Death Valley 25 Jan-5 Feb.

[daveo]

Hi! My wife and I and a couple riding buddies did a bunch of Death Valley again this year, on urals...one of my buddies did a ride report on ADVRider.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202761


The weather was beautiful, 60-70F, 35F or so going over the passes. Had many more breaking things this year, took up too darn much time fixing stuff... kind of the nature of abuse I guess....but we rolled out OK in the end... what a great place to ride! So vast....Really makes you feel pretty insignificant!:shock:

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Very cool! I love Death Valley. I'm going out there to do a little mountain biking next month.

 

[80sGSfan]

thanks!

thanks!

great bikes & pictures!\\/

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the link, Dave. I read the whole thing! Good stuff! I hope to see you again this summer.

 

[Guest]

Too cool! I've wanted to go to Death Valley since my grandfather sent me pics of it when I was a little kid.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I don't know where in Death Valley you've ridden, but I'll mention some of the roads I've mountain biked on.
Aguerreberry Point, about 6 miles one way has a great view of the valley floor, second only to Dante's view. Dante's view is great but it's just a paved road.
The 9 mile road to the Skidoo site has a mill that's still in decent shape, but you have to search a little past a closed gate. Skidoo is gone.
Echo Canyon, about 10 miles one way, is a tough ride on a mountain bike, but still offers a mining camp/town in good shape at the end. It used to be owned by the Schwab family.
Cottonwood Canyon, about 20 miles one way, has a year round stream at the end. You need to hike up a 1 or 2 miles to reach it after the road ends.
The Racetrack is about 28 miles one way and washboardy. But it's cool to say you visited the place where the rocks move by themselves.
There's a couple of roads to visit the scant remains of Chloride City. The cliffs are a nice place to visit. I went on the very tough 7 mile "road" that heads northeast to the site. I saw a very nice waterfall about 3 miles in, but that was 2 years ago with all the wildflowers blooming. I sure am glad I went. I was there before the crowds heard about it on TV and just at the peak of bloom. I'll never forget the smell and seeing the entire flats submerged under two feet of water. I also got to see the Amargosa River flowing.
Sorry for the ramble. Just wanted to mention some spots you may not have been to. I've got more.

 

[daveo]

Thanks Keith! I certainly have a lot of respect for you for even attempting bicycling there! The distances are so vast! Do you drive in and camp at Furnace Creek? Please don't tell me you cycle up the Panamints! We rode about 1K miles this trip and covered ......not too much! We try to stay off-pavement as much as possible and have mostly concentrated on the areas N and west of Panamint Springs. Mostly because we wanted to hit the Palm Springs up Saline Valley for some soaking after the washboard nightmares. Then up and out over Steele's Pass. Another fun thing is getting F-18s from China Lake doing training runs down the valley, especially if they sneak up on you in the Grapevine Cyn. and you're the 'target' :shock: This year we were able cross the Hunter Mtn. pass, as the snow wasn't too deep, and continued down to Teakettle Junction. Stopped at the Racetrack for a bit as my wife has never been there. and then down the Lippencott Mine road for some mechanical breakdown fun. The Racetrack road isn't so washboarded this year, compared to last, when I lost a taillight and turn signal somewhere, but the Saline Valley Rd. is jacked up pretty good. There's no gas at Scotty's Castle as of now, not sure when there will be again. We had planned to do Gohler Wash, up to the old Manson family hangout, but ran out of time and were tired of fixing things. Not sure if we'll go up Mengel Pass to get there or go around by Skidoo and Ballarat.That's for next time though. We also did Deadman's Pass again, going down to Shoshone, as well as a run up to Rhyolite and Beatty, that was on pavement though. We also went to the old Talc mines at Warm Springs, that was neat, the dorm buildings are still useable for camping,(it operated till 1982) but I'm positive I won't be riding a bicycle there! Kudos to You Sir! and Bruce, I sure hope to see you again this summer also! As You Sir are a most Consumate Host, as is your lovely wife. Thank You! All my best to Steve and Casey as well.

the old pool at Warm Springs Camp

A mine in Rhyolite

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Thanks for the pics! Something about the whole area I just love. Maybe in a past life I lived there and I feel comfortable there.
That Rhyolite pic reminds me...ever visit the nearby Bullfrog cemetery? An ex-sailor died there and his headstone is such a contrast to the area he died in. The polished granite pictures an opened bible with clouds breaking and sunshine above and ships anchors/chains, etc. Like the petroglyphs at Titus you mention being defaced, I always hope that people will not steal or damage that sailors stone.
I was buzzed/targeted by an F-18 (?) at Ballarat a couple years back. I thought my map said he was out of his area but I may be wrong. He just came out of nowhere. Man, he was low. My young son was like, "wow!" Kind of a strange moment, seeing a dilapidated ghost town and a fighter jet at the same time. How far we've come.
There's a lot of places to go out that way. I wish I had the space and time to get back into dirt bikes. You guys look like you have fun. Breakdowns are a pain, but some day they'll all be good memories.