Rides up in Northern California (CA-299 and CA-36)

duck_rider

duck_rider

Well-known member
I'm thinking about making a trip up to Redding/Eureka California from the Bay during President's Day Weekend. How is CA-299 and CA-36 in the winter? Is there snow/ice? Thinking about heading up to Redding, spending the night, then hitting either 299 or 36 (which one is better?) then heading back down.
 
flying_hun

flying_hun

Adverse Selection
Calling dtrides to the white courtesy telephone.

Duncan - or someone in his network - will know the current conditions up there, but it doesn't seem likes it's been cold enough for snow to be much of an issue. :dunno However, I would plan on sandy, dirty roads, and it being a bit greasy in places.

FWIW, there are lots of folks who like 299. It's a nice road. More traffic, more enforcement, and more places to stop than 36. That said, I find 36 to be a MUCH more fun road. :ride
 
mean dad

mean dad

Well-known member
Yep. Not as twisty as other roads close by, too many little enclaves of houses to pass on both ends, uninspiring scenery (again, compared to other locales)..:dunno
It doesn't suck by any means, but like I said, I fail to see why it's a destination road.
 
D

DReg350

Well-known member
mean dad said:
Yep. Not as twisty as other roads close by, too many little enclaves of houses to pass on both ends, uninspiring scenery (again, compared to other locales)..:dunno
It doesn't suck by any means, but like I said, I fail to see why it's a destination road.
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I admit... I'm puzzled. :dunno What roads have you ridden near 36 that you find more satisfying than 36?
 
ST Guy

ST Guy

Well-known member
mean dad said:
Besides the photo op next to the sign, I fail to see the allure in 36.
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I would say that 36 is far, far better than 299. 299 simply has too much traffic. Almost boring.

However, that's not to say that 36 is the best road around. My preference for a loop up that way is to take 36 west to 3, 3 up to Yreka, a short northward jaunt on 5 to 96, then take 96 all the way down. Stop for the night at the Hoopa Indian reservation. Then finish going out to the coast and head south. And be sure to take the old 101 which is now the Avenue of the Giants/Hwy 254, and then at Leggett, head out to the coast on Hwy 1. :teeth:ride:twofinger:afm199:party
 
zammer

zammer

Tripler
ST Guy said:
I would say that 36 is far, far better than 299. 299 simply has too much traffic. Almost boring.

However, that's not to say that 36 is the best road around. My preference for a loop up that way is to take 36 west to 3, 3 up to Yreka, a short northward jaunt on 5 to 96, then take 96 all the way down. Stop for the night at the Hoopa Indian reservation. Then finish going out to the coast and head south. And be sure to take the old 101 which is now the Avenue of the Giants/Hwy 254, and then at Leggett, head out to the coast on Hwy 1. :teeth:ride:twofinger:afm199:party
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This is my ideal trip, done it twice that way before, either coming up the coast and doing it in reverse, or going through the Sierras on the east side and then doing 299 to Weaverville.

Last time I took some advice from Overlordi and cut across Callahan-Cecilville road, which imo is a close tie with the northern half of 96 being the best road I've ridden in CA.
 
RightCoastBias

RightCoastBias

F8TRED
I did a 36-3-299 loop from Fortuna to Eureka and had a blast. 299 was fun, in a boring way. I found myself going way too fast, especially considering the enforcement I've heard about up there. Spent most of my time on that road well above 90 and that's over 100 miles. Not really the best of ideas but it made the road more enjoyable. 3 was my favorite part of that loop. But the eastern half after 3 is great too.
 
flying_hun

flying_hun

Adverse Selection
Interesting. My sense is that there are only a handful of housing enclaves that slow me down. Loads of variety. No stop signs or stop lights for 140 miles, and usually light enforcement. Plus, I can do it as a day ride if I put my mind to it. :ride
 
mean dad

mean dad

Well-known member
flying_hun said:
Interesting. My sense is that there are only a handful of housing enclaves that slow me down. Loads of variety. No stop signs or stop lights for 140 miles, and usually light enforcement. Plus, I can do it as a day ride if I put my mind to it. :ride
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Absolutely. Perhaps I should have used the "Unpopular Opinion Puffin" meme when I posted. :laughing
A great road to get from the freeway to the coast, but not a destination route (except for dat cool cool sign).

It may simply be that the two or three times I've ridden it (not a spectacular sample pool, I know) there were extenuating circumstances that soured it for me. :dunno


:ride :ride :ride
 
Hoho

Hoho

Ride to Eat
flying_hun said:
Interesting. My sense is that there are only a handful of housing enclaves that slow me down. Loads of variety. No stop signs or stop lights for 140 miles, and usually light enforcement. Plus, I can do it as a day ride if I put my mind to it. :ride
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Lunch Box and I were actually behind a CHP Explorer for a few miles on Hwy 36 on the way to Corning last year... it was nice, he lit up a couple of slowpokes that were holding us up and got them to move aside... :laughing :ride
 
V

VelocityStack

Well-known member
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ThumperX

ThumperX

Well-known member
I actually really enjoy the off pavement backroads that shoot off of 36.
2, 299, 89 all great fun. On the other side of 5 there s also excellent, all roads lead to Quincy goodness :ride
 
Surj

Surj

Uneasy Rider
mean dad said:
A great road to get from the freeway to the coast, but not a destination route (except for dat cool cool sign).
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I get where you're coming from. I enjoy both 3 and 299 quite a bit as well.

But here's how to make 36 a destination ride. Head up the coast early in the morning. Enjoy the view. Have breakfast or lunch at the Black Lightning in Eureka. Take 299 to 3 to 36 to 5, drone home on 5 after dark if necessary. (Or just do 36, if you prefer) It's a nice day ride. :ride
 
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