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Originally Posted by MK Ultra
Kernville, nice. It's one of the places I'm considering for a retirement location, but Alta Sierra at Greenhorn Summit is what I'm aiming for, I'll learn to deal with the snow.
Once the road opens in the spring you can follow the river north to Quaking Aspen (what's left of it) all the way to Porterville then take the old stagecoach route, aptly named Old Stage Road, back south to Glennville and the 155 east over Greenhorn Summit to Wofford Heights, or short-cut through California Hot Springs via the M50 to Old Stage, a couple of my favorite mountain rides. I usually ride those roads in a hoodie, leather vest and half-gloves so yeah, I get "sucked". 
I think I went Sherman Pass when I was a kid on a Honda Trail 90, on our way to a place called Grasshopper Canyon to go fishing on the Little Kern River. I could be wrong about that it was a long time ago and won't ride it today on a belt-drive Harley.
That little valley on the Caliente-Bodfish Road is called the Walker Basin and it gets hot AF in the summer but is beautiful in the spring, the long way around it goes through Cat Canyon and you can see a bobcat if you are lucky. If you like to ride really "basic" trail roads, between Walker Basin and Havilah on the Caliente-Bodfish road there is Breckenridge Rd. over Mt. Breckenridge to Bakersfield, again not recommended for a belt-drive Harley 
If you like the desert take 178 east from Lake Isabella over Walker Pass. they used to ship gold over that route during the mining days, go to the gold mining town of Randsburg or what's left of Garlock, go see Burro Schmidt's tunnel.
BTW good burgers at Nelda's in Lake Isabella  |
I was told the logging road from the logging camps up by Johntonedale ran the Caliente-Bodfish, to the 58, to the 5 down to LA, you ever been on the old grapevine? Imagine pushing a mule team loaded up with logs along 200 miles of those roads.
The main difference between LA county and Kern County seems to be development in the mountains. There are no little town and markets and BBQ joint in the Angles forest, I was blown away when drove up the 155. Houses everywhere, nice houses... no permits are allowed for ANYTHING in LA. LA doesn't really want anyone in the woods....
I have found Sherman pass, I'm waiting for the chill to leave the air, so to speak. Like you, one of my first rides was a Honda 90, I actually started ridding on a Powell minibike. I really disliked the streeglide in the dirt and gravel. The rocket is better but still a bit heavy at almost 700 lbs. I gave my triumph T120 to my daughter, than AWESOME easy to ride bike. Only 525 lbs.
I meet the bike ridding crowd here in Kernville, 10 Harleys and one guy has a rocket, but a GT. I generally ride alone, I ride to air my head out, not go each lunch with a bunch of guys. Too much commotion for me. If nothing else, I'll take a ride around the lake. I love the rocks and trees in this area. I never dreamed I would be moving here. I remember ridding the 178 from Tehachapi to Bakersfield thinking how do I live here lol I tried to live in Bear Valley Sprigs twice... can't get approved by the gatekeepers... and thank God, Kernville is much better...
One thing I noticed is nobody leaves their helmet on the bike when eating or what ever... what gives with that?