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The Outsider: Hitting the old dusty road |
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Written by Greyson Howard/Tahoe World
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Tuesday, 30 October 2007 |
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Sometimes even The Outsider is too lazy to go outside.
Especially as the weather turns, there are days when it’s tough to muster the strength and will to get out for that hike or ride, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit on your couch and watch daytime TV.
It means it’s time for a road trip.
I’d love to come up with a list of all the gear you need to hit the open road, but in reality, a car (preferably functioning), some maps (maybe), and a case of Redbull are all you really need.
A road trip is just as much about the journey as the destination, so spend some time researching the route before you go.
Look for back roads and forgotten two-lane highways, which are always more entertaining and scenic than the interstate super-slabs.
Pick cool places along the way to give you a chance to stop, stretch your legs, and let the stink blow off (and relieve all that Redbull you drank).
 Fly through your road trip beforehand using Google Earth — the 3-D satellite photography software lets you visualize your route and pick out points of interest.
You may not be working up a sweat like you would on the trail or on the slopes, but natural-fiber clothing and waterless toiletries will help keep the funk at bay.
While the term “road trip” conjures up epic multi-day cross-country driving marathons, the working world makes it difficult to dedicate that much time to the road.
Lucky for us here in the Sierra, shorter out-of-the-way day trips and overnight getaways are easy to find.
I’ll leave the fun of poring over maps for back road gems to you, but I’ll get you started with one easy route:
• Take Highway 89 north up into Sierra County, and watch the forest open up into Sierra Valley, giving you a glimpse of Lake Tahoe’s distant future.
• Turn west on Highway 49, climbing over Yuba Pass and into the headwaters of the Yuba River.
• Follow the river down, and keep an eye out for the first glimpse of the Sierra Buttes that stand out like a chunk of the Alps in the otherwise rolling hills of the northern Sierra.
• Take a look around in the funky towns of Sierra City and Downieville.
• Pass over the north, middle, and south forks of the Yuba River on your way into Nevada City, and stop for lunch and maybe some wine tasting in town before getting back on the road.
• Head back up the hill on Highway 20, taking the time to pull out at overlooks that view north to the now distant Sierra Buttes and east to the granite spine of the Sierra Crest.
• Get back on Interstate 80, and head on home.
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