I know I am way overdue on the ride report for the 49er rally over Memorial Day weekend. This post is an amalgamation of the 2023 and the 2024 49er rallies. I intended to write this ride report in 2023 but never quite got around to it. Here we are a month after the 2024 49er rally, and I’m just starting to write. However, this post is rife with good pictures and good stories!
The differences in arriving at the rally between 2023 and 2024 couldn’t have been more profound. In 2023, I had things packed beforehand, departed on time, and enjoyed a wandering trip through the foothills from the Bay Area to the Mariposa County Fairgrounds. It was lovely wandering through the back roads of Merced and Mariposa counties in the early evening sunlight.
In contrast, 2024 couldn’t have been more different. Life kept me in the Bay Area right until 5 o’clock, which, at that point, would’ve been gridlock all the way there. This year, I had to split my attention between the 49er Rally and Gary’s Jamboree – the Rivian club’s annual event. With more life inside of the bay and more preparation for fun events for the weekend, I didn’t have it together like I did last year. I exited the bay at 8 o’clock and headed a cold, dark freeway ride to camp.
One random highlight? Fully touchscreen gas pumps. I didn’t see that one coming – ever.
As an older BMW rider, I know some changes aren’t necessarily about motorcycles. I’ve been more recently serious about sleeping better, and that means CPAP therapy. I fought it a lot at first, but through some discussions with the medical establishment, I couldn’t deny that the machine did help me sleep better and provided numerous health benefits – most of which surrounded heart health. I decided to bite the bullet and buy the Breas Z2 with a battery. I didn’t go with the ResMed Air Mini as it wasn’t compatible with the supplies used by the larger ResMed device, whereas the Z2 is. It turns out Bob builds an adapter that connects the ResMed Mini to the larger tubing. The advantage here is that all of the data rolls into ResMed MyAir, whereas with my split setup, I have gaps that my physician can’t see. Live and learn!
Fairgrounds
To say the 49er rally takes over the Mariposa County Fairgrounds is quite an understatement. The Fairgrounds are huge, and there are tents and motorcycles all over campus. In my first year, I didn’t realize how extensive the Fairgrounds were and how many bikes were all over the site. That first year, I camped near the road next to the covered parking lot. This year, since I got in so late, I chose roughly the same spot so as not to disturb those who might’ve gotten to sleep early.
Next year, I’m going higher up the mountain to get a little bit more privacy and not be right next to the band (which is great for entertainment – less so for sleeping :-))
Drills make Skills
Most of my motorcycling events have been riding events. I’d go to the start point, and the riders would ride all day, eat dinner, and crash. This event was starkly different because it was an event in and of itself. I didn’t get the “rally” concept at first. It was neat to see the serpentine slalom, the slow race, figure 8 turns, and other events on campus. I was a bit shy during his first two years, but next year, I’m in.
2023: Mile High Curve
It’s not often I get to deep Mariposa County. I often skirt through on Highway 120, headed for the High Sierra, or further south, headed towards Kings Canyon. About 15 years ago, some friends of mine and I rode over to Oakhurst. Our day trip was up to Mile High Curve. I remember it as a Beautiful view down to Mammoth Pool Reservoir in a different part of the Sierra I hadn’t had much exposure to.
Fast forward 15 years, and I’m in this area again, and Mile High Curve calls again. Unfortunately, the road is closed due to wildlife migration. I didn’t want to go around the grade as I was traveling alone and wasn’t necessarily sure of the road condition, given it was still fairly early in the season. In 2024, I was hoping the road might be open, but alas, it looks like it opens mid-June every season (even if there is no snow to be found).
2024: Glacier Point
It was late May, and the first hints of summer were beginning to appear in Yosemite National Park. With the promise of clear skies and the roads finally opening, I decided it was the perfect day for a motorcycle ride up to Glacier Point. After a long winter of dreaming about summer motorcycling in the Sierras, the time had finally come. The early morning air was crisp, with a coolness hinting at winter’s lingering presence. I took a deep breath, feeling the fresh pine-scented air fill my lungs, and set off.
The road to Glacier Point started gently, winding through the forest. Patches of snow still clung to the shadows, and the ground was damp from the melting frost. As I rode, my motorcycle’s tires hummed along the asphalt, the vibrations a comforting reminder of the machine’s strength beneath me.
As the road began to climb, the scenery transformed. The forest thickened, the trees standing tall like ancient sentinels. The air grew cooler, and I could see my breath swirling in my helmet. As I leaned into the curves, the motorcycle responded effortlessly to my touch. Each bend revealed new vistas: towering cliffs, distant waterfalls, and glimpses of the valley below.
Halfway up, I pulled over at a small lookout. I turned off the engine and took off my helmet, letting the silence of the forest envelop me. The view was already stunning, with the valley stretching out beneath a clear blue sky. I took a few moments to savor the tranquility; the only sounds were the rustle of leaves, the distant rush of water, and the thousands of other people around me.
My descent was faster, the cool air rushing past me as I easily navigated the familiar curves. The forest seemed to welcome me back, the trees whispering their ancient secrets as I rode past.
I was coming into Yosemite Valley on Highway 41, the southern entrance to the park. Tunnel View is a fantastic stop to see the grandeur of Yosemite Valley. The heavy winter snows were melting at full speed, pushing thousands of gallons of water over the cliff’s edge every second. What a sight to see!
Photographing the park was a lovely juxtaposition. Some photos showed the joys of spring: sunshine, greenery, and waterfalls, while other photos highlighted the cold, snowy winter still hanging on so late into the season!
Bikes
Part of the fun of the rally was seeing so many customized bikes in such a small space. Riders came from all over with the fanciest new machines set alongside bikes that were 50, 60, and even 70 years old! My eyes often wandered to the big yellow GS, be it the same model year and the color as mine, the 2020 40th anniversary edition, or 2005 with its big yellow beak!
The standards also caught my eye with their simplistic approach, connecting the rider to the fundamentals and joys of motorcycling. The most surprising bike was a Yamaha that had been ridden down to the tip of South America and back! What an adventure!
A year of riding in between events
When I got home after the 2023 49er rally, I smiled, given that the bike’s odometer ended in 49. What an irony! I didn’t capture the same photograph after the 2024 49er rally, but I estimate I put on about 6000 miles over the past year. Since January 1 isn’t exactly prime motorcycling season, maybe a Memorial Day weekend is the perfect end to track year-over-year mileage on the bike!
Happy riding!
Routes:
2023:
2024:
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