I've been working a lot of hours recently and I wanted to get away for just a short time; I got off work Tuesday morning at 7:00am, took a quick nap, packed my backpack and tank bag for an overnighter and hit the road about noon. I wasn't completely sure where I was going to go, but I knew it would be in the hills and relatively secluded. I rode East and picked up 108 over Sonora pass, decended into the Walker valley, passed the Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center and picked up U.S. 395 South into Bridgeport. I checked into a motel room, dropped my backpack in the room and rode around the area. I made my way out to Twin Lakes and some other scenic high elevation scenery along the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains; I returned to the room to shower and then walked down the street for dinner at a local diner. My waitress was the coolest ever, she was really cute and had the most awesome accent. She is from Italy and said that she moved to Bridgeport after visting Yosemite and the surrounding area when she was younger... when she was old enough, she moved to the U.S. and now she is minutes away form one of the most beautiful places on Earth. After my dinner and a few drinks I went back to the room and called it a night. I woke up bright and early and returned to the diner for some bomb-*** French Toast. After breakfast I packed up, checked out of the room and watched a guy struggle to start his carburated Harley in the 38* air temp at 7,000' elevation... needless to say, it was not a happy bike. I thumbed the starter switch and my bike roared to life in about a second... Harley man was jealous! I rode to the local Shell station, and topped of with their $5.65/gallon gas; after calculation, my mileage was 49.06mpg for the tank (the best my bike has ever achieved!). I left Bridgeport heading South on 395 and took the June Lake/Silver Lake loop and then made my way back to Lee Vining to pickup 120 into the East side of Yosemite. I followed the twisty, scenic 120 up and over Tioga pass (9,943 feet) and into the park. I stopped for some photos and proceeded to exit the park and make my way home. All told, I did just shy of 500 miles. Upon topping off my tank in Greely Hill, I was amazed to see 55.95mpg!!!! The pics are all from my 1982 Canon AE1-Program, and I left the house with only a partial roll of film; unfortunatley these are the only decent shots.

 

Thats very cool... I love to read stories like this, awesome and thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your service

 

Thanks.

I should note, that I am not serving just yet... but I will be.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tornadom &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks.

I should note, that I am not serving just yet... but I will be.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Serving what???

Edit:

Oh ****, I forgot that the Coast Guard is part of the military

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lude-Conduct &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I forgot that the Coast Guard is part of the military </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL... come now

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lude-Conduct &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Serving what???

Edit:

Oh ****, I forgot that the Coast Guard is part of the military </TD></TR></TABLE>

prolly because off those little 8 point caps you gotta squeeze onto your head lolz

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by recognize408 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

prolly because off those little 8 point caps you gotta squeeze onto your head lolz </TD></TR></TABLE>

8 point cover you mean?

Plus you don't really wear them, they sit on top of your grape.

 

That looks like a lot of fun man! I wish I had hills and curves like that around here. Most of my rides consist of just riding in a straight line.

And 38 degrees in the morning?! Boy it doesn't get very warm out there in Cali. I woke up to 82 already and as soon as I got in my truck I'm quickly fumbling for the A/C with the freakin humidity.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 96 SOHC VTEC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
And 38 degrees in the morning?! Boy it doesn't get very warm out there in Cali. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I was at high elevation, so naturally it was fairly cool... by then end of the day, the temp was right about 100 degrees (back at home).

 

That is awesome. I spend alot of time in the Eastern Sierra in the summer months and every time I drive around up there I find myself longing for my MC!

 

^I love spending time in or around the Sierras... the Eastern side is just breath taking. Maybe next summer I'll hike Mt. Whitney.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by recognize408 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

prolly because off those little 8 point caps you gotta squeeze onto your head lolz </TD></TR></TABLE>

come on now you are stuck at Dyass AFB which is in the Bleep hole of america...i know cuz i just got poroled from there...we had the 8 point hats for the dcu's so you cant clown....

On another note congrats on getting away for that ride man...that is a really nice are to ride...wish i could do that ride up there...


Modified by MSchu at 4:51 AM 7/25/2008

 

I'm excited to see someone besides myself do some long distance riding, and even writing a report! Cool ride.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicWagonRUS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm excited to see someone besides myself do some long distance riding, and even writing a report! Cool ride.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I love it man... I'v heavily considered buying saddle bags and a tail bag to complete my luggage, and then setting off for a couple week long ride.

On the subject of distange riding, I am considering a set of HeliBars as well.
http://www.helibars.com/proddetail.php?prod=TS1701