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Yosemite Ride

I

ian408

Guest
Fast forward to Yosemite. I arrived at the entrance station just about noon
and stopped on the way for a couple of photos...in the distance, you can just
make out Bridalveil Falls.

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Some of the road construction isn't complete making valley traffic worse than
Valley Traffic :)

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Worried I'd miss the boys, it took nearly a half hour to go less than five
miles to the Ahwahnee.

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I was late and no one was around. So, walked the grounds and tried to imagine
what this was like back when Gilbert Stanely Underwood designed this 150,000sf
lodge. In case you were wondering, Ahwahnee means "deep, grassy meadow" which
the hotel is situated in. I think Jerry had it right when he said enjoy a
drink on the patio.

It was getting towards two pm and I needed to start making tracks. I wanted
to visit Glacier Point before I left. Back the traffic jam and out 41 to
Glacier Point.

Here, the last remnants of winter still hold on. Including the slight chill
as I pass larger accumulations of snow.

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This is my feeble attempt at the "on-bike" shot. Headed down the road to
Glacier Point.

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Glacier Point was the site of one of the National Park's nicest hotels.
It burned to the ground and wasn't rebuilt.

Here's what you would have had to look at in the morning.

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Glacier Point offers one of the nicest views of the water falls. To the right,
Nevada Falls and to the center, Vernal Falls.

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The view of the Ahwahnee from Glacier puts the size of the park in perspective.

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The mighty GS was my ride of choice today and I should give it props for the
fine ride!

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I exited the park and headed over to Hwy 49 for some fun in the twisties.
Should have paid more attention to the clock for the ride WEST was into the
setting sun. You can see the twists and even where the road goes high above
the lake.

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That's about it. No shots on the way as I was making time and didn't arrive
home until nearly ten pm. What a day!

Ian
 
oh man, the waterfalls look sweet this year. here i sit, green with envy - good report, and thanks for sharing.
 
I stopped at Crane Flat (junction of 120/Tioga Pass) and this is what I
saw:

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You can get from here to Yosemite Creek. Beyond that, the road is closed.

To give you an idea of what's left, there's a 10 mile stretch that needs to be
plowed plus all the other road work (clearing the ditches for water runoff
and other repair work) not to mention the still active avy zones. Crews will
not work where there's avalance danger. I'm guessing they'll open the road
just in time to make a run before it's closed for the season :) OK, not that
long. But July is a good guess for opening.

Ian
 
Great pics! Thanks for taking us along.

Man, I love this place.

Question: maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I don't remember a big black mark on the face of Half Dome. Has that always been there?

Kbasa - you live in Marin and haven't been to Yosemite since you were a kid... what's up with that???

Ian
 
Visian said:
Question: maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I don't remember a big black mark on the face of Half Dome. Has that always been there?

As long as I can remember, the stain on the rock has been there.

Ian
 
I think the stain came from a bonfire they used to push off from the top each night long ago.
 
I was told about the face in the rock on half dome, you might be able to make it out on this shot.

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Thanks for the report! :thumb . I am looking forward seeing Yosemite for myself this summer. :D
 
lorazepam said:
I was told about the face in the rock on half dome, you might be able to make it out on this shot.

914637-M.jpg

i think i see cliffy's profile!
 
davidsharpe said:
I think the stain came from a bonfire they used to push off from the top each night long ago.

The Firefall was pushed over the edge to the delight of Camp Curry visitors. The
firefall origingated from up at Glacier Point. Word is that the bark was started up a
couple of hours before the event (which, if memory serves me was about 9PM each
evening) and allowed to burn to coals. A call of sorts was yelled between Glacier
Point and Camp Curry. Protocol complete, the coals were pushed in a nice even
fall to produce a spectacular show. The firefall was discontinued in the late 60's.

Ian
 
great pics. i remember seeing pictures of the fire fall in my viewmaster....anybody else have a viewmaster waaay back when.



username - i have an ameteurfile, not a profile. i am still chicken to try for the license to be pro.
 
I'm envious!

You West-coasters don't know how good you have it (or maybe you do!).... Between the Mexican Coast, Big Sur, Monterey/Carmel, Muir Woods, Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, etc, etc, etc, I don't think I would EVER do anything but ride. :wow How could you ever get enough of it???? We make the most out of a pretty nice mountain region here in Western Maryland. But, everytime I see one of these threads, I start to get a little envious, not to mention an itchy throttle hand. Keep posting the pics; I really enjoy looking at the areas that I can only dream about riding :thumb
 
Firefalls

Actually, the bonfire was pushed off of Glacier Point. Saw it many times. Very pretty and very politically incorrect. The practice was ended in the late 60s. So sad.

The stain on Half Dome is just that. A stain caused by rain and leeched minerals in the granite.

Eric
 
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