"Seldom do you find that one true sole that makes this world a better place. Mike truly represents all that a man should be and a man I can only aspire to be. I am so thankful for the time we had together and I will cherish those memories forever."
The date is set for our next Friendship Ride! I've picked one of my favorite loops which offers a great sample of the different roads you'll find when out cruising the foothills and into the Sierras.
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Meeting at 9:00am at the Starbucks in Oakhurst located on Hwy 41 across the street from the Chevron gas station. Tires rolling at 10:00am. I'll be there before nine, so if you need that extra juice to get you going, feel free to join me.
Total Miles 115 - 3 hours 20 minutes
This loop starts in Oakhurst, traveling through Coarsgold, Friant, Clovis, Tollhouse, Auberry, Bass Lake and finally returning back to Coarsgold. The Travel time is about three and a half hours and roughly 120 miles. That may not seem like much, but after you see what these incredible roads have to offer, I'm sure you'll agree that the Friendship Ride loop is quite an adventure.
Oakhurst to Friant - 25 miles - 35 minutes
We first head out of Oakhurst on Road 41 towards the town Fresno. This isn't our normal route but because of construction on Road 200 in O'neals I had to change the route just a bit. This road is pretty tame but may be filled with traffic. Please stay tight until will turn left on Road 200 at the traffic light. We will travel a short distance on Road 200 before we turn right on Road 211 which is probably the roughest part of our trip.
Road 210/211 leads its way across the edge of the valley to Friant. Although this road may be a bit bumpy at first, most who take this route find that its benefits far outweight the road's somewhat embarrassing pavement. Despite its condition, it is one of my favorite roads in the area and when I find a trip to the valley is in order, I always do my best to use this road to get there. We will stop to chat and stretch our legs at the Shell station in Friant just long enough to make sure that everyone is accounted for, then we will continue on our trip.
Friant to Clovis - 25 miles - 40 minutes
We then head up Millerton Road back toward the foothills. The stretch is pretty tame, nice smooth roads and sweeping turns. We are going to stay on Millerton Road which becomes pretty much a one lane road with no dividing line. This is actually a pretty smooth road that has some nice elevation changes, just keep your speed down and watch for on coming traffic. The road is not very well traveled so enjoy this little known road as it curves through the valley countryside.
We'll be switching over to Hwy 168 for a bit, this will be somewhat crowded as it leads the valley folk up to Shaver Lake. We'll travel this road for only a few miles before turning off on Sample Road. This road is a bit twisty but is nice and smooth. In the cooler months, it's lined with beautiful greens from the towering trees which cover and shade the road. This will lead us to our next stop at Humphrey's Station. Again, we'll stop here to rest and make sure we haven't lost anyone. You'll find cold drinks and snacks in Humphrey's Station, but don't fill up too much because we'll be having a late lunch at the end of the ride.
Clovis to Auberry - 25 miles - 60 minutes
These next roads are probably some of my favorite roads in the area. Tollhouse Road is a smooth, twisty road that leads to the little town of Tollhouse. The road curves up the mountain side creating awesome views to the valley below. This road can be a bit tight in parts with a few hairpin corners to tempt your appetite.
I'll be waiting at the top before we cross over Hwy 168 towards Auberry. Auberry Road runs back down the mountain revealing views from the other side and its beautiful valley below. These roads have some of the best views and are blessed with very little traffic. As we come down into the town of Auberry, we will stop here for a bit to catch our breath before heading through one of the most twisty sections of the ride.
Auberry to North Fork - 15 miles - 25 minutes
This last leg of the trip will not disappoint. This is probably the most twisty part of the ride. Powerhouse road winds down though the mountains toward the Wishon Powerhouse at the bottom. This road is pretty smooth but at times contains very tight corners with a few decreasing radius corners thrown in just for fun. We'll be turning right when we reach Road 200 again and heading to the Chevron Station in North Fork.
Here we will stop for one last breather and those who may need to fill up the tank can do so. We will set off shortly for our final destination back where it all started at Starbucks in Oakhurst.
North Fork to Coarsgold - 25 miles - 30 minutes
This final stretch will be a breeze. We'll take the high road around the lake and back down into Oakhurst and back into Coarsegold to the Motohead Racing shop. Motohead Racing in Coarsegold will be hosting the after ride BBQ this year! There will be hotdogs, chips, cookies (made by my wife Michele) and drinks for everyone!!!!
Ride shirts are available via pre-order only. If you would like to have a shirt for the event, please place your order before July 15th.
I started this ride in memory of my good friend Michael Haynes, who was taken from us on June 8, 2005. Mike was all about the thrill of the open road and the comradery that came with it. He loved exploring new roads as well as sharing the old one's with his friends. Mike and I shared a lot of good times, not all were motorcycle related but this passion we shared was a big part of who we are. I couldn't think of a better way to honor my good friend than to get a bunch of friends together and spend the day riding.
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