This was a 3-day ride up North into the Trinity Alps.
There were the following riders:
Krish (BMW R1200GS)
Kumaran (BMW R1250GS Adventure)
Ram (Ducati Multistrada V4S)
Varun (BMW R1250 GS)
and me (Yamaha MT09)
One of these bikes is not like the rest. Why am I always the odd one out 😅? Maybe it has something to do with the non-conformist attitude I carry, I wonder if I do that in other walks of life 😅.
Anyway, on Friday, September 12th, I rode up after work from Fremont to Redding. Straight shot on I-5 with a short coffee stop at Starbucks in Woodland. I checked into my hotel – Quality Inn Redding near I-5 – which was the highest rated hotel in town on Tripadvisor! We decided to meet for beer and dinner at Final Draft Brewing, a nice little brewery in Redding. I had a few spare minutes to kill, so I visited the Sundial Bridge in Redding – such a cool place. I took some pics there, went over to the brewery where I met the rest of the crew. We had a few beers, a nice burger and then retired for the night. I am impressed that a small town like Redding has a nice park and they built such a pretty walking bridge across the Sacramento river. The bar, brewery and food scene was also nice, even a tad better than Fremont I’d say, which is surprising for how small a place Redding actually is.
Ram got pulled over as he was riding back to the hotel, but he was let off with just a warning.
On Saturday September 13th, we met at the local Starbucks and had a coffee to start the day.
This was the route for the day, some of THE BEST roads that California has to offer.
Varun was doing “The Tour of Honor“, first time I’d heard of that, so he split off from Redding and took Platina Road to visit one of the ToH spots. The rest of us took I-5 South. Kept the speeds low to avoid any trouble with the cops and then took the exit for Hwy 36. There is an Arco right past the exit, at the intersection of Hwy 36 and I5. Gassed up there and we were good to go.
The original sign of Twisties “Next 140 Miles” has been removed and the road has been straightened out a bit, but it is still very much enjoyable.
This is a photo from RR48, Jan 2019.
I thoroughly enjoyed the MT-09 on Hwy 36. Such a light and nimble bike, easy to throw around and easy to ride, at good speeds. We stopped at the intersection of Hwy 3 and took some pictures.
There were a few sections of controlled traffic on Hwy 36, but no big deal. We waited a couple of times at a red light, but go through within a few minutes.
From Hwy 36, we hit 101 rode up North and stopped for lunch at Chin’s Cafe in Eureka. We were some of their only customers, but the food was good. Hot and salty Chinese food after a nice morning of cool weather riding.
From there we split up. Ram and Varun wanted to visit Klamath and Crescent City, for the ToH spot, visit to the Klamath Tour Thru Tree and Trees of Mystery attraction in Klamath. The rest of us: Krish, Kumaran and me wanted to ride, so we took 299 to Willow Creek and Hwy 96 North to Happy Camp. Same roads as RR42 in 2017.
Spectacular roads, superb twisties, excellent tarmac and very little traffic. We stopped by Happy Camp for a coffee and some ice cream. The convenience store was packed, with the usual bunch of weirdos, and this time a couple of panhandlers too. We gassed there in Happy Camp and then rode out to I5. Overall a full day of excellent twisties.
Along the way I took a short break and dipped my toes in the Klamath river. The water was cool, but the current was swift.
I-5 South from Yreka to Redding is actually quite enjoyable. It wasn’t too windy that evening, the skies were clear and I got excellent views of Mt. Shasta. It is a freeway after all, but surprisingly pleasant to ride up there. Lots of changes in elevation and scenery make it a nice ride.
Ram got pulled over on I5 again. Miraculously, the cop let him go again with a warning, but we were all impressed by how lucky he was – twice.
We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Redding (Guadalajara Mexican). The food was average and the drinks were overpriced. I hung out with the rest of the guys for a little bit at their Motel and then soon called it a night.
The next day, Sunday, September 14th, I met Bill at his house in Redding. I rode over in the morning and spent some time at his house, looking over his garage (3 ZRXs, 1 KZ and 1 Ninja 1000), his new Corvette and his model airplane hobby. We rolled out the ZRXs out of the garage and turned them on one at a time. Bill keeps his bikes in immaculate condition. He had “gone through” all 3 of them and they were spotless. If I ever wanted to buy a ZRX again, it would be from Bill.
This is the ZRXOA flag I made and sent Bill.
We took the Corvette and drove out of town a little. Bill was pushing the Corvette at every turn, sliding the rear just a little bit! He did well, for his age … 76 in 2025! We had brunch at Cedar Tree Restaurant, standard American fare, an omlette with some potatoes.
From there I simply rode back home. It was a long ride, again on I5, but I took it chill, not really going much above the speed limit. The MT09 has a range of about 150 miles. The fuel light comes on at 125 miles and then one has about 25-30 miles left on the tank. My planning was off a little, and I ended up riding on 505, looking for gas. I made it to Guy’s Corner in Madison with just a little range to spare. Next gas was in Winters, about ~14 miles away and I probably would not have made it.
The rest of the group rode out into the Sierras (Downieville) and Tahoe, before making their way back home.
All in all, this was an excellent trip. I enjoyed the company and the roads. I was especially glad to meet Bill after almost seven years. Glad he is doing well.
This post was not created or edited by any AI model in any way. It is my own writing in my own voice.
Sujit Kirpekar 