Wherever I May Roam - One Woman Livin' on a DR650

Happy (belated) Birthday and best wishes for great journeys ahead.

Happy Birthday ... looking forward to more travel adventures.

Hope the bike, gear ... and teeth are now well sorted.

Rubber Side Down ... and Sunny Days!

florida is a big state. where is your destination?

Have and excellent Birthday and what a way to start your trip, all fixed up, a friend to travel with, birthday done, and a complete on line clinic on how to ride!

Awakening from a pleasant night's sleep which was far warmer than I'd had in Lone Pine, I feasted on some granola bars and packed my bag for a day hike. My plan was to find a secluded area to celebrate Halloween night, as there were far more people at the hot springs than I'd anticipated.

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After chatting with my neighbor for a while and trying in vain to get photos of the deafening low-flying jets from the nearby naval base, I decided to check out the area. First up were the bathrooms, and Nip's art of the local wildlife, which definitely gave them some character.

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I spied a Vanagon in the distance. Either that vehicle's more capable than I give it credit for, or those were some pretty determined drivers!

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The main area, where I'd soaked the night before, was shaded by palm trees, and had a very nice lawn planted and maintained by the camp host, Lizard Lee. The contrast between this shady, cool oasis and the unforgiving desert was remarkable.

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Naked people were everywhere, which made capturing photos without them a unique challenge. Showering, soaking in the pools, washing dishes in the sink (plumbed with hot and cold running water from the springs!). I don't really mind other people's nudity, and after all, it's expected at hot springs, but the people here took it to another level. I saw quite a bit of nude hiking, bicycling, and one highly memorable gentleman riding a motorcycle wearing nothing but a bathrobe, which seemed to be an ill-advised idea to me. To each their own!

This was the "Sunrise" pool, named for its nice early-morning views:

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This is the Crystal pool I enjoyed. Of all the pools, I think it's the nicest, with shade, a perfect temperature, somewhat shielded from the wind, and just plain pretty. It was amazing to think that for everything I saw, somebody had to haul the materials all the way out here.

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Of course, there were regulations. I didn't hear any drumming during my stay here, but apparently it's enough of a problem that they had to make a rule about it.

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After a while of soaking up the atmosphere, I decided to get on with my search for solitude before the day grew too hot. A sign informed me it would be 3/4 of a mile to Palm Springs, and the route was well-traveled, packed dirt. As I arrived, I discovered why - there were a ton of people camped here too! Camping equipment spilled from oversized trucks and cluttered up the landscape. Damn. I wasn't able to find the "volcano" pool. The Wizard pool looked nice, but with no shade in sight, I wondered why it was so popular.

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One more spring to check out, but this one was more of a trek, another 2.5 miles up the road. After Palm Springs, the road turned into a nasty, sandy wash. I was happy I'd decided to check it out on foot instead of taking the bike. Some riders go this way, aiming for Steel Pass and the Eureka Dunes, but some parts were definitely above my skill level, especially fully loaded.

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I stopped to take a break. The sun was scorching, and I hunted for shade. There was no vegetation within a mile taller than my waist, but the wash had carved away the surrounding banks a good four feet, so I hid from the sun as best as I could, downed some water, and had a small snack. It was dry. Very dry.

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As I continued, I saw a landmark in the distance. Somebody had carved a peace sign into the side of this big red hill.

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Just when I thought I would never arrive, I found it! Inside a chain link fence designed to keep out the mules, was the upper springs. These two pools were completely undeveloped, surrounded by reeds and a couple of palm trees. This one had a significant amount of slimy algae, and was fairly cool in temperature.

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The pool next to it was much hotter, and was smaller, with room for maybe two people.

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I stripped and had a nice soak in the hot water for several hours. I hadn't seen a soul since I left Palm Springs. I felt a bit awkward skinny dipping in broad daylight, but I figured I needed to get used to the idea somehow, and the water was perfect to relax in after my hike.

The return trip was fairly uneventful, other than the fact that I was an idiot who only brought a liter of water, so I was running pretty low. As I passed Palm Springs, a nude old man with huge beard shouted to me that there was going to be a big party there this evening, "even bigger than the one at the lower springs", and gestured to an empty card table they were setting up for the event. After rehydrating myself with some of the water I'd foolishly left in my tent, I wandered to the communal area, where a large number of people had gathered for the potluck party, many of them in costume. This was the most clothing I'd seen since my arrival.

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My neighbor introduced me to the others, and we chatted for a bit. One of the women asked me what I thought of all the guys "Donald Ducking it". "What's that?" "Oh, you know, when they wear a t-shirt but no pants, like Donald Duck!". We laughed. There were certainly a lot of guys doing that. I can't imagine getting sunburn would be pleasant...

A group from Maine, calling themselves the "Mainaiacs", had even brought and carved pumpkins!

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Also, there was lots of food!

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The sun began to set, and I went back to the tent to grab my headlamp. On the way back, I heard what sounded like somebody trying to break down a fence, and decided to check it out. What I found were these troublemakers!

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They were absolutely fearless, and they seemed to be trying to get into Lee's camp area. Maybe they were expecting to be fed? The lighter brown female came up to me and I tentatively tried to pet her. She seemed to enjoy it, pushing against me, and then turned around. I know better than to stand behind anything with hooves, so I moved to the side and scratched through her dusty fur. So much for "wild" animals! They sure were cute though. I wanted to pet the baby's gigantic, comically fluffy ears, but every time he'd come close, the others would shoo him away from me.

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Back at the party, I ate and shared stories with the others. Everybody I met seemed amazed that I was out here by myself, on a bike. It made me proud of my accomplishment. After it grew dark, I spun poi a bit, which a few people seemed to enjoy. The Mainiacs invited me along as they went back to their camp for more booze. They had apparently packed a van full of liquor, costume pieces, and food. I ended up wearing a Rastafarian wig and getting a bit tipsy.

We went for a walk up to Palm Springs, to see what was going on there. After more alcohol, food and conversation, we soaked in the Wizard spring. All in all, a great way to spend an evening!

Good folks at Saline Springs!

My buddy Dirtbag crashed a few miles from there. Some nice folks drove him to the springs in their camper while members of our group rode all the way back to Goldpoint to get a truck.
He was in a lot of pain so the same people drove him to Bishop to get him medical attention, which was very nice of them considering they just got there.

He had a broken hip and the biggest bruise I have ever seen...
...it covered about half of his back and he's not a little fella!

Since the spring is just a brief stop on a 200 mile ride we call "The Death Ride" I never knew there was more than one spring. I will have to check it out.

Sorry I've been slackin' on the updates. We've been through several dozen small towns and even though we haven't been going very far every day, it always seems like there aren't enough hours to really sit down and get internet stuff done. It'll get better once we move into more populated areas, I haven't seen a Starbucks since Roswell. I'm at least going to reply to PMs tonight.

We headed through Roswell, Carlsbad (caverns tour was awesome), took a 40 mile or so dirt road from Marfa down to texas 170, which is one of the best, most rollercoastery roads I've been on yet, lots of rolling dips and delightful curves. I could ride that highway all day!

Met up with NomadGal/Esther and had a blast today cruising through Big Bend National Park, including a pretty nice dirt road today. Further plans in the state involve looking at some pictogram art in Comstock, visiting Sonora Caverns and possibly heading to South Padre island at Esther's recommendation. Further recommendations are welcome! Oz and I have nothing but time...

There has to be more stuff here than just empty ranchland/scrubland/desert! I am starting to miss trees...

Be aware that Spring break is in full swing and South Padre to Galveston is going to be full of drunken college kids and campgrounds will be full. I suggest an alternative, riding east into the heart of the TX Hill Country around Kerrville or Fredricksburg and ride the three sisters, HWY's 335, 336, and 337 between Leakey, Vanderpool and Utopia which are in the top five highways to ride in Texas. Incredible views and elevation changes, many biker friendly places to camp or eat. There's a great vintage bike museum in Leakey. Enchanted Rock State park is an hour or two away with more indredible views and camping, primitive or otherwise. The spring flowers are all starting to bloom so you have great smells to go with the great views. Riding the hill country in the spring is the closest thing to heaven there is in TX. IF you want trees, Lost Maples state park is near Utopia, as is the Frio River lined with fantastic campgrounds and huge cypress trees. It is truly the jewel of TX.

Hey, thanks for the tips! I have been digging the wildflowers along the way so far! I'll definitely check out the areas you mentioned. Sounds way better than tourists...

+1 on South Padre this time of year, stay away! Glad all three of you are having a great time. Carlsbad is amazing, I remember the first time I went as a kid. Grew up in Albuquerque, we call the biggest of the scrub brush trees!

I'm really looking forward to the Sonora Caverns. I ran into a lady who said something like "I've got 30 years of caving experience, on six continents, and Sonora is the most beautiful cavern I've seen", so that should be interesting.

I just wish I could take better pictures of caves. Need a bigger sensor, blah. I'll try the crappy point and shoot I have this time, maybe it'll help.

Also, it's not a tree unless I can string a hammock up to it, in my book... I miss being able to use that hammock!

The Mainiacs had mentioned that I should drop by their camp in the morning, as most of them were leaving. After waking up, I did just that. I enjoyed a nice breakfast of leftover potluck food and some orange juice. They were already getting into the alcohol – champagne and tequila shots. A bit too early for me...

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We bid farewell. Definitely glad I bumped into them, they were a fun crowd!

I decided to spend this day simply relaxing. One of my first priorities was a shower, which was super awkward, as there was zero privacy whatsoever. The shower was located next to to the main gathering area, and people were constantly walking by. It was nice that there was a hot shower available though, and I tried to brush off the self-conscious feeling that everybody was staring at me as I bathed.

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Next to the shower was a cute little tub, good for a soak if the other pools get too busy! I’m not quite so sure about people using soap to wash though, I think these drain out to the fire break with the rest of the water. Not really so great for the environment.

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I walked around a bit and noticed that there were koi living in the stream created by the pool runoff. There was also a kiddie pool and some benches to enjoy the surroundings.

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I filtered water from the sink, which probably wasn’t necessary as people drink it unfiltered all the time, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I charged my electronics with the solar panel and read part of a book. I spent a long time soaking in the Crystal pool. Paradise.

This is the source, where all this magnificent hot water comes from. No swimming is allowed.

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After dark, I was soaking with a few guys and mentioned that it was amazing that a place like this exists at all, in the middle of nowhere, especially for free. One of the guys agreed "Yeah, I think this is what that those expensive resorts try to be, but they just can’t quite capture it." Somebody mentioned that one of the reasons the hot springs were so relaxing is that the water contains lithium. Hmmm...

One of the guys (who I have unfortunately forgotten the name of) was running around with a small UV light looking for scorpions, which apparently fluoresce bright yellow. There were dozens of tiny scorpions around the camp, though they mostly kept to themselves, in the wood pile and brush. We decided to go on a night hike to the Wizard pool, where the extra-hot water was a nice contrast to the breeze and cold beer. Much entertainment was had trying to identify some of the thousands of stars visible in the night sky – without light pollution, the air was so clear you could see the Milky Way. Our return to camp was illuminated by the full moon.

The next day, I managed to find a tiny patch of cell signal and got a belated text from my friend. Apparently, one of the people we were going to go hiking up Mount Whitney with had contracted pneumonia, so the trip was postponed for another week or so. I wasn’t sure about this plan, the mountains had already gotten a dusting of snow, and the later it got in the season, the more we were pushing our luck. Either way, I had more time to stay at the springs if I wanted to. I was very indecisive, I had only planned to be out here for a few days and was out of food. Damn!

In the end, I decided that I didn’t want to be one of the infamous "moochers", asking people for food handouts, and that I could always come back some other time when I am better prepared. I didn’t feel like waiting around a week for my friends either, it seemed time to move on. After I spent a few hours saying goodbye to various people I’d befriended, I packed up my camp. My neighbor gave me this piece of art he’d done as a going away present. Awww, thanks!

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Due to my indecisiveness, my departure was quite late. It was slow going down the springs road due to sand. For whatever reason, it seemed a lot worse than it did on the way in, though I’m not sure how that could have happened. Maybe I was just too tired to care as much then!

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I stopped to take a break before tackling Saline Valley Road. I think this is a primitive grader? It looked pretty heavy.

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Back on the main road, I was greeted with my good friend sand again. Lovely. Some day I will be able to go faster than 10mph through sand, but today was not that day.

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This dip was exciting! It was pretty steep. Just hold on and don’t stop.

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I was chasing the setting sun. It was already late when I left, but now, the sun was fading behind the mountains.

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Some parts which were an effortless downhill on the way in became a bit more stressful on the way out, such as this steep hill. Lots of loose rocks, but I found myself not even paying them much mind. Just gas it. I really didn’t want to be facing this road after dark.

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Bye Saline Valley! I’m sure I’ll be back someday!

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I was on a mission. I managed to get through the canyon before darkness fell, but not quite to the abandoned buildings. In fact, in the dark, that same sandy corner I had trouble with on the way in snuck up on me and I had a "hey, wasn’t there some sand around her-SHIT!" moment, and almost lost it. I managed to kick the bike back upright though, and no harm was done.

Thoroughly chilled, I was happy to find pavement again. Back in town, a sign informed me that it was almost 10 PM. I considered my options, and rather than crash in on Nip unannounced, I decided to find a place to camp along the way. I took a side road advertising a campground, and then a sandy dirt trail, ending up making camp in a wide clearing underneath some high-voltage power lines.

I made camp, a bit paranoid that somebody would harass me for camping for free so close to a "real" campground, but my worries were unfounded. I fell asleep to the electric crackle and hum of the lines above me.

Hey Fey, found some internet in Van Holt, but very slow.
Looks like I took more than a hundred pics on our ride, so they will have to wait. Thought I'd give you this one

Here are some pictures of Fey and Oz during our ride onto Big Bend National park. Fey in the lead!

Gooood Stuuuuff!
Glad to see ya got Oz onto a dual sport bike!!!

Hey! It was great to hang out with you, even though it was brief! Thanks for the photos, and I hope our paths cross again sometime (relatively) soon! I hope I didn't scare you off too much. I promise I don't wake up drunk that often!

Yeah, he's been digging it! He still misses his Ninja, especially in the really twisty pavement bits, but at least it's one small step towards de-squidding him, haha!

Look, I even got him wearing a jacket for the first time in his five years of riding!

By the way, the Hill Country was a good call. TONS of bikes. TONS. But, really nice riding.

Sneak peak:

Big Bend with Esther!



Cruisers in Del Rio, apparently we stumbled across an annual rally...



Hill country!



Oz has been unable to sleep due to excruciating tooth pain so we're going to try to find an ADVer to crash with tomorrow and see if we can get some of his teeth extracted. Here's hoping!

"Oz has been unable to sleep due to excruciating tooth pain so we're going to try to find an ADVer to crash with tomorrow and see if we can get some of his teeth extracted. Here's hoping! "
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Ya sure it's not sinus infection?? If indeed in the mouth.. floss and gargle peroxide... and most importantly eat LOTS a GARLIC! My buddy was going in for x-rays and maybe antibiodics... but cleard it up himself when he started thinking straight again!

He has several teeth that are straight up half missing and nothing but black cavity... somehow after years of this the root hasn't died yet. Normally it doesn't bother him too much but the last week or so he's had to sleep propped up or the pain is just too unbearable.

Normally yeah gargle and garlic is what I do but I think his is a bit too far gone...

Waiting in the ER in Lufkin, TX for Oz to get his teeth checked out. He describes the pain as "feeling like somebody is driving a drywall screw into my jaw", probably hella infected. He ate enough painkillers to fear liver damage and the agony continues. Hopefully they'll fix him up good.

On the up side, apparently there's a Rainbow Gathering like 3 miles away from where we've been camping in the Angelina National Forest. We've been confused for hippies twice now. I've never been to one of these but we're gonna check it out.

This should be interesting.

I love rainbow gatherings, people always tell me I'm a hippy, so who am I to argue with them.
Last time I was at one of those gatherings I got myself some fitted handmade moccasins, awesome!!
Keeping my fingers crossed for Oz!