Day 14 - June 19, 2009, Hawthorne, NV to Santa Clarita, CA

It’s hard to believe that day 14 is upon us, the last day of our journey. Today was a long day, some 440 miles from Hawthorne, NV to home in Santa Clarita, CA. It is said that time flies when you are having fun; therefore, we must be having a lot of fun on this ride because these two weeks have just flown by.

Although we gained an hour crossing the Utah/Nevada border yesterday, we agreed before retiring that we would begin our day an hour earlier than usual today, so, it was up at 5:00 AM, meet for breakfast at 6:00 AM, and get on the road by 7:00 AM. Our hotel advertised a “Continental Breakfast,” which in fact turned out to be coffee and day-old mini-breakfast rolls. The end result was that we actually got on the road by 6:30 headed for Lee Vining, near the east entrance of Yosemite National Park. Sixty miles and an hour later we were in Lee Vining having a nice sit-down breakfast.

The weather was ideal today, clear and cool with nary a cloud in the sky. Following breakfast, we suited up for the climb to the 9,900 foot Tioga Pass. Two weeks ago the pass was snowed in, so we expected cold conditions and snow on the ground. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Cool yes, cold, no. And, the only snow we saw was on the highest peaks. Thirty minutes into the park we were shedding our foul weather gear for light jackets & sweatshirts

We continued west through Tuolumne Meadows toward Yosemite Village, Bridal Veil Falls, and Half Dome. Turning the last corner and glimpsing Yosemite Valley is always a spectacular sight. Regrettably, Yosemite is so readily accessible that vehicular traffic is a real detractor from the natural beauty of the park. We stopped for pictures at Bridal Veil Falls and got our second shower of the day in the process. As we descended into the valley the temperature increased dramatically, so we headed for the village store for some hydration. Jack and Mike decided that it was time for them to beet feet for home. So, we said our goodbyes and they departed the park together. The eight became six.

For the past several days Scott had been eying his rear tire; the tread was getting a little thread bare. The air was not showing through yet, but there was not much tread left either. Opting for safety over expediency, he called Harley-Davidson of Fresno and located a tire. They told him that they would install it upon his arrival, as a service for travelers. The GPS took us directly to the dealer, about 100 miles south of our location, but along our route home. When we arrived, we were met by the very capable and friendly service writer, Ronda Wons. While checking Scott’s bike, Ronda also found that his rear brake pads were worn to the backing plates and needed replacing. Good job Ronda, thanks.

Lane elected to depart company with the group in Fresno. He had a family social obligation in San Luis Obispo, CA. Once again, we said our goodbyes and the six became five.

We departed Fresno in near 100 degree heat intersecting Highway 99 south toward our final destination, some 150 miles away. We made a pit stop at the bottom of the Grapevine for a convenience break, gas, and more hydration. Then, we embarked on the most dangerous leg of the entire journey, riding over the Grapevine on Interstate 5, dodging speeding 18 wheelers and motor homes. About 8:00 PM we descended into the Santa Clarita Valley closing the loop and concluding a great odyssey with good friends.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my travelling companions, Lane Greenberg , Scott Aldrich, Tim and Sylvia Hayes, Jack Murphy, Mike Lorenzi and Bob Nimtz for their friendship, support, good times, and cooperation. I also want to especially thank Lane Greenberg for his able assistance in helping to plan this trip, hosting our planning dinners, and making our hotel reservations en route.

For those of you interested in statistics, we rode 4, 234 miles on this journey, according to my odometer, averaging 308 miles per day, including our two layover days. We had 13 hotel stays and ate 42 meals. We replaced four tires and we each purchased approximately 100 gallons of gas at an average of $3.05 a gallon.

It’s our hope that you enjoyed our comments and photos on this journey as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you. Until our our next “Horck Adventures” ride, I bid you farewell.

Ride smart, safe!

John “The Horck” Vander Horck

jevander@sbcglobal.net