Run to the Sutter Buttes

Greetings all...made a run to the Sutter Buttes today. These are described by the geologists as the smallest mountain range in the world. They sit smack dab in the middle of the Sacramento Valley about 50 miles north of the city of Sacramento.


I was able to circumnavigate the entire mountain range in less than one hour, then ran further north and returned through the rice fields between Richvale and the Sacramento River. Rice farmers in northern California produce huge quantities of brown and red rice. If you've eaten Lundberg brown or red rice, it came from this region.

The SWing was absolutely superb in the sweepers and tight turns around the Buttes. It got a bit windy in the PM and I found out that raising the upper part of the Airflow really smoothed things out.

Here are some photos (if I can get this to work....read the tutorial, anyway...):

South side of the Sutter Buttes

West Buttes

Self-explanatory...

Aguas Frias Road in the rice fields north of the Buttes.

I just noticed the photos are a little fuzzy. It's a new camera and it looks like I'll need to fiddle with it a bit to increase resolution.

Anyway, hope you all had a great day as well...

Jinglebob,

Thanks for the ride report. It is good of you to share your experience.

I am living vicariously, as it is still a bit chilly here for riding.


Ride safe,

Henry David

Jinglebob wrote:

Aguas Frias Road in the rice fields north of the Buttes.

Great Pictures, keep them comeing

Hey Bob,

Nice pictures and that area looks familiar. I live in Fremont, Ca and we have ridden around this area. We haven't had to many groups rides lately but when we do ride out that way it sure is nice country. Thanks.

Gorgeous scenic country. You must be thrilled to get to enjoy riding there. Keep posting those great pictures.

Here are some from last weekend...it was a run into the Sierra Nevada foothills near Oroville, with a section east of Lincoln into Marysville, then through Bangor to Oroville. I tried to make it up to Buck's Lake, but 162 was closed at French Creek due to mud slides and pavement slumping...was still a very nice run and Lake Oroville is almost full...hasn't been in several years, so good to see...

Photo 1 is on Big Ben Road east of Lincoln near Sheridan...

Photo 2 is in beautiful downtown Bangor.

Photo 3 is the road closure on 162 at French Creek...

Photo 4 is at the Lake Oroville suspension bridge...

Thanks for the kind words. We are quite blessed here with good weather and many interesting places to ride ranging from urban and suburban to extreme outback. It's a great area and the SWing really does well with it...

Sometime next year, probably near this time, Deb and I are going to finish my bucket list item of riding from ocean to ocean. The plan is to travel to the Pacific Ocean. It looks like we will add the Sutter Buttes to areas we want to see in our trip. Bob, I will keep you in mind when we need information about getting to the area.

Happy to help and to meet up when you make your way out here...be glad to show you around!!

I have a similar bucket list objective...would like to travel the coast to Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and back down through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and then hit the Colorado Rockies. Have been all those places in a cage, but I really want to do it on two wheels...