Above is the current 7-day forecast for Tioga Pass (elevation 9,945 feet) via the National Weather Service. I’ve been keeping a close eye on it because Highway 120 (aka Tioga Road) is still closed to through traffic. The National Park Service has been working to the clear the road of snow and debris for the past two weeks. The tentative opening date is set for May 11th but the stormy weather could delay work this week. I want to hit the road as soon as Tioga is opened but there is a good possibility this storm could bump me back a few days. Toby got a final tune-up yesterday so he is good to go. I just need the weather to cooperate!
Only One Keeper
This past Saturday, my brother Isaac and I jumped at the chance to go bass fishing with our dad’s good friend Flint. He picked us up from the ranch before sunrise and we received a schooling in large-mouth bass behavior on the drive to Eastman Lake. Flint believed the conditions were perfect to catch a few large bass (full moon, warm surface temperatures and breeding season) as they sat on their spawning grounds. As the morning wore on, we were pulling in a lot of small bass along the shoreline but nothing over the 22 inch limit required for a keeper. Isaac got lucky when we motored over to a submerged island in the middle of lake and reeled in a whopper of a Rainbow Trout (19.5 inches!). It turned out to be the lone keeper for the day so Isaac was the only real fisherman! Flint helped us fillet him when we returned to the ranch and we barbecued her 1 with Crazy Jane’s, lemon and an herb blend. I even got Isaac to eat the eyeballs with me! We made plans to return to the lake with Flint at the end of April. Hopefully we can catch at least one big bass then!
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We discovered roe while filleting her. ↩
Chased by Dogs
Went on a quick ride east of the ranch this morning and had to race away from unleashed dogs twice. I hit my two top speeds for the day (besides coming down the overpass) during those sprints.
Toby the Trucker
Thanks to Rubber Soul Bicycles in Fresno for setting me with this Surly Disc Trucker for my cross-country trek. It’ll be a different looking bike in a few weeks—racks, panniers, fenders and lights are all being researched and ordered.
ARN → SFO
My time abroad is coming to an end. The Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe (SCONE) program ended Saturday morning in Freiberg, Germany. That afternoon I traveled with my good friend Conrad via Porsche to his hometown, Kempten, in Bavaria. After one full day of rest and relaxation with Conrad and his friends and family, I flew to Stockholm this morning. Tonight I am staying at the apartment of my friend Joachim who I played tennis with when I was in Stockholm 4 weeks ago. Tomorrow morning I walk to the Central Station, bus to Arlanda Airport and fly back to San Francisco. Many more posts and pictures to come. The last two weeks of the trip were non-stop with tours, lectures, day trips, and paper-writing!
Freiburg
Arrived this afternoon! I haven’t explored much yet but the city and surrounding countryside is beautiful. The yellow building in the photos is the hostel I am staying at.