Tioga Pass

We're almost there Lloyd...Harry, I have to pee...just go man...

Top of Tioga Pass

Glacier cut Rocks

A moment of reflection

Yosemite's eastern high country entrance

Beautiful Vistas

Dark blue lakes

Decent down to the valley

About a foot of snow fell just days prior

Winding Roads

Photo taken at about 8,000 ft. above sea level

I can smell victory...

These roads are a blast to ride

Sierras in the distance

At I-385 and Tioga Pass intersection

Tioga Pass just 15 miles up the road

I want to live like a wild flower

surrounded by snow capped mountians

A mixture of fear and excitment as I approach the climb

After a relaxing night in Bishop, I hopped back on my pony and continued North towards Tioga Pass. There are very few passageways that cut through the Sierra Nevada's and most are completely closed off in the winter due to the high elevation and snow. Just a few days prior, Tioga Pass was shut down from the same storm that that drenched me in Arizona, dumping close to a foot of snow...luckily, by the time I made it out there, the Pass was cleared....and the snow covered mountains made for an amazing back drop and spectacular view. Reaching 9,943 ft, Tioga Pass was the highest elevation I rode on the entire cross country adventure. This was the real deal, the Dumb and Dumber moment of the scooter trip...climbing at a 11-15% grade for 40 miles or so at 35 mph. It was Lloyd Christmas time...I had to swallow my pride, sit back, and slowly scrape my way up and over the Sierra Nevada's. Thankfully, because of all the twists and turns, the speed limit for the rest of the traffic fluctuated between 20-40 mph, so unlike the movie, I didn't have semi's blowing by me, pressing down on their horn and flipping me the bird. (however, that did happen during other parts of the trip when the speed limit was 75mph and I was going 55 mph).

I was really stunned by the majesty of the Sierra Nevada's....I guess I imagined them to be inferior to the Rocky Mountain ranges I've snowboarded in the past...the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, the Grand Tetons of Wyomoing, and the Fitzsimmons of British Columbia. But I was wrong...the Sierra Nevada's, in my opinion, now take the crown....They are not only huge, reaching above the clouds, but they are steep, pointy and jagged like the Alps in Europe....really mesmerizing to look at.

I climbed ever so slowly, ever so carefully...making sure to take in the moment by pulling over, taking pictures, and pensively staring out into the cliffs, rocks, and drops. I worked my way up to the peaks, where the tree lines ended and nothing but snow and rock remained. As I entered the Yosemite high country, I began to see the vast diversity of beautiful landscapes unfold before my eyes....crystal clear blue lakes surrounded by snow capped peaks and glacier-cut valley rock walls.

The entrance to Yosemtie is about a 1/3rd of the way onto Tioga Pass.....for guys like me traveling on two wheels, the national parks offer quite a deal...between $5-$10 for a 14 day pass (the price is double for those entering in cars)...and often there's no extra fee to camp.

Tioga follows the peaks for quite some time, asceding and descending until it begins to move westwardly down into Yosemite Valley. The ride is long but relaxing and beautiful...the rocks, cliffs and snow give way to coniferous trees and meadows. I didn't think the views could get any better but they did once I reached the valley below....