The Cache Creek Adventure Ride!
June 26, 2007
This ride report contains photos selected from all of the above. Thanks everyone for the great shots!
Saturday morning was nice & cool as I headed towards the Benicia bridge on the Caponord. About half-span it became obvious that the NASCAR fans were already backing up in the left lanes at the toll plaza. Soooooo glad we were heading the other way.
Denny's Extreme Grand Slam (for $5.99!) was the Northstars Breakfast of Choicetm this mornin' (4 of 5). It was good to see Jim Carnes & his new green KLR650. Scott & Julie Yerigan were on their KLRs, but told us more adventurous tales about dual-sportin' KTMs & DRZs. WOW, what a trip! Airon Green arrived later on his Cagiva Grand Canyon and ate breakfast with mere seconds to spare.
At the rider's meeting, we were joined by Steve Hursh (KLR650), his friend Jody (DL650), Chris Cork (DR650), and Glen Coddington (DL650). I handed out the ride map and discussed our day.
With only minor amounts of traffic, we curved our way north on Suisun Valley, Wooden Valley, CA121, CA128, and Berryessa-Knoxville Roads. We stopped at the Pope Canyon Road intersection for a short break.
Our adventurous group at Lake
Berryessa;
Julie, Scott, Catfish, Airon, Chris, Jim, Glen, & Jody
(and Steve Hursh behind the camera)
Next came upper Berryessa-Knoxville Road with its narrow, gnarly twisties. Shame all the water crossing were bone dry, but you could run them fast enough to kinda leap in and out of them with some air time. Wheee! At Reiff Road, we turned east and followed this gravel road over a ridge towards Davis Creek Reservoir.
Glen's DL650 near the top of the first
ridge
and Scott taking a picture too.
OOPS!!!
Reiff Road becomes Rayhouse Road at the county line. The backside of the first ridge to the reservoir had deep, graded gravel in places.
Steve Hursh on his new KLR650
Davis Creek Reservoir
Airon & Jim
Chris on his DR650
Scott & Julie
The reservoir was nice, but on private land and completely fenced in. :-( Next we rode up the second ridge.
Re-grouped at the top of the 2nd ridge
We turned left at top of the ridge towards Langs Peak. This was a much nicer road than I was anticipating. The views from the top of the ridge were great.
The ridge-top road looking towards
Langs Peak
I want to come back and explore this
whole area next time!
Jim likes riding his new green
tractor!
Looks like Jim is ready for next
year's Two-Mountain Ride!!!
Airon & his Cagiva Grand Canyon
Bruce at Penske Shocks called it an
"Aprilia Cappuccino",
and more great views
Next was down the east side of the ridge to Cache Creek. Many hiking trails are in this area. Shame its not an OHV area too!
The Rayhouse Road Bridge across Cache
Creek
Ahhh, our destination arrives!
The Official Northstars Shade Tree
The poison oak that guarded the
official shade tree!
Walking down to the creek, those withOUT footwear discovered just how HOT the gray sand gets. You could hear their screams in the parking lot! The creek was refreshingly cool though.
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!
Some kayakers-in-training came by
Steve wanted to join them, but he
couldn't get his Kermit-Chair out of dry dock
Girls floated by!
A happy Catfish in his natural
habitat!
After lunch and a cool soak in the creek, we loaded up and headed home the same way we came. Well, most of us anyway. It was a nice afternoon. Until we got down to Lake Berryessa traffic heading home the same we we were. It was still a FUN ride! Thanks everyone for coming along.
Catfish ...