Moto Guzzi USA Trip .............Yosemite and reaching the West Coast

This is the start of our last 7 days of  the 3 week trip across America entering Yosemite in early evening the temperature was dropping anyway as we headed for the Tioga Pass which had been closed earlier in the day due to the snow. Maybe one day it would be good to go back and spend a few days there rather than just riding through.
  Facts: Yosemite covers approx 3,081 square kilometres and yet out of the 3-4 million visitors every year most stay within 18 square kilometres. 95% of it is designated as Wilderness.
 When we arrived in the San Francisco area the next day I couldn't cope with how busy it was,after a traffic jam and bloody cold fog while crossing The Bay especially after 4,000 miles of virtually traffic free roads. Rather regrettably we opted not to stay in San Francisco itself and as a last resort some hotel in the suburbs. 

We picked Rick/Rich up further back at a small services where he was doing stretching exercises
and star jumps. He'd parted with his mate back in Las Vegas and asked if he could tag along.
He made a odd travelling companion as one minute he was cruising along at 50mph then suddenly we were up to 70 and then as quickly back down to 50mph.
We smiled to ourselves as he constantly seemed to be adjusting his carburettor or his belongings strapped to the bike and a couple of items including his sunglasses flew off never to be seen again !
Amusement turned to frustration and we managed to say our goodbyes at a services before we entered Yosemite

The road leading to the Tioga Pass entrance/pay booth

This is the next morning and what we woke to, having no idea previously as we
didn't book in until 10.30 - 11 pm
Probably one of our most expensive accommodations of the whole trip

Out of the Park and pulled in for fuel.
Had a brief chat with these two on their way back from World Superbike Race
in Utah

After our night in the suburbs we met up with Mark for breakfast who pointed us
the way to Skyline Boulevard and Alices Restaurant
(big meeting place at weekends for cars and bikes)
That night we stayed in a town nearer to Marks home in Hollister

Steve on the left and Mark West centre.
Via the internet/Guzzi club forum Mark had heard of our trip
and offered to meet up,taking a day off work to ride with us down some of the Pacific Coast Highway 

The Pacific

Steve - Dr Doolittle talking to the animals

Elephant Seals near San Simeon

After approximately 100 mls+ we turned inland off Highway 1
onto twisty,bumpy gravel strewn roads passing some vineyards along the way.
After a hour or two we got to Highway 101 where we said our goodbyes and Steve and Mark headed back Northwards
and we went South - no plan as such, but we ended up at Pismo Beach