# Sierra Valley Highway 49 Country



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Well, I have no hope of competing with the absolutely incredible European and North African posts that are here this week, but I haven't posted in a long while (work and travel are consuming my life and I don't get to take my bike ) so I thought I'd post my pre-4th of July ride. The ride was north Central California in the Sierra Valley where Highway 49 (the old gold route) finally comes to its northern end. I have a tendency to stay in the Sierras around my house and have really neglected the Sierra Valley area and now I'm really wishing I had ridden this area more often. It's an hour north of Reno, Nevada at about 5,000 starting altitude. We started in Sierraville but could have just as easily started in Doyle to add 26 miles to the ride to make it a century. As it was, we ended up with less than 75 miles. Sierraville and Doyle are left over logging and ranching towns. The logging has slowed down immensely so the towns are just kind of hanging on. It's still a great place to visit and walk or ride around. The Mexican restaurant on the corner of Highways 89 and 49 is great and has a very nice bar and food (last pics). 

Anyway, this ride is highly recommended to anyone travelling in the area. Traffic was very light, the ride is incredibly scenic, there are some great passes to climb over, and there's plenty of places to grab food or water if needed. Here's a link to the ride: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Sierraville-Gold-Lakes-Loop

Starting out from Sierraville you head north on Highway 49/89 to the minitown of Sattley. To avoid the traffic we headed off on county route A23 which headed straight north to Highway 70. From here it is only a short run down to the railroad town of Portola. I've got a friend who runs trains out of this town. He really likes the place. The flags were a hint of what we would be facing on our first big climb.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Continuing on From Portola*

Out of Portola we climbed up and over the little hills of County Route A15. Lots of great views of the old train tressels (sp?) and big meadows. We dropped back down onto Highway 89 and road towards the town of Graeagle. If you're into golfing, this place is great. You can stay a week and both bike and golf til your heart is content. Great stuff. But, just before the town we turned south and started climbing the Gold Lakes Highway. And what a climb it was. Something like 2500' without let up. Just one continous grade about 8 miles long. But boy are the views great.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*On Down to Bassets Station*

The descent from the top of Gold Lakes was a blast. You scream down the mountains with almost no traffic to worry about. The Downieville/Sierra Buttes are your constant companion and make for great pictures (IMO ). The highway reconnects with Highway 49 just east of Downieville at Bassets Station. We stopped for lunch and then headed up the other side back towards the Sierra Valley. After the descent we got back on 49/89 and rode back into Sierraville.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Once Back Into Sierraville*

Once back in Sierraville we got dinner at the little Mexican Restaurant and rehydrated with some Sierra Pale Ale. Good way to end the day.


----------



## undies (Oct 13, 2005)

Ridgetop said:


> Well, I have no hope of competing with the absolutely incredible European and North African posts that are here this week


Nonsense! We can never have too many great ride reports here. Your pics make me miss the Sierras. :thumbsup:


----------



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Ridgetop said:


> ....The flags were a hint of what we would be facing on our first big climb.


Oh my, that IS a nasty sight. OTOH since I wasn't riding into that wind it sure makes for some beautiful pix! 

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


----------



## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

great post - would love to ride with that scenery and Mexican food at the end


----------



## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

great scenery, bikes, beer, and food......how could this thread _not_ compete?


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Good pics, RT*

Those are great roads up there, and terrific views. I'm from Reno originally, and still have lots of family there. A couple of times in the 90's I did an MS 150 ride up there with my brother and some of his buddies. The first day started at Hallelujah Junction (395 and 70), went over the pass to Chilcoot and looped around the Sierra Valley through Loyalton and Sierraville, lunch stop at Graeagle, then over Beckwourth Pass to the overnight at Quincy. The second day had more climbs, and ended at Susanville, whence they bussed us back to Hallelujah. 

I have especially fond memories of capping off the ride with a couple (or so) Picon punches at the Basque bar at the St. Francis Hotel in Susanville. One year a friend of my brother who didn't drink much was persuaded to try the drink when we told him it really didn't have much alcohol. An old guy at the other end of the bar, overhearing us, muttered, "Them things'll make you hunt bear with a switch."


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Picon punches will knock you flat if you aren't careful. I've never gotten used to the flavor but try them out at the Basque bars anyhow. That sounds like a cool ride up to Susanville. I've been told if you feel tough riding from Quincy up to Susanville, back down 395, and then back to Quincy via a route similar to what I did is pretty awesome. You just have to plan on overnight credit carding it somewhere unless you're really tough.


----------



## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Really tough, indeed.*



Ridgetop said:


> Picon punches will knock you flat if you aren't careful. I've never gotten used to the flavor but try them out at the Basque bars anyhow. That sounds like a cool ride up to Susanville. I've been told if you feel tough riding from Quincy up to Susanville, back down 395, and then back to Quincy via a route similar to what I did is pretty awesome. You just have to plan on overnight credit carding it somewhere unless you're really tough.


Even to do it in 2 days. That's got to be over 200 miles, and a whole lot of climbing, not to mention 60 miles of pretty busy highway on 395.

I love Picons. Gotta get back out there sometime soon and go eat at Louie's Basque Corner in Reno.


----------



## balzaccom (Oct 11, 2006)

Ha! I was just up at Gold Lakes camping with my company, and did some of that ride out of one of the campgrounds there. And yeah--the scenery is actually MORE beautiful than those photos show. IF you look carefully at the top of the crags of the Sierra Buttes ( those stunning mountains) you'll see us waving. That was a great climb...although on foot, not on a road bike !

PW


----------

