Author: Carl

Carl Ribaudo is a consultant, writer and public speaker who lives in South Lake Tahoe. He is also one of the founders of the Lake Tahoe Adventure Motorcycle Ride and Rendezvous. Carl got his riding start on a Honda 50 Mini Trail and later raced the Southern California moto cross circuit. Today he does a lot of solo touring on his BMW 1200GS, exploring two-lane highways of the west. He rides a BMW GS to explore the most excellent mountainous and well-paved roads in the Tahoe area where he lives. Find out more about Carl.

November 2, 2012 Posted by Carl Ribaudo in Rides, Sierras

The Downieville-Donner Pass Loop: Riding the Old Sierra

One of my favorite motorcycle rides in the Sierras is a loop from South Lake Tahoe to Downieville to Donner Lake. The 260-mile loop not only includes scenic beauty but some of California's most historic areas. You'll pass the east and west shores of Lake Tahoe, the beautiful Sierra Valley, the old mining Town of Downieville, Nevada City, Old Highway 40, and Donner Lake. Read on for a description of this route, photos, and video clips of sights along the way.

Tags: Historic, Local Favorite, Quaint Towns, Ride to Eat, Sights, Twisties

June 6, 2012 Posted by Carl Ribaudo in Rides, Sierras

South Lake Tahoe Loop to Virginia City in Nevada: Gold Rush, Literary, and Psychedelic History

Combine the Sierra's epic mountain roads, a wild west flavor and the spicy history of Nevada's Virginia City for a great loop starting from South Shore Lake Tahoe east on Highway 50 which follows the shoreline. You'll pass Zephyr Cove (a great summer beach spot), which climbs up and offers one of the area’s most spectacular views, so feel free to pull off into Sand Harbor and just absorb the beauty Lake Tahoe has to offer. The route I propose takes 3 1/2 hours according to Google, but with the twisties, the viewpoints, and the meanders around historic Gold Country towns, it is a pleasant all-day jaunt back through history, literary, and pop culture.

Tags: Historic, Quaint Towns, Ride to Eat, Twisties

May 10, 2012 Posted by Carl Ribaudo in Rides, Sierras

Whoa Nellie Deli - Lunch Stop at Tioga Pass in Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is just four or five hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, but if you’re based in South Lake Tahoe it’s just a little over two hours to the Tioga Pass entry gate. Whether your base for exploration is in Tahoe, or you're just motoring through on your way south, save your appetite for Whoa Nellie Deli, a one of a kind gourmet restaurant located in the Mobil Gas Station. That's right. In the Mobil station. I live in South Lake Tahoe, and find it a great ride-to-eat excursion--just over two hours on my BMW 1200GS. Not that I need an excuse to ride in one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Tags: Ride to Eat

April 25, 2012 Posted by Carl Ribaudo in Rides, Sierras

A Ride Around Beautiful Lake Tahoe

One of the highlights of the region is a nice simple ride around Lake Tahoe a where you can get a real flavor for all the different communities and the incredible sights the area has. It’s not a very long ride, but it’s a great way to spend the afternoon. Now, there are times when this ride can be challenging, and I would not recommend it on a Saturday afternoon during the summer, but off season it can be beautiful. Also, while I describe the route as starting on the South Shore (it’s where I live), you can start on the North Shore or east shore just as easily. The ride is dotted with state parks, road pull outs, and little communities, plenty of fun for an enjoyable afternoon of riding and sightseeing.

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April 17, 2012 Posted by Carl Ribaudo in Rides, Sierras

A Tahoe Loop: Meyers, Silver Fork Road, Kirkwood and Back

Almost everyone thinks of Lake Tahoe as a winter destination thanks to the number of world class ski resorts located here. But local motorcyclists, 4x4 drivers, hikers, and mountain bikers know that the area holds a warren of incredibly well maintained two-lane roads that make this northern section of the Sierra-Nevada mountain range easy to explore. This loop begins and ends in Meyers in South Lake Tahoe and can be done in three to four hours, including lunch.