OC Rider: Cruisin' In Southern California

The California Tour: Sonora, CA

Sonora California

Day 5 of The California Tour ended in Sonora, CA. around 7:30 PM. Before I tell you about Sonora let's review the days ride:

I started out from my friend Jeff Ross's house in Roseville nestled between Sacramento and Lincoln around 8:30. I took Hwy 65 north to Hwy 20 east through Marysville, Penn Valley and Grass Valley. In Grass Valley I hit Hwy 49 South through Auburn, Placerville, Jackson, Angels Camp and ended the day in Sonora. 

I had travelled many miles but in reality I wasn't all that far from my starting point had I taken a direct route which of course was totally out of the question.

The map below shows the day's full route:

 

 

The Sonora Gold Lodge

So let's quickly talk about the Sonora Gold Lodge. If you're lookin' for The Ritz this ain't it. It was rustic which is code for old & beat up.  It was out of the way: a few miles off of Hwy 49 and away from downtown. The $49 per night price was right and I thought rather poetic since I had been reliving the rich history of Hwy 49 all day. In other words it was exactly the kind of place I was looking for.

The sleeping area and the bathroom were clean, the TV was small but it worked and the bed was comfortable. Plus they had Wi-Fi!

I unpacked, took a shower, checked my email while I ate my sandwich and was fast asleep by 10.

The next morning I slept in, 8AM. Late for me but day 5 had been a long one. My room had a little coffee maker which was cool and tided me over until I could find the local Starbucks. Also The Sonora Gold Lodge served a continental breakfast which featured fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, juice and coffee. I grabbed a couple cinnamon rolls, a couple bananas (for the road) and more coffee.

Online the place doesn't get very good reviews but all in all I had no complaints.

These shots show the view from my room which included a big old locomotive from The Sugar Pine Railroad, a very cool old pink house and of course my Honda Shadow packed and ready for the day ahead.

    

 

The City Of Sonora California

In 1848, miners from Sonora, Mexico, found gold here and established a camp. Sonora became known as the "Queen of the Southern Mines" and was the biggest town in the Mother Lode. Sonora is one of the oldest cities in California. It was incorporated on May 1, 1851. It is the county seat of Tuolumne County.

The "Great Fire" of 1852 damaged or burned down every building on Washington Street, the main drag of the town. Some stone exteriors from the subsequent reconstruction are still around.

On this Monday morning Sonora was bustling. Here are a few shots of Washington Street:

  

   

St. James Episcopal Church: The Little Red Church

St. James Episcopal Church, often referred to as the “Little Red Church,” built between 1859 & 1860 is one of the oldest churches in California. It's certainly one of the biggest tourists draws in Sonora and standing in front of it I could see why. Unfortunately I didn't go inside but again from the outside it was very impressive and while these shots are pretty good I don't thing they really do the place justice.

   

 

I rode through many of the back streets branching off from Washington St. Honestly the entire town was like a living, breathing museum. I could easily have spent the whole day just wandering the town but as I've said many times this was all about the ride so I hopped back onto Hwy 49 south.

As it turns out this was going to be one of my shorter days, mileage wise at least. I was heading for Bass Lake and the town of Oakhurst. But just like the miles of Hwy 49 that were already behind me the road ahead was filled with history and incredible landscapes. More in my next posts...

The California Tour: Jackson To Sonora, CA

I just re-read some of my previous posts and one word comes to mind: Sensory Overload. The rest of what I'm gonna write and what you will hopefully read isn't going to be much different. I'm quite positive that there are many place in this great country of ours equally filled with the kind of splendor that I experienced on my California Tour but my God how did all this beauty get packed into such a small stretch of highway. Well, small when you consider the grand scheme of things. 

And with that opening I'll tell you how this, my 5th day on the road ended.

It was now almost 4PM and I was still in Jackson. Checking my map the next "big" town on Hwy 49 was Sonora and looked to be about 50 miles south so I hopped on the old Honda Shadow 750 and rolled on.

Now remember Hwy 49 is not a big slab of cement like the I-5. It's a two lane road that twist, turns, rises and falls as the landscape dictates. I had no illusion that I'd be in Sonora in an hour. The fact is I didn't roll into Sonora until sometime after 7PM. but I had lots of good reasons for that. Here are just a couple of the distractions that kept me entertained as I headed down the road:

   

I don't know about you but I just can't haul ass down a road like this without taking the time to enjoy the surroundings. The scenery was so incredible there were times I found myself going no faster than 20 MPH all the while gasping to myself, "Holy Shit!"

Here are few more of the "magical" distractions I found on my way down to Sonora:

Carson Hill

Carson Hill is located about five or six miles north of Angles Camp (more about Angles Camp in a second). Today Carson Hill is nothing more than a blimp on the map. In fact Wikipedia calls it a ghost town. That's not too far off from the truth as I didn't see one single person or car as I rolled through. But at one time Carson Hill was a hot spot of the Gold Rush. It was one of the most productive mining camps in the state. The Morgan Mine was one of the richest mines in the area, so much so that the miners didn't even have to dig. They would simply blow up a vein and collect the pieces of gold that were strewn about the land. The mine was also where one of the largest nuggets in the state was discovered, a 214 pound block of gold that was worth $43,000 at the time.

The image on the right is what's left of the Morgan Mine.

   

Robinson's Ferry

Just about six miles south of Angles Camp I rounded a left hand corner and was again met with a view I had a hard time believing was real. There on the left hand side of the road was a turn out and a historical marker immortalizing Robinson's Ferry.

On August 13, 1850 John Robinson and Stephen Mead were licensed by the Court of Sessions of Calaveras County to maintain a ferry on the Stanislaus River and here I was 159 years later standing in that very spot! Here's a picture of the plaque:

 

Here's the view of the bridge and the Stanislaus River from the turn out:

   

Angels Camp, Jackass Hill & Mark Twain

In 1848 Henry Angel, a shopkeeper from Rhode Island, opened a trading post after deciding this would be a more profitable use of his time than digging for gold, thus founding the town of Angels Camp. At one point in Angels Camp's early history there were as many as 4,000 miners working the claims. As with all the extraordinary towns along Historic Hwy 49, Angels Camp has many stories of pioneers striking it rich but Angels Camp has a bit of history that goes even beyond the Gold Rush stories of early California.

Just after crossing the bridge at Robinson's Ferry I noticed another historical marker that said Mark Twain's Cabin next to a road sign that said Jackass Hill. Obviously this was not something I was gonna pass up. 

I hung a quick u-turn and headed up Jackass Hill. It was a narrow rocky, dirt road about a mile long but I'll be damned if at the end of the road directly in front of me was Mark Twains cabin. Now the whole Mark Twain story in Calaveras county is just too long for this venue so I'll give you a bit of the history and let the images do the rest of the talking but let me again tell you. Standing in the very spot where one of the most famous authors in the world had also stood, had more than just a magical effect on me. It was another one of the many truly spiritual experiences that this California Tour provided me. 

So here's just a little of the history of Mark Twain and Jackass Hill:

Mark Twain lived in this cabin on Jackass Hill in 1864-1865, when he was unemployed and trying his hand at gold mining. But as winter turned bitter he spent more and more time at the saloon in the Angels Hotel. It was there, on a cold February night in 1865, that Samuel Clemens first heard the tale of the jumping frog from bartender Ben Coon. He hiked back to his cabin and wrote his version of the fable -- "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." The story that launched his literary career. The cabin burned, but was rebuilt in 1922 with the original chimney and fireplace.

Here is the plaque that sits just out side of Mark Twain's Cabin:

 

The inscription reads:

Stopping place of packers carrying supplies to miners. Often 200 jackasses on hill over night furnishing concert suggesting name “Jackass Hill”. Very coarse gold found here. $10,000 taken from 100 square feed of ground. Quartz found containing 3/4 of total weight in gold. Mark Twain, Steve, Jim and Bill Gilis and Dick Stoker, the “Dick Baker” in “Roughing it”, were cronies. Mark wrote here “Jumping Frog of Calaveras” from notes made at Angels Camp Tavern.

Here is the cabin and the view that Mark had of the Stanislaus River from his cabin:

  

 

Here is a view of the grounds, and look there really is a jackass on Jackass Hill, please no comments about there being more than one, I get it...

  

 This had been a long day. Remember I started in Lincoln just outside of Sacramento and was now well into the Gold Country on Hwy 49. 

As I said earlier it was almost 7PM when I rolled into Sonora and checked into the Sonora Gold Lodge. I grabbed a Subway sandwich and hit the sack. I decided to get some rest before exploring Sonora itself. I'll tell you about that in my next post.

 

I grabbed a Subway sandwich and hit the sack. I decided to get some rest before exploring Sonora itself. I'll tell you about Sonora in my next post.

The Route

While a lot happened between Jackson and Sonora the route was simple. I stayed on Hwy 49 south. Also know as the Mark Twain Bret Harte Trail.

 

The California Tour: Placerville To Jackson

Placerville is a hip little town but as I said earlier it was hot and crowded with tourists and while I was glad I stopped I was equally glad to head out of town and back onto the solitude of Hwy 49. It was amazing; just two or three miles out of town I was again virtually all alone cruising down Hwy 49 south. I did pass an occasional car or motorcycle but they were few and far between.

I was surrounded by lush green rolling hills, running creeks and neon blue sky. This is why I took this road. Here's a view of the scenery I enjoyed for the next few hours:

  

  

About 20 miles south of Placerville I came across the turn offs for Amador City then Sutter Creek. Amador City was about four miles off of Hwy 49 and Sutter City was about two miles off the main road. I didn't stop at either of these towns. I was having too much fun simply cruising down 49. Plus I wasn't sure where I was going to spend the night. Initially I thought I'd end my day in Jackson which I estimated was about another hour down the road. I took these quick shots as I rolled past the turn offs and continued on to Jackson.

  

Jackson, California

Jackson was amazing. The town is a whopping 3.5 square miles and was founded in 1848 during the gold rush. Jackson had two distinct sections. The old historic section which is pictured below and the newer modern section which I chose not to photograph. 

Here's an fact that I found quite telling. In 1850 the population of Jackson was 1500. In 2000 the population was 4000. Talk about a well kept secret, Jackson really is one. I ended up spending almost two hours there. First I hit a brand new Von's market that had air conditioning and a Starbucks. I had a big cup of coffee and a banana. Then I headed over to the historic district, walked the streets and took some pictures. I really fell in love with this town. It now ranks high on my list of places that when and if the time comes I'll disappear to. 

The first shot below is a view of the cemetery and historic district as seen from a small side road just off of Hwy 49. The rest of the shots are from inside the historic district.

   

  

Click this link to see exactly where this incredible little town is located

It was a tough decision and as much as I loved Jackson I decided to keep rolling and set my sites on Sonora as my final destination for the day. I'm glad I did because along the way I was treated to even more incredible sites. More about those in my next post.

The Route

Placerville through Plymouth, Amador City, Sutter Creek to Jackson, California

 

The California Tour: Auburn to Placerville

I hit Hwy 49 in Grass Valley but I didn't stop. My head was still reeling from Hwy 20 so I rolled on down through Auburn, Coloma and Placerville.

Having grown up in Sacramento I was quite familiar with these little towns but I had not visited them in decades, no matter though because as I rolled into Auburn I got the distinct feeling that this place had not changed in many, many years. Auburn was like a movie set. It was real but only because "they" told me it was was real. It sure didn't feel real.

The American River

Just past Auburn came one of the most spectacular views of the entire trip, a pretty big statement when you consider that just about every corner I turned was even more incredible than the one before. But this one was a memory maker: Crossing the North Fork of the American River. Just outside of Cool, CA. This was part of the same route I had taken the day before on my Victory Ride.

As a kid the American River was a huge part of my life especially during the long hot Sacramento summers. On this day the heat was exceptionally high for early April closing in on the triple digit mark and the river was a glorious site. Needless to say childhood memories came flooding back. I stopped for about 15 minutes and let it all soak in. I'll let these pictures speak for themselves...

   

Coloma & Sutter's Mill

Having stopped in Cool just the day before I rode on through and hung a left at the town's one and only stop light which kept me heading south on Hwy 49. A few miles down the road I was rolling into Coloma and Sutter's Mill. If you grew up in Northern California nearly every grammar school class takes a field trip to Coloma the site of the first discovery of gold in California and the beginning of the California Gold Rush. For you history buffs the date that gold was discovered was January 24, 1848. I love California history but this is not a history blog. Visit Coloma.com, a great site with all the details.

Coloma itself like a lot of these old gold towns is just a small stop on an even smaller stretch of the road. It was still hotter than hell and getting hotter so I pulled over and snapped a few shots then headed to Sutter's Mill just a few miles down the road.

Coloma:

  

 

Sutter's Mill

Sutter's Mill while mostly restored was still awe inspiring. I looked around imagining what it must have been like for those guys dreaming of finding their fortunes. Some of them of course did. Most did not. And even though it had been over 100 years, to me it felt like they were all still right there.

  

   

Placerville

Placerville is a huge tourist town filled with history. It has been virtually completely resorted to look like it did during it's glory days of the Gold Rush. This day the town was bustling with tourist and the street were jammed. I rolled up and down the main drag a few times, took some pictures then continued south.

I know I keep bitching about the heat but Christ is was 103 when I rolled into Placerville and I could feel it.

  

  

I sucked down a banana and a big ass bottle of water (my two favorite road snacks) then continued south. Placerville was cool but I knew that there were smaller less visited sites ahead and I was eager to get to them. Check out the next entries.

The Route

 

The California Tour: Highway 49 South

The Yin and The Yang

Yin yang transform each other. Like an undertow in the ocean, every advance is complemented by a retreat, and every rise transforms into a fall. Thus, a seed will sprout from the earth and grow upwards towards the sky - an intrinsically yang movement. Then when it reaches its full height, it will begin to weaken, and eventually will fall back to the earth in decay - an intrinsically yin movement. Yin always contains the potential for yang, and yang for yin. My California tour was a living example of Yin Yang.

Before I continue let me clarify a couple of things. First, from the moment I bought my Honda Shadow this trip was on. I didn't know the details, the exact route or any of the particulars but in my head I knew I was taking this trip.

Second, riding up Hwy 1 was a breathtaking experience but Hwy 49 and the Gold Country were always my goal. As I mentioned before I'm not a big beach town guy. A fact that's kind of strange considering the fact that I live in a small beach town.

Dana Point is a great but having grown up in Northern California (Sacramento) and having lived in Sonoma, Napa, Santa Rosa and other Northern California counties my heart has always been in Northern California.

If it were a perfect world and I could have everything I ever wanted, I'd live in a tiny northern town very much like the ones I'm about to describe. As I rolled down Hwy 49 from Grass Valley into Oakhurst, just outside of Yosemite I either bought or built my dream house at least three dozen times. I saw my wood burning stove. I sat at the local cafe drinking coffee with my mountain neighbors. I cleared the snow from the walk to make my way down to the mailbox - Something I decided I'd only do once a week. I napped in the sun near the stream that ran past my door. I even died quietly and happily in my bed, nestled in a big down comforter.

The California coast is majestic and powerful indeed. But for me the serenity and ancient wisdom of the Sierra Foothills are beyond compare.

I've broken down my Hwy 49 experiences into the towns and places I saw. Rather than cram a bunch of information into one long post. These amazing places each deserve a section of their own. Each one has a unique and powerful story. You'll read about Placerville, Sutter's Mill, Coloma, Jackson, Sonora and Chinese Camp; the first real Ghost Town I've visited.

I hope that my words can come close to describing what it was like to be a part of these places.