Hi Stephen,Yes, when one sees the "Golden rollin' hills of California" in the
summertime, it is hard to remember the North Coast rainforests! The hotter it
gets inland, the foggier the coastline. It can be 100F thirty miles inland and
a foggy 58F on the coast in July.As for mud, the dirt in the Lost Coast region
is pretty rocky and drains well, so aside from low areas where rain washed silt
(that fine dust of the summer) may accumulate, mud probably won't be a big
issue. I've certainly never experienced the peanut-butter-mud that I've heard
of in other areas.cheers,Andrew in 31C=88F Sydney, wishing for some North Coast
fog!
On Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 12:07:07 AM GMT+11, Stephen
<[email protected]> wrote:
Thanks for the input Andrew! What a place to grow up! I've been up along the
Usal Road to camp once before and I remember it being pretty rugged.. Don't
mind a little extra dirt. I am curious just how wet it will be up thataways,
and if itll be so muddy as to be problematic. Hard to say I guess, April is
apparently the tail end of the rainy season. I always think of california as
such a dry place I kind of forget that this whole route is basically riding
through a rain forest.
On Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 5:22:42 PM UTC-5 Andrew Letton wrote:
Hi Stephen,Looks like a great ride!I grew up in the Lost Coast area (Whale
Gulch), so your first route goes right through my home turf.One thing that I
find suspicious is that RWGPS seems to show some paved road between Four
Corners and Dutchman's Flat, and I don't believe that's true. The Usal Road is
pretty remote and depending on the time of year, not well maintained. I believe
the county only maintains it during summer months, so in winter it is sometimes
unpassable in a car. That shouldn't stop a bicycle, but you may find areas
pretty rutted. YMMV! I've ridden it only once, in summer, and my problem was
not bringing enough water, so plan accordingly. It's only about 26 miles, but
as you can see from RWGPS, it's a pretty intense 26 miles! Don't let that scare
you off, just be prepared. You will be rewarded by some spectacular country.
You can probably fill water bottles at the Whale Gulch School, just before you
get to Four Corners. After Four Corners, you'll be heading off into truly
unpopulated areas and are unlikely to find much water. (Filter what you do
find!) Oh, and if it is dust season (June-Sep), you may want to have a bandana
around your neck, ready to pull up over your mouth/nose for when cars (very
occasionally) pass. Ah, I just saw that you're thinking of April, so dust will
not likely be an issue, but rain may be; you'll be riding through one of the
wettest regions in the whole state! ;-)
https://www.eldoradoweather.com/calprecip-full-size.htmlHave a great ride, and
I look forward to your ride report...
cheers,Andrew, from Whale Gulch; now in Sydney
(Image from Google Street View at Four Corners)
On Monday, February 12, 2024 at 07:39:01 AM GMT+11, Stephen
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hey All,
This week I've been fantasizing about a tour route from Eureka to SF that
follows the PCH but avoids riding on it as much as possible (within reason). So
I've been playing around in rwgps and Gaia Gps maps to make some route drafts,
trying to stay close to the coast but choosing alternate roads and dirt roads
as much as possible to avoid traffic.
For the beginning of the route I used part of a Lost Coast tour route that ends
and begins in Eureka. As for the end, I've done a fair bit of riding in Marin
and have familiarity with the roads and trails up to Sir Francis Drake Road.
Will probably make two different route endings, one for east bay and one for
SF. (the route draft I have now is for eastbay)
I was wondering if anyone on the list had experience in the other areas up the
coast, or has done a similar ride, or been on any of the roads I've routed or
had recommendations? Sometimes you see a road on a map and in reality its
private access or washed away. Would appreciate any thoughts or feedback or
anybody who wants to nerd out on maps and routemaking.
Playing with the idea of riding this on my appaloosa in April.
ROUTES:https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45561107
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45561484
Let me know if theres trouble accessing those.
Thanks!
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