Our first riding day started as a beautiful, clear, crisp morning, about 50 degrees. Down to continental breakfast at 6:30am. Then a riders meeting to review the route, hand signals, etc. They did it a cool way: three groups plus independent riders—our choice—a fast group, a medium group (speed limits and moderate through the curves) and a slow group that meanders. Kickstands Up (KSA) at 8:30am and off we went!
T and I chose the middle, just see how that was, then we’d know whether to stay put, or move up or down. Our leader, Jack, was great—steady, responsive to the group, and letting us sink our teeth into the many great twisties and sweepers. We’re sticking with him!
The terrain went from 2000’ to over 5000’ elevation. This is horse country; grassy hills, some trees short and scrubby, some taller and shady in the valleys. Lots of short sweeps and ally oops.
Our first rest stop was at the local fish hatchery, where we got to see salmon and trout jumping upstream! I never saw that before. They were huge (3 ft long) and sometimes jumped completely out of the water!
The rest of the day we followed Hwy. 70 mostly, along the deep, winding Feather River canyon. Here we got into steep alpine scenery with amazingly tall, straight Ponderosa pines. I had to keep reminding myself I wasn’t in Colorado, because that’s the kind of river it is. It’s big, broad and boulder strewn. Following it gave us tight twisties and giant sweepers, nonstop! It was hard not to look at it because it was so beautiful, but of course you couldn’t look much. You had to just give a quick head turn straight there and immediately back, and a longer glimpse on the straightaways. The best thing was to just be satisfied with knowing it was there and feeling it, which was easy, since it was so big and powerfully present. We were absolutely WOWed by the scenery and sport of the roads.
We stopped to lunch at Quincy. Our roommate, Debbie, (enjoying ice cream above) used to live, and still rides regularly, in over this area, so she took us to her favorite, the Morning Thunder Café, for lunch. Delicious and funky. Sprout garnishes. We began to realize that in California they pretty much garnish everything with almost a whole avocado! Great to have a healthy meal after so many interstate meals.
Every lunch stop, plus evenings after dinner, we have a Medallion Pass ceremony. This is where a new group of riders carries the four parts of the medallion--the Survivor Horseshoe shaped medallion, the Ring of Memory, the Horseshoe for the Future and the Heart Medallion. The heart medallion rider also carries a pony express style leather bag with the ashes of the two people honored in this years ride. Also in it, they carry a tiny Tshirt, symbolizing the hope that the young people that fit into that Tshirt will never have to be touched by breast cancer. Each new carrier of the Medallion gets to express in the ceremony to everyone why they are riding and/or whom they are honoring or remembering.
T and I chose the middle, just see how that was, then we’d know whether to stay put, or move up or down. Our leader, Jack, was great—steady, responsive to the group, and letting us sink our teeth into the many great twisties and sweepers. We’re sticking with him!
The terrain went from 2000’ to over 5000’ elevation. This is horse country; grassy hills, some trees short and scrubby, some taller and shady in the valleys. Lots of short sweeps and ally oops.
Our first rest stop was at the local fish hatchery, where we got to see salmon and trout jumping upstream! I never saw that before. They were huge (3 ft long) and sometimes jumped completely out of the water!
The rest of the day we followed Hwy. 70 mostly, along the deep, winding Feather River canyon. Here we got into steep alpine scenery with amazingly tall, straight Ponderosa pines. I had to keep reminding myself I wasn’t in Colorado, because that’s the kind of river it is. It’s big, broad and boulder strewn. Following it gave us tight twisties and giant sweepers, nonstop! It was hard not to look at it because it was so beautiful, but of course you couldn’t look much. You had to just give a quick head turn straight there and immediately back, and a longer glimpse on the straightaways. The best thing was to just be satisfied with knowing it was there and feeling it, which was easy, since it was so big and powerfully present. We were absolutely WOWed by the scenery and sport of the roads.
We stopped to lunch at Quincy. Our roommate, Debbie, (enjoying ice cream above) used to live, and still rides regularly, in over this area, so she took us to her favorite, the Morning Thunder Café, for lunch. Delicious and funky. Sprout garnishes. We began to realize that in California they pretty much garnish everything with almost a whole avocado! Great to have a healthy meal after so many interstate meals.
Every lunch stop, plus evenings after dinner, we have a Medallion Pass ceremony. This is where a new group of riders carries the four parts of the medallion--the Survivor Horseshoe shaped medallion, the Ring of Memory, the Horseshoe for the Future and the Heart Medallion. The heart medallion rider also carries a pony express style leather bag with the ashes of the two people honored in this years ride. Also in it, they carry a tiny Tshirt, symbolizing the hope that the young people that fit into that Tshirt will never have to be touched by breast cancer. Each new carrier of the Medallion gets to express in the ceremony to everyone why they are riding and/or whom they are honoring or remembering.
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