• What have I learned? – That when power goes down, you can’t get gas
• Small moment of joy – Camping in the Sierras looking at the stars
• Listening to – New Jersey by Bon Jovi
• Reading – The Peenemunde Raid by Martin Middlebrook

I have spent the last 10 days riding in the Sierras, mostly camping and living off the bike. I really don’t enjoy camping too much, but friends do and I enjoy their company.

We went looking for good roads and doing a little of the Oregon and Northern California Back Country Discovery routes. It was a fun trip with some great roads, most nights it was warm enough I just used the inner tent and left the fly cover off. 

We ended a day somewhere in the ponderosa pines close to Cottonwood Reservoir in Oregon, set up a wild camp on a beautiful night. There was zero light pollution, the sky was clear and the stars so bright. I’m not a huge fan of camping, but moments like this, when I get to lay there in the early hours looking at the canopy of stars, almost make me enjoy it. 

Even if the accompanying soundtrack was Jon gently snoring in his tent next door. 

Following day was a fantastic ride on the southern most section of the Oregon BDR towards Lassen Volcanic National Park. The road took us into California, through the Warner mountains into the Lassen Forest. The dirt roads were in great condition, and there were a few side by sides running around to really make things interesting. 

This was my first time in Lassen Volcanic NP, and another hidden gem. The campground was surprisingly quiet when we rolled in about 4:30, like Crater Lake a couple of nights earlier.Lassen is a really spectacular place, and the road over the volcano is tight, winding with phenomenal views south over the Sierras. The road goes to almost 9500 feet as you drop down into the caldera. It’s a beautiful place, the US has so many really special places, and this is high up the list.