early morning

I thought 6:30am was early enough to beat the heat, but not by much! (This is just before all the lightning fires started, now the air is too smoky and my go bag is packed…) Damn does the sun rise quickly to become the searing ball of fire!

morning shadows

 

Taking advantage of a day when no cars are allowed in this part of the park, Major and I explored the rebuilt Birdsall boat launch. The road goes down about a mile to the river, but a huge portion of the access road was washed away a couple winters ago, but is now repaired! This boat area is really just for kayaks and rafts, though no commercial rafting companies use this section of river (not interesting enough I think!)

we only went about 8mph!

what's over there?

Birdsall launch access road

It is a long way down, so I hiked most of it and Major dragged walked along, continuously distracted by noises from the other side of the river. Those "noises" are hikers I explained, but he was just too curious. 

no really, what's over there?!

used to be a crossing here!

 

At the bottom there is no safe river access, though this used to be where the diversion tunnel and coffer dam were (destroyed by flood in 1986), and you could cross the river! Wish I'd ridden here then, now it is a multi-mile detour to No Hands Bridge, and I doubt they'll get a bridge through anytime soon.

yes Major, we have to go UP

So back up we went, and decided to go down to the other river access just for a bit more hill work. But Major really wanted to ride home from here! I tried to explain there was a tree down blocking the trail (I'd reported it after hiking on Friday) but the rangers with chain saws just finishing made a liar out of me! I profusely thanked them, sometimes it takes a long time to get trail work done and this trail is the only access through this area. The rangers only go to the sign, then it is the next park's responsibility. On my sign fanaticism: The sign is really wrong (it is probably 12 miles, not 5, to Granite Bay). I worry that someone is going to hike/ride it and end up exhausted and stuck in the canyon with no cell service! 

 

Major still thought we should ride home, and was undeterred by my explanation that the trailer was only two miles away at the top of the hill.

reported on Friday, fixed on Tuesday!

sorry, no safe water access

But up we went, with one last view downstream, both of us happy to fit in a quick morning ride (and thankful for the rangers too!)

one last view…