Transcendental Sierra Cascades

Sierra Cascades Epilogue - rediscovering the vegetable

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:43:00 +0000

Another Great Bike Trip!

The Sierra Cascades Route took me through some very scenic and wonderful places as it meandered through Washington, Oregon and California connecting National Parks, National Forests and other out of the way points of interest. Along the way, I also had plenty of opportunities to meet the great folks of the rural west coast. New faces, new places and I even got a little trout fishing in.
As I peruse my blog, I have nothing but good memories. It's about the big things and the little things.
- Like finding a great camp spot along a river in Oregon (with trout), pedaling through the Giant Sequoia forest or Yosemite valley, or a well earned dinner with a cold Mirror Pond Ale. I still can't quite figure out how I can climb into the tent after a long, hard day - dog tired (but satisfied) and then wake up the next morning, refreshed and reinvigorated, ready to explore another day (after coffee). I also found that a bad day (flat tire, rough road, head wind, "face flies", etc.) can turn into a great day sometimes in a matter of going around the next curve in the road. Boom! A great view of Mt Ranier. Boom! A fun, curvy downhill. Boom! A black bear crossing the road. And the cool thing is that you don't need to travel out of the country to experience adventure and create these fond memories. This may sound tired or cliche but we are blessed to live in this wonderful country with so many opportunities. Our national Parks and National Forests are a true natural resource.
I've found that on a bicycle, travel is at a relaxed pace and you can't help but to see more, and experience more. It's better on a bike.

Previously in my blog, I dedicated my bike trip to David Williams. David was from the UK and he was just starting a fund raising bike trip across the USA. On Day 2 of his journey, he was struck and killed by a drunk driver in Oceano,CA, very near where I live. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2011/06/30/1665534/biker-dedicated-life-to-others.html
By happenstance, I actually rode very near the location where David was killed as I pedaled home to San Luis Obispo. Not a good feeling.
I found that near the end of my trip, I thought more about impaired drivers, texting drivers or distracted drivers as they zoomed by my left elbow. Quite honestly, I thought about David Williams. Again, I dedicate this bicycle adventure to David. Please drive your car safely and respect bicyclists.

Day 48 September 21 New Cuyama to San Luis Obispo 80 Miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Oatmeal for breakfast this morning. Hopefully, I won't be eating oatmeal again for a long time.
This shoould be my last day into SLO, so I got an early start before 7am. It was a very pretty morning with the sun rising on the high desert of the Cuyuma Valley. I was a little anxious about riding Highway 166 today. Highway 166 has a reputation for narrow shoulders, trucks and high speeds. I'm happy to say that the shooulders were 4 feet wide most of the way, the truck traffic wasn't too bad today and generally everybody gave me a wide berth as I rode the 50 miles of 166 this morning in record time. I had 50 miles behind me by 11 AM. Maybe there was a little adrenaline coursing through my veins as I approached home. To my surprise, as I roounded one of the corners as I headed down 166, I found my friend Bob Hurd, standing next to his car. he came out to welcome me. I found that to be a grand gesture which I much appreciated. When I got in Nipomo, I had a nice lunch with Bob at Jocko's. As we were about to leave, my friend Mike happened to walk in for lunch. It was good seeing familiar faces. Almost home. The last 25 miles to San Luis Obispo went by easily as I was now on familiar turf. My days of not knowing what was beyond the next turn in the road are officially behind me. I rolled up into my driveway at 3PM. After 2000 miles of new places, new people, new adventures - I am home.

Day 47 September 20 Arvin to New Cuyama 65 Miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:58:00 +0000

I said goodbye to Carlos and got an early start this morning. It was going to be hot again and I overheard on the radio that there was a unhealthful Smog Alert (not sure what that is but I don't like it) in the valley. So, with Carlos' new route I headed to Maricopa. The farm trucks were real good about moving over for me and there were no issues. I got on Highway 166 at Maricopa and headed to little town of New Cuyama. I found out real quick that they are harvesting carrots in the Cuyama area and the trucks are going down to the packing company in the valley via Highway 166. so truck load after truck load of carrots went down the hill and empty truck after empty truck passed me going back up the hill. I was surprised to find the Highway 166 had a 4' shoulder which gave me some space and the trucks were pretty good about moving over when they could. Now my plan was to stay at the Buckhorn Motel in New Cuyama, but as I pulled on the door to enter, I found that it was Closed. The Buckhorn has been a New Cuyama stalwart for ever so I was really surprised, then I realized, "Where do I stay now?" There is a sign as you leave New Cuyama that says, "No services 54 miles" So, I talked with a girl in a mini-mart and she mentioned that down the road is the Aliso Canyon campground but she failed to mention that it was down the road and then turn left for 6 miles on a sketchy, not so bike friendly road. As I stood on Aliso Canyon road with 6 miles of crappy road ahead of me, I thought, "Now what?" Then I remembered that there was a Caltrans Maintenance yard (outpost) in the New Cuyama area - but I wasn't sure where. So, I called Bob Hurd my friend and co-worker who seems to know these things (and where to catch trout). He said you are 2 miles away, you can't miss it. Then, he generously offered to come pick me up - which was an hour out of his way. I told him that I was thinking about catching a ride into Santa Maria with one of the Maintenance guys if they were commuting from work. By the time that I got to the Yard, Bob had already talked to Frank the Supervisor, and Frank met me with a smile and a hello. He said that nobody commutes to Santa Maria but I was welcome to camp on the floor over night. Actually, that was kind of a preferred option to the car ride since I am really hoping to finish my ride under my own power. By chance, I happen to have one last emergency freeze dried dinner buried in my pannier for dinner and several oatmeals for breakfast tomorrow. Good planning on my part, I'd say (or dumb luck). Frank and his crew were very accommodating and I sure appreciate it. In fact, one of the guys stopped by later with some snacks and fruit, just in case I get hungry (who me? hungry?) Thanks again guys! I'm one step closer to home.

Day 46 September 20 Lake Isabella, CA to Arvin, CA 65 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:45:00 +0000

The decision has been made. I'm going home to San Luis Obispo. SLO is about about 200 miles from Lake Isabella and Tecate, Mexico is 486 miles. Not that it matters. I just don't feel like dealing with traffic in Southern California. I heard several people say that the traffic isn't that bad but I decided that I would just get more satisfaction pedaling to my front door in SLO.
As I leave Lake Isabella, my impression is that this town grew up when the dam/lake was constructed in the 50's and it has been decaying ever since. Really interesting how Kernville@ 10 miles away seems so vital, albeit small, where Lake Isabella is drying up, so to speak. There seems to be a boat in every yard but none look seaworthy. My route today starts on the Caliente-Bodfish road with 3 good hills. I was hoping that the climbing was behind me but no such luck. Caliente-Bodfish road was actually a low traffic volume road that I found very pleasant, and the few cars on the road were all very friendly with waves and smiles. When I descended down the mountain into Caliente, I couldn't help but notice the Valley Smog. This time of year it gets visibly bad and a couple of fires hasn't helped. At Caliente (Spanish for hot), I was hoping for a market or something, but only found a Post Office, so I ate bananas, granola bars until Arvin. At Highway 223, I officially went "off route" and headed home. As I headed up the hill on 223, the relatively new Bakersfield National Cemetery was on my right. This seemed like a good time to check it out. I was making good time today and got into Arvin around 2 PM where I went into McDonald's for air conditioning and Wifi ... I also ate. When the local school let out, the place got swamped with hormone charged teenagers and I begrudgedly went back out in the heat to find my lodging for the night. I camped at the Bear Mountain RV Park about 10 miles out of Arvin on Highway 223/99. The Camp manager, Carlos, said that he is a bike rider, also. As it turns out, Carlos rebuilds classic steel frame bikes (Italian/European) from the 70's and 80's. He showed me about a half dozen of his impressive collection. The more we talked, the more detail he explained in his reconstruction process - like how he gets old parts on eBay then fixes and polishes each piece to fit the bike, then repaints, whatever. Carlos is a very talented guy and I found the reconstruction process very interesting. Me - I ride a green Trek. Carlos also set me up with a low truck traffic route across the valley to Maricopa for tomorrow's ride, then from Maricopa, I'm on my own on Highway 166 to New Cuyama. The day off in Lake Isabella served me well as I had good legs today ... but gosh it was hot (96 degrees in Arvin)

Day 45 September 18 Wofford Heights to Lake Isabella 8 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:34:00 +0000

I woke up thinking that I would be spending my zero day in Wofford Heights but soon found that there is nothing in Wofford Heights except dirt bikes and mini-marts selling beer, fish bait and ammo. I couldn't even find internet access. Going back to Kernville was in the wrong direction, so surely, Lake Isabella had more going on. So I went to Isabella. There was one motel in town (which happened to be 1960's vintage) and that's where I stayed. At least, the town had several restaurant choices and a good grocery store which is very important on a zero day (almost). Not much else.

It was a hot day so I gravitated to the swimming pool and read my Kurt Vonnegut book and ate. Spent some time weighing the pros and cons of Mexico vs San Luis Obispo, and with sound mind, SLO is definitely feeling like the good option.

Day 44 September 17 Camp Nelson to Wofford Heights 58 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Day 44 September 17 Camp Nelson to Wofford Heights 58 miles

Started the morning with a front flat tire. Flat tires happen.

Breakfast was at Mo's diner before we got back on Highway 190 and started up the 2500' climb to Ponderosa @ 7200'. Fortunately, today's climb was not as steep as yesterday or as hot, and the face flies weren't nearly as bad. Destination was Kernville for a zero day.

We went through another grove of Sequoia's called the Trail of 100 Giants. Somehow, I managed to step in a yellow jacket nest resulting in half a dozen stings to my left ankle. Youchhh! That woke me up. Then downhill to the scenic Kern river and back into warm temps and high desert. Met Dan from Denver (with Elvis sunglasses) who is touring with no real plan. Just has to be in Reno by the end of the month. Nice guy with lots of stories.

Finally got into Kernville with the idea of motelling it but there were no vacancies because of a music festival. Kernville seemed like a cool little town - even had a brew-pub. But, I rolled down the road to Wofford Heights where I found the last room in the motel. I'm looking forward to a day off.

As I've been pedaling down the road the last couple of days, I recognized a fork in the road just south of Lake Isabella. One fork continues down the Sierra Cascades route to Mexico and the other fork heads home to San Luis Obispo. As of tonight, pedaling home to SLO is the more attractive option. I'll sleep on it and see how I feel after I rest a day. No doubt, I'm road weary at this point.

Day 43 September 16 Three Rivers to Camp N elson

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Day 43 September 16 Three Rivers to Camp Nelson 60 miles

We got out of the campsite this morning before 9 AM, no problem. Had a quick breakfast of oatmeal with hopes of breakfast #2 in Lemon Cove. Unfortunately, Lemon Cove only had a Mini-mart for food choices. Since the next town was a long way off, I grabbed a mini-mart ham and cheese desparation sandwich. The worst. Lemon Cove is surrounded by orange and lemon trees, also there was a pomegranite orchard or 2. They looked ready for picking, but I think helping myself might be frowned upon. By this time, we are officially down in the Central Valley at 600' with a long hot climb up to Springvale. The change of scenery from sequoia forest to citrus groves to foothills brown grasses was interesting but it didn't last long as we got into deciduous trees then eventually back into pine forests as we climbed the Tule River canyon on Highway 190. I never knew that this road existed until today but I won't soon forget the climb up to Camp Nelson. Things were going well until I got a flat tire on my rear wheel. The flat took a lot of wind out of my sail as the road got steeper and the face flies appeared, again. Another 6000' elevation gain day as we rolled into Camp Nelson after 6 which is starting to be typical. We found a campground (w/ hot shower)that was basically walking distance to "downtown" where we had pizza and beer for dinner at a very friendly pub. Not much to else to Camp Nelson but that's OK.

Day 42 September 15 Grants Grove, Kings Canyon NP to Three Rivers 54 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:06:00 +0000

1st thing this morning, I detoured over to the General Grant Tree, one of the largest (by volume) trees in the world. I was the only person there as I toured these humongous trees. I have seen Sequoia trees before but I still am awed by them. Too cool!

After a hardy breakfast, back on the bike and .... uphill! .... But this wasn't on the itinerary. After up hill all day yesterday, I just assumed that today was all downhill. That will come later, I guess. I got to Stony Creek Village and snacked on milk, banana and ... poptarts. Poptarts are just about the most processed junk food available ... but the wrapper said that they used real fruit filling, so I had to try them. Turns out that the poptarts weren't nearly as delicious as I had anticipated. I was hoping this snack would hold me over to real lunch, 15 miles down the road at Lodgepole Visitor Center. Turns out, lunch at Lodgepole consisted of anything that you want, as long as it's a burger. At this point in the trip, I'm one bad burger away from going vegetarian and a burger just didn't sound good at all. So I managed a slice of pizza, bag of chips, chocolate milk, ice cream sandwich and a yogurt. A disappointing lunch - and I headed down the road - disappointed. The road, The Generals Highway, goes next to the General Sherman Tree - the largest (by volume) tree in the world. As I was leaving, a black bear crossed the road which drew a stir with the tourists (including myself) then the road meanders through a grove of Sequoias (The Giant Forest). On a bike it was really enjoyable weaving my way through these unique trees. It felt like something out of Lord of the Rings or the Ewok forest. Things are better on a bike.

Next came the short hike up on Moro Rock. Lots of great views and exposure - watch your step. Finally, I got to the big downhill portion of the ride as the road weaved it's way down the mountain out of the park to Three Rivers and Lake Kaweah, but wait - not so fast- Road Construction. Basically, because of the nature of the work, traffic was let through the work zone, once every hour - I had a 45 minute wait. I went up to the flagman with hopes of him letting me through because I only had a skinny little bicycle but - None shall pass. In the process of the wait, I talked to the flagman about the project for a while, then a German guy came up and started talking about his vacation, then a guy from Maryland showed up who was backpacking in Yosemite backcountry and suddenly the 45 minutes was up. The guy from Maryland was talking about how he freeze dried food for backpacking and asked if I wanted to try some. So, when he drove by, he handed me a bag of mushroom risotto (or something). I was dubious but it's food, we'll see. Anyhow, traffic was let go and Rebecca came through with traffic, then we enjoyed some of the most fun downhill switchbacks on the route. We gave the cars ahead of us a big head start and in short order caught them. Very invigorating and just plain fun, like 5000' of downhill. We ended up in Three Rivers as it was getting dark. Our plan was to get to the town of Lemon Cove but - Oh well, not tonight. So, Rebecca found a campground nearby on Lake Kaweah on her smart phone. The guy at the campground wanted $38 for us to camp but somehow Rebecca managed to get a free campsite. Seems to me Rebecca counter offered $20, then the guy said "it's on me but make sure that you are outta here by 9AM and don't tell anybody." You don't argue that logic. I think that having an english accent helps.

Dinner tonight was freeze-dried spaghetti with mushroom risotto mixed in. The mushrooms were a really nice addition. Wish I could thank that guy.

Day 41 Pine Flat Campground to Grants Grove, Kings Canyon NP 40 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:58:00 +0000

Yesterday, sometime during my side trip to Clovis, my odometer stopped working. I'm guessing that the wire got pulled loose or something. Ultimately, my odometer now ceases to exist. It is no more. So, my actual mileage may vary...
From Pine Flat Campground to Elwood Road (the start of today's route) there appeared to be a road on the map that would save me a mile or 2. Now, I'm all about shortcuts especially since today was going to be a big climbing day to Grants Grove. So, this shortcut took me to an open gate that said "Private Property" and "Beware of Dog". Generally, that would be enough to turn me around but I could see Elwood Road from where I stood at the gate. So, I rationalized that I could make it over to Elwood Road easy enough and if somebody questioned me, I would plead ignorance (Signs? What signs? or No speak English). Away I went. I didn't get far until a "Bridge out" sign appeared ... sure enough, the bridge had washed out a while ago. But, I was closer to Elwood Road and the creek was dry, so I pushed across the creek bed and up the bank on the other side. Almost there, but somebody put a 5 strand barbed wire fence up between me and the road. Off with the panniers and over the fence I went, looking over my shoulder to make sure the beware dog wasn't bearing down on me. That is how I started the day. Gotta love those "shortcuts".

Since Rebecca was not at Pine Flat (it appeared to be closed), last night, I'm not sure where she camped. But, we had talked about camping at Grants Grove, so maybe I'll see her there or on the road?

Pine Flat Campground is at approximately 600' in elevation, so it got hot early, today. Lots of water was consumed as I watered up at every stop. One stop was at Clingan's Junction, just up the road from Squaw Valley. Not only did I get water but breakfast # 2. A Mcmuffin type sandwich, fresh cinnamon roll and americano. Turned into a nice little surprise along the way, compared to typical gas station fare. For anybody riding their bike on this route, Millwood Road will be memorable. Lots of steep, no protection from the sun, and "face flies". Face flies are just that - Little flies that are attracted to your eyes, nose and mouth usually in a small swarm. The steeper the road, then the more heavy breathing that seems to especially attracted these monsters. I can't say that they sting or bite, but I inhaled my share and I definitely didn't want them in my eyes and nose. Maddening. You had no choice but to swat at them as you struggled up the steep grades. "^&$%@!!!ing face flies" is more like it. I decided to stop in the shade at one point and pick some blackberries. My thermostat was boiling and I didn't want to over do it in the heat. I was just sweating bullets. Anyhow, I noticed that the face flies let up a bit when I got off my bike - But sitting in the shade eating blackberries didn't get me any closer to Grants Grove.

I had a nice lunch at Pinehurst where I cooled down and watered up for the remaining assault up Highway 235 and 180 into King's Canyon N P. I noticed that above 6000' the face flies let up also. Apparently, these face flies are a seasonal thing and I was just lucky enough to experience them.

Finally, made it to Grants Grove around 5PM. Came to find out that there were hot showers, a restaurant and even Wifi here, as well as the General Grant Sequoia Tree (Can I use sequoia in scrabble? - I always seem to end up with all vowels).

A little bit behind me, Rebecca rolled in. I told here about my wheel and my detour to Clovis, then we discussed $%@#%ing face flies, Millwood Road, etc. As difficult as the conditions were today, it was still a pretty and interesting ride. It's nice having somebody to share the highs and lows over dinner.

Over 6000' of climbing today and 2 tough days in a row. Memorable stuff.

Day 40 September 13 Wishon Campground Bass Lake to Pine Flat Campground 65 miles- ish

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Day 40 September 13 Wishon Campground Bass Lake to Pine Flat Campground 65? miles

It was Pine Flat, the hard way, today or detour de Fresno.
Started off easy enough by going downhill to Northfork and further downhill to the San Joaquin where PG&E has a hydroelectric dam at elev 800' approx. After you get to a river, quite often there is only one way to go - up. Up the steep and hot Powerhouse Road into Auberry. Funny thing Auberry, I've never be through the town before but on the way up to Sierra Summit to go snowboarding, I always associated Auberry Road (which I pass) withe the little town of Prather. I knew that there was a Mexican restaurant in Prather (which I thought was Auberry) but I got a little confused when I couldn't find it. I rode a couple extra miles looking for this placed and in the mean time bonked. I had a pocket full of granola bars but never thought to eat one. Anyhow, I finally figured things out and found the restaurant and ate especially hardy because of the bonk. After lunch I was heading to Pine Flat Reservior. Rebecca and I agreed to camp there tonight. As I was heading up the road, I was hearing a rubbing noise. I've been hearing it on and off since Yosemite. So, I pulled over thinking that I was going to fix this noise once and for all. After a little head scratching and messing around, I discovered a crack that developed on my rear rim. This can't be good - a showstopper. This is something I can't fix and requires a new wheel. Great, here I am in the middle of nowhere with a buggered wheel. So, I limped back to Prather mindful of my damaged wheel and hoped that there was a shuttle down to Fresno, the nearest place where I could find a Bike shop, I reckoned. I found out that there is a shuttle but it goes to Fresno once a week with 24 hour notice. OK, that means Plan B - hitchhike. Can't say that I recall hitchhiking recently so what to do? I went to the grocery store, got an old box and borrowed a black marker and wrote " Fresno - Broke Bike" and stood along the road with my bike. It was incredible, I was there for 2 minutes until a Pick-up stopped. A gentleman named Chris picked me up and said where do you need to go. He was a great guy - delivered me right to a bike shop and said, "If you need anything else, give me a call." I ended up at Stephen's Bike Shop in Clovis. They set me up with a new wheel and had me back on the road in under an hour with the efficiency of a Indy 500 pit crew. They also printed me a map of how to get back on route at Pine Flat campground. "Easy ride up to Pine Flat- no problem!" and away I went. Things were going great until I noticed a storm brewing in the mountains, then a head wind picked up. By this time I was out of town and pretty much committed to Pine Flat - really no where else to go but back to Fresno. So I fought the headwind with my high profile panniers until a guy on a road bike caught up to me. We talked for a while and I eventually pulling in behind him to draft. I really don't know how I could of made it to the campground with those gale force storm winds with out his help. Really cool - I didn't even get his name. I got to the campground at 7PM and there was a sign saying Closed and no sign of Rebecca. I thought, "I can't go another mile". I noticed a trailer in the park so I went over and talked to the Camp Host. She said, "Oh, we're open but the maintenance guy just hasn't taken down the sign. I wasn't going to argue. She even let me stay for free since I was the only person in the whole campground. I ate in the dark and I was beat. What a long and challenging day. I was just a little amazed at how helpful everybody was for me today and how things worked out.

Day 39 September 12 Yosemite Valley North Pines Hiker/Biker to Wishon Campground Bass Lake 55 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:34:00 +0000

It stopped raining last night around 8 PM but everything was still wet this morning. I had a big breakfast at the Curry Village Dining hall and hoped that the sun would come out`and dry my tent. No such luck as a mist formed in the valley - pretty and all, but it doesn't dry a tent. I don't like packing a wet tent because it can mildew, or setting up a wet tent is a drag especially if it rains again. In fact, everything is damp, including me. That will change, as the sun did come out and as I climbed the hill out of Yosemite Valley the sweating began.
I talked to Rebecca this morning about what she did yesterday, and she said that she took the bus up to Glacier Point then hiked down the Panorama Trail back down to the valley. I asked if she got caught in the rain and she said that "It just pissed rain from 2PM on". She was at Nevada Falls with a lot of hiking to go. I left a little before Rebecca and we talked about meeting at Bass Lake and splitting a campsite. As I pedaled up the bike trail this morning, I saw a coyote that stepped right out in front of me. yesterday it was a 10 point buck, and the day before a Ma bear and a cub. So, I saw some wildlife in the valley, not to mention the big wall climbers.
Pedaling south out of Yosemite takes you through a long uphill tunnel. It had a questionable side walk and a narrow shoulder. Not sure how to get through it so I put on my flashing red tail light and pedaled on the shoulder. It was a bit intimidating as you could only hope that you were visible enough. The uphill continued to Chinquapin, then a nice long downhill to Wawona. I stopped at
historic Wawona Hotel for lunch but there was a waiting list, so I ate a more humble sandwich at the Wawona Golf shop - kinda similar...
Then the road immediately went uphill again to the Yosemite Gate then another long downhill to Bass Lake road, then you guessed it, big up hill again. With all the up hills, I found today to be a challenging day even though only 55 miles. There are several campgrounds along Bass lake and Rebecca and I tentatively agreed on Wishon Campground. I got there after 5 and immediately opened all my gear to dry and Rebecca followed shortly behind. There were 3 campsites being used in the whole campground and we were still charged $26 to pitch a tent. When the campsite is split, it's a little more palatable. Nearby was a Marina/restaurant where I was able to get a shower and a "gut bomb" burger and shake. Rebecca cooked her own dinner that looked much better than my burger tasted.
Tomorrow promises a lot more ups and downs as the route heads through North Fork, Auberry, and Pine Flat Reservoir. Hmmm... Seems to me that there are trout below Pine Flat reservoir.

Day 38 9/11 Zero Day in Yosemite Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:34:00 +0000

Another Zero Day! Since I was here in Yosemite valley, I thought that it would be cool to hang out in the valley for a day. Unfortunately, the weather isn't working with me. It was gray when I woke and pedaled over to the Ahwahnee Hotel for breakfast and it slowly got darker until it started storming around 2PM. I'm hanging out at the Curry Village lounge (with wifi) as a parade of people from all over the world come tramping in from the rain. I'm hoping that all is well over at my campsite along the lines of - I hope that everything in my tent is dry- but it's hard for me leave warm and dry to pedal over and check it out. Tomorrow morning the weather should be clear so that I can head south out of the Park on Highway 41. This isn't the best road for bikes because of the Yosemite traffic but it should be better on a Monday rather than a Sunday. I figure about 750 miles left on this trip - still a lot of miles and lots of climbing.
I guess that I'm lucky that I didn't have to deal with this rain yesterday - ... silver lining

Day 37 September 10 Lee Vining, CA to Yosemite Valley 75 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:05:00 +0000

I've been watching the weather the last couple of days since lightning storms were forecast and 60% chance of rain through the weekend. I don't much care for lightning especiallly when I'm crossing Tioga Pass. Decided to go for it. If lightning/rain becomes a problem then I'll have to take undetermined Plan B. The morning started off sunny and clear here in June Lake.

As I was packing my bike this morning, I couldn't help but notice that my rear pannier was loose, again. After a little investigation, it became clear that a last minute repair was needed to one of the hooks that holds the panniers to the bike rack. After a cup of Joe's special high octane coffee, Joe and I "MacGyver-ed" a fix that should last the remaining 800 miles of this trip - then these panniers are officially retired. The repair delayed my start this morning until 8:30 but as it turns out, Joe volunteered to go fishing up Lee Vining Creek Canyon this morning which just happens to go up Tioga Pass. So, Joe hauled my panniers to the top of the hill and fished until I caught up with my bike sans about 45 pounds. When I caught up to Joe, he was in the process of reeling in his 4th trout and having himself a day. Joe let me give it a try and I effortlessly pulled out 2 little brown trout. Apparently, Joe found the spot and it was to hard leave. I made good time getting up to Tioga Pass, the east side entrance to Yosemite but was halted by the line at the entrance gate. As it turns out, Joe had worked with the rangers here in the past on a paving project and apparently left a good impression as I was very discreetly waved through the entrance with the special bike tourer fee. I said goodbye to VIP Joe and headed down the hill into the Park. The ride through Yosemite was pretty busy with traffic since it was a Saturday and by 11:30AM, the sun disappeared from the sky and it started spitting rain. Less than ideal conditions but riding on Tioga Road then into Yosemite valley was absolutely memorable. Just too cool.

I pedaled my way back to the North Pines Campground that has a hiker/biker section. There I met Rebecca again. She had just got in ahead of me after camping at Toulumne Meadows last night. I talked with Rebecca a bit, then set up my tent as it started to rain lightly. Then I headed out in search of a hot shower and food. Somehow, I managed a flat tire as the valve stem basically gave up the ghost. At least, I was a short walk back to my tent to get my pump. I sure enjoy cruising through Yosemite on my bike. It's really a unique place with towering granite walls surrounding a forest rimmed meadow.

I worried about weather the whole way across Tioga Road yesterday but only had to put on my raincoat once for about an hour - with a few lighting bolts in the distance but fortunately nothing close. So overall not a bad day, in fact a good day.

El Capitan - the Valley's "Greeter"

Day 36 September 9 Zero Day @ June Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Seems like I'm taking a lot of Zero Days lately, but I'm sure enjoying them.
Today, I fished at Hot Creek and the trout were biting!
I caught 4, hooked several, had ton of strikes - basically non stop. Really fun day with the largest being a very colorful 14"rainbow. There was one that broke my line - "the one that got away". On my way back from Hot Creek, I ran into Mammoth to stock up on supplies - Joe and Ann let me borrow a Jeep to get around today. I haven't driven a car since August 3 - so it felt a little odd.

Another excellent dinner at the Rock with Tacos and Apple crisp/ice cream desert. Lots of good calories!
These Zero Days go way too fast.

Day 35 September 8 Bridgeport, CA to June Lake, CA 40 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Woke up this morning and ran back into town for breakfast at Hays Street Cafe. Pancakes and eggs - rather than oatmeal.
Today's ride takes me 25 miles to Lee Vining then 15 miles off route to "the Rock" in June Lake. The Rock refers to my friend's Joe and Ann's house that sits on a rock outcropping with a fantastic view of Carson Peak and Horsetail Falls.

Since I was going to June Lake and Rebecca was heading up Tioga Pass today, I bade her farewell at the camp site. We discussed meeting in Yosemite or definitely somewhere down the road. Rebecca was thinking about detouring over to Bodie Ghost town along the way. I like Bodie and told her that I recommended the side trip (lots of climbing to get there, though).

Today's ride was really enjoyable down Highawy 395 as it is very familiar territory, but I've never ridden it on a bike. It's very pretty country that sometimes doesn't get fully appreciated at 65 mph.
The view of Mono Lake from Conway Summit was great.
Lunch was at the Whoa Nelly Deli/ Mobil Station in Lee Vining then on to the Rock. There I was greeted by Joe, Ann, and Tristan where they set me up with a hot shower, great food, Doublenut Brown Ale and a bed. Deluxe Accommodations!
I borrowed their bathroom scale for an official weigh in:

Bike and gear = 83 pounds Alan = 160 pounds - I started at 167 #

Another good day!

Day 34 Free Camp on East Carson River to Bridgeport, CA 60 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:01:00 +0000

On my agenda first thing today was the big climb up the formidable Monitor Pass (elev 8314'), so I had 3 instant oatmeals and 2 scoops of Adventure Egg - chased with a strong cup of coffee. Breakfast of champions!
I have ridden Monitor Pass before as part of the "Markleeville Death Ride". The name of this bike ride comes from the 126 miles and 16000' of elevation gain in one day hence "Death Ride". Today, I find myself pushing a 80 pound bike + gear up the hill, as compared to 20 pounds of skinny road bike previously. Even with all of the effort of getting up this steep pass, it sure was a pretty day.
I have found that the roads south of Lake Tahoe very well maintained with the bonus of new pavement as I soared down off the top of Monitor Pass. Really enjoyed the challenging Monitor Pass.

At the bottom of the hill, Highway 89 intersected Highway 395, as I finally got off of Highway 89. Although, I found Highway 89 south of Truckee much more rideable than between McCloud and Truckee. Sometimes there no shoulders but the traffic volumes were much lower - real scenic, pleasant riding.

After heading down Highway 395 a piece, I couldn't help but notice the parade of Burning Man leftovers heading south to LA in their dust covered vehicles with decorated bicycles strapped on the back.... until next year when the migration starts all over again.

I experienced my 1st flat tire tire of my trip today in the Walker River canyon. I was eyeing the West Walker thinking that I might get a little fishing time, but by the time that I fixed my flat and all, my fishing plans took the backseat to getting to Bridgeport.

I got into Bridgeport with no immediate plans as to where I was going to stay - fish tacos at the little burger stand on the south end of town was more on the front of my mind. As I pedaled through town, saw a group of bikes in one of the motels, so I stopped to find out what was going on. Turns out that there was a 200 mile adventure race (approximately 80 hours of fun), starting tomorrow. After talking to these guys (Team Yoga Slackers), I suddenly felt slothful as they expected 3 hours of sleep per night. So, I thought that I better get an ice cream sandwich. As I was enjoying my ice cream sandwich outside of the Mini-mart, I saw a bike tourer roll into town. I was getting the feeling that I was the only person riding this route. Anyhow, I met Rebecca from the UK who is heading to Mexico. We talked a while about the ride, and then she said that there was a camping place right down the road from Bridgeport where she was thinking about staying. So, we agreed to share the campsite and split the cost. We set up tents, cleaned up, then went to dinner at Micheala's restaurant that was a short walk from camp. I enjoyed sharing bike stories with Rebecca and it sounded like we crossed paths somewhere but obviously didn't see each other.

Day 33 September 6 So. Lake Tahoe, CA to Free Camp on East Carson River 33 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Right up the street from where I stayed was a McDonald's. Whereas, I'm not a big fan of McDonald's, (this is where I become a hypocrite) - McD's Big Breakfast (1200+ calories) with a cup of coffee and WiFi for $6 - and out the door and on the road in a half hour. Shame on me... but can't beat the convenience.

Anyhow, I found riding around Tahoe area, even with the tourist traffic, was very nice - different views than Cascades - looks more western, great lake views. Much different than the green forest tunnel effect of the northwest (which was OK, too).

Thanks to the proximity to the West Carson River and the East Carson River, I had a relatively short day. But, on this route, there are no easy days as the 7740' high Luther Pass stood between me and my campsite. After I got that climb out of the way, it was time to fish on West Walker River in the scenic Hope Valley. It was tough fishing but I managed not to get skunked with one healthy 9" rainbow. Then back on the road and down Highway 89 into Markleeville, where I found the general store for snacks. Then I found a shady spot and took a little nap to regain my focus for my next attempt at fishing on the East Carson River. I found a nice camp spot along the East Carson River at the toe of Monitor Pass. I had camped at this same location with my friend Joe several years ago when we rode the Markleeville Death Ride. After I set up camp and jumped in the river to clean up, I headed back to the river for more fishing. It was a tough day with a couple strikes with one being a good sized trout but ultimately - skunked. Some days the fish just aren't biting.
I can at least take solace in my nice camping spot as I can hear the river running, crickets chirping and the moon shining through the thin fabric of my tent. Good night.

Day 32 September 5 Truckee,CA to South Lake Tahoe, CA 46 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Interesting day today. My plan was to ride to DL Bliss State Park and camp right on Lake Tahoe where I could maybe go for a swim and wake up tomorrow morning to blues skies and blue lake ... but things changed along the way. It being Labor Day, I really didn't want to fight traffic but figured that everybody would be heading away from Lake Tahoe while I would be heading towards it. Also, there is a lot of bike path along my route so I thought that 30 miles or so today, no problem. As I pedaled toward Tahoe City, my plan worked like a charm as a constant stream of cars and RVs headed opposite me. With a little late start today, I made it to Tahoe City around 11AM. Seemed like a good time for an early lunch where I ran into a guy from Australia riding a bicycle that was dusted with a fine white powder. Dead give away that he was coming from Burning Man. So I talked to him about Burning man. He said that he had a good time and all but he managed to lose (within the last half hour) the memory card for his camera. He said 5 weeks worth of photos - gone. I joked that he might have to rely on his mental photos if he can't find the memory card. He said, "Mate, I've been partying for 5 straight days - I can't hardly remember my middle name." A true "burner". Anyhow my brilliant plan continued to be a success as I worked my way around the Lake and up the last steep climb to DL Bliss State Park. Finally, I made it up the hill and walked into the visitor center to get a hiker/biker campsite ($7) that I envisioned being 25 feet from the water on a nice soft bed of grass. So, I asked, "Can I have a hiker/biker campsite for tonight?" And the women said, "We closed at noon today." I didn't understand what she meant, so she explained that the campground was closed for the season starting at noon today. The previous night was the last night for the year. I was pretty shocked to hear that which eventually leads to plan B - Keep pedalling... and on Labor Day afternoon when the traffic gets busier. My genius plan just went out the window.. There was a Forest Service campground in 3 miles but no water, so next campground was Camp Richardson in 8 miles, but they wanted $35 for a campsite (even though it was 3/4 empty since everybody is going home) - forget that - so I went to the campground at South Lake Tahoe - they wanted $38 (and again an empty campground). So, I thought keep pedaling. I didn't go far until I saw a small motel, which I decided to check out - $45. Trust me, nothing special but clean - sold! It didn't take me long to realize that the Stateline casinos of Nevada were 5 miles away. There was no way that I was going to fight traffic to get to a lousy casino, so I went online and sure enough, there was a bus that would deliver me to the Stateline casinos for a nominal fee.. In the back of my head, I was thinking that this might be a really dumb and expensive idea, but I jumped off the bus, looked up at the bright, neon sign and saw, "Buffet $11.95" and suddenly this bus idea just got better. Usually buffets don't work for me because eating to excess is just uncomfortable, but since I'm burning 4-5000 calories a day - sign me up. After eating at least 4-5000 calories, I slowly waddled across the street to a casino that had a $5 craps table - sign me up.
Usually, I don't play craps because its usually $10 craps which is too rich for my blood. Even $5 craps is kind of pricey for me (I have been pretty cold lately) but I said - I'm here, let's see how it goes. An hour later, I walked away with $180 in winnings. Maybe I should have stayed at a nicer motel and got a $30 steak, after all. So, my original plan really morphed into something way different, today. It was a nice bike ride today, but still, I'm disappointed with Bliss.

Emerald Bay

Day 30-31 September 3/4 More Zero Days in Truckee

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:46:00 +0000

I got my banana split at the Dairy Queen, I caught trout in the Truckee river, I resupplied, slept, ate a lot, and just relaxed. Time to move on down the road. Looking forward to seeing Joe and Ann @ The Rock in June Lake in a couple days.

My luxury accomodations in Truckee

- Thx Charlie&Bruce!

Day 29 Zero Day in Truckee

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Had breakfast with my friend Siobahn this morning. She was on her way back from a backpacking trip and was visiting family in town. I feel kinda bad that the conversation migrated toward work, something that I haven't been really thinking about. I'm not getting paid at this point to talk work and I sure don't want to corrupt Siobhan's vacation either. Obviously, I haven't been away from work long enough to totally flush my brain.

Easy day cruising bike shops looking for a spare tire (something that I usually try to lose) - got a new, used book at the library for $1. The choices were limited, at best, but I managed to find an old Kurt Vonnegut book, "God Bless you Mr. Rosewater". My last book that I finished today was "Little Children". Not my typical reading choice but a friendly (and cute) librarian at Stevenson helped me sift through piles of used books to find something that might interest me. It was well written and a quick read - good character development. Turns out that I actually saw the movie that was on somebody's top10 list for the year. I didn't care for the movie. It just didn't develop the characters well enough and they added a Hollywood dramatic ending, unlike the book.

I took my fenders off of my bike today. After 1400 miles of very good weather through Washington and Oregon, I decided that fenders should be unneeded through California... I hope.
My bike is half a pound lighter for the big climbs over Luther Pass, Monitor Pass and Tioga Pass.

Enjoyed the day off.

Welcome to Truckee!

Day 28 September 1 Quincy, CA to Truckee, CA 73 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Stayed in a motel in Quincy last night. Just didn't feel like dealing with camping, etc. I guess that getting close to Truckee, my 2nd big milestone, is making me a bit lazy. At least I got an early start as packing my bike this morning was quick and easy.
It's all Highway 89 between Quincy and Truckee. Lumber trucks haul loaded into Quincy sawmill then empty on the return to wherever they are cutting. So I dealt with empty lumber trucks that piggy back their empty trailers. For some reason they were not as obnoxious today, maybe there were less trucks on this side of Quincy. Highway 89 was a mixed bag with some sections having shoulders and some not. The traffic volumes varied significantly also. Where Highway70 separates from 89, traffic was reduced south of Graeagle to actually fairly pleasant riding but volumes increased closer to Truckee. The roadway became rougher than a corncob about 15 miles outside of Truckee. I don't know if it was a combination of tiredness, rough road, lack of shoulder and traffic but the last 15 miles into Truckee was stressful for me. Again, happy to get off of my bike today. I would say that compared to the rest of the SC route, Highway 89 was the least enjoyable (but it has potential, at least). It was definitely a mixed bag with highs and lows but my last two days from Chester to Truckee were not memorable and rather disappointing. In hindsight, riding on Saturday and Sunday south of McCloud was a good idea and having a rearview mirror on this stretch of road was invaluable.

OK, I give up... what is this???

I'm staying at my friend's Charlie and Bruce's cabin in Truckee over the Labor day weekend. Just preferred not to be on the road fighting traffic around Lake Tahoe. Can't think of a better place to layover since Truckee affords everything that I need including trout fishing and a Dairy Queen. ( I feel a banana split in my future.) Thanks Charlie and Bruce!

So, funny thing, I'm riding my bike north of Sierraville when I start seeing these dragon fly-like insects flying in front of me, basically perpendicular to the roadway - crossing the road. Then, I get in to a constant flow of these insects and they are flying tandem, obviously mating. Love was in the air. So, I rode for several miles dodging these amorous bugs (and they somehow managed to avoid me, too). It was like some kind of entomologist 3D porn film. Weird funny. Then I see a guy on a motorcycle with a big Santa Claus beard going the opposite direction much faster than me. I could only imagine him combing these insects out of his beard for the next 2 days wondering, "What the hey?"

There are 5 maps in the Adventure Cyclist Sierra Cascade route. I finished #3 today with approximately 1400 miles behind me - 2 more maps ands 1000 miles ahead of me. Another milestone - I'm making progress!

Adventure Cyclist Sierra Cascade route map - includes camping, groceries, restaurants, motels, libraries, post offices, profiles, points of interest, directions and more, all on a water proof map.

Almost, too convenient.

Day 27 Chester,CA to Quincy,CA 51 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:31:00 +0000

Another beautiful sunny morning. I've been pretty fortunate, so far.
My route continues down Highway 89 toward Quincy, today. Quite honestly, given the reputation this section of road has for little or no shoulders and the lumber trucks, I wasn't looking for this day. We'll see.
After about 5 miles or so the Sierra Cascades route jumped over to the Lake Almanor Bike Trail. Typically, bike paths tend to be.... pedestrian or boring, so I was dubious. My option was riding the shoulder of 89. Turns out the bike trail was really fun as it meandered through the pine forest and along the lake. Now, if it was late in the day and I was tired, this wouldn't work, as the bike path adds a couple miles with it's indirect nature. But this morning, since I was the only person on the trail, I plugged in my MP3 player and aggressively rode the 10 mile paved trail like a mountain bike course. I managed to run off the pavement a couple times and into the pine needles. Hey, no problem! Must have been a good batch of coffee this morning.

Back on 89, I ran into a couple guys heading north on a loop from Reno to Crater Lake to the coast, down to San Luis Obispo and back to Reno through Yosemite. They were just starting and you could feel their enthusiasm. One of the guys, Travis, looked like he was ready for the big hills ahead. He said that he has done a big tour every year for the last five years.
When I stopped to talk to Travis, he was looking at the Keddie Wye. The Keddie Wye is a famous engineering solution to a geographic and logistical railroad problem. Basically, the Burlington NorthernSF line comes down one canyon and the Union Pacific comes down another canyon. Both lines cross the Spanish Creek on separate trussed trestles and join just prior to a single track tunnel thus forming a "Y". Sounds easy but somebody had to figure it out 80 years ago. I was on the wrong side of the road and would have totally missed it if I didn't see Travis.
The Feather River canyon, itself, is quite the engineering and visual marvel with bridges, roads, railroads, steep slopes, pine forest and the Feather river runs through it. Nice place for a Sunday drive, but hate to say it, this is not a good place to bike ride. Highway 89 to the intersection of Highway 70 was OK+/- but from the Highway 70 intersection with 89 , the rest of the way into Quincy (about 10 miles) was a drag. Uphill, poor sight distance, no shoulders, tight guard rail, and lumber trucks. Happy to get to Quincy. Hopefully, tomorrow will fare better.

Keddie Wye

Day 26 August 30 Zero Day in Chester/Lake Almanor

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:20:00 +0000

My first rest day since Bend. I didn't realize how tired I was.
Not much going on in Chester but that's OK, I rested.
Quincy tomorrow.

Day 25 August 29 Lassen National park to Chester, CA 60 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:10:00 +0000

Strange thing. That last 5 miles or so yesterday, I felt a strange bump coming from my back wheel. What the heck could that be? I pedaled into the Manzanita campground just inside Lassen NP around 6PM with thoughts of hot shower and food - the bump was all but forgotten until this morning. I had breakfast already and my cup of Joe, and had started loading up my bike when I remembered, "What was that bump that I felt yesterday, after all?' I flipped my bike over and gave my wheel a spin only to discover a big ol' nasty hole in my rear tire and that somehow didn't blow. The tire was actually contorted way out of norm. Basically, the tire was unsalvageable - it was trash and I was very lucky that it didn't fail catastrophically. This discovery disturbed the normal morning rhythm of packing, eating and getting down the road, but I was OK with that. Apparently, there was a good reason why I've been carrying a spare tire with me for over 1000 miles.

My route today took me up through Lassen NP, up and over the summit at 8500'. All of the sudden, there is a new variable in the equation called altitude. I huffed and puffed up to the top enjoying the late spring like conditions as I pedaled. The snow melted so late this year that the wild flowers were still blooming in the green meadows. Another pretty day.

From the summit, it was a 20 mile downhill then ups and downs into Chester, CA my final destination for the day. I saw 2 logging trucks pass me on Highway 89 outside of the park. We'll see how things go with the logging trucks on Wednesday as I head for Quincy. I understand that there is a Sierra Pacific sawmill in Quincy.

I checked into a motel in the small town on Chester on Lake Almanor with the intent of taking a Zero day tomorrow. A Zero day being zero miles or a day off. This will be my first day off since Bend, so I'm ready. I checked into the Antlers Motel and Scott behind the counter offered to do my laundry. He said that they will typically do laundry for PCT through hikers and bike tourers as long as it's reasonable. I thought that was really cool. One less thing that I had to deal with, so I focused on dinner - Pizza, salad and a beer. The beer selection just isn't as good as Oregon but I managed a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

OK, looking forward to a day off!

Day 24 McArthur-Burney Falls State Park to Lassen National Park 45 miles

noreply@blogger.com (Alan) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:36:00 +0000

Said goodbye to Ian and Anita,this morning, since they weren't planning on going as far as me today. Hope to see them again down the road. Then, after viewing the very impressive Burney Falls, I headed south in search of elusive trout on Hat Creek. I stopped at a little convenience store to buy a pre-fishing snack. I'm finding that I'm starting to get serious about my junk food "situation". Today, I had a creme-filled chocolate Hostess cupcake (with the little swirl on top). I washed it down with good healthy milk, though. Also, I'm focusing (almost obsessing) on ice cream sandwiches. Kinda weird. I'm afraid that I'll be eating Poptarts next. Anyhow, I met a guy at the store who is a beekeeper in Hat Creek. He used to own a bike shop in Santa Cruz but got interested in beekeeping when a guy traded him a bee hive for a bike. Talking about shifting gears. I mentioned that I was going fly fishing and he said that he lived adjacent to Hat Creek and generously invited me to fish on his property. That sounded pretty good to me. He told me the directions but I somehow managed to miss it, so I had to fish with the commoners. Hat Creek runs adjacent to Highway 89 for ten miles or so, so there was lots of water to fish but I also saw a lot of fisherman, too. Hat Creek must get heavily fished. but I managed to catch 2 brown trout - biggest around 11 inches. It was hard getting back on the bike again and it was all up hill to Lassen NP. That's something else that I'm "focusing" on - a hot shower at the end of the day. Although the lake swim was pretty nice yesterday (it was 90 degrees), today I got in to the campground late and it was colder being at 6000' - and the shower was great. The shower was coin operated and of course the shower shut off when I was washing my hair. I hate that especially since I was out of quarters. I had to rinse my hair in the sink. Bottom line - I feel better and sleep better after the shower. Mt Lassen still has a lot of snow on it. Tomorrow, I'll have a better look as I ride up to 8500'. I would climb Mt Lassen while I'm there but I've already" been there and done that". Summit. elev. 10457'

This cowboy has a giant branding iron in his hand. Much scarier than the Big Foot that I saw!