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The October tour will be going northeast of Fresno near Pine Flat Lake. We will be staying below the west end of the lake at Choinumni, a delightfully scenic Parks and Recreation campground set on the lower Kings River.
The tour will leave the International House of Pancakes in Livermore at eight (yes, eight) a.m. and arrive at the campground about an hour before the 5 p.m. meeting .The address for the morning departure is 4567 First Street. It is easily found on the south side of I-580 just off the First Street exit.
Starting from the I-HOP, we will head out 580 W. and take 205 to I-5 S. After stopping for a top-off and break at near Patterson we will be cutting north a few miles and picking up Rd J16 above Turlock for the trip across the central valley to Mariposa. Once in the foothills we will head out Hornitos Rd, take it to Old Toll house Road which leads us to Rt 49 and into town.
We plan an early lunch in Mariposa about 11:15am. The Happy Burger Restaurant in “butterfly town” boasts the largest menu in the area and is probably the only place around where you can get buffalo or ostrich burgers.
Back on the road for one half hour we will stop for gas again in Oakhurst and then set out for a great ride on some of the most scenic roads west of the Sierras. We will take 41 N briefly to Rd 222 near Yosemite Forks where we will cut south to pick up Mallium Ridge Road for the trip around and above the east shore of Bass Lake .We will take a series of backroads to Trimmer Springs Rd at Pine Lake.
The campground is on Pine Lake Rd, just south of Trimmer Springs at the town of Piedra.
The campground is large and we have reserved the group camping area for our exclusive use. As you pass the park kiosk on the way in, take the road that comes in from the left. Traveling a short ways down this road you will find yourself at the group site, located to your left.
Gas and beverages are available close to the campground. Dinner will be at Il Giardino, formerly known as Italian Garden, in the town of Sanger about 17 miles to the southwest.
I let you off easy in September. We will be doing more mileage on this trip -about 215 plus the dinner run. The roads, especially the last 70 miles, will command your full attention. Some are in semi-remote areas with no telephones or cellular service. Alternate / bail-out routing will be available for this part of the ride upon request. Please show up well rested, on mechanically sound machinery, in appropriate riding gear. You do check your tire pressures regularly, don’t you?
Fresno-area member Don McClelland, who grew up in the region, will be a guest historian at the club meeting. There you will find out why the San Joaquin is called the hardest working river in the world and learn where and why in the county of Fresno water flows uphill.
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