Scud Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 If you ever get a chance to ride the Tioga pass, through Yosemite National Park, I highly recommend it. Here's a plaque, dedicated to the people who built this wonderful road across a 10,000 foot pass in the Sierra Nevada range. Sample scenery on the way up the Eastern slope between 13,000 foot peaks... ...where the LeMans was Rock-Solid (if you'll pardon the word-play). A short walk yielded this view of Half-Dome, where a 5 million pound slab of rock slipped off during my trip. I swear it wasn't because of my loud pipes... The weather was fast-changing all week, with precipitation almost every day at some point, including snow at higher elevations and a mid-summer, pea-sized-hail and thunder-fest that shattered the skylight/vents in my trailer. The Husky loved it, the Guzzi not so much... Gratuitous dirt-bike photo. There are virtually endless dirt roads accessible in the Eastern Sierras if you have a street-legal dirt bike - many suitable for adventure bikes. What better way to visit the Devils Postpile than on a brand-new Angel GT? The only way to ride to the trailhead is to arrive early, before the mandatory tram-ride begins operating. 1
czakky Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Somebody's gotta do it. Poor guy. I think Scud gets top honors for best use of a spine frame! Awesome photos too.
docc Posted July 12, 2015 Posted July 12, 2015 Somebody's gotta do it. Poor guy. I think Scud gets top honors for best use of a spine frame! Awesome photos too. Agreed! The guy wrenches. The guy rides. The guy posts great threads. And he has two V11 ! My hero . . . 1
Scud Posted July 12, 2015 Author Posted July 12, 2015 Thanks guys, but the only reward I need is a big mountain ahead, the morning sun at my back, and 6,000 RPMs through miles and miles of big sweeping corners. The Eastern ascent of Tioga Pass is over 3,000 feet vertical in about 12 miles... I rode it twice last week. Great family trip too. They sleep in; I get up early, walk the dog, then rip around for 100 or so miles and get back to camp for breakfast and the rest of the day. Here are a couple more pics from the same spot as the first three photos. Every point of view seems like it's a totally different location - but I only stopped at one spot on the Eastern slope. Come visit and ride one. The LeMans is almost sorted... 2
Scud Posted May 31, 2017 Author Posted May 31, 2017 Return trip... this time earlier in the season and camped at lower elevation in the Owens River Valley. This is approaching Benton Hot Springs, which is near the Nevada border. The Eastern section of Highway 120 peaks at over 8,000 feet with a stunning view of the Sierra Nevada Range... ...on the way to Mono Lake... and the city of Lee Vining, home to Mono Cone and probably the best swirly ice cream in the whole world. Highway 120 continues up and over the Sierra's Tioga Pass. But the pass was closed because some of the road is still under 70 feet (yeah that's 21 meters) of snow. It's up there somewhere... the streams were flowing and the trout were elusive. And a few more pics... 2
BigBlock Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Awesome pictures Scud. Looks like you had good weather and a great time.
czakky Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Dirt, trout (albeit elusive), camping, ice cream and a gnarly Guzzi. That's a good time!
PJPR01 Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Super pics and adventure...that's the way to do it, nothing better than camping, riding and mountains...it's the best combination! A 5 million pound slab...that must have been a major surprise to the visitors!! Great story!
Scud Posted May 31, 2017 Author Posted May 31, 2017 A 5 million pound slab...that must have been a major surprise to the visitors!! That was 2 years ago, I just updated this topic with my recent re-visit rather than create a new topic. Anyway - the article about the rockfall is still available if you follow the link above. It says nobody noticed the rockfall until some rock climbers noticed that their route had changed.
nobleswood Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Did Chuck join you for a ride ? Who's the Dude in the glasses ? : )
Scud Posted June 1, 2017 Author Posted June 1, 2017 Did Chuck join you for a ride ? Who's the Dude in the glasses ? : ) Funny story behind that picture... Mono Cone is a favorite stop for our family when we are in the area. After hauling the trailer up all day Friday (with family) I took a quick rip up to Lee Vining (via route 120). I took the selfie and group-texted it to family (wife and 3 daughters). My oldest texted back "that's savage" almost immediately. Then they all had Thrifty ice cream from the trailer's freezer, which turned into a bit of a running joke over the weekend. At least it was funny to me... maybe it's one of those "you had to be there" things. 1
JBBenson Posted June 2, 2017 Posted June 2, 2017 Great pics. How do you transport the 2 bikes with the rig and all?
Scud Posted June 2, 2017 Author Posted June 2, 2017 The trailer is a 19 foot toy hauler - one of the smaller toy haulers available. The bikes ride inside like this: The whole back drops down as a ramp, and a not-too-shabby picture-window. My daughter strung up all 5 fishing poles. This is how I tied the LeMans in. Wheel chock up front with turnbuckles and snap-rings to the floor hooks. Rear straps prevent forward movement, and side straps with very light compression on the suspension. A benefit of running without side panels is that the straps can go around the subframe instead of the exhaust hangers, which have a pretty weak weld. The white on the back tire is because a chalky section of road in the campsite.
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