NEMYS. TOULUMNE MEADOWS TO WILLOW SPRINGS CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. CYCLING THE SIERRA NEVADA

September 3, 2016
Day Twelve, Part Deux

Today we started at the Toulumne Meadows Campground and have already summited Tioga Pass.

Here we continue on to Willow Springs.

I start my  day unfortunately reminded by looking at "Eagle" Peak on the map that I have to start my list of bird species I've seen all over.
I just read recently that I can't count birds that I've seen at the zoo, on postage stamps and in my dreams.

With Labour Day Weekend upon us, good time to move on.

Especially when we can download, on the download.

I am in continual awe with the fact that many of the roads and passes with have crossed have been in use, some for over one hundred years.

Can't see doing this in a high wheeler, but I bet it has been done.

Lots of great photo credits to the team members.

I try every trip to send a note and some images to my wonderful bike builder, Hugh Black, True North Cycle.

From delivery day I seem to become one with my bike even under the most trying circumstances.

(I occasionally have not been "becoming one" with my ass and my Brooks saddle, but with some of these days of five - six hours of riding, somethings gotta give) 

I sing my heart out to the wide open spaces

I sing my heart out to the infinite sea

I sing my vision to the sky-high mountains

I sing my song to the free.

 Here we are dropping down to Lee Vining. There we hope to grab some supplies and maybe a little lunch.

 Mono Lake

 Not quit sure what temperate zone we are in, but its been a while since we've seen a lawn and flowers.

When I quickly turned around and saw this, I thought it was Nicola in "Flower Power" jersey.

What ever gets you through the.......

We carefully read the directions and time our shots down to the minute.

The "effective for forty five minutes" leaves no time for anything other than,

HAMMER TIME 

pee later

talk to you later

Climb and climb again.

Typical day in the saddle. 
Our starting elevation:
Tuolumne Meadows @ 8,600 ft
Climb to Tioga Pass @ 9,950ft
Dropped to Lee Vining @ 6,800ft
Climbed to Conway Summit @ 8,100ft
Dropped to Willow Springs @ 6,700ft
Climbed to bed@ 6,703ft

Expanding our horizons

 I have pretty much resigned myself to accepting that most honks and "thumbs up" are for the two lovely ladies I'm with.
Once, with my hair, a trucker also gave me a blast but immediately motioned to cancel that when he say my beard.

At days end we will rewarded with a wonderfully simple room at a simple motel that seemed five star after a couple of nights in primitive camps.
What was five star was the local "locals" restaurant we went to where we actually ordered from a menu and it magically appeared before us.