Coldest temps/Most Rain ... ON RECORD ... EVER ... for May in California. Snowed so much yesterday I-80 was closed. Now that is RARE! More rain & snow predicted for this weekend. Not a great year to be exploring the Sierra. We had to re-route our Tahoe ride last weekend. Best roads all closed.

Most passes still closed now and if this pattern keeps up could be late June before Cal Trans clears them up.

I am guessing what will happen next is we'll drop straight into some God forsaken heatwave/drought mode ... maybe go a couple years without rain? Two months of daily 100F plus temps? I'm not betting against it.

Welcome to Climate Change.
(All a Hoax according to the Rush, Glen, Bill and Hannity Tea Party brain trust ... whom about 20% of Americans listen to! Obama Marksist Plot!)

I'm in Sonora, CA this morning, coming up from the Death Valley area a few days ago over Sonora Pass last evening. Tioga (east entrance of Yosemite N.P.) was still closed late yesterday. It's a bit chilly up over 7000 feet; lots of snow melt.

I need to charge batteries; I'm on the move so much its hard to get the AA's renewed with a charge taking 8 hours. I left all my 12-volt plugs in Michigan thinking I'd be able to find lots of AC outlets. Doh! I may have to check into a cheap motel to get them all charged (phone, ipod, computer, 3 sets AA's - Dble A's are for my Steripen water purifier, beard trimmer, and iPod speakers

I'll be trying to get into Yosemite in the next day or so, before heading north again up the Sierras, sleeping at the lower elevations.

Any international moto travelers out there?

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

I'm on the south side of Sequoia NP - heading north back to Yosemite. What a great few days t since crossing the Sierras (the other side wasn't half bad either).

The mountains are filled with snow at 6-7000 feet and also depending on location, but serious snow melt is happening right now and Yosemite water falls are huge. My first time to Yosemite; I've not seen a more spectacular natural setting than Yosemite. The backcountry must be incredible.

The rivers are all just ragging torrents outside their normal channels on the west side of the mountains; peak water this weekend a park ranger said. So no fishing, rafting, etc. Being near the water is risky; one slip and you are finished. They'll be calling you 'Bob' as you are carried down stream to your demise.

Except for Yosemite which is booked 6m in advance, I've not had trouble finding camping sites in Kings Canyon or Sequoia. They don't even take reservations. Half their campgrounds are snowed in still and closed; the ones open are near empty.

Had another great free camping spot a few nights ago, about 5 miles from Yosemite Park in the national forest. I spent a couple hours on the forest trails near the park, just checking things out. Ran across a bear at 5100' on the road. About 20 minutes later, I was down to about 3100' and found a nice 'extended camping' site. It was part of 3 sites actually, with drop toilets, a clear stream for water. The only sound was the wind and the tinkling of cow bells from the cattle in the forest. Not another sole in site; only one car drove by the evening before. Over breakfast, I watched a cowboy work his horse and dogs around my campsite to round up about 20 head and move 'em on up the road heading to....their last roundup? Greener pastures?

So now I'm heading back up the roads I just came south on through the parks, on back to Yosemite wondering if Tioga pass will be open and I can see the high country. Otherwise, its on north to Lake Tahoe.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Yosemite's a magical place if you can catch it in the absence (all things being relative) of tourists and the presence of the falls at high flow rates. The only thing I'd recommend adding is a tour by moonlight if you have the chance.

I lived in the Valley once, long ago as a teenaged runaway getting my first glimpses of the world. Just reading about it here brings some of that back to me.

More don't-miss: the high country, including some easy walks like the one up to Nevada and Vernal Falls, the Sequoias, the White Mountains just across the Owens Valley (a very different sort of range geologically, meteorologically, for flora and fauna and in terms of human impacts), the various sorts of ghost towns and old gold mining remnants throughout the east side deserts.....et cetera.

Sounds like a blast. At the rate I'm going I'll still be here in Paramaribo by next fall....but if I ever do get out of here perhaps we'll meet up somewhere along the way.

Mark

Caltrans says that they are all open now.

I'm in Tahoe today, doing my laundry. Just washing - I'll dry it out on the road somewhere (somewhere scenic, for a picnic lunch!). Of course, its nice and sunny again. One day of rain in about a month I think.

Its mosquito season in the Sierras, depending on elevation, standing water situation, and your location. East side (US 395) is dryer, or low (dryer) elevations on the western foothills. But up in the big trees, in the warmer (below snow melt) areas, they are thick. Above 8,000' there's too much snow and standing water to be camping, but no mosquitos!

I was at the Mono Hot Springs overnight 2 days ago for a soak. Great natural hot springs (free - or pay $10 at the 'Mono Hot Springs Resort' spa. A great setting as well on a great ride up into the high Sierra wilderness area around there. Well worth the ride and soak, although a bit out of the way. Its boater/fishing country - a bunch of high-country hydro projects. Lots of campgrounds for hikers and other recreational types - I found a free spot for the night, split a 6-pack with a forestry guy nearby, told me about the area. After a quick soak in the a.m., I rode out and up to Yosemite, did the (now open) Tioga Pass over to US 395. I spent the night in a NF campground around 5,000 feet.

After a day or two here in the Tahoe/Reno area, I'll be heading over to the Shasta/Trinity wilderness/rec areas. (roads through Lassen NP were still blocked yesterday so I'll pass). Then via forest roads, over to the coast and up into Oregon sometime next week.


(you know, I'm just posting these things to piss off TouringTed over in the U.K. [a.k.a. TedMagnum] because I know he's reading this and really wishing he was out on his bike like me! Ain't that right, Teddy boy?)

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

well, thank you very much, AJ

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Some great roads in that area if you've time for some exploring. Highway 36 passes through world class scenery but the real treasures are off on the many side roads to the North and South of 36. South of Weaverville, Hyampom rd, Wildwood rd, around Hayfork, all good stuff, some light dirt roads too.

Further north you can go West out of Etna or Callahan and take the narrow fun roads out past Sawyer's Bar and Forks of Salmon and on over to highway 96 at Somes Bar.
There are two roads there, both great roads that run above the Salmon River. You can do one, one way, then turn round and go back the other way. Take about an hour each way.

From there head up to Happy Camp. From Happy Camp take Indian Creek rd. up to O'Brien, Oregon. Great unused road. Lots more in that area but that should provide a couple days of riding.

I was just up there on a dual sport ride out of Ukiah and Garberville, Usal Rd, Honeydew, King's Ridge area and all around the Lost Coast. Fun fun. Still some mud on Usal but a great ride, and highly recommended.

I've done SR 36 before - definitely

Yep, looking to ride these, or there abouts. Sometimes my GPS screws up and I wind up in the best places.

Another good suggestion.

Thanks, Mickey.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

In Eugene, Oregon today, visiting some friends in the area, charging some batteries, catching up on some repairs and maintenance issues. Lots of good drinking in the area. Any other ld mc travelers in the area?

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Finished Route 66 last Friday - with an extra 2,000 mile loop from Santa Fe up to Utah - then around Colorado. Now in San Diego before heading into Baja California tomorrow...so I guess we're heading in opposite diections!
Aim to be heading upo the coast to Vancouver in a couple of weeks time - so will post again then.

Cheers,

Eryl aka Carreg Cennen

Don't forget Tynda's famous "Burning Moto Man" travelers rally coming up:

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JUNE 25th to 27th
TYNDA's BURNING MOTO MAN RALLY
WHY: To honor foreign travelers and the concept of traveling outside of North America on the last weekend of June, 2010, 25th to the 27th.
WHERE: 47008 La Duke, Westfir, Oregon, 40 miles east of Eugene, on the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. Free camping and no fees except for your food.
SCHEDULE: Friday night: Potluck-BBQ and Burning Moto Man Bonfire.

Saturday: Exciting motocycle road from Oakridge to Cottage Grove and lunch. Return via the little known and almost never traveled Eagles Rest Road or an off-road lane.
Then wine&cheese by the river and speakers. This year the speakers will include the German-American couple, Jayne Cravens and Stefan Dietz (see coyotetrips.de) who have toured all over Europe and more. Also, Nadja and Olga two Russian women who lived on the famous motorcycle road, the BAM. Also: Ray Woodley from Canada and Daniel Todd from Puerto Rico who will tell us about his South American adventures. Saturday night: Dinner at the new Oakridge Brewery/Pub.
.
RSVP: Please as we need a count for the resturants involved and so we can place you on our mailing list for last minute changes.

CONTACTS: Eric and Gail at tynda@aol.com

TYNDA *** Enjoy our website at users.rio.com/~tynda (note: a ~ not a straight line) Visit our moto zimmer on your moto trip to Oregon. tynda@aol.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why do Foreign travelers need to be "honored" ?
:confused1:

I did contact Eric/Gail and said I'd be attending their gathering. I'm in the same neighborhood.

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

quastdog- as a veteran mc camper do you have some hints for a newbie?

I will be arriving in the US in Sept and was wondering how to find all the campsites as I travel from east to west. My intended travel route is Florida via the southern states to Mexico and then back up the west coast maybe to SF. I have travelled in the US before but in a campervan so being on a bike seems a bit different. As a solo woman traveller I'm not comfortable free camping so would prefer proper campsites with facilities.
Do you have a directory of campgrounds you can recommend?

Also, what generally are the motel costs for a night in a cheapish place?

I'm at an early phase of planning of the hard stuff like picking a freight company from the UK, getting a budget together, aargh.
But also thinking about the actual doing of it when there hence the question.

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Ajaxer(Back in the fold)
BMW R1200RT

quastdog,I`ll be leaving Ft.Lauderdale on July 3 heading for Medford OR.Plan to arrive there by the 12th July.Doing the BMW rally in Redmond OR 15-18th and from there thinking of going on up to Prudhoe Bay Alaska.If you`re still in the area lemme know.

Murf