Ride Report The Great Northern California Road Trip!

Tahoe was the original plan. Time share booked and we were ready to go. Waitaminute! The locals on another site were saying Tahoe was good to go, now suddenly, they're saying it isn't. Plus a midweek storm was moving in. I tried to sell the time share but had no takers. 170 bucks flushed!

Some folks love Tahoe. I've never really been able to get past Downieville to really explore it. Plus, I think so many rides are point to point that it really just sounds like a pain in the ass. The couple times I was there it was fun but for whatever reason, it's never been up high on my list. Forgive me Dean.

We switched our plans to northern California. There's some new dirt I want to try out, I have friends up there and someone on MTBR dangled a golden carrot in front of me. Time to explore some new dirt and some old favorites! Bonus! Binh has never been to the redwoods! I love showing people new dirt and big trees.

Silly me for traveling on Memorial day weekend with no place to stay. Not really considering the consequences of holiday travel or overpriced motels. Luckily I was able to pull off a miracle and crash at a friend of a friends in the middle of San Francisco. After a good nights sleep, we were off to Tamarancho in Fairfax.

There have been plenty of ride reports on this trail and there is a reason for that, it's a great little trail. In Marin, open legally to bikes and all singletrack, it is very, very fun!

It's 5 dollars to ride the trail. You buy a pass at Sunshine cyclery and ride from there. Park on the street or at Java Hut. I believe the land was donated to us, meaning mountain bikers, by the Boy Scouts. Under much protest by the HOHA's (Hateful Old Hikers Association) and equestrians in the area, the trail was built by us for us. Your donations go to a good cause. The trail is not easy though, it's short..about 9 or so miles. We did 14 that day. It's up and down with technical sections. Bring water and food. It does get hot!

Here are more user reviews and information plus directions.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/camp-tamarancho-fairfax



We started with a delish breaky at the Hummingbird Cafe in Fairfax. Expensive and worth it!





A classic sign


and a little feature at the start


We went off trail a bit but hey! We were still on singletrack.
This was a tad steep going down..and loose.





Rolling hills...


Buzzards waiting for us to drop over..


some air time





Me on a steep loose section! "HEY!! I'm in a rut!! I'm in a rut!"
I made it..rut and all. Darin would be proud!


He was just waiting for me to screw up!


The terrain is remarkable. Oak to redwoods!











We didn't get the pizza but I love the sign.


No more paying Marin prices. Breakfast broke us!


After this ride, we headed to Napa so i could visit an old friend. turns out we got another place to sleep for the night and a yummy dinner.
The next stop on the list was Boggs Mountain near Clear Lake and the village of Cobb.
I had ridden there in 1994 but now it was a fairly big mountain bike hot spot.
Stand by for part 2!

 

Boggs Mountain

Staring at maps and GPS and computer print outs, we drove and drove through the wine country of Napa and points beyond (translation: I don't want to look at a map) and made our way to Cobb. Upon arriving, we took note of a rather disheveled fellow meandering down the main street with a bottle of whiskey in his paw..I mean hand. He looked at us as we were pulled over staring at a map, his rosy cheeks and blood shot eyes giving us the once over.
"Binh, did we make a wrong turn into Kentucky?" Nope. Still Cali!
We met Captain Cobb as he was leaving Boggs. I recognized his tatoo from a photo on MTBR. He knows this place like nobody else and got a map from the kiosk and drew out a great 22 mile loop for us.
The dirt was dry like Bend Or. Nice but I would guess in summer it turns to silt. I could be wrong. :?:
















Trails are very well marked.











Fresh spring water. Always something I love to get from Mother Earth





One thing about my road trips, it's a lot of driving here to there. Many of the rides I do end up being afternoon rides. Not a bad thing as long as you don't get the afternoon energy dip.


Of all the rides we did on this trip, I would list this as my least favorite. Don't get me wrong, it was a great network of trails and a must do if you are in the area! For me, I wouldn't go out of my way again to ride it! That's just my opinion though. You may love it!

 

<p>
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<p>
you missed some of the best single track in NorCal Skeggs &amp; The Demo. as a norcal STR guy i have been to booth. if you look a my pic's posted in ride reports and my album you will see what i am talking about. next time you come up i can show you around Skeggs or hook you up with some great riders. i have not been on my bike for about 4 months as i have was working on the USS IOWA getting her ready for the trip to San Pedro. will start riding again now as she has arrived at her new home. </p>

 

Looks like a lot of fun Liz. My friend John rode up there near Marin and said the trails are sweet. Thanks for sharing.

Bill, I'd like to head up sometime mid week. Maybe you can give me some directions or GPS to those trails.

 

give me a few days notice and i can take off work and we can hit skeggs. it is only a 30 min drive from home.

 

But...you never made it to the REAL NorCal!

Breakfast at the Golden Harvest Cafe in Arcata - http://www.goldenharvestcafe.com/

...followed by...

A pleasant sojurn down the Jacoby Creek Trail on Fickle Hill - http://youtu.be/nUoQYF1xlpc

(disclaimer...that's not my vid...the guy has pretty bad taste in music. :|)

 

Nice RR Liz! I always try too take an extra day or two off too ride whenever I have too go to Sears Point or Calsitoga, NorCal dirt is nice!

 

She made to Ft Bragg and Shelter Cove and that is pretty darn real.

 

getting a road trip itch!
thanks for sharing

 

Sounds like a sweet trip Liz!

Tamarancho is a lot of fun, and my NorCal friends always seem to have just ridden Boggs that weekend, so it seems pretty popular. I had no idea Pizza Orgasmica had a brewery! Guess I'll have to head back up there for a few days over summer vacation and do some bay area riding again...

:beer:

 

Excellent report and thanks for sharing Liz. Just one thing, don't sell Tahoe short. It's amazing and I know, without a doubt you will love it! Having ridden many of the place you've ridden (sans the northwest I have yet to make my way up there but it's on my short list) Tahoe should remain on your short list. Every year we discover new goods, new flowing single track not to missed!

 

In the first photo,is that a ride thru tree?

 

Welcome aboard my friend, sorry did not get back to you last trip up but we got short on time. I am seriously thinking about coming up for Mendos event in August.

Not sure about that tree but we go have a ride thru tree down here on Camp Nelson Trail in the Sequoia National Forest.

Dean

 

Crack me up everytime. Thx for the goods.

That was a little....mellow?...by your standards, yes?

When you pass these kinda folks you know you are in deep NorCal....wild world indeed up there.

 

Welcome to STR Jesse. Yes, instead of a redwood, it's a redmetal. Harhar.
I'll be doing the second part of my rr when I get off work.
As for Skeggs and Demo...*yaawn* To each their own, right?
As for Tahoe, yeah, I'd like to go sometime. Let me know next timeyou head jup there.
thanks for thanks kids. More later.

 

The pics from the other days at Fort Bragg, Paradise Royale, and Prairie Creek are awesome! Liz, let me know when you post them and I will add mine!
Thanks for another great roade trip!

 

Nice RR Liz (although one of your more less photo-heavy ones)!
Looking forward to riding the trails between Santa Cruz and Ashland; and I guess I'm not as much of thrill seeker as you 'cause I really enjoy Demo/Soquel! Rode it last week and can't wait to go back!

 

Looking forward to those...that area is gorgeous!

 

Looks awesome, thanks for sharing.

 

I like Demo and Skeggs, there's just other stuff I like better!