Independence, CA to Cold Water Campgroung, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Day 5 - Independence to Cold Water Campground - Final Day and I Climb A Net Gain of 5,000+ Feet
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - 89 Miles - Total So Far = 444 Miles
No 32.5cc engine should be require to endure the punishment I put this little Robins Subaru through. It seems impossible that such a tiny little putt putt of a machine could do what this thing has done, but it has done it and with spades. Not only did I climb a net total of more than 5,000 feet today, I did much of it into a nasty headwind that was variable, meaning that sometimes it was on the beam and sometimes is was from dead behind. Mostly, though, it was on the nose. I am confident my total climbing totaled more than 6,000 feet because of the ups and downs.
I spent a week at the final destination, Cold Water Campground, which is just a bit shy of 9,200 feet (I was told). I was there with my wife, Kristina, her brother, and friends. For me, it was about six and a half days too long. The thin atmosphere was rough on me and I could barely walk a 100 yards without gasping for breath, so everyone got to play -- hike and kayak and so forth -- while I more or less just sat around. I did start to acclimate after a couple of days, but there was not a whole lot of improvement.
The little engine that could, however, didn't seem to miss a beat. Town -- Mammoth Lakes -- was 1,500 feet below and you can imagine the hard work it had to endure when it was forced to make such a climb in only five miles and I went to town and back four times without a hitch.
I put on a new tire, fixed the broken spoke and had the broken braze-on, to which the right side engine strut was attached, welded by Brent Allen, owner of Allen Iron Works. He practically had to do the job under a microscope, so small was the broken piece. This man, who employed 35 persons fabricating metal buildings along with doing industrial repairs before the financial crash, must have personally spent 45 minutes working on my little project and then refused any payment whatsoever. I was humbled by his generosity. I was sure this would have been a budget buster, but it was not. I owe him and will duly repay him in kind one day.
That last day blessed me with three flats, so I bought three more spare inner tubes and a second spare tire for the return home. I'm having a little trouble with the clamping mechanism slipping and causing the friction roller to chew up the tire a little. I dunno. Perhaps a GEBE might be a better choice for me considering the long distances Kristina and I ride. I'll give it some thought. The important thing is that I be able to ride the bicycle freely. The exercise is too important to not get.
I still have not had a chance to post the photos, but I will eventually. Some of them are spectacular. The distances the eye can see are vast and really do give meaning to the word awesome. Thanks for riding along with me. I will post the ride home under a new thread.