Everything is packed up - we travel very light - 3 TShirts, 1 long pants, pair of shorts - and slightly more socks and underpants. Having put on the gear -we hit the road. I am very excited and a little fearful, given my lack of experience and confidence on the bike. But Bob is a good coach and promises to keep to my pace. Apart from speed, cornering is also trickey for me. For those of you who don't know motor bikes - you don't really steer with the handlebars- you lean and shift your weight - and you countersteer at the same time - that is you turn the handlebars in the opposite direction from which you wish to go - even if you are 12,000 feet up a mountain going round a corner at the edge of a cliff!!
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The 50 miles up to Lake Tahoe is beautiful and the we go via the Mount Rose Summit which is on the Eastern side of the Sierra nevadas - a mountain pass located in the Carson Range. The 8,911 ft (2,716m.)-is the highest mountain pass open year-round in the Sierra Nevadas.
When we get to Lake Tahoe we go along the West Side of the lake - the East Side is even more scenic (Emerald Bay seen here on the left) but too dangerous for someone with vertigo - thats me!
Bob has been very encouraging and patient - I hope he doesn't find the pace too boring! We cross the mountains into California.
The Carson pass was a point on the Carson Trail during the California Gold Rush (Kit Carson) and was used for American Civil War shipping to California until the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.
In 1849, Mormons built a wagon trail (Carson Trail) through the Carson Pass. The road was later extended around the north shore of Silver Lake -beautiful-, and southwest to Jackson City.What a spectacular introduction.
We are now in California and head down to Jackson City - via Sutter Creek City. (Point C on the map above).The town takes its name from John Sutter who owned the saw mill in Coloma where the first “Mother Lode” gold was found in January of 1848. Sutter decided to follow the gold trail .He arrived where Sutter Creek is currently located with a band of Kanakas and Indians, and upon finding a likely spot, began mining along the creek.
We are now in California and head down to Jackson City - via Sutter Creek City. (Point C on the map above).The town takes its name from John Sutter who owned the saw mill in Coloma where the first “Mother Lode” gold was found in January of 1848. Sutter decided to follow the gold trail .He arrived where Sutter Creek is currently located with a band of Kanakas and Indians, and upon finding a likely spot, began mining along the creek.
Bob pointed out an interesting feature of the old town western buildings in places like Sutter Creek.
Today, according to one local - "we now 'mine' the visitors who come from around
the world, drawn by both history and small town hospitality".
the world, drawn by both history and small town hospitality".
We make into Jackson City quite late and exhausted. What a great start! Tomorrow we go back over the Sierra Nevada Range to Yosemite National Park and back into Nevada via the Tioga pass.
Total distance to date 336 miles
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