Sunday, February 13, 2011

Hit or Miss - A weekend in Fernley.

1. Hit or Miss?

    The initial plan was to ride to Middlegate Shoe Tree stump a day before the memorial (and avoid the crowds - I hate crowds), eat some Western Bacon Cheeseburgers and hang out in Fernley for the night. I contacted Brian R. and he suggested something else, which "blew" the initial plans away!

Verdict? Hit or Miss? To be declared later..


2. Hit or Miss?

    Hycle contacted me Thursday evening about riding with me on Saturday morning to Carson City. Late Friday night I get a PM from him on the forum - he has to work and can't make it. I was looking forward to seeing Hycle Mycle and was disappointed he wouldn't be joining me, but I understand - new job, gotta keep the new boss man happy!
    I had also text invited Feeger, but he wasn't feeling well and had told me to check my messages in the morning before I left - no message from him meaning he was sleeping in. I checked before I geared up. No messages - this was going to be a solo ride.

Verdict? Hit or Miss? I would say Miss, because I missed out on their company.

I had created a route on foot hill roads to Pollock Pines. Essentially, Latrobe to Hwy 16, to Shenandoah Road, to Mt Aukum Road, to Sly Park Road and then catch Hwy 50 from there.
I started off about the time I was going to meet Hycle, it was a beautiful sunny morning and on an open stretch of the road, riding towards the Amador county vineyards, I spotted something colorful far in the distance..



If you couldn't figure out what I was talking about in the picture above, and I don't blame ya! Here is the next shot @ 8x zoom..



A very smart gal once told me that when you are out in the wine country and you see the balloons soaring, it is a sign that the economy is soaring as well. Although, In this case - there is just one balloon, regardless,  here is to hoping that we are gearing up to soar again!

3. Hit or Miss?

    Jerry had pointed me to the IBA photo tag game on Facebook. The current tag was to capture a photo of you bike and a body of water plus a bridge or beach. I was having a blast running on Sly Park road with little to no traffic when I spied this bridge as I blew past, so I turned around hoping this would be the photo tag that I can post for the game. Alas, unbeknownst to me around this same time Riel from South Africa was posting his tag picture on Facebook, I think he had a few hours head start  

Verdict? Hit or MissMiss for me, but the picture Riel posted is absolutely gorgeous, and very deserving of the win, so a BIG HIT for viewing pleasure!

My photo tag miss..



It is a nice looking bridge..



Riel's fantastic photo tag for the win! 

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Rode onwards to Hwy 50 - this shot just after Twin Bridges, as you can see not much snow left after a 6 week dry spell. 



Little more snow on the north faces, but still - not much.



Riding through Echo Summit and the view opens up to Lake Tahoe. This view always makes me smile!



Refer to #3 above. This was supposed to be the next photo challenge after tagging the current challenge in the photo tag game. I was going to make someone ride to a ski resort and take a picture of their bike in front of a ski run. It was not to be - but the game continues..

One of the ski runs of Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe.



On the way back from Heavenly Resort, I stopped at the Tahoe Queen - the initial thought in my mind was to have another option for the next tag. Namely, your bike in front of a paddle wheeler. Although, I changed my mind when I got there.

Nevertheless, here is a hurried picture of the Tahoe Queen..





Riding on towards Fernley, Hwy 50 was clear and dry and hardly any traffic at all, for the middle of February this was just fantastical!

A familiar tunnel - had I mentioned before that I love tunnels?



After the Hwy 28 split off - Hwy 50 has some really fun sweepers and as you descend towards Carson City - you are also greeted by some vista's of the valley on the eastern side of the Sierra's.



It was a quick ride from Carson City to Alt 95 leading to Fernley. On Alt 95 however, I noticed something very peculiar...
Someone please inform this hippie that it is a long long ways to Burning man 2011!



Finally at the Fernley Clubhouse and Resort - where the King of Fernley reigns Supreme. However, the ruler of all hearts and who pulls everyone's heartstrings is the little Prince of Fernley! He loves to give kisses too!




Change of gears again...refer to #1 above. This was the alternate plan - raid the King of Fernley's armory and give back to the earth, the lead that we took from it! 


Setting up our own little firing range in the middle of nowhere..





The arsenal...by the time we were done all that ammo sitting in front of the guns was all gone!





Not posting the King's shot groupings - but here is mine. The King decreed - not bad, not bad at all...





Well, this is ONE way to dig a trench.. (this was what was happening behind the target)


On our return to the clubhouse, we ate, we drank and we were merry! 


Verdict? #1? Hit or Miss? BIG FRACKING HIT! HELL YEA! Never a dull moment at the Fernley Clubhouse! 

#4 Hit or Miss

The next day we met Reno John and his sweet little daughter Grace for Champagne Brunch in Reno. It was a great time hanging out and B.S'ing and once again eating swine and drinking champagne and being merry! Good seeing you RJ, we still need to do that ride sometime!

Verdict? Hit or MissHIT! Always a hit hanging out with Reno John!

#5 Hit or Miss

I was supposed to hook up with Jerry for the ride back home westward across the Sierra's. Jerry had actually gone to the Middlegate Shoe Tree Memorial. However, it was 1pm in the afternoon and Brian noticed some clouds floating into Fernley from the North. He decreed it was time for scoot back home and an hour later I was riding back west..

Verdict? Hit or MissMiss. It would have been fun meeting Jerry again and riding with him. Jerry, I still owe you the foothill tour - whenever you can get away to spend the day riding the Sierra foothills near Folsom, let me know!

Nothing too adventurous on the trip home - slabbed it on I-80. 


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Reached Folsom safe and sound and took a slight detour north of the American River, for the last photo op of the day.

The new and the old - the new Folsom Bridge in the foreground and the historic Folsom Bridge in the background..

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A closer look at the old Folsom Bridge..

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Thanks for reading, ladies and gentlemen. Always a pleasure relating my stories to you!

Ciao! 

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