26 Aug – Stockton, CA

The road out of Bishop steadily climbs to around 5,000 feet and the cooler temperatures are a welcome relief after yesterdays baking hot effort. With the altitude comes greater moisture so the parched ground at the lower altitudes gives way to fields of grass and the sage brush now has a smell of sage to it, At around Mono Lake I turn left onto US120 which takes me into Yosemite Nation Park. A fee of $10 gets me entry and I am rewarded with all the visual delights the park brings. Tioga Pass at around 10,000 feet is the highest pass in the park and today is not so cold you cannot ride over it with just a T shirt. The park is mostly high altitude forest with the usual meadows of grass, mirror perfect lakes and rocky streams. Walking tracks abound and judging by the number of cars parked near by, the tracks are very popular. The pass is closed in the winter. The ride down the other side takes some time and with the reducing altitude comes the return of the baking heat. The trip into Stockton is no fun. Tonight I am the guest of VSP.