Death Valley Ride, 2014

[Bello]

     I'm a newcomer to Moto Guzzi, having bought a 2004 LeMans last November. I've ridden it a little, but the weather in NC has been pretty rotten all winter, so I still had not had the opportunity to take the bike out on an extended road trip. When I got an invitation to join a ride to Death Valley, I figured this would take care of that road trip issue in spades.

     Joining me on the trip was a friend from here in NC. Mike took his bike and mine in his trailer to San Antonio, TX, in mid-February. He unloaded his bike (a new water-cooled BMW GSA) and headed west, calling on customers as he went. Two weeks later, on March 1, I flew to San Antone and picked up my bike at the Residence Inn where Mike had left his Explorer and trailer. The next day I headed out before dawn to catch up with Mike. I had about 1500 miles to cover to get to LA. I was on US 90 the first day, to Van Horn, TX, then on I-10 the rest of the way.

     Here's my ride when I stopped to put on Gerbings:

 

 

     I must say that I decided to take this ride with some trepidation. My bike only had 10,600 miles on it when I bought it, but it is 10 years old. Also, I had a Ducati Multistrada a few years back, and it developed major mechanical issues pretty quickly after I got it (bad valve guides), so my confidence in Italian engineering was not high. But what are you gonna do, stay home? Not me. 

 

 

This was a blimp I saw near Marfa, TX. That dome on the underside contains either radar or infrared sensors. The blimp is raised on a tether, and from on high it can spot all living creatures below, but most notably illegal aliens. 

 

Also near Marfa was this structure.

 

This was someone's expensive idea of a joke. Although business must have been good, because they appeared to be sold out.

 

    I got to LA on schedule and met up with Mike. On Thursday we met another friend, Craig, and headed out to Kernville, but first we made a run up the Angeles Crest Highway. It wasn't open all the way, but enough for me to get a taste of it. Great road, and so close to LA. Motorcyclists were just about the only ones out.

 

   Here are Mike and Craig as we waited near Palmdale for another rider, David, to show up.

 

We made it to the Kernville Lodge that night. The next day we were on to Death Valley. Here's the obligatory photo at the entrance to the park.

 

 

     About 25 riders showed up at Furnace Creek in Death Valley. Some members of this group have been making this ride for over 35 years, and I won't argue with their experience that March is a good time to visit Death Valley. Temps were comfortable (highs in the eighties, but cooler in the mountains around). There were even flowers blooming in the desert. The next morning most of the group headed south down the valley to Shoshone, CA, for a late breakfast. Mike and I came over a small hill to find these guys.

 

 

 

They didn't have much fear of us, and were looking for a handout. When we got to the restaurant, we mentioned the coyotes, and the waitress there said they were named Ike and Mike, and that they were regulars along that stretch.

 

Also along that road we stopped at Badwater, which is the lowest spot in the western hemisphere at 282 feet below sea level.

More of our crowd there.

 

 

After breakfast I headed out on my own to see some charcoal kilns that had been built in Wildrose Canyon, which is in the Panamint Mountains on the west side of DV. I had been told the road was all paved up to the kilns, but I found out different when I got there.

 

Here are the kilns, which were built is 1879 to provide charcoal for gold and silver smelting nearby.

 

 

And one from inside one of the kilns.

 

 

Coming back down from the kilns, here's that road. Two miles of it. I wasn't sporting knobbies or a skidplate, so I took it kind of easy.

 

 

And a little further on, a shot back up towards the kilns and the mountains. The peak on the far right is Telescope Peak, the highest point in the Panamint range at 11,000+ feet.

 

 

On Sunday morning, Mike and I headed back east. With days of 570 miles to Safford, AZ, 497 miles to Ft. Davis, TX, and then a light 387 miles back to San Antonio (all in perfect weather), we finished the riding for the trip. We were able to avoid I-10 the whole way, and Mike led me on some great roads in the Davis Mountains near Ft. Davis.  In S.A. we loaded up the trailer and drove another two long days to get back home to NC.

 

      Oh, and my trepidation about the Guzzi? It didn't miss a beat the entire way, so I'm really pleased.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Great photo's and great story!!! Thank you!!

[Guzzirider]

Superb pics- thanks for sharing!

 

I had the pleasure of riding through Death Valley on a rented H*rley in July 2006- was rather warm but not as bad as I expected. Cruise control meant I could give myself a cooling water bottle shower with both hands as I cruised along.

 

A Guzzi would have been more fun but nobody was renting them out.

[footgoose]

great trip, welcome post. thanks for the inspiration.

[ObdewlaX]

Great ride tale & pics!!!

 

Do you have a twin over on the i-BMW site?

[fotoguzzi]

NICE!   liked the kiln report..and pics.

[Gino Rondelli]

Just dragged my V11 put after a 6 year hibernation with the intention of wearing it out now, I have a Norton and Guzzi addiction but politics in the NOC have led me to using my Guzzi's more, enjoyed your story and it reminded me of when my wife and I went through in 2013 June on two g650 BMW's, mine overheated half way through, I had to stop for a while to let it cool down , it was so hot I thought we'd be there till dark.

Pic of my wife at the end just before we camped at Shoshone

[belfastguzzi]

Amazing. I'm always 'bowled-over' by the pictures that are posted of the vast and often monumental spaces in America (and other continental-sized lands).