Mines Road mile 17, Delvalle Park, Palomares
Did a great 150 mile joyride today.
I went down Palomares Canyon after the 100+ turns on Redwood and stopped by two wineries for pics. A guy who worked at one that was closed was really nice and walked down to the gate and chatted me up for a bit and told me about their September black and white horror movie tradition there. Hoping to catch one this year.
Rode down to Calavares and had intended to do that road, but it turns out it’s closed for the next 18 months M-F for work on the dam. So had to double back and rack my brain where to go ride. I remembered a wrong turn once over a short stunningly beautiful pass and then back down to a park.
I finally figured it was a wrong turn off Mines Road and headed over that way up 84. Sheesh the commuter hour traffic was awful although I enjoyed bobbing and weaving behind a standard adventure bike.
Finally got onto Mines around away from the crazies, and was loving it.
Delvalle park was late enough to drive right into and check it out. West Beach area seems nice to return to one day for a BBQ / swim.
Then I rode back to the Mines Road turnoff and up that beautiful road to mile marker 17.
mile 17 marker where I turned back around:
I was battling time and fuel. My tank was on ‘E’ and I was 12 miles past switching to reserve when I turned back towards Livermore.
At one point I was so worried about fuel and making my night flight that I shut off the motor and coasted a couple miles down the pass. I made it to downtown Livermore and filled up.
Then I got asked to work another day out west… so I wound up not taking that flight after all!
Was getting cold anyway, and a cold ride back to Oakland awaited me. I picked up Champa Gardens take out for 3 of us and stashed it in my tank bag and brought it up the hill.
Mines Road really charmed me today. I’m going to spend a bunch more time riding that road now.
I did have one slide on the way out – which was pretty ridiculous as I was putt-putting along going slow to conserve fuel.
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