Messages

1

Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: August 24, 2021, 08:44:04 pm »

Did you do a travel journal or blog?

https://hannahandjacksexcellentadventure.tours   

Didn't put it on crazy guy because it wasn't just a summer bike tour.  I doubt I'll re-new this URL so it will become another link to nowhere in 6 months or so.  I might get ambitious and copy the California tour over to crazy guy though.  I thought it was pretty cool that we tied Western Express, Sierra Cascades and Pacific Coastal together.

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General Discussion / Re: What cyclists see, and nobody else.

« on: August 24, 2021, 04:12:02 pm »

Written on the shoulder of the road:  "TIME TRAVEL" just before seeing the sign for crossing into the Pacific Time Zone.   

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Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: August 24, 2021, 03:46:52 pm »

We managed to pull this off! We did reverse our route and went north on the Sierra Cascades and south along the coast.  That was the right call!

Details:
The route up to Happy Camp was suggested by a local and was super nice. 
Mt Shasta --> Gazelle
Gazelle --> Callahan
Callahan --> Ft Jones via E Callahan Rd -- E Callahan Rd is the old road that parallels the east side of the river.  Highway 3 would work as well.  From what I could tell it was less busy than Highway 3.  I saw other cyclists on E Callahan, so guessing it might be the better of the two for bikers.  And it was a really cool ride.  Ray's market in Ft Jones was a great stop for dinner stuff.
Ft Jones --> Indian Scotty Campground via Scott River Road -- WOW.  This road is beautiful!  Low traffic when we rode it during the week.  SO pretty.  Indian Scotty campground was 'closed' according to USFS.  But the bathrooms were open and stocked and super clean.  The water was on.  We were 1 of 3 groups in the entire site.  Awesome!
Campground --> 96 -- The Scott River road was absolutely beautiful.  It got busier as we got closer to 96 and was a little busy in places which made the lack of shoulder inconvenient.  It was manageable, but just had to be alert.
96 --> Happy Camp -- Seiad Valley Store was fun to stop at to pick up something cold to drink, but not much fresh food.  Be sure to grab your 'State of Jefferson' sticker for the collection.  Kingfisher Market in Happy Camp is a good market to stock up at.
Happy Camp --> O'Brien -- That was a brutal climb.  In the Indian Creek Fire scar on 100 degree days.  We stopped and camped along the way.
O'Brien --> Crescent City -- DON'T DO THIS.  IT'S A DUMB IDEA.  199 was super pretty to ride.  The canyon is beautiful. The road is narrow with absolutely no shoulder.  The road ends and the cliffs begin at the right side of the white line.  The traffic is unforgiving even on the weekdays.  Once you are out of the narrows it is a nice ride.  The entire road isn't that bad.  But that stretch through the canyon is death-defying.

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Connecting ACA Routes / Re: Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: April 14, 2021, 09:21:33 pm »

The exact route the googles came up with to keep from going all the way to Grants Pass is
Crescent City -> O'Brien on 199
O'Brien -> Happy Camp on Waldo Rd/Greyback Rd
Then 96 across to 263 and into Yreka

I see what you are talking about with the shoulder disappearing on the tighter turns on 199.  The lack of alternatives makes me think I'll just have to deal with it and make sure to have my safety triangle out, blinky light going strong and wear something bright. 

I think we could deal with the lack of service fairly easily. There appear to be quite a few camping options along 96 and there's a market in Happy Camp.  There are a few small markets along the way and 96 follows the river so we can always filter water if necessary.

I had not thought of prevailing winds off of the ocean.  That's an excellent point.  Thanks for bringing that up and we are definitely flexible on direction.

Thanks for replying EmilyG!

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Connecting ACA Routes / Crescent City, CA to Sierra Cascades Route

« on: March 08, 2021, 05:03:10 pm »

I'm trying to figure out a route going from Crescent City over to the Sierra Cascades route. I'm starting out in the Bay area and riding north on Pacific Coast route. I would like to head over to the Sierra Cascades route from Crescent City to loop back down the SC route to Western Express and back to San Fran.
The googles throw out three options to connect over to Mt Shasta. One going up through Grants Pass, Medford and meeting up with the SC route in Ashland. Another riding up to O'brien then heading down to 96 and riding that over to just north of Yreka. That route looks super pretty, but the shoulder on 96 does not seem to be consistent.  Which would not be a huge problem if traffic is reasonable. I found one post in this forum about 96, but that was back in 2014.  The third route was a route in between the first and second.

There is not a significant mileage difference, so just looking for the route that will be the nicest ride.  96 caught my interest since it follows the Klamath river which would be nice.  Anyone have suggestions or info on how to link Crescent City to the SC route?

6

Gear Talk / Re: Bottle Cage Allen screw Size

« on: February 01, 2021, 12:27:00 pm »

The bottle cage mounts are conveniently the same size/thread pitch as cleat bolts.  If you happen to ride clipless it's super easy to replace a bottle cage bolt with a cleat bolt, then you always have an extra.  It will be at the most inconvenient time if you lose cleat bolt.

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General Discussion / Re: Transportina a tandemom

« on: February 01, 2021, 10:15:12 am »

When we did a big tour on our tandem we had the luxury of getting tandem boxes from the shop we bought our tandem from.  We just asked them to save a set of boxes when they got a new bike in.  Then we shipped it using BikeFlights.  At the end of the tour we just got some boxes from a shop and packing tape, then constructed a franken-box for the frame and another for wheels.  Then shipped it back with Bike Flights.  The shop was nice enough to be the pickup point for Fedex for the shipment home so we didn't have to worry about it.  It was a couple years ago but shipping both frame & wheel boxes was only about $120 through BikeFlights.

If there is a Co-Motion dealer in your are ask them to hold boxes for you.  Those boxes are the best!

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General Discussion / Re: Rain Jacket? Yes. Rain pants?

« on: February 01, 2021, 10:08:00 am »

I have the Showers Pass convertible rain pants.  The bottom half zips off so you essentially have knickers.  Those were perfect for me because it kept my upper legs dry and still had lots of ventilation so I would not get overheated.  With a front fender I would not get soaked on my lower legs but they still got wet.  I didn't mind about that for the most part.  I would zip on the lower half if it got really cold, like a hail storm in Yellowstone that we got stuck in. 

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General Discussion / Re: Colorado: bike maps?

« on: July 11, 2016, 03:53:40 pm »

You might also check out the Colorado Atlas and Gazetteer that DeLorme puts out.  It will have all of the forest service roads on it, which will be backcountry dirt roads.  Possibly the Trails Illustrated maps for the area as well. 

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Gear Talk / Ortlieb Spare Parts

« on: June 22, 2016, 03:38:34 pm »

What spare parts do you carry for your panniers?  I'm using Ortlieb Back Rollers and Bike Packer Plus bags.  The back rollers are my front panniers because we are touring on a tandem.    Any other advice for those panniers would be most welcome as well.  I remember reading in different places about adding hooks and such, but it's been a while so not sure what might be recommended.

Thanks!

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General Discussion / Re: Transporting 8-12 Bikes

« on: October 13, 2015, 04:59:31 pm »

I have a 4x8 utility trailer that I've mounted Yakima bars on either end to use as a bike hauler.  We used fork mounts on the Yak bars to secure the bikes.  Then we had a couple long steel cables we used for locking them up.  Between our friends and us we filled it with 6 bikes and a tandem and luggage.  I would guess for 8-12 bikes you would have to get a trailer bigger than 4x8.

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Gear Talk / Re: Water Filtration

« on: October 13, 2015, 04:36:07 pm »

Another vote for the Sawyer water filters!  I use them backpacking all the time.  Although, it can be a little frustrating waiting for the squeeze bag to fill up if the water is not moving.  Even then it's so small and light I put up with that.