Sierras Again

[BonusVFR]

Good reporting as usual sir, I love mountains and 'greenery'. Something about the brown landscape just gets me depressed over time. Although having a beach or large body of water nearby helps.

When are you coming??? Need altitude to get much green in California. Ironically Winter is usually the greenest period in San Diego.

[SEBSPEED]

Good reporting as usual sir, I love mountains and 'greenery'. Something about the brown landscape just gets me depressed over time. Although having a beach or large body of water nearby helps.

When are you coming??? Need altitude to get much green in California. Ironically Winter is usually the greenest period in San Diego.

Tomorrow! You ready for me? Wait, let me scratch off this ticket first... :goofy: When I rustle up the gumption(and the excuse) to go cross country, you'll be the first to know bud! :fing02:

[BonusVFR]

Good reporting as usual sir, I love mountains and 'greenery'. Something about the brown landscape just gets me depressed over time. Although having a beach or large body of water nearby helps.

When are you coming??? Need altitude to get much green in California. Ironically Winter is usually the greenest period in San Diego.

Tomorrow! You ready for me? Wait, let me scratch off this ticket first... :goofy: When I rustle up the gumption(and the excuse) to go cross country, you'll be the first to know bud! :fing02:

Ready for you anytime Kid! As long as you don't do this in the driveway next to my Wing.

[SEBSPEED]

I may have to sit after all those miles, but I'm working on the smoking thing. :fing02:

[BonusVFR]

I may have to sit after all those miles, but I'm working on the smoking thing. :fing02:

I did about 2 thousand miles on this trip.

Let us see. 4k maybe 5 with detours to get here. Figure at least 3K maybe 4 in California and then 3k to get back as you are going to be real tired by then. I know you can do miles but this many? And still have a job?

[BonusVFR]

We stayed in the South Lake Tahoe campground, which is perfectly situated across the street from the Lake with food and laundry nearby plus hot showers. Our site was adjacent to the Camp Host who is a retired CHP who I assumed was also packing – good security for my priceless 5th gen.

On this tour, I experimented with some of the new miracle fabrics from TNF. A little rinse at night and you are good to go. This will probably cut my clothes requirement in half. I also tried out my new dual purpose drying modules – I picked these up by necessity after an unfortunate incident in the garage. :fing02: I just wish I could blame my wife for that. :rolleyes:

This new integrated system works pretty well in the West where it is dry and did I mention no bugs either.

I had laid out a scenic 240 mile route in Mapsource for the next day. Looks like we were going to be able to run without change………….what a concept.

A loop running up the West side of Lake Tahoe over to Truckee, a little bit of I80 and then 20 followed by the objective 49 and then back via Rt89 thru Incline Village and the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe.

We headed for the more heavily traveled western shore of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay. These turns are fun but traffic is heavy.

Emerald Bay and still blue.

Nice overlook to pull over and there are always some fellow MC riders to jaw with. Look at this old bastard. And he thinks he is having fun. I would never own a Wing and weird color too.

I should have known about this (Note to self - Check CalTrans).

The construction/repair on I80 changed a high altitude freeway and mile eating blast into a one lane traffic slogged pain. Ah the perfect plan……………….still working on it.

Next time, when I get to Truckee I will jump on the Donner Pass Rd and parallel the Interstate. With my luck by then they should be chip sealing the Donner Pass Rd. I hear they roasted a tour group a while back at that exact same spot………most likely they ran out of gas! I can’t believe not one “rider” had a Zumo.

Of course the gravel trucks were using 20 but all was well when we go to Rt49 the real objective for the day. This is probably my favorite section of 49………well almost at least today. The stretch from Nevada City to Sattley is another VFR tailored run. The same formula: lots of corners with up and down sections. The corners are a bit tighter at the start and you transition to the open corners along a river as you gradually wind your way up the mountain side.

Note the gas alarm on the Zumo. My Magna bud set a PR of about 130 miles on his tank when we rolled into Downieville.

Downieville - My favorite Sierra Town????????? Could be!

Usually rafters and MTB riders galore. I did not notice the all girls hard body downhill group covered in mud.

As to be expected most riders stop in Downieville. Two V4s and another one of those 180 degree Vs with 6 cylinders…really.

After chow and a drink back on 49 and over the river we go.

These turns are representative on the northern portions.

An overlook but the fires and haze from the North put a damper on landscape photography. I kept cold drinks/ice in my cooler on the Ventura rack. It works.

Alternatively near the summit, you can cut over to Graeagle/89 via Gold Lake on 621 instead of intersecting 89 in Sattley. I came up this way in 2007.

RT 89 is a great road in its own rate but seems well patrolled and is a straighter. You cut back into the Tahoe region on the north shore and then take the eastern shore back to South Lake Tahoe. Given the choice of the two, I would pick the eastern shore route (28 then 50) as it is faster and has better lake views.

2007 shot. OK I guess?

Note daydreaming can be a problem as sometimes folks disengage their brain when they see such views. Sensory overload – happens in Yosemite often. Watch your speed and cover your brakes by the Lake. I did a stoppie with full tour gear on RT28 last year when a MC cut right (inches) in front of me from an overlook. I will forever be indebted to the BT21 front that day. Not a chirp.

This high altitude run is just the recipe for high heat valley days. We may have seen 75 degrees after a 45 degree reveille. Surprisingly Tahoe was colder in the morning than Mammoth despite the 2,000 ft deficit.

Next - Job Prospecting in Tahoe.

[Guest]

"Look at this old bastard. And he thinks he is having fun. I would never own a Wing and weird color too."

LOL, well spoken, Bonus, yur crackin' me up. Jeeez, these pics are even better than your last set. I knew there was a reason I signed up for this forum.

[BonusVFR]

"Look at this old bastard. And he thinks he is having fun. I would never own a Wing and weird color too."

LOL, well spoken, Bonus, yur crackin' me up. Jeeez, these pics are even better than your last set. I knew there was a reason I signed up for this forum.

Well it is like this. Maybe I was only telling half the story or truth kinda like a halfwit. :fing02:

My other bike for now. A couple of VFRD guys have them if they can remember. But at least it is not a trike.

Love Bikes ..........all kinds but the VFR is the craft for the Sierras.

[BonusVFR]

The next day our group split up and I checked out a Condo on the North Shore and lunched with an old boss. I also rode all the eastern passes to the Lake namely 207, 50 and 431. I had never been on 207 before but while the eastern side in pretty smooth with splendid sweepers but the traffic restrained spirited riding. I planned to take 207 again the next day to head over Sonora.

Mt Rose/431 is the best of the Eastern routes to Tahoe. Great corners, longer runs, less traffic and with great views of the Lake.

I did 431 both ways as is is such a ball from either side.

I saw my first RC 45 there in 2006 and VFRD member. Great corner and overlook of Tahoe here.

I also took a look the oldest settlement in Nevada and hugged the mountains in Nevada for a bit. I did not stop for Llong.

Next Sonora and another scintillating section of 49.

[BonusVFR]

The next day looked to be our finest. We had a Denny’s send off special followed by RT 207 out of Tahoe to 395 and Nevada to Topaz Lake and then back California. We could have used a RD in this section as there were a few of Nevada’s finest on patrol/revenue enhancement duties.

We continued on 395 going thru my much loved section along the Walker River to the Sonora Pass exit. At about 70 miles from Tahoe as soon as you take 108 the road starts to climb continuously for about 20 miles and 3,000ft. The eastward climbs are almost always steeper than the western approaches. There are numerous radical switchbacks especially as you get closer to the summit. Unfortunately, there was sand in a few of the corners near the top but enough to insist on a KLR.

My RAM mount camera was starting to act up once again so I had to stop to capture the moment, which I did as exigencies seemed to dictate.

Buffalo/Bison? near the Summit.

Very near the top it opens up again

The Top – 9,624 ft. Only Tioga is higher in the Sierras ...at least for paved routes. Not quite up to Colorado standards but up there.

The Zumo usually gets it pretty close.

I did not see these signs on the way up………..I guess they were cattle/cows?…….really. Be careful.

Spring comes in late July in the high Sierras.

RT 108 twisting away to the East.

Heading down and West. Looks like we missed the fires! Clear and blue.

Really special and very few folks about…….not like RT120

Great corners but not quite as sharp as some on the eastern approach.

Really tough to decide what you want to do ……….gaze or rail.

Best option is to do the ride…multiple times.

I did it from the West in 2006 Late May

The Top and the Bison sign. Little different huh ? And very little snow melt runoff on the road.

The road opens up a little as you head downhill towards Sonora for another 40 miles or so. Still great corners and not as many overlooks so you can focus on turninnnnnnnnnnng!

All things considered (roads and scenery), Sonora is my choice as the best pass in the Sierras.

Next a very twisty, lonely section of RT49

[BonusVFR]

After we left Sonora, our tour group began to disintegrate as my Vstrom buddy decided he wanted to head for Yosemite Valley, instead of a slightly warmer but tranquil 49. The Plan was to eventually meet in Oakhurst…….it never happened.

Routes 120 and 49 combine for a bit and then 120 breaks off to Yosemite while 49 routes via Coulterville to Mariposa and Oakhurst. Of note is that 120 for the next few miles rivals about any road in the Sierras as it is recently paved and twists like a mother. You really can not go wrong either way. As Yogi says when you come to a fork in the road ..........take it. This portion is sometimes called the Priest Grade and there is an Old Priest Grade too which is incredibly steep.

My 49er destination for the day was the morsel between Coulterville and Bear Valley Rd. But RT 49 also has its charms including substantially less traffic and some fantastic turns in its own right. It has the golden brown hue of the central coast and Sierra foothills, which it is. A little light on Sebspeed's “greenery” but the roads work which is the real reason we were pointed in this direction

I have ridden from South to North but not in the opposite direction. There are very few cars are on this route as opposed to one of the 120 which is one of the main access points to the most popular National Park in the USA.

It is a sweet ride to Coulterville, which is also the start point for a great back way route to 120 via the Greely Hill Rd. After Coulterville, the real fun starts.

And it begins and goes and goes and goes.

Across the Merced River.

And up the hill we go

Closer to the top.

Over the shoulder …………you get the idea?

At about 5pm we rolled into our rendezvous point, Oakhurst, and we called our wayward Strommer. After about an hour plus of debate and proposals/counter proposals our tour ended and we went our separate ways.

I then relied on V4 power to make the run in early evening to Bakersfield………should have been a little cooler but not much. I arrived a little before 9 after logging 400 plus miles and my fastest sustained speeds of the trip..........65 I think. :beer: My tank trip registered 243 as I rolled into the Zumo queried Motel6. It is nice to know exactly the miles to go to your destination and on the FLY so to speak.

[BonusVFR]

Not much to compare with the previous week riding but I made the split from Motel 6 by 7am to beat the heat of RT 99. Once you reach the GrapeVine the worst is over in terms of heat. From Gorman, I detoured East hugged the mountains and headed for the backroads. And avoided LA.

Tried a spot off Lake Hughes for Breakfast. Opens at 8am but there were not any Harleys there so it was locked.

I wonder if they meant this Breakfast for You/Bud at eight PM??????????

Devoured the best breakfast of the tour in Wrightwood at the Evergreen Cafe at the intersection of Park and Evergreen.

http://discoverwrightwood.com/360-village/

I am going to post my routes for this tour when I can figure out how to do it. If you really want them PM me.

Lessons Learned next

[poconovfr]

Cali. Dam canyon roads, :rolleyes: dam tall mountains :blush: ,dam pretty flowers, :goofy: dam great roads, :cool: .......................................dam nice report and some dam nice pics. :fing02:

Cheers! :beer:

[Guest]

Huge dittos, Bonus, and thanks for sharing the experience.

[BonusVFR]

Turns out after careful counting that this was my 5th trip to the Sierras in the last three years. Any way besides the Amplirider electronics, I tried out two new pieces of clothing kit on this trip.

An evaporative cooling vest and a few North Face quick dry tees or Vapowick (brandname) tshirts.

Just like my VFR, somebody bought me a cooling vest! WOW! It happens to be from Teche niche but the brand hardly seem important.

On this trip, I dropped down to the desert/valley a few times but not long enough to really need help. It did touch 100 for a while but not long enough to really beat me up.

However on the way back to San Diego in the Valleys, I tried out my evaporative cooling vest for the first time. I stuffed it in my tail trunk pack/cooler ready for the right moment. I had packed my cooler with ice and drinks plus my vest for when I REALLY needed them.

You see that trunk (styrofoam insulated) hanging off the tail rack………..ice cold with drinks and a cooling vest in standby. Don't leave home without it!

Anyway, it was about 100, when I donned it on I15 in the Rancho Cucamonga area for the first time. I was looking at a 2 hour return run to San Diego. I gassed up and put on the ice cooled and water soaked vest………….. it was frankly heaven. It worked for two hours till I arrived in the comforting 70 summer temps of San Diego. This vest will be a part of my summer pack list forever. It works!!!! Yes, it was almost pleasant at 100 degrees……………really. Well much improved anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I carry two vests on California Mountain tours now……………electric and cooling. That replaces lots of layers and increases comfort substantially.

Heretofore, I had always use cotton tees on tour but this time I went high tech to the max for the multi day tour. The brand happens to be The North Face (my bro runs a regional distributorship) but again not sure it matters. This garment’s virtue is that it dries fast whether on the road or after a quick wash at night and is very comfortable too. The bottom line is that in eight days on the road including 5 days camping I needed just two tee shirts. This cut my packing requirement by half or more and reduced the odor /smell substantially. My wife even hugged me…………….sort of when I returned!

Now, I am not sure how they would dry in a humid climate but this drying tool worked every night. Quick dry camp towel to port and red T to starboard.

Regardless of the season, I will take the Vaporwick shirts - two maybe three. The cooling vest is for any trip where temps may top 90.

[SierraRider]

Nice write up.

That's my backyard you rode in. I enjoy these roads regularly and have not gotten a bit tired of any. That stretch of road out of Coulterville on 49 is heaven.

[skuuter]

Great PICS and WRITE-UP............... :fing02:

But, when did you get a ZUMO...................... :blink:

............................................................................................ :goofy:

[BonusVFR]

Great PICS and WRITE-UP............... :warranty:

But, when did you get a ZUMO......................

............................................................................................ :goofy:

I just got it so to speak ...........seems like yesterday. When you mature a bit more, you will notice that time flies ............... and every once in a while you forget stuff. Other fellas I mean.

Anyway always looking for some good info and tips on how to mount the Zumo?? I have to do a search on VFRD?! Have to post up on my experiences ............What a Tale that would be!

BTW Happy Bday .... again but I forget exactly did not you just have one? Another already!

Next time I should take my Wing to the Sierras with a 75 gallon fuel trailer AND the Zumo. Set tank range to 2500!

[BonusVFR]

In early October, I escaped for 4 days in the Southern Sierras again. I am tacking this brief report on to my VFR ride report since I went over Sherman Pass in the Southern Sierras again. But I rode from the East this time and then headed up to Sequoia Park via Mountain Road 99 and then tore down I90 thru the Yokohl Valley (best in Spring with the flowers) to 198 and Three Rivers.

Turns out this was mostly a ST1300/1100 ride with one VFR and my Wing.

Lane Splitting on I15 to a Crestline cabin in the LA mountains - our rendevous point.

The last stretch to Crestline on 18 ..............fantastic sweeper ...............perfect for a VFR.............Not bad on a 1800 flat six either.

Great Breakfast Stop the next morning in Crestline. See that tiny VFR in the mix. Not sure Larry frequents this board though.

138 running North on the backside of San Bernardino Mts is a hoot. Try it you will like it. Controlling my lightweight Wing was interesting first thing in the morning. This guy has two 1100s?

Bringing up the rear climbing Sherman Pass from 395.

The Top....Mount Whitney to the left....clearer than the last time.

The high at 9,200ft at 1400 hours. Vest and Grips with power are the ticket.

The West side has been hot a few times and the road is a bit rough in spots.

But there are corners.

Rt 190, Sequoia and 245 next

[BonusVFR]

I was able to cross over to 190 which is about 25 miles of the finest road in all of California. The stretch from Springville to the top at Ponderosa at about 7200ft is an extroadinary set of twisties..............they never stop. This is my third time on this road and it is a favorite with no traffic but blocked in the winter! The feeder roads to this section are only sensational.

Good place to practice your technique ...............if you do not like downhill corners do not apply.

Overhead of the best sections of 190.

We were going to camp in Sequoia at Lodgepole but 15 degrees or colder dissuaded us from this foolish notion. We setup our tents at lower altitude in Three Rivers at Horsecreek Campground just off 198. Ok but it necessitated a Wing ride to get food and beverages. I do not like to do this after a long ride. The Kaweah Park Resort in "town" is much superior. It was full with a Sober Biker Group. No booze or guns.................that did not work.

I98 into Sequoia is great but you just can not make haste on this road.............just too many folks, lookers and blind corners. More switchbacks!!!!!

Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park

Once you seen the biggest tree in the world ............they all look alike. :biggrin:

The straight section.

Looks like a rock

Sure is

Lodgepole Parking lot.......................Cold at 29 degrees .............the warmest during the day. Not too many folks...very few camping! Heated gear is essential even on a Wing. Raw too.

We excited at the North end of the Park on 180. This is another great road but with more high speed sweepers. Be careful.

After a few miles, we turned left and headed south on 245 and cut thru a slew of Harleys/choppers. Some get pissed when the rockets go by but when a 800lb Wing hauls they.............

245 is another of those sleeper roads .................another gem.

245 shot in the Spring..............flowers but you would have to be lucky to get over the passes.

We spent the night back in Three Rivers and returned to San Diego the next day.

[FatherX]

Great stuff.

Thanks a ton!

BTW my uncle rode an aspencade when i was ...about 20 years ago. The hogs didn't like it anymore then either.

[vfr_steve]

lots of great stuff here, really enjoyed the report/photo's. Very inspiring. Nice looking 5th gen too! :491:

[BonusVFR]

lots of great stuff here, really enjoyed the report/photo's. Very inspiring. Nice looking 5th gen too! :fing02:

Thanks, not sure why I need to go anywhere else but the Sierras. Mostly corners ...................does it get any better? Going back and forth between the Wing and the VFR is a kick. But I have to say my 5th gen is the ticket for me. Most of my riding is in good weather so the soft bags work pretty well. We will see what the 7th gen looks like when it comes out in 2012. :happy: