I used to live in Central OR and just a few miles east of town it looked very much the same. Even knew Wachs (who posted the Battle Mt pics). You do find lots of cool stuff out in what appears to be total nothing-ness. I always found the views from atop a butte or pass well worth the effort it took to get there. It does clear your head and unwind the mind.
^^^ There was an incident, operator error on my part... Let's just say the lesson learned was Back Up Your Computer Daily!!! At least I had posted them on Facebook!
Tuesday July 3, 2012<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> Hotels are cool. Everyone slept well. The day begins with camp kitchen set up. Coffee, tri tip breakfast burritos, menu repeat. No one has spent an extra penny on anything other than fuel thanks to excellent planning by the babes. Kitchen breakdown, pickups packed, bikes ready, babes are ready to drive west. <o></o> <?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" oreferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><vath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></vath><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="WIDTH: 3in; HEIGHT: 1in" id=_x0000_i1025 type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\Rory\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.wmz"></v:imagedata></v:shape> <o></o>We leave the hotel, pick our way through Ely's backstreets and get on SR490. This road goes to Ely State Prison, and then turns to dirt.<o></o> <o></o> Ely, NV sits about 6500' elevation so we are in the trees immediately. Bothwick Canyon to Piscovich Summit, we roll through a herd of sheep in the road and wave to their keepers. There is 1 black sheep for every 100 white sheep in the herd. Check. We pass an old cabin then see a cowboy putting a saddle on his horse next to his horse trailer. We are skirting along the toe of the mountains, over Marking Corral Summit, past Thirty Mile Ranch into Long Valley. <o></o> <o> </o> <o></o> <o></o> <o> </o> <o>North up Long Valley. We head up toward the South end of the Ruby Marshes to look for the Pony Express trail. We go over Hobson Pass and pass by the Mooney Basin Mining Project. Big project. Big haul trucks. Nobody on the road, we still own it. Nice from here up to the Ruby's. Then we find our intersection.</o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o> </o> <o>Time to deliver the mail. The road is wide and well graded here, more like the Federal Express Trail, as it could easily accomidate a trailer truck. This does not long, next crossroads we stick with the PXT and it is as you would think, shitty condition, ruts, and lots of bug dust, which is Nevada's version if silt. The ruts take their toll on one of our group. The pilot of the CRF450X decides she is not dirty enough, or sore enough. After a brief reintroduction with Mother Earth, she is fit to continue. Enough of that. The trail gets pretty western again as we need to cross the Diamond Range.</o> <o></o> <o></o> Heading up the east side of Overland Pass, there are rocks, stair steps, rock coverd stair steps, rocky stair steps, and rocky rock coverd stair steps. Huge respect for the front half of the two headed monster. Unmistakable riding skills. We get to the top and eat lunch. Top of Overland Pass looking west into Diamond Valley. 7449' The ride after lunch starts with a decent down Telegraph Canyon. Fun. The bowels of Diamond Valley are crossed, then we cross SR 278 and get back on the PXT. FYI... This next section, from Garden Pass to Roberts Creek Ranch was fun. We stop delivering the mail, and go north on Three Bars Road over McClusky Pass and into Grass Valley. McClusky Canyon is a desert oasis. South down Grass Valley Road for a quick break in the shade at Walti Hot Spring bordering the Gund Ranch. Check that. Asshole ranch hand that works for the Gund Ranch, says no shade for us. We bail and decide he is a drugstore poseur. His Wrangler's were too clean. Long peaceful ride down Grass Valley Road. I run out of gas, check the odometer, and accept that 190 miles on 4 gallons is OK. Kolpin Jr. gets dumped, happiness ensues. Back to US Hwy 50. Two minutes of slab to Bob Scott Campground. Babes are there. Babes have claimed group camp spot again. We love the babes. Bikes checked and lubed. Food. Trip odometer is having fun, Day three. Done.
There was no 4th day, all 6 riders ran out of gas and died of dehydration just outside of Hawthorne. R.I.P Two headed monster, gone but not forgotten. Seriously though, where's day 4? It's been like 3 weeks Gary!! LOL
July 14-15 2012 Stagecoach Carson City Virginia City Lockwood Sparks Moon Rocks Doyle Antelope Lake Taylorsville Genesee Lake Davis Portola Frenchman Lake loyalton Dog Valley Verdi Hunter Lake Reno Virginia City Stagecoach. Virginia Range looking northwest at Reno. Antelope Lake Store. Last quart of oil left with us. X-Files episode? Day one. Frenchman. Hunter Lake. Day two.
July 4, 2012 Breakfast. Coffee. Load up camp. Everybody needs gas. We say good bye to Bob Scott Campground, and ten minutes later we are in Austin, NV. If we would have been about a half an hour later, we could have be an entry in the 4th of July parade. Just missed it. Leaving Austin. Day four had no planned return route until last night. First thought was that we would travel north of USHWY 50 on the entire return trip and attempt to ride as much of the PXT that we could navigate from our Nevada Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas. We refered to this document multiple times daily. None of us can afford GPS. Probably safe to say that the whole crew would rather buy new knobbies than an electronic device. We decide to stay south and seek shade. Some of day one's ride is ridden backward, and what do you know, It was like a completey different ride. South down Reese River Valley there are epic views of the west side of the Toiyabe Range. Working ranches and open Nevada range land the whole way down all around us. Everything on the left side of us is hard not to look at. Four peaks over 10K, two over 11K, woods, canyon after canyon, most with roads and all with water. If you ever want to have an extremely large portion of planet earth all to yourself with no rules and no humans, for an extended period of time, this area should be on top of your short list. We eventually roll through the Yomba Indian Reservation again and notice that there is a sign stating that they will sell you gasoline if you inquire at the tribal office. Note to self. Back over Ione Summit, which was just worked over by the Nye County Road Department's motor grader. Through Ione then north to Carroll Summitt to seek shade and ride in the trees. Gas at Middlegate sounds good. Up Ione Valley to the crossroads at the Nye/Lander county line. Lean left at the intersection. Been riding a few hours now and have not passed a vechicle yet. Thinking a lot how much being retired and/or independently wealthy would not suck. We finally see pavement for the first time in a long time. We stop and look south. Gabbs? Whisky Tango Foxtrot? Too much left turn back at the crossroads. We cross SR 361 at the Gabbs Airport. Didn't even clean the dust off the knobs crossing over the asphalt. Back on Gas Line Road to deep dry blow sand. It's hot out here. It looks like how someone that has never been to Nevada would visualize Nevada here. Playa, sand, solitary broken windmill, miles and miles sparse low brush, long straight roads all surrounded by treeless mountains. Everyone is getting holiday pay from work today. I love America. We go by Deadhorse Well and over Ryan Pass. Down Ryan Canyon right through the center of the Hawthorne Army Depot and into downtown Hawthorne, NV. Gas is purchased by all and followed by a quick departure. A few minutes of slab on SR 359 to Lucky Boy Pass for lunch. Back in the trees. Much cooler up here. Lucky Boy Pass looking northeast at Hawthorne. Food was good. We hit Bodie Road and head to Ninemile Ranch. Going north now pointed toward home. Going by the Walker River. Lots of Cottonwood trees. Pass the Hilton Ranch and their private airport, the place Steve Fawcett flew out of before crashing his plane. Pass the Flying M and get on some BLM trails, and everyone suddenly is on the gas. 900 miles into a four day ride and a desert race in on. The front half of the two headed monster, 950 KTM guy, and 690 KTM guy team raced the BITD Vegas to Reno a few years ago. These guys rip. Tired and smiling we pass through Wellington and get on Artesia Road then up and over Sunrise Pass. 950 KTM guy smells home and hits 6th. That is the last I see of him. We cut toward Mexican Dam along the Carson River. The two headed monster turns left and peels off. We get back to US HWY 50 on the east side of Carson City, KTM 690 and CRF450X go straight and I turn east. Good Times with good people. Could not have done it without the babes. Thank you babes. Trip odometer had fun again. Day four. Done.
Haven't checked in in a while. Been riding this. Because this happened to Chane. It's ok now. Did this yesterday. More updates soon. Best time of the year to ride in Northern Nevada.