2024 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

[pashnit]

We're headed here, to the Jot Dean Ice Cave

Unfortunately, the elevation began to climb above the snow line

And then a few miles from the Ice Cave, we were stopped as the elevation continued to climb above the snow line. Nuts.

 

[pashnit]

Here's what we missed:

Technically, these are lava tubes that no longer have lava in them

The ice in the bottom

 

[pashnit]

We had a ton of snow this last winter, so the snow is lasting longer than I expected.

I was so annoyed with not being able to reach the ice cave, I scheduled this tour again for 2025 but changed the date to May 2025, hopefully, the snow will be melted by then. We'll be back.

Trinity Alps | Pashnit Motorcycle Tour

Explore an Ice Cave, Massive waterfall

www.pashnittours.com

We'll be back to check out the ice cave.

 

[pashnit]

The closed road blew our plans for the afternoon. Well tour guide, what else do they have around here? Guess that's why you hire a guide on a Hayabusa. But I did know of something else nearby we could check out. Several notable big waterfalls up here in NorCal.

Some long long straights on Highway 89 near McCloud.

This is McCloud Falls - there's three, but this was the easiest one to get to on the bikes.

 

[pashnit]

You can climb down to the falls, but nobody volunteered for that

 

[pashnit]

Best thing about big waterfalls in the sound. It fills the canyon.

Tim & Rob

Tim and I have been riding together on these tours for nearly 20 years. He's based in Central Oregon now, still working as a veterinarian full time, but he rides down to CA for the NorCal tours. Rob is recently retired and we've been seeing more and more of him lately.

 

[pashnit]

After all day on the bikes, it was time to find some ice cream. Headed into the closest tiny town of McCloud to find a small market.

Bingo

Mark is nice to the riders as long as we feed him ice cream

I'm partial to root beer floats

 

[dcnblues]

...Some long long straights on Highway 89 near McCloud.

That road would scare me. Some dumb suicidal deer just sitting there waiting for me to open it up...

 

[pashnit]

That road would scare me. Some dumb suicidal deer just sitting there waiting for me to open it up...

Haha, You and me both.
Why your sense of preservation causes you to hesitate to zip it up to 120 mph on these long straights in the forest.
Or, at least it should.

 

[pashnit]

The name of this tour is Shasta Coast, which is a ride to Mount Shasta the first day and since we got that out of the way, we're headed out to the Coast, but that also means the terrain changes dramatically as we ride the western side of the state which is all mountains.

The heart of the tiny town of Gazelle, pop 130 - last time they sold gas here? Likely decades ago.

Leaving Mount Shasta behind. See that cloud? Created by the mountain.
Mt Shasta is a stratovolcano type of mountain, has 7 permanent glaciers and last erupted 200 years ago.
Said to erupt every 600 years. Only another 400 to go.

New roads, new mountains. Headed out of the flat lands on Gazelle Callahan Rd

https://www.pashnit.com/ca-gazelle-callahan-rd

 

[pashnit]

Gazelle Callahan Rd

Ken

 

[pashnit]

One of my favorite pics from twenty years ago at nearly the same spot, four Hayabuas ago. The '00 blue silver was a looker.

 

[pashnit]

At the summit, welcome to NorCal mountains

 

[pashnit]

Ken, ya good?

In-between the ranges are flat areas that are all farms and ranches. This region is all for alfalfa.

This is a town in NorCal.

 

[pashnit]

Tiny farm houses date to the 1860s

Scott River Rd is a single lane short cut over to Highway 96

 

[pashnit]

The sound of the river fills the canyon...

 

[pashnit]

These tours are as much about twisty roads, as they are about kicking tires, hanging out and the social side of riding

 

[pashnit]

Scott River Rd narrows to single lane high above the river - We have strict rules on entering blind turns like this. Always enter on the outside line. While other traffic is rare, you never know. You ride into a blind turn like this and a truck will be coming right at you when you least expect it.

And no, there's no guard rails anywhere, it's straight down into the river

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

Scott River Rd is a favorite of mine. Perfect shortcut.

The shortcut gets us to Highway 96.

Highway 96 is known for being very long - it's 150 miles of endless curves. It's also the closest paved road to the Oregon border and follows the contours of the Klamath River. It's known as a fast road with broad sweepers.

Highway 96 | California Motorcycle Roads | Pashnit.com

Best Northern California Motorcycle Rides - Ride Highway 96

www.pashnit.com