Death Valley

Day 2: Easy Rider Tour – Death Valley to Barstow

 

Furnace Creek Ranch
Morning view – Furnace Creek.

A bit of a late start this morning, but no big deal.   We had a short day.    I enjoyed Furnace Creek Ranch.   Nice accomodations, and the weather was cooler here than other times I’d been to death valley.   Around 100 degrees.   Normally, this place is a blast furnace.   We mounted up, got gas, and explored Death Valley.

I used to ride to this area on a friday night, after work.   I’d forgotten how much I missed the desert.      It’s open, wide open and rugged.   The desert gets in your soul somehow.

We rode up to Zabriskie Point, and took a few pictures.     Apparently, Zabriskie point was also a  counterculture film about America in the sixties.    One I need to check out.

 

Zabriskie Point
Pete, taking pictures of the ladies. Thats how Pete Rolls.
IMG_1697
Brandon, in his natural habitat. Brandon is a good egg.
Captain America Death Valley Easy Rider Tour
John, and the Captain.

We left Zabriskie Point and headed the 16 miles to to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the US.    I’ve been to death Valley a bunch, but I’d never been here.

My bike was starting to stretch her legs.    Really enjoyable ride.

Badwater Basin, Death Valley CA
Badwater Basin, Death Valley CA – About 3/4 of the way up that hill is sea level.

From there we pressed on.    More open road.   I was really enjoying this ride.

 

Heading out of Death Valley
Heading out of Death Valley
Coyotes
Coyotes

The Aussies taught me a new word.   “crack a ton”, means break 100 MPH.    I likey.

We rode to Shoshone, California, got gas and had lunch at the Crowbar Cafe and Saloon.   There’s not much in Shoshone, and I’m not quite sure the crowbar was ready for all of us to show up.

Crowbar Cafe and Saloon- Shoshone CA
Crowbar Cafe and Saloon- Shoshone CA

Then on to Baker.   Cooled off at the Mad Greek, got an ice cream, then headed into Barstow.

We got into Barstow in the late afternoon.   The Motel there had lost the ability to program keys, and the pool was out.   Not that big of a deal.    The nice thing, is the train behind the Motel only raged past every 30 minutes or so.    It was kind of funny.    I think EagleRider thought more about it than we did.

I stayed in that night, doing some work.   The Whitehursts from the UK got married that night.    At least I think.

 

Day Two:   201 Miles


View Larger Map

Day 2: Easy Rider Tour – Death Valley to Barstow Read More »

Death Valley Weekend Trip

I dont mind riding by myself. I had a couple people who I tried to go on a weekend run, but when they couldnt, no big deal. Sometimes its nice to not have to hassle with seeing what everyone wants to do, who gets up late, or where we go, or whatever else. Im out there to RIde, see as much as I can, and push it a bit. I’m pretty self contained, always have been.

I wanted to see edwards air force base museum, So friday afternoon I headed out over the Utah Hill towards Las Vegas. Traffic through vegas was terrible. NASCAR was in vegas that weekend, and I managed to time it to go through I-15 just as the race was over. It took an hour to get down the freeway. I didnt think I’d make barstow now, so stayed the night in Jean. Called robyn and talked to her for a few, then crashed for the night.
The next morning I woke up, loaded up, and headed to barstow. The weather was really nice for march. Not much wind, and with leathers on, it was perfect. Great time to ride.

having XM radio on my bike is awesome. Being out on the open road listening to the Pittsburgh Penguins is even better. Maybe the best. I have to slow down to hear the games a bit, so the time I hit Boron, I decided to putt around town and listen to the end of the game. I’d never seen boron anyway. They beat the rangers at home, 3-2 on OT.

While cruising through Boron, I noticed a little small town museum that every little town seems to have. This one had an F-4 phantom outside, so I stopped in and checked it out. Apparantly, most of Erin Brockovich was filmed in Boron, and they had a big section of the museum showing props and pictures from the film. Boron is also named after the borax that’s mined nearby (remember 20 mule team borax?). In the museum, the lady also told me that Edwards air force museum is closed, and shown by appointment only. The museum with the F-4 next door was also closed due to some water damage a week ago. No big deal. Its all about the ride, right? not the destination. I spent about an hour at the museum, and headed out.

I doubled back and headed up to death valley. The ride was nice, and not alot of traffic. Around dusk I headed up out of the valley, and figured I’d stay in Pioche. Wrong. The only room in Pioche was next door to the whore house, and I didnt want to explain that on my credit card statement so bit the bullet and headed home. Damn NASCAR fills up every room, including pioche.

The ride home was pretty Cold, but I survived.

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=2529145954676378729,37.074110,-113.871288%3B1588160004156874949,34.898660,-117.013630%3B12610790526669746497,34.999560,-117.649730%3B8547367140846301567,36.604340,-117.105560%3B12487628570630521048,36.214630,-115.992230%3B11223778173515209210,37.133650,-113.605890&saddr=Santa+Clara,+UT&daddr=Old+US-91+%4037.074110,+-113.871288+to:Jean,+nevada+to:E+Main+St+%4034.898660,+-117.013630+to:20+Mule+Team+Rd%2FTwenty+Mule+Team+Rd+%4034.999560,+-117.649730+to:CA-190+%4036.604340,+-117.105560+to:NV-160+%4036.214630,+-115.992230+to:37.079284,-113.878784+to:W+Snow+Canyon+Pkwy+%4037.133650,+-113.605890&mra=dpe&mrcr=5&mrsp=7&sz=9&via=1,7&sll=36.569218,-114.658813&sspn=1.023524,2.570801&ie=UTF8&ll=36.315125,-115.092773&spn=1.023524,2.570801&output=embed&s=AARTsJqsk_6t_VRC-LxxxD6P-EvY8xfs0g&w=425&h=350]

Death Valley Weekend Trip Read More »