San Francisco to Las Vegas tour
 

Good time of the day to all of you !!!

I've got an idea which I can shake off. I want to ride a bicycle from San Francisco (close by) to Las Vegas through Yosemite in beginning of May. Have a week to spare.

I'm hoping to have a support vehicle, and sleep in motel/hotels. so no need to haul camping gear (i hope)
has anyone done similar route or any portions of this? any valuable recommendations on bare necessities?
What is recommendation to push on average per day in order not to overkill myself before the end of the trip.


here is an idea of a route which will be split in segments (obviously :) )

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/f...een/179147432/
http://goo.gl/maps/bmHlC

[h=2]http://www.yosemitehikes.com/
Tioga Road Historical Opening and Closing Dates[/h] The Tioga Road is Yosemite's highest, peaking at just under 10,000 feet, and is usually closed from sometime in November until May or early June. It typically gets shut down for the season after the first big winter storm, whenever that happens to arrive.

[TABLE="class: sixty-pct-table, width: 60%"]
[TR]
[TH="width: 25%"]Year[/TH]
[TH="width: 37%"]Opening Date[/TH]
[TH="width: 37%"]Closing Date[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2012[/TD]
[TD]May 7[/TD]
[TD]November 17[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2011[/TD]
[TD]June 18[/TD]
[TD]January 18, 2012[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2010[/TD]
[TD]June 5[/TD]
[TD]November 19[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2009[/TD]
[TD]May 20[/TD]
[TD]November 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2008[/TD]
[TD]May 21[/TD]
[TD]October 30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2007[/TD]
[TD]May 11[/TD]
[TD]December 7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2006[/TD]
[TD]June 17[/TD]
[TD]November 29[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2005[/TD]
[TD]June 24[/TD]
[TD]November 25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2004[/TD]
[TD]May 14[/TD]
[TD]October 17[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2003[/TD]
[TD]May 31[/TD]
[TD]October 31[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2002[/TD]
[TD]May 22[/TD]
[TD]November 5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2001[/TD]
[TD]May 12[/TD]
[TD]November 11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2000[/TD]
[TD]May 18[/TD]
[TD]November 9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1999[/TD]
[TD]May 28[/TD]
[TD]November 23[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1998[/TD]
[TD]July 1[/TD]
[TD]November 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1997[/TD]
[TD]June 13[/TD]
[TD]November 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1996[/TD]
[TD]May 31[/TD]
[TD]November 5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1995[/TD]
[TD]June 30[/TD]
[TD]December 11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1994[/TD]
[TD]May 25[/TD]
[TD]November 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1993[/TD]
[TD]June 3[/TD]
[TD]November 24[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1992[/TD]
[TD]May 15[/TD]
[TD]November 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1991[/TD]
[TD]May 26[/TD]
[TD]November 14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1990[/TD]
[TD]May 17[/TD]
[TD]November 19[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Thank you !!!
GOOD eFing point. totally forgot :(
will have to look for an alternative and consider road closures

You might find this thread useful: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-route-to-take

It's been a good snow year, so Tioga Pass will probably be closed. You might look at the ACA route through the Sierras, follow it up to Lake Isabella, then veer off on 178 over Walker's Pass and down into the desert. That will be a very easy climb. Then you can drop down through Ridgecrest, through Trona, and turn right on 190, passing through Death Valley and over the hills into Vegas.

thank you, will look


Thank you much! will try to reroute, cause that is is exactly what i figured that none of the passes will open with this amount of snow, i i have only window till may 13

I have to dispute the "good snow year". Up to now, it's been lousy! http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action

Looks like 88 is open all the way. afraid traffic will be on it heavier than usual, since the rest of passes (108, 120)are closed

really dont want to go around it on flat and desert :( ... want to grind my muscles a bit in mountains... see how bad it is

An alternate is Ebbetts Pass on Highway 4, which may be open on a bad snow year. It's narrow, steep, winding, and remote, though the steepest parts are on the eastern slopes. You can make up for that by going over Monitor Pass right after that!

http://www.chainreaction.com/bearvalley.htm

thanks. already found this in some of your (or someone elses) earlier reports

Awesome help, thank you !!!!!

My feeling is yosemite's 120 is not a good place to share the road with vehicles.. if drivers' attention wasn't already occupied on normal roads, they'll be even more so in Yosemite. The road also lacks sufficient shoulder.


http://arcticglass.blogspot.com/2012...o-holiday.html

yeah ... i've done some thinking ... might pass on the overpasses for my first journey
thanks for the post !!!

If you do go over Carson Pass, it's not a really tough effort like Sonora or Ebbetts. The upside is that you can descend like a rocket instead of riding the brakes around the tight downhill turns, if you're into thrill rides. I've most times broken 50 mph on the section of 88 about a mile east of Woodsfords, it's straight, wide, and usually has a tailwind. At that speed, I take the whole lane instead of hugging the shoulder, and watch for debris intensely.

Ebbets _ Carson _ Tioga. I would only consider riding Tioga during the Tween season, after oct 15. I will never ever ride into the valley again. Last fall on a lovely sunday I freaked out on the drop into the valley and had to hitch. One small touch by a gawking tourist = death.

Sonora Pass - Highway 108 - is the best alternative outside of Yosemite if Tioga remains closed.
This year is a below-normal snow year - say about 70% - so passes should open in May.
Tioga is usually the lst to open because it is highest and in the park.
For some reason, Sonora usually opens a little before Ebbetts.

Also, Sonora isn't as steep except for the last section -
Hwy 4 is only one lane in places - Hwy 108 is usually wider.
Plus, Hwy 108 drops you off near Bridgeport - much more direct.

No matter which route you take, all services will still be closed.

i'm not afraid of challenge, but you are NUTS !!!! hope you were not doing 50mph on a touring bike with all gear :)

yeah :(

what services ?

and thanks for the breakdown of openings

Ummm, yes, I was loaded. At least I didn't get any speed wobbles. Running 35mm tires gives a bit more safety...maybe I won't say anything about fleeing a breaking thunderstorm over the Ebbetts Pass crest and hitting 50 mph on the westbound downhill into Hermit Valley. It's more like 1.5 lanes instead of just one. I had a van out in front of me and had to slow down to avoid getting too close. The van went out of sight around a gentle curve, I slowed down (look, not insane!) and I went around the bend to find it at nearly a dead stop as it gingerly passed an oncoming SUV. Yow!

Edit: This guy is even worse, 69 mph down Tioga Pass!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...44770516,d.cGE

I guess you get used to it, I go down a steep hill on the way to work each morning (Amaya Drive into El Cajon) and can usually hit the 40 mph speed limit. I wouldn't do that if there was any cross streets, people pull out right into you even with a 500 lumen flashing light in their eyes.

wow, i hope to get there one day ... but not till my daughter is all grown up :50:

thanks, good to know that these roads can hold someone at these speeds, at least will give me the margins of comfort zone

did not even know they have bikes like such :D
NUTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It looks like Ebbetts Pass usually opens 2-3 weeks before Tioga, so you may be lucky this year:

[h=3]Past Winter Closure and Spring Opening Dates for
Ebbetts Pass[/h]
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TH]Winter[/TH]
[TH]Ebbetts Pass Closed[/TH]
[TH]Ebbetts Pass Open[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2004-05[/TH]
[TD]October 29[/TD]
[TD]May 26[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2005-06[/TH]
[TD]November 28[/TD]
[TD]May 25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2006-07[/TH]
[TD]December 11[/TD]
[TD]May 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2007-08[/TH]
[TD]December 10[/TD]
[TD]May 9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2008-09[/TH]
[TD]December 15[/TD]
[TD]May 8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2010-11[/TH]
[TD]November 22[/TD]
[TD]June 7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2011-12[/TH]
[TD]January 18[/TD]
[TD]May 11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]2012-13[/TH]
[TD]November 8[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Even though the official road opening for Tioga is always later than Ebbetts or Sonora, you may still be able to get through Tioga on a weekend before the official opening. I know a few people who have accomplished that. During the week, the snowplows are working, and they won't let anyone through. Check with the park ranger. They will not let a car through until the official opening, however, so your support car will have to go the long way.

Once you leave Crane Flat, you won't have any signs of civilization until the Mobil Station near Mono Lake. Tioga Pass Resort is closed in Winter, sadly. When I rode it several years ago, I brought a water filter and got water from streams near the road.

If you do end up going over Tioga pass, make sure you stop at the Mobil Station to eat. There is a deli inside, called the Whoa Neli Deli. They have incredible food, and usually open the same day as the pass.

And if the Mobil Station is closed, Nicely's in nearby Lee Vining serves up hearty diner food.

neat link, thanks.
I agree both about becoming comfortable with speed, as well as the issue of doing such stuff with a minimum of possibilities of people pulling out, turning in front of you etc.
The Tioga Pass run, while it looks like a great deal of fun, to me looks rather iffy because of all the pull off areas, the chances of coming upon someone who is pulling in or pulling out and not watching the road, but the scenery, is just too risky. Throw in the fact that these bikes shown are so low.

Tioga Pass road might not be worse than anywhere for flubbing up a line, but if someone got a line totally screwed up or had to avoid some fallen debris or something, there were some really steep looking dropoffs that one wouldnt want to get launched off (this video actually makes me think of the Isle of Man TT, motorcycle event--fracking bonkers too, makes my hands perspire whenever I see footage of it, and I used to circuit motorcyle race a bit)

As you say about how people dont even see flashing lights, I ride in the city all the time and am always amazed how someone can not see me with a really bright blinky on my helmet pointed right at them....