NorCal 2008 - please vote

[slomove]

Certainty: 90%+

Legs attending: 1-4 (but I would return to Chico where my trailer is stored)

Hotels needed: Chico through Ft. Bragg (not sure if to stay in Chico the last day or further south)

Pre-tour: 0%

[haiku88]

90% certain, vacation already scheduled

 

plan to do 1st 3 legs and head home from Ft. Bragg

 

need a room for Chico, Lake Almanor, and Weaverville

 

50% interested in pre tour, do already have the time off so it is a possibility

 

 

 

Bill

[soareyes]

Here's mine:

 

Certainty: 90%+

Legs attending: 1-4

Hotels needed: Chico through Red Bluff

Pre-tour: 0%

 

 

 

 

[psz.]

Registering interest. I might be able to get the time off work.

 

Certainty: 50%

Legs attending: 1-4

Hotels needed: Chico through Red Bluff

Pre-tour: 0%

 

[JohnCh]

Here is a brief update on planning.

 

Route change

It looks like Alderpoint Road is currently in poor condition in several places, so this means that we will need to backtrack on 101 from Legget to Hwy 36. The other alternative is to forego that whole section of the route, but given the scenery and road, I vote to keep it. Another change occurs on day two. The original plan called for us to leave Lake Almanor (we’ll actually stay in Chester) head East on 36, then hop on 44 going North-West before dropping South through Mount Lassen and then heading North West towards 299 and Weaverville. That section of 36 and 44 looks pretty tame, so I am proposing that we leave Chester and go North through Lassen and then taking 299 West. This shortens the day by quite a bit (down to 200 miles), which in turn allows people to take a side trip down Hayfork Pass right before we hit Weaverville. It’s reportedly a fun road and begins just a few miles outside of Weaverville.

 

http://qa7fkg.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pFeiOzlejZF8wRp45PEfQM5lAaaP3Sd8iP9mrRDjy_1i5BP4k9rn5MfQiaF-vc40TQ4GGB4yZ4xQ/route-final.jpg

 

Hotels

Because we are planning this tour just a few months in advance, some hotels are not willing to hold a block of rooms for any length of time. Consequently if you are attending, you will need to reserve some of your rooms by 7/1. The group rate discount is inconsequential at most hotels, but we are getting some group perks. E.g. the hotel in Chico has offered to send someone out to the parking lot to check on the cars every hour, and the hotel in Fort Bragg is reserving their rooms with carports for us. If you don’t make your reservation by the specified date, then you are on your own with regard to accommodations. Price points are similar to PNW2007. I will e-mail a spreadsheet with specifics to those who have expressed interest in attending (if I don’t have your e-mail address, then I will send you a PM requesting it.)

 

Gas stations

I am mapping out gas stations along the route. I plan to call some of the key stations to confirm they are open for business and carry premium fuel, but it looks like we are in pretty good shape. My goal is minimize our exposure to little hole-in-the-wall stations where there is a higher likelihood of obtaining bad gas, and limit stretches between gas stops to no more than 130 miles. If anyone attending needs more frequent stops, then please let me know.

 

High Points

We start and end the tour with the best roads of the tour. Oroville-Quincy Hwy on Day 1 and Hwy 36 on Day 4 are reportedly two of the best roads in Northern California. Good pavement, great twisties, light traffic, and scenic. We should be very tired those evenings Days 2 & 3 also feature some great roads, but also some beautiful scenery. We'll go through Mount Lassen on Day 2 and the Redwood forest on Day 3. It is shaping up to be 4 days of fun!

 

-John

 

[slomove]

Sounds GOOD :thumbs:

 

If the short day is deemed too short we could use Platina Road and Wildwood Road and then up to Weaverville.

 

On the other hand, Whiskeytown is quite nice (if a little touristy and busy) and the second half of 299 looks great.

 

Too many choices......

 

Gert

 

P.S.: Took my engine to the machine shop today and had them talk me into a complete refresh, boring, valve lapping, new pistons, crank grinding, new bearing shells.....I only hope this is a reliable and fast machine shop :skep:

 

 

[johnh]

I am proposing that we leave Chester and go North through Lassen and then taking 299 West. This shortens the day by quite a bit (down to 200 miles), which in turn allows people to take a side trip down Hayfork Pass right before we hit Weaverville. It’s reportedly a fun road and begins just a few miles outside of Weaverville.

 

As you drive up 89, keep going past 299 about six miles and stop at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. Neat waterfall a short hike down from the parking area. Here's a picture of the falls.

 

Still trying to see if I can get the time off...

 

---john.

[JohnCh]

Great suggestion John! We'll add that to the route. I'll include you in the distribution list for the hotel information list I send out later today -- I hope you get the time off. Right now, I have the following folks on the DL. If you are considering attending, but don't see your name below, then send me a PM.

 

johnh

slomove

hudson

pierats

soareyes

haiku88

psz. (I need your e-mail address)

 

 

-John

[banjo29]

Ok, I'm committed now, time off scheduled with work and all hotel reservations made. I'd better make sure the Ultralite is ready!

 

Certainty: 90%+

 

Legs attending: 4 pre-tour, 1-3

 

Hotels booked:

Ft. Bragg - Quality Inn & Suites 9/1-9/5 (Family will stay there for duration, I will stay 9/1 and 9/5)

Chico - Hotel Diamond 9/2

Chester - Best Western Rose Quartz Inn 9/3

Weaverville - 49er Old Country Inn 9/4

 

Pre-tour: 90%+ Ft. Bragg to Chico on 9/2

 

 

My plan is to leave on Sunday 08/31 hauling the Ultralite (in Trailer) and family down from Seattle, cutting over to the Oregon coast when I hit Portland, and stay Sunday night in Coos Bay. Then continue Monday down the coast to Ft. Bragg, setting the family up to stay there, probably at Quality Inn & Suites (only one of two with pool and Internet), where I would stay Monday night. Tuesday in the Ultralite doing what would essentially be leg 4 by myself, Ft. Bragg to Chico, stying there Tuesday night and starting the tour with you all on Wed, then bailing on the last leg and heading back north on Saturday.

 

 

Sounds like fun!

 

 

[pierats]

Certainty: 90%+

 

Legs attending: 1-3

 

Hotels booked:

 

Chico - Hotel Diamond 9/2

Chester - Best Western Rose Quartz Inn 9/3

Weaverville - 49er Old Country Inn 9/4

Ft. Bragg - Quality Inn & Suites 9/5

 

Looking forward to a great tour! :7drive:

[JohnCh]

We currently have eight cars confirmed with two more on the fence. Looks like we may also have a BBQ planned for the end of day 1 More to follow.

 

-John

[JohnCh]

Yesterday I sent out an important e-mail to all NorCal 2008 participants. Please PM me if you didn’t receive it.

 

Thanks,

John

 

[soareyes]

Looks like a good mix of cars (listed alphabetically so as not to show preference ) :

 

3 Birkins

2 Caterhams

1 each Locost, Stalker, Ultralite, and Westfield

 

 

 

[johnh]

"It is a well-maintained dirt-and-gravel road"....:ack:

 

Sorry to resurrect a thread from two years ago. Yesterday I decided to drop in on a person I had only corresponded with on the 'net. I thought he lived in Garberville as that's where his mailing address is. Turns out he lives off 'Bell Springs Road'. The name sounded vaguely familiar and then I recalled that BSR was considered as part of one of the California trips. As the guidebook says 'a dirt and gravel road'. Some of it might qualify as 'well maintained' but there were a lot of washboard sections, rocky sections, a few choice potholes, etc. I only drove the 11 miles up from the south and my friend claimed that was the 'better part'. In any event, the views were gorgeous and I was very happy that I wasn't in the Caterham...