2020 Pashnit Touring

[pashnit]

After spending months designing several new motorcycle tours for the 2020 season, the day finally arrived.

I had this idea to design a tour focused on El Dorado County where I live. So this tour was almost entirely within 60 miles of my house. Planning to ride in March is risky with the weather though. Over an inch of rain predicted for my weekend and snow levels down to 2500 feet.

But Friday was 70 and sunny. The Foothills are brilliant green this time of year.

I made a list of the day's plan: The plan was to ride nearly 50 roads in one day. These are all in El Dorado & Amador County. All Gold Rush region roads, these were the roads carved into the Sierra Foothills by the Argonauts seeking gold.

 

[pashnit]

Running through Coloma into Georgetown. There are dirtbike trails through these forests going all over.

 

[pashnit]

I'm famous for leading tours up goaty one lane paved mountain roads.

Rock Creek Rd is a non-stop twisty canyon ride high above the river below. No center line no guard rails, long way down. Leads up to Mosquito.

 

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Impromptu stop to patch a tire. Always carry an air compressor and patch kit. After nearly 20 years of patching a lot of tires, we use the mushroom kits from stop and go.

We tried worms but it was still leaking.

 

[pashnit]

Mosquito Rd makes a very steep descent through tight switchbacks down to a one lane wooden suspension bridge.

 

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You know those old timey photos of those stores with the shop keeper.

Those things still exist in Volcano. In the back corner is also a small restaurant.

 

[pashnit]

Last stop of the day.

 

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Next day an inch of rain the forecast

Headed down Stoney Creek Rd, super fun, classic foothill road.

 

[pashnit]

Rain in the distance to the south. I better head north.

 

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Rain is starting, so time to swing by Indian Grinding Rocks State Park.

 

[pashnit]

Hayabusa's are good on gravel ranch roads right?

Then it started hailing on me. Time to head home.

Next tour in early April. Stay tuned.

Headed to Marin County.

Delta Bodega Motorcycle Tour | Pashnit Motorcycle Tours

 

[Busa1166]

i thought cali was on lockdown?

 

[pashnit]

i thought cali was on lockdown?

Look at the date of the post.

We did this ride in El Dorado & Amador counties which are more rural. Mid-March, nothing had gotten crazy yet. Where I'm located, El Dorado County has put their own Shelter In Place recommendation a few days ago, but the county sheriff quickly let everybody know they won't arrest anybody & not to call 911 if they see someone walking around (my wife thought that was funny). My work sent everybody home Tuesday. Work, schools, malls are all shut down. But we're all out living our lives here, Kids still gotta do school at home and wife & I are both working from home.

I stood in line at Target for 45 min this morning to buy TP, but it was orderly, simple, staff was very cool, two guys in front of me in line were cops, and the guy behind me was from Texas & packin' heat. Everyone in line got their TP, reminded me of Black Friday. Every food store is fully stocked. Strangest thing is our two local food store chains are trying to hire 1000 people within a few days to meet the demand (& provide personal shoppers). Food stores now have early hours for seniors only, close a wee early (9pm) to restock and the smaller food stores are limiting how many can go inside (two leave, two go in). Our local warehouse store announced they will not accept any returns on TP, water, etc. Fuk 'em. The real heros in all of this are the truck drivers.

But this will get much, much worse before it gets better. Sad thing for my oldest is there will be no high school graduation. She has a 4.4 GPA and was looking forward to that. Just think, she'll always tell the story, I never got a high school graduation because there was a Global Pandemic.

Go ride, there is no better time, nobody on the roads. Just use common sense.

 

[Busa1166]

There is more hysteria and paranoia than pandemic at this point wish to take a tour with you someday. There is so much misinformation in relation to curfews for city and county and state requirements at the moment good luck to you out there

 

[georgiabusa_05]

Tim, Thanks as always for posting your trips. I really enjoy living them through your story telling. If you ever make it to North GA, Southeast Tenn, or North Carolina, hit me up. Take care out there.