No Tour of California in Yosemite Park

[Alpe d'Huez]

The downside is that if the ToC is meant to act as advertising for tourism, California misses out on a great opportunity to showcase the state.

But there's so much else to see in the state though! Everyone already knows about Yosemite, and goes there.

As to traffic, this is fairly realistic:

As to smog and haze, this is a little extreme, but definitely happens too frequently:

I rode up Tioga Pass in 2005 and it was crowded, but wonderful, but I haven't been down to the Valley since 1994, and that was in winter. I imagine winter is still a fairly nice time to visit. You couldn't get me in there before Memorial Day and Labor Day if you tried.

 

[BroDeal]

As to traffic, this is fairly realistic:

And this is a graphic example of how bogus the argument is that putting part of a stage for one bike race through the park would somehow damage it. Heck, giving the trees a little relief from all the SUV fumes would probably help the park.

It also illustrates that disruption of other visitors could be pretty major.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Several decades ago a few friends and I had an idea for a raid on the Tuolumne - a self supported kayak adventure - after all, river-running in other National Parks was quite acceptable. Alas too many chickened out; I only did downstream stretches of that

and the Merced coming out of Yosemite. (Yes that is the top of a paddle attached to a kayaker submerged.)

And I still cant take my mountain bike into National Wilderness areas, particularly one not 30 miles from my doorstep.

I live in the same area and had some hope that one of the last Bush II executive orders would open the parks to riding - found out that he left the decision to the local park managers (taking out the national level), but it requires they have an understanding (and empathy) for mountain bikers or it will be a no go. I am not expecting the local parks to allow riding any time soon, but I am aware of some old logging roads that are at the lower edge of Sequoia and end up past Oakhurst.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

And this is a graphic example of how bogus the argument is that putting part of a stage for one bike race through the park would somehow damage it. Heck, giving the trees a little relief from all the SUV fumes would probably help the park.

It also illustrates that disruption of other visitors could be pretty major.

I live a couple of hours drive from the Yosemite Valley - I go once or twice a year usually and have never seen traffic like that, ever. I will admit I have never considered going on a holiday weekend and usually like going in the fall or winter.

 

[derailleur]

Fighting against voices like yours is what has given us this treasure. The day we give in is the day it's all lost forever.

We're not putting in condos.

We're riding our bikes through. Once a year. On those years we aren't going through Death Valley or down the PCH.

And showing off the really nice place we kept from being overdeveloped.

So chill. We could have done this. Without the crowds being allowed to mess it up. Have a backup broomwagon chasing down the peloton's litter. All part of the cost of running a race through a highly controlled environment like a municipal downtown or a national park.

Frankly, we lost it the moment we caged it, but it's pretty, even if it's artificially wild.

 

[derailleur]

While El Capitan is great those roads look really smooth to me...

That's the irony. For 3/4ths of the year the parks are pwned by heavy equipment spewing tar fumes to make those beautiful federally-maintained roads. That you're not allowed to ride on if you're drawing the attention of the planet to your nation's biggest bike race.

 

[BroDeal]

I live in the same area and had some hope that one of the last Bush II executive orders would open the parks to riding - found out that he left the decision to the local park managers (taking out the national level), but it requires they have an understanding (and empathy) for mountain bikers or it will be a no go. I am not expecting the local parks to allow riding any time soon, but I am aware of some old logging roads that are at the lower edge of Sequoia and end up past Oakhurst.

I have no problem with no biking in parks like Yosemite or Yellowstone. My chief gripe is with wilderness designation and rules that are so outdated that no difference between motorcycles and bicycles is acknowledged. I think most of this stuff should have an outer perimeter where motorized vehicles are banned and an inner perimeter that surrounds a foot traffic only zone. And horses should be grouped with mountain bikes; those things tear up trails and they crap everywhere.

 

[red_flanders]

Frankly, we lost it the moment we caged it, but it's pretty, even if it's artificially wild.

It would quite literally be logged and underwater if it hadn't been "caged". Some of it is underwater. Lesson learned well. That's just a ridiculous statement. What, because the whole world isn't wild we should keep any of it wild? I'm glad most Americans have more vision than that.

Like I've already said twice in this thread, it's not the end of the world if a bike race goes through there. It is however, totally unnecessary, as there is spectacular scenery all over the state and the Sierra.

But never mind--"we" won't be riding up any part of the Sierra anyway. If the course has failings, not going through Yosemite is the least of them.