The Now Official Sequoia/Kings Canyon rally thread

(I edited this to change the title slightly....Cadd.)

TomK and I have been bashing about the idea of a fall ride to Sequoia National Monument & King's Canyon Nat. Park (it's all the same place actually.) It's the hottest time of year to ride through the San Joaquin, so the plan was to wait until the weather cooled off a bit, and the reports show not too much smoke up that way from the wildfires to the north and west.

Valdez has spotted us a quaint motel outside the park in Squaw Valley that looks like it could handle a small crowd of KawaNOWer's
I'm thinking a Friday ride in, overnight at the motel, ride the parks the next day with maybe lunch at the Wuchsachi Lodge and maybe a loop down through Three Rivers and back up Highway 245, overnight at the same motel, and ride out Sunday AM.

The ride loop would be almost 207 miles and about 5 3/4 hours actual riding time. If that sounds like a long time to go 207 miles, most of the route is quite twisty.

Here's the approx. route:


Alternately, we could forgo 245 and just double back through the park like this, which is 216 miles and about 6 1/2 hours saddle time, or perhaps an hour less if we don't go all the way down toward Three Rivers.



Alternate routes and shorter or longer rides are certainly possible. Going by Hume Lake would be a nice detour too, and shave some miles off, though be even twistier. Here's an alternate that goes by Hume but then only goes to Moro Rock, and avoids the twistiest and most challenging switchbacks. Only 170 miles an 4 1/2 hours:



Also, TomK mentioned camping in the park, which is possible if we can get reservations early enough (probably like right away) for a group campsite. They're much less expensive than staying at a motel, but of course it'll be primitive unless you're into hauling TONS of gear on your bike, and we'd be sleeping on the ground.

So this is what I've got so far guys. Comments? Commitments? Curses?