NorCalish road trip

**mmmm...pow!** · 09-08-2016, 10:41 PM

Looking to get out of Tahoe for a few days early October. Wanna ride and camp but don't know where to go that is worth it. All I've ridden in NorCal is Tahoe and Dville so would like something new and different. Closer is better, but will go further if it's worth it. Going solo and trying to keep it cheap, so can't set up a shuttle and don't want to pay to much for one, but again will do it if it's worth it. I like half dayish rides, dont mind climbing for a good downhill, tech is good as is fast and flowy. You know, mtn biking. Also, free or cheap camping is key, and lakes or creeks warm enough for a post ride swim would be a bonus.
Is there enough in Santa Cruz to entertain for a few days? Would I be able to find the trails on my own? Southern Sierra? Mendocino? Just go to Oregon? Does Oregon have rides that don't involve shuttling? Any other ideas?

**kidwoo** · 09-08-2016, 11:50 PM

Just go to ashland or oakridge. They've been getting at least some rain.

Or if you really feel like mountainbiking (as opposed to offroad cycling) go explore the lakes basin. It gets bumpy up there and has teh scenery. Real close like.

Santa Cruz is best enjoyed after some moisture returns IMO.

**Empty Beer** · 09-09-2016, 01:16 AM

Show up at Lindsey Lake CG this Sunday by about 10am and I'll show ya the agony and ecstasy that is Grouse Ridge. Point-to-point. We'll get you back to your vehicle after a long day of awesomeness.

(But why leave Tahoe during Poachtober?)

**mmmm...pow!** · 09-09-2016, 10:21 AM

Can Ashland or Oakridge be ridden sans shuttle? Might be an option either way. Did Lakes Basin once. Once. Memory is a bit fuzzy, but I seem to recall it being more of a hike in which I lugged my bike around with me. Yeah, but that scenery, though...
Empty Beer, I just might take you up on that offer. Never done Grouse, primarilly because from what I've seen and heard of that area it sounds like it could be quite the adventure without being shown around, and apparently even if you are shown around. Gonna try to make it happen, definite maybe. Good point about Poachtober, got a few rides in mind, but I've got lots of time to ride locally, and full moon is coming in a week or so.

**Empty Beer** · 09-09-2016, 01:48 PM

I don't believe I'll have much connectivity up there, and I head up early tomorrow morning for a day of trailwork with BONC. We're camping at Lindsey Lakes Saturday night. Sunday morning, we're (likely) going to drop a car off at Laings Crossing on Bowman Lake Rd., then drive back up (maybe only to the Loney Meadows area). Not sure the best way to connect, unless you camp out on Sat. night or plan to meet us at Laings Xing area at a designated time on Sunday AM.

Some dudes are meeting at Langs Xing (Emerald Pools) on Bowman Lk Rd. at 8:45am to shuttle up to Loney Meadows.

**dfinn** · 09-10-2016, 09:46 PM

Oakridge can be ridden sans shuttle if you're cool with climbing some vert on fire roads.

**kidwoo** · 09-11-2016, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by dfinn

Oakridge can be ridden sans shuttle if you're cool with climbing some vert on fire roads.

Will you just move to the pnw and get it over with?

**jondrums** · 09-11-2016, 10:10 PM

santa cruz trails won't disappoint. I'd say you could make three days of it, maybe two days wandering around the trails in Pogonip and UCSC, and a day riding Demonstration forrest.

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 09-11-2016, 11:22 PM

If you're going to make the trek to the Bay Area from Tahoe for mountain biking, you should at least check out Henry Coe. It really is some of the best trail riding around. You could easily spend 3 days there and not touch most of the park. We bike packed into Coe for 3 days before the Hunter's Hollow entrance was open and rode almost a 100 miles on the 3 day trip with a base camp out of Coit Lake.

**dfinn** · 09-11-2016, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Will you just move to the pnw and get it over with?

Screw that! It's ugly and there's nothing to do.

**plugboots** · 09-12-2016, 08:55 AM

Lots of great riding between Santa Cruz area and Fort Ord. Plus: ocean.

**TahoeJ** · 09-12-2016, 09:51 AM

For the north bay, Annadel has some really nice lines carved out right now on most of the downhills after a pretty sloppy summer. We are one or two rainy days away from all-time conditions. Plus lots of good brewery options when you're done riding. I'd suggest doing a few different areas - like hitting Santa Rosa, then Marin (if someone will show you the good stuff) and then down to Santa Cruz. I guess it depends if you just want to go somewhere and stay put or not.

**mmmm...pow!** · 09-14-2016, 08:02 PM

Don't mind a bit of driving, figure after a few hours of riding I need something to do before beer and camp. I'm mostly hesitant to go somewhere if it seems like I could just stay home and ride better stuff. How hard is it to find the goods in Santa Cruz? Also considering Mendocino and Paradise Royale, though it sounds like the scenery might be better than the actual riding.

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 09-14-2016, 08:10 PM

Go to Coe. Fantastic time of year to go and it's unique. You can camp. That is unless you want the latte drinking, enduro, micro brew, bistro mtb experience. Go to Santa Cruz or North Bay if that's your bag.

The riding in Santa Cruz is small scale, it's not worth a mini vacation, same with North Bay stuff. It's okay if you live there but I wouldn't travel to go there. I would however plan a long weekend to spend 2-3 day riding in Coe. You can ride all day on great trails and not see a soul.
Google it.

**TahoeJ** · 09-15-2016, 08:57 AM

Mendocino / Jackson Demo has some great trails and you can put in some big loops.

**homemadesalsa** · 09-15-2016, 09:54 AM

And if you're on your way from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz, or some such, check this out for a day/ part of a day. Fun riding, huge trees:
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/491...pen-space-loop

**LightRanger** · 09-15-2016, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by homemadesalsa

And if you're on your way from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz, or some such, check this out for a day/ part of a day. Fun riding, huge trees:
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/491...pen-space-loop

Also known as Skeggs Point or Skeggs. Fun riding.

**plugboots** · 09-15-2016, 11:53 AM

just stay home and ride better stuff.

It's not better or worse, it's different. I rode Skeggs/El Corte Madera at least once a week when I lived in the Bay area, and rode demonstration forrest, Santa Cruz area, once at Coe, and lots at Fort Ord, (I loved the riding there), once a week or so at Tamarancho. I also rode near Tahoe a lot as I had a house in Alpine Meadows. Don't go. You'll hate it.

**Flea** · 09-15-2016, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by homemadesalsa

And if you're on your way from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz, or some such, check this out for a day/ part of a day. Fun riding, huge trees:
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/491...pen-space-loop

Based on pics/virtual tour, the riding looks better suited for a cross bike. Any rocks roots or chunk to break up the monotony?

**joetron** · 09-15-2016, 12:55 PM

Rog, no one cares you ride a cross bike.

**muted** · 09-15-2016, 12:55 PM

Shut up, flea.

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 09-15-2016, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Flea

Based on pics/virtual tour, the riding looks better suited for a cross bike. Any rocks roots or chunk to break up the monotony?

Most of the cross country type riding in the Bay Area is totally suitable for a cross type bike or rigid mtb. I'm not talking about the short freeride type stuff.

There's better and longer riding in the MPOSD than El Corte Madera/Skeggs Point.

Does anybody ride any longer than 2-3 hours anymore?

**Flea** · 09-15-2016, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by AaronWright

Most of the cross country type riding in the Bay Area is totally suitable for a cross type bike or rigid mtb. I'm not talking about the short freeride type stuff.

There's better and longer riding in the MPOSD than El Corte Madera/Skeggs Point.

Does anybody ride any longer than 2-3 hours anymore?

Good to know, never ridden Cali. Based on what seems like 90+% of the pics posted from Western Locales in the Go ride and bring back pics Thread, a bike has suspension mostly for decoration. NTTAWWT.

With a young child my 15-20 hour ride weeks are a long lost memory unless I'm off for the week. Now it's 10-12 mostly. Make up for it in intensity. Fast is phun.

**homemadesalsa** · 09-15-2016, 02:09 PM

I think the photos have more to do with what/ where is scenic and easy to get off the bike/ set up a shot than gnar. I posted one photo from our Sunday ride here: http://www.trailforks.com/route/butc...ridge-ax-park/
and I was pretty happy to have 6" of travel. Everyone on our team that day was full squish (and 3 of 5 of us over 50 years old) and wouldn't have wanted less.
Sure you COULD ride Skeggs on a cross bike, but on a travel day of a long Cali tour, between San Carlos and Santa Cruz, we enjoyed it on our full suspension bikes as that was all we had.
Aaron Wright- what is MPOSD?

**Flea** · 09-15-2016, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by homemadesalsa

I think the photos have more to do with what/ where is scenic and easy to get off the bike/ set up a shot than gnar. I posted one photo from our Sunday ride here: http://www.trailforks.com/route/butc...ridge-ax-park/
and I was pretty happy to have 6" of travel. Everyone on our team that day was full squish (and 3 of 5 of us over 50 years old) and wouldn't have wanted less.
Sure you COULD ride Skeggs on a cross bike, but on a travel day of a long Cali tour, between San Carlos and Santa Cruz, we enjoyed it on our full suspension bikes as that was all we had.
Aaron Wright- what is MPOSD?

Gotcha, rite on.