A DS Ride in Northern California

[GeoNorskie]

I originally wrote this RR for a mostly California audience - please chime in if I'm too cryptic :confused: in my descriptions!

My hubby (Guy) had been agitating for some time to do Usal Road. And I'd been talking about de-motarding the Corporate Super Moto to make it more dirt worthy. The happy confluence of these events occurred this last weekend, as we and a few friends set out to actually ride Usal Road.

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_2.jpg

Usal (USA Lumber) Road is a somewhat well-known DS ride on the north coast of California. It starts about 20 miles north of Fort Bragg and goes to Shelter Cove along the "Lost Coast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Coast)". Very scenic.

As you can see, there was a variety of steeds. The DR650 in the foreground is essentially new and unsullied. The other DR is Guy’s, been around the block a few times… That’s my DRZ400SM in the middle – note the dirt tires (I was considering getting an S wheel set, but just went with knobbier tires as the wheel set and needed parts would have cost as much as a used bike). There was a Wee-Strom and a 1200GS. Jim, on the latter, initially was considering taking his DRZ400S, but abandoned the thought, much to his later chagrin. Dan on the Triumph just rode a little ways with us - probably a good choice on his part.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_1.jpg

The plan was to head south from Redding to Red Bluff, thence on back roads to Paskenta, Covelo, Laytonville, and down to Fort Bragg for the Friday ride. Then, on Saturday, head north to do Usal Road, maybe the Lost Coast, etc., and just head home. As some of you may be thinking right now, that was a rather ambitious agenda for Saturday. Indeed, we did not make it to the Lost Coast (heck, we didn’t even make it to Shelter Cove).

Here's the Day 1 map (hopefully clickable so you can zoom in if you want):
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/Day1_Map.jpg (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=111070850084401438620.000476ed0b8a7c988e23b&z=8)

So, the fun started after slabbing it down to Red Bluff on I-5. We headed southwest out of Red Bluff towards Flournoy and Paskenta. The foothills are showing their fall colors – they’re greening up with the new grass after that last rain.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_3.jpg


http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_4.jpg

We soon arrived at the little town of Flournoy, named after a local family:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_5.jpg

The Flournoy General Store – didn’t go in, but it looks inviting, with the picnic table on the front porch.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_6.jpg

Not far down the road is Paskenta, another small town:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_8.jpg

Map check in Paskenta.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_9.jpg

A little bridge through town:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_10.jpg

Continued...

[GeoNorskie]

We headed out of Paskenta towards Mendocino National Forest Road M4. The scenery was beautiful – rolling hills with scattered farms, dramatic rock outcrops and clouds. It was paved for a bit, but soon turned to good dirt.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_7.jpg



http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_11.jpg



http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_12.jpg

The Corporate Super Moto on the M4 road:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_13.jpg

Here’s looking back to the east before heading over the hill to Covelo. You can see the road from whence we came, in the middle:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_14.jpg

Forest Road M4 goes up fairly high in elevation, over 5,600 feet, so we were in the forest:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_15.jpg

After Forest Road M4, we turned on Mendocino Pass Road, which was very good all the way to Covelo. Here’s looking to the west after heading over the crest on M4. You can see the road continuing on to the west on the middle ridge, just below the oak leaves:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_16.jpg


Tucker and Allen waiting for me to take ANOTHER picture:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_17.jpg

Heading down to Covelo. Allen is contemplating whether to be a scofflaw :devillaugh: and head off cross country:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_18.jpg


Continued...

[GeoNorskie]

After lunch in Covelo, we headed out and turned west on Poonkinney Road (what a great name) at the south end of Covelo. Turned into dirt almost immediately:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_19.jpg

Wound our way through the hills towards Laytonville (on Highway 101). Crossed the Eel River:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_20.jpg
This was a cute bridge:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_21.jpg

Here it is from up above:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_22.jpg
The CSM on the road to Laytonville:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_23.jpg



http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_24.jpg


From Laytonville we headed over Branscomb Road (a nice, paved road) to the coast. I didn’t get any pix on Branscomb because we were blasting along (and I figured the guys were getting tired of waiting on me, being the slowest to start with and then stopping to take pictures – they got in a couple good naps, though).

I did stop for a couple pix once we got to the coast:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_25.jpg



http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_26.jpg


After a very quality dinner at the Mendo Bistro (sorry, no food porn pix) and a semi-quality night’s sleep at the Quality Inn, we headed out Saturday morning up the coast.

Here's our Day 2 map:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/Day2_Map.jpg

Continued...

[GeoNorskie]

I’m not sure what kind of bridge this was in its first life (railroad?), but now it’s a footbridge linking the north end of Fort Bragg with the rest of town:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_27.jpg


It was pretty foggy on the coast - made for difficulty seeing where one was going, but we made it to the foot of Usal Road. Once there, we were joined by a couple of fellows who decided to do it also, once they saw us stopped there. One was on a KLR and one on a Triumph Scrambler 900 (cool bike). There was a brief conference before we headed out:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_28.jpg


The KLR and Scrambler guys said, “oh, we’ll just tag along behind you”. :rofl: Here’s the Scrambler (at the end of the day, at Redway) – the owner is 72 years old (young?) and he and his friend kicked our butts!
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_37.jpg


The first part of Usal Road, up to the Sinkyone Wilderness (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=429) (about 6 miles), is a good road, passable by sedans:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_30.jpg



Me:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_31.jpg


Guy:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_38.jpg

The best views are in this section also – after Sinkyone, the road turns somewhat inland; although there are spots where you are close to the coast, there aren’t the spectacular views right along the road.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_32.jpg


Also after Sinkyone, the road deteriorates rapidly. There are serious ruts on the hilly sections and bike-eating mud puddles (small lakes) on the flat sections. These were the worst of the ruts – this picture makes it look like the road was flat, but it wasn’t. There was a serious downgrade here, with serious ruts (in the interest of full disclosure, I will say that we went around this section on a little path someone had made to the left).
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_33.jpg


I didn’t get any pictures of the mud holes, or the bikes laying in the mud holes, as I didn’t want to alienate my riding buddies too much. There was evidence, however, of other vehicles that didn’t make it out of Usal Road:
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_34.jpg



So, speaking of laying down the bike, when I set off after taking this pic, I don’t know what I did, but I just tipped over to the left, and was flung headfirst down that slope towards the car. I just hate that feeling of being head first down a steep hill and feeling the pull of gravity as I slowly slide down. I didn’t get any pictures of that horizontal episode, but I did get the next one. I got askew in a rut and was flung off again. Fortunately, the ground was soft and no parts were broken (either mine or the bike’s).
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_35.jpg



We made it out the other end, although not all the way to Shelter Cove. We bagged it at Four Corners and went out to Garberville as it was getting late in the day.
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_36.jpg



We had lunch in Garberville, afterwards slabbing it up 101 to 36 (if you have to slab it, 101 north of Garberville isn’t bad). Turned east onto 36 at 5 p.m. The last of the sport bike riders that had ridden west were congregating at the 101/36 intersection. I was sooo envious of them, thinking that they were probably heading for Fortuna, to lounge around the nice warm brewery and drink cold beer.

It turned quite chilly going up 36. The fog had moved way up the Van Duzen River valley, and covered the peaks all the way to the last summit before Dinsmore, so we were riding in the clouds with rather low visibility.
We were making good time east of Ruth when the deer started to come out and graze along the road. Went in to a right hander leaned over and there were two deer staring at all of us from the inside of the corner. You could see that dumb look they have in their big eyes - can't make up their minds whether to eat or jump in front of you.

We got in at 9 p.m. It was fully dark from the Hayfork turn off (Hwy 3) to Wildwood. Thankfully, the Wildwood Store was still open. Even though all the chairs were up on the tables and she was cleaning the kitchen, Chad’s wife still made hot chocolate for us.

How cold was it? Cold enough for Californians. :redface1: Guy says his ribs would have been clattering if they hadn't been clenching each other for warmth. But the night ride from Wildwood in on Platina/Placer Road was otherworldly in the moonlight, headlights sweeping the mountains, the lights of Red Bluff way off in the valley, a fox carrying a quail in its mouth.
It was a really good ride. :thumbsup: The End.

[Luna Tique]

Thank you GeoNorskie :wootrock:


:eek: That is one scary road. I am glad to hear you were able to go around it

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_33.jpg

All of your pictures are wonderful.

These 2 were my favorites :D:

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_12.jpg

I can almost feel the ocean breeze in this one
http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_25.jpg

:cheers:

[ridingAK]

Thanks for posting a great report! I haven't been off-road for ages. I miss it! :thumbsup:

[Astir]

What a GREAT adventure! :wootrock: Love the pictures, sorry you took a couple naps, but those in the dirt don't count. :cool:

[Avalanche lily]

:smiley: great trip!

[KCDakar]

What a GREAT adventure! :wootrock: Love the pictures, sorry you took a couple naps, but those in the dirt don't count. :cool:


+1 :thumbup:

[Calif Girl]

Looks like you had a good time..Wish I was closer so I could play in the dirt with you..

[KansasKawboy]

What a GREAT adventure! :wootrock: Love the pictures, sorry you took a couple naps, but those in the dirt don't count. :cool:
:iagree:

[GeoNorskie]

Thanks for all your nice comments!

Too bad we live at separate ends of the state, Calif girl - I'm sure it would be a blast doing some dirt trips with you. Looks like you all had a good time on your Halloween dirt excursion.

[Mazer]

Geo - okay I have some questions if you dont mind...Have you taken that route before? Do you plan on taking it again? Were you ever uncomfortable while on your bike (note I specified wrote while ON YOUR BIKE - Im sure careeening down that hill was of very little comfort) How long have you owned that bike? Did you get it new? AND nice pics..what equipment were you shooting with? Have you done much riding like that before? Do you have a favorite ride up there?
**Good thing that we have not had much rain yet - that rutted road would have been a water ride like at Disneyland.
Thanks.

[GeoNorskie]

Geo - okay I have some questions if you dont mind...Have you taken that route before? Do you plan on taking it again? Were you ever uncomfortable while on your bike (note I specified wrote while ON YOUR BIKE - Im sure careeening down that hill was of very little comfort) How long have you owned that bike? Did you get it new? AND nice pics..what equipment were you shooting with? Have you done much riding like that before? Do you have a favorite ride up there?
**Good thing that we have not had much rain yet - that rutted road would have been a water ride like at Disneyland.
Thanks.

You're welcome. Is this a test? :chin:

None of us had ever been on Usal Road, although some of us had read hair-raising RR's about it.

No, I wasn't uncomfortable, either in the sense of being afraid or having numb butt. I wasn't even really too scared tipping over the side of the hill (I've had far worse crashes on my mountain bike, by myself). I think riding mountain bikes helps with the DS riding - and, conversely, learning to ride motorcycles (esp. taking the MSF class) helped with mountain biking.

I've been riding almost two years, now, and the DRZ was my first bike (although I learned on an XT225). I got it new. It has 6,000+ miles on it now (I got a GS for longer rides, so I haven't been riding the DRZ as much this year).

Speaking of the GS (650GS twin), I, personally, would not take it on Usal Rd. Even though it's not that large (compared say, to the 800 or 1200GS), it would be too big for me to handle with my current skill level. The DRZ400 was a BLAST, though.

I took the pix with a basic small digital camera (a Canon, don't have the camera in front of me, so I don't know the model, but it's not a fancy one).

I hadn't done riding like that (except for mt. biking). I just got those dirt tires on the bike a few weeks ago, and that was really the first big ride for them. I'd done your basic dirt roads with the street tires.

A favorite ride...hmmm...they're all fun.

I would do Usal Rd. again. It would be a long day, but fun, to go from Fort Bragg all the way to Shelter Cove, then over the King Range to the Mattole Road, do the "paved" Lost Coast" section, ending up in Fortuna. Reports are that the other roads are rather good, compared to the section of Usal that we did. That would be a trip for a long summer day. Wanna' go? At this point, I don't know if I can talk the guys into doing it again, even my husband (Guy), who kept the rubber side down the whole way. Well, I probably can talk Guy into it, if I whine enough. :lol:

And yes, you REALLY don't want to do Usal after it's been raining. There had been one big storm (5+ inches in a day) about a week before, that's why there were the large puddles. Other than the puddles and the ruts, though, it was "hero" dirt - no dust to speak of, and just damp enough to keep the small gravel down, too. Once it starts raining, though, the road will be really slick and soft - the soil is a very clayey, fine sand. Then you get big ruts IN the mud holes. :eek:

[maillotpois]

What a great report and pics! Thanks for posting that.

[Clanofants]

AWESOME, love the photos and story!

[Pawprint2104]

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy348/GeoNorskie/Usal%20Road/usal_33.jpg




Looks like fun! Come on, Marion. Let's go! Race you there :D:

[Calif Girl]

Looks like fun! Come on, Marion. Let's go! Race you there :D:
im in..lets go

[Diamond Lil]

What a wonderful ride story and photos to match! Thank you so much for sharing one of my favorite parts of the USA!