nurseBob
08-15-2005, 11:00 PM
I rode home from my little vacation in Lone Pine today and in the process I took the "long way" home to check out a section of 49 that we may be riding in late September when we do our little YoSemiTe ride.
I'd taken 120 over the Tioga pass and through Tuolumne, but instead of staying on 120 at Crane Flat, I headed back toward the valley and dropped down to 140 following a long line of cars. Luckily, it's not that far to the valley floor, where they went east and I went west. The ride out of the park and on to Mariposa is mostly sweepers and oncoming buses crowding the centerline - don't be leaning too far...
When I reached Mariposa I headed north on 49. The section from Mariposa to Mt. Bullion was moderately interesting, and from Mt. Bullion to Bear Valley... Well, I set the cruise at 75 and that was probably conservative.
However, what caught my eye - in Mt. Bullion there was road heading south (the Old Toll Road) to Hornitos. It was a small two-lane with the warning "Road Narrows." Hmm... And, in Bear Valley, there was Bear Valley Road, also heading south, to Hornitos... Next time, I think a detour is worth considering. I'm especially intrigued by the idea that the Old Toll Road is not even _on_ my map. Could be a nice ride.
The road out of Bear Valley gets very, very twisty and drops down to the Merced river, then snakes its way back out. An excellent road for trying out your conering skills. As I passed through Coulterville there was an alternate route to Yosemite (J132 - a county route), it appears to parallel 49, goes through Priest and then reconnects with 120 heading to the park. This too might be an interesting detour.
Heading out of Coulterville the road twists, turns and dives back down, now to Lake Don Pedro (Tuolumne river), and then it takes a beeline to Sonora.
I figure I added about 40 miles to my ride, and about an hour, but what a great section of road, with so much to go back and explore!
Bob
I'd taken 120 over the Tioga pass and through Tuolumne, but instead of staying on 120 at Crane Flat, I headed back toward the valley and dropped down to 140 following a long line of cars. Luckily, it's not that far to the valley floor, where they went east and I went west. The ride out of the park and on to Mariposa is mostly sweepers and oncoming buses crowding the centerline - don't be leaning too far...
When I reached Mariposa I headed north on 49. The section from Mariposa to Mt. Bullion was moderately interesting, and from Mt. Bullion to Bear Valley... Well, I set the cruise at 75 and that was probably conservative.
However, what caught my eye - in Mt. Bullion there was road heading south (the Old Toll Road) to Hornitos. It was a small two-lane with the warning "Road Narrows." Hmm... And, in Bear Valley, there was Bear Valley Road, also heading south, to Hornitos... Next time, I think a detour is worth considering. I'm especially intrigued by the idea that the Old Toll Road is not even _on_ my map. Could be a nice ride.
The road out of Bear Valley gets very, very twisty and drops down to the Merced river, then snakes its way back out. An excellent road for trying out your conering skills. As I passed through Coulterville there was an alternate route to Yosemite (J132 - a county route), it appears to parallel 49, goes through Priest and then reconnects with 120 heading to the park. This too might be an interesting detour.
Heading out of Coulterville the road twists, turns and dives back down, now to Lake Don Pedro (Tuolumne river), and then it takes a beeline to Sonora.
I figure I added about 40 miles to my ride, and about an hour, but what a great section of road, with so much to go back and explore!
Bob