nOOb vaLLey raLLy - Death Valley

Redbull Addict · 12-10-2007, 10:11 AM

About a month ago, I proposed a noob trip through Death Valley. The idea was to travel in a group and see the sights, get some good riding in and help each other out when the going got tough.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279717

The idea seemed to catch on and within a couple of weeks we had close to 30 people interested in attending.

The plan was to meet in Ridgecrest, California on Friday and ride up to Death Valley via the Trona Pinnacles, Panamint Valley to Butte Valley into Furnace Creek. From there, the next 2 days would be spent exploring the valley on pavement and trails. The only kink in the plan was the weather.

A week before the event, a storm was forming and heading straight for California and causing concerns for flooding, very low temperatures and snow at higher elevations. In the last 2 days before our departures I had a flurry of emails and many posts on the thread with warnings, concerns and people canceling. Our group dropped from 30+ to down to about 12, but in the end 21 guys showed up to brave the rains, winds and low temps.

Guess what...we had a blast!!!!

1. Tom - Red Bull Addict - X Challenge
2. Dave - DaveBro - Dakar
3. Jim - Spafxer - 950ADV
4. Matt - River Rat - DR650
5. Jamin - Benjamin - NX250
6. Roger - Wheel Dog - KLR650 (Alaska Plates)
7. Dan - 650XL
8. Paul - Mr. Bike - GS1150
9. Alex - Alegado - GS650
10. Gary - Broken Spoke - 625 SXC
11. Mike - Nowwhat - 950SE
12. Mike - Osii - VStrom
13. Mike - IB Mike - GS1150ADV
14. Mike - Dog House Riley 650XL
15. Mike - Design4D 950SE
16 Jeff - Tahoeacr 990ADV S
17. Pete - Rat Man 350XL
18. Tahi - 86D4LIFE 950ADV
19. Andy - Senor Peligro - GS650
20. Ben - Ben Java - KLR650
21. Joel H8chains - 640A

Thanks to Joel for putting the list of attendees together. With my memory, there's no way I would be able to remember all the names, the screen names and the bikes....

Anyway...let's have everyone chime in with their comments and pictures now.

Friday - 8am
With all the dire forecasts of rain and more rain, I was shocked when I woke up and looked out the window.

Redbull Addict · 12-10-2007, 10:26 AM

Here I am packed and ready to go...glad I wasn't riding. it was a steady rain for hours.

The rear was sagging pretty well.

Arriving at the Walmart parking lot I find some of the boys already there...

Packing for the weather.

Apparently, Joel's most prized item of his bike is the seat.

Better protection than a condom.

Redbull Addict · 12-10-2007, 10:40 AM

Redbull Addict · 12-10-2007, 10:51 AM

Some of the machines....

Zen Slug · 12-10-2007, 11:10 AM

2on2off · 12-10-2007, 11:13 AM

Redbull Addict: Nice rig. I have a silver FJ as well. Ever thought about putting air bags on the rear springs to level out your load when hauling your X? I'm thinking about putting some on my FJ.

I looked at the XChallenge before buying my XR650L and putting a 4.0 gal. IMS fuel tank on it. I couldn't find any reasonable way of adding more fuel to the X when I was thinking about buying one.

How did you manage at DV with only a 2.5 Gal fuel tank? Did you carry extra gas with you and if so how?

Looking forward to all the coming pics of your great weekend ride. Good job organizing the whole event.

SFKLR · 12-10-2007, 11:14 AM

I gotta know how one makes their own stickers like that "Noob Ride" one.

AngryScot · 12-10-2007, 11:17 AM

peter_sd · 12-10-2007, 11:18 AM

cant see the pics, Sounds like it was a nice ride

Moraflex · 12-10-2007, 11:19 AM

Looked like fun. No panniers so I was grounded. Looking forward to the rest of the report.

BigDogAdventures.com · 12-10-2007, 11:24 AM

Oh man I love this Bad Boy !!!!!

Was neat to see the bike on the back of the FJ--as I have one too---black.

When I bought it I was thinking you couldn't haul a bike on the hitch because of the spare tire-------I see I was wrong !!!!

But that Mo-Fo pulls my bike trailer like nothing !!!

I've not been to death valley--and always enjoy reading about it and looking at the pictures--------on with the show.

GB · 12-10-2007, 11:25 AM

Oh ya, let's see the X-Challenge in action!!!

Nowwhat · 12-10-2007, 12:21 PM

Thanks again Redbull....

The Stats....note the top speed upper right....the speedo said 137...what a tease...

The Road selection...

Some were too good..

Some were too bad...

Some were just right....

Sometimes there were no roads....

Sometimes there were roads but we still were lost...note the tracks...left...right...left....

Nowwhat · 12-10-2007, 12:25 PM

Sometimes the roads were covered....

Sometimes they were steep, rocky and famous

Sometimes they were sandy enough to cause you to be trapped under your bike until help arrives...thanks again boys..

Nowwhat · 12-10-2007, 12:28 PM

Sometimes the roads had interesting signs...

Or interesting landmarks

Sometimes they were longer than expected...note the extra fuel I am dumping into my empty tank...

12-10-2007, 10:11 AM	#1
Redbull Addict ^OP I need another one... Joined: Jun 2006 Location: San Jose / Truckee Oddometer: 1,262	nOOb vaLLey raLLy - Death Valley About a month ago, I proposed a noob trip through Death Valley. The idea was to travel in a group and see the sights, get some good riding in and help each other out when the going got tough. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279717 The idea seemed to catch on and within a couple of weeks we had close to 30 people interested in attending. The plan was to meet in Ridgecrest, California on Friday and ride up to Death Valley via the Trona Pinnacles, Panamint Valley to Butte Valley into Furnace Creek. From there, the next 2 days would be spent exploring the valley on pavement and trails. The only kink in the plan was the weather. A week before the event, a storm was forming and heading straight for California and causing concerns for flooding, very low temperatures and snow at higher elevations. In the last 2 days before our departures I had a flurry of emails and many posts on the thread with warnings, concerns and people canceling. Our group dropped from 30+ to down to about 12, but in the end 21 guys showed up to brave the rains, winds and low temps. Guess what...we had a blast!!!! 1. Tom - Red Bull Addict - X Challenge 2. Dave - DaveBro - Dakar 3. Jim - Spafxer - 950ADV 4. Matt - River Rat - DR650 5. Jamin - Benjamin - NX250 6. Roger - Wheel Dog - KLR650 (Alaska Plates) 7. Dan - 650XL 8. Paul - Mr. Bike - GS1150 9. Alex - Alegado - GS650 10. Gary - Broken Spoke - 625 SXC 11. Mike - Nowwhat - 950SE 12. Mike - Osii - VStrom 13. Mike - IB Mike - GS1150ADV 14. Mike - Dog House Riley 650XL 15. Mike - Design4D 950SE 16 Jeff - Tahoeacr 990ADV S 17. Pete - Rat Man 350XL 18. Tahi - 86D4LIFE 950ADV 19. Andy - Senor Peligro - GS650 20. Ben - Ben Java - KLR650 21. Joel H8chains - 640A Thanks to Joel for putting the list of attendees together. With my memory, there's no way I would be able to remember all the names, the screen names and the bikes.... Anyway...let's have everyone chime in with their comments and pictures now. Friday - 8am With all the dire forecasts of rain and more rain, I was shocked when I woke up and looked out the window.

12-10-2007, 10:51 AM	#4
Redbull Addict ^OP I need another one... Joined: Jun 2006 Location: San Jose / Truckee Oddometer: 1,262	Some of the machines.... Redbull Addict screwed with this post 12-10-2007 at 11:08 AM

12-10-2007, 11:13 AM	#6
2on2off Head'n somewhere new Joined: May 2007 Location: Central California Oddometer: 982	Redbull Addict: Nice rig. I have a silver FJ as well. Ever thought about putting air bags on the rear springs to level out your load when hauling your X? I'm thinking about putting some on my FJ. I looked at the XChallenge before buying my XR650L and putting a 4.0 gal. IMS fuel tank on it. I couldn't find any reasonable way of adding more fuel to the X when I was thinking about buying one. How did you manage at DV with only a 2.5 Gal fuel tank? Did you carry extra gas with you and if so how? Looking forward to all the coming pics of your great weekend ride. Good job organizing the whole event. __________________ Jim I came to ride...........

12-10-2007, 11:17 AM	#8
AngryScot WeeBeastie Joined: Aug 2006 Location: ☼ Ca ☼ Oddometer: 18,210	__________________ ⊕R1200GS⊕ ⊕Zuma 125⊕ Save $5 on Smugmug "so9RUAXlMm0bE"

12-10-2007, 11:24 AM	#11
BigDogAdventures.com Fart Letter Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Mt. Vernon, Illinois Oddometer: 3,830	Oh man I love this Bad Boy !!!!! Was neat to see the bike on the back of the FJ--as I have one too---black. When I bought it I was thinking you couldn't haul a bike on the hitch because of the spare tire-------I see I was wrong !!!! But that Mo-Fo pulls my bike trailer like nothing !!! I've not been to death valley--and always enjoy reading about it and looking at the pictures--------on with the show. __________________ Mark Sampson Click here for BigDogs full length DVD movies http://bigdogadventures.com/Video.htm www.bigdogadventures.com Why in the heck did you buy a 250 ?? "Because they were all out of 175's" "The less the merrier" "I'm so old, I don't even buy green bananas"--Quote: Jimmy Dickens "The older I get--the bigger my rear sprocket gets" "It takes 12 HP to ride around the world--the rest is wheelspin"

12-10-2007, 10:26 AM	#2
Redbull Addict ^OP I need another one... Joined: Jun 2006 Location: San Jose / Truckee Oddometer: 1,262	Here I am packed and ready to go...glad I wasn't riding. it was a steady rain for hours. The rear was sagging pretty well. Arriving at the Walmart parking lot I find some of the boys already there... Packing for the weather. Apparently, Joel's most prized item of his bike is the seat. Better protection than a condom.

12-10-2007, 10:40 AM	#3
Redbull Addict ^OP I need another one... Joined: Jun 2006 Location: San Jose / Truckee Oddometer: 1,262

12-10-2007, 11:10 AM	#5
Zen Slug Spineless Adventurer Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Near Vana Oddometer: 5,944

12-10-2007, 11:14 AM	#7
SFKLR BeniciaKTM? Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Benicia, CA Oddometer: 1,000	I gotta know how one makes their own stickers like that "Noob Ride" one.

12-10-2007, 11:18 AM	#9
peter_sd Adventurer Joined: Sep 2007 Location: So Cal. Oddometer: 67	cant see the pics, Sounds like it was a nice ride

12-10-2007, 11:19 AM	#10
Moraflex Banned Joined: Sep 2007 Location: San Dimas California Oddometer: 1,342	Looked like fun. No panniers so I was grounded. Looking forward to the rest of the report.

12-10-2007, 11:25 AM	#12
GB Mod Squad Joined: Aug 2002 Location: Toronto, ON Oddometer: 53,440	Oh ya, let's see the X-Challenge in action!!! __________________ ADV decals, patches & flag? Here

12-10-2007, 12:21 PM	#13
Nowwhat I'll Go Second... Joined: Mar 2007 Location: On the Ground Laughing Oddometer: 3,667	Thanks again Redbull.... The Stats....note the top speed upper right....the speedo said 137...what a tease... The Road selection... Some were too good.. Some were too bad... Some were just right.... Sometimes there were no roads.... Sometimes there were roads but we still were lost...note the tracks...left...right...left....

12-10-2007, 12:25 PM	#14
Nowwhat I'll Go Second... Joined: Mar 2007 Location: On the Ground Laughing Oddometer: 3,667	Sometimes the roads were covered.... Sometimes they were steep, rocky and famous Sometimes they were sandy enough to cause you to be trapped under your bike until help arrives...thanks again boys.. Nowwhat screwed with this post 12-10-2007 at 03:17 PM

12-10-2007, 12:28 PM	#15
Nowwhat I'll Go Second... Joined: Mar 2007 Location: On the Ground Laughing Oddometer: 3,667	Sometimes the roads had interesting signs... Or interesting landmarks Sometimes they were longer than expected...note the extra fuel I am dumping into my empty tank...

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