Author: stuart

• At Jawbone Canyon General Store, close to the end of an awesome two day ride in the Mojave. w00t! #
• Gorgeous! http://picplz.com/hT7B #

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• Hey @AltRiderLLC – finished up RawHyde, and put your crash bars through the paces. They work great! Another brand bent on first impact. :-( #
• interpretive materials! /cc @javith http://picplz.com/hkM7 #

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• I'm at RawHyde Adventure Camp for the next four days, learning to be a better rider in rough / off-road conditions. http://bit.ly/jvXQ5D #
• RawHyde Adventure Camp is so far an exhausting, ass-kicking wonderful learning experience. I am so glad to be doing this. #

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• Citrus groves in bloom have honeysuckle sweet & spicy high notes. I want to bathe in that smell. #breatheme #purloinedhashtag #
• Windy as fuckall crossing Tejon Pass into Castaic. I saw a tumbleweed blowing across the interstate, got pushed all around my lane. #tehsuck #

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While riding through Sequoia NP yesterday, approaching 7000′ and well into the snow zone, I started getting pretty chilly. I kept my eyes peeled for a safe place to pull off the road that also offered an opportunity to bask in the copious sunshine. After a few minutes of twists, a spot appeared that fit the bill perfectly: full western exposure, a nice little granite slab on which I might relax.

I sat, munched some peanuts, and relaxed. Given how much I have to rely on vision as I ride, I released my other senses, allowing them to pick up the little signals we so often miss: the shrill of a jay, throaty rat-a-tat cough of a raven (I first thought this was a woodpecker), numerous unidentified birdsongs, solo and conversational. The crystalline trickle of snowmelt splishing down the rock face across the road, in contrast to the distant sibilant thunder of the rushing river in the valley below. The whisper and caress of the breeze across my earlobes. The warm blanket of sunshine, the simultaneously smooth and rough granite beneath me. Salt crystals melting on my tongue as I ate the peanuts. The scent of old snow, and older forest.

• The scent of citrus groves in bloom must be what heaven smells like. I mean, if you believe in that sort of thing. #
• Porterville, CA is weird. My motel is in a mostly residential area, with no food source in obvious walking (read: visible) range. #

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I’ve had a whirlwind couple of days! I left San Francisco on Tuesday – after a lovely visit with one of my favoritest of the BM staff – and pointed eastward – destination: Camp 4, Yosemite Valley. I rolled into the valley about an hour before sunset, and almost immediately felt at peace. I’ve only been to Yosemite once before, more than 20 years ago, and have wanted to return ever since. Yosemite is one of the most magically beautiful places I’ve seen on this big blue ball, and it felt wonderful to be back there after far too long.

My plan had been to stay one night and then on to King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, but even as I was setting up camp I decided to stay in the valley another day. It was so the right thing to do. After the crazy cold hustle to get to the Bay Area and the busy bustling about for the four days I was there, I wanted to spin down. Being in Yosemite – and in the friendly intimacy of Camp 4 – served that desire perfectly. I spent yesterday wandering through the valley – taking some photos, roaming the visitor center, talking to various people about various things. It felt great to be free from agenda.

I woke very early this morning – as a result of going to sleep before 10pm – with the goal of morning light photographs in the Valley. After coffee and a quick breakfast, I rode out to the trailhead for El Capitan and hiked up about .3 miles, close to the base, camera bag in tow. After finding a nice spot to recline with great view, I reached for my camera, only to discover that I only had lenses with me – my camera body was back in the tent, where I put it last night after downloading the day’s shots. Oops. Oh well, might as well enjoy it. So I did.

Back to camp, to break down and hit the road. Hwy 41 – the Wawona Road – up, over and down, out of the Valley, and on to Fresno. Left turn, back toward the mountains for an incredible ride through Sequoia National Park. Hwy 198 is without a doubt the twistiest road I’ve ever ridden; the stretch south of Giant Forest all the way to Lemoncove is filled with twist and turns, starting with enormous trees and dropping steadily down into a river valley, first lush then progressively more arid – yuccas in bloom on the side of the road. At this moment, I can safely say that the Sierras – parks, foothills, valley and ridge – are the best place I’ve ever ridden.

Then, into the citrus groves. The scent of orange and lemon blossoms filled the air for miles. Heavenly!

Today was filled with extremes. I started at about 4000′ and 35°, climbed to about 6000′ and into the low 50s, then dropped into Fresno (300′ and almost 80°). Up again into Sequoia, crossing a high point for the day and trip at 7335′ with 8-10′ snow drifts and temps dipping briefly back into the upper 30s. Then down into the Central Valley again for my day’s rest in Porterville CA. When I rolled in to my motel just before 8pm, it was 72° at 456′. At almost 250 miles it was my second longest day thus far on the trip, and almost certainly the greatest total elevation change I’ve ever ridden in a day.

• To the sound of the parrots of the Presidio, I bid San Francisco a fond farewell. For now. #
• First glimpse – for my beloved bunneh @javith. I wish you were here to see it http://picplz.com/SlXH #

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• Stopped by BMHQ to say hi to folks but appear to have missed the critical between-meetings window. At least there's cake! #
• Bopping around SF on the bike on a warm and sunny day. Visits with friends in my imminent future. #

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• Drinking Billecart Salmon with @oneirofer and pals. Sunny SF day, w00t! #
• At NOPA with @amani_rulz and other SF pals. Bring the noms! #
• My mouth is filled with the delicious flavor of the best smoked trout I've ever had. Hell yes! #
• pork chop hell yes http://picplz.com/S076 #

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