Northern California - Mammoth to Yosemite

Despite my numerous car troubles, I was able to do my ride to Yosemite, and my wife drove and met me there. Actually she met me at numerous spots along the way and cheered ne on, took pictures, and handed off to me the battery to my camera which I had left on the charger at Mammoth. So I have lots of pics but can upload them until I get to a real Internet connection. I would say that this was the most fun and most scenic "century" ride I've done, although it was a lot more climbing than I realized from the profile and harder than I expected from the elevation.

113 miles, 6 hours, and I think close to 8000 feet.

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6967.png

That looks like a sweet ride, I'd love to finish up a ride coming into Yosemite.

I don't suppose your good lady wife would be willing to provide this kind of support to any other NorCal riders?

Some support... She mostly just yelled "why are you going so slow" :p

Steve, that looks like a great ride! I'm going to have to keep that one in mine.

Some support... She mostly just yelled "why are you going so slow" :p

Why were you going so slow? :roflmao2:

Pretty cool - did you go up to Tioga Pass from the Nevada side? Did you ride down into Yosemite Valley on your bike? I've ridden the Tioga Pass road in the park, and had a great time, but just didn't have the guts to ride down to the valley with all the tourists and motor homes on the road.

JB

JB

Some support... She mostly just yelled "why are you going so slow" :p

that could work.

Yeah, I went up the pass from the 395. I wasn't going that slow, did 10mph average up it, she just likes to tease me. The traffic wasn't bad, the drivers gave me lots of room and lots of thumbs up. On e I got in the valley the drivers turned to morons though.

Yeah, I went up the pass from the 395. I wasn't going that slow, did 10mph average up it, she just likes to tease me. The traffic wasn't bad, the drivers gave me lots of room and lots of thumbs up. On e I got in the valley the drivers turned to morons though.

I rode the valley once and you're right! I think I-5 is safer.

Looks like a great ride. We took that route on our drive home from ESD. Wish I could have ridden that, but oh well.

Yeah, I went up the pass from the 395. I wasn't going that slow, did 10mph average up it, she just likes to tease me. The traffic wasn't bad, the drivers gave me lots of room and lots of thumbs up. On e I got in the valley the drivers turned to morons though.

Nice - I saw some tourers going that way the day I rode up to Tioga Pass. Going back down into the park from the pass is interesting - you'd think it would be a 45 mile long downhill, but there's a few climbs along the way! The only riding I do on the valley floor is on slowly on the trails with my kids in tow.

JB

Back in Mammoth now. Here are a few pics my wife took...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6969.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6970.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6971.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6972.jpg

Very nice, umd:thumb:

Awesome. And I should know.

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/6971.jpgWow.

Wow is right! I'm jealous!

I wouldn't mind driving it again for a group, if I get to spend at least a night in the valley after :). (I got a year-pass to Yosemite, so we're covered for that.) umd?

Wow - what an amazing ride! Love the pictures.

The June Lake loop is spectacular - good choice to deviate from the main road and do that. Tioga pass is on my to do list along with a number of other Eastern Sierra passes. The year we brought our bikes to Yosemite, Tioga Rd was still closed so we could only do an out an back about 1/3 of the way.

I wouldn't mind driving it again for a group, if I get to spend at least a night in the valley after :). (I got a year-pass to Yosemite, so we're covered for that.) umd?
Be sure to let me know. My wife and I were up in Mammoth for a vacation last week and we drove the Tioga Pass to Yosemite. The whole time, I was thinking how great it would be on a bike.

I also think it would be an epic adventure to ride through the park from the south entrance to the 395 side.

Excellent pix UMD! I've always wanted to do that ride and then some.

I wonder what it would take, signature wise, to get a petition to whoever is in charge of the highways, to allow a car free weekend on SR120 for bikes only. How easy would it be to do this right after Cal Trans clears the road in May from all the snow?? All I'm asking is from Crane flat to Lee Vining.

Anyone want to help me with this project?

BR

Once I got in the valley the drivers turned to morons though.

I'm afraid of them when I'm in my car... can't imagine being on my bike on the road with them.

I've driven Tioga Pass many times and each time I do I think, "Wow, this road surface kind of sucks." Did you have any issues on the descent down 120 to 140?

Needless to say, I know it's overused, but this looks "epic."

Beautiful photos too.

The descent to the 140 was fine, good pavement and enough grade to go the speed limit so I was able to take the lane.

Ginchy...