Topic: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks (Read 15709 times)

JCZ · « **on:** November 23, 2011, 10:56:38 PM »

Terrie and I scheduled this little get away a few weeks ago. Long term forcast called for rain all weekend. A week ago the forecast was 70% chance of rain for tomorrow (Thanksgiving day), two days ago it was down to 50% chance of rain....yesterday it was down to 20% and this morning it was down to 10%. The rain gods are with us!

We loaded up and headed south on Hwy. 99 about noon. Very heavy traffic all the way down to Fresno. South of Fresno we turned east to a town neither of us had ever been to, Dinuba, Calif. Farming community with incredable snow capped mountains in the background. The same mountains that hold both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.....our destination.

The view back to the west as we head east

and the view that lies in front of us as we head east. The orchards and fields in fall colors and a back drop of snow capped Sierra Nevada mountain range

and we finally arrived at our destination for this evening, the Best Western Dinuba
(man, look at that fancy fashion that Terrie's sportin) But hey, we were warm all the way down.....well, except for our noses. Much warmer down here in So Cal than it was on the ride down.

We were referred to the local hot spot for dinner.....Safari Lounge & Restaurant. Quite lively, everybody seemed to be having a good time. Dinner was great.....I had shrimp enchaladas.

Tomorrow our journey continues on. We're scheduled to hook up with a couple others members of this forum, Steve & Joanne. I should be posting more tomorrow evening. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody and we hopes it's what everybody wants it to be for them!

Sklywag · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2011, 11:05:49 PM »

Hey JC & Terrie

Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your trip, that's what we were doing last year at this time.

We have Adam, Kati & Trevor here with us. Trevor is 4 months Friday so time for his 1st Harley Ride. Just trying to figure out the Car Seat thing.........

johno · « **Reply #2 on:** November 24, 2011, 02:08:53 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving JC and Terrie. Enjoy the ride - nice country down there. See you both soon!

Lil-Bit · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2011, 10:34:35 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving to you & Terrie

Have a wonderful ride & trip....can't wait to see your pictures...always enjoy them

9 1/2 Beers · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:21:54 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving Jc, Terrie

It look very cold and pretty out there, I'll Bet those gerbing suits are comfy

Like lit-bit said, looking forward to your pic's

Have a great time

Marty

RidinRuby · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:29:42 AM »

Happy Thanksgiving you guys.

Beautiful photos, looking forward to more

grandpadoc · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:31:46 AM »

Thanks for posting you guys, have fun in the NP's. What a great time of year to ride in SoCal. Lou and Terry

StevesCVO · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:59:04 AM »

Nice pics. Can't wait to see more of them.

Eagle Eye · « **Reply #8 on:** November 24, 2011, 12:17:38 PM »

Quote from: StevesCVO on November 24, 2011, 11:59:04 AM

Nice pics. Can't wait to see more of them.

X2!!!
Happy Turkey Day y'all!

sgchick · « **Reply #9 on:** November 24, 2011, 02:17:02 PM »

Happy Thanksgiving to both of you! Have a great time and enjoy the ride. Great pics!

JCZ · « **Reply #10 on:** November 24, 2011, 07:09:03 PM »

Although it is only about 30 miles from Dinuba to Exeter, the sun was out and we decided to take a circiquitious route through the foothills....much of it one lane roads. Beatiful scenery, beautiful homes and wildlife. Leaving Dinuba, we headed straight east past orange groves, lemon groves, kiwi vineyards, olive orchards, peach orchards and lots and lots of fall colors everywhere......

Soon we left all the fruits and vegtables and were into the one lane roads and the twities of the foothills.

SBB · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2011, 07:48:06 PM »

Amazing JC, as populated as California is you always seem to find/know the most unpopulated areas with great roads.

SBB

JCZ · « **Reply #12 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:13:50 PM »

Quote from: SBB on November 24, 2011, 07:48:06 PM

Amazing JC, as populated as California is you always seem to find/know the most unpopulated areas with great roads.

SBB

Actually, everybody that lives in Calif. lives on the beach.....next door to movie stars!

ThunderBueller · « **Reply #13 on:** November 24, 2011, 11:15:41 PM »

Motorcycle-wise you CA guys have it made!!! Seq/Kings Canyon are awesome.

StevesCVO · « **Reply #14 on:** November 25, 2011, 12:44:40 AM »

If I ever make it to CA your going to have to give a guided tour. Great pics and looks like an awesome ride.

bandit · « **Reply #15 on:** November 25, 2011, 06:31:54 AM »

great pics, very nice scenery

Grizzly · « **Reply #16 on:** November 25, 2011, 09:01:55 AM »

Awesome pics JC, as usual... Thanks for sharing.

JCZ · « **Reply #17 on:** November 25, 2011, 09:22:31 AM »

Continuing on, we find civilization and two land roads again...

and more orange groves......

and kiwi vinyards....

and talk about rollin round in the dirt.....

We have arrived at our destination and our home for last night, Best Western Exeter, Ca. This Best Western is new and was literally built in the middle of an orange grove....

Time for a break......

JCZ · « **Reply #18 on:** November 25, 2011, 10:05:05 AM »

Soon we headed out to find "downtown" and a bite to eat. Everything in this town was closed up except for a little taco stand in a trailer....that was our lunch. And great road side tacos they were.

If you couldn't tell, we were really enjoying this Thanksgiving. Totally different from any in the past but we were having a great time.

and talk about fall colors.....

Exeter is known for all of it's murals all over the downtown area. I guess they were the first to do this and have done it for a lot of years and now other towns are copying the idea. All painted by various artisits from throughout Nor Cal. They all portray life in the Exeter area in years gone by. Terrie and I spent some time walking the streets of downtown Exeter to get these photos....

Appropriatly enough, the local butcher shop has a mural of a cattle drive.

OK, truth be known.....I did most of the walking.....Terrie did most of the sittin...

JCZ · « **Reply #19 on:** November 25, 2011, 10:05:37 AM »

and the local newspaper has this mural....

more later.....gotta roll.

Buy early · « **Reply #20 on:** November 25, 2011, 05:09:46 PM »

Great shots JC! Looks like a great way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday! Thanks for sharing.

JCZ · « **Reply #21 on:** November 26, 2011, 12:17:48 AM »

Steve & Joanne (24kgoldens on this forum) only live a couple of blocks from the hotel. They showed up along with one of their Golden Retrievers, Hunter. Hunter rides also and has his own outfit. The five of us left, with Steve leading, headed for dinner.

Hunter rides in a new Legends trailer that Steve just got a few weeks ago. Legends has a lid option with a hole in it for dogs to put their head out. Hunter has taken right to it. Hunter is really an awsome dog.....when Steve opens the lid Hunter jumps in, clearing all the paint. Getting out is the same thing......he just totally clears the trailer completly.

Legends did an outstanding job of matching the CVO paint.....especially since they never even seen Steve's bike (the transaction was handled over the phone)....

Hunter has a little helmet and a pair of doggles....he's good to go.

All the pics from last night are of Steve's CVO Ultra Classic. Joanne rides a CVO Softail however, all the pics I took of her last night are out of focus. Better pics were taken today.

another mural at the restaurant....

After dinner we all rode over to Steve and Joanne's house to see some of their other adult Golden Retrievers and a new litter of puppies.

The litter of new puppies. The blond one on the right is the runt of this litter....

Jenny is mama dog....

Steve and the runt...

Some of the ribbons the 24K Goldens have brought home....

Terrie and I were off to our hotel. We had plans to pull out at 8:30 a.m. this morning and wanted to get some hot tub time.

2k · « **Reply #22 on:** November 26, 2011, 07:00:04 AM »

Great pic's of a super ride. You left coast guys got some purity country

JCZ · « **Reply #23 on:** November 26, 2011, 11:30:55 AM »

This day of our travels (yesterday), while we never saw rain, certainly proved to be very trying. It was very foggy as we left Exeter however, being native Californian, I knew that once we got into the foothills we'd break through to the sun.

Hunter was certainly prepared for the elements

Joanne tells us that Hunter is the local HOG chapter mascot and actually has his own national HOG ID number. He also has a cut with his run pins on it.

Hunter is the most patient dog......just sits there and waits.

The weather ahead....as we left town.

and the weather behind.....

The fog banks up really heavy on the eastern side of the valley. Soon we'd break through to the sun.....

Buy early · « **Reply #24 on:** November 26, 2011, 11:51:10 AM »

JC, thanks again for the pics! Kandy loves the ones of Hunter and his rig. That's a well taken care of pup!

JCZ · « **Reply #25 on:** November 26, 2011, 12:04:34 PM »

When we broke through to the sun, it happened within a couple hundred feet. This shot is looking back towards the canyon that we'd just rode up through.....shows the denseness of the fog down that canyon....

clear skys lie ahead as we roll on....

From the far side of the lake, looking back across the lake towards the canyon which we'd rode up....

A brief stop in Three Rivers, Ca. (location for last year's Nor Cal/So Cal MITM) provides a great opportunity for a couple shots of Joanne's CVO Softail.....

The MITM attendees will remember the Mexican restaurant across the street from the hotel (between the pizza parlor and the grocery store). Fall is in full bloom up here!

We would see many, many of these signs over the next few hours.....

Clear skys prevail and we press on....

sglide4me · « **Reply #26 on:** November 26, 2011, 12:16:19 PM »

JC, great photos and even better way to spend Thanksgiving. The paintings and murals in that town are amazing. Looks like you and Terrie had a great time.
As you know I am a dog lover and those puppies were something else and Hunter is a real stud biker dog.

JoMo · « **Reply #27 on:** November 26, 2011, 07:51:21 PM »

JC looking for words. Wow

Thanx for sharing.

Jo Mo NYC

JCZ · « **Reply #28 on:** November 26, 2011, 10:01:28 PM »

Quote from: StevesCVO on November 25, 2011, 12:44:40 AM

If I ever make it to CA your going to have to give a guided tour. Great pics and looks like an awesome ride.

We've done that more than a few times for members of this forum......come on out!

Thanks to all of you for your comments and complaments. I have a natural interest in photography (if you couldn't tell) but I also really enjoy putting together these ride reports for people that have never been to Nor Cal or haven't rode the particular roads that I'm riding at the time. I try to really capture the different seasons, etc. for all of you to really get in to the ride, too.

This ride day (yesterdy) we experienced some things I just didn't expect. Of course it started with the fog that I already posted.

Not complaining about any of it.....I appreciate the experiences. And with the Gerbing eXtreme Element pants and jacket, we were completly comfortable in all the situations. Actually, it gets warm in the pants when the temps are above 65F. I ended up just wearing my swim trunks under the pants and was greatful for the side zippers in the pants legs.....they helped.

1sharprdkg · « **Reply #29 on:** November 26, 2011, 10:06:36 PM »

Hunter has it made in the shade! Great pics.

JCZ · « **Reply #30 on:** November 26, 2011, 10:47:27 PM »

Continuing......we rolled on in to Sequoia National Park. Stopped at the gate long enough to get Steve a permanent handicapped park pass.

By the way, Hunter is a service dog so he went in to all the restaurants with us. I found two things to be very surprising.....Hunter is a very, very well behaved dog. In every case, he just lays under the table (or next to it) beside Steve. The other thing that I was surprised at is that nobody seemed to be surprised by it.....he was very well received in every restaurant by the patrons.

Of course, at the bike and in his trailer......well, suffice it to say that Hunter is used to all the paparazzi. We couldn't even get parked and people would mob him until we pulled out. Young and old alike.....made no difference. Hunter takes it all in stride.

We saw more of these kinds of signs and these kinds of roads in the next twenty five miles than I've saw anywhere in my life! If you have not rode the highway from Three Rivers to Kings Canyon before.....you owe it to yourself.

Joanne's only been riding about a year but she's already got 20,000 miles on her CVO. A really good rider considering her short riding experience....you have to be a good rider to ride these roads! Terrie and I were both impressed with her riding.

It was here, on the side of the road where Steve, Joanne and I sing

to Terrie. Yep, it was her birthday yesterday yesterday.

I think Hunter was relieved that it wasn't about him, for a change.

As we continued to climb to the top....soon we were up in the snow. Not fun, but we've been there before. I just wish those tourists in those cars, SUVs and motorhomes would stay on their own side of the double yellow on the curves. Joanne was a trooper....she pressed on with the rest of us.

Hunter is quite bored with all the paparazzi. Poor dog, can't hardly go to the bathroom in peace.

1sharprdkg · « **Reply #31 on:** November 26, 2011, 11:29:08 PM »

I'll take eating in a restaurant with a dog like Hunter any day over some screaming, snot nosed, crying kids! You can't ride around with a cool dog in a trailer like that and not expect to draw a crowd!

JCZ · « **Reply #32 on:** November 26, 2011, 11:42:36 PM »

I have heard of "Ice Road Truckers" but what none of us was expecting or ready for was "ICE ROAD BIKERS"!

I'm sure that some of you have had to ride on ice before and it would have been bad enough but on very narrow roads, up hill, down hill, sharpe curves......was very unnerving.

Steve is a seasoned rider but I was really impressed with Terrie and Joanne. They hung right with us and kept pushing on.....no whinning, no complaining .....it is what it is, just deal with it. I was really proud of both of them!

Oh.....there's the sign

and to add to that challenge.....I was riding with one hand while taking pictures with the other. Had to, cuz without pictures I knew nobody was going to believe this.

This sign should have been twenty miles back.....might have been a clue for us....

A break and FOOD! After what we just went through, we needed both.

Hunter and I were really started to develop a relationship. He had his head laid in my lap last night......just a big ol' puppy lap dog.

I had the best (flakey and not oily or greasy) fish and chips I believe I've ever had and big ol' steak fries....

Steve had a cheese burger w/sweet potatoe fries...

Full stomach, relaxed a bit from our ice road biker experience, nervous laughs about it all.....we press on.

JCZ · « **Reply #33 on:** November 26, 2011, 11:43:02 PM »

stop for more one lane roads traffic light (due to construction)...

The evening fog is starting to roll up the hills....

Hunter workin the crowd again....

Oh......and they have some really big, I mean BIG trees up here in these parks. This is just a stump of one....

This one is still growing...

Believe it or not.....we never saw one drop of rain! And although it got pretty cold.....we had our Gerbing gear....we were fine.

More fog rolling in and fast.

We finally roll in to our home for last night, Best Western Way Station, Mariposa, Ca.....

We walked to dinner last night....

It was a great day...some awsome experiences....nice weather....great riding....good dinner and time to lay it down for the evening.

JCZ · « **Reply #34 on:** November 27, 2011, 12:52:16 AM »

We stayed in Mariposa last night. And even though we slept in a couple extra hours, we decided to take the long way home....through Yosemite and some other, less traveled back roads.

The view across the street from our hotel room this morning....a chapel.

and a view back at the hotel from the store across the street.

NO GAS IN YOSEMITE!

JCZ · « **Reply #35 on:** November 27, 2011, 12:53:11 AM »

Frost on the fields in Yosemite....

and frost on the roads....

I have to say, the great thing about going to Yosemite on Thanksgiving weekend is the lack of traffic! Today the traffic was the lightest I've seen in Yosemite in twenty five years. It was very nice!

Gonna take a break for tonight. The crows are up next......

JCZ · « **Reply #36 on:** November 27, 2011, 11:43:30 AM »

While stopped at the Crane Flat gas station, these crows became very friendly. Bold is more like it.....or was that "starving". They literally came right up to our feet. I was eating peanuts and quickly became friends with them while Terrie was gone to the restroom.

Snow plows and sand trucks were headed up Tioga Pass. Surprisingly, these crows stayed even as the trucks went rolling by and as Terrie walked up. Even when we got ready to leave and I fired my bike up....they stayed right there beside us.

This guy had his craw stuffed full of peanuts.....eventually dumping them all back out on the ground and then eating them one at a time.

I guess Santa needs to go once in awhile, too......

JCZ · « **Reply #37 on:** November 27, 2011, 11:44:02 AM »

Priest Station actually has a couple of cabins for rent, behind the restaurant. $85 a night with million dollar views....

Views from the balcony of the cabin....

JCZ · « **Reply #38 on:** November 27, 2011, 11:45:07 AM »

We took a break in Copperopolis, Ca..... They have a little town square like some of the little towns back east.....that's only four years old.

It was a great four days on the road. Weather was great....got to ride and experience with friends.....met Hunter, Jenny and her puppys.....road the ice roads......it was all a great time and we're ready to go again.

Midnight Rider · « **Reply #39 on:** November 27, 2011, 01:26:24 PM »

Great pics, JC. I am totally impressed with that setup your friend has for his dog, and the dog too. It's awesome that he gets to take his best friend and helper with him!!

Question for you: How the heck do you shoot the pics with your D60? I know you have it around your neck, but do you momentarily put the bike on cruise to operate the camera with your right hand? Have you just done it so much you don't really have to frame the shot...you just shoot? I can't do this with my D300 (too big and heavy), but could with my Canon G10. We need a left handed camera...LOL!

JCZ · « **Reply #40 on:** November 27, 2011, 01:47:34 PM »

Quote from: TCnBham on November 27, 2011, 01:26:24 PM

Great pics, JC. I am totally impressed with that setup your friend has for his dog, and the dog too. It's awesome that he gets to take his best friend and helper with him!!

Question for you: How the heck do you shoot the pics with your D60? I know you have it around your neck, but do you momentarily put the bike on cruise to operate the camera with your right hand? Have you just done it so much you don't really have to frame the shot...you just shoot? I can't do this with my D300 (too big and heavy), but could with my Canon G10. We need a left handed camera...LOL!

It's a combination Terry. Yes, I have it around my neck. Sometimes I just hold it up and blast off four or five shots....just hoping that one frames right (that took a hell of a lot of practice and a lot of deleating

) and I do often ride with cruise on and use both hands....one to hold the camera, the other to focus. I can ride without hands even in curves (that took a lot of practice, too) as long as they're sweepers.

I've got where I know most of the settings on top of my camera by feel.....so don't have to look.....just count the clicks.

You can probably tell by looking at my pics, which ones I had the setting right and which ones I was off a click or two.

One of the things that helps in keeping that heavy camera around my neck.....I have the typical Nikon camera strap but then I have one of those seat belt strap fake fur things velcroed around the strap. That way, the camera doesn't rub my neck raw by the end of the day. Not going to win any fashion award but I'm old enough now that all I have to worry about is function.

As far as function goes, it works well.

Tannehill Kid · « **Reply #41 on:** November 27, 2011, 07:01:41 PM »

Really enjoyed the pics and story line. That was one awesome ride.

JCZ · « **Reply #42 on:** November 28, 2011, 08:37:33 AM »

I forgot to mention.....we clocked 773 miles on this ride.

Fullsac Performance · « **Reply #43 on:** November 28, 2011, 09:36:31 AM »

Awesome pics! Thanks JCZ!

SG

Skillet · « **Reply #44 on:** November 28, 2011, 03:49:27 PM »

Really enjoyed the pics. Those were some great roads to enjoy I see,especially liked the curves. Haven't tried the icy roads yet. Thanks for posting them.

GregKhougaz · « **Reply #45 on:** November 28, 2011, 04:09:27 PM »

Great ride and pictures, JC! It just does not get better...

LovemyCVOgirl · « **Reply #46 on:** November 28, 2011, 05:00:09 PM »

Thank you JC for the great picture's! As I was viewing them, I honestly felt like I was sharing the trip with you and Terrie. The true measure of a GREAT photographer is one that his picture's tell a story, and JC your picture's do just that. I so wish that you and Terrie lived closer so we could share some great rides! Thank you again for sharing your trip with us back here in the COLD states.

HDbean · « **Reply #47 on:** November 28, 2011, 05:14:04 PM »

JC, great ride report & photos. I just spent my lunch break riding along with you, Terrie, Steve & Joanne. I'm really looking forward to being included in one of your classic shots at a gtg. One of your replies answered my question of how to ride & shoot at the same time, you do it well my friend. The icy road situation is probably most of us Cali riders will never experience, glad it didn't have a different outcome. I was just in Yosemite 1st weekend of October, it is definitely God's country. Have a great Christmas season...HDbean

JCZ · « **Reply #48 on:** November 28, 2011, 06:41:32 PM »

Thank you for all the complaments!

Of course my goal in doing these photos, editing, ride reports is to take all of you along with us. Maybe even entice a few of you to come on out to Calif. and see it for yourself.

DDavidson · « **Reply #49 on:** November 30, 2011, 12:56:00 AM »

Great pics guys.

Glad to see you enjoying the great weather we're experiencing.

JCZ · « **Reply #50 on:** November 30, 2011, 08:33:26 AM »

Quote from: DDavidson on November 30, 2011, 12:56:00 AM

Great pics guys.

Glad to see you enjoying the great weather we're experiencing.

Don, where's those pics of Argentina?

hwyfever · « **Reply #51 on:** December 01, 2011, 07:50:30 PM »

Great pictures JC... You should consider becoming Ambassador of this great state. Your pictures and story help restore my pride in being a California native...

Grizzly · « **Reply #52 on:** December 02, 2011, 09:50:04 AM »

Quote from: hwyfever on December 01, 2011, 07:50:30 PM

Great pictures JC... You should consider becoming Ambassador of this great state. Your pictures and story help restore my pride in being a California native...

He already is, isn't he?

He just doesn't get a government pay check!

JCZ · « **Reply #53 on:** December 02, 2011, 10:42:47 AM »

Quote from: Grizzly on December 02, 2011, 09:50:04 AM

He already is, isn't he?

He just doesn't get a government pay check!

No, but I'll gladly accept donations.

hwyfever · « **Reply #54 on:** December 02, 2011, 12:59:45 PM »

Well maybe not a donation, but what about a really good tip? I'll be the first one - don't play the ponies

DDavidson · « **Reply #55 on:** December 03, 2011, 03:18:03 AM »

Quote

Don, where's those pics of Argentina?

Waiting for you to plan out the trip for me. (No ice on the roads is preferred. I puckered so hard after hitting the ice on my last trip my Corbin now has a Belly Button!)

I won't have my bike down there. What would I take a picture of? The beach, mountains, architecture, what? Would make me look like a Post Toastie.

JCZ · « **Reply #56 on:** December 03, 2011, 08:13:13 AM »

Quote from: DDavidson on December 03, 2011, 03:18:03 AM

Waiting for you to plan out the trip for me. (No ice on the roads is preferred. I puckered so hard after hitting the ice on my last trip my Corbin now has a Belly Button!)

I won't have my bike down there. What would I take a picture of? The beach, mountains, architecture, what? Would make me look like a Post Toastie.

I'll get right on that.....be sure to take your GPS. You might want to take your XM also, since you'll not be able to understand their local stations.

In the mean time......I've found a Road King or a Street Glde for you to rent in Buenos Aires.... http://www.rental-motorcycle.com/samerica/argentina/buenos_aires_rental.html

I got your back, bro!

Author Topic: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks (Read 15709 times)