White Mountain Research Station
August 2009
August 2009
The White Mountain Research Station has an open house on the first Sunday in August, and it became a tradition for some of my riding buddies in Southern California to meet for a few days of riding around the Mammoth area, and then head to the White Mountain Research Station (+12,000 feet elevation) on Sunday.
I left Camas, WA on Tuesday, July 28 to travel south. It would take me two days to reach the McGee Creek Lodge where I planned to stay in the Mammoth area. I headed east on Hwy 14 from Camas, and crossed the Columbia River at the Bridge of the Gods. I continued East on Hwy 84, south on Hwy 35, and then continued to wind my way through Oregon. After crossing into California, I turned east on Hwy 9 to cross Fandango Pass, part of the historic Lassen Trail (used be settlers in the mid 1800's). I then continued south to Cedarville for the night, basically a one stop sign town where I was able to eat a great meal at a little diner.
The next morning, I continued south on Surprise Valley Road crossing into Nevada, and then took the Buckhorn Byway (a rather desolate dirt road) west back to Hwy 395 in California. Then it was all pavement south to past Mono Lake, June Lake, and Mammoth to the McGee Creek Lodge.
I left Camas, WA on Tuesday, July 28 to travel south. It would take me two days to reach the McGee Creek Lodge where I planned to stay in the Mammoth area. I headed east on Hwy 14 from Camas, and crossed the Columbia River at the Bridge of the Gods. I continued East on Hwy 84, south on Hwy 35, and then continued to wind my way through Oregon. After crossing into California, I turned east on Hwy 9 to cross Fandango Pass, part of the historic Lassen Trail (used be settlers in the mid 1800's). I then continued south to Cedarville for the night, basically a one stop sign town where I was able to eat a great meal at a little diner.
The next morning, I continued south on Surprise Valley Road crossing into Nevada, and then took the Buckhorn Byway (a rather desolate dirt road) west back to Hwy 395 in California. Then it was all pavement south to past Mono Lake, June Lake, and Mammoth to the McGee Creek Lodge.
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On Thursday, I had a day to enjoy by myself before meeting my Southern California riding buddies, so I decided to take a leisurely ride through Yosemite. It's just a short ride back north on Hwy 395 to the turnoff on Hwy 120 towards Yosemite. I hadn't visited Yosemite in probably 20 years, and the views were as stunning as I remembered them.
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Most of my friends were staying at the Brown's Owens River Campground, so I headed over on Friday morning. Soon several of us were heading over the what is known as little Red Rock Canyon. At Fish Slough Road, most of the group turned north towards Benton, but Kelley and I decided to take a fast ride south down Fish Slough Road (hitting 100 mph for portions of it). We stopped to view some of the petroglyphs in the area.
We continued south to Bishop and ate lunch at the Petite Pantry. After lunch we headed back north on Casa Diablo Road - another dirt road on which you can fly at excessive speeds. Soon we were back at the campground, where I met some other friends organizing an afternoon ride. We moseyed around the area, and rode to the top of Lookout Mountain before returning to the campground. I enjoyed a great Carne Asada dinner with my friends before returning to the McGee Creek Lodge.
We continued south to Bishop and ate lunch at the Petite Pantry. After lunch we headed back north on Casa Diablo Road - another dirt road on which you can fly at excessive speeds. Soon we were back at the campground, where I met some other friends organizing an afternoon ride. We moseyed around the area, and rode to the top of Lookout Mountain before returning to the campground. I enjoyed a great Carne Asada dinner with my friends before returning to the McGee Creek Lodge.
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Saturday morning I woke up early and headed to Crowley Lake for a breakfast burrito and to fill up with gas. Then it was off to the campground to meet some friends for a ride to Bodie, a historic ghost town east of Bridgeport. We took several dirt roads on both side of Hwy 395 as we headed north. We gassed up again in Lee Vining, and then stopped in Bridgeport for lunch.
On the way to Bodie after lunch, we came across a group of riders dealing with a flat tire; so I left them a tarp and my air pump to help them out and headed on to Bodie. Of course, I reached Bodie and discovered that I now had a flat tire and now had to borrow an air pump from a fellow rider. My friend Danny helped me out with fixing my flat. We left Bodie via Cottonwood Canyon towards Mono Lake. On the way back, Joel, Bill, and I took some dirt roads around June Lake and then found some pretty good pizza in Mammoth for dinner.
On the way to Bodie after lunch, we came across a group of riders dealing with a flat tire; so I left them a tarp and my air pump to help them out and headed on to Bodie. Of course, I reached Bodie and discovered that I now had a flat tire and now had to borrow an air pump from a fellow rider. My friend Danny helped me out with fixing my flat. We left Bodie via Cottonwood Canyon towards Mono Lake. On the way back, Joel, Bill, and I took some dirt roads around June Lake and then found some pretty good pizza in Mammoth for dinner.
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Sunday was finally the day to head up White Mountain. I me a group of friends over at the campground and soon we were heading south on dirt roads towards Bishop. Then it was up Silver Canyon and into the White Mountain range. It's a tricky and sometimes steep ride up the mountain, so a few falls were taking place. But the views at the top are well worth the ride. Joel, Bill and I then headed down the other side through Wyman Canyon. Then it was some twisty pavement back to Bishop for lunch, and back to camp to relax with a few beers. We had more Carne Asada for dinner for a great end to the day.
The next morning I headed back north to Camas, with a stop in Crescent City. Another great adventure in the books!
The next morning I headed back north to Camas, with a stop in Crescent City. Another great adventure in the books!
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