Saturday–Monday, 10–12 Sep 2005
Pictures from Irma and Fred
Pictures from Dan
Pictures from Carl
Marc writes:
Another weekend-after-Labor-Day means it’s time for another breakfast club camp out somewhere in the vacinity of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. This year, like last, we spent two nights in the Buckeye Flat camp-ground in Sequoia National Park. I think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all.
After breakfast in Hollister
Tom and Gloria, Dan, and I left Burlingame at 7:00 AM. Fred and Irma had emailed that they’d meet us in Hollister (or along the way) for Breakfast. No sign of Carl; perhaps he thought we’d be leaving at 7:05? Oh well, he knows where we’re going and can meet us there. Sure enough, he pulled up in front of the restaurant a minute or so after we’d arrived claiming to have been running a little bit behind schedule. Fred and Irma joined us at the restaurant before we were served.
at 25 and 198
Irma and Fred
Following breakfast and a gas stop for those who needed it
in Hollister we proceeded down highway 25, spreading out along the way.
A stop was planned near the intersection of 25 and 198 to regroup and
shed some gear if needed. The weather was warmer, but in no way hot.
Some of us took off liners, others waited until the next stop in
Coalinga, some 30 miles away.
Dan
Tom and tired Gloria
Carl, packing gear
We took a longer break in Coalinga for gas if needed, removal and stowage of cool weather gear, and resting up for the next boring leg: 198 from Coalinga to Visalia. Gloria looked tired at this stop. I think Tom’s pace going down 25 and 198 was keeping here awake!
I’d received a request to try a different restaurant for our Visalia lunch break. A little web browsing found Mearle’s, an old fashioned drive in. How old fashioned? Picture something you’d expect to see in Happy Days or American Grafitti and you’ve got Merle’s. The malted chocolate shake was good. The ambiance was great.
It’s about 45 miles from Visalia to the Buckeye Flat camp ground. We were happy to find when we arrived that Derek, riding down from Grass Valley, had beat us there by about 20 minutes and already claimed what I’d like to think are the two best sites in the camp-ground. After pitching tents some volunteered to go back down to Three Rivers, about 12 miles from the camp-ground, and load up on supplies, e.g. food and beer.
Fred with new tank bag
Carl practices with the blender
Tom and Gloria found a camp blender at REI. Somehow they found room on the wing to pack it which meant margaritas for cocktails and strawberry margaritas for desert. You can tell we’re really roughing it.
After consuming many beverages, but before the sun went down dinner was prepared. Derek brought a steak. I had home made Chicken Cacciatore over pasta. Others pooled their resources and had Tacos.
Derek and Irma
Dan’s taco
taco fest
The images show that the tacos were a big hit with Dan. Derek seems to be enjoying his steak, too.
After dinner and clean up a log was thrown on the fire, the Kermit chairs were arranged in a circle, and we enjoyed plenty of good conversation, mainly discussing breakfast club members who were foolish enough to be elsewhere. Along with the good conversation went good single malt scotch. Thanks, Fred.
Gloria and Carl
Tom, doing what Tom does
Gloria with one of Irma’s great brownies
The “log” on the fire
People started hitting their sacks around 9:00 PM and by a little after 10:00 I was one of the last campers still sitting by the fire. The big log had been pulled up on top of the grate in hopes of keeping some of it for the next night. In hind sight this was the wrong thing to do as it guaranteed lots of air for combustion. By morning there was nothing left but hot coals.
Nothing exciting happened Saturday night. I did see a bear on an early morning trek to the bathroom. Seems the light from my flashlight disturbed it. It scampered away when I got within about 10 feet. In all honesty if it hadn’t moved I never would have noticed it sitting in the shadows by the garbage cans.
Coffee brewing
Irma
Sunday morning started in camp as Sunday mornings do just about anywhere, with brewing coffee. Some use espresso makers, other poor boiling water over coffee grounds. The method isn’t important, the caffeine is! After coffee comes breakfast. Carl says good things about instant irish oatmeal. I prefer sausage and eggs. Dan likes bacon and pancakes.
Dan’s pancakes
Dan’s bacon
Using two burners and a griddle was fine for the bacon. The slight lean to the griddle made it easy to collect the bacon fat; it ran down to the low corner and into a cup.
The setup didn’t quite work for pancakes, though. The griddle was too hot or too cold. The slight breeze fanning the flame from the burners didn’t help. I don’t think it stopped the pancake lovers from enjoying their cakes, though.
Breakfast time
Cakes and toast
Barrista Fred
Carl rode to the visitor center to pick up tickets for the group visiting crystal caves. Instead of taking that tour I’d planned a 190-200 mile loop that would take me up highway 245, down into Kings Canyon, and then back to the camp-ground by way of Hume Lake. Derek decided to take it easy and spend the day lounging in camp. The previous day’s ride up highway 49 wore him out.
I left camp about 9:30 and headed toward Visalia. After a stop for gas in Three Rivers I continued west to pick up highway 216 which runs into highway 245 in Woodlake. After turning onto 216 I came to Dry Creek Dr. Hmmm, decisions. This looks like a fun road that will bypass Woodlake and the straight sections of 245. It also bypasses some of the twisties. Oh well, next time. This time I’m going to do all of 245.
I rode all of 245, turned onto 180, and headed back into the park, heading toward Kings Canyon. I stopped for a break at Grant Grove where I met an ST1100 rider, a Tulare county local out for a Sunday Morning ride. We chatted about bikes for a few minutes, then went our separate ways. I changed gloves—it was quite cool at the higher elevations—and headed down to the bottom of Kings Canyon.
At Roads End, looking south
At Roads End, looking north (and up)
There was next to no traffic heading to the bottom of the canyon. The few cars that wound up in front of me were quick to use the turn-outs. The 30-some miles to the camp grounds at Cedar Grove passed quickly. The camp grounds looked to be completely empty from the road. I didn’t stop there, however, but continued on to Roads End.
I think this is the first time I’d been to Roads End. A hiker waved as I pulled into a parking area for a break. He came over to admire my bike and boast about his, an R1100C. His BMW cruiser, however, was home in his garage, not out on the road. Such a waste of great riding weather!
Kings Canyon and bike
Some of the road just ridden
Bike and background
I rode back up the canyon, stopping to take a few photos along the way. Instead of going through Grant Grove again, I took the cut-off to Hume Lake where I had lunch. After lunch I continued south to pick up the Generals Highway and made my way to the store at Lodgepole to replenish the beer and ice supply. With saddle bags full, I rode back to Buckeye Flat to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Total daily miles: 196.
I got back to camp 20 or 30 minutes before the cave explorers. When all were in camp and un-packed Dan, Tom and Gloria, and Fred and Irma headed down to the river where Dan and Tom tried out the water slide. Eventually I walked down to the river to dip my feet in the cold waters and take some pictures of the river rats.
River Rats
Where’s Fred
Enjoying the sun
Middle fork, Kaweah River
water slide
Dinner time for Dan
Margarita time for Gloria and Tom
Where’s that single malt?
After playing in the water the group went back to the camp. It was time to fix dinner. I had a can of soup and a chili/pasta mix. Derek made a ton of angel hair pasta with Alfredo sause and shared it with those who were interested. The blender came out for more margaritas. Fred had lots of help trying to kill the bottle of single malt scotch. Again, we were all in our sacks by 10:30.
cleaning the ‘ice chest’
Carl works, Derek supervises
left overs, but not left behind
The plan for Monday morning was to rise whenever, have coffee, break camp, then ride to Three Rivers for gas and Visalia for Breakfast. In the past we got out of camp around 8:30; this year it was 9:30 before we hit the road. We got to Visalia at 10:30, parked the bikes, took off our helmets, and entered the restaurant that up to this point had only given us very pleasant memories. “Sorry. Breakfast ends at 10:30” says one of the staff at 10:31. “The place next door is still serving Breakfast.”
Cross Cafe 225 off the breakfast list. The “place next door” (Main Street Cafe) was every bit as good, if not better. It was also cheaper. And no-one left hungry. Humoungous portions. Tom knew he was in the right place when he ordered poached eggs and was asked “soft, medium, or hard”. This restaurant wasn’t there last year. I sure hope it will be there next year.
From Visalia we rode to Coalinga and gas, then back up highway 25 where Dan took the lead and set a blistering pace. Hollister was another gas/rest stop where Dan complained about maxing out his suspension, thus slowing him down. Right Dan. After the rest stop we rode to 101 where riders started pealing off in different directions on their way home. I took 85 to 280 to 92 and home. Wonderful ride. The only disappointment of the entire trip is that nothing boot worthy occurred. Maybe next time.