Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ O'l l-< IlJ ..0 S IlJ > o Z We p ulled into the grove at 9:35 a. m.; had a cup of coffee (our own) and took som e pictures. We met Ranger Brian Miller -and had a very , interesting talk with him. We talked about the forest, the road, the weather, the deer (some will top 300 pounds dressed) , and the large coyotes. Some are so big they look like police dogs . They are not the skinny little ones we see around Barstow and California Cit y . Ranger Miller was very happy to see us and wished us a good ride. It 's too bad there aren 't more rangers like him who know their job, know th is area, and understand some people like to ride motorcycles rather than drive . Mustangs and Chevrolets. After your b reak, start back north and return to the jun ction . Continue north on a good road but watch the loose rocks as they are slick ! Soon after we left • the junction there was a very fast .b u ild up of clouds. When we reached about 11,000 feet it started to hail. We had four miles to go to the gate, so with hail bouncing off our helmets and plastic gas tanks we decided to keep going even though it looked like we migh t be pressing our luck a bit. _ At 8 .5 m iles fro m the junction by the odometer we came to the Patriarch Grove. The high rust colored peak to the north is White Mo untain Peak. It is a beautifully stran ge -mo untain as it loo ks so different when viewed even from a slightly differe nt angle. Passing the grove, 2.5 miles further are some rock ruins known as Lamb Camp. Look for marmots playing in the rocks. Around a turn and up a little rise y ou will come t o the chain across the road, you are now at 12 ,000 feet. Luckily the h ail stopped, the we ather cleared and it was perfect for the rest o f the ride. Please remember the ga te is LOCKED whether th e chain is up or not. Do not pass the gate ex cept on foot unless you ha ve, a special permit. As in Monopoly, do not pass go (t he gat e) . You won't collect $200, instead y o u mi ght be ou t the $200 (a fine ) and minus an old friend (y o ur bike). On the side o f Mount Barcroft , west and north from the gate, yo u will see the Mo unt Bar cr oft La bora to ry . It is used for high altitude experiments o n hu m ans, plants an d animals. There are two other labs in the White Mountains , one on White Mountain Peak an d the other at Croo ked Creek. We snap ped a few pictures, I d owned a cup of coffee an d we started back. At 2. 5 miles we turned left and went into the Patriarch Grove. It's on e mile in and plea se take the time like we did to really look around. Back o n the bike, head fo r the main road, go south and watch for the Silve r Can yon junction. Start your trip down, but be on your toes as it's a: bit tricky . The road on the • map that shows down only has been damaged by several landslides and is now closed. I asked Ran ger Miller ab o u t this road and he said he had tried to get do wn bu t because o f the slides there 'are boulder caused stairsteps six and eight feet h igh . He doubted that even a bike co u ld ge through . He is trying to get th is road reopened an d close the ot her except for Edison Company traffic. This is a po werline road built by them an d it is some piece of engineering. A fter y ou clear all the rocky switchbacks and get ba ck in to the canyo n b'o tto m yo u can have a little fun with y ou r riding partner. At the first stream cr ossing down I t rie d t o give my son a free shower but mi ssed him by a foot or two. He remembered exactl y where the next one was and I got a monsoon type bath . Chalk one up fo r the kid. ' . Finally we arrived b ack at our truck and the end of a super ride. , It w as on e o f the best and m ost enjoyable rides my son and I have t aken. For you figure and map freaks , total time was five hours and 15 minutes. Round trip mileage 54.2 miles. I go t 32.85 mpg on my 185, and my partner was able to get 30. 11 onhis 360. The maps th at I used were the Inyo National Fo rest Map (fifty cents at the Ranger Station . in Bishop), and t hree USGS (Topo Maps) : Bishop, Blanco Mountain, and Mount Bar croft. This is a very special area, so please observe a ll the rules. Mainl y, stay on the • es ta blish ed roads, don 't take an y sam p les, don 't chase an y wild life , and please have a goo d working sp ar k arrester. This may sound like a lot of don'ts bu t if we ride by these simple rules you and I an d our sons will be ab le to take t rips like th is for yea rs to co m e. I'm going back next y ear and ta ke a look ' at Cottonwood ' Canyon, check out Wyman Can yon and enjoy more of OUR fa ntastic White Mountains. • i! .. r:VlAr/GN ~AT~ ,..r 12) QGO ~~I!r .. -,/"I' ':l/~' "" .. . -- t N I ' -,\I', 1\'" , ~1 ~ 15

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