Well we were invited to vacation last week near Mammoth at Brown's on the Owens River. Since we were taking our Dual Sports I thought we should try to hook up with some of the Bishop Boys for a day of riding. Sure enough Sandy and Hudy were available for a Monday ride. We kept having trouble connecting via cell phone so they dropped by our camp and we arranged to meet Monday at Jack's for breakfast before our ride. However when they arrived Brian had not showered after our ride that day and was still in his ?shorts? so he threw on his hiking boots and came out to say HI
The next morning we met at Jack?s for breakfast at 8:00. Brian had told us we could ride down there from Brown?s, sure glad we didn?t, would have been 30 miles on I-395, not fun. So we put the bikes in Brian?s truck and drove down. After a hearty breakfast we drove up to the end of pavement off Line Street and unloaded. It was here that Sandy saw my burden, Lightening (aka Brian) getting ready to ride! So after we stood around and watched him get dressed for ½ hour, we headed up Coyote Canyon. It was already getting warm down where we were but soon the temperatures dropped and the scenery got green. All fire roads at this point for about 6 miles or so with Sandy leading and Hudy riding sweep. At one point Sandy stopped and pointed to his rear tire; FLAT! Luckily for him he was with us Dual Sporters and I had a tube, CO2, irons, etc. so a trail side flat repair was made.
From there we kept climbing, Sandy said we topped out at 11,000 feet. WOW what a view!
We had still been riding fire roads to this point but the trail down from here was NOT a fire road, pretty steep and loose but fun! Sure got to the bottom fast! Back down in the hot valley we went through Big Pine and across 395 and The Owens River. Rode for miles north along the banks of the Owens until we got to a locked gate. Sandy, being who he is decided the lock was meant to keep people from going to our side not vice versa, so we rode around through STINKY mud. Then we headed up a super rocky canyon. Unfortunately Sandy forgot how to lead a ride and did not stop and wait for us mere mortals at intersections and we took a few wrong turns, one of which led us to a bitchen single track goat trail. Brian HATES these type of trails and that?s all I could think of as I led us down this trail and out to a hwy at which point Hudy rides up and informs us we had missed the turnoff! Brian was not happy at the prospect of riding back down that trail, but down was easier than up. Soon we were back where we should have been, but not without a detour because Sandy lost us again, this time we all buried our bikes up a hill and Hudy fell down, breaking a lever, he used Sandy?s name in vain quite a few times! Next stop was an old miner?s cabin right on the river, really cool stuff.
From the cabin we made our way to some really cool single track through the Pinion Pines, then down a really cool canyon with some small water falls, rocks, banked turns, etc. Would have been a lot of fun if I wasn?t so tired, we were at about the sixty mile mark by then. Then we come to the end of the fun trail and Sandy points out our next obstacle, a small goat trail along the side of the canyon across from our location, Black?s canyon I believe he called it. Might have been a foot wide in the widest spots and dropped off 1,000 feet or more. Again not one of Brian?s favorites and certainly not mine either (sure loved having a Rekluse). At the end of the goat trail it was fire roads again down, down, down to the valley floor and the heat, 103 when we got loaded up.
Sandy and Hudy decided to go home and get Sandy?s trailer and join us for dinner, beers, washers and liars dice, so they headed home and got the trailer and joined us that evening. At the end of the ride all Brian had to say was, ?Sandy is a bad bad man?.
Seems Brian had made such an impression on them with his fashion statement the night before that they thought that bike shorts and boots were the costume of choice in our camp, so they dressed accordingly, but with some ?enhancements?!
Tami was real impressed, but didn?t want to get too close!
Of course a resounding game of washers took place and Sandy was de-throned AGAIN, this time by our rookie friends from Burbank! Lots of partying then, grilled Carne Asada, more beer, liars dice, campfire, more beer, and fun. Next morning breakfast and Hudy and Sandy departed.
What more can I say. Being a Viewfinder and having friends like this is priceless, I sure love this club. Thanks Sandy and Hudy for showing us a good time, lots of laughs, good trails and cold beers, doesn?t get any better than that!
Viewfinders MC
