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Any Northern Californians around?

10K views 34 replies 17 participants last post by  16TrlHwk 
#1 ·
Just wondering if any Nor Cal folks are active on this forum. I've encountered one or two that I know of, but I don't see much going on in this area. The vast majority of the activity I see is focused on Utah/AZ, and the mid-Atlantic area. Come on guys, we have some of the best mountain terrain in the country, I know you guys must be out there! I'd love to meet up and hit some trails sometime. I'm in the Bay Area by the way (Solano county), but I also spend time out in the Grass Valley area somewhat regularly. Willing to make a drive for a fun day though.

[sent via tapatalk] 2014 KL Latitude V6 AD1
 
#6 ·
I was born and raised in Southampton, NY. I left when Hollywood and the dotcom crowd discovered The Hamptons. What is left of my family is still there. All of the potato farms, sweet corn fields and Duck Farms are gone, replaced with condos and huge, ugly houses. Not my cup of tea. Awesome place to grow up in, with both the Peconic Bay and of course the ocean. That is the part I really miss. The Air Force placed me in Indiana. Since I have lived here for 7 years, I am now officially a Hoosier, but still a Yankee in my heart! My ideal place to live would be somewhere near Salt Lake City. There is something about that area that draws me in. But, my wife passed away of Breast Cancer, and I cannot even think of leaving this house. The memories are too close and too real to even consider moving. I love being out on the water. That is my real home. There are plenty of lakes and reservoirs around here to keep me home!

There are two places that I know of around here in which to "off road", but both are 2-3 hours away. And, there are the sand dunes up in Michigan, on the west side of the lower peninsular by Lake Michigan. I took my Hobie Cat out on Lake Michigan a few times. It is so hard for me to believe that this is all fresh water, with no tides!

You are correct in stating the different climates out in California. I drove from the hot central valley (Merced) up to Yosemite, in the snow where 4wd or chains were required. Lucky I was driving my Subaru or I would have never made it to the Park. My final exam in becoming a Boom Operator was refueling a B-52 while flying over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. That picture is engrained in the back of my head.
 
#8 ·
You're the guy who was selling your skid plates a while back, right? From Concord if I remember. I'm from Vallejo, work in Pittsburg. Do you ever go off-roading? I've never had any interest in it until recently, but I want to get into it. What kind of KL you have?

[sent via tapatalk] 2014 KL Latitude V6 AD1
 
#9 ·
yes sir..... i am in concord. work in richmond.... i have a TH.... havent really off roaded yet, more of a fire road, check out a great view type guy and a mountain biker. i would like to bomb proof it before i consider anything crazy hoping to get the MFC 2.5 lift at some point. did you ever find plates? bummed that i couldnt sell them to you, would have preferred a local pickup.... anyways name is kevin.... good to meet you! :)
 
#12 ·
Nice, congrats! Yeah this is by far the smoothest driving vehicle I've ever owned. And the only one so far that I can honestly say I LOVE. Welcome to the forum, fellow Solano Countyan! I'm in Vallejo. Let me know if you ever wanna take a backcountry drive some time!

via tapatalk | 2014 KL Latitude V6 AD1
 
#11 ·
I'm near Santa Cruz, used to live in Grass Valley, wife was born and raised there and all her family is there. Have not played much in the dirt around here, couple dirt roads is all. California sucks like that, too many fences and no trespassing signs. Have had some fun in Death Valley though, and Utah/Arizona..... lots of trails there.
 
#13 ·
I'm not too familiar with the Santa Cruz area, other than the beaten path in and out, and the city of SC itself. My in-laws have a little weekend home outside Nevada City, I love it out that way. Grass Valley and Nevada City are both such cool little towns. I would move there in second if I could. My in-laws are about .5mi from Scott's Flat reservoir as-the-crow-flies, and 3 minutes to the Tahoe Nat'l Forest border. I haven't got to do too much exploring out there, but there are some nice drives and some gorgeous scenery. A lot of locked gates too, like you said, but still plenty of public road to explore. Hoping to get out there a lot more this summer.

via tapatalk | 2014 KL Latitude V6 AD1
 
#14 ·
There's more there than here, but it's still California. I've paddled across Scotts Flat a few times. We have lots of nice scenery and places to go here, but I just love the northern end of the state. But I hate having to go through the bay area or across the valley to get to it. We will eventually get back there, we have property up there and still call it home. But work keeps me here for now. Not a bad place to be stuck though.
 
#16 ·
I'm going up to the Rubicon this weekend if anyone is interested.

Wentworth springs to be exact, weekend camp trip with my girlfriend.

Little bit past Loon lake, great 4x4 trail to get to the free campsites.

And of course the beautiful Rubicon trail starts Just past the campground.
 
#17 ·
Here in San Mateo area, moved down from Washington State almost 40 years ago and worked in the Silicon Valley till recent semi-retirement. Have some time now to drive out and see the area, enjoy some camping etc.
 
#19 ·
Back to the Rubicon....

My rear lower control arms and exhaust took a little beating last time, but i'm heading up to Wentworth springs again.

Friday after thanksgiving i'm driving up and gonna spend a night, maybe two.

Sweet little campground up there, next to a natural spring. beautiful, quiet, great place.
 
#23 ·
Cool! I haven't really been to Lassen, I need to explore more. Our family's goal is to move to the Grass Valley area within 3 years. Just have to get job stuff straightened out. I'm up in Nevada City somewhat frequently and it's the only place I could convince the wife to move to (if it was up to me I'd leave CA altogether and move to Flagstaff or Coeur d'Alene or Bellingham or some other such place), so I'll take what I can get lol. Cheers from a future fellow Jeffersonian!

via tapatalk | 2014 V6 Trailhawk
 
#26 ·
Would have jumped ship a few years ago but my wife absolutely refuses to leave. We plan to move out to the Sierra foothills in the intermediate future, as a "compromise", so my best hope is that the northern counties will secede, and I'll become a Jeffersonian.

via tapatalk | 2014 V6 Trailhawk
 
#29 ·
Castro Valley as my base. Just picked up a '14 Limited FWD v6 with most options (no sunroof). Love it. It is my daily, traded in my '08 JK Rubi Unlimited on it. The JK was 11mpg and trying to commit suicide via constant oil loss. Much happier now w/ 21mpg to n from work (20mi each way on city streets).
 
#30 ·
I see nobody here in the "Northern California" forum is really in northern CA... :ROFLMAO: Up here in Crescent City it seems to me like north of Eureka and Redding should be "Northern California".

I did see a white Trailhawk out by the Tolowa Dunes area not long ago though. Other than the very soft sandy beach which I don't want to drive on until I have proper gear, there isn't much around here that I've found between regular dirt road and impassable forest road.
212906
 
#32 ·
Wow, another Norcal dude here! Sacramento area. Have ridden dual sport motorcycles quite a bit in the area, new to 4x4. I have driven my stock Suzuki Sidekick 4x4 up Blackwood canyon to Ellis Peak overlooking Tahoe. Been to Fordyce Lake from 80. Good stuff. Sierra Buttes fire lookout is excellent. I got the KL a couple years ago and have only messed around in the creek bed and the shore of Folsom Lake. I have young kids, so not a lot of time to get away. Maybe we can get something going after the snow melts?
 
#35 ·
I’m in Sac too (Carmichael). I’m game for day trips to anywhere within a few hours… I’ve gone to Latrobe Rd by myself which is great fun but would like to try some more remote and technical stuff with a buddy who can pull me out if needed (I have a recovery strap and traction boards if needed).

If anyone sees this and is interested let me know!
 
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