1 Day of pavement and 2 days of Dualsporting in the Sierra NV Hills

[2on2off]

I putting this report in the adventure section even though it started out as a street ride.

Near the end of May, I took off four days of work and planned to ride to Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada but after 200 miles I felt sick so I headed into Ridgecrest and tried to eat something but still felt bad so I headed home over 178.

I stopped at the BMW shop in Bakersfield and walked around for about an hour and felt much better. Nothing like window shopping in a motorcycle shop to cure whatever is wrong with you. By the time I got home I felt fine, wouldn't you know.

[2on2off]

I had ridden highway 99 to Bakersfield and then highway 58 to Kramer Junction when I decided to head home the first day. I rode 395 to ridgecrest and then 178 to Lake Isabella to Bakersfield and then took 65 back to Reedley.

The roads coming home were much more relaxing than riding the freeways.

[2on2off]

By the second day I was feeling fine so I decided to get on my DRZ and head up to the foothills and see if Black Rock Road was open yet.

[2on2off]

Riding to the back of Pine Flat Lake is always fun but be careful riding over the bridge and stay on the metal sections.

[2on2off]

It is a short drive from the Kings River to Balch Camp and just past Balch Camp is where the road really gets fun.

[2on2off]

Black Rock Rd basically starts at Balch Camp and rides next to a very steep canyon all the Wishon. I didn't bring my GoPro Hero helmet came on this trip so I put my point and shoot digital camera in video mode and shot this video while riding. I combined the video to show what this section is like riding both east and west.

YouTube- Black Rock Road

[2on2off]

Everybody should ride Black Rock Road at least once and ride to Black Rock Road to Black Rock Res. This section is all paved and can be ridden on any bike.

East of Black Rock Res the road becomes dirt and can be ridden on an adventure bike or dual sport. I haven't ridden it in a while because during this ride the dirt section still wasn't open yet.

Just a few miles east of Balch Camp, I saw something in the bushes ahead so I stopped and out from the bushes, about 30 yards in from of me, stepped a very large Mountain Lion that was chocolate brown. It looked to be about six feet long, not including the tail, with big paws. It didn't pay much attention to me and just calmly walked across the road and disappeared into the bushes on the other side of the road.

This is the only time I have ever seen a Mountain Lion but you can bet I was on high alert when I saw it and didn't have time to get my camera out because I was more concerned about what I would do if it took an interest in me than getting a picture of it.

[2on2off]

Black Rock Res was my turn around point because the dirt section of Black Rock road was still closed so I headed back to Balch Camp where I crossed the bridge to the west and got on Sycamore Springs Road.

[2on2off]

This was the first time I had ridden Sycamore Springs Road and I was surprised how rough it was. This road is marginal for an adventure bike because of the deep ruts and rocky sections.

It is in a very remote part of the mountains with with thick vegitation right up next to the road. I was remembering the mountain I had seen earlier and was nervous riding through this section.

[2on2off]

Sycamore Springs rd eventually connected to a graded dirt road and I headed for Blue Canyon and then got on Peterson Road which connected to highway 168. YouTube- Dinkey Creek Rd