Resources and Reflections

Since it would seem that any route north out Redwood Valley, other than Tomki Rd.,  is currently unavailable behind locked gates, upon the advice of locals, I’ve mapped the route below. Starting at Hoppers Corner in Potter Valley, I’ll be heading due north to the Eel River and the road of the same name that leads through some very interesting looking country and eventually to Hearst-Willits Road and, perhaps some refreshment at Shanachie. The return to Redwood Valley via 101 should clock in at nearly 50 miles. I’m out the door by 4, camera in hand and the route uploaded to the GPS. Temp is about 85 and sunny with a stiff breeze from the west; perfect. The hammock, night clothes and sleeping bag are loaded and I may just camp out up on the high point, who knows?

Route as Planned

Potter Valley to Willits back country cruising
I’ll post the route below as ridden. Here’s hoping for no locked gates.

July 24, ,09; Back to Redwood Valley, and more or less recovered. Total distance 59 mi., total ascent 7000′, ride time about 7 hrs. And one hulluva ride too I might add. 2 miles from the start point at Hopper’s Corners,there’s a nice warmup climb coming north out of Potter Valley, gaining 800′ in two miles. The road surface is quite good, with clean, if narrow shoulders, until you cross the Russian River. Taking a left on Eel River Road, the pavement narrows and surface conditions fade to quilted asphalt as you head north by northeast along the east bank of the main fork of the Eel River. 12 miles from the start point you cross the Eel at an elevation of 1400′ and then commence a three mile climb up loose dusty gravel to the summit at an elevation of 2850′. there are two stretches with slopes exceeding 40%. There are also a number of gates between the bridge and the eventual outlet at Hearst-Willits Rd. After talking at length with the folks at Hopper’s Corners in Potter Valley, as well as with all the people I met along the way, the consensus was to leave the gate the way you found it, pass through without leaving the road, and announce your presence as you move. So I did. More »

Popularity: 20% [?]

This is a 35 mile loop with two significant climbs. The GPX file mapped below was hand made in Google Earth and will be uploaded to the Garmin for navigation purposes,

Cave Creek to Potter Valley
July 09; Planning on riding the route this afternoon, wondering about conditions at Cave Creek Rd.; did I get the route right, are there locked gates (the satellite photos were dicey at the crest)? SHould be an interesting ride. The camera and GPS are charged and ready to go, and the navigation route (shown above) is loaded and ready to go. Sunscreen, water and carbs and I should be out the door by 1:30.
Ok, finally out the door at 4:30.

Popularity: 14% [?]

This was my first attempt to create a KML path in Google Earth, use TCXConverter to transform the KML to GPX, upload the GPX to the GPS and ride the route. Oy! with the acronyms.
The USGS topo calls this Main Ranch Road, paralleling Eldridge Creek to the back side of Greenfield Ranch and thence to Orr Springs Road, right up at the top by Mann Ranch. With the permission of someone along the course of the road, I hope to ride all the way through from Redwood Valley and make a really nice 30 mile loop down Orr Springs, down to North State Street and back through Calpella to Redwood Valley. Not to mention this being the most direct route to the hot springs, less than 15 miles and very little traffic, saweeeeet! The road surface looks very dusty from the satellite photos, but fairly well traveled, with perhaps a dozen or so homesteads along the way by the looks of it.
On further research, I’m told by the Mendocino County Surveyor’s office that Main Ranch Road is a privately owned road with multiple owners.

Main Ranch Road
Hoping to ride this today, more news tomorrow.

Les indigienes

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An old farm at the crossroads

Popularity: 35% [?]

If you like to just wander around and stick mostly to the flat ground, here’s a thirty mile route around Ukiah and environs. Starting in Redwood Vally, its a quick spin own to Ukiah, a nice ten mile warm-up on the wide clean shoulders on Hwy. 101, and its legal too. Of course extra caution is required at exits and entries.
Then there’s a little tour of Old Town Ukiah and a loop out Talmadge road into the vineyards. Out here near Vichy Springs Road, you’ll find El Dorado and other Porsche-riddled enclaves up on the foothills above the valley.
Then its a quick loop back into town and back north to close the circle.

Ukiah valley tour

Popularity: unranked [?]

The turnaround point on this course is near the top of the so called “Black Bart’s Trail”. There are so many landmarks around here attributed to Bart that you have to take it all with a grain or two of salt. In any case, the ride up the colorfully named Road A provides some excellent vistas of Lake Mendocino, and by the time you get to the top its quite spectacular.

The surface is generally good clean asphalt with very narrow shoulders but traffic is pretty light. Clean asphalt till you reach the gravel part that is. From there on its steep, loose, dusty, dry 1″ gravel and requires a certain amount of finesse to stay upright. I’ve been told the road goes through to Potter Valley but I’ve not yet ridden the part past where the “Private Property” sign is turned perpendicular to the road. Next time tho, and I’ll bring the camera too.

I come back via Road B, where the track (below) veers north after the turn around. Again the road is narrow but winding and lots of fun. Beware of stray livestock and the occasional “surface irregularity”, but enjoy the run. Once back to the bottom lands its back north on East Road to Redwood Valley and a quick stop for hydration and a game of pool at Vic’s Place.
And, to close the evening, the long flat loop up East Road where it joins Tomki and West Roads, then back through the vineyards to the office. Happy Birthday America!

Black Bart Loop

Ok, July 20th and I made it over the top on Black Bart Trail and down into Potter Valley, with camera in tow. Got some pretty good photos including three of a California Green Rattlesnake. The folks of Potter Valley were warm and hospitable and more than happy to pose for the camera.

Totals: Distance; 36.61 mi., Ride time; 3:36:53, Ascent; 2360′

Rd. A – Black Bart-Potter Valley

The gallery below displays the geo-tagged images shown on the map above.

Start of the climb

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Base of Rd. A, grade varies from 5% - 14%, surface is adequate, shoulders are non-existent, traffic is fairly light.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Tomki Road to the north of Redwood Valley, as the county signs repeatedly make clear, is  ”not maintained in winter”. Well, its not much maintained in summer either. Rocky rough when you get up into the canyon, with the added attraction of seven water crossings, Tomki Road is always an entertaining and challenging ride.

Approaching from the south you ride through the rolling vineyards of Redwood Valley over a series of gradually rising steps heading north on either East or West Road, take your pick because both meet ath a three-way intersection with Tomki Road, at the north end of the Valley. About four miles in from the intersection, things begin to get interesting as the road starts to climb at about 12% for two and a half miles, rising almost a thousand feet from that point to the crest at 1935′. Along the way you’ll pass one buddist and one greek orthodox monastery as the narrow but reasonably clean asphalt rises in a series of about ten tight, winding ’s’ curves through thick forests of california oak, white fir and even the occaisonal redwood, all second and third growth.

Oh yes, and don’t forget the poison oak, its thick as lobbyists on congress. I’m a big advocate of Hawaiian philosophy as applied to cycling; eat when hungry, rest when tired, ride when ready, drink whenevah. But when resting along the road in northern California, beware, unpleasant surprises can lurk in the grass. Poison oak is chifest among these, but the very prickly and uncomfortable Goat’s Head is a thing to be reckoned with as well. To barrel through the copuntryside as if the devil is on your heels, without stopping to take in the scenery seems a waste to me, so, by all means,  stop to take it in, but choose your perch carefully in these parts.

Feast your eyes upon the details, recorded July 3rd on a cooling late afternoon.

Tomki Road

Popularity: unranked [?]

The so-called Redwood Grade between Willits and Redwood valley rises to 1976 feet elevation, the highest point on Highway 101. Not a terribly scenic stretch, its most compelling feature is the climb itself. Road conditions are generally very good with broad clean shoulders and a smooth surface for about 80% of the way. However, especially northbound, there are several stretches where the shoulder narrows down to about 18 inches, and the “rumble strip” can be a real problem.

In addition, at the time of this posting, significant repairs are underway and there is a four mile stretch where the two center lanes are barricaded and traffic has been diverted to the outermost lanes, making cycling on the normal shoulders very dangerous. For the brave (or foolish) the safest course under current conditions is actually to ride between the barricades. I’ve done this several times and been observed by CalTrans, CHP, and County Police, without any problems, presumably because this is in fact the safewst way to go. The two main caveats are to watch out for the center strip where the barriers stood before where the surface is very rough, and, of course, when crossing the traffic lanes to enter or exit the barricaded center section.

This stretch of the highway is definitely not for the faint of heart or inexperienced rider. If you’re headed north and your timing is just right, you can catch the MTA bus up and over the grade for just $1.50. Their new three place bike racks are easy to use but its best not to watch your bike bouncing around on the way up the hill (not that I’VE ever actually taken the bus rather than ride). Just make sure you’ve seated the bike properly in the rack, removed your panniers, then sit in the back of the bus and look the other direction.

Popularity: unranked [?]