2025 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa
pashnit
Donating Member
Riders meeting before every ride
This is a big group. We've got 15 bikes on this ride.
While these motorcycle tours are 95% repeat business, and you'll often see the same faces on these tours, always exciting to get new riders, and we were pleased to welcome Greg & Daniel to our family. We'll be seeing more of these two. As soon as Greg got back from this ride, he signed up for another.
This is a big group. We've got 15 bikes on this ride.
While these motorcycle tours are 95% repeat business, and you'll often see the same faces on these tours, always exciting to get new riders, and we were pleased to welcome Greg & Daniel to our family. We'll be seeing more of these two. As soon as Greg got back from this ride, he signed up for another.
pashnit
Donating Member
It’s takes a full day of riding to reach Death Valley, at least, that’s the way I planned this latest ride.
The first task is ride up and over the Sierra Nevada Range to reach Death Valley which is simply a mountain valley along the CA-NV border.
But heavy spring rains the day before the ride kept our ride region not only wet, but with snow on the ground at the 3000 ft level in the Sierra Foothills, and an unlikely possibility to get over Highway 155 Greenhorn Pass which bumps over 6100 ft.
Old Stage Rd, as in, this used to be the stagecoach route.
The first task is ride up and over the Sierra Nevada Range to reach Death Valley which is simply a mountain valley along the CA-NV border.
But heavy spring rains the day before the ride kept our ride region not only wet, but with snow on the ground at the 3000 ft level in the Sierra Foothills, and an unlikely possibility to get over Highway 155 Greenhorn Pass which bumps over 6100 ft.
Old Stage Rd, as in, this used to be the stagecoach route.
pashnit
Donating Member
Open range, means exactly that, cows standing in our road.
Wait, what? What's this white stuff?
But this is what good luck looks like. The falling snow at the 3200 ft level was yesterday.
The original plan was to ride over those mountains over there in the distance. Our plans quickly changed.
The simple solution was to bump south to the Kern River Canyon to reach Highway 178- Walker Summit at 5200 ft. 1000 feet makes all the difference.
Why is elevation so important for planning rides? It’s March in California. Yes, we can ride year-round, but the rules change if you go up in elevation and snow levels dropping to 3000 ft can be the norm. It melts quickly though.
Wait, what? What's this white stuff?
But this is what good luck looks like. The falling snow at the 3200 ft level was yesterday.
The original plan was to ride over those mountains over there in the distance. Our plans quickly changed.
The simple solution was to bump south to the Kern River Canyon to reach Highway 178- Walker Summit at 5200 ft. 1000 feet makes all the difference.
Why is elevation so important for planning rides? It’s March in California. Yes, we can ride year-round, but the rules change if you go up in elevation and snow levels dropping to 3000 ft can be the norm. It melts quickly though.
pashnit
Donating Member
The peaks in the distance made the decision to not attempt to ride over Highway 155-Greenhorn Summit at 6100 ft. That route is shorter and we've made it over the Greenhorn Summit in previous years in March. While that's a low summit, and the road would be plowed, they don't salt roads in California, they dump sand on them instead.
And bikes don't stick to sand very well on twisty mountain roads.
Mike has 8 bikes in the garage. He bought this ZX14 new in 2006, still has it, original owner
And bikes don't stick to sand very well on twisty mountain roads.
Mike has 8 bikes in the garage. He bought this ZX14 new in 2006, still has it, original owner
pashnit
Donating Member
Close as I can get to our version of Big Sky Country
Rolling foothills north of Bakersfield
Everything is so green this time of year, the super-green doesn't last though as summer heat dries all these rolling hills to a golden brown.
But we don't ride this region in summer, it's stupid hot here in summer.
Rolling foothills north of Bakersfield
Everything is so green this time of year, the super-green doesn't last though as summer heat dries all these rolling hills to a golden brown.
But we don't ride this region in summer, it's stupid hot here in summer.
pashnit
Donating Member
pashnit
Donating Member
One year ago, almost to the day, the Pashnit Tours group rode over the Sierra Range via Highway 155-Greenhorn Summit. It's a low pass at 6100 ft and we were able to ride over despite the snow. As long as there's clear dry weather prior to the ride, it's easy to ride up and over with dry roads.
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