MC Raven Trip Report 27 – Eastern Sierras – Part 2

As a motorcyclist, I have to say that this highway should be on every biker’s bucket list. Riding that road is what we got into motorcycles for. You ride from the valley floor to more than 10,000ft in elevation. Switching back, diving, 180 deg corners, single lane cuts through solid rock, no shoulders, sheer drop-offs – SPECTACULAR!

There’s a campground at the 8,000ft level where I stayed, and a new visitor’s center at Schulman Grove with trails to the Bristlecone Forest. Some of these trees are more than 4,800 years old.

When we came here in the 70’s the bristlecones were claimed to be the oldest living things on the planet. I think that that title has been taken by some desert plant now. Still, 4,8000 years of age is pretty old!

Overnight, at the campground, a couple of guys on older model Harleys arrived. In the morning, when they tried to leave, their bikes would barely start and, kept stalling out. Theirs were older, carbureted machines that, I think, were having troubles with the altitude. When I started up Raven (fuel injected) there was no problem at all. In fact, even fully loaded, Raven took the road in stride giving me a truly great ride.

9/17 – The ride down the mountain was just as good as the ride up~ I went back to Big Pine to top off the tank then, headed up Highway 395 looking for Obsidian Doe and the camp where, back in the 70’s, we’d stayed. I found the Dome but, not our camp. Too bad.

Obsidian Dome is this huge ridge of volcanic obsidian: some rocks look like root bear, others like snowflakes imbedded in black glass. Hunks of rock that are as big as washing machines

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What both my boys remember about our visit here were the floating rocks. There are volcanic pumice rocks all over that are so light weight and full of holes that they float. The boys spent hours making little boats out of these rocks and floating them down the stream that ran past where we were camped.

Alas, I couldn’t find the camp but, I did find some floating rocks.

The Horizon’s Unlimited get together is just on the other side of the Sierras from here so, I’ve decided to spend 2 or 3 days here at the free campground and save both gas money and campground fees.

I’m worried that the bike’s power outlet is killing my electronic gadgets. First my Kindle (which I love) died and now, my phone is dead. Both after a day hooked up to the charger from the bike. If the bike’s killing these, that’s a major et ack. I don’t get to plug into 110-volts very often and charging while riding was the only way to keep the phone charged.

There’s more than 1,000 pre-paid minutes on that phone. I hope it’s not dead. All my phone numbers and contact info too!

9/23 – After spending 3-nights at Glass Creek Campground I rode on up Hwy 395 to Lee Vining where I filled up my gas tank and spare 1.3 gallons, then headed to the little store. I bought the usual – tortillas, summer sausage, peanut butter and was strolling past the health food section when I spied boil in bag Indian entrees! Something new! After 4 and a half months of Ramen Noodles and tortillas rolled around cold cuts, I’m getting royally tired of the same thing all the time. I picked up 5 different entrees: so far, my favorite is the eggplant one – kinda like eggplant chili without the meat (Tasty Bites brand).

After shopping, I headed up the Tioga Pass road to Yosemite smacking my lips and thinking about what I was going to have for dinner.