Video and Pictures are here
Thursday – Sunday, 19–22 Sep 2024
Todd writes
Another adventure for SMBC starts out on a cloudy and sometimes drizzly Thursday morning. By the time I showed up to Flapjacks in Tres Pinos the riders Chris, Harry, Jag, Tom and Paul, were already seated and had coffee. I’m driving my Ford Edge since I’ve stopped riding and I’m hauling my gear, an average sized cooler and a lot of oak firewood, generously provided by Harry. By the time I get my coffee Carl shows up. He only came down for breakfast and a sendoff to the crew and then some unknown route to us that would take him back home.
After the typically great and filling morning meal we’re all off and down the road. Even after 10:30 there is almost no traffic on Hwy 25, Pinoche or Little Pinoche road. I think the group passed one vehicle. We took a rest break at a reservoir just before Hwy 5 where Chris pointed out that I only had one headlight. What’s a trip like this without something to fix? We carried on but I split off when I spotted an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and I picked up a new set of bulbs. Further into Fresno I stopped at a Von’s and got more ice and some groceries.
The next stop was supposed to be at the trading post in Squaw Valley. The group waited for at least one pipeful for the Captain but since I hadn’t shown up they carried on. When I arrived at the park gate they were two vehicles in front of me. By the time I got through I was ghosted again (seniors annual pass is only $20). I tried to catch up but trying to catch up with Harry in the lead was useless. When the vistas of mountains, crags and valleys were too exciting for me I stopped at an overlook to get pictures of the view. As I glanced deep into the valley I caught view of the riders deep in the valley, far away (see photo and zoom in). At least I knew I was on the right road.
By the time I got to the campground, everyone was already setting up tents. Chris directed me into a parking spot and I unloaded the firewood, just in time for a passing ranger telling me I needed to correct where I was parked. No one got into any trouble after that, bless their little hearts. The evening was the usual cocktail event, including snacks and a cheese plate and then dinner and more drinks. We met our campsite neighbors Barry, John and Dusty (small hound that resembled Harry) and stories were shared about Barry’s eight months-a-year on the road in his camper. Chris had a new audience for tales and jokes and we all hit the sack tired and happy.
Friday morning was cloudy and cold (42*) and coffee was needed directly. Most souls felt that it was a good day for resting or hiking but I’d never been to Sequoia or Kings Canyon before so I drove off to see the place. It is sometimes difficult to keep ones eyes on the road because of the unique beauty of this park so I made many stops for pictures. I made my way to the General Sherman tree at the south end of the park and was stunned by the size of this massive timber. I’ve seen other sequoias but nothing like this one or the others in the immediate area. I cruised back by Hume Lake and then to camp where the evening routine commenced again. We did notice that we had already depleted our firewood supply and if the bonfires were to continue then we needed more. The hiking crew of Harry, Jag and Paul had passed a closed comping site where they had seen a good bit of cut firewood that we could pick up, so that was the plan for Saturday.
Saturday morning was slightly warmer and was a perfectly clear day. Chris and Tom decided to ride to Hume Lake and beyond in the park. They stopped at the Hume Lake Christian Camp for lunch and reported that the burgers and shakes were very good. They rode on out to the General Highway and eventually to camp again. I took a brief drive to the Boyden Caverns and did the tour ($18 seniors). It was a steep climb up the roughly paved path to the cave entrance ( I only stopped twice to catch my breath). The tour was good and informative about how the cave and the calcite formations were made. When I got back I drove with the hikers to the other campground and filled the car with firewood again. Instead of oak it was all fir and pine but it still burned quite well. Harry did his best to stoke the fire pit so that all of the wood would be consumed (thus making everyone back up from the fire ring) but he just couldn’t do it. There were definitely plenty of hot coals in the morning to start a warming fire and there was enough wood left for neighbors to grab some.
Sunday morning started for us around 6:15 when new camp neighbors starting chatting loudly so we all got up and got busy breaking camp. We didn’t even get to have the first cup of coffee before we all started off up the road. Being so early in the park we didn’t encounter any heavy traffic leaving and it was an easy ride to Clovis, where we had breakfast at The Red Caboose. They were very busy, service was slow but the food was very big and very good. We all gassed up for the last time and were off, back to the bar area. Rider by rider the group broke up as we all neared our specific road to home.
All in all, it was an easy and great adventure. No one broke down, fell over, ran out of gas or had any strange encounters with animals or other humans…and I fixed my headlight. It’s always a pleasure to get to hang out with these SMBC club members and I look forward to more adventures with this crew and the rest of the club members
Video from Harry
Pictures from Chris, Jag, Paul, Todd, and Tom
SMBC Site 53.
Long walk off short pier.
Just one more step back.
Mr fix it.
1928 gas pumps.
