Today we started a major diversion from the originally planned route. Over the next 5 days we should have had rides with fairly reasonable mileages taking us to the valley to the west of the Sierra Nevada and then over the Sierras to Yosemite on the 10,000 ft Tioga Pass. This is normally open late May or early June. However this year they had twice the normal amount of snow and it did not look likely that it would open until late June.
Our diversion took us a long way south. Today's ride was 97 miles instead of the planned 35 miles and 5 days of booked accommodation had to be cancelled but this was with enough notice to avoid any charge.
For today's marathon ride we had a climb out of Death Valley from sea level at Stovepipe Wells to the 4900 ft Towne Pass to start the day.
After an early night we were up at 2.00 am and on the road at 3.00 am. A somewhat surprised receptionist took our Keys.
The 18 mile climb was on a clear starlit night with the band of the milky way above us. We decided that on such a climb it was better not to be able to see how far it was to go or how steep it was. After the few lights of Stovepipe Wells disappeared from view there were no lights or sign of habitation visible anywhere.
We were on a numbered Highway, Route 190, the main route west and yet we saw not a single car for 3 1/2 hours until we were nearing the top of the pass. Earlier we saw the last of Death Valley behind us as the first light of Dawn broke. Temperatures during the climb were reasonable starting at 87f and coming down to 68 f just before dawn with greater height.
The descent was into the adjoining Paramint Valley with outstanding views in the early light of the desert ridges and mountain peaks and the salt flats of the desert floor.
At the bottom we did a left turn to head due south on the Paramint Valley Road for 40 mile of straight desert road. There was very little traffic and the peace was only broken by a jet fighter roaring low above us on training flights up and down the valley.
For 40 miles of the valley there was no habitation only salt flats and shrubs. We had lunch from supplies in
Our bags. As temperatures climbed to 106F under the searing blue skies we increasingly looked forward to a cold drink at the first town of Trona. We eventually arrived and at the first cafe ordered the XL cups of sprite. Then when delivered these turned out to be giant sized plastic cups of about 1 1/2 litres.
The last 25 miles to Ridgecrest was a bit of a nightmare with the road gradually uphill all the way and directly into a 20mph hot desert wind. The Best Western at Ridgecrest was a welcome sight when we arrived at 7.00pm. The hardest days ride for all of us for many years
97 miles for the day and 7532ft of climbing.
Edwin
Posted by Edwin
at 1:45 AM BST
