Zion National Park

Zion National Park was on my first plan for the trip, while needed to be removed so the plan has overall fit. Due to recent changes I manager to get some extra time to go there yesterday and I am very happy because of it.

Zion park is ocated north from Las Vegas, on the way to Salt Lake City

Entering new state - and new time zone

 

On the way to Zion park

On the way to Zion park

Zion Park was promised to be very beatiful place - and this was exactly the impression I had. Park is located in a canyon, half of it is open only to pedestrion, bikes and park shuttle. I used the shuttle and saw some fantastic places.

Fantastic hanging garden

Water supply to the garden

Interesting was to see landscape change after going thru a tunnel made across one side of the canyon.

Road towards the tunnel

 

Green view after leaving the tunnel

During afteronoon I reached a motel on the way to my next interesting place - Grand Canyon. Today I've seen the North Rim and tomorrow I will see the South Rim - you'll be able to read this soon on the blog.

Ps. Yesterday morning I drove thru Las Vegas. I do not have pictures as this place is not in my type ;-)

Kilometers:

monday, July 29th: 233 miles / 373 km, from start 7180 miles / 11488 km

Joshua Tree National Park and Hoover Dam

Joshua Tree national park is my adventure with desert. Entering the park at 7.15 in the morning temperatur was 28 C ( 82 F), when I was leaving before 10 it was 34 C (93 F). Driving thru the park one see amazing amount and variety of joshua trees.

This is the place which moves each year due to tectonic moves

Next part was a tough drive thru desert - I was happy when after 2 hours I reached a part of old Route 66, I plan to spend more time on 66 later this week.

First historic Route 66 mark I saw

Long wait on the rail road crosssing...

 

Afterwards - and running away from rain - I reached border between Nevada and Arizona where my visit point was the Hoover Dam. This is a true master construction and engineering and its size is huge.

Entering Nevada

 

Inside Hoover dam - here in generators room

This night I stays close to Las Vegas - and tomorrow I continue to next national park - Zion.

Los Angelese - halfway of my trip

Saturday was half time of my trip. As the motorcyce was in service, I also had a day for myself. Therefore I decided to walk thru Hollywood boulevar - and despite huge amount of people I manager to catch some special stars of the famous pavement.

 

During this bike the bike was in full service, including set of new tires.
My motorcycle is BMW, model R1200 RT, from 2011 and is equiped with:

- 2 both cases and 1 top case, in addition I carry roll on bag on the passanger seat;
- electrical controlled fronshield (good to move air on me when hot and over me when raining);
- cruise control (without it my right hand would be on roll gas all time);
- radio and iPhone connection (so I can travel in silence or listen to my music);
- heated grips (used in very early mornings and on high elevations);
- safety system (ABD and ACS - traction control), not used so far.

Just after service

After receiving the motorcycle I drove to Joshua Tree - I stay in motel that is 500 m from entrance of  national park that I visit tomorrow.

Picture of own shadow ;-)

Road in the desert

Going thru Big Sur

Todays day was full of fantastic views. I left Monterey in the morning so I could spend as much time at Big Sur as I wanted. And this was the right choice – this road is worth to spend there much more time then just driving thru. In addition weather conditions aren’t easy – low clouds and strong wind from ocean bringing small water drops made driving a tough experience.

 

 

 

Afterwards I saw amazing animals – sea lions. This is their paring and socialising period, so they spend long time together and on the beach.

 

After leaving Big Sur I continued driving south on the ocean cost till I reached famous ocean coast beaches – they do look amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

Last part of the day was to reach to my hotel – this time downtown Los Angelese, just 1.5 miles / 2.5 km from Hollywood boulevar. Last 10 miles / 16 km I drove in 1 hour – which was commeented as fast drive thru LA. Tomorrow my bike is having a scheduled service and I will walk ;-)

Kilometers:
Friday, July 26th: 336 miles / 538 km, from start 6549 miles / 10478 km

3 fantastic national parks - Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Last 3 days I spent in 3 fantastic national parks, each of tchem had something special to remember.


I left Lake Tahou early morning and choose road, that leads me towards Yosemite from east entrance. This entry - called Tioga Pass - is very narrow and tough going up, which makes it close during winter time. Views inside park are marvelous - both granite rocks and canyons and streems between them.

On the way to Yosemite

Entering Tioga Pass

 

Inside Sequoia park

On the park border

View from Tioga Pass 

The most pictures place in the park is Glacier Point - where the mountain panorama is amazing. Special focus is on the Half Dome - as it really looks like beng half of the rock.

In Yosemite Valley

Motorcycles has own parking space :-)

View from Glacier Point on Yosemite Valley

View of Half Dome from Glacier Point

Panorama from Glacier Point

I spent evening in Sonora - where one of our factories is - where I met for a nice chet with Aaron & Tyke.

Wednesday was scheduled to visit Sequoia national park. I saw these trees before while amount of them and variety I saw here is for sure worth a dedicated trip to this park. I decided to come from south entrance where I climbed - without the bike ;-) - to Moro Rock and I hiked to see the world biggest tree - The General Shermann Tree.

Enter to parks from south (I do recommend coming this way !)

View on Moro Rock

Hike towards Moro Rock

Panorama  of park from top of Moro Rock

Motorcycle is big...while sequoias are even bigger !

Myself and Sherman Tree

On Thursday I drive thru Kings Canyon national park. This park is connected with Sequoia one, while today my target was to use so called scenic byway which drove till the end and the bottom of the canyon. Due to height changethe views are fantastic and clearly shows different perspective when seeing the canyon from top or from the bottom.

The Grant Tree - the highest sequoia in the world

Kings Canyon - view at the bottom of canyon

 

 

 

Afterwards I continue west to reach Pacific ocean once again. Tomorrow I go thru Big Sur - one of the best motorcycles roads in the world.

Kilometers:

Tuesday, July 23rd: 311 miles / 498 km, from start 5606 miles / 8970 km

Wednesday, July 24th: 289  miles / 462 km, from start 5895 miles / 9432 km

Thursday, July 25th: 318 miles / 509 km, from start 6213 miles / 9941 km