Day 11 – Tired Asses Meet the Masses

Anxious to get home and avoid more heat and wind, we left Tonopah at 6:30am. It was great to be out early with the fresh morning air.

We passed some wild horses and then soon left Nevada and entered California.

We were comfortable through the desert but once we started the climb into the Sierra Nevada mountains, we were a bit chilly.

As we rose into the eastern Sierras, we started to see smoke and we were headed right toward it.

As we got closer, signs indicated that is was a managed burn. We rode very close to it.

After we passed the fire, the sky began to clear a bit and we left the smoke behind us.

The bike needed fuel and so did we. We stopped in Bridgeport.

We got back on the road after a nice respite and turned west to go over Monitor pass.

Cathy looked desperately for the little bear she had seen in October of last year on the pass but did not spot him.

We dropped into Markleeville and stopped for lunch. At this point we knew our trip was almost at an end. Ready to get home, we set off for the remaining 109 miles.

After seeing other areas of the country, you have a renewed sense of the beauty that we enjoy in our own backyard. The Sierra Nevadas are stunning. Whether the peaks are covered with snow or the aspens and the birch are turning color in the fall, it is always beautiful and we are truly blessed with the wonder of nature that is only a short ride away.

When we turned onto highway 50, the traffic was miserable. It was slow going and when we got to Placerville, there was a two mile backup. After eleven days in the saddle, our bums and our patience were wearing thin. Luckily, in California, lane splitting is legal so we weaved our way through the backup and were soon taking the exit that would lead us home. We arrived at around 2:30. Our security camera caught us wearily at our front door.

A little over 3,200 miles in total on the bike, we had a great ride. The shorter mileage days are making the journey more enjoyable as did staying within walking distance of amenities. After almost ten years of doing these trips, we’re getting the hang of it!

Tom was very patient with a nervous wife on this trip. Cathy was in an automobile accident the night before we left and was hypersensitive to any bump, brake or unexpected turn. Now back to reality; Cathy goes to work in the morning and Tom will hit the gym, wash the bike and catch up on chores. We are happy to see our kids, grandchildren, granddoggers and our pup – the Duds, who we missed so much.

Thanks for following this year’s trip. We’ll post some more pictures and video later. Until then, here’s a barn in the eastern Sierra.