Eight Days and 1400 Miles in N Nevada

Didn't realize a Sat phone could be rented for $24.95 a week. Wonder if that's real or the just the first website on google? Last year when I rode Death Valley solo they were $125 a week.

https://satmodo.com/rental/?gclid=CLCD68eAxb8CFVJefgodhH4AXQ

Mastermarine and I rented one in DV a couple of years ago...i think it was a bout $60 for the week. Rented one when I did Black Rock solo in 2007. it was pretty pricy, but...i was alone.

YIKES! Nice extraction work there.

Dang bones!

I wonder about response time with my Delorme Inreach out in a places like that .I ride alone alot.And my XRR is hard to start if injured.Nice job of teaming up to help out an injured rider.

I'll try to avoid repeating everyone else's comments by summarizing:

• Departed camp @ 7:45 for an amazingly beautiful ride up Ike's Canyon.
• Excellent camp spot in Ike's Canyon.
• Frikkin' snow ain't stopping us this time!
• Stoneberger Basin is absolutely stunning. One of my favorite rides of all time. Challenging in spots and absolutely stunning views. We'll have to go back.
• Dano breaks his right wrist in a tip-over while breaking his fall. Then goes on to perform the Herculean task of riding 13.5 miles of technical, rocky jeep trail and then another 29 miles of gravel and pavement.

stats:
138 miles.7.5 hours (on the bikes).
200 miles, 3.5 hours (in the truck).


Some elaboration on the story with the state trooper.

Dano and I are riding up front when we pass the trooper at the side of the road. I start thinking to myself that maybe we should stop and solicit help or information from him. Just about then Dano pulls over and I'm thinking he had the same idea, but I believe he just needed to take a break. So I look in my mirror and see that Mark is pulling over behind us with the trooper in tow. "Great!", I think, "Mark flagged down the officer. Good job!"

Can't say enough about how helpful the officer was. He gave us some local intel - sadly that the Austin Urgent Care clinic was shut down. His best quote when asked about being the only officer in the region of small towns for miles at a time, "The towns are alright, but the hills have eyes".

The 100 mile slog back to Battle Mountain on the WR250R was just that - a slog. Sure, the little 250 will do 70, but it's a chore. At one point the bike simply died and wouldn't restart so I coasted to the side or the road and noticed the display was showing error code 19. Great. This was only half way to Battle Mountain. I cycled the power and it started up just fine. I decided to keep the pace below 70 the rest of the way.

Then the 100 mile drive back to Austin with the truck and trailer, load up the remaining bikes, Marc, and Dano, and another 100 miles back to Battle Mountain.

While filling up at the gas station in Austin a curious local struck up a conversation. I told him the tale of woe regarding Dano and said we were headed back to Battle Mountain because that's where the hospital was. He mentioned he was from Battle Mountain and said "Yeah - we got a hospital in Battle Mountain…. Not a very good one…."

I opted not to relay that message back to Dan.

Onto the pics of the day…

Packing up


Best camping spot of the trip


Mark in aspens




Even Google Earth has the snowbank we dug through



Dano about to drop into Stoneberger Basin


Danny on the KLR


Dano riding cautiously with Don and Danny keeping watch.


Dano (a.k.a Hercules)


Making arrangements for Dano once we hit pavement and got cell service.


Um… yeah… I think it's broken…


Chillaxin' in the AC with ice

There was absolutely no screw up! Accidents happen and they suck - especially when friends get hurt. No one was riding beyond their ability or taking risks (aside from the normal risks associated with back country riding).

We all felt horrible for you, Dano, and would've much preferred your (and Marc's) continued camaraderie for the next 5 days.

Heel fast!

Not from personal experience, but I was told that devices like this and the SPOT are great if you are injured beyond riding yourself out. A friend of a friend (right!) told me at the VC Gran Prix that he fell and broke his arm south of Ely down by Cave Lake and hit the SPOT. They scrambled search and rescue and he was hit with a pretty sizable bill. He said he was feeling sick after the crash and didn't want to take a chance, but in hind sight wish he had ridden out.
I don't know exactly how they work, his notified his wife and she placed the call to the sheriff department. For my money a sat phone for a short week long trip is the best. It allows you to check in and make an emergency call if needed. The only draw back is sometimes in canyons you have to wait for the satellite to get overhead. Or you have to hike a little. Last one I rented from a local cell phone/ 2way radio company it was 150.00 for the week and 25 cents a minute. Makes the calls home short and sweet.
Some of the mountain peaks out there, I have got 2 bars on my Verizon cell phone. Mt Jefferson and the top of the Clan Alpine.

Nice report, it gives me ideas.

Nice report, can't wait to see how you guys continue the adventure.

I rode Jefferson and Ophir east to west last week. I would have been heartbroken to see that snow bank at the top after the climb. Jefferson was in great shape and a pleasure to ride. Ophir was a bottomless zero traction bitch. The climb kicked my ass. I think a descending it would have been very difficult if not impossible to keep ones speed in check.

Sorry to hear about the broken wrist.

Nice ride report.

I'm sure Mark and the rest of the crew, are shifting priorities. He does a ton of photo editing not used by pocket camera riders. Some good places for you to check out - on the way.

I'll jump in and initiate day 4…

Due to the previous day's issues we ended up back in Battle Mountain a day early. We'd missed some really cool sections of day 3's intended route and all of day 4's route. We had two options:

1) Shift our days forward - i.e. begin day 5's route on day 4.
2) Take a day off - or partial day off - and improvise an easy day 4.

We opted for #2. So we took advantage of the extra night in the hotel to do laundry, a little bike maintenance, and do a relaxing ride.

We figured we could make an easy loop leveraging part of day 4's planned route which included part of the TAT. We'd also spotted a cool observatory on the mountain range east of 305. Having ridden 305 three times the previous day I'd plenty opportunity to look around. The observatory was Mt. Lewis Observatory.


Tracks for day 4


The terrain was easy, the pace mellow, and the views outstanding. Combine that to riding without any of the camping gear and we had a wonderful day of rejuvenation.

Taking in the views at Maryville Summit


Don enjoying the easy pace.


Mark staging a shot

The pace quickens.... well for a section anyway.

The climb to the observatory was a hoot. Plenty of twists and turns over a 12 mile section that climbs from 5000 to 9600 ft.





Final section




Mark pointing out Battle Mountain










Riding the saddle over to the radio towers






Must get some strong winds here


Looking back to the observatory




Well earned dinner at El Aguila Real


Daily stats: 95 miles. 4.5 hours.

nice pics you guys , Greg the Google Earth pics are cool.

Adding to Greg Pictures.

This is the morning Marc took Dano to Reno Air where he had a full day waiting for flight. The Husky was secured on trailer at the ABV Inn. We looked for a day ride before starting the Northern Loop w/ 4 riders. Looks like a giant golf ball on that hill. Let's go see:

Good road with some view


Greg zooming in on Mark



Some of the canyon scenery




Climbing in elevation - 9200' to the top


Lonely out there and dark. Darker than a black cow's tucas....


They stopped to reload




Biggest golf tee ever

Danny climbing the Nevada OSHA approved ladder


Almost anything transmitting wireless is here. Mark spotted some seismic equipment. Mike's a com guy, but we had to make up our own stories on this trip.


Do something exciting

still waiting
Nice loop in perfect weather. Back to ABV for the night and on to the Northern Loop.

Excellent!

That track that goes through the snow will take you back down the east side of this mountain. We came up that way a few years ago and it was magnificent. Com guy working on the golf ball told us this is an FAA/USAF site and that they keep the road open 365 days a year. In the winter, they have 2 snow machines to plow the road, one of them parked about half way up.

Great report you guys. I'll have to get down there sometime.

Great stuff guys....keep it comming!

First gotta get Mark on board for the Mt Lewis day ride, and next day's ride to Denio from Battle Mtn.