Walker Pass

Date: February 5, 2007 – 1 day
Departure: 1630 Return time: 1815 Miles: 55
Riders: myself
Route: Ridgecrest - Inyokern Rd - 14 - 178 - 14 - Inyokern Rd - Ridgecrest

Yesterday it was snowing up at Walker Pass. The road was even closed for a while until the plow was able to take care of it. It’s open today and I’m itching to ride my road king. This is the first weekend after I got it out of the shop. A few months before, I’d been t-boned by a little ole lady driving an ’87 Buick two blocks from my house. I went over the handlebars, breaking my wrist and some minor bones in my back. The bike did a 360 behind me and was nearly destroyed. The engine was still okay. Everything else on the bike was replaced. Special 105th Anniversary parts took longer. One part in particular would take much longer. This particular part was only cosmetic, so I was determined to ride today.

The usual leathers should be okay. How cold could it be with the sun shinning? With that, helmet, gloves, and boots as usual, I’m off. I’m just going a few miles anyway.

It’s a little cool going 65 mph toward Inyokern, cold actually. Sun’s beginning to go behind Owens Peak. Sky is beautiful, but the shadows are growing longer. Turning left on 14, headed south to 178. After turning back onto 178 from 14, I’m now heading practically straight into the sun. It feels a little warm even. I can clearly see the snow line up on the mountains surrounding the pass. Above 4000 ft nearly everything is white.

There are thousands of Joshua Trees going west on 178 up to Walker Pass. This forest is one of the few Joshua Tree forests in California and the world. These trees grow only in areas with certain arid climates and at certain altitudes. Just before Walker Pass as 178 winds left and right up to the top, the trees get thick. Joshua trees got their name, because some early settlers thought they looked like Joshua, holding up his arms to help the Israelites win the battle over their enemies. If you check the bible, you’ll find it was actually Moses that held his arms up in this fashion, and Joshua and Caleb that helped him keep them up. So, perhaps these trees should be called “Moses” trees. They look very unusual, almost alien with a layer of snow covering these cactus-like trees.

Walker Pass is 5250 ft. The famed adventurer Joseph Walker discovered the pass in 1834, while looking for a route over the Sierra. There are only 5 passes over the Sierra from the southern most tip up to Donner Pass on I-80. All of the passes north of this one are particularly known for their impassibility during the winter. Impassible for the heavy snow and extreme cold. A little west wind blowing over Walker Pass makes it considerably cold, colder than I dressed for that’s for sure.

The suns gone down and the thermometer is going that way rapidly. Time to head for lower altitude. The Joshua Trees and the snow were great to see, but I’m already looking forward to being out of here. Back down 178 onto 14, headed north back to Inyokern. I’ll remember to check the thermometer before heading out next time.

In the summer, my road king is a practically unbearable heater. That’s in the summer only.

Ten weeks later, my special, long awaited part is in. It’s the gas tank decal identifying my bike as a 2008 Road King Classic 105th Anniversary edition #2666 out of 3000. Finally, all back together. Therapy for my wrist however would take some more time.

Tom Lystrup