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Recommendation: Bay Area to Yosemite ride?

OMG! I have never done any of these roads before. Quick update via iPhone from a campfire. Thank you so much. This was my best solo ride ever. I basically followed the map posted above. Mt Hamilton is a goat road, fun but work on a sports bike -- however better than traffic. Pattersons for gas and a snack. 132 haul across flat lands. La grange road up to 120 was so smooth and fast. Did priests grade (absolutely awesome!) to Groveland for lunch and gas (iron door). Then, oh man 49 is great down to mariposa. Got gas in mariposa, and sauntered into yosemite (beautiful). Then good food and wine by the camp fire. An absolutely amazing day!!! Thanks everyone...love BARF...made today an amazing day! Ok time for more wine and fire, and less electronics.
 
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Hah! Glad you took my advice and rode Mt. Hamilton. It is a workout, but it gets your chops up, and the backside is a breeze. For me it takes the agro out of me, whereas the freeway just puts more into me. Haven't done Priest Grade yet, but hope to soon. Keep riding safe!
 
:applause very cool route.

one thing I didn't see mentioned. be careful in Yosemite, while following dumbass tourists, in that if they get even the slightest hint that there is a wild animal on the side of the road, they will slam their brakes and stop in the middle of the road with no clue as to what's around them. don't follow to close. ;)
 
RRrider said:
OMG! I have never done any of these roads before. Quick update via iPhone from a campfire. Thank you so much. This was my best solo ride ever. I basically followed the map posted above. Mt Hamilton is a goat road, fun but work on a sports bike -- however better than traffic. Pattersons for gas and a snack. 132 haul across flat lands. La grange road up to 120 was so smooth and fast. Did priests grade (absolutely awesome!) to glovedale for lunch and gas (iron door). Then, oh man 49 is great down to mariposa. Got gas in mariposa, and sauntered into yosemite (beautiful). Then good food and wine by the camp fire. An absolutely amazing day!!! Thanks everyone...love BARF...made today an amazing day! Ok time for more wine and fire, and less electronics.
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:thumbup Just the thing I like to hear.

Now You Know what it's like here, Trust Me, it doesn't quit. There is so much more, the only reason a few spots are always mentioned, is...because, it's the starting point. :ride
 
louemc said:
:thumbup Just the thing I like to hear.

Now You Know what it's like here, Trust Me, it doesn't quit. There is so much more, the only reason a few spots are always mentioned, is...because, it's the starting point. :ride
Click to expand...

Yes I scoped out some more roads I want to try on a future trip. Definitely need to do this again...oh, and riding aside, camping in and hiking around Yosemite isn't bad either. The hike up to the top of Yosemite falls got the blood moving...such great views. We live in a great part of the world!
 
A Super rewarding ride (From the Bay area, and after the passes open) is East bound-Sonora pass, (108), to hwy 395, Turn North a short hop to turn West into Monitor Pass, and turn SouthWest into Ebbetts pass (hwy 4) to return home. Ebbetts is best done going West, climbing the steep switchbacks,at first.

Later on when mountain familiarity grows, down hill (East bound) is as fun.

Topaz lake/lodge (hwy 395) is a good place to get gas if needed, and Markleeville is a good place for lunch if wanted.

Have a Sun Blocker strip on the top of your face shield...cause you will be riding into the raising Sun, and then again into the setting Sun...
The blocker (a real one that works, I use Gorilla tape cut to shape) makes it a no Sun issue.
 
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louemc said:
A Super rewarding ride (From the Bay area, and after the passes open) is East bound-Sonora pass, (108), to hwy 495, Turn North a short hop to turn West into Monitor Pass, and turn SouthWest into Ebbetts pass (hwy 4) to return home. Ebbetts is best done going West, climbing the steep switchbacks,at first.

Later on when mountain familiarity grows, down hill (East bound) is as fun.

Topaz lake/lodge (hwy 495) is a good place to get gas if needed, and Markleeville is a good place for lunch if wanted.
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You meant to type Hwy 395. ;)


Here's a photo from Monitor Pass looking southeast last August. I get absolutely lost in this Pic in it's full size on a 22" flat screen! It was an incredible ride that day starting in Fresno and running through Yosemite and up and over Tioga Pass and up 395 to the point this was taken. We ended up in So Lake Tahoe that evening.

IMG_1614.jpg
 
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yup. 395. traffic scares the shit out of me on ebbots pass sometimes.

i love going over sonora pass and home on tioga pass. not as challenging but very beautiful ride home.
 
Someone asked for photos, well here is one:
photostream
That's Yosemite falls in the background.

Is there an easy way to add photos? as the image icon required a URL, I had to go set up a flicker account just to get the photo into an URL. and then this didn't even work! here is the flicker URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62652302@N05/5706102074/in/photostream

There must be an easier way, no?
 
RRrider said:
Someone asked for photos, well here is one:
photostream
That's Yosemite falls in the background.

Is there an easy way to add photos? as the image icon required a URL, I had to go set up a flicker account just to get the photo into an URL. and then this didn't even work! here is the flicker URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62652302@N05/5706102074/in/photostream

There must be an easier way, no?
Click to expand...

there is. click on "post reply" bottom left of page.

then when you've typed in your message, go down a bit on that page, and you'll see "manage attachments" tab. click it, and you can upload about 4-5 photos. remember there is a size limit. but even so, you can upload some well pixalated photos.

great riding area. Monitor Pass is one of my favorite rides.

and in Markleeville, there is the hot springs. definitely a must, after a long day of riding the mountains.
 
I also went bumping around Yosemite this weekend, hit the easy waterfalls and spots, BridalVeil Falls, Mirror Lake, Yosemite Falls...the usuals :) A LOT of water falling right now...well worth the trip before crowds get too bad. And yeah, 49 was in pretty awesome shape!!
Some photos from my day:
IMAG0076.jpg

IMAG0083.jpg

IMAG0085.jpg

IMAG0074.jpg
 
tioga pass/ hwy 120 is closed. and probably will be until June. FYI

i'll be passing through there on the 20th and i'll have to take hwy 108 isntead
 
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