Lake Tahoe
September 30-31, 2006

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2211

Thanks to him for sharing his photos from this ride as well!!

The day started early... 7 a.m. for coffee in Fremont. I was impressed as everyone was there pretty much on time and raring to go – CC, Bill and his son, Chris, Lorraine, Val, Chandi and his lady friend, Karishma. The morning was overcast and blessedly cool as was most of this trip. After scorching heat during past rides, the change in the temp was much appreciated. Just before we pulled out, this beautiful vintage car pulled up and I couldn't resist snapping a couple of pics of it... my first two pics on this motorcycle ride are of a car!!

We headed up Niles Canyon and 84 into Livermore where traffic came to a complete standstill a couple of miles before the freeway. Seems there was a bike race and they had blocked off the road... well, I'm guessing they did as we sat there for quite sometime without anyone moving. We didn't wait to find out and turned around and headed out surface streets to Vasco Rd. where we picked up Kendall. Onward to Stockton where we hooked up with the rest of our merry little band - Debra (who I met at the Corbin plant a few weeks ago when we were both getting our new seats), Lisa, and Jan.

We journeyed forth on 26 which is my preferred route to get into the foothills. Everyone really enjoyed the mellow road and the views of the orchards and farms along the way. We stopped in Mokelumne Hill for lunch at a great little diner called Frank's right on the corner of 26 and 49. We all sat down to lunch and, although there were several new riders to the group, it was like we had known each other for years.

Chris showed off his formidable spoon balancing skills, which of course led the others at the table to entertain their inner kid and join in the festivities. Chris was the best of the group by far! When I came out from lunch, I saw three ladies all laying on the ground under their bikes checking their parts (so to speak)... unfortunately, I was slow on the take to get my camera and only caught Lisa still on the ground... was pretty funny looking seeing them all laying in the parking lot!

From there, we continued along 26 which is a wonderful stretch of well paved roadway with lots of fun curves. Crossed 88 and rode along Pioneer Volcano Rd. and into Volcano where they were having a big town bbq and assorted festivities. Up Rams Horn Grade (that stretch of road is too short imho) and then onto Shake Ridge to 88. We headed up 88 which is just a kick to ride... smooth open curves and quite easy to have your speed creep up on you without even knowing it! We stopped at the vista point along the way to savor the view.

I finally managed to get an action shot of Chandi on 88. He had been going out in front of the group and then stopping to get some action shots of us so it only seemed fair to return the favor! There was one moment when I came around a bend and for a brief moment, my heart stopped. The first image I saw was a body crouched in the middle of the road (Chandi waiting to get pics), a body down on the side of the road (Karishma keeping watch for oncoming traffic), and a bike to the side... when I realized who it was, I took a sigh of relief that it wasn't an accident!!

As we continued along 88, I was amazed at the colors of the leaves along the way. Fall is definitely in full swing and the golds, yellows, and oranges were brilliant and beautiful. I had wanted to stop and get some photos of this one corridor of brilliantly colored trees but there wasn't a good place to pull the group over so those images remain in my mind. We came around a bend and were treated with a view one of the many beautiful lakes, Red Lake, on 88. I finally found a pull out where we could stop and enjoy the views and colors of fall. There was a hillside that we passed that had all these yellow and green foliage and then in the middle was this one lone orange bush that just jumped out at you. Did I mention the fall colors were glorious? From 88, we took 89 into Tahoe.

We finally arrived at our hotel, Timber Cove Lodge, in South Tahoe. This was a great place to stay and the rooms were beautiful with partial or full views of the lake, fireplaces, and a balcony/patio in each room. As Debra and I pulled into our parking space motors a rumblin', I saw a young bride starting her walk toward the gazebo by the lake. I killed the motor real quick and coasted in so as not to disrupt her moment. We watched the ceremony from our room and were amazed at how quickly it was over... all that money for 15 minutes... I must be jaded.

When we arrived, the skies were overcast and I was a wee bit disappointed since it appeared we wouldn't get to see the sunset over Tahoe. Much to my pleasant surprise, as I was walking around the grounds, a section of the sky had opened up treating me to a lovely gift of a sunset. I could hear laughter and merriment from a small gazebo on the beach. Seems another nuptials was going on but this one seemed to be a bit more raucous and not so serene. I caught the group in silhouette... a little blurry but it was so nice to be standing there listening to the good times going on.

We decided to use our 10% off coupon and eat the Blue Bistro on the pier behind the hotel. Was pretty good food but even better story telling and laughing. This was a creepy crawly critter that had tried to join us for dinner (I am not fond of spiders… I admire them from afar… way, way afar!).

Kendall, being the good friend that she is, gently replaced him elsewhere so I wouldn't have a conniption fit during dinner. *shudder* Our dinner was filled with conversation and laughter as old friends that had never met got acquainted. Everyone sauntered off to their respective rooms for a night of well earned rest.

The next morning we awoke to blue skies and cool but not too cool temps. I was surprised at how perfect the temps were for the day. We rode around the lake, starting at South Shore and heading north. The morning was beautiful and we didn't encounter too much traffic. Most of the slow cars were kind and pulled over to let us pass. It had been years since most of us had done the ride around the lake and, for a few it was their first time... Tahoe virgins!! We stopped at one of the most popular view points, Emerald Bay. The water wasn't as green as I've seen it before but it was still beautiful. The mountains across from the vista point were lovely and full of color and the sky was so blue.

The section after the vista point has a section of roadway that runs along the top of a ridge with drops on both sides. Coupled with a sparkling lake on each side, it took everything I had to keep my eyes on the road and I was glad I did. As you start to descend from the ridge, there is a series of extremely tight 10 mph hairpins that could easily spell trouble if you aren't paying attention.

We stopped for gas just outside of Tahoe and foraged some picnic goodies for lunch a little later on. Down 50 we went, missing out on the speed trap by the cop on the rock with a radar gun. I don't remember ever seeing so many popo out in force on just about every road we were on the whole weekend! We then rode a couple of my favorites - Ice House Rd. and Wentworth Springs. We stopped at Stumpy Meadows Lake for our picnic lunch.

We sallied forth down Wentworth Springs and 193 (another fun set of roller coaster turns) intoPlacerville for our final group gas stop. While waiting, this guy pulled in on his, um, bike? Trike? Was quite an interesting looking contraption! It was getting a bit late (4:30) so half of the group decided to slab it home (although they didn't beat us home by much from what I heard).

Val, Lorraine, and Kendall decided to join me on a few of the backroads and into Stockton. As we rode along 88 toward Clements, I heard a plink on my face shield... and then another... and then a bunch... and then it was outright raining. We pulled over to gear up in our rain stuff and, of course, two minutes after we pulled onto the road, it stopped raining and never started up again. When all suited up in my rain gear, I feel like the little brother in "A Christmas Story" who gets all bundled up in a ton of snow gear by his mom and wails "I can't put my arms down!!"

But the clouds set us up for what was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen in a long time. I love the fall when the colors bounce off of the clouds. The shots posted were taken from our view from Hwy 4 just outside of Stockton. The pics do not do it full justice as the colors and misty rolling of the fog over the mountain were breathtaking. We stopped just before Vasco Rd to get a couple more shots. The sunset just kept going and going, morphing with different colors and hues. Our reward for braving the elements!

Was such a wonderful weekend with great people. Can't wait to do it again... I gotta go buy a lottery ticket!!

Peace,