LA to Yosemite: WITH JASMINE ROSE
AND THE LA LITAS
Jasmine Rose: @jasminerosetea
The Litas Los Angeles: @thelitaslosangeles
Join our fellow Lita; Jasmine Rose, as she takes you with her on a journey from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park with her long-time lover, and 4 of her closest gal pals.
@jasminerosetea and her Triumph
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a person in possession of a good motorcycle, must be in want of an adventure. How fortunate is the womxn who is geographically blessed with any number of thrilling encounters outside her doorstep! Yosemite National Park is a mere 335 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The state of California boasts nine National Parks, each one unique and worth exploring, but none as iconic as Yosemite. Located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, the park is famous for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome.
@monster.rally Yelena, @angiebulmer Angie, @deathofalden Alden, @jasminerosetea Jasmine, @calinofornia Cali, @sarunee_ss Pimmy
I recently embarked on a 4-day road trip to Mammoth Lakes & Yosemite with 5 of my favourite people: Pimmy, who just returned to LA from her home country of Thailand; Angie, who recently earned her pilot’s license; Cali, one of my very first moto-friends that I met through the Litas; Yelena, who can always be counted on to have the tools needed for any job; and my long-suffering boyfriend Alden, the only male in the group. Our band of adventurers included three Triumphs, two Ducatis and one Harley. We set out early on a Friday morning, with every intention of arriving at our first destination, Lake Isabella, in the late morning so we could avoid the excessive heat that began as early as 10am in Kern County. Despite our best laid plans, we were immediately sidelined at our very first gas stop in Santa Clarita. The bolt that kept Angie’s kickstand up decided to leave the party early. Thankfully, a hardware store was only a few blocks away, and while my very handy and knowledgeable motorcycle mechanic boyfriend sat in the shade, the ladies rolled up our sleeves and fixed the problem. (Got to love a man who doesn’t need to tell a woman how something needs to be done & trusts that we can handle it.)
Jasmine (@jasminerosetea) and her long-time partner and lover Alden (@deathofalden).
Finally on the road, we speedily cruised up the 5 towards Bakersfield, rolling through a surprisingly cute Downtown Bakersfield, past the Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater, and on towards the 178. Once we left the city limits, we were met with sweeping curves and twists in the two-lane road, accompanied by the Kern River on the left, the mountains rising above us on the right. State Route 178 ascends the lower Sierra Nevada mountain range, with sharp turns and steep drop-offs. A handful of seemingly random palm trees had somehow made their way into the riverbed. The site of many drownings, an ominous road sign along the river read: “315 deaths in Kern River since 1968.” The currents rapidly moved southwest as we headed northeast. The Sierras were varying shades of brown, dotted with scraggly pines and speckled with large boulders.
By the time we reached our destination, we were more than ready for our first meal of the day. Early lunch at El Portal Mexican Grill in Lake Isabella hit the spot, and the cool air conditioning in the bright pink building was a welcome treat. After checking in at our motel and getting a bit of rest, we donned our bathing suits under our gear and hopped back onto our bikes to soak in some hot springs. Miracle Hot Springs is located along the Kern River in the Sequoia National Forest 10 miles west of Lake Isabella, just past Sandy Flats Campground (add that one to your list if you ever end up camping in the area.) Human-formed rock and concrete tubs line a small inlet of the river, capturing the spring water that exits the earth at 119 degrees & blends into the cooler water of the Kern. Clothing is optional, and it seemed the place to be for locals on a Friday afternoon. The trail to the hot springs is found at Hobo Campground- a detail that I missed when I entered “Miracle Hot Springs” into my GPS. Let’s just say we spent quite a bit of time climbing down a steep hillside and over huge boulders because we did not take the correct trail. The actual trail starts at the parking lot for Hobo Campground and is a few minutes’ an easy trot to the springs. Lesson learned. The hot springs were well worth our unnecessary trek and I highly recommend making a stop to soak in the thermal pools.
Another lesson learned: if you are taking the 178 up towards Yosemite, plan your overnight in Kernville, rather than Lake Isabella. Our “lake-view” room at the motel lacked a view of the lake, as it had shrunk quite a bit in recent years.
Day 1: 181 Miles
The next morning, we packed up our motorcycles and continued eastward on the 178. We rode past green pastures tucked between the pine tree speckled mountains, cows idling in the morning sunshine. Farmland eventually turned to desert, as we moved into a portion of the California Desert Conservation Area. Pine trees gave way to Joshua Trees, and we turned onto the 14 until it met up with the 395. A faded blue sign said “Welcome to Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway”, the temperature increasing as we descended into lower elevations. The wind began to batter us once we hit Pearsonville- population 17. We stopped at Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery in Lone Pine for brunch and gobbled up a pretty incredible vegan breakfast. Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, stood in the distance.
The day was growing hotter and hotter, so we doused ourselves with ice water from the cafe pitcher and pushed on. Only one hundred more miles to Mammoth Lakes. However, a quick stop in Bishop, the halfway point between our destination and Lone Pine, was very necessary. We were as hot and thirsty as Alden’s sportster. I would have liked to have spent some time wandering about Bishop, the most populated town in Inyo County. Parts of the main street look like a western movie set, as a number of old westerns were filmed there.
@monster.rally Yelena and her custom built Ducati Muiltistrata
I recall likening the rocky landscape to the east of us, between Lone Pine and Bishop, to the topography of a chocolate chunk cookie. Dark stones cloistered amongst sandy brown hills. As we travelled northbound on the 395, the eastern Sierras rose majestically in our peripheral. Riding in a very straight line for hours on end, with the sun beating down on you, can mess you up a bit. Your mind begins to wander and your eyes can lose focus. The lines in the road begin to blur. I forced myself to constantly look around me, soaking up the landscape as I led our group onward. Riding head-on, the distant peaks stood solid in beautiful shades of mauve and purple. Eventually, a few miles past Bishop, the road began to curve and we crawled closer and closer to the Sierras. The mountains that once were hazy in the distance were now directly in front of us, and the road steadily moved around to our right as we began the steady incline. Temps dropped as the elevation rose, giving us some relief from the heat. Stunning vistas greeted us as we ascended. Reddish rock and pines appeared all around us; snow could still be seen gracing a mountain peak. We crossed into Mono County, reveling in the gorgeous views as we floated past Crowley Lake to our right.
Gratitude washed over me at this moment. Tears of joy overwhelmed me and I grinned from ear to ear under my helmet. What a gorgeous place to find oneself, on a Saturday afternoon, with your dear friends, sitting astride the faithful two-wheeled machine that carried you there.
We said farewell to the 395 and moved on to the 203 towards Mammoth Lakes. After unloading and taking a quick rest at our cabin in Mammoth, we once again threw on our bathing suits. The sun was still high in the sky, and we were ready to float in the glacial water of June Lake. We took the wildflower and pine-tree-lined Mammoth Scenic Loop back out to the 203 and headed to the swimming beach at Oh Ridge Campground. June Lake is one of my favourite places. Filled with mountain spring water that always stays freezing cold, the lake boasts a swimming beach that begs you to come float for hours under the gaze of Reversed Peak. Looking out from the beach, you are welcomed with majestic views of the Eastern Sierras.
Day 2: 386 Miles
Half of our crew had never visited Yosemite before, so we broke out in different directions for the day. While Cali and Angie woke up before the sun to get in a long hike in the park, Alden, Pimmy, Yelena and I headed out not too long after in order to beat the crowds. Views much grander than the previous day awaited us. We rode in via the Tioga Pass, past Lee Vining, hugging the side of the mountain as we made our way to the eastern entrance of Yosemite National Park. Our first stop was Tuolumne Meadows, a dreamy meadow surrounded by domes along the Tuolumne River. Gorgeous views of the Cathedral Range and Unicorn Peak can be seen to the south, and Lembert Dome and Mount Dana greet you as you enter on the east end of the meadow. Here, Yelena left us for a hike before her horseback riding excursion scheduled for that afternoon, and Alden, Pimmy, and I forged forward towards Yosemite Valley. This was both their first visit to the park, and we wanted to get to the busiest part of Yosemite before it became too congested.
It was early enough in the morning that very few vehicles were on the two-lane road to the Valley. Our little pack cruised along at the speed limit, staying alert for wildlife. [Side note: Speeding through national parks kills wildlife on a regular basis; just recently, a six-month bear cub was killed by a speeding car in Yosemite, and the park ranger who responded to the call had the heartbreaking experience of witnessing her mother grieve the loss of her cub. This is your reminder to stay alert and ride carefully wherever you go!] Thankfully, our ride was safe and uneventful, and I slipped off one of my gloves to feel the buttery soft mountain air pass through my fingers as I led two of my favourite people through one of my favourite places.
Yosemite Valley is generally a good ten degrees warmer than the upper elevations of the park, and we were sweating in our gear by late morning. After riding the valley loop, we settled in for a picnic in El Capitan Meadows, dipping our toes in the Merced River. The water was clear and crisp, and tiny fry danced along the bank. The day was growing hotter by the minute, so we shed our trousers and cooled off in the river. With El Capitan on one side and Cathedral Rocks on the other, we laid out on the pebbly banks of the river and dozed off.
Our next stop was Tunnel View. Constructed in 1933, this awe-inspiring overlook affords visitors expansive views of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome. The parking lot bustling with tourists, we took a few sweaty photos and decided to turn back the way we came. The remainder of our day was spent riding the 120 east, with a stop here and there, ending once again at Tuolumne Meadows for a snack break and a leisurely hike on Soda Springs Trail before exiting the park. There we sat along the Tuolumne River, in the shade of lush trees, and watched deer lap water upstream.
Day 3: 221 miles
For our final day of the trip, I begrudgingly woke up at 3:00am, so we could all be packed up and ready to head out by 4:30am. We had a 5 hour ride home and we needed to beat the heat; the forecast called for 95 degrees by 9am at our midway point. The road was devoid of other vehicles as we watched the sun rise over the Inyo Mountains. What began as a very cool and crisp early morning quickly transitioned into a very warm ride once the sun made her appearance. A gorgeous gibbous moon followed us home until the high temperatures became too unbearable for her. Stopping for gas and caffeine when necessary, I filled our bandanas with ice cubes to cool down. We rolled through Red Rock Canyon State Park, which only took a matter of minutes at 80 mph.
Our very last gas stop was in Mojave, only 90 minutes from home; unfortunately, we were quickly sidelined by our second Ducati mishap. Yelena’s fairing had come loose. Our trusty stock of zip ties came in handy at this juncture. After a bit of strategic zip tie placement and teamwork, Angie and Yelena had it all under control and we were able to finish our last leg of the trip, all before 11am on a Monday morning.
Day 4: 312 miles
Ending the epic weekend journey with my crew just under 900 miles.
Would I do it all over again- including every last misstep, every drop of sweat, and each
much-too-early wake-up call?
Absolutely.
-Jasmine Rose
