Yosemite

Snowy California

Friends along the way

El Capitan

The state park is less about an hour away so a few of the center volunteers and I have gone cross country skiing and snow shoeing.   Here are some pics of the times.

Meditation for the Nation

So it has been a while since I have posted on here.  Been staying at the vipassana center and it is pretty busy here.  I will be sitting a ten day silent course over the holidays.  I come out January 2! 
Look forward to posting some of the pictures of the sierra nevada mountains.  Yosemite cross country skiing.  Wishing everyone a fine chistmas.  :)  

Mojave to Madness

    So left the desert yesterday.  Spent last night in Mojave city but that is on the last stretch of rattlesnake country.  I left Owl creek canyon campground a little late in the day and only made it to Mojave.  The folks at the campground invited me for thanksgiving dinner and I was really tempted but thought it wise to move on cause in this weather I can only go so far before I have to stop for a tea or coffee warm up.  I miss that place already.  So quiet, and the stars!  I lost my tent bag in the wind the other night which is too bad but the couple that volunteer to look after the campground gave me a chair bag which works well.   It has been dipping to 22 F  at nights but it doesn't feel like it.  My feet usually get cold sleeping if it gets anywhere near freezing but I don't know if it is the dryness of the desert or what but I have been fine in the tent.  Really enjoying it actually.  I have my coffee brewing in the vestibule in the mornings and enjoy a hot breakfast of oats and apple without leaving my tent.  The folks in the campers were amazed......makes me feel tougher then I am.  They explain it all with the fact that i am Canadian.  :) 
    Stopped and talked with a guy that was doing a three day journey.  He had more stuff then I did if that is possible!  Didn't want to pry to figure out what the heck it was that he had with him........who knows maybe he had a fold up heated cabin or something or maybe he worked off his bike and he carried all his files and what not?  Anyway it was freezing and it was good to talk with someone going thru the same thing.  We were in agreement in the fact that it was freezing, s nowfall on the top of the mountains and all.  Just then another biker skidded into us nearly coming to a stop and he said he was going to run out of gas....he was on his way to see his dad who had just had a heart attack.  He was from florida and also agreed it was freezing....in fact he was so disgusted with the cold that he was questioning our sanity for being such a place.....?!?  Curious fellow. We gave him some $ to help.  Spinning tales I think but hope he gets what he needs none the less.    
The Ride from Mojave into Bakersfield was transitioned by rolling hills.  Reminded me of Montana.  One second you were in the desert and then you climbed and big hill lined with tons of windmills.  Coming down thru these rolling hills you could see for miles out over a valley of fruit land.  There are roads everywhere and people too.  What a change from the desert.  I am up for more too, I know cause the sequoias are coming up.  Crazy land here in California.  
 I am on my way to meet a couch surfer in Tulare.  So that's it for now.  

Barstow, California

      So I made it! California.  Yipee!  The weather really has been co-operating,  I was thinking the other day how I have not had my rain jacket out since I think the first couple days of my trip so wow is all I can say to that.  As I ride up the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains its going to be wet.  I am ready for it.  Wet and cold.  But heck I have got this far and been spoiled really so I am ready for it.  

Leaving Havasu was nice.  It was good to get back on the bike again after my 3 day chill out by the lake.  I packed up slow and as the day was bright and not much of a wind I went for a swim in lake Havasu.  Fresh indeed; it opened my eyes for the road ahead.   It wasn't noon till I was on the road and then I stopped in to get something to eat and met Tom, an ex firefighter from new york city. After 9/11 he retired having had seen enough. He was driving a '78 Chevy that he bought in lake havasu for 1500 bucks.  Here that Dad!  This would be the place to come.  Not a spot of rust and wow is that cheap.  Supposedly there are a lot of Canadians who have come down and bought houses in the are.  Lots of deals to be had.  As Tom was looking over my bike he noticed that one of my highway pegs was missing.  It had fallen off when I dropped the bike back near Yuma.  I had it in my tank bag and had the idea that i would get a shop to weld it back on but he said to use a nut and bolt would be better.  We headed over to home depot as thats where he was on his way to anyway.  We found the right nut and bolt that wasn't going to vibrate off......there was a little bit of locking plastic on the nut to make it a sure thing.  Then out to the bike again.  It took a little reaming to get everything lined up but with Toms tools and mine (ratchet came in handy) it was all good.  I was on the road with proper footing.

       Couple miles from the Highway that would take me through the Mojave desert I stopped at the gas station to make sure I was full.  Just as I was going to head off, a man scooted in on his bicycle with a motor!  He was loaded down looking like he had been on the road for some time.  It turned out to be a 44cc motor that had brought him all the way form Montana!  Didn't ask what his destination was but he was out for a while for sure.   Had his bike packed as tall as my motorbike.   He sat down with me and we went over the map for interesting places and good roads to take.  

      So I made it to Barstow that night and because it was in the dark and because it had got dark I found a motel and was happy.  The next morning I sat down with the brush and went at the mats.  I was surprised, it only took about 20 minutes half hour to get it sorted.  All good in the locks department.  :)  OK so next I was on to a campground that i had found on the internet.  Before that I found a little museum and went through the history of the town.  Lots of gold mines, a giant meteorite made of  mostly iron that fell from the sky in the early 70's was amazing to see the raw iron in a rock form.  There were a lot of cars pulling in and out of the parking lot I was at so I went to see what was going on and found out that the water in barstow was bad due to some kind of explosive material.  There is a heavy military presence here and that is all else I could find out but I think it was good timing for me to be there so I picked up a couple gallons.  It is amazing what more I continue to find room for on my bike. 

      The camp site, Owl Creek near Rainbow Basin has a whole lot of fossils and old bones found round here.  Leakey.....who I remember learning about or reading about had come here for years to excavate.  I went for a hike in the dry river bed and it was so quite all you could hear was the wind.  Last night was crazy windy and woke up feeling as though I had been up howling through the air all night in my flying tent.  The wind didn't really settle till early this morning and it was nice to feel the stillness.  It seemed like a good traveling day but I thought I would like to see more of the park and it being so cheap...6 bucks a night I thought it would be a good place to stay a second night.   

       It is thanksgiving here ..almost and this macdonalds I am in is full of shouting crazy kids and adults........ah the holidays.            

    

Havasu Lake City

After 3 nights of camping off-road so to speak I was happy to find a reasonably priced campsite on the lake Havasu.  It is part of the Colorado river and people really love their boats here.  Monster boats that echo with the bass of many horses, miles down the shore.  Last night was Saturday and I could feel the vibrations of the massive motors shaking through me.  Not the most peaceful place but the lake is pretty and there are palm trees.  It seems to be getting more windy as the days go on.  I had to tie my tent to posts before I came into town cause if I wasn't in it it would fly away.  This will be my third night in the same spot and I am loving it.  I realized that besides rainy Memphis I have not stayed more then one night anywhere.  I have been eating not so great and after my bike dropping twice in the same day I managed to get severely dehydrated waiting out on the highway under the desert sun.  I picked up a camel pack just after Oklahoma city realizing that I was not drinking any water.  When I was on the bike i wasn't able to and when I was off the bike that was the last thing on my mind.  Drinking water is not a favorite thing of mine to begin with.  Unless i am sweating it is the last thing i want to do, but with the camel pack its kind of fun.  I think cause the water is body temperature, which is super important when it is not hot and it is so convenient to have that little tube to suck on  The fun part is all relative I suppose: being on a bike you can only do so many things.  I have always thought they were kind of silly but I take it all back.  I have got some real great hydration in cause of this little bag.  
So full moon tonight and I am happy 2 be still.  I was thinking of getting a hair cut today but all is closed on Sunday....hair places anyway.  Heather, you remember telling me to get a brush, cause of all the wind and whatnot flying through my hair?  Well I thought you were wise at the time but I did not get one till yesterday and I have not attempted to go to work on the back of my head.  I have 2 big dreads.....not even sure you can call them that.  I think mats would be more appropriate.  They sure do give me a lot of volume but it is pretty uneven.  I was wondering what a hair salon would charge to brush them out but I am not sure I want to go there.  What I need is some conditioner and I would feel more prepared to get in there.  Anyway, looking at the weather for the week ahead and it is looking cold.  I am going to be ending up at the meditation center Sunday or Monday and right now it is snowing there!! High elevations!!  But there is good news...weather is looking warmer by the time I have to be there.  There is a lot of beautiful parks in that area so I am thinking I will camp out among the sequoia till I have to go further north.  I was really hoping to get to Utah Bryce canyon and the grand canyon but I am here at the wrong time season wise.  Another time.  Maybe spring.  

Would like to get some good hiking in.  I have been pretty much just riding it feels.  Not the best excises.  I've got a real strong neck and some good leg aductors but the rest is waiting for a good yoga class to kick my ass.  Or a hike.  We will see.  Till later:)   

Off Road Camping

So the next three nights were spent at random places off the roadside.  Mom you may want to skip to the next entry here, if you are reading.  Just a thought:)  So the first night was a beautiful spot down the road from an RV spot.  It is a real snow bird hang out here cause it is hot hot hot!!  The first time I have taken off my long johns!  I pulled into the RV joint and was greeted y a kind man riding a golf cart.  He was looking  after the place while the folks were away who owned it.  Said the price for me was 25 bucks!  Same as an RV!  Agreed it was steep an told me to go behind down the road a bit.  As I went to start Lydia up there was no turnover.  I have experienced this before and know it is a wiring deal under the seat but it is a huge deal to get under the seat so I just kept trying.  Usually in a patter of time she will start.  This time no.  It was getting dark and I was thinking well maybe I stay here then.  I hate asking anyone to give me a push.  If they off thats great but I will not ask.  Man on the golf cart offered!  As we headed back to the bike a big RV came in and he had to go collect.  In the meantime I thought I would give it a try myself.  I had seen it done before and thought what the heck so got Lydia rolling and kicked her into first.  Not the first time but the second was a success!!  I felt pretty proud and think man on the golf cart was happy he did not have to break a sweat.  Headed into the desert to find me a spot.  Having lunch the next day at a subway I was accused of riding in on a horse and being dirty!  This guy was a harley rider and he did not approve of my style.  That was a first.  Bikers are notoriously friendly and love hearing other biker stories in my experience, so this guy really threw me off.  Pretty funny now that i look back on it.....I kinda like being dirty so not sure why I took such offence but guess its just not something you want to hear from a stranger.....with such attitude.
The second night was just north of Yuma which is a giant RV town.  Neighborhoods made up of RVs.  I left the town late and headed into the sunset looking for a place to set up.  It is mostly BLM land round here and that means free camping.  I got off the highway and settled into some trees.  Later I was awakened by a tank covered in lights zooming by.  It was not too close but close enough that I could see it and that kinda made me wonder where I was?  Turns out I was on an army proving grounds.
Next morning,  I found a good looking cactus to take a picture of.  I parked Lydia beside it and took a few pictures.  Got back on to head off and as I started to take off I lost my balance and I was over before I knew it.  Lydia was lying at such an angle that I could not move her.  She was not budging.  I had to go to the road to get back up.  No one stopped for a half an hour and then i figured that it might help if I had my helmet.  Ran back for it and within 10 minutes a couple from Edmonton stopped.  He was a little guy and was older but he lifted that bike with no problems.  They offered to stay as I packed the bike up but i insisted that i was alright.  Next thing I knew the bike was down again.  Darn!!  Out to the road I went after trying a few more times to budge the bike.  It turned up that there was a stone under the back tire that I should have thought of checking.....anyway another guy stopped and we got it up and I was on the road again......few.   What a day.     That same morning I headed north on the highway and stopped in to get a date shake.  Middle of the desert and this man was selling Ice cream!  With dates!  Pretty great, pretty pricey.  He filled me in on the army proving grounds and the rest of the area.  Flash floods,  once in a lifetime chance of hunting big horned sheep,  Tarantula wasps, which I still have to look up cause I am not sure I believe the story he told me.  The beautiful and terrible things of nature.  The desert.  That morning as I was drinking my coffee in the proving grounds I saw a grouse, a rabbit, some kind of bird of prey and a giant tarantula!  That was how the Tarantula wasp came up.  It was shy and very slow moving so we got along alright.  I even got close enough to take a picture.  Not too close tho this is with my zoom.  Surprised at such a critter and I now check my shoes, close all bags and tent night.

First night camp, in the morning I climbed the little mountain, or big hill behind.

The third night was along the Colorado river.  Amazing how the river flows through the desert and palm trees have sprouted up along the sides.    Resort type places line the river and charge $25 to get near it.  I am stubborn and will not pay that.  It does not make sense to me to charge a tent the same as a mobile home.  They are catering to the homes and the campsite I would get would be covered in crappy gravel....most uncomfortable.   Anyway I left the palm trees and water and went to higher ground.  There are tons of trails for off-roading.  Although I will admit I was dreaming of the palm tree lined river resort as a pitched my tent in the sandy, rocky tops off the high way.
I was hoping to find a nice lone place along the river to settle in for a few days but it seems to be really populated around here and not easy to find such a place.  O Canada.  

Tucson

Came into Tucson just around sunset and the skyline around the city was pretty amazing!  Lumps and bumps coming up out of the earth all around.  I was to meet a fellow biker gal I met on Couch surfing.  She rode a 400cc enduro painted like a zebra!  Pretty cool girl.  She offered to take me out riding in the dirt but our times did not work out....she works and goes to school.  We talked of riding and the road and she gave me a nice chill space to be.  What a comfy couch too!  Hope to meet up again sometime.