Klurejr's July 2015 Sierra Crossing Ride Report

Klurejr

Klurejr

Wizard
Visit site
Well guys, my first big ride was a total success. I had a great time. Here is a brief ride report with some pics. I still have not had time to make any compilation video's but I do have a number of hours of footage to wade through to pick out the best stuff.

I was on my Yamaha Vstar touring.
Corey is on his Harley Street Glide with full dresser. Corey is pretty serious about doing long trips and has ridden from SoCal to Yellowstone and Glacier on different trips.
Ben is on his Harley Road King without the Windshield, he also has a side car when doing longer trips and bringing his wife and daughter, the guy loves to ride.
Matt is on his Eletra Glide, Full Dresser.

We left Oceanside on Thursday night, July 2nd and rode up through LA to Camarillo to stay with a friend and get us starting our first day closer to the Mountains. 147 miles, freeway boring riding.

Friday morning we Left Camarillo and took some small local passes up to Ojai where we met up for breakfast.

Here we are packing up and leaving Camarillo:
20150703_062814_zpsvs4c62hj.jpg


From Camarillo we took Grimms Canyon into Fillmore, headed east to Santa Paula to head up into Ojai. After Breakfast we took the 33 - also known as Maricopa Hwy. My buddy Dave on his Fat Boy and his Dad on his BMW Sport Touring bike came along with us for the first half of the day. Here are some pics from that section of highway:

vlcsnap-2015-07-07-13h15m05s119_zpsdcyjnln2.png


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-13h16m07s760_zpsqb1hdgxi.png


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-13h15m24s252_zpskwwo1w04.png


GOPR1600_zps62exkitf.jpg


GOPR1601_zpsjdqktbll.jpg


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-13h19m07s659_zpsh9d0qsmg.png


After we arrived in Frazier Park David and his dad jetting home down the 5 fwy. We turned north and dropped the grapevine into Bakersfield for some Lunch. After lunch we headed up the 178 to Lake Isabella and stopped in at Kern River Brewing Company. it was very hot up there, probably over 100, so we took a break and jumped into the North Fork Kern River to cool down before heading up Sherman Pass, our first Sierra pass of the trip.

20150703_135932_zpskyjr38cf.jpg
 
20150703_135709_zps80adccj1.jpg


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-13h17m37s983_zpsi0wipwv9.png


Then began the Climb to Sherman Pass:

vlcsnap-2015-07-06-15h40m27s063_zpslsfrcb1e.png


At the top:

20150703_161249_zpsbxwbsrdl.jpg


20150703_155841_zps7i78m5mm.jpg


20150703_155855_zps1ntjvvua.jpg


GoPro Band Pic:

GOPR1608_zpsh62c7en0.jpg


Once you summit Sherman the road heads north east until Blackrock ranger station then it is a South East trek to Kennedy Meadows and further down 9-Mile Canyon road back to the Owens valley and the 395. The decent of 9-mile is breath taking, but a huge bug splattered on my gopro before we got there so all that footage was no good. Once at the 395 we jetted north to Lone pine for Dinner and camped at Tuttle Creek. This is one of the few small creeks that flows east out of the Sierra's, most of the water flows west into the San Joaquin Valley. Camp Sites were only $5 a night, so pretty cheap accommodations for all four of us to share the spot:

20150703_200338_zpsdfl0yewz.jpg
 
20150703_200925_zpskya8wmc6.jpg


20150703_202709_zpsagatvtey.jpg


20150703_202700_zps6v0y3tht.jpg


Roughly 357 Miles for the day, less than we had hoped for on the first day, but it was pretty hot and miserable. Here is a Screenshot of the route via Google Maps:

Day%201%20Route%20Map_zpsg4agoibc.png



Day 2, Lone Pine to Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Left early and stopped for Breakfast in Bishop:

20150704_082624_zpsjecvj3ln.jpg


Then headed to June Lake to visit some friends who have a nice spot on the Lake:

395 heading north from Bishop towards Mammoth Lakes -
vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h14m23s096_zpsz475ates.png


Friends House at June Lake:
20150704_105535_zpspbnllrz7.jpg


20150704_105758_zps71v5ttub.jpg
 
20150704_125215_zpsvvbepidf.jpg


GOPR3319_1436054507791_high-01_zps1vwil2oe.jpeg


GOPR3328_zpsw1ittnhg.jpg


Yosemite Valley Band Pic:
GOPR3326_1436054507791_high-01_zpsj5qlci8o.jpeg


Worth the 4th of July Traffic we had to deal with trying ot get back out of they Valley.

We existed the park via the North West entrance and once again the heat struck big time. Took a quick break in Sonora before heading back up out of cell range:

20150704_165409_zpsaojtzlq4.jpg


Our goal was to get over Ebbetts Pass and camp in Walker, but everyone was hungry so we stopped for dinner and camped at the Calaveras Big Trees State Park and it was well worth it.

vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h34m28s610-01_zpsgo5c42n4.jpeg


we were not the only ones Bike Backing:
vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h36m33s362_zpszskm4swr.png


20150704_204458_zpsiixsbn1k.jpg
 
20150704_204515_zpsdlghipqm.jpg


Day 2 Ends roughly 316 miles. Screen Shot of the route:

Day%202%20Route%20Map_zps6wsdyyvh.png


Day 3 - Calaveras Big Trees to Home.

In the morning we broke camp and were the first ones into the North Grove to see the Big Trees. I could have stayed much longer to gaze in awe at these magnificent trees and I would love to come back and hike to the South Grove, it is a bit more out of the way:

GOPR3340_1436110107077_high-01_zpsewvqg0c2.jpeg


GOPR3346_1436110107077_high-01_zpscqtxewuc.jpeg


20150705_073126_zps7b2ctr3t.jpg


GOPR3334_1436110107077_high-01_zpsnrfsrtcx.jpeg



Obligatory Band Pic:
GOPR3337_1436110107077_high-01_zps4sgkicug.jpeg


After heading back into Arnold for breakfast we started in on Ebbetts Pass,the third and final crossing of the Sierra's for this trip.

vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h33m09s439_zpsczmznb3b.png
 
As we neared the top the road narrowed quite a bit and we stopped at Alpine Lake for a break.

20150705_095355_zpsyugckrlz.jpg


As narrow as it was, this section of road was by far the best we had ridden, very little traffic and gorgeous views everywhere:

vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h41m36s271_zpsovbskldb.png


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h40m37s224_zpswslxmrpb.png


vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h41m03s814_zpslqvxjzka.png


Top of the pass:

20150705_105140_zpszwkoecpg.jpg


GOPR3351_zpsghm9f5xr.jpg


Heading down the east side was vista upon vista, and some sharp curves:

vlcsnap-2015-07-07-11h44m24s730_zpshykn3dlz.png
 
From this point I did not take anymore GoPro footage so I have no pics, but the Walker pass ride was very nice, and we took the 120 east along Mono Lake and around to Bishop and encountered a big thunderstorm, heavy rain, lightning and thunder. I am kicking myself now because I could of had some incredible footage from that section. Shortly after that it dried up and got really hot again so it was nice to be so wet, natural air conditioning. The 395 tot he 15 home is a boring route of mostly desert. 569 miles for the day. Here is a screen shot of the last days route and my trip meter when I pulled into the Garage:

Day%203%20Route%20Map_zpsq9skszn0.png


20150705_212054_zpsxswi3imj.jpg


What a fantastic trip!

Next up will be a week on the bike in northern Arizona for our Wedding anniversary in September, I am really excited for that!

Thanks for looking.


(sorry it is so broken up, the site only allows so many images per post.)
 
Thanks so much for posting the ride report, I loved it! Gorgeous part of the country, eh?

So, are you a cruiser-convert now? How did you enjoy riding the bike?
 
Dustin said:
Thanks so much for posting the ride report, I loved it! Gorgeous part of the country, eh?

So, are you a cruiser-convert now? How did you enjoy riding the bike?
Click to expand...

The cruiser was great for such long distance, especially with the backrest. I physically could not have done that on my FZ. But I am not a convert, I see the benefits to owning both bikes, and one day I will also have an Adventure bike and a cafe style town cruiser.... I could see myself owning 10 different bikes if I could afford it.

I still rode my FZ to work and back all week.... ;-)
 
I really like some of your pics the way you used the fish eye option. I'll have to try that sometime.
Happy things went well on this trip.......now have ya given any thoughts to joining us here in Colorado on the 24th & 25th?
 
lytehouse said:
I really like some of your pics the way you used the fish eye option. I'll have to try that sometime.
Happy things went well on this trip.......now have ya given any thoughts to joining us here in Colorado on the 24th & 25th?
Click to expand...

I have a Mountain Biking Trip planned for that weekend.


OneSizeFitsAll said:
Very nice report. Sherman pass too? Excellent!
Click to expand...

Yeah! We started with Sherman, I have been up to it from one side or the other in the past, but this was my first time doing the entire thing from Bakersfield to Owens Valley in one go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top