GB500guy
Well-known member
Every spring I try to make at least one trip up through Bear Valley, Colusa County to see the wildflowers. So yesterday a buddy and I took our NX250s out for a look-see and were rewarded with some wonderful nature's eye candy.
Link to map of route
Heading down into Pleasants Valley my eyes drank in the green landscape and roadside yellow lupine. The clock is ticking on spring and the hills will soon dry up.
I scooted up to Winters to rendezvous with my buddy....
....then we headed north toward Capay Valley taking back roads, deserted except for the occasional farm vehicle. The fields of Hedgerow Farms along Yolo County Rd 85 always offer knockout scenery in the spring, as their native plant seed fields display a variety of colors and shapes.
Reaching Hwy 16 at the little town of Esparto we headed north. The Cache Creek Casino in Capay is closed for now so the road was wonderfully empty of traffic. After a delightful ride up through Cache Creek Canyon to Hwy 20 we turned onto Bear Valley Road for some gravel road fun. Bear Valley is famous for its spring wildflowers, but mother nature and winter rainfall patterns call the shots. The first few miles we passed scattered patches of lupine and poppies alongside the road, then reaching an overlook of the main valley floor we saw patches of yellow in the distance. Nothing spectacular, but a teaser for what might be ahead.
With the temperature perfect, the air clear, the road deserted except for a handful of wildflower peepers, we scooted further north into the valley.
Soon enough mother nature came through for us with vast swatches of cream cups, goldfields, tidy tips, poppies and more.
Dazzled by the carpets of blooms we continued onto Leesville Road, stopping at this overlook to eat lunch and savor the path ahead.
Then it was back down Hwy 16 to home feeling so lucky to have solitude so close at hand during this challenging time. Life is good.
-Bill
Link to map of route
Heading down into Pleasants Valley my eyes drank in the green landscape and roadside yellow lupine. The clock is ticking on spring and the hills will soon dry up.
I scooted up to Winters to rendezvous with my buddy....
....then we headed north toward Capay Valley taking back roads, deserted except for the occasional farm vehicle. The fields of Hedgerow Farms along Yolo County Rd 85 always offer knockout scenery in the spring, as their native plant seed fields display a variety of colors and shapes.
Reaching Hwy 16 at the little town of Esparto we headed north. The Cache Creek Casino in Capay is closed for now so the road was wonderfully empty of traffic. After a delightful ride up through Cache Creek Canyon to Hwy 20 we turned onto Bear Valley Road for some gravel road fun. Bear Valley is famous for its spring wildflowers, but mother nature and winter rainfall patterns call the shots. The first few miles we passed scattered patches of lupine and poppies alongside the road, then reaching an overlook of the main valley floor we saw patches of yellow in the distance. Nothing spectacular, but a teaser for what might be ahead.
With the temperature perfect, the air clear, the road deserted except for a handful of wildflower peepers, we scooted further north into the valley.
Soon enough mother nature came through for us with vast swatches of cream cups, goldfields, tidy tips, poppies and more.
Dazzled by the carpets of blooms we continued onto Leesville Road, stopping at this overlook to eat lunch and savor the path ahead.
Then it was back down Hwy 16 to home feeling so lucky to have solitude so close at hand during this challenging time. Life is good.
-Bill
