• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Tioga Pass. Yosemite

I

ian408

Guest
Note to self. Never leave the Bay Area on Friday night. And if you say youÔÇÖre
work early. Leave early damnit!

Here we are. Running and ready to rock.

4480422-M.jpg


My goal for this evening was Reno. But like I said, Friday nights are bad news.

Quick stop at the Mothball Fleet. Whoops. Ready Reserve fleet. These should be ready
to sail in a few weeks (if the bottom doesnÔÇÖt fall out first).

4480423-M.jpg


Back on the road and finally near SAC. Traffic is starting to thin out. Lunch at the Bell is
starting to have an undesirable effect. Thank god Im not sitting in backmileage is
getting better. WhatÔÇÖs up with that?

4480424-M.jpg


I decided to stop at IkedaÔÇÖs and grab something to eat. Burgers and shakes are it. Yummy.
I figure what the heck. Might as well stay in Auburn too. A couple of beers seal the deal.

Next morning, over the hill and down to Reno he goes.

ThereÔÇÖs a railroad shed that follows the mountain. Riding the train through
Donner Pass in the winter is a real treat.

4480425-M.jpg


Through Reno in a flash and onto 395 South. IÔÇÖm starting to think I should take the
jacket IÔÇÖm wearing off. IÔÇÖm too lazy to stop. And IÔÇÖll only have to put it on again
later.

4480430-M.jpg


I need to work on my on-bike photo skills. But hereÔÇÖs the Eastern side of the Sierra.

4480432-M.jpg


Stop for gas and some coffee in Minden. Prop my feet up and gaze at the mountains
for the few minutes it takes to have coffee. This wouldnÔÇÖt be such a bad place. Would
it?

4480433-M.jpg


House for a song?

4478724-M.jpg


Then I remind myself theres a reason its so starkits a desert.

Down 395 and towards Lee Vining. Jamming through Topaz Lake
and into Lee Vining. Nice day but it is starting to get cool. Looking
down towards Mono Lake.

4480437-M.jpg


A better view. And guess what? ItÔÇÖs one huge right hander that
takes you down to the road in about a minute. Yeehah!

4480438-M.jpg


I stopped in Lee Vining for gas and something to drink. Talked to
an R bike driver whoÔÇÖs hoping to meet up with his friends. His bike
has AK plates on it. DidnÔÇÖt ask how he got it down here but itÔÇÖs a
nice looking bike. An LT, Harley and a Suzuki pull in. We chat and
itÔÇÖs off our separate ways.
 
Tioga Pass. Yosemite. Part II

I?í?ªm headed for Tioga Pass. Riding up 120, the temperature drops to
the point I?í?ªd break out the electrics but setting the grips to low is
good enough.

4480446-M.jpg


4480447-M.jpg


Look closely and you?í?ªll see some nut jobs climbing on the side of
this slab. It looked like several parties found a line today.

4480453-M.jpg


I stopped at the Porcupine Flat gas station and ran into six guys from
Germany. All riding Harleys and in their finest leather vest (most were
life members of a local club. They?í?ªre here on vacation riding rentals.
And they?í?ªre headed to Tioga. I tell them something a little warmer might
be in order ãÆ??

View of Half Dome.

4480456-M.jpg



One of the falls.

4480460-M.jpg


4480471-M.jpg


I stayed overnight just outside of the valley at Cedar Lodge. Note
to self. Don?í?ªt eat there again.
Headed back into the park Sunday morning to see Glacier Point.

4480479-M.jpg


140 is a very nice ride indeed. Parallel to the road is the river and it?í?ªs
humming right along this time of year.

4480482-M.jpg


Taking that last picture, I see this. A gentle reminder that amidst
the all the beauty, the road can be a dangerous place.

4480481-M.jpg


I will be reminded of this several times on the way out to Glacier Point
by drivers well over the line. In fact, I have to stop after the second time
because it rattles me pretty well. This time of the year, road edges often
have a build up of sand so I am riding towards the middle more than I
would like to. The sports car owners are drifting well into my lane on
more than a few occasions. Heck, not even the motor homes are in my
lane?íK

The view heading up 140.

4480483-M.jpg


Down Glacier Point Road.

4480484-M.jpg


This is the site of what used to be the Glacier Point Hotel. It burned to the
ground and was not rebuilt.

4480486-M.jpg


Half Dome again.

4480488-M.jpg


Yosemite Falls.

4482510-M.jpg


In the winter, this little shack is a nice place to settle for a cup of
tea and a bite to eat while skiing. According to one of the park people,
it?í?ªs a great place to throw flaming rolls of toilet paper from. Like your
own private Fire Falls.

4480487-M.jpg


If you ski out in the winter months, you have the point to yourselves.
You can camp pretty much anywhere or if you like warmth and hot
food, the gift shop gets turned into a dormitory. This one?í?ªs better than
the last.

4480485-M.jpg


Time to make like a baby and head out. Home that is. I pass Wawona.
Nice hotel far from the valley crowds. You can get in a round of golf here.

4480491-M.jpg


More of this and I?í?ªm home after a pretty nice trip.

4480492-M.jpg


Until next time?íK

4480478-M.jpg



Ian
 
Great pictures. Looks like an incredible ride. I have never ridden there, but driven trhough a few times. It's completely different in a car I am sure!

Jim:brow
 
JimVonBaden said:
Great pictures. Looks like an incredible ride. I have never ridden there, but driven trhough a few times. It's completely different in a car I am sure!

Jim:brow

Thanks for the comments!

The ride down the coast a couple of weeks back was very much
a spiritual experience. As was touring Yosemite. If you haven't
done so, I highly recommend visiting places like the National
Parks on a motorcycle. There is nothing like it. But you knew
that :D

Ian
 
Back
Top