09-05-02 Kings Canyon CA

[johnny]

here you go...

we have been to kings canyon 5 times... always in the fall when its brown and dry... so after hearing it was open last weekend we planned to ride it today... the problem is it rained and snowed last night... so our hopes of seeing this piece of mother earth in all her majesty were put on hold...

eary riser... it stopped raining in tulare about 5am... i kept both eyes on the sky and watched as heavy overcast made way to blue skies and sunshine... by 9 am i could see the snow capped mountains off in the distance in between the clouds... we checked the internet weather and internet road resources and decided to go as far as we could go.... 

we headed up ca 63...





to ca 180... i had replaced my air filter this morning and was feeling a notch on my throttle... by the time we got to ca 180 it was sticking at 5000 rpm for about 3 seconds every time i eased off the gas... no good... pull it apart... found a piece of foam rubber on the front throttle body that was causing the problem... fixed and away we go...





climbing ca 180 i eased on my electric jacket and heated grips... micki had hers on from the beginning... she is delicate... but the mind was playing tricks... the water on the asphalt was looking like ice... being from indiana... i know black ice... i stopped to take a closer look... just a very thing sheen of water... we kept going...



we rode into a cloud... so dense at times i was riding with 1 hand and wiping my visor with the other... all the while keeping an eye on the mirror just in case an inattentive driver were to show up on my bung...



i saw a us forest service ranger beside the road... i stopped and asked how ca 180 to the roads end was looking... he said it was wet in spots... some sand and rocks in spots but was generally in good shape...  i asked him about the generals highway to three rivers... he said it was very wet with snow melt and really dirty in places... but no ice on either...

we proceeded on ca 180 to kings canyon...



our first glimpse of the mountains in the clouds...







we rode out of the clouds to a road almost free of debris and cars...











waterfall were everywhere... so many i missed many of them as we leisurely took in the sights...





the mighty kings river was flowing like a moe...



grizzly falls...





to the roads end...









heading back...

















the mighty kings river from near yucca point...









waterfalls were everywhere...









ca 180 from hume lake road...





the generals highway... the ranger was right 5 hours ago... still kinda funky but a glorious ride... but we gotta stop taking it from ca 180 to ca 198... much better going the other direction...











i stopped... they didnt budge... micki took the photo as we pulled away... looked at us the whole time but didnt move a foot...



low camera ... so waiting on the food shots... here they are... micki had the prime ribb... i had the pastrami swiss burger... the river view restaurant in three rivers ca...





there you are...

j o

[tsbt]

Fabulous trek some great pictures, especially like the photo of the gorgeously cooked prime rib and shrooms :drool: