Sunday morning, May 11, 2014 – We rollout out in the low 30’s towards Truckee to meet up with some friends for a Mother’s Day ride to Cromberg for lunch, over Gold Lakes Basin and down into Downieville, returning via Nevada City, CA20, and I-80.  Departing Truckee on CA89,  the temperature was near freezing. CA89 North is a designated Scenic Byway and rightfully so as you can see in this photo of the old Bickford Ranch.

Turning left at the CA49/89 intersection in Sierraville, we rolled through the meadow lands, before turning back on to CA89. The highway is of good quality, with many sweepers, through the forest and into the farm lands as we near Graeagle, in Plumas County.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning west at the intersection with CA70, we make a stop for lunch at the Neighbors Bar-B-Que in Cromberg.  This restaurant was very accommodating to our riding group.  Service was excellent and the food very good, especially the fried chicken.

                                        After a satisfying lunch (I will be back to try some other menu items), we headed back on CA70, south on CA89 through Graegle, before turning onto Gold Lakes Road. This road traverses the National Forest with some great scenery.  It is in good condition, but occasionally we encountered small rocks on the roadway that came down from the hillside.

    

At the south end of Gold Lakes Road, we turned right on to CA49 and headed to Downieville.  CA49 received a new top coat of asphalt in 2012/13, and makes a fantastic motorcycle highway, with many curves as it follows the North fork of the Yuba River.  One should use caution as we encountered many small rocks on the road.

As you enter Downieville, CA49 becomes a single lane bridge leading into the quaint community.

After a cool refreshing beverage stop, we continued on CA49 to Nevada City, east on CA20 to Interstate 80 and headed home with the mom’s enjoying their day! So did the rest of us!