That's loaded touring folks. No reservations to make. No mandatory destination for the night. All I have to do is find place to camp and I get to cook my own meals too! I have my tent, cooking gear, food for at least two days, extra fuel for my stove, warm sleeping bag and clothing. No more is needed and I'm ready to go.
My route begins at my front door and begins with an easy, familiar 45 mile route to San Juan Batista. I had my bike checked at a local bike shop so I felt good and ready to roll. The first five miles was O.K. but then I thought I heard a funny little clicking noise. A couple of miles later the problem was solved. The crank arms were loose! Guess the shop didn't torque the bolts tight enough after servicing the bottom bracket! No problem. I carry the tools for that too so it was only a five minute job. That was the only bike problem for the entire trip.
The ride to Mission Farms Campground in San Juan Batista was uneventful but I
did encounter my first washed out road. "Y" road, the short cut into town,
was washed out and not passable. No signs were posted to let anyone know of
the closed road. Bummer, I had to retrace my route to the freeway and ride
it to the next side road. It added about two miles to my route but it gave
me a good excuse to eat dinner in town. San Juan Batista has some excellent
restaurants.
The weather is perfect for riding. My planned route takes me another 45
miles to the Pinnacles Campground for night number two. This too is a
familiar route so I don't expect any problems. There is a swimming pool and
showers waiting for me but what's that "Closed" sign on the shower door?
Just my luck! The pumping system broke down this morning so no showers
today! I hinted to the clerk at the camp store for a reduced price but she
just pointed to the pool and said "jump in"! I didn't see anyone else
jumping in and when I tested the water, I knew why! It was just a little too
cold for my bones! My site was close by and near the creek so I headed off
to setup camp and cook dinner. As dinner was cooking a slight breeze came up
and the cotton wood tree nearby began to shed it's cotton! It was a pretty
sight but didn't do anything for my allergies. There are caves to explore in
the park but I didn't have the time nor the inclination to go up this late in
the evening. Guess I'll just have to make plans to come back for the caves.
I brought along a paperback book and when I started to read it, I realized it
was a rerun. But wait, the camp store had an exchange book shelf and I found
another novel. "On The Brink" by Benjamin Stein with Herbert Stein. It was
a good choice.
My next day was also over familiar territory and a beautiful ride to
Coalinga. It was Hwy#25 to the Coalinga/Los Gatos road into the town of
Coalinga. This was a 66 mile day and my first serious climbing day so I was
happy to see Picacho Inn. I knew the toughest hills were behind me. There
were two women planting flowers around the old Inn so I asked them if the Inn
was open. "Not now and not in the future" was their answer but they gave me
a couple of sodas from their personal stock! I insisted that I pay for the
drinks so that they would offer the same to the next thirsty rider. That's
the only way that they would accept the money. Three trucking families have
joined together and are operating out of the old Inn property. The ladies
did indicate that a small off-sale business of drinks, etc. will be available
later on.
I have never camped in Coalinga but the locals said that tents were allowed
in a trailer court. So, there I was, standing near a three way intersection,
scanning my map and thoroughly confused when a big pickup stopped and a lady
asked me if I needed help. When I explained that I was looking for a place
to pitch my tent for the night she said, "Follow me, you can camp in my back
yard"! Sheba the dog, made friends and kept me company all night. My host,
Barbara, also recommended a restaurant just four blocks away where her
daughter worked so I had the opportunity to return some of her generosity by
taking her to dinner. The meal was every bit as good as advertised.
Day four dawned bright and clear and I was now cycling into unfamiliar
territory across the Fresno Valley to Kingsburg. All the roads leading to
Kingsburg were straight and flat! I had picked what I hoped to be the
secondary, low traffic roads and I was not disappointed. It was planting
time and fields were being prepared on all sides. So much land to plant!
My planned day was to be 61 miles but I had no idea where I would find a
camping place. Upon entering Kingsburg, I asked some local residents
shopping at a Quick Stop for directions to a campground. Luck was still with
me and a man gave me directions to Lindy's Landing on the King River. I
arrived at the private park at mile 75 and the owners were a very sociable
couple. They were just recovering from the flood that all but washed away
the park! The water marks on the trees were chest high and the river covered
everything under a couple of feet of sand! The heavy equipment used to push
the sand back to the river was still there but everything was looking good.
They even had one of the shower/restroom buildings remodeled. Great shower.
I had to revise my route from Lindy's Landing to Eshom Creek Campground
because this morning's starting point was located NE of Kingsburg but it was
a minor change. The new route was a parallel road and had wide, smooth
shoulders so I didn't mind at all. I'm now on my way to the mountains and
the forests. My first check point is a little town of Orosi and from there
on, it's uphill 'scenic time' and the beginning of the forests. Five or six
miles East of Orosi the climb to the giant trees began up Boyd Road. The
views were getting better and better. A stray dog tagged on and followed me
for several miles. He eventually left me but a replacement doggie was soon
there. Resting in a shady spot a Coyboy in a pickup stopped to tell me about
a herd of cattle soon to be coming down the road! I asked him if he know the
dog but he didn't. He said that strays were a problem out here. People dump
the dogs off thinking that they will survive but usually die an unwelcome
death. He took the dog with him and I didn't ask what he planned for the
dog.
I passed the point where the cattle were to enter the roadway so missed the
stampede! I was now looking for the Hilltop Bar that my friendly cowboy
recommended. Ah, there it is, in Badger country! The hamburger was
terrific, the owners helpful and I needed the break. I wasn't far from Eshom
Creek Campground. The bar owners said the road was closed but not to worry.
So, it was up through Whittaker Forest and tonight's place to rest. I love
the names given the roads etc., i.e., Badger, Hogback, Cat Knob.
It wasn't far into Whittaker Forest where the road was blocked with an old
gate and a sign indicating road repairs ahead - road closed. A little
further up the hill I understood why the road was closed! No more pavement.
Deep (2 & 3 feet) crevices caused by water runoff. Trees that have fallen
across the road. Deep sand. But, it was beautiful and NO TRAFFIC. It
wasn't so bad that my touring bike with 700 x 35c couldn't make it but I did
fall off a couple of times in the deep sand. I've heard it called catching a
"Sand Puddle".
Ah but look, the beautiful Sequoia trees are now all around me and there is
the entrance to Eshom Creek Campground. Gee, another closed gate. No
choice. I'm here for the night. A short ride down the dirt road brought me
to the Camp Host's area and the signs warning campers to store food in the
trunk of their cars! No water but two clear creeks. (I boiled the water)
Pit toilet (no paper) Not a soul in sight! A short walk around the
campground brought my to a small but gorgeous meadow. The sun was low in the
West with it's rays shinning through the limbs of the big trees, playing
patterns on the lush green grasses. What a sight to remember. This was
worth the trip just by itself.
I pitched my tent in the Host's spot and the price was right. I had plenty
of food and ate my full. Firewood was plentiful and the fire was friendly
and warm. It would have been nice to share this with other people but the
solitude was so restful and the surroundings so beautiful that no thoughts of
loneliness entered my mind. Guess you could say that I felt at home with
nature. I did however, haul my food high on a limb with my laundry cord.
Morning chill slowed my exit from my tent but the coals were active enough to
soon have a warm fire going and a cup of coffee never tasted so good! This
was an experience to remember and I hated to leave, but today was the day I
was to arrive at my destination. The original plan would take me across the
main highway and on to Hume Lake and in the back door of Kings Canyon to
Cedar Grove. Thinking that more road closures might be forthcoming, I
decided to alter my route and ride directly to Grants Grove where a passing
park visitor informed me of good restaurants, visitors center, a general
store, and campgrounds. It was the right choice because the lady in the
visitors told me of all the closed roads below and heavy fines for people
caught there! She even chewed me out for going through Eshom Creek when I
told her about my ride! She wanted to know if I had a pass yet and I told
her I didn't have to pay because I have my Golden Age Passport and was riding
a bicycle. That astonished her so much she had to call her supervisor. No
problem. Well, I didn't see any other bicycle tourists.
The campground was close and so was Grant's Tree. Only 16 miles of riding
this day. I picked a spot, set up camp, and hauled a** for the hike around
Grant's Tree. You MUST see these huge trees to realize their hugeness. Some
comparisons will help emphasize the tree's size. (from the Sequoia Natural
History Ass. leaflet) The General Grant Tree is as tall as a 27-story
building. It is wider at the base than a three-lane freeway. It weighs more
that 700 large cars. If the wood were strong enough for construction, more
than 40 average-sized, 5-room houses could be built from it. A relatively
young tree for a huge sequoia, the Grant Tree has lived for nearly twenty
centuries. The General Grant Tree is the world's third-largest living thing
and has the greatest base diameter of any sequoia at 40.3 feet. This is 3.5
feet more than the diameter of the world's largest tree, General Sherman, in
Sequoia National Park.
The nights are still cool here at an elevation of 6589 feet with snow still
on the ground and the road to Cedar Grove is still closed so guess I'll have
to come back another time. Hummm, think I'll head for home via the direct
route through Fresno, to Firebaugh, then on to Los Banos by way of Hwy#152
and the San Luis Reservoir into Gilroy and home to San Jose.
Morning dawned cool and sweet with light chill in the air. I was pumped and
looking forward to pancakes, eggs and bacon at the restaurant. Umm good!
Now the downhill! What a ride! I cruised at 20 to 30 mph for 25 miles or
so before I turned a pedal, and it was still downhill! It soon leveled off
and Fresno loomed ahead. I mapped a route slightly North of the main part of
town and headed for Firebaugh thinking I could find a place to camp along the
way. However, whenever I asked about camping, all the people advised against
it because of homeless workers from the South that were a little desperate
until the jobs opened up in the fields. I took their advise and stayed in
the only Motel in Firebaugh! The manager wanted a $5 key deposit, handed me
the paper and soap, and didn't keep sheets or blankets in the rooms! Guess
people are desperate around Firebaugh! He did say I could have the room with
the TV though. Guess he figured I couldn't carry it off on my bike! The
room was clean and the water hot so it was still a bargain. Wow, a one
hundred mile day on a loaded touring bike. O.K., so a quarter of it was down
hill, still.......
I slept like a log and ate like a pig. I'm ready to ride! Perfect weather,
good roads, and the traffic is sparse. Mostly flat to Los Banos and the
highway through town is city type riding. I ate lunch at a fast food place
where some young men were interested in my loaded bike. I let them try to
lift it and they weren't so sure they wanted to try this mode of travel after
that. It weighs over 80 pounds with all the water, food, fuel, and camping
gear.
Riding West from town towards San Luis Reservoir was the beginning of the
climb to Pacheco Pass. I was dreading this climb - remembering days long
past before the new road improvements and was pleasantly surprised to find
the shoulders wide and smooth. Also, this is Saturday so the truck volume is
probably less than normal. The grades were better than I had hoped for and I
reached Casa Del Fruita for lunch! I was thinking of spending the night
there but heck, I'm not far from Gilroy now! Off I go. I'm feeling great.
It's still light when I pass through Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Somewhere
along the way, my endorphins kicked in and I was feeling like Big Mig!! I
just cruised up Santa Teresa towards home without a care in the world.
Darkness overtook me just before I reached my home but I had all the lights
I needed and so just pedaled on home. I reached my front door at 115 miles
for the day and never felt better! Eight days and 509 miles. This is a
bicycle tour that must be repeated so I can visit those places I missed.
Kings' Canyon anyone?