Sacramento - Vegas

[BaronVonGregg]

Hey people... Been awhile.

I am about to leave on a sales swing to Sacramento, then I have to be at a training session in Vegas on Sunday.

I have to visit Tuolumne just northwest of Yosemite late friday and will have saturday and sunday to get to Vegas... by early afternoon

Anybody have a suggested route... say through Yosemite - Death Valley?

I imagine death valley will be a bit warm this time of year.

Utmost respect

Mike

[DavidTaylor]

Avoid Death Valley, it will be way too hot. Take the ride through Yosemite and sightsee some in there, then head out across Tuolumne Medows and Tioga Pass on 120 east. Follow 120 east and head out across Nevada to Tonopah for Saturday night. You can get up Sunday morning and be in Vegas in about 2-2.5 hours from there.

[kdog]

Do you want to see Yosemite? Or just pass through? I'd be tempted to skip the weekend traffic and just head over the Sonora Pass on 108 to get yourself out to 395. I've done a few of those passes and can't remember if I've done Sonora. But from what I've seen of that area, it should be spectacular in its own right. I believe you'll get better vistas on those passes than you'll actually see in Yosemite from the bike.

Regarding Death Valley, you're looking at 107F for the weekend, according to weather.com. Any other route is going to be high 90's. That's a substantial difference. I love Death Valley, but it's like riding in an oven at those temps. You're from Sac, so you already know what riding in that kind of heat is like. Your call. Any of the other routes to get you to 95 will be boring (unless you like brothels, wink, wink), but cooler weather.

Should be a great trip!
-joel

Edit: If you do want to see Yosemite, don't mind insidious weekend traffic and Winnebozos blocking traffic, then I agree with David, that's a great option as well. Take a ride up Glacier Point. You won't be disappointed.

[BaronVonGregg]

Thanks Guys... I would be just passing through Yosemete so I will consider your comments.

[kdog]

Oh. I just realized you're not from Sac. You're from Oregon. I think you better skip Death Valley as well. :histerica

[BaronVonGregg]

Oh. I just realized you're not from Sac. You're from Oregon. I think you better skip Death Valley as well. :histerica

Just cuz I'm from Orygun don't mean I havn't handled 100 plus tours... however I'm not a glutten

[scubajgp]

My recommendation would be to go back, from Tuolumne, to Jamestown, get on 120 to Groveland, and go through Yosemite. Take the road over to Lee Vining at Crane Flat (don't go into Yosemite Valley) go a bit South from Lee Vining, then watch for 120 east to Nevada. It is a wonderful bike road (a bunch of whoop-de-doos), goes through Benton, an old hot springs place, Tonopah, Goldfield, Beatty, Indian Springs, and then to Las Vegas. Just MHOP. All two lane roads. Fuel at Lee Vining and Tonopah.

Be safe.

Jerry

[scubajgp]

Geez, I go through Philomath often! We own a lot at a motor coach resort in Newport, and have relatives all through Oregon (I am an Oregon Native) so know the new streets in Philomath well, chuckle! Have a safe trip to LV. I live there, give me a call 702.419.7879, I am a new BMW owner, a 2000 K1200 LT that we will take to CO for conversion to a trike next week!

Be Safe. God Bless.

Jerry

[tomandrosie]

We were in that neck of the woods about 2 weeks ago, during the IBR. I would recommend going over Tioga to 395 at Lee Vining. South on 395 to Lone Pine, head east on 168 to the junction of 266 ( 168 is a BLAST, lots of whoop-d-doos), east to Lida Junction. South on 95 to Las Vegas.

Just because it isn't Death Valley doesn't mean it won't be hot. Be sure to carry mucho fluids.....a hydration system that you can use while running would be ideal. The route I've outlined is pretty desolate, but the road surfaces are in good condition. If the skies are clear, it will be a fun ride. If not, beware of flash floods.

-tom

[bonafidebob]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Las+Vegas,+NV&daddr=NV-266+%4037.425890,+-117.655440+to:CA-4+%4038.426840,+-120.080470+to:38.472944,-120.973206+to:Sacramento,+CA&mrcr=2,3&mrsp=3&sz=9&mra=dpe&sll=38.132396,-120.536499&sspn=1.667824,2.164307&ie=UTF8&ll=38.104305,-119.838867&spn=1.668466,2.164307&z=9&om=1

Or substitute 88 or 108 for 4 when crossing the Sierras. 4 is a smaller/twistier road when going up the east side, but it's nice and wide open going down to Sonora.

I usually avoid 120 through Yosemite. It's a nice enough ride, but there's always traffic.