Climbs USA

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Thanks again guys. :thumbup:

Will be approaching Mt Graham from CO then continuing on to Tuscon after the climb. So will be passing through Safford and actually looking at car camping at the Roper Lake State Park the night before...

AGW
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Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:11 pm

by AGW

Dalai, how is (was?) your trip?

by Weenie


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Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Not quite there yet AGW. I arrive in San Francisco on the 29th...

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Flew into LA at dawn, I had a great view of the iconic Hollywood sign as we circled LA on the way into land. Long queues at customs and now a 6 hour wait at the airport. In hindsight I could have taken the earlier connecting flight, just wasn't sure though how long it would take to make it through the doors and into the California sun.

Saw the bike case briefly on landing before handing it on to the luggage handlers for the final leg. Hopefully TSA are kind and repack the case properly!

Old La Honda and Tunitas Creek loop this afternoon if I can get through the day. Minimal sleep on the plane and still to fly the last leg, pick up the van and build the bike on arriving in San Francisco.

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Forget worrying about TSA (for the moment), American Airlines cancelled the flight so I'm still in LA till tonight!

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kbbpll
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Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:56 am

by kbbpll

I can't recall what LAX is like, but many airports you can watch what they do with your bike case. I had to make a suggestion to the TSA guy once, but most of the time they've dealt with it before. (At Dulles it got stuck in the xray machine, and a TSA guy crawled inside. Half a dozen TSA came scurrying over to watch. I could still hear them laughing from across the concourse...) Have a great trip!

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

No need for me to worry about the bike in the end, bag was perfectly! If not for the slip of paper, I would be none the wiser that they had opened it.

First ride completed today 110km. Rode Old La Honda, Pescadero creek, Tunitas Creek road and a quick descent and return up Kings Mountain road before traversing Skyline till La Honda descending this to the car.

Other than a section of Stages rd from Pescadero in the middle of resurfacing, the riding here is brilliant! From the smoth hot mix of Old La Honda, the coastal terrain along Stages and then the secluded Tunitas Creek Rd. Amazing riding!

Due to the thick smoke around Tahoe, probably best to pass the Death ride loop? If so I will head straight to Bishop after the next few days here in SF are done.

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prendrefeu
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Location: Glendale / Los Angeles, California
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by prendrefeu

Unfortunately the fires are cutting out some of the northern highlights for your trip!
http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Severe ... unty=06051
Smoke advisory explicitly states Markleeville, which the quintessential center for those climbs.

It looks like Bishop and that area will be fine for smoke, but the climbs will also be hot.
Onion Valley, Sherman Pass, Mt. Whitney... all so much fun! Have a great time out there and stay hydrated.

When will you be back in the Los Angeles?
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Warm will be interesting. Today spent most of the day full zip undone, everyone fully zipped probably think it is cool! :lol:

Only the one day in LA - last day of the trip on the 19th... Riding GMR GRR Mt Baldy that morning.

eric
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Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA
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by eric

I was in Bishop last weekend. The air was clear but the drive over on 108 Sonora Pass was very smoky, with ash falling. I used to be a wildland fire fighter and would not want to ride in that.

Dalai
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

Could have ridden around Markeeville last Monday but it wouldn't have been pleasant. So glad I stayed an extra day in SF and then drove straight through to Bishop.

Now just over a week now in the US. I'm not riding today - just arrived in Grand Junction after driving most of yesterday and this morning from Lone Pine.

But in just over the last week I've ridden the following

Friday - San Francisco - Old La Honda, Pescadero Creek Road, Stages Road, Tunitas Creek road and finally descent and climb up Kings Mountain road. 110km 2719m elevation
Saturday - San Francisco -Sierra road and Mt Hamilton 98.27km 2246 elevation
Sunday - - San Francisco - Mt Diablo via Nth Gate plus Alpine Dam loop 112.93km 3254m elevation
Monday - rest day - drove to Bishop
Tuesday - Rock Creek Road to Mosquito Flat return 131.42 km 2351m elevation
Wednesday - White Mountain aka Bristlecone 75.17km 2037m elevation
Thursday - Horseshoe Mountain and Whitney Portal 102.73km 3252m elevation
Friday - Onion Valley Road 42.52km 1604m elevation

Tomorrow - Grand Mesa both sides and then onto other CO climbs during next week.

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

How do you like the climbing? :)
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MarkGiardini
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Location: Vladivostok

by MarkGiardini

Wow Dalai that trip sounds awesome.
If only I could convince my wife that we need to spend some quality time in the USA (me and the bike I mean) .
KWalker wrote:chill out perv dogs, homegirl is still only 17.

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

My wife is really understanding. Had four weeks riding in the French Alps 2011, we went on holiday together last year to Malta and Sicily and returning she asked me where I was going next year! :D

In Colorado now. Rode both sides of the Grand Mesa yesterday and both sides of Independence pass today.

Dalai
Posts: 1491
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:54 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by Dalai

prendrefeu wrote:How do you like the climbing? :)


The climbing so far has been great prendrefeu! Different scenery to Europe naturally, more isolated and remote feel especially in the Eastern Sierra.

Biggest surprise has been how much room motorists in CA and CO have been giving me. Especially the huge trucks many seem to drive - pleasantly surprised. Much better then back home!

by Weenie


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