Clear Creek 1/12/2012

Anyone want to ride through Clear Creek Saturday?

Planning breakfast in Tres pinos around 8:30 or 9. Ride through Clear Creek with an out and back on the county roads then out through New Idria, out to I5 on Panoche Rd./Jackass Grade. Lunch there or snack then hit the Junction for late Lunch around 2 or 3pm.

With a week of no rain it shouldn't be messy and is big bike friendly.

Teaser pics from the not so distant past.

Main road near the top looking at Idria Peak


Mmmm brown ice...





J

You riding out from Oakland? What time?

From San Leandro actually.

Leaving 238/880 area at 7am gets me to Flapjacks by 8:30am.

J

Thats my Bday, a chance I may show up, keep posted please.

Local News is calling for possible snow down to 1000ft on Thursday. We'll be up over 4000 ft through Clear Creek so may run into some snow. It may be gone by Sat but may need to turn back. Going into New Idria is more shaded than the West side is steep twisty and rutted. With snow could be gnarly.

I'm still planning to go and make the best of it.


J

I've ridden it in 2+ feet of snow. It can get wild.

Snow and mud. Should be fun. Happy Burp Day, Monogox. I'll bring some candles for your Birthday pancake.

here's what it looked like on New Year's day...


conditions were near perfect

choclate cake with white frosting...

plenty of snow and ice, have a good ride.

I rode partway up Tassajara Road today, southeast of Carmel Valley, which is probably similar conditions to Clear Creek. There was snow starting around 4000 feet. It was packed in places and icy on the north facing shady sections ... my DR650 with D606 tires took at least one nap. Not much mud; either frozen or drying fast.

-dman

Can't make it tomorrow, GoldenTaco. Post some pics if you go, ride safe.

No worries. You will be warmer than me for sure.

I'll try to get some pics. Sometimes I'm having too much fun to stop and smell the manzanita.

i've been fighting off a cold cough all week. I'm going to leave by 8 so I won't completely freeze and stop for breakfast at Flapjacks by 9:30.

Mongox are you still planning to go?


J

I had been on the fence about the timing of this excursion what with fighting off a cold for the last week, and the recent cold and wet weather.

I hit the road at about 8:30am bundled up like Ralphie's lil brother Randy from a Christmas story. I was not going to be cold. Temps were high 30's to low 40s all day. I stopped at Flapjacks for breakfast and a little warmth.

I was being careful on the North facing turns especially the shaded ones. Then I hit ice. Just a little squiggle mid turn going about 40mph. Bike recovered, but my nerves didn't for some time. Many of the turns I could see the roadsurface covered in ice crystals.

Coalinga Rd was fine and dry except on the North facing turns where there was ice and at times snow. I was concerned about the tight sections right before the Laguna Mtn. camp turnoff but they were fine and the snow I did hit was only a few meters in length.

Coalinga Rd.


Clear Creek was muddy most of the way until you climb up from the creek towards Idria Peak. Quite a few oh Sh*^ moments but no mishaps. I didn't stop to take many pictures of the obstacles due to the slop and needing momentum but the following are some I did manage to take both in Clear Creek and the surrounding area.

In memorium



Entrance



Looking West from Aurora Cutoff/R1 Ridge



I was planning to go exploring once in Clear Creek but the mud was tricky enough to just get through I decided not to. I did want to take Aurora Cutoff down to R11 proceeding down through New Idria. I though it would be less snow covered...it wasn't. It was a fun slide down through the mud and snow.

View from Aurora Cutoff





Riding out New Idria Rd. Lots of green as far as the eye can see













I usually do this ride many times throughout the year, I think I'll wait for it to dry out first.


J

next weekend should be warmer down there.

No photos of new idra? hear that all the buildings are gone.. I may be persueded to take a spin through there soon!

the mine buildings are still there...I did'nt take pics of the buildings either.

the riding was great !

Sorry I didn't get back to you. The XR had street dual sports on it for tires, I fiqured it would be pretty cold and icy and didn't think they would be appropriate. Also it was freakin cold at my place and I didn't feel like dealing with it. Glad you had a good time and thanks for the pics.

No problem.

You would have struggled with anything less than a knobby 50/50 tire. I have Shinko 244 front and TKC80 rear. That was just adequate for the muddy bits.


J

has the closure changed at c/c ? i thought you could only ride the main c/c road through to new idri. camping and riding the trails or the ridges were off limits. just asking.....

Not much has changed in the last few years but here are sone from 2010

Bienvenidos!




This isn't there anymore but it's to the left the old processing building.







Since it was in use up into the 60's or 70's it doesn't look interesting in the way Bodie does from a construction standpoint but up until last year when someone moved in on a plot of land just up the hill from the town, it did feel eerie being there by yourself...in "the hills have eyes" sort of way.


J

yes you can excercise your right to legally ride the county (controlled) road through clear creek.