Terrie just got her arm out of a cast (broke her wrist) so for her first ride out we decided to just take it easy and stay kind of close to Sac.
We headed out Hwy. 16 up through the Capay Valley, Rumsey, etc. A great ride, sun was out......all the almond orchards were in full bloom (Sun. was the Capay Valley Almond Festival), very little traffic.....just a great day. We rode....and rode.....and rode some more. Got to Hwy. 20 and turned east towards Williams. Rode that for a ways and came to a road called Leesville.
Turned right onto Leesville and immediatly it was a collage' of patches on top of patches. I'd never been on this road before. We rode for a few miles and then stopped and discussed turning back (because of Terrie's wrist). As we continued to ride and talk about it (wireless intercom), suddenly it smoothed out and we could do 50 mph easily.
Beautiful scenery, one lane road and no traffic.......I don't think Don's cows had ever seen a motorcycle before.....it was a perpetual stampede with the calves (beef cattle) as we followed the road along the fence lines. It became very pot-holly again, after a number of miles......then packed dirt (which we could actually get up to 60 mph on....this was actually the best part of this road). And it continued to be patch on top of patch, on top of patch asphalt, smooth asphalt and graded dirt road. But the scenery was incredable!
We rode through Leesville (just a ranch and what looks like a hotel from the 1800s) and turned right onto Leesville-Ladoga Rd. Where we passed a ranchers wife in a big SUV driving like somebody was chasing her (she probably drive that road every day) but she was very quick to get on her side of the road with the two right wheels off the pavement......and eventually we passed a guy on a dirt bike that was dressed like a rancher.
We stopped in Ladoga at a little dive called Squaw Creek Inn & Resort. Looked to be the only business around there....little grocery store/bar/cafe. But they made two of the best cheeseburgers that we've had in a long, long time! They have gas pump there also, but didn't check on the grade of gas.
Great ride, increable views as the little one lane goat trail climbs up and over a mountain and overlooks a valley of green, green cattle ranches, sargam and sedan grass and forests ringing the little valleys on either sides of the little canyons. I wish we'd have taken pics.
We finally rode out to Maxwell on I-5, headed straight across for Hwy 45 South through Colusa and Knights Landing to Hwy. 113 south to Woodland and back home.
Chuck, this would be another ride that you might be interested in.....in your exploration of Nor Cal.
