Day seventy four, lake tahoe, ca to Mammoth Lake, ca

This day is a very cool days riding in more ways than one. Lake Tahoe, our start point for the day at about 6300’ asl was about the lowest altitude we would ride at all day. Most of the riding in the Eastern Sierra’s is higher than this so makes for keeping the summer temps in the low 20’s all day, just where we like it.

Instead of going north to Carson city and down the 395, we struck out south of Lake Tahoe on Route 89, first of all climbing over Luther Pass and down into Markleeville where we had our first coffee stop for the day. Markleeville is a cute as a button wee village in the Sierra Mountains, pretty much servicing the travelling public with a Motel, restaurant, couple cafe,s you get the drift.

We hung around the village too long really, no real reason to leave, such a gorgeous part of the world, pic below of the Main Street, Markleeville, population 210.

Down the road a piece near the area of Loope ( named after my cousin from Douglas … clearly…….) we hung a left and climbed over Monitor Pass and on down to Route 395, which runs north/south. We cruised down the 395 to the town of Walker ( much bigger town, population 721) where we got some gas then on down the road a piece up and over Devils Gate Pass and down into Bridgeport for a spot of lunch. Nice part of the world, no need to hurry through it, scenery has been stunning all day, I like the Sierra’s, both sides of the range.

Now let me fill you in on 45 minutes of my life between the village of Walker, Devils Gate Pass and the town of Bridgeport. Near the Sonora junction we came upon some roadworks, as you do in this part of the world in the summer/Fall months. I point out at this juncture the temps had just hit 29.5 degrees and we were fully clad in Motorcycle safety gear, not my happy place.

Now the boys on this section of roadworks did not appear to be meeting their KPI’s when it comes to effective and efficient traffic management. As we arrived upon this scene, an approx 2 km long line of traffic had just started moving, obviously with us in the last 4-500 meters of this. the flagger man ( lollipop man we call them back home) was standing there with his stop/go sign, looking as intelligent as he could and as we approached he turned the sign around to stop us, even though he still had maybe 20 vehicles to get through.

I moved forward to engage this individual in conversation. Before I spoke, I had already made a visual assessment of this individual ‘s demeanour so my expectations of a successful engagement were low. I asked ever so politely if he would let the three motorcycles through on the end of that line of traffic due to the heat and what we were wearing, exposure to the sun etc. In a few guttural syllables he muttered that he had already radioed through the description of the last car. I mentioned we were clad in motorcycling clothing and would be unlikely to survive the next 45 minutes while his team got to us again and that perhaps he could simply radio through again that there were three bikes also coming.

As suspected however, such an onerous task was beyond this gentleman’s level of comprehension, I deduced that he may not have been top of his class, Class of 2018 at “Flagger school” It was outside this persons area of expertise to make a decision to let three motorcyclists through and prevent a health issue such as heat stroke or a heart attack at his station and on his watch, and that he was only qualified to simply turn his back and wave occasionally to truck drivers to make it look like he knew what he was doing.

We found some shade beneath the deck of a nearby Ute, while the smiling car drivers behind us turned down their aircon another notch. 40 mins later, several litres of water, an intravenous drip to prevent heat stroke, ingestion of both blood pressure and blood thinning medication and we were on our way. Isn’t it fortunate you don’t have to tip “Flaggers” in the USA.

Enough on recruitment and employment issues………….Moving right along

South of Bridgeport we took a wee deviation out to look over the ghost town of Bodie. Set up in the 1850’s in boom time gold rush days, had a reputation of being a rough and tuff town. The last people left there about 1942. There are heaps of relics, houses still furnished, shops still have goods on the shelves, they just walked out and left it. Full time staff actually live there to make sure it is not ransacked for souvenirs. Supposedly the best preserved ghost town in the USA. Pretty awesome to look around and a stack of tourists there when we were there.

Those two horse drawn hearses were in the old museum building. Now when I say they just walked out and left everything and this stuff is as it was found when the town was rediscovered, don’t be alarmed by the coffins in the hearses, I am told they were empty and that whoever was in them had been dutifully buried prior to 1942………. just for your info.

Bodie sits at about 8500’ asl but the whole mono basin that the 395 is on does not get any lower than 7000, so great temps all day.

Coming back out from Bodie, on down the road a piece we did the Grant lake, Silver lake, June lake loop, that’s a pic of Silver lake posted below, last pic, then on down to Mammoth for the night. This is a slutty wee ski town, sits at about 8700’ asl, a bit like Telluride in its expensive sluttiness and everything you buy is a piss take on the price, meals, fuel, you name it, they are there to bleed you dry. The Rodeway we stayed in was probably the worst motel the Choice Hotel chain would dare to have on their books in the entire 30 states and 73 other choice hotel premises, we have stayed at, yet one of the most expensive. Totally overpriced!! ( The Quality had no vacancies sadly or we would never have entered the semi sealed front yard of a building that actually looks like it belongs in Bodie…………..just saying…………..)seriously you think they could lift their game, the rest of the town is so up market!!!!

Fellow motorcyclists cruising the eastern Sierra,s and looking to stay in Mammoth ? best pretend the Rodeway Inn does not exist and move on, you hear what I am saying? If you visit Bodie before going in to Mammoth looking for a Motel, you will know which building I am referring to. I might add the sound proofing at the Rodeway is similar to the soundproofing you would expect of the average dwelling in Bodie as well, if you catch my drift. Amazing the similarities eh? Random?

Very nice meal up town however, despite thinking we had paid for 3 meals after eating only one, we even booked breakfast at a place that advertises “ New Zealand Elk” on the menu. We had to tell the chef he had been sprung by some Kiwi’s, did he mean venison as we don,t have Elk in New Zealand!!!!!!! Snapped.

Eastern Sierra’s Of California, nice riding, Mammoth may not be on your budget though! I am thinking Bridgeport could be the go next time eh?