Despite the often gloomy and overcast weather and the cold of being at 8, 9 or 10,000 feet (some contrast to yesterday), today has been todally freakin orsum dudes! We have looked up at some huge mountains, still with snow on them, looked down into some amazing valleys, with beautiful flowing rivers in them, looked out across stunning vistas, crossed the highest pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, ridden some fantastic twisty roads and seen 5 different mammals! What a day.
Dud and I went down for breakfast, the first freebie of the tour I think and fuelled up for the day. I grabbed a blueberry muffin for lunch. Dean had said we would be picnicing in the park, so I thought a nice muffin would do for pudding. We rolled out around 10am, our first stop a fuel stop. This would also be where we would buy our food for the picnic, a turkey sandwich (actually a sub roll) and some jalapeno chips (crisps to us Brits). Just before we arrived at the fuel stop, we passed an incident. Seems someone decided it would be a good idea to argue with a big truck, so the emergency services were on scene, presumably to put bits of said driver into a paper bag! At the fuel stop, we saw our first wildlife of the day, some little chipmunks. I think Mary tried in vain to get pictures of them, camera shyness catching them just as she pressed the shutter!
We set out, climbing from about 8000 feet, passed 9000, to the entrance to the park. Foolishly, despite bringing two jumpers, I had left them packed in the case. It was quite chilly, (altitude is your friend.....if you are suitably attired!!). I had my fingerless gloves on too, so my fingers were also feeling the affects. Maybe if that sun would just come out.
Being a Sunday, it was pretty busy at the park entrance but we were lucky enough to get waved through, jumping the queue, without the need for us all to stop and show our passes. Unfortunately for one of our South African chums, he had chosen to get off the bike to take snaps, so ended up being left behind at the side of the road as we all sailed through. His mate had to stop once through to wait for him. That meant we all had to pull over and wait for them, before we could continue. A great start!
As we ran into the park we started to climb, eventually pulling over at the highest pass in the Sierra Nevada range. Somewhere near 10,000 feet I think. Where's Carol when you need her? Google it if you're that bothered. A few of us needed a comfort break, so we stopped again to use the hole in the ground. An indication of just how big this place is and once again this country as a whole, was a poster pinned up for a missing person. Not a walker, cyclist or climber but a pilot. Yes, a light aircraft pilot, went missing last December, whilst flying over the Yosemite Park. Neither he nor his plane have been seen since! Incredible.
Next stop, just before a tunnel through the hillside. Wow! Overlooking a stupendous valley, at a guess, a thousand feet below, with a river snaking its way through. Better still, the road went straight (not actually straight) to the bottom.
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| Picture doesn't do it justice |
It was at this point I discovered a malfunction in the offside pannier. I'd put a bottle of water in there but unfortuntely, it was a sport cap and not closed properly. Result, an almost totally empty bottle, water in the bottom of the pannier and one very soggy blueberry muffin. DOH! It didn't go to waste though.
From the lunch stop we made our way out of the valley and up the other side, with another viewing stop a few minutes ride away. Here, we were treated to an equally impressive vista, they all are to be fair, of a mountain/rock called Half Dome. Favoured by climbers, for its sheer cliff face. The picture shows you how it got its name.
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| Half Dome |
Glacier Point does not disappoint. Another stunning vista before ours eyes, with a slightly different perspective of Half Dome and two waterfalls, we'd not seen before. Orsum!
Our fourth taste of the local wildlife, pops up here. Squirrels and quite a few of them. Quite tame, they come within a few inches of my outstretched hand.
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| A squirrel |
As we are ready to leave Glacier Point, it becomes clear that out South African riders have gone missing. We hang around for quite a while whilst Dean goes off to look for them, eventually they return and are greeted by a sarcastic round of applause from yours truly. Seems they are starting to make themselves a little unpopular with the rest of the group, an observation highlighted by a later altercation between them and Carl, after an apparently dangerous overtaking manouvre on their part.
The last part of the day, from Glacier Point to Oakhurst was simply fabulous. No exaggeration, I'd say they are some of the best and most entertaining roads I have ridden. I was buzzing when we arrived at the hotel but not just from the ride. No, after all that the day had thrown at as, the cherry on the cake, just after we left the park, was having a bear run across the road in front of us! Yes, a bloomin' bear, the thing I had hoped most to see today. I've still not come down from the excitement yet.
Unloaded and showered, we met up with Keith, Mary, Graham, Jan, Geoff and Cheryl, to go for dinner. We were heading for a BBQ place down the road. On the way we met Johan and Elizabeth on their way back. Basic but good food was their comment. They are a nice couple.
We arrived to be told by the young lady, Samantha, that they were about to close, as they had run out of some of their menu items, including fries. No problem, we could do without fries, so we ordered up our food and beers. What a very pleasant young lady Samantha was, very attentive and very chatty. I said to the others that I wanted to take her home, she was so charming and cute. Come time to leave, I asked if she'd ever been to England. 'No', came the reply but if any of us wanted to take her home with us, she'd be willing to come. Cute, cute, cute ;-)
Leaving the restaurant, I was on the trail of an ATM. I now have just $1 cash, plus some shrapnel. Samantha had said there was one next door or at the general store. Nothing next door, so I left the others and headed down the main street in search of the general store. I'd walked quite a way when I saw a Chase Bank across the way. I stopped to press the button on the crossing and waited for the little white man. It was a wide road, so I ran across rather than walked. I still had another road to cross to get to the bank. A quick glance up the road and with nothing coming I walked across to the central reservation. A glance the other way and a car turns into the road then stops. Huh? No light for him, I wait. Next thing I know a little search light shines my way, followed by the blue and reds. It's the local plod! He pulls over to me and gets out of the car. I tell him I'm looking for an ATM and he tells me that in this country, they use the crossing to cross the road. I did point out that I had just used the first crossing but didn't feel it wise to press the matter. He was very polite and told me using the crossing properly would prevent me getting run down by 'all these tourists'. He pointed out to me where the ATM was and I crossed the road thanking him and apologising to him in equal measure. Just my luck, I thought. With only a handful of cars around at that time of night on a Sunday, one has to be a cop car, just as I'm crossing the road, off the crossing!
But the story isn't quite ended. For when I used the ATM, it wouldn't pay out any cash, as it claimed my PIN is incorrect. I know I changed it back home and I know I tested subsequently, so not too sure what the issue is. Got back and told Dud about my brush with the law. Now it was his turn to laugh at my expense. I had to laugh too. A surreal ending to an abssolutely marvellous day.
Tomorrow we are heading for San Francisco. Weather forecast says there could be rain. BOO! Be careful what you wish for, those people who where moaning that Furnace Creek was too hot! Anyway, I'm prepared, as my waterproofs are ready to be loaded into the panniers, just in case.
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