Story by Jeff Smith
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the Sept. 2014 edition of the California MSTA newsletter. The story has been edited to match the MSTA website’s style.
For the sixth year, California MSTA members met at Porterville to enjoy a long weekend in the southern Sierra and King’s Canyon National Park. Eight riders, including myself, arrived in Porterville on Sept. 5, 2014. It was 104 degrees that day, and the hotel manager of the Porterville Best Western said it didn’t feel like it’d been a year since our group was last there.
It was a nice mix of motorcycles for this year’s retreat. Our group’s leader, Glenn, suggested we try some slow goat roads to mix things up a bit from years past. We would ride King’s Canyon, of course, but follow the smooth and quick canyon road with some tight, technical stuff.
We started our ride Saturday morning and took the one-way Yokohl Valley road. The road proved to be stunning, especially the ample elevation changes. We saw few signs of civilization for miles, and Glenn set a relaxed pace so we could fully enjoy the many scenic views the road had to offer.
Shortly after arriving at Kings Canyon National Park, we made a lunch stop and enjoyed the cooler temperatures. It’s usually about 20 degrees cooler in the upper elevations where the park in located. The conditions were perfect for our ride through the park. The road’s smooth pavement, many turns, and scenic views are what keep us coming back to it every year. It never fails to impress.
It’s a box canyon, so the bike’s tend to separate since there’s only one way in and out. It makes it so that no one gets lost along the way, and — for some of us — it’s a chance to open the throttle a bit more than usual.
After the canyon run, we made our way back to lower elevation terrain and took a long break at the Mountain Top Cafe — a popular stop in the area. I downed some ice tea to prepare for the long ride home in hot conditions. It was a great day on the bike, but I was ready for air conditioning and a shower when I got home.