)

I took it in this morning and have been told maybe I can get it back by Thursday the 30th - something about the guy who worked on it before being out and they want him to be the one who deals with it so if it is their fault I won't have to pay for it again. I still hope to go on this ride on 11/3.

Gah! I thought all the "electrical Gremlins" had been worked out by 2006. Anybody have any advice; or tissues? :sad: :laugh:
#14
Smells fishy to me. Both the turn signals and horn dont work on a one week old switch? I know that occasionally new electrical parts come defective out of the box, but the chance of two switches going bad at the same time (even in the same assembly) is extremely unlikely. I'd say a bad connection is more likely, or a problem between the fuse and the switch assembly. If you have another shop in your area, I'd get a second opinion. Jeff J.
#15

tc we can meet at the Mondavi statue again if you want. 7am there?

North Bay/Fairfield meeting spot same as ride #5:
Peet's Coffee & Tea
1380 Holiday Lane, Fairfield, CA
7:30am

That gives us 90 minutes to get from Fairfield to Auburn, which is a 75 minute ride according to Google Maps, which means about an hour at "our speed." Get gas/coffee in Auburn and be on our way.

TJ/ecn does that work for you guys?


Deal. See ya at 7am
#16
Jealous. I'll be in LA. Would like #8 in Monterey.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


#17

Jealous. I'll be in LA. Would like #8 in Monterey.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


Id be down for Monterey
#18
I'll probably hook up with the Bay Area riders in Fairfield. My location would require a bit of backtracking to get to 680. I could be in Oakland by the time it takes me to get to Sunol. See you at Peets in Fairfield. Jeff J.
#19

Id be down for Monterey


Someone should probably start a thread for this one too. A good friend of mine lives in SJ, so I can be in the neighborhood pretty easily.
#20

Id be down for Monterey


Someone should probably start a thread for this one too. A good friend of mine lives in SJ, so I can be in the neighborhood pretty easily.

https://maps.google....22839ff07642e0d


Here's the Big Sur Loop that worked out nicely back in June but I digress...

I may have terminated my gremlin and will be test riding tomorrow (volt readings are better).

[image: Gremlin hunt]
Gremlin hunt
Opened up to check on wiring and connections

#21
"Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor not a trouble shooter!"
An odd place to log my elec. status/woes but it is related to making #7 (was batting 1000 untill #6)
Voltage readings were excellent last night. Reassembled the parts and headed out today. Nice and brisk up on Skyline/Hwy35. V readings were great until mile 40 something. Noticed no reflections out front; pulled over-lights outs..SON-OF-A!
Shut-er down an dropped a new 20amp fuse in to see if it would make it home.
Popped as soon as I turned the Ingnition on..Da-FA!?
Thankfully still light out, rode it home avg. 15 volts.
More checking to resume this week..please excuse the drama..
#22
You may want to hold off on the skyline part of the monterey route...Last Friday, I found it is being repaired, oily asphalt, loose gravel, some one lane escorted stretches... I'd guess it needs another month to cure.
#23

You may want to hold off on the skyline part of the monterey route...Last Friday, I found it is being repaired, oily asphalt, loose gravel, some one lane escorted stretches... I'd guess it needs another month to cure.

Confirmed 35 south of 84 and a few miles north of 9 has loose chip seal gravel in wind rows. More sweep and rolling traffic needed. RealistDreamer and I passed each other heading opposite directions. Just a wave..
#24

"Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor not a trouble shooter!"
An odd place to log my elec. status/woes but it is related to making #7 (was batting 1000 untill #6)
Voltage readings were excellent last night. Reassembled the parts and headed out today. Nice and brisk up on Skyline/Hwy35. V readings were great until mile 40 something. Noticed no reflections out front; pulled over-lights outs..SON-OF-A!
Shut-er down an dropped a new 20amp fuse in to see if it would make it home.
Popped as soon as I turned the Ingnition on..Da-FA!?
Thankfully still light out, rode it home avg. 15 volts.
More checking to resume this week..please excuse the drama..


That really sucks bro.
Tj.
#25
Willy and I rode Misquito Ridge on Sunday. Wow, what a nice ride! Brian, I can see why you like that chunk of road. Here are a couple of cell phone shots. This bridge is actually a built as a curve, it was kind of weird cornering on a bridge.
[image: IMAG0146.jpg]

Below the bridge:
[image: IMAG0147.jpg]

And another view of below the bridge:
[image: IMAG0148.jpg]

We also continued on to Hell Hole and stoped for a quick lunch. It was a nice place to stop for lunch, but it was almost a dirt road going out there, and i wouldn't recommend it for any kind of spirited riding.
[image: IMAG0144.jpg]

[image: IMAG0145.jpg]
#26
18" of snow up in Tahoe so far and possibly a few more today. That is on the Northstar mountain though. I dont know the elevation difference of where we plan on riding but hopefully this wont jeopardize our ride next week.
#27
tc I've been keeping a close eye on the weather as well. French Meadows is at 5500 feet, Big Hill is at 6200. There is a big cold front coming through next week, but it does not look so cold as to drop the snow level far enough to cause us problems. My brother is a weather forecaster in Florida and he proclaims we're good to go based on the info we have at the moment. The 10-day forecast shows rain through Friday so far. Could make things interesting...better dig up your rain gear.
#28
awesome sounds good, and I guess we can attempt it and then modify the route depending on road conditions as we go. and with the rain this week and my only other transportation being a convertible with no roof, my rain gear is already out and in use! :tongue: Hopefully everyone else is crazy and will want to still ride no matter what the conditions are.
#29
As long as we're not riding on snow or ice I'm
Fine with it.
It's been a while since I've ridden in the rain so I'll be taking it easy.
Tj.
#30
Getting new rubber on the front this Tuesday.
Got new cold weather gloves yesterday.
Really looking forward to this ride.
Tj.
#31
Alright now, Here are a few pix from Saturday's ride. Nov 17 does not look good for me, but looking forward to the next one. Have fun guys! Jeff J.

[image: PB030393.JPG] [image: PB030438.JPG] [image: PB030449.JPG] [image: PB030450.JPG] [image: PB030441.JPG]
#32
Better late than never, my edit. Overlay is Jeremih & 50 Cent's Down on Me instrumental. Between the editing, saving, and uploading, the beat doesn't perfectly match the transitions which is annoying. Also really wish I could get this online in higher quality. At least click on it to jump to youtube for a larger size.

[video: https://youtube.com/embed/Wb3L8A7Drlc?html5=1&fs=1]
#33
Thanks for the pics and video guys. Good stuff. I just got back from a week + of travel for work. Missed my bike the whole time - weird I know. Anyway. Good to be home. I'm hoping to get down your way sometime in the next few weeks. Tough time of year and hard to squeeze in a ride. I'll get out tomorrow afternoon for a short one somewhere. Ernie
End of thread · 33 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 22 Jun 2015