California North Coast Adventure Ride Report

QWR's Don Amador at Intersection of Bald Mountain Road

and Snow Camp Road

 

The coastal mountain range in the Eureka, California area offers the dual-sport or adventure rider a lot of high-quality backcountry experiences.  While on a recent 190 mile dual-sport trip with local off-roaders to review travel management issues on the Six Rivers National Forest, l had the privilege to enjoy many of the historic non-paved and paved road segments that circle north from Eureka and out through the old logging towns of Blue Lake and Korbel, south through sections of the Forest, and back west to Eureka via Highway 36 and the Kneeland Road.

Bald Mountain Road and Snow Camp Road Intersection GPS

http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=D40jV/40.88027N/123.87090W

 

 

 

 

East Intersection of Chism Road and Hwy. 299

 

 

Leaving Korbel we took Bald Mountain Road east and turned left on Snow Camp Road to Lord Ellis Summit where we hit Highway 299.  After following Highway 299 east for a few miles, we turned left on Chism Road and stayed on that route until it joined up once again with Highway 299.  A short jaunt east on that highway took us to the top of Berry Summit where we turned right on Titlow Road. 

 

Forest Highway One

 

Route One GPS

http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=D447K/40.86590N/123.73390W

 

After lunch at the world famous Burger Bar (located in a circa 1960s-era travel trailer) in Mad River, we headed west on Highway 36 where we gassed up at Dinsmore.  After gas, our journey took us west to Bridgeville (I think the entire town is still for sale!) where a right turn placed us on the Kneeland Road which is the mostly non-paved back entrance to Eureka.

 

Bridge at Yager Creek

 

We stopped at Yager Creek for a break and saw some pretty large trout in the steam below the bridge.  Not too far north of the bridge was the Iagua Ranch where supposedly some scenes were shot in a recent sci-fi movie.

Road Through Iagua Ranch

 

Many of you have journeyed on these routes before, but I wanted to share this info with the growing number of new riders who have joined the dual-sport/adventure family.  There are plenty of great hotels or campgrounds to stage from in the Eureka area.  The town also has a lot of cool places to visit including the Carson Mansion, Fort Humboldt, and the Samoa Cookhouse.

 

Carson Mansion

 

Be sure and stop by the Six Rivers National Forest HQ in Eureka and get one of their Forest Maps as there are lots of  two-track dirt roads to explore off of Route One.

 

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QWR Trail Tip for CA - Purchasing a Dual-Sport Motorcycle in 2013

QWR's Factory Plated 500 EXC Dual-Sport

 

QWR has been getting a number of questions from riders in California asking about the purchase of a dual-sport motorcycle or doing a dual-sport conversion on a “Green-Sticker” off-highway motorcycle.

 

In the late 1990s, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) determined that it was illegal to register off-highway motorcycles for street use unless they were CARB or EPA certified for highway use.   QWR believes that decision was based on an ever changing regulatory climate that has become a foundation block of this state.

 

Today, the dual-sport enthusiast has only two legal options in the State of California.  One, they can purchase a street-legal dual-sport that came from the factory as such.  Or, they can purchase a used “Green-Sticker” off-highway motorcycle that was purchased new by December 31, 2003 and where the owner had initiated its dual-sport conversion with the DMV no later than January 31, 2004.

The 1st Land-Use Battle Bike - a 1995 Honda XR600 that was

Plated BEFORE the DMV Deadline

 

QWR believes that travel management and other land-use restrictions has increased the demand for street-legal dual-sport motorcycles so that riders can connect various trail networks that are separated by paved roads where non-street legal motorcycles are prohibited.

 

Based on that demand, the Industry has responded with a wide variety of factory plated dual-sport motorcycles.  QWR urges riders who are getting into the dual-sport market to do their research and find that new or used dual-sport motorcycle that both meets their need and complies with California law.

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