Roy Epperson
Well-known member
One of the advantages of being the owner/operators of your own business is some times you can just go. With the forecast of a big storm hitting the SF Bay Area and the Sierra on Monday night and Tuesday after Columbus Day weekend, Catherine and I decided at the last minute we'd do a "fall colors ride" a long the Eastern Sierras before the storm had a chance to blow the leaves off. As it turned out, I'm guessing, we were about a week early for most places to get the full blazing yellows and oranges on "all" the trees. None the less, we had a great trip, a great mix of greens, yellows and oranges, 850 miles, 3 days, and got home before the rain and wind started.
We went out Highway 120 and stopped at Buck's Meadows for lunch. 1950s atmosphere, service was friendly but the food was less than stellar. Lots of cars and RVs going between Crane Flat and Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, so we didn't make great time but got to enjoy the scenery - never get tired of the Yosemite sights
Here's Tenaya Lake from a cross the valley
We head South from Lee Vining via the June Lake Loop to Mammoth Lakes. Saw a bunch of
Who, of course, have the right a way. Got to exercise the brakes several times; but no close encounters of the physical kind.
Silver Lake on the June Lake Loop
We've stayed in Mammoth several times going through but never took the time to see the Mammoth Lakes; what a mistake!
We stayed at the Alpenhof - friendly staff, nice room, but bed was as hard as a rock; but it was within walking distance of the Whiskey Creek Restaurant (restaurant and brew pub). The food was good, the beer and service was great.
Sunday was "lets see the lakes and color". We'd been to Rock Creek so we pass on it and went to Convict Lake
And then Lundy Lake. The lake itself was ho-hum but it had the best colors along the road into the lake and above the lake.
Had to go to one of our favorite lakes, Virginia Lake. Had a great hamburger at the restaurant / store .
We'd never been to Bodie State Park - a ghost town. It is 13 miles East of Highway 395 and the last 3 miles was hardpacked gravel and a lot of washboarding. But you can pick your way through if you take your time but your shocks will get a good work out. You don't wanta try it if it has rained or will rain before you get back to the pavement. The paved portion is a fun ride. Bodie is a ghost town with no services - gas, food or water! I called the park several days ahead to get a road report. The map programs show 2 other routes in. One is from the South coming up from Highway 168 and the other come from the Northwest out of Bridgeport. Both are dirt the entire way
Between the lakes and Bodie, that killed the day so we slabbed it up 395 to Reno so Catherine could spend some "quality" time in the poker room.
On Monday, we rode up to Highway 70 and down to Quincy. Usually, we continue down 70 to Oroville but this time we gave Bucks Lake Road / Oroville Quincy Highway a try.
Great ride, definitely a do it again and again. Had a late lunch in Marysville and then slabbed it back
to the Bay Area. We got home about 4 hours before the Monday night / Tuesday storm started raining and blowing.
Great weekend 850 miles on the clock, about a week or so early for full yellow, orange and gold leafs (that only matters if the storm didn't blow the leafs off!). The mix of green, yellow, orange and gold was very nice.
For more pictures from the trip or others of this area, click here and follow the links.
We went out Highway 120 and stopped at Buck's Meadows for lunch. 1950s atmosphere, service was friendly but the food was less than stellar. Lots of cars and RVs going between Crane Flat and Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, so we didn't make great time but got to enjoy the scenery - never get tired of the Yosemite sights
Here's Tenaya Lake from a cross the valley
We head South from Lee Vining via the June Lake Loop to Mammoth Lakes. Saw a bunch of
Who, of course, have the right a way. Got to exercise the brakes several times; but no close encounters of the physical kind.
Silver Lake on the June Lake Loop
We've stayed in Mammoth several times going through but never took the time to see the Mammoth Lakes; what a mistake!
We stayed at the Alpenhof - friendly staff, nice room, but bed was as hard as a rock; but it was within walking distance of the Whiskey Creek Restaurant (restaurant and brew pub). The food was good, the beer and service was great.
Sunday was "lets see the lakes and color". We'd been to Rock Creek so we pass on it and went to Convict Lake
And then Lundy Lake. The lake itself was ho-hum but it had the best colors along the road into the lake and above the lake.
Had to go to one of our favorite lakes, Virginia Lake. Had a great hamburger at the restaurant / store .
We'd never been to Bodie State Park - a ghost town. It is 13 miles East of Highway 395 and the last 3 miles was hardpacked gravel and a lot of washboarding. But you can pick your way through if you take your time but your shocks will get a good work out. You don't wanta try it if it has rained or will rain before you get back to the pavement. The paved portion is a fun ride. Bodie is a ghost town with no services - gas, food or water! I called the park several days ahead to get a road report. The map programs show 2 other routes in. One is from the South coming up from Highway 168 and the other come from the Northwest out of Bridgeport. Both are dirt the entire way
Between the lakes and Bodie, that killed the day so we slabbed it up 395 to Reno so Catherine could spend some "quality" time in the poker room.
On Monday, we rode up to Highway 70 and down to Quincy. Usually, we continue down 70 to Oroville but this time we gave Bucks Lake Road / Oroville Quincy Highway a try.
Great ride, definitely a do it again and again. Had a late lunch in Marysville and then slabbed it back
to the Bay Area. We got home about 4 hours before the Monday night / Tuesday storm started raining and blowing.
Great weekend 850 miles on the clock, about a week or so early for full yellow, orange and gold leafs (that only matters if the storm didn't blow the leafs off!). The mix of green, yellow, orange and gold was very nice.
For more pictures from the trip or others of this area, click here and follow the links.
Looks like a nice place.
