Harley Owners Group
Eastern Sierra Chapter 166501
Ridgecrest, CA
Eastern Sierra Chapter 166501
Ridgecrest, CA
Sonora Pass Ride
Elevation 9624 feet, Grade 26%
Highway 108
21..23 June 2013
YouTube Video [7:55 min]: Sonora Pass Downhill ... !
Posted: 29 June 2013, 11 PM
Meet at PearsonVille ... 8 AM
Sandra and Mike, Wade and Hal met up with us ...
but didn't go on the ride
but didn't go on the ride
Vikki and Dwight are sweep
Debbie and Tracy lead ... followed by Teri and Bill ...
followed by Kelly and Dennis ... followed by Judy and me ....
followed by Kelly and Dennis ... followed by Judy and me ....
Lunch at HWY120 and the Mobile Station Restaurant ...
that's Mono Lake in the background
that's Mono Lake in the background
German tourists took a keen interest in Vikki and Dwight's Sidecar.
I believe they might ride themselves.
I believe they might ride themselves.
Mono Lake
A cowboy and cowgirl were moving cattle
Hays Street Cafe in Bridgeport ...breakfast and lunch only
Really good food ... French fries
Really good food ... French fries
Lake Topaz ... in a tiny slice of Nevada along HWY 395 ...
our first night's stay
our first night's stay
Dennis's sister-in-law Christine and brother Steve
join he and Kelly at Lake Topaz to ride along
join he and Kelly at Lake Topaz to ride along
The Lake Topaz Casino in a popular stopover for bikers
The Casino has a breakfast bar on the Casino level ...
and a dinner restaurant downstairs
and a dinner restaurant downstairs
Vikki and Dwight ... Newlyweds ... !
Teri and Bill ... married 37 years ... !
Christine and Steve ... married 15 years
It's all part of the fun
Family portrait
Teri's French Onion Soup
Debbie won the pot ... last one served ... !
Teri is always on the lookout for a picture-of-opportunity
Kelly is still cuter than Dennis ... smile or no
June solstice 2013
Breakfast on Sonora Pass day
Morning at Lake Topaz
U. S. Marine Corps
Mountain Warfare
Training Center
Pickel Meadow
Mountain Warfare
Training Center
Pickel Meadow
Marines this close to the road ...
Judy didn't have time to zoom
Judy didn't have time to zoom
Damn fine looking Quarter Horses ... !
We got a "Vee" hand signal too
Sonora Pass HWY 108 is gorgeous ...
very easy to ride safely
very easy to ride safely
We pause at the Sonora Pass summit
Debbie having a good time
Christine and Steve ... we're happy you joined us
Vikki ... that's one heck of a lot of orange around you ... !
That unusual bend to the tree tops is
prevailing wind or snow damage ... ?
prevailing wind or snow damage ... ?
The 26% grades up and down are
safely negotiated on a Harley ...
gear down and brake to maintain speed
safely negotiated on a Harley ...
gear down and brake to maintain speed
So much for a breakdown-free Sonora Pass ride ... !
Debbie and Tracy's mushiness in the rear tire was for real
Debbie and Tracy's mushiness in the rear tire was for real
9:50 AM -- How could this be ... with only 4k miles on the tire ... ?
Last year ... it was Tracy's rear brake line that sprung a leak.
This year ... we'd ride to Jamestown and arrange for a trailer
to pick their bike up ... and have their tire repaired
This year ... we'd ride to Jamestown and arrange for a trailer
to pick their bike up ... and have their tire repaired
While we waited for 5 hours for Tracy's tow and repair ...
we had plenty of time to tour Jamestown
we had plenty of time to tour Jamestown
Teri knows how to make friends with power
Bad pic of the bad bed
Hey ... Teri ... get me out ... !
I've got to let my "barber" know how to treat clients
Judy and Teri ... Shopping ... !
Ah ... looking forward to retirement ... are we ... ?
2:49 PM ... and Debbie and Tracy's bike arrives at the Jamestown Shop
5:12 PM and we're leaving Jamestown for Oakhurst
The ride north of Bear Valley and Oakhurst is sort of like
a minor "Tail of the Dragon" in eastern Tennessee ... !
a minor "Tail of the Dragon" in eastern Tennessee ... !
For most of our ride ... we've had unbelievabley cool-to-downright-cold (50°'ish)
weather ... even as summer begins.
It could have been 116° ... !
It did warm up in the afternoons.
weather ... even as summer begins.
It could have been 116° ... !
It did warm up in the afternoons.
I tried to tell Kelly that the breeze to cool off with
was coming from my direction ...
but she didn't believe me
was coming from my direction ...
but she didn't believe me
7:12 PM ... and we're in Oakhurst for the night
9:24 PM ... and Vikki is once again our impromptu
barmaid ... ! It happened to her last year ...
at the Best Western bar ... poor service
barmaid ... ! It happened to her last year ...
at the Best Western bar ... poor service
Breakfast at Kalie's Country Kitchen in Oakhurst ... !
Ummmm good corn beef hash ... and coffee ... !
Ummmm good corn beef hash ... and coffee ... !
I dropped Judy off at Kalie's Country Kitchen ...
while I went for gas
while I went for gas
8:16 AM ... and we're ready to ride
There's a pretty lady ... riding her own ... ! ;)
Vikki and Dwight are taking the lead home ...
that's El Capitain and Half Dome in the distance
that's El Capitain and Half Dome in the distance
9:32 AM ... and alas ... Vikki and Dwight's sidecar
reveals a bad stator ... and are out of commission.
They'll call Doug ... who has Dwight's trailer ...
to come retrieve them:
Ridgecrest-to-Fresno-to-Oakhurst-to-Yosemite ... !
reveals a bad stator ... and are out of commission.
They'll call Doug ... who has Dwight's trailer ...
to come retrieve them:
Ridgecrest-to-Fresno-to-Oakhurst-to-Yosemite ... !
Bridalveil Fall is just a trickle ....
Teri ... always prepared ... left these survival drinks for Vikki and Dwight.
Two Bud Light Lime ... LIME-a-RITA ... side-by-side ... !
HWY 120 approaching HWY 395 and Mono Lake ... and home ... !
There's no better country for Harley friends than ours ... !