The 10-ton bike enjoys the rest while I sign in for eight nights of backpacking using the Park's self-registration system.

OK, in my case it's "bikepacking" rather than backpacking. Henry Coe Park is known to be rather empty on weekdays, so it's useful to leave an itinerary on one's registration if travelling solo through the depths of park like I'm doing.

The park is huge and there aren't many rangers patrolling. Cell phones don't work in most of the park, except on a few high ridges, so if you seriously injure yourself, you'll pretty much be left waiting for someone to find you.

I'll be camping at the very nice Sierra View campsite tonight, where I've camped several times before. A great place to to get a wilderness feel without going very far. Just over a mile from Park Headquarters, it's located on an isolated meadow where you might feel quite alone.