I started riding motorcycles in California shortly after the turn of the millennium. I’ve wanted to ride bikes since well, what seemed like forever. Year after year, my parents always said, “When you’re off the payroll,” which meant after my schooling was finished. I remember driving across the country with a wad of cash in my pocket, looking to find that first bike. Some 200,000 miles later, I’m still loving riding my bike all over California. This summer, I’ve been embracing that love for riding even more. I’ve had many 1,000 mile weekends traveling to all sorts of places.

I stumbled into Pashnit’s world in the mid-2000s learning of his website: https://www.pashnit.com/. I particularly enjoy the California Motorcycle Roads section. It details many of the two-wheeled treasures we have here in the state. Here was someone who loved to write about riding and roads as much as I did. His written work has taken me on adventures like Nacimiento-Fergusson that I wouldn’t have easily found on my own. I’d browse the site looking for places to go like Highway 96 or the recent love affair with Bald Hills Road.

Pashnit launched his motorcycle touring company in 2004. My young self remembers thinking, “Why would you go on a tour when you can just read the motorcycle forums and go on your own?” As his presence grew, his team organized a few camping rallies out in the Sierras – which were kick-ass to attend. These events brought many of his online community together to meet in person.

Twenty years after his launch, I went on the Spring Fling. I just showed up and rode. The ride lead planned all the hotels, gas stops, and meals. It was nice not to have to be in charge of everything. I simply brought my bike and rode. I finally understood Pashnit’s value proposition. I got to see Pashnit in person again: “Hey Tim, it’s nice to see you!”

So this year I was in for the Trinity Alps – an area of California I’d not ridden in a long time. We’d be deep in the backcountry riding roads that most of the state didn’t even know existed much less ridden. Tim’s got over 100,000 miles on me, and the depth of the roads he knows about is mind-blowing. I think of myself as a moto-gazetteer, but Tim brings it to a different level of depth.

How does that depth show up? Quaternary roads, I tell you. We all know the primaries – US 101, I-80 and even some of the more interesting ones like US-50. A good portion of us know the secondaries – pick your favorite signed state highway – 1, 88 108, 96, 46. We got a lot of good secondary squiggles here. The gold star tourers start showing up when we get to tertiary roads. They bring gems like Sherman Pass Road and Everitt Memorial Highway. Others include the Mormon Emigrant Trail, Santa Rosa Creek Road, and The Lost Coast. And then there’s Tim. He’s the guy who takes you far into the country. He chooses roads like Zenia Bluff Road that are more forgotten than remembered. These are the treasures that show a unique part of California that most don’t get to see.

We squiggled across miles of blacktop (and some dirt), of all types in all sorts of ways. I knew most roads, but a few tossed in were new to me.

Day two started in the town of Weed, just north of the Mount Shasta Volcano. We spent the morning on a set of decidedly volcanic tertiary roads. These roads were mainly new to me. They snaked through Northern California’s farming and ranching communities in this part of the state. We stopped along the Scott River – one of 6 Wild and Scenic Rivers in the State.

I carried a little love forward from the BARF Rally. BARF is the local stronghold for the moto community. As I’ve mentioned before, I want to see it grow and stick around for the long haul. Budman, the admin of BARF, gave me a free front brake reservoir designer scrunchie. It was going to (awkwardly) fit on the non-circular brake reservoir. And yes Felicia, we are way out there on those tertiary roads. This one is known as 7F01, way out in Siskiyou county.

I broke from the group after lunch. A rodeo acquaintance of mine relocated from the bay area. He moved to one of the communities off Highway 96 in the very northern part of the state. Since the group ride was so close to his ranch, I wanted to stop by.

Riding the motorcycle is only part of touring. It’s the exploring that makes up the joy in the journey. Seeing a buddy I’d not seen in a long time, learning about his new life, and more about the community he lives in brings the experience of touring to a whole new level.

I’d ridden 96 a few times in the past. The road is orgasmic and, in my opinion, better than Highway 36, famously known for its 140 miles of turns. However, I only knew 96 for it’s pavement and visual experience at speed. I didn’t have an entrance to slow down, meet those in this community, and learn about the opportunities and challenges here. These indigenous and small town communities aren’t well down to the larger cities down south.

It was fantastic to spend the time here.

96 was as awesome as he always is – broad shouldered across the state with honest, high speed sweepers. When I think of the Trinity Alps, I often think of places like Forks of Salmon and Sawyers Bar. This year’s tour was a circumference of the Trinity Alps. Next year’s tour gets into the heart of the Alps.

The ride down to Fortuna was a continuation of honest, high-speed sweepers along Highway 299. At this point in the ride, the day was getting away from me. I shifted into time and miles mode to meet the rest of the riders at Eel River Brewery. The food is always rock solid here and tonight didn’t disappoint.

Sunday was left to our own devices. Some did the Lost Coast, others bolted to the Bay Area or wherever they were headed. I slept in a bit. Then, I took the freeway back. I was headed to Canada in the truck the following day.

When I got home I realized it was time for another bike service! Wow! I just got the bike from service. That 6,000 miles went quickly!

From one adventure to the next!