Day 20, August 12 Riding around Reno 101 Miles

This will be the last post until I arrive back in Apache Junction. I won't have Internet connectivity for the rest of the trip. Come back after August 17th for a list of "The tendencies I have observed while riding." And, thanks for your emails and comments. Keep 'em coming.


The town of Virginia City was built right on the tailings from the mines.
 

A variation on the Dollar Stores. Actually I think the word "Silver" is missing.
 

Virginia City is pretty much cars, people, and vendors.
I scheduled an early arrival in Reno so I would have time to look around in the area. Virginia City was interesting, but I am more interested in the mining history than the tourism offerings, so I wandered around a bit and left. VC was a very lively town in 1875. There were four daily newspapers (Mark Twain wrote for one,) 300 businesses, and a population of 25,000. It was the wealthiest town in Nevada and perhaps, the world.
After a couple of photos, I moved on to the capital city of Nevada, Carson City, for a cup of coffee and little black jack action at the 7-11.
My timing to see Lake Tahoe was not good. It was Sunday, dog days of August, highs in the 90s, and the final day of “Hot August Nights.” The roads, beaches, scenic pullovers, and parks were overflowing. The Lake was beautiful, but not photogenic. There was a haze over the lake. The green and blue colors in the coves were dazzling. The roads around the Lake and on the way back to Reno were worth the trip. There were at least two 360 curves, a half dozen 270s and many hairpins. The elevation of the Lake is 4580 and the top of White Rose summit between the Lake and Reno is 8900 feet, so there were enough scenic opportunities to pose a riding risk.
After paying the highest prices for gas in California, $3.65 at the Old Station, it is a relief to pay $2.69 here in Nevada. I will probably fill twice more in California before returning to Arizona prices, which were low when I left.

Day 21 and 22, August 13 and 14 Reno, Nevada to Mojave, California to spend the night, then ride on to Los Angeles 554 Miles

OK, so I lied. There is wireless Internet on a sailboat in a slip at Marina del Rey.


 434 miles including the trip into Yosemite and back out.
Only 120 Miles, but I earned every one.
I thought this would be another no photo day because of the smoke, and it smelled bad, too.
But, a couple of hours into the ride, the smoke cleared and the Sierras appeared.
I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't like it just the same.

 
I made the curve and this view blew me away.

 

The drive up to Tioga Pass, the east entrance to Yosemite, is spectacular,
if you don't mind driving with no guard rails.

 
Rachel, guess who I thought of when I entered Yosemite National Park?

 
A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do sometimes.

 

The sixty mile detour off the direct route to include Yosemite
was well worth the time and miles.
The day began in smoke (reference the photo above.) I was concerned that this would be another no photo day. However, crossing into California, the smoke cleared and the Sierras appeared in all their glory. I have decided it is too much trouble to have a favorite mountain range, so all are my favorites. They are as different as each one of your children. Each one unique and beautiful. I turned off US 395 onto State Hwy 120 just after Mono Lake (Whew!) and went into Yosemite for a brief glimpse (what other kind is there?) I was not disappointed. Unique and beautiful, like the man said. The ground cover is much different than other mountain ranges I’ve seen. There is more rock, fewer trees, but still the majesty. If I were paid more, I would work harder at better descriptions.
At Yosemite, I was at around 10,000 feet (OK, for the purists, 9945,) and it was a fresh 73 degrees. Within a half hour after rejoining 395 going south, the temperature rose to triple digits and stayed there for five hours, topping out at 107. This separated the real bikers from the wannabees. I made it all the way to Mojave, CA, so I guess that makes me mentally questionable. I stopped twice to saturate my Sahara Vest and take on water. I won’t kid anyone, it was hotter than he.., but the cooling gear does help.
The story today was Yosemite. It was more than I imagined.

Days 22-24 August 14-16 Lounging on the boat and riding home 423 Miles


 

The first night on the boat, this guy came around to have dinner with me.
 
The second night, he brought a few friends.
 

The ride from Mojave to Marina Del Rey was nothing to write about, 100 miles of heat and crowded LA freeways. I was glad to get anchored and cleaned up. The sailboat was very comfortable. Lee and Lisa joined me on Wednesday for conversation and dinner. I was not looking forward to the ride back to Arizona for several reasons: going east at sunrise, LA rush hour traffic, and Phoenix rush hour traffic. So, I left LA at 2 am. I sliced through LA in an hour and a half. Coincidentally, I arrived at the Arizona border just as the sun was coming on strong, so I stopped at the Flyin J for gas and coffee. When I returned to the road, the sun was well up into my sunshield range. I arrived in western Phoenix about 8:45. The bulk of the traffic had passed and I made it through Phoenix in an hour.

For those who like statistics: 4665 land miles, 2200 sea miles, a total of 122 gallons of gas, cheapest price in Arizona at $2.65, the most expensive in Whitehorse in the Yukon at $4.23. Strangely, LA wasn’t too bad at under $3.00.

In a couple of blogs, I alluded to some observations I had made while traveling. You may enjoy them.

The “tendencies” I have observed while motorcycling

 

  1. The air around semi tractor-trailers tends to be unstable.

 

  1. Slow drivers in the no passing areas tend to speed up in the passing areas.

 

  1. Gas prices tend to be cheaper just before you fill up, or right after.

 

  1. Posting slower speeds for trucks on two lane highways tends to back up traffic behind trucks.

 

  1. Female passengers on road trips tend to ride with their bare feet on the dash; colorful at times.

 

  1. The further north you go the weather tends to get cooler. Corollary: The further south you go….warmer. The higher you get…cooler, the lower you get….

 

  1. Tourists tend to travel without manners.

 

  1. When riding five hundred miles in a day, the number of different riding positions tends to be unlimited.

 

  1. Many tourists tend to drive like they are in a hurry to reach the next destination.

 

  1. The hotter and hotter it gets, minutes tend to get longer and longer.

 

  1. Slow vehicles tend not to use the turnouts provided.

 

  1. Things left unlashed, unsnapped, untied, unbuckled, unlatched, or otherwise unattended, tend to become problematic.

 

  1. Failing to downshift completely into first gear tends to spoil a smooth take off.

 

  1. The allegedly random, engorged insect tends to land smack in the middle of the face or wind shield, which has a tendency to make a rider cross-eyed.

     
  2. And, the most important;
    After 24 days on the road, it tends to feel real good to get home.

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