A Death Valley Ride

[Lex]

Since I am the "leader" of this forum I thought I should finally post something.. Another blush for the size of the pictures, I don't have photo editing software on my PC.

 

My friend Aldo and I made a weekend short tour out of a trip to from the Central Coast of California to Death Valley. We rode from the coast over scenic and twisty highway 58. Below is a picture of my V11 Sport on 58. This is at the east end of the "good part" of 58. Yup, the wild flowers were out:

 

See below

 

Unfortunately, this leads to the dreaded central valley of California. Straight roads, traffic and other less than idea ridding conditions. Fortunately, to east side of the valley ends in the Southern Sierra mountains. We split off from 58 and took highway 178 around Lake Isabella:

 

See below

 

Lake Isabella is a pretty area but most importantly it leads to the first good pass of the ride, Walker. At 5250 feet (1600 meters) it isn't huge but it is a nice start. From Walker pass to Emigrant pass (just slightly higher than Walker) via the Wild Rose entrance made the rest of the afternoon enjoyable. Found a campsite at Furnace Creek:

 

See Below

 

and had a pleasant evening around the camp fire. A nights rest and back on to the road (life is so rough!), this time highway 190 over Town Pass (just under 5000 feet/ 1600 meters). Here is a view from the west side of Town Pass.

 

See below

 

Back over Walker Pass, though the valley again and home via highway 58 (love that road!). Not a bad way to spend two days and 700 miles (a little over 1,100 Km). Even got home in time to wash the bike and unload/ clean the camping gear in daylight.

 

Next will be a ride after the high country opens up, probably over Tioga Pass at just short of 10,000 feet (just over 3,00 meters).

[bento]

fix yer pictures!!

[jrt]

fix yer pictures!!

pixer ye ficterers!!

[Lex]

Another reminder thant free stuff is worth what it costs. I need to get over my cheapness and get a real web site. I'll have to upload the pics one post at a time.

 

 

 

More below

[Lex]

Lake Isabella

[Lex]

Sunrise Sunday, Aldo packing his bike.

[Lex]

Panamint Valley over look

[supertwin1]

Bravo-as an "ex" Californian these photos bring tears to my eyes..I can almost smell the creosote bush from the Furnace Creek photos and the crisp mountain air!

Makes me want to be there...NOW. You guys are the lucky to grasp the moment as we all envy your wnaderlust.

Ciao-

[Admin Jaap]

Pixed fer yictures...

[zebulon]

Makes me want to be there...NOW.  You guys are the lucky to grasp the moment as we all envy your wnaderlust.

By the way "supertwin1" , how many kilometers now ?

Any troubles ?

 

By my side, i make a 500 km this WE to improve the modifications done this winter.

Now i really need to find how to setup correctly this damned fork & rear also as ohlins put me a bigger spring when adding the preload adjusting system.

 

So many kilometers to do DAMNED

 

Now i still have at least 2000 km to do before finishing the running in of the engine but now taking 5500 RPM , power & torque are really here

 

And the more important increase this damned tank which is really to small , i put 13, 2 Max

[Lex]

Pixed fer yictures...

 

Beste Jaap,

 

Bedankt,

 

Groeten,

 

Lex

[Admin Jaap]

Beste Jaap,

 

Bedankt,

 

Groeten,

 

Lex 

Flawless Dutch ... Amazing! I really appreciate that.

[Lex]

Flawless Dutch ... Amazing!  I really appreciate that.

 

Jaap,

 

I have a new customer in Holland (Thomson TV cameras) and my contact has been teaching me a few words of Dutch between the business conversations. I though you might enjoy a little Dutch from one of the "language challenged" Americans.

 

The bad news is that I can't pronounce any of it properly but one thing at a time... Maybe by the time I get over to watch the TT (given the Euro/ USD exchange rate this will not be soon) I'll at least be able to say a few simple things.

 

Cheers,

 

Lex