Riding from Los Angelis to Lake Tahoe/Truckee and then off to Shasta/Crater Lake

[manuchao]

Planning on leaving on June 12/13th and picking up a friend in Bishop....
Any info you guys can provide that could make this trip even better post it !!!

Thank you !!

Frank

[ritterider]

If you are on 395, stop in Independence and eat at the Still Life Cafe.  French family cooking.  Good family story too.  Immigrated because they loved Death Valley

[manuchao]

Still light Cafe it is... !!!

Thanks for your input... !!!

[Bclayden]

From 395 best to use 207 "Kingsbury Grade" for the climb over to Lake Tahoe.  Avoid US 50 at all costs.

Once at the lake your shortest route is to head North but take the time to ride around the lake in a clockwise direction and you will be rewarded with spectacular scenery on the West side and this will avoid busy "Spooner Summit" traffic (also US 50).

From Truckee Route 89 is a good one Northbound...not the widest shoulder in places but scenic and relatively quiet.

[manuchao]

Thanks for you input....
Im trying to avoid high volume traffic as much as possible.
The plan is to ride up hwy 89 via Monitor pass and stay on hwy 89 all the way to Truckee and beyond.....
That's a lot of climbing but it is also the most scenic and beautiful byway that I have seen...

Thank you all for your input.. keep it coming !!!

Frank

[MrBent]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I've found 89 north of Truckee to be a dangerous, scary road.  There is often little shoulder and the truckers can be nasty!  I know of one cyclist killed on the route so far.  It's also the main run for Oregonians hot for the casinos in Reno.  Frankly, the route is beautiful, but I'd NEVER ride it again. 

Here is a work-around that I've mapped but yet to ride:  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/34336

I warned Adventure Cycling about 89, and they weren't interested.  The Sierra-Cascades HAD to go over Mt. Lassen.  By using Google satellite imagery and maps, you can figure out variations to my route and check for viability of lakes/streams/etc.  My variation involves some dirt--but nothing extreme.  It will be wilder than 89 but quieter by a huge degree.   I'm really looking forward to riding it.  Monitor Pass and that area is GREAT, so go for that.  I've ridden it several times fully loaded.  Shoot for a wonderful forest service campground right near the town of Markleeville, although it will likely be packed on weekends--no hiker/biker sites.  There are a couple of good restaurants and a market in town.  I've ridden virtually all the route you're talking about from Bishop to Mt. Shasta.  It's just that bit between Truckee and McCloud that's the problem.  Do some work on Google, and you'll be amazed at the options.  A water filter is recommended for the remote areas I'm talking about.

Go for it and report back!

Scott

[manuchao]

Well, I finish my trip and it was a blast, but not without some safety concerns.

Rode from the San Dimas area up the San Gabriels and down into the 395 through Mojave Desert.
I stayed on the 395 (Walker Canyon was a bit scary with all the STUPID RV'ers) until I got to Topaz, CA where I picked up hwy 89 up Monitor pass and down into Markleeville, ca.
BTW they have some hot springs there and a great campground right next to it....
Most of the ride was with no shoulder but it was not of much concerned as most drivers gave plenty of space when passing.

The one section I would not ride ever again is from Quincy to Greenville.
Great views but those damn logging trucks were scary as F&$% !!!
Cant really blame them as they are only making a living and the roads are very narrow with no shoulder period.

One of the high lights of the trip (there were many--good ones too) was Sierraville.
They have a hostel style hot spring with very reasonable prices.

Riding through Lassen NP was awesome and we had great weather all the way to Shasta.
Due to other reasons I ended my ride  in Shasta, CA but boy what a great ride it was !!!!!

I wish they had more "Share the Road" signs for all the unaware drivers out there.... but that's probably have to do more with CALTRANS.
The maps I bought from this website were a bit inaccurate on the elevation scales the show for some sections.
Would I buy them again ?  Hell no...
Would I recommend them? Hell no...

Be safe out there !!!!!

here are some pics !!!

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/114893331908747383872/albums/5895468002997059697

[FatCloud]

I am leaving for this ride on Friday from Oakland up Highway 4 to Ebbets Pass then North. I think I'll try that workaround. I'll take a dirt road over highway ANYday.

[MrBent]

Hey, FatCloud:  Do report back!  I think that route will be excellent.  Bring some water filtration/treatment system.

@Manuchao:  Glad you made it.  Yeah 89 generally blows.  I avoid that Walker Canyon in high summer.  I've only been there early in the season. 

Scott

[FatCloud]

So my bike tour only looped me around the lake, I didn't end up going north to Lassen.

But yeah 89 was scary, I wish I would have gone down into Minden and up Kingsbury Grade. 50 was hellish as well. The worst part was Tahoe City to DL Bliss State Park which makes NO SENSE AT ALL. There weren't even share the road signs at that point, going from the popular tourist trap to the only hiker biker on the Lake and after a bike path ended, so lame! Going from Spooner Lake to Incline Village was awful too! Luckily I was going mostly downhill, but it was scary.

If I did it again I'd be on a mountain bike and only drop into these cities for resupply/tourist reasons then climb out on to the rim and ride trails around the whole lake. I got away with this on the Fiberboard Freeway with a great campspot from Incline Village to Tahoe City (highly recommend Watson Lake for anyone planning on going!), little bit of fire road, but nothing wild.

The scariest part for sure though was riding back through the Central Valley, god that place sucks.

[MrBent]

Hey, Fatcloud: 

Glad you made it.  Ironically, Hwy 89 from Tahoe City to Truckee is GREAT!  That's the only part, however.  About the first half is a separate bike path along the Truckee River, and then a good shoulder takes you into Truckee proper.  My wife and I plan to ride from The "Y"/Meyers up that west side of the lake in order to do that whole route I mentioned earlier.  Our plan is to do it mid-May, mid-week, before the heavy toursitas hit the road.

Keep the rubber on the road.

Scott

[FatCloud]

River Road is FANTASTIC! I loved that road!

I went down to Squaw Valley for a yoga festival (so much free vegan goodies!) and that road was a blast. What I'd REALLY love to do though is find a way to tube down the Truckee then ride back up and probably do that six or ten times in a day!

I really am in love with that area. Considering working in one of the ski resorts, not this winter, but the next.

[Bclayden]

Guys...Tahoe is nice and all but everyone knows to avoid many parts of it on a bike, or otherwise, during the high summer season.  Not recommended. 

Try again in late September and you will see it in all its beauty but with a much more mellow riding situation.