The Land of Cut-Off Jeans: Travels through the Mid-West into PA

Link to Photo Album of this Trip/Blog Photo Roll

This chronicles my travels through the Mid-West and ending in Carlisle, PA

So... I Actually Left California- so may as well ride bikes along the way

Leaving CA

I should change the title of my blog. But yes, I left the Eastside. The Range of Light. The Eastern Sierra. It is happening. It is real. Wow.  If I'm going to leave, then I need to at least enjoy my drive to quaint New England.
I currently am wishing I owned a truck and had the whole summer off to bike and tour the West and British Columbia.  However, my knee needs a'fixin, so I'm doing a "Sampler Tour" of the West, and trying to mountain bike or bike in every stop along the way.  I'll have to go to more National Parks and do some dispersed camping on National Forest lands in the fall, unless that fire outside of Fort Collins is still going then.  Then I'll just re-route.

HIGHLIGHTS of my Mountain Biketastic Adventure in an Easterly (sigh) Direction

Parting with the Sierras and the Great Basin (I hate goodbyes) .  

I decided to meander up 395 and over Monitor Pass to the best little towns South of Tahoe... Markleeville and Woodfords. You do blink and they are gone, but oh I love them.

Mammoth Lakes Interagency Welcome Center- Where Dreams Come True
Where my love began (and my first USFS job and first job in the Sierras)

Slow Down the Pace... Take Out the Adventure?

Having injured my knees constantly since exploring the Sierra's, makes me realize that some people can recreate outdoors solely, but I need to and should have always supplemented with the gym. Needless to say, what's done is done.

I've been venting to friends here as I had some tough "career" front type decisions (as I do every year multiple times) and we have concluded that it is hard to live here without feeling like every adventure needs to be challenging. Sure there are days where you may do a short hike to a lake to swim in the frigid water, or the casual trail run on 3S__(insert 08, 02, or whichever Forest Service Road is to our liking), or a day of (gasp) reading by the creek.

Adventure Cycling Route Network Connecting Public Lands

Very cool.

Adventure Cycling Route Network Connecting Public Lands

First 20 Miler of the year

Went up 168 out of Bishop up toward Lake Sabrina.  Gradual climb, probably 1000' at least. Check out the map. I didn't finish the ride to the lake, but maybe next week.  Whew! First Ride o the year! 

I just need some sweet pants

Bike Touring Travelers

This couple from Germany came in to the ranger station and were doing a bike tour. They started in Alaska and are ending in LA. Their Blog. You can translate it from German by copying and pasting the link into various tools online.

Someday I want to do a big bike tour. I have no interest in biking across America, even if it is for charity. Ever since I worked at Rose Bicycle in Maine, and thanks to Jim, I've wanted to do Cape Bretton or the main part of Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. The Beal Family and I did a quick car tour of Nova Scotia. I'd rather tour the Western side I think, then tie in a canoe trip somehow in their Kemjimkujik Seaside Adjunct National Park. Or another canoe trip in Algonquin Provincial Park deeper into the park would be amazing... or the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (right Jen?).



Last summer at Onion River Sports we had Furtemba Sherpa, stop in our shop before we closed for a quick repair. I think Dean-o was there too to help. Furtemba speaks little English, from my encounter, but he is a man from Nepal who has been sponsored by his country since 2003 to cycle to every country promoting world peace and environmental protection. Mayor Blumberg even wrote him a letter. whoa.

Biking at Elevation

So it's been a pain to get online. Anyone in my family wondering what I want for an early birthday present... money toward a laptop that isn't 6 years old, or money toward a crown for my tooth...exciting.

Last week on my day off I attempted biking Tioga Pass, which leads into Yosemite. The road was closed to traffic and the park is still closed from this entrance. I made it to just about 9000', and saw a pre-existing rock slide and being the wuss I am decided I'd gone far enough. I rounded out the mileage by biking toward the gas station at the beginning of the road.