Solo in the Valley of Death

hanksmybuddy · 05-17-2011, 08:48 PM

Did a ride back in early April in Death Valley. Sitting here with nothing to do so I thought I'd post up report that I posted on a local forum here. Anyway, it's not like you haven't read a million other reports on Death Valley but thought I'd post up anyway. I live in Bend, Oregon and decided I had to get out of the cold and Death Valley would do. Plan was to trailer the bike down to Bishop, Ca., find a place to leave the rig and do a 5 day loop to the south end up back in Bishop. Left Bend in the snow and encountered more on the way down. Damn....this isn't looking too good...

After 12 hours rolled into Bishop and found a dump of a motel for the night. Walked into town and stuffed myself on Sushi. Back to the room for some route checking, packing and prepping for the ride tomorrow. Temps were suppose to be below freezing first thing in the morning so I figured I wouldn't be in much of a hurry. Plan for day one was to camp in Saline Valley at the the hot springs.

Up the next morning for some chow at McDonalds, gas and then the visitor center south of Bishop. Wanted to check on the status of North Pass as I heard that it was closed. Visitors center stated that they weren't sure of the condition and they recommended I take an alternate route. Screw that, I'm going. Damn government always errs on the side of total safety. Road was perfect, no problems whatsover. Finally started warming up around 10 so I just crept along enjoying the sites. Stopped wherever and just screwed around all day. Had plenty of time to get to the hot springs. Even found a nice warm flat rock and napped for over an hour.

I'm the type that likes to stop and screw around. I spent almost an hour poking around this old mining site. Kicking rocks, looking in holes, taking a piss, pictures and more pictures, picking my nose, scratching my ass, whatever I feel like doing. Not sure what it is but when I get out there I can just do nothing and it doens't seem to bother me. When working, no way. Always thinking of the job and what I need to do next. When camping off the bike I don't care where I end up or when I decide to stop.

Road leading down from North Pass that was suppose to be in really bad shape. WTF?

Arrived at the hot springs mid afternoon. After stopping at the lower springs decided I needed a little more solitude as I hadn't seen anybody since leaving Bishop so I skipped the lower springs which had a couple of hairy hippy chicks soaking. Neither was hot so I headed to the upper springs for a two hour soak (solo...oh yea).

After the soak found a campsite. Some burro's were roaming around the area.

Got back on the bike and rode up towards Steel Pass and the dunes for about an hour. Got back right around dusk went for one more soak at the springs. Stars were out and the constellations were incredible. Slept like a baby.....

Early morning view of the lower springs from my campsite. If you haven't been here you've got to check this place out. An oasis in the middle of the desert.

More to come.......

larryboy · 05-17-2011, 11:09 PM

Ain't nothing like a nice nap on the side of the road!!

redog1 · 05-18-2011, 11:35 AM

Was there the weekend of April 15th, had a blast, I think I'll be back one day with more time and a slower pace. Covered a lot of ground in three days with lionsroaar and surfrider26, great times and more great memories

RideDualSport.com · 05-18-2011, 12:06 PM

Most excellent Hank. For some reason as I get older, I seem to seek more solitude in my rides. It must have been awesome being out under the stars, and the hot springs are a bonus! This was funny... had a couple of hairy hippy chicks soaking. Neither was hot so I...
Nice truck by the way!
Cheers!

yellowbirdrs · 05-18-2011, 03:18 PM

nice!!
which Rd. did you take?
any GPS file to share?

StarFleet · 05-18-2011, 03:41 PM

Would be really pumped if you had a GPS file.

hanksmybuddy · 05-19-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RideDualSport.com

Most excellent Hank. For some reason as I get older, I seem to seek more solitude in my rides. It must have been awesome being out under the stars, and the hot springs are a bonus! This was funny... had a couple of hairy hippy chicks soaking. Neither was hot so I...
Nice truck by the way!
Cheers!

Concur. I like the solo rides myself. One or two people is fine but not into the big group rides. Great bunch of guys that ride out this way but just can't get into the larger group rides.

hanksmybuddy · 05-19-2011, 04:57 PM

Up early the next morning for one final soak with some hairy hippies. Talking with this group was fun. They were out there. I guess I'm too much of a conservative in the political realm. They seemed to think that our government owed them something. I never did quite understand how they figured they were owed something. After a good soak headed back to Saline Valley Road to head over South Pass enroute to Panamint Springs. After few miles I started smelling something. Stopped and found this shit. Like an idiot I didn't stop and check the straps after a few minutes like I normally do. Tent came off and was rubbing on the chain. Friggin ruined it. Hope I didn't get any rain over the next four nights or I'd be getting my ass wet. Strapped it back on as I didn't want to trash the desert. Figured I'd get rid of it in Panamint.

$200 tent trashed.......

Burro's. Tried to get close to these guys but they're pretty skittish. A group of them at the hot springs could give two shits less about people. You can walk right up on them.

Looking north from the road leading to South Pass

View from top of South Pass looking south...

Ran into this guy on top of the pass. He was character and had driven this non-plated rig up from Arizona. Stated he was taking backroads as much as possible and staying off pavement so he wouldn't get busted. Sat around and shot the shit awhile and then started dropping down to Hwy 190 for some gas and EXPENSIVE food.

Some shots on the way down..

Non plated dude from Arizona..

More to come......

PersonaNonGrata · 06-25-2011, 11:45 AM

OMG I think I know that girl. Her name is chesea and she's from Vegas. She is a sweetheart!

Christian RA40XT · 06-25-2011, 12:04 PM

Excellent pics!!!

After three weeks through rainy scandinavia i really envy you for a ride through a desert....

Ruis_Rider · 06-25-2011, 05:12 PM

Awesome RR with outstanding pics! Thanks for sharing!

monrcar · 06-26-2011, 07:32 AM

Thanks for the pics and RR!
Nice to see the human spirit is not completely bottled up.. And an odd collection at that - hippies in hot springs, souped up road warrior dune buggy, old men eating steak - cute girl on loaded 250 - and wasn't that at least one pic of a jackass! Great friggin read!

hanksmybuddy · 06-26-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PersonaNonGrata

OMG I think I know that girl. Her name is chesea and she's from Vegas. She is a sweetheart!

May have been, but I thought she mentioned she was out of Seattle. Maybe she'd been in Seattle, can't remember for sure. She was really nice but I didn't get a chance to talk long.

BigT · 03-15-2012, 10:49 PM

In case it hasn't already been asked.. What's that thing you have under your sleeping bag?
It looks like it keeps it up off the ground as well as working as a pad. Or am I missing something?

Fantastic RR btw. Looks like a terrific trip!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanksmybuddy

hanksmybuddy · 03-15-2012, 10:56 PM

BigT.....go back and check out post #21 in the report. You'll see a link there on the cot. I really like the thing. A little spendy but I'm done sleeping directly on the ground. This thing is much better than just sleeping on a pad. Packs down small and in my opinion a great piece to have.

05-17-2011, 08:48 PM	#1
hanksmybuddy ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Bend, Oregon Oddometer: 264	Solo in the Valley of Death Did a ride back in early April in Death Valley. Sitting here with nothing to do so I thought I'd post up report that I posted on a local forum here. Anyway, it's not like you haven't read a million other reports on Death Valley but thought I'd post up anyway. I live in Bend, Oregon and decided I had to get out of the cold and Death Valley would do. Plan was to trailer the bike down to Bishop, Ca., find a place to leave the rig and do a 5 day loop to the south end up back in Bishop. Left Bend in the snow and encountered more on the way down. Damn....this isn't looking too good... After 12 hours rolled into Bishop and found a dump of a motel for the night. Walked into town and stuffed myself on Sushi. Back to the room for some route checking, packing and prepping for the ride tomorrow. Temps were suppose to be below freezing first thing in the morning so I figured I wouldn't be in much of a hurry. Plan for day one was to camp in Saline Valley at the the hot springs. Up the next morning for some chow at McDonalds, gas and then the visitor center south of Bishop. Wanted to check on the status of North Pass as I heard that it was closed. Visitors center stated that they weren't sure of the condition and they recommended I take an alternate route. Screw that, I'm going. Damn government always errs on the side of total safety. Road was perfect, no problems whatsover. Finally started warming up around 10 so I just crept along enjoying the sites. Stopped wherever and just screwed around all day. Had plenty of time to get to the hot springs. Even found a nice warm flat rock and napped for over an hour. I'm the type that likes to stop and screw around. I spent almost an hour poking around this old mining site. Kicking rocks, looking in holes, taking a piss, pictures and more pictures, picking my nose, scratching my ass, whatever I feel like doing. Not sure what it is but when I get out there I can just do nothing and it doens't seem to bother me. When working, no way. Always thinking of the job and what I need to do next. When camping off the bike I don't care where I end up or when I decide to stop. Road leading down from North Pass that was suppose to be in really bad shape. WTF? Arrived at the hot springs mid afternoon. After stopping at the lower springs decided I needed a little more solitude as I hadn't seen anybody since leaving Bishop so I skipped the lower springs which had a couple of hairy hippy chicks soaking. Neither was hot so I headed to the upper springs for a two hour soak (solo...oh yea). After the soak found a campsite. Some burro's were roaming around the area. Got back on the bike and rode up towards Steel Pass and the dunes for about an hour. Got back right around dusk went for one more soak at the springs. Stars were out and the constellations were incredible. Slept like a baby..... Early morning view of the lower springs from my campsite. If you haven't been here you've got to check this place out. An oasis in the middle of the desert. More to come.......

05-18-2011, 11:35 AM	#3
redog1 KLR650-2009 Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Magalia, CA. Oddometer: 1,070	Subscibed.... Was there the weekend of April 15th, had a blast, I think I'll be back one day with more time and a slower pace. Covered a lot of ground in three days with lionsroaar and surfrider26, great times and more great memories __________________ No, I don't know where that road goes, let's find out! redog1

05-18-2011, 12:06 PM	#4
RideDualSport.com TPB all the way Joined: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Oddometer: 984	Most excellent Hank. For some reason as I get older, I seem to seek more solitude in my rides. It must have been awesome being out under the stars, and the hot springs are a bonus! This was funny... had a couple of hairy hippy chicks soaking. Neither was hot so I... Nice truck by the way! Cheers! __________________ "Nobody understands what you're know what I'm sayin" The RideDualSport Forum

06-25-2011, 12:04 PM	#10
Christian RA40XT Don't Panic! Joined: Jan 2011 Location: Ruhrpott, Germany Oddometer: 119	Excellent pics!!! After three weeks through rainy scandinavia i really envy you for a ride through a desert.... __________________ Blog Iceland 2012 Blog Nordkap 2011 Schottland 2010

06-26-2011, 07:32 AM	#12
monrcar Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Western, Oregon Oddometer: 124	Thanks for the pics and RR! Nice to see the human spirit is not completely bottled up.. And an odd collection at that - hippies in hot springs, souped up road warrior dune buggy, old men eating steak - cute girl on loaded 250 - and wasn't that at least one pic of a jackass! Great friggin read! __________________ I've got one more hill to climb.

05-17-2011, 11:09 PM	#2
larryboy Paint it black. Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Über Alles,Ca Oddometer: 12,863	Ain't nothing like a nice nap on the side of the road!!

05-18-2011, 03:18 PM	#5
yellowbirdrs Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Ags. MX Oddometer: 960	nice!! which Rd. did you take? any GPS file to share?

05-18-2011, 03:41 PM	#6
StarFleet Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2010 Location: West Coast / East Coast Oddometer: 185	Would be really pumped if you had a GPS file.

05-19-2011, 04:57 PM	#8
hanksmybuddy ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Bend, Oregon Oddometer: 264	Up early the next morning for one final soak with some hairy hippies. Talking with this group was fun. They were out there. I guess I'm too much of a conservative in the political realm. They seemed to think that our government owed them something. I never did quite understand how they figured they were owed something. After a good soak headed back to Saline Valley Road to head over South Pass enroute to Panamint Springs. After few miles I started smelling something. Stopped and found this shit. Like an idiot I didn't stop and check the straps after a few minutes like I normally do. Tent came off and was rubbing on the chain. Friggin ruined it. Hope I didn't get any rain over the next four nights or I'd be getting my ass wet. Strapped it back on as I didn't want to trash the desert. Figured I'd get rid of it in Panamint. $200 tent trashed....... Burro's. Tried to get close to these guys but they're pretty skittish. A group of them at the hot springs could give two shits less about people. You can walk right up on them. Looking north from the road leading to South Pass View from top of South Pass looking south... Ran into this guy on top of the pass. He was character and had driven this non-plated rig up from Arizona. Stated he was taking backroads as much as possible and staying off pavement so he wouldn't get busted. Sat around and shot the shit awhile and then started dropping down to Hwy 190 for some gas and EXPENSIVE food. Some shots on the way down.. Non plated dude from Arizona.. More to come......

06-25-2011, 11:45 AM	#9
PersonaNonGrata Needless Dickerer Joined: Aug 2010 Location: North of the Pecos Oddometer: 470	OMG I think I know that girl. Her name is chesea and she's from Vegas. She is a sweetheart!

06-25-2011, 05:12 PM	#11
Ruis_Rider Adventurer Joined: Dec 2010 Location: SW Virginia Oddometer: 50	Awesome RR with outstanding pics! Thanks for sharing!

03-15-2012, 10:56 PM	#15
hanksmybuddy ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Bend, Oregon Oddometer: 264	BigT.....go back and check out post #21 in the report. You'll see a link there on the cot. I really like the thing. A little spendy but I'm done sleeping directly on the ground. This thing is much better than just sleeping on a pad. Packs down small and in my opinion a great piece to have.

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