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Big Sur, Sequoia, Yosemite, Bodie, etc
Took a 4700 mile/10 day motorcycle trip from Texas to California & back. Got to see lots of cool (actually hot) places along the way.
On a bike, that's about 10 - 11 hours riding per day, every day, so...
I didn't have much time to really explore and take many decent shots. Most were limited to the "point & shoot" variety, although I did make an effort on some.
Left North Texas and rode out to Albuquerque, NM. Pulled into a hotel and noticed that there was a Hot Rod show around the corner. So... you know I had to take a few shots there.
http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3074343#167660825
From there we headed onward (in that 60+ mph wind that swept through the SW) through the Mojave Desert and stayed the night in Needles, CA.
My friend stayed in Modesto, but I had places to see, or should I say Sea.
Big Sur: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071081#167444282
Then I was off to set-up camp in Sequoia National Park.
I got there after dark (of course), and there was only one campsite unoccupied. The fellow at the entrance shack told me that the bears had been particularly "active" this last week. OOOH Good!!!
I setup my tent, and within the first 30 minutes I saw 3 bears... Yikes...
I saw 4 more bears during the night between my tent and my bike. Turned out that a bear had been ON my bike during the night. Luckily only minor damage from that. But hey, I didn't get eaten :ivar
Giant Sequoia Trees: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3073871#167637365
It's hard to show the perspective of these big ol' trees, but I think these deer are just the ticket.
After checking one last time for any missing arms or legs, I headed to Yosemite. http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3072112#167512703
Ansel Adams I am not... But the scenery was nice enough that I thought it would only be right to take a few pics.
OK, I'll try my hand at it anyway!
Leaving Yosemite, we found our way to a VERY intriguing place --
Bodie Ghost Town: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071106#167447096
Of course we got there late in the evening :rolleyes , but at least we had great light and fantastic clouds before we were run out of town. Only got to shoot a couple hundred shots before they closed up for the night.
Then we had the great idea that we needed to ride through Death Valley in June :scratch : http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071923#P-2-15
I think that one picture is all that's needed to show how that turned out.
After surviving Death Valley, we were off to Tombstone/Boot Hill. Our travels did take us through Vegas and across the Hoover Dam.
Tombstone/Boot Hill: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3073104#167591016
Boot Hill
After that, it was just a long trip through a lot of flat-n-ugly to get home.
If you made it all the way to this point... Ya' gotta strong stomach :rofl
You can blame Andy for this long post... He did say "DeLurk"
On a bike, that's about 10 - 11 hours riding per day, every day, so...
I didn't have much time to really explore and take many decent shots. Most were limited to the "point & shoot" variety, although I did make an effort on some.
Left North Texas and rode out to Albuquerque, NM. Pulled into a hotel and noticed that there was a Hot Rod show around the corner. So... you know I had to take a few shots there.
http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3074343#167660825
From there we headed onward (in that 60+ mph wind that swept through the SW) through the Mojave Desert and stayed the night in Needles, CA.
My friend stayed in Modesto, but I had places to see, or should I say Sea.
Big Sur: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071081#167444282
Then I was off to set-up camp in Sequoia National Park.
I got there after dark (of course), and there was only one campsite unoccupied. The fellow at the entrance shack told me that the bears had been particularly "active" this last week. OOOH Good!!!
I setup my tent, and within the first 30 minutes I saw 3 bears... Yikes...
I saw 4 more bears during the night between my tent and my bike. Turned out that a bear had been ON my bike during the night. Luckily only minor damage from that. But hey, I didn't get eaten :ivar
Giant Sequoia Trees: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3073871#167637365
It's hard to show the perspective of these big ol' trees, but I think these deer are just the ticket.
After checking one last time for any missing arms or legs, I headed to Yosemite. http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3072112#167512703
Ansel Adams I am not... But the scenery was nice enough that I thought it would only be right to take a few pics.
OK, I'll try my hand at it anyway!
Leaving Yosemite, we found our way to a VERY intriguing place --
Bodie Ghost Town: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071106#167447096
Of course we got there late in the evening :rolleyes , but at least we had great light and fantastic clouds before we were run out of town. Only got to shoot a couple hundred shots before they closed up for the night.
Then we had the great idea that we needed to ride through Death Valley in June :scratch : http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3071923#P-2-15
I think that one picture is all that's needed to show how that turned out.
After surviving Death Valley, we were off to Tombstone/Boot Hill. Our travels did take us through Vegas and across the Hoover Dam.
Tombstone/Boot Hill: http://rw.smugmug.com/gallery/3073104#167591016
Boot Hill
After that, it was just a long trip through a lot of flat-n-ugly to get home.
If you made it all the way to this point... Ya' gotta strong stomach :rofl
You can blame Andy for this long post... He did say "DeLurk"
Randy
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Comments
DGrin Rule: When posting a motorcycle trip report, you must include at least one picture of the bike. You have a nice, yellow wing--show us!
Glad you weren't eaten. Would love to hear more about the bear trying to take your bike for a ride.
You're too humble about your photos. Point n' shoot or not, you took some really nice shots. I'm leaving on a trip from California to Wisconsin in about a week and found your report inspirational. Thanks for having us along.
NEW Smugmug Site
You hit some nice weather in Big Sur (lucky you) and how nice to have a photographer with a sense of humor (Death Valley). Do post more!
http://www.twitter.com/deegolden
:bluduh
-joel
Link to my Smugmug site
Thanks Tom...
Here's me and ol' Yeller --- and my bud Eric
It's funny... I normally take an aggravating (for anyone with me) amount of pictures of my bike on a trip, but I was just to rushed on this trip I guess.
As it turned out, the one campsite that was unoccupied (wonder why
Upon hearing this good news, I pulled my tent up as close to my bike as I could get it, away from the trail. (albeit only about 8 yards as it came through my campsite)
When I laid down in my tent I immediately noticed that gravity was having its way with me. Yes, the ground here was sloped a good bit. My feet were pressing hard against the end of my tent, trying to push me through to the river! (Warning: Tent may be more sloped than pictures will show)
Anyway, I was tired... dead tired, and needed sleep.
My great plan to ward off the hungry bears was to sleep with one hand on my little flashlight, the other on my bike's remote. My thumbs poised on each.
Not long after I laid down, I heard a bear rustling about. I looked out the little window in my tent to see a bear near my bike. Well....... not so fast there Mr. bear -- I've got a remote!!!
I hit the remote, which flashes the turn signal lights, and off went the bear. :ivar The next bear... same treatment... same result.
All the while, periodic screaming, pot banging, yelling, people leaving in the middle of the night in their cars, was going on. But I was tired... dead tired.
About 4am I heard and saw another bear near my bike. I just hit the remote, I was soooooo tired. About 20 seconds later, I heard... SNIFF, SNIFF, SNIFF right at my tent, about 6" from my head:help
I'M NOT TIRED ANY MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The next morning at 5am, I'm up and getting things packed up. Another ranger stopped by and we chatted about the bears. She told me that in the previous 5 nights, 4 cars had the windows busted out and one had the door peeled back.
I got looking at my bike while talking with the ranger and we noticed that the sheepskin cover on my seat had a paw print on it and the gas "door" hinges were bent, making the cover askew about 3/4".
The ranger stated that I was lucky the bear didn't rip the saddle bags and trunk off the bike.
Anyway...... You asked!
Glad you had a fun and safe trip too! I ride a Valkyrie and wife wants to go to Tombstone next year! Excellent shots...especially with a point & shoot. Nice work and great trip..thanks for sharing!
NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
www.daveswartz.com
Model Mayhem site http://www.modelmayhem.com/686552
Thanks for the comp...
Big Sur is a MUST SEE if anywhere close to the area.
Gotta' let other bikers know where to go, and what you'll likely see.
All places I've visited and you did a great job of giving me a little taste
of each.
See you on the road,
Ian
Unsharp at any Speed