29th June 2016
I sleep well, and wake early, as planned. I quickly shower and get booted and suited and load the bike. Today is going to be a very long one - both in terms of mileage and time. I quickly check the oil level and tyre pressures - spot on
I hit the start button at just after 0730 and I'm riding into a beautiful cool morning with a few oktas of cloud around - but nothing that looks threatening...
I leave Ely, home of the Bobcats (apparently) and head west into the desert...
The road is nearly deserted, with a great surface and a 70mph speed limit. I set 80 (4k on the Adv) and watch the miles tick past...
I would have left earlier, but you have to be wary of wildlife. Deer tend to move from their nocturnal grazing areas to their sleeping areas around dawn - I've obviously chosen wisely, because the only deer I see is a couple of weeks too late to cause me any problems...
There is some interesting cloud activity over the mountains to the north west, but nothing that is going to affect me...
I reach a section of road (over 50 miles) which has recently been resurfaced - who knows, perhaps by the very crew I saw working yesterday?
It is so unnaturally black that it looks Photo-shopped in the pics...
I occasionally enter canyons and passes through ranges of hills, which make the ride more interesting...
...but a lot of the time is spent riding Nevada's signature road style - endless, straight and featureless...
The Adv carries on, effortlessly eating the miles up...
Looks like I only just missed some rain here - in another hour these puddles will have evaporated...
Real motorcyclists do 200 miles before breakfast. At 171 I stop at the Tonopah Station...
...where I am brought the Miner's Breakfast...
...which seems to do the trick. The Tonopah Station (like all restaurants and hotels in Nevada) is a casino. I was surprised to see people smoking and playing slots. Apparently it's legal to smoke indoors in Nevada so long as it isn't where food is being served. I wonder how they get around the secondary smoking liability (which, I understand, is the basis for banning smoking in buildings pretty much everywhere)?
This huge brass vat...
...apparently used to be in a cheese-works in Wisconsin.
So now you know.
I settle my bill, then refuel the Adv at a Shell station down the street, topping up my Camelback with chilled water at the same time. It's time for part two of today's marathon...
I take a quick over-the-shoulder snap of the weird "Clown Motel"...
And exit Tonopah, heading west...
More of the same, but at least it's still early and the temperature is reasonable...
The miles drift by...
Here's something different - I'm directed off the road into a vehicle check point - but I'm immediately waved on by the official in the inspection shed...
Long-time readers may recognise this old gent, still soaking up the sun in the town of Benton...
...as well as his slightly younger companion...
Onward!
I crossed into California a while ago - the only difference is a 65mph speed ,limit, rather than 70. The road has a series of dips in it which seriously unload your suspension at the top of the rise, if you haven't reduced your speed...
At length, Lake Mono comes into view...
...as I approach the eastern entrance to Yosemite...
I refuel in Lee Vining and remember that California has special fuel pumps - you have to pull back the - erm - tell you what, let's not go there...
I'm straight back out of the filling station and heading out of Lee Vining...
...heading for Tioga Pass (I checked on-line last night that it was open)...
After passing numerous signs in the first quarter of a mile explaining exactly what you cannot do here, the road opens up...
...and I climb the pass...
It's beautifully clear and the scenery is breathtaking...
It feels cool up here (the pass is 9900ft high - last time I was at this altitude the captain had just switched on the Fasten-Seatbelt sign)...
A line I've used before (and that I stole from Jorge) - Yosemite has a way of making your camera work better...
Wednesday - let's see - yes, I'd be paying my weekly trip to Whitehall today. Hope you're all doing OK without me...
I eventually reach to entrance to the park. There is a long queue, and one Ranger is walking down the line and then waving on everyone with a Parks Pass. I have mine ready but he just waves me through and says "You carry on - don't want you overheating" - perhaps he owns an Adv too?
I'm soon in the Park - and this is familiar territory to me. I was last here in October 2014...
I stop briefly to chat to these two girls hitching a ride - but then decide their chances of securing said ride would not be improved by the presence of an overweight Brit on a bike, and ride on...
I saw loads...
I have a vacant grin on my face, behind the visor...
I will never get tired of visiting Yosemite...
Onward!
The weather is just about perfect...
Back in 2014, the air was full of smoke from huge forest fires in the west of the park...
Today the air is gin-clear, and I'd estimate the temperature to be in the low 80's F...
Despite this already being a long day, I decide to extend it by visiting Glacier Point - something I failed to do (due to bad planning) in 2014...
The Park is absolutely packed. Every parking area is full - this is the week leading up to the 4th July weekend, so I think I'm only seeing the thin end of the wedge here...
I take a quick snap of this trailer-load of tourists, being given a guided tour by a Park Ranger. To my dismay, they turn up towards Glacier Point - where I know there is no overtaking permitted - they are doing 22mph...
They pull in to the Tunnel Overlook - I take full advantage of the cool of the tunnel and the lack of traffic now ahead of me and cool off a bit...
I reach the Glacier Point turn off...
...and arrive at the end of the road some 30 minutes later. I leave the Adv looking like a laundry stand...
...and walk up to the most impressive view I have ever seen...
Nothing prepares you for the distance you can see...
...or the sheer awesome beauty you can hold in your gaze...
I take pictures, knowing that they won't convey any of the feeling you get from just being here...
Everything else that my senses detect is muted - the noise of children playing and shrieking with laughter, chatter of tourists...
It's like a complete sensory overload. I wrote back in 2004, when I first visited here, that this is somewhere everyone should come during their lifetime - I still feel this is true...
I am tired and it has already been a long day, so I (very reluctantly) walk back to the bike...
I ride slowly back down Glacier Point Road. I still have just under 100 miles to do - and most of that in the Park. This means Park speed limits - varying between 35 and 45mph...
I pass lush alpine meadows, full of wildflowers...
...and eventually rejoin the road to the Valley Floor...
...which is very busy, so I just take the quickest loop to get back out...
After a series of - there's no getting away from this - highly illegal overtakes, I have a clear road ahead of me and make some good progress...
I'm eventually out of the Park and passing through the small town of Groveland...
...before joining the Montezuma Highway, which has a spectacular descent into the heat of the valley below...
Unfortunately, I get trapped behind a Prius being driven by someone that is going to pass their test one day. I spot something interesting (just past a Keep Out sign
) and pull off to have a look...
This is the chap I'm interested in - anyone got any ideas? I love the extra lights mounted above the tail fins...
Some of the other residents are probably more low-maintenance...
I depart before being shot as a tresspasser...
As I reach the valley floor, the heat hits me with a vengeance. It's 103 F today in Sonora and I feel every degree of it...
I fill up the Adv for the third time today and then ride across the road to my hotel...
...where I am swiftly booked into my pleasantly cool room. I open the first beer as I start unpacking the bike.
501 miles, and eleven hours in the saddle. My legs and butt ache - but it's an acceptable price for memories like these.
Epic Day
I sleep well, and wake early, as planned. I quickly shower and get booted and suited and load the bike. Today is going to be a very long one - both in terms of mileage and time. I quickly check the oil level and tyre pressures - spot on
I hit the start button at just after 0730 and I'm riding into a beautiful cool morning with a few oktas of cloud around - but nothing that looks threatening...
I leave Ely, home of the Bobcats (apparently) and head west into the desert...
The road is nearly deserted, with a great surface and a 70mph speed limit. I set 80 (4k on the Adv) and watch the miles tick past...
I would have left earlier, but you have to be wary of wildlife. Deer tend to move from their nocturnal grazing areas to their sleeping areas around dawn - I've obviously chosen wisely, because the only deer I see is a couple of weeks too late to cause me any problems...
There is some interesting cloud activity over the mountains to the north west, but nothing that is going to affect me...
I reach a section of road (over 50 miles) which has recently been resurfaced - who knows, perhaps by the very crew I saw working yesterday?
It is so unnaturally black that it looks Photo-shopped in the pics...
I occasionally enter canyons and passes through ranges of hills, which make the ride more interesting...
...but a lot of the time is spent riding Nevada's signature road style - endless, straight and featureless...
The Adv carries on, effortlessly eating the miles up...
Looks like I only just missed some rain here - in another hour these puddles will have evaporated...
Real motorcyclists do 200 miles before breakfast. At 171 I stop at the Tonopah Station...
...where I am brought the Miner's Breakfast...
...which seems to do the trick. The Tonopah Station (like all restaurants and hotels in Nevada) is a casino. I was surprised to see people smoking and playing slots. Apparently it's legal to smoke indoors in Nevada so long as it isn't where food is being served. I wonder how they get around the secondary smoking liability (which, I understand, is the basis for banning smoking in buildings pretty much everywhere)?
This huge brass vat...
...apparently used to be in a cheese-works in Wisconsin.
So now you know.
I settle my bill, then refuel the Adv at a Shell station down the street, topping up my Camelback with chilled water at the same time. It's time for part two of today's marathon...
I take a quick over-the-shoulder snap of the weird "Clown Motel"...
And exit Tonopah, heading west...
More of the same, but at least it's still early and the temperature is reasonable...
The miles drift by...
Here's something different - I'm directed off the road into a vehicle check point - but I'm immediately waved on by the official in the inspection shed...
Long-time readers may recognise this old gent, still soaking up the sun in the town of Benton...
...as well as his slightly younger companion...
Onward!
I crossed into California a while ago - the only difference is a 65mph speed ,limit, rather than 70. The road has a series of dips in it which seriously unload your suspension at the top of the rise, if you haven't reduced your speed...
At length, Lake Mono comes into view...
...as I approach the eastern entrance to Yosemite...
I refuel in Lee Vining and remember that California has special fuel pumps - you have to pull back the - erm - tell you what, let's not go there...
I'm straight back out of the filling station and heading out of Lee Vining...
...heading for Tioga Pass (I checked on-line last night that it was open)...
After passing numerous signs in the first quarter of a mile explaining exactly what you cannot do here, the road opens up...
...and I climb the pass...
It's beautifully clear and the scenery is breathtaking...
It feels cool up here (the pass is 9900ft high - last time I was at this altitude the captain had just switched on the Fasten-Seatbelt sign)...
A line I've used before (and that I stole from Jorge) - Yosemite has a way of making your camera work better...
Wednesday - let's see - yes, I'd be paying my weekly trip to Whitehall today. Hope you're all doing OK without me...
I eventually reach to entrance to the park. There is a long queue, and one Ranger is walking down the line and then waving on everyone with a Parks Pass. I have mine ready but he just waves me through and says "You carry on - don't want you overheating" - perhaps he owns an Adv too?
I'm soon in the Park - and this is familiar territory to me. I was last here in October 2014...
I stop briefly to chat to these two girls hitching a ride - but then decide their chances of securing said ride would not be improved by the presence of an overweight Brit on a bike, and ride on...
I saw loads...
I have a vacant grin on my face, behind the visor...
I will never get tired of visiting Yosemite...
Onward!
The weather is just about perfect...
Back in 2014, the air was full of smoke from huge forest fires in the west of the park...
Today the air is gin-clear, and I'd estimate the temperature to be in the low 80's F...
Despite this already being a long day, I decide to extend it by visiting Glacier Point - something I failed to do (due to bad planning) in 2014...
The Park is absolutely packed. Every parking area is full - this is the week leading up to the 4th July weekend, so I think I'm only seeing the thin end of the wedge here...
I take a quick snap of this trailer-load of tourists, being given a guided tour by a Park Ranger. To my dismay, they turn up towards Glacier Point - where I know there is no overtaking permitted - they are doing 22mph...
They pull in to the Tunnel Overlook - I take full advantage of the cool of the tunnel and the lack of traffic now ahead of me and cool off a bit...
I reach the Glacier Point turn off...
...and arrive at the end of the road some 30 minutes later. I leave the Adv looking like a laundry stand...
...and walk up to the most impressive view I have ever seen...
Nothing prepares you for the distance you can see...
...or the sheer awesome beauty you can hold in your gaze...
I take pictures, knowing that they won't convey any of the feeling you get from just being here...
Everything else that my senses detect is muted - the noise of children playing and shrieking with laughter, chatter of tourists...
It's like a complete sensory overload. I wrote back in 2004, when I first visited here, that this is somewhere everyone should come during their lifetime - I still feel this is true...
I am tired and it has already been a long day, so I (very reluctantly) walk back to the bike...
I ride slowly back down Glacier Point Road. I still have just under 100 miles to do - and most of that in the Park. This means Park speed limits - varying between 35 and 45mph...
I pass lush alpine meadows, full of wildflowers...
...and eventually rejoin the road to the Valley Floor...
...which is very busy, so I just take the quickest loop to get back out...
After a series of - there's no getting away from this - highly illegal overtakes, I have a clear road ahead of me and make some good progress...
I'm eventually out of the Park and passing through the small town of Groveland...
...before joining the Montezuma Highway, which has a spectacular descent into the heat of the valley below...
Unfortunately, I get trapped behind a Prius being driven by someone that is going to pass their test one day. I spot something interesting (just past a Keep Out sign
This is the chap I'm interested in - anyone got any ideas? I love the extra lights mounted above the tail fins...
Some of the other residents are probably more low-maintenance...
I depart before being shot as a tresspasser...
As I reach the valley floor, the heat hits me with a vengeance. It's 103 F today in Sonora and I feel every degree of it...
I fill up the Adv for the third time today and then ride across the road to my hotel...
...where I am swiftly booked into my pleasantly cool room. I open the first beer as I start unpacking the bike.
501 miles, and eleven hours in the saddle. My legs and butt ache - but it's an acceptable price for memories like these.
Epic Day
