Touring * Slalom *

On Interstate 80 just east of Auburn, take the Bowman exit and go south one block toward the canyon to the intersection with the frontage road at the south side of the freeway. Turn right and then take the first driveway left into the parking lot of the Sierra Sunrise Building; the street address, 13620, is displayed on a big sign out by the road. Park at the east end of the lot near the dumpster.

Don't miss making a stop to play at the Sierra Sunrise Building if you're passing through the Auburn area on a weekend. The pavement around the building is ideal for practicing slalom turns, stunts, or figure skating. (During weekday business hours, skating here isn't a safe or appealing option.) As an added bonus, the overlook at this attractive building's large parking lot offers one of the most spectacular views around. Here the upper side of the deep canyon carved by the North Fork of the American River drops steeply away from the back of the property, delivering a grand vista of the mountaintops stretching far to the east and south. Still relatively new, the Sierra Sunrise Building has pristine pavement, including both gentle slopes and flat areas. Even though the site is quite close to the interstate, it's at a lower level, so the noise from the busy freeway is dulled. A ramp from the upper parking lot to the lower one challenges beginning daredevils to roll down and off the step at the bottom. At the west end of the lot, you can slalom all the way down to what looks like the edge of the world, but railings are there to stop you from flying off into the canyon. More skilled skaters will want to test their slalom turns on Sierra Sunrise Street bordering the west side of the building's parking lots. The street ends another block down in a patch of gravel and thorny bushes on private property, so make sure you can stop before rolling into that rude bail-out net. Here's a food tip: If you love great burgers, you can't beat the freshly made hamburgers, milkshakes, and potato wedges cooked up just a block west at Ikeda's on the frontage road.