Day 1, part 2

There were dirt roads everywhere today. They lead off up into the canyons, and they were calling my name. Yes it was colder than I imagined. Yes it was blowing and snowing. But little fire road after road beckoned the purported "dual sport" nature of the Suzuki Vstrom. It had been a lot of years since those summers growing up in Idaho where I explored the side roads endlessly...just me and my Honda Trail 90. And today, my 2-month old bike was carrying more gear than I've ever put on a bike. So should I chance it?
Of course! I went up it maybe a quarter mile. There were houses now and then off to the left or right. But as the hill got steeper with limited space to turn around, I noticed the "houses" were more like random shacks, abandon trailers, and compounds. I began having images from "The Hills Have Eyes", and took the last open spot to turn around.

Note to self, on a steep dirt and rock hill, might want to be dang careful about low-speed maneuvers. I came real close to dumping it right there. And I'm sure the neck and shoulder soreness I have tonight is partly from the efforts today to keep the shiny side up.

Back on the road, came across the Iron Horse bar. I could tell it MUST be a big biker hanout, but it was closed. I pulled in anyway and snapped a few pics. It was overlooking Topaz lake, and looked like a rockin plac to toss a couple back.

It had some cool flags flying, including the 82nd Airborne. All the way!





Here's the sign, confirming biker allegiance.



Then I spotted my 1st alien spaceship...
It was lightly snowing at the river, but the wind wasstarting to pick up. I was only able to keep my hands ungloved about 90 seconds before they were painfully cold and then took 10 minutes to warm up in my gloves. So I took fewer pics than I would have liked.

Coming over the mountains before Mono lake, there are all kinds of signs and windsocks warning if high winds. I don't know about you, but for me the high winds make motorcycling pretty scary at times. The posted truck speed limit was only 35, where the road was straight and appeared to easily support 100+ speeds. But for the strongest wind I've ever encountered on a bike.

They were gusting, guessing at up to 40mph at times. And when they hit full force out of nowhere, at 90 degree to your bike, it throws the wheels out from under you...forcing the bike into dramatic lean. The rider must quickly compensate, or that lean equals turning on a bike; as in...into the oncoming lane or off the road. Then they stop, or reverse. You go between little hill then come out the other side. You pass a big rig. You do nothing, but invisibly from nowhere comes a TaeKwonDo full-force side kick (with focus, hip, and follow through!), shoving the bike into a hard lean. It was SERIOUSLY freaking crazy.

When I pulled off at Mono lake overlook, I was worried the winds would blow the bike over!

From Mono lake to Bishop was another 130 miles. Really awesome scenery. Snowed and blowed really hard the whole way, so didn't stop for pictures. Saw some more great dirt roads. Amazing to me how they're open to public use, just like when I was growing up. (seems most dirt roads back home are gated)

Coming across the huge valley leading to Bishop, the road gores straight for several miles across the valley floor, perpendicular to its length. I was already planning on writing about the horrendous winds back at Mono, but these made those look like a cakewalk! OMG! I really thought at several spots, I was going down.

The speed limit there is 55, and the cars were pushing from the back on me. At one point I was down to 25mph, but the effect of the gusts were worse without the centrifical force of the wheels' gyroscopic effect to help. And the winds and gusts got markedly worse the further across the valley floor we went. And like all of today's ride, it was bitter cold and snowing, only sideways. The guy behind me was obviously annoyed,and I probably looked drunk as the winds blew me from side to side in my lane. The jerk just HAD to tailgate me te entire freakin way to town.

Somehow I made it without tipping over. It was about dinner time, and with another 3 hrs to Death Valley I knew I had to spring for a room. Here's the bike after one crazy, beautiful, ehausting day of riding.




Here's the mountains outside Bishop at sunset.






Daily stats:

264 miles (hey, it was a blizzard, ok)
unplanned purchases: wool socks at Big 5; old trusty combat boots ot a bit cold on mountain peaks in the storm (they stayed nice and dry inside though)


Tomorrow - ride through Death Valley; may be too early to camp, so may continue on to Grand Canyon AZ after that, and camp out day 2 there. But then again, may just camp early at Death Valley and enjoy exploring the nearby area. I can always double up the next day (Grand Canyon AZ and Zion national park UT).

Not sure I'll have internet out camping, so updates may be delayed. Please don't worry about sending out search party if delays; I'm keeping in regular touch with my command central back in Folsom. So until next time...

Mike