Mammoth Lakes Ride Report - Ride #2
08-19-08, 11:36 PM
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Dolce far niente
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Mammoth Lakes Ride Report - Ride #2
I took yesterday off, and did some motor-touring with the family. While we were out and about, I scouted a route for my second ride. This time, I planned to start at the junction of 395 and 158 (June Lake Loop), head north to 120, skirt Mono Lake, and head towards Benton and the Chalfant Valley on US 6 heading back to Bishop.
At the jumping off point I told the girls to go have some fun, and then start looking for me in about 3 hours - being sure to bring lots of water. Once I left the convenience store at the starting point, there would be no services or water as I headed east into the vast and remote high desert.
As I left, I cast a worried glance at the weather to the west, over the Sierra. It was overcast - quite leaden, actually, and there was a freshening breeze coming off the east slope. As I cruised down the first descent I noticed tendrils of cold air mixed with the warm, and so I fretted a bit about thunderstorms. As I turned east on hwy 120, I concerned myself with my first major climb, and forgot about weather. Turns out, it became perfect riding weather - not too hot or cold, with a nice high overcast to keep the sun off of me. Good thing, too, as I only had two water bottles.
After an extended climb, I finally reached Sagehen summit and began my descent into Adobe Flats. If any of you have never descended Sagehen, you're missing one of the best run-outs ever. Wide open vistas, no traffic, visibility galore, and speed. I went over 50mph on two occasions (topped out at just over 52mph), and I was just coasting. It is one of the best descents I've ever experienced, and as an added plus it goes on for miles. Simply amazing.
After hitting the flats, I was treated to a beautiful long ride through a huge high desert valley, with almost no traffic. At one point there was a road crew working, and I was forced to follow a pilot truck for 2 miles. The driver tried to get me to toss the bike in the back and take a ride, but I was having none of it. I ended up drafting him right on his bumper, and coasted through at 20mph. Sweet.
The girls caught up with me before Benton Hot Springs, and I filled my bottles and we had a nice roadside lunch. After that, it was a short climb up, and then a 3 mile 7% descent into Benton Hot Springs. The girls found a nice park, and dallied with the dog while I continued on.
I turned onto hwy 6 and headed down the Chalfant Valley towards Bishop. At about mile 65, they caught me for the last time, and we headed on back to the condo for dinner and the Olympics.
A truly spectacular ride, and the scenery defies description. I'm scheduled for another ride on Thursday - stay tuned!!
South side of Mono Lake:
Winding down 120, behind Mono Lake:
Looking back on Sagehen Meadow:
Top of Sagehen:
Looking down the Sagehen descent, towards the White Mtns:
Vanishing Point:
White Mtns, peeking out between some low hills:
Old homestead:
East slope of the Sierra, seen from the Chalfant Valley in late afternoon:
At the jumping off point I told the girls to go have some fun, and then start looking for me in about 3 hours - being sure to bring lots of water. Once I left the convenience store at the starting point, there would be no services or water as I headed east into the vast and remote high desert.
As I left, I cast a worried glance at the weather to the west, over the Sierra. It was overcast - quite leaden, actually, and there was a freshening breeze coming off the east slope. As I cruised down the first descent I noticed tendrils of cold air mixed with the warm, and so I fretted a bit about thunderstorms. As I turned east on hwy 120, I concerned myself with my first major climb, and forgot about weather. Turns out, it became perfect riding weather - not too hot or cold, with a nice high overcast to keep the sun off of me. Good thing, too, as I only had two water bottles.
After an extended climb, I finally reached Sagehen summit and began my descent into Adobe Flats. If any of you have never descended Sagehen, you're missing one of the best run-outs ever. Wide open vistas, no traffic, visibility galore, and speed. I went over 50mph on two occasions (topped out at just over 52mph), and I was just coasting. It is one of the best descents I've ever experienced, and as an added plus it goes on for miles. Simply amazing.
After hitting the flats, I was treated to a beautiful long ride through a huge high desert valley, with almost no traffic. At one point there was a road crew working, and I was forced to follow a pilot truck for 2 miles. The driver tried to get me to toss the bike in the back and take a ride, but I was having none of it. I ended up drafting him right on his bumper, and coasted through at 20mph. Sweet.
The girls caught up with me before Benton Hot Springs, and I filled my bottles and we had a nice roadside lunch. After that, it was a short climb up, and then a 3 mile 7% descent into Benton Hot Springs. The girls found a nice park, and dallied with the dog while I continued on.
I turned onto hwy 6 and headed down the Chalfant Valley towards Bishop. At about mile 65, they caught me for the last time, and we headed on back to the condo for dinner and the Olympics.
A truly spectacular ride, and the scenery defies description. I'm scheduled for another ride on Thursday - stay tuned!!
South side of Mono Lake:
Winding down 120, behind Mono Lake:
Looking back on Sagehen Meadow:
Top of Sagehen:
Looking down the Sagehen descent, towards the White Mtns:
Vanishing Point:
White Mtns, peeking out between some low hills:
Old homestead:
East slope of the Sierra, seen from the Chalfant Valley in late afternoon:
__________________
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
Last edited by bigbossman; 08-21-08 at 10:33 AM.
08-19-08, 11:45 PM
#2
Dolce far niente
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Some more miscellaneous pics:
SAG support:
Descent down to Benton Hot Springs:
Cruising through Sagehen Meadow:
Chalfant Valley looking north, from the top of the Benton climb:
Looking back on my climb through a forest:
Looking back on hwy 120:
Looking north on Hwy 6, towards Tonopah:
Some mountain or other:
Yosemite, only 119 miles away:
Some Rollers on hwy 120:
SAG support:
Descent down to Benton Hot Springs:
Cruising through Sagehen Meadow:
Chalfant Valley looking north, from the top of the Benton climb:
Looking back on my climb through a forest:
Looking back on hwy 120:
Looking north on Hwy 6, towards Tonopah:
Some mountain or other:
Yosemite, only 119 miles away:
Some Rollers on hwy 120:
__________________
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
08-20-08, 12:25 AM
#4
Dolce far niente
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Yes - it is an amazing landscape, and world class cycling. Just don't go out there without planned support and plenty of water. 
There is absolutely no background noise, so it is dead quiet out there. You start to hear odd little noises you never noticed before, like the quiet hum of the tires on the asphalt and the speed-generated wind as it whispers through your spokes. It is magical.
There is absolutely no background noise, so it is dead quiet out there. You start to hear odd little noises you never noticed before, like the quiet hum of the tires on the asphalt and the speed-generated wind as it whispers through your spokes. It is magical.
__________________
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
Last edited by bigbossman; 08-20-08 at 12:49 AM.
08-20-08, 12:41 AM
#5
moth -----> flame
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BlastRadius took the words right out of my mouth - truly breathtaking. Your first photo around Mono Lake and then the vanishing point photo are spectacular.
08-20-08, 08:26 AM
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Great pics Boss! Gets me excited about heading down there in a couple week for the High Sierra Fall Century.
08-20-08, 10:30 AM
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This ride was all part of that route, until I passed Benton Crossing and went up and over to Benton and the Chalfant Valley.
__________________
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."
S. J. Perelman
