On this chilly November morning I arrived in Couterville at around 10:00am. I was supposed to meet some riders from Modesto and join them on a ride to DogTown. While waiting for them to arrive, I bought a cup of coffee and visited several monuments that offer a brief history of the town.

Half an hour later, I found myself still wandering around admiring the local architecture and learning the towns history.

There are several buildings like this one in Coulterville, and for some strange reason I really like them.

After waiting for a while, there were no other riders to be seen in town so I decided to not waste any more daylight (which is already short this time of year) and go for a ride on my own.

I continued out of Coulterville on Hgw. 49 and by the time I got to Mariposa I had decided to continue on to Yosemite Nation Park for an easy day drive. From Mariposa I took Chowchilla Mountain rd. This road gives you free accsess to the park in the summer time and it is a very nice stretch of gravel road going through the forest.

The smoke rising from the trees in the distance is acontrolled burn in Yosemite National Park.

The rain that fell several days before had left the road nice and packed. In the summer time this road can be a little dusty.

Just by looking at this picture I want to go riding.

Here is my bike again. I really like this bike - from the way it looks to its performance. As you can see, I will need a set of new tires for next season and this time I will look for something more off road.

Very nice! Almost like black top.

Just like that and you are in the park. No traffic to deal with, no lines to wait in, no money to pay. Excellent!

I bet this place was beutiful several week ago when all the trees still had their leaves painted in fall colors.

I made a note to myself for next year so that I remember to come back here in early November and see this place once again.

And here it is! Hwy. 41 in Wawona.

Looking back at the road I just traveled.

I visited Yosemite National Park many times in the past but I never had a chance to visit Glacier Point. So this time was a great opportunity to do just that.

It gets pretty chilly up here at 6000 ft in late November. I'm sure glad I have heated handle grips.

The Half Dome.
Last year I hiked up there and stood on the tiny lip on the top. Awesome!

Glacier Point.
It is amazing that millions of years ago a huge glacier was covering the entire valley all the way to the top of Half Dome.

Yosemite valley down below.

The e ntire valley is trapped between giant granite walls.

A c harming little building.

It was 3:00pm when I took this picture and it was getting chilly. It was time for me to go home. Hot tea and a movie was sounding too good.
See you next time!