F… F… F… Freezing!

Checking our pass on entry to Yosemite Park

Here we are, another cost saving made by using our Parks Pass for entry to the Yosemite Park. The pass has paid for itself a couple of times over and we would highly recommend it to anyone visiting a number of parks in the year. Soon in to the park and we arrived at the Wawona campground that would be our home for 2 nights. The campground is split into 3 sections, following the path of the river for a couple of miles. As it was late in the season, the furthest section was closed, so we had the choice of 2.

The first section was already crowded with a number of large groups and we equal this to noise, so we explored the next. Given the forecast of a nice weekend and (probably) being the last good weekend of the year, the site was already pretty full at 3pm. However, we found a pitch, next to the river and at the furthest point. Whilst others were camped around us, it was well spaced and reasonably quite. The pitch was big and could easily have hosted a group but it was designated for single use so we enjoyed the space.

Thankfully, Yosemite Parks are happy for you to use deadwood for the fire ring provided. They encourage this as it significantly reduces the import of wood from other areas (RV’s tend to have a hatch full of wood) and any of the nasty bugs and beasties the import can spread. I was in my element. Armed with my folding saw, I was cutting off branches from fallen trees in the dry parts of the riverbed, dragging them to camp and cutting them in to useable log sizes. The sun was breaking through the tree canopy and taking the edge off the chill feel to the air but as the sun dropped behind the walls of the valley, the temperature dropped and we were grateful for our quilted jackets and thick socks.

Being at the end of the second section, with the third being closed, it was entertaining to see the number of cars and RV’s that would ignore (or not see) the signs, drive to the barrier and struggle to reverse upward, turn around and look again. The site was full pretty early on, so there were many that would leave disappointed and have to leave the Park, as no camping/RV’ing is permitted outside of designated parks. This is enforced.

The pitch above us on the slope and the other side of the access road was booked but empty. I spent a lot of my time pointing this out to people who would see it looked vacant and either not read the ticket on the post or choose to ignore it. It would seem my adopted role of parking sheriff has followed me across the pond and whilst I could have just ignored and waited for the fireworks, I would like to think someone else would do the same for us. At around 8pm, the legitimate pitch owners arrived, none the wiser for the potential of a few arguments.

The following morning was cold. I mean really cold…. Isi refused to get out of the sleeping bag (nice and warm and toasty) until I had lit the fire and tea was made. Lighting the fire was easy and I soon had a roaring blaze. Overnight, we had placed all our water and provisions in the over-sized bear box that had also offered some protection from the cold. The water bladder started to freeze very quickly and the water poured into the pot for tea contained numerous lumps of ice and when placed on the side, the ice crystals were seen to grow and made subsequent removal of the cap hard. When Isi poured water into the enamel cup to do her teeth, the water almost instantly froze.

As a part of the morning routine, I re-fill the water bladder so as not to worry about it later. However, the stand-pipe was frozen and involved a walk to the nearest toilet block to get water. The 20 minute walk did at least do something to thaw out my feet but not enough…

At 9am, as we were packed away and made ready to leave for our days ride, the bike temperature gauge showed -6C and it had certainly warmed up a bit by then.

Whilst the roads were dry, I was conscious of the low temperatures as we crept up the mountain roads of Yosemite Park and, I’m ashamed to say, we did generate a small queue behind us. However, this was nothing to the back of the queue we joined that seemed to snake for more than 20 cars and probably beyond. Again, it was the weekend and the weather was reported to be very good. As we climbed, so did the temperature and any thought of cold, icy, shaded areas was soon expelled and we immersed ourselves in the scenery of breathtaking views in areas where past forest fires had cleared the otherwise thick and tall pine trees.

As we reached the car park at the top of the Glacier Point Road, the bun-fight for parking places was causing a queue for about 1/4 mile. Luckily, being on the bikes, we jumped the queue and parked at the end of the empty bus parking drop-off point, amid hundreds of curious eyes that were queueing for the only toilets that were open. The scenery from the various viewpoints was staggering, if only spoiled by the numbers of other people and the impromptu queues created by us and those who had chosen the same time to visit. However, we hate to think what it would be like in the height of the season.

Back to the bikes, a stop for lunch and then we ventured down to the valley floor and the scrum of cars and people down there too. We tried to film the entry and exit from the tunnel, leaving a gap so we weren’t seen to be in the procession, only to find cars (rightly) using the gap to get out of the car parks. As the one-way system on the valley floor became two lanes, we were at least able to get past a few that were particularly slow and painful to follow.

Putting all that to one side, the views from the floor were as breathtaking as they were from up high, as the cliffs of rock towered hundreds of feet above us. The campsite on the valley floor was full of small tents exhibiting various ropes, carabiners and other tools of the trade, as this was climbing paradise for those that care to, and many did. Personally, I’m happy to just watch and admire! Following the road around, we became downwind of the managed forest fires that were being set and tended by the local fire controllers. Numerous signs were out saying these were managed fires and not to be alarmed or feel the need to call 911. To us, riding through the ethereal drifting smoke and smelling the scent of pine and shrubs was just really nice and a reminder of how landscapes are managed, despite how natural they may look.

Back to the campsite to find the water had been completely turned off in section two, as temperatures would continue to fall, so a 30 minute walk to the only stand-pipe in section 1 was required. Walking in the quiet and enveloping darkness with stars twinkling above and the running river shimmering in the half moon, I resisted the temptation to turn on my head-torch and search for bears, preferring to rely on my eyes and ears as they became used to the natural sounds and the shades of silver and grey cast by the chill moonlight. Section 1 was in full swing with fairy lights strung up between the tents, music playing and people enjoying the dry night. Personally, I was shielding my eyes from the lights to try and preserve my night vision for the journey back and grateful we had chosen the far end of section 2.

The view from the link-road between campsite sections - in the daylight

The following morning was a repeat of the previous morning, with me lighting the fire and thawing out the water to make the porridge and tea, with the addition of Isi packing away the bedding before appearing for a much needed cuppa. I noticed the opposite pitch was finally vacated and awaiting new residents, however, they had left a hatchet in the tree. I grabbed it and added it to our bear box, on the basis that if the owners returned, I could present it but, should they not (and they didn’t), I could find a home for it on our travels. As it happens, it has proved very useful for hammering in tent pegs!

Bags packed, temperatures rising, it was time to join the traffic enjoying the Yosemite Park, just as we were. Another ride around the valley one-way system and then heading out on the Tioga Pass, the highest highway through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in California. The highest point is 9,945ft and we couldn’t help but wonder why the road engineers could not have just moved it a few feet up either side, to make it 10,000ft. If I were the Tioga Pass, I would be left feeling somewhat inadequate, just as someone who is only 5’11” tall, spends a whole lifetime living in the inadequacy of that extra inch…

No matter how the Tioga Pass may feel for its height inadequacies, it makes up in its awe inspiring and overwhelming scenery as the road twists and turns its way up and over the pass. Whilst the sun was out and the hours ticked toward and past noon, the temperatures dropped the higher we climbed; up into the snow line, past lakes that were starting to freeze over and past streams lined with ice. It was feeling so cold, we didn’t even bother taking off our helmets to eat our lunch of beef jerky, laughing at how we had to ‘tip’ it over the chinguard and catch it with our tongues - not something to teach the grandchildren!

After many miles, we dropped out of the park, on the last day the pass would be open until the Spring/Summer of 2024, and in to Lee Vining that overlooked the Mono Lake. We were tired, hungry and cold, on the hunt for food and shelter. A quick Google and we stopped at Latte da Cafe for a fantastic hot chocolate and sandwich. There was no seating inside but we found a spot in the sunshine, beneath an apple tree that was shedding its autumn leaves in readiness for a long winter. We enquired about their accommodation, to be told they were fully booked and tonight was the last night for the season - it seemed Lee Vining kept the same ‘hours’ as the Tioga Pass, for its services to tourists.

With a ‘quick’ look at Booking (.com), we booked a nights accommodation at the Thunderbird Motel in Bishop, just another 80 miles down the road. So we jumped on the bikes, plugged in the heated jackets, turned up the heated grips and headed South, past the Mono Lake. Whilst we didn’t spend time to properly enjoy the lake and area, it is worth noting that this is not just any old lake. Mono Lake was created some 750,000 years ago and does not have an outlet. The water evaporates resulting in a high concentration of sodium, giving the water a high alkaline content. Brine shrimp thrive, providing resources to millions of migratory birds. All this was under threat when Los Angeles started diverting the feeder streams and the water levels were dropping and would eventually lead to the lake sodium concentration being too high for wildlife and, ultimately, drying out. Locals won a legal battle restricting the amount of water Los Angeles could take and thus the lake has survived. We couldn’t tell if the low water levels were a result of being late summer or if the water extraction was still having an impact.

As we rode down the highway to Bishop, the sun started setting behind the Sierra Nevada Mountains, casting huge shadows across our path. We were amazed that the shadows not only had an impact on the temperature as we moved in and out of them, but also on the quality of the light. The shadow contained an almost ethereal feel as if looking from a veil out across the flat valley and the mountains on the other side.

Finally, we reached Bishop in the twilight and settled into a motel room for the night - always a delight after a while in the tent and a significant change to the Stockton ‘prison’ we had left a few days before.

Death Valley is cold…

Bunk-a-Biker