White Mountain Research Station Ride
Saturday - August 1, 2009
Today we planned a ride to Bodie, a historic ghost town east of Bridgeport, CA. I woke up early, and went into Crowley Lake to get a breakfast burrito and fill up with gas. Then it was onto the campsite to meet up with the other adventurers.
Here's a few pics of the campsite area on Saturday morning...
It was a beautiful morning, though a bit chilly.
We had a group of about 8 or 9 that we're riding together to Bodie today, planning to ride as much on dirt roads as possible. We headed out on Owens River Road.
ZenSlug (Eran) on his KTM
Steve on a GS
Tomer on a GSA
Joel on his KTM 640
Cathy on her DRZ400
DannyG on his Beemer
I think this was Randy on a Honda
We ended up riding many of the trails on both sides of Hwy 395 working our way north.
Eventually, we hopped onto Hwy 395 for short stint of highway and gassed up again in Lee Vining. A little more pavement north, and then we took Virginia Lakes Road for some more dirt riding towards Bridgeport.
At one point, we came to a Y in the road, and Joel thought that both legs of the Y would eventually meet up again; so I took off on the left leg of the Y to get ahead and take some pictures of the others coming through.
While the group was waiting for the latecomers to show up at the Y, they discovered that the leg that I took was a dead-end.
So they sent Eran off to find me.
So we turned around, and then met the others at another intersection with Hwy 395 just below Bridgeport.
We stopped in Bridgeport for lunch. After lunch, we headed out on Aurora Canyon Road and then the Geiger Grade towards Bodie. Bill and I were running pretty fast out in front.
We didn't stop until we came to this group if riders dealing with a flat tire.
I left them my tarp and air pump to help them out, and then we headed on towards Bodie.
Eran on his way towards Bodie.
Once I reached Bodie, Bill asked if I always ride with low pressure in my tires, which I DON'T. Turns out, I had picked up a nail on the run into Bodie and had a flat rear tire. I had a spare tube with me, but had left my air pump with the other group. Luckily, another rider in our group had an air pump, and we started working to replace the tube in my rear tire.
Thanks to DannyG and others for the help.
Having used up plenty of time fixing my flat, I missed out on exploring Bodie. I'll have to return some other time for exploration.
We left Bodie heading down Cottonwood Canyon. Bill and I were again riding pretty fast out in front, and then stopped for a break a little ways north of Mono Lake.
Bill rides his GSA really well...
Here I am...
Pretty soon Joel showed up, followed by the others.
From here, we took a pretty sandy road back towards the highway, and stopped in Lee Vining again for gas. Some headed back to camp, but Joel, Bill and I took a scenic ride on the June Lake loop, and then headed onto some dirt roads towards Mammoth Lakes.
Bill, Joel, and I had some pretty good pizza for dinner in Mammoth Lakes, and then headed back to camp for a few beers. Then it was back to the motel for me, and a good nights sleep before riding again on Sunday.
Getting There Yosemite WMRS Day 1 WMRS Day 2 WMRS Day 3