Turning onto Hwy 108 from Hwy 395.

Just after turning onto Hwy 108, you pass the US Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center. It always amazes me to think of these serene hills as training grounds, but indeed they are. The Center conducts summer and wintertime training schools for individuals and battallions and also tests cold-weather equipment, rough terrain vehicles, and new avalanche safety techniques. According to a Clampers plaque on the grounds, "The MWTC was established in 1951...One of the corps' most remote and isolated posts, the mission was providing cold weather training for Korea-bound trplacement personnel. The name changed to 'Marine Corp Cold Weather Training Center' after the Korea conflict. In 1963, because of its expanded role, the center was re-named 'Marine Corp Mountain Warfare Training Center', operating on a full-time basis until 1967, when it was placed on 'caretaker' status because of the Vietnam War. The training center was reactivated and has remained a full time command since 19 May 1976."

USMC MWTC.

Hard to picture this as warfare training.

As always, the ride up to the pass was phenomenal. I waved Peter on ahead because he likes to tear up the twisties while I stop every seven feet to photograph trees. The upside to this was some great pics he got of me when I pulled up behind him at a vista point. :) Highway 108 was really one of the few times on the trip when I got to play around with the Z and its handling in the twisties. There weren't Sierra-level quality twisties anywhere else along our trip, and most of my riding had been sightseeing or otherwise tearing down some straight Nevada highway. The Z really shines in the Sierras, flicking around corners and just being happy to be in gear with the tires moving. The new Pilot Roads were a perfect sport-touring choice, as they were on the SVS, and I was a very happy camper.

Life does not suck on Highway 108.

Gorgeous view of the West Walker River.

Me on Highway 108.

We stopped at the summit of Sonora Pass (9628') for some more photos and a water break. The Sierra elevation never really bothers me -- and it certainly never bothered the SVS or the Z -- but both Peter and I commented on feeling a little lightheaded when taking a short hike up to a historical marker. Funny thing, that oxygen.

Sonora Pass summit.

The western side of Hwy 108 is just as amazing as the eastern side, only with fewer places to turn out for photos. The cliffs rise sharply on either side, and sharply descending hairpins are pretty common. Again, this section of road remains sadly unphotographed due to my having too much fun riding to stop.

We did stop, however, farther down the road when it began to swoop and open up. We'd gotten behind some mouthbreather in a minivan who tore through the straights and then literally slammed on the brakes to do any kind of corner at 20mph, so Peter wisely decided to pull over and take a break and let Dingleberry get as far ahead of us as possible. It turned out that we'd stopped along a nice little river; we relaxed for a few minutes and photographed some guys out fishing -- one got a nice catch as we watched.

Hanging out along Hwy 108.

Nice little river view.

Unfortunately, once we were out of the western Sierra, we were on freeways heading back across the Central Valley and towards home. The rest of the ride was uneventful, riding through Oakdale and Escalon and a few other towns I'd been to just weeks before on my way home from the Pacific Rally in Yosemite.

All too soon, we were in our driveway again, one week, four states, and 2200 miles later.

Day's mileage: 228 miles
Day's max speed: 99 mph
Total trip mileage: 2218 miles