BMWST.com's Death Valley Daze, Martin Luther King Weekend: January 18-21, 2008!

[KMG_365]

After a very fun and successful Pre-Run this last weekend it looks like . . .

 

The Exchange Club in Beatty, Nevada will work out great for this year's DVD/MLK Ride January 18-21, 2008!

 

 

Here are the details you need:

 

Call the Exchange Club directly at: 1-775-553-2333 to reserve your room. Just tell them you're with the "BMW Sport Touring group" and again the dates for the weekend are Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, if you can stay until Monday grab Sunday the 20th, too if you want. Usually about half the group stay Sunday night as well and head out on Monday. [/b]

 

We've worked out a group rate of $40.00 + tax ($43.60/night total for single or double occupancy) so confirm the rate when you book in case the person at the desk didn't get the message. They have 44 rooms, but a dozen or so are smoking rooms. They also have two mini suites (one with a jacuzzi!), but I don't know the rates for those. Talk to "Pat" if there is any problem or concern. Each room has a desk with broadband internet (BYO Ethernet cable or they have a few to lend at the front desk) and there is a fridge in most all the rooms I checked out. There is cell service there for most carriers (except Nextel) so you can bring your homework if you need to too! There is free coffee in the lobby each morning, but it's Nevada coffee so don't say I didn't warn you. They're all very nice and are really looking forward to hosting our group!

 

 

More details:

 

The best food in town is at The Ensenada Grill, which is just two blocks down the street (I clocked it at exactly .25 mile) and serves delicious, hearty, reasonably priced breakfasts from 07:00 and Mexican/American lunches and dinners. They can seat 45 people, but the only downside is that they don't serve beer or wine.

 

The best pizza in town is at The Sourdough Saloon directly across the street. They have a large old bar in the front and they have another room in the rear with a dozen smaller tables and a few pool tables. They said we can use that room to gather in (no charge!) and at the Pre-Run the bar was packed on Saturday night, but we pretty much had the back room to ourselves. Their pizza is VERY good and a good deal, too. I recommend the "Miner's Special" which is a "works" pizza with at least six toppings and is only $17.00 for a fairly loaded 16" pizza! They also have many beers on tap for $5.75-$6.75 per pitcher (three full glasses) and with enough notice will make sure they have whatever we want to have on hand for the weekend! When the numbers for our group start to get solidified, we'll do a poll for beer choices as the time draws near!

 

Interestingly, there were a bunch of BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and VW parts mounted to the walls that were signed by the German testing teams who do their extreme temperature testing for new models in Death Valley during the summers! We should bring a tupperware panel and all sign it and mount it to the wall! If you're a people watcher, the clientele at the bar will provide a very interesting study but the owners there are very nice and tell us they are also looking forward to our visit in January!

 

There is Premium gas right next door to the Exchange Club and the gas station has a 24-hour Mini-Mart that stocks beer/wine/soda as well as groceries/sundries. They have a deli at the rear that makes sandwiches, etc. as well as egg and sausage/bacon muffin sandwiches and breakfast burritos starting at about 05:30 am, so if you want to get an early start and want something warm in your belly that's another convenient option as well.

 

There is also another restaurant, gas station, casino, candy store, and bar at the north end of town at The Stagecoach at about 0.6 miles from the Exchange Club. The food and service is hit-and-miss as it seems to depend on who's behind the grill and who your server is. Al and John said they had a perfectly fine lunch there, but Todd and Rodger said the breakfast was only fair at best and the help was less than accommodating. It is something to check out if you're looking for variety (or to gamble), but you take your chances.

 

We forgot to check out the Fresh Jerky stand around the corner, but if the advertising is to be believed that might be worth checking out to take along on a long ride for snacks.

 

There is a Beatty Museum that was worth an hour or so to explore and there is a small Death Valley Visitors' Center in town where you can get some good info on the park and perhaps some maps. I would still recommend starting with the main Visitors' Center at Furnace Creek (about 40 miles away via Daylight Pass), which has lots of good info, a short film presentation, and great overviews of the park and all the things to see and do there.

 

Unfortunately, with the closing of the Bullfrog Mine a few years ago and the cancellation of a few of the government/nuclear programs in the area, many of the local brothels have gone out of business. But I'm sure you could inquire at the Chamber of Commerce for a good recommendation! . . . and no, I'm not kidding! Prostitution is not legal in Clark County where Las Vegas is located (go figure! ), but it is legal, regulated and taxed in Nye County (and probably a few others)--this area is still very much a throwback to "The Old West". A few years ago I had a very surreal conversation with a very nice middle aged lady who owned one of the curios shops in town. She was cheerfully offering up unsolicited recommendations on which houses were the best run and which supported the local Chamber.

 

The sun will be rising around 06:30 and will set around 17:30. The nighttime temps will be cold (in the 40's), but the daytime temps can be as high as the 70's and will likely be 10 degrees warmer in the valley floor and at least 10-20 degrees colder going over some of the passes. Depending on recent precipitation there may be some snow on some of the higher passes, but the roads get cleared pretty quickly. But bring your layers and/or electrics and be prepared for a very long thermometer--you can see temps from the 40's (possibly even the 30's) to the 80's on one day's ride. Remember, one of the fascinating things about this area is that you can ride from Badwater basin--the lowest point in North America (elevation 282 feet/86 meters BELOW sea level) to Mount Whitney--the highest point in the contiguous United States (elevation 14,505 feet/4,421 meters ABOVE sea level), which is only 85 miles/137 kilometers to the west as the crow flies!

 

Of course you can only ride to the trailhead for the summit of Mt. Whitney at Whitney Portal which is around 146 actual riding miles. And if you're feeling extra macho, check out the complete insanity that is the Badwater Ultramarathon! (clicky)

 

If you're into UFO's, secret government testing of spy planes, nuclear experimentation, conspiracy theories and that sort of thing, this area is "Ground Zero" for that. I don't know about any of that, but I do know that my Autocom/GMRS/XM starts to pick up a lot of hiss and communication gets very difficult when passing by the base on the way to Pahrump. There's obviously a lot of radio jamming going on. It would be interesting to bring a radio scanner and a Geiger Counter in January!

 

Also, many of the hotel rooms in Beatty are "reserved" during the week for government employees who stay there and return home on the weekends. You will not be able to rent out one of those rooms over the week and they G-men cannot change rooms, so if you're in one and want to stay on Monday night, you will be moved or told there is no room. I don't know why they have to have the same room each time, but there's a LOT of Super Secret Squirrel type stuff going on in the surrounding area. If you're into that sort of thing here's an interesting .pdf for your reading pleasure (clicky).

[SageRider]

IN! Reservation made! Arr. Friday, Dep. Monday

[graydude]

Great write up Jamie! I think you give a very accurate description of the attractions and options. Just to second the restaurant across the street is very excited to host us and should be a great place to congregate during idle hours.

[Whip]

I don't have the patients to read all that, Seth and Russell are keepin me busy in the other threads.

 

But we are IN.!!!!!!

 

And thanks for all the hard work and time it took to get this together.

 

Whip

[johnlt]

Reservations made and I even got the same room. It was unique in that it had a beer tap which I really appreciated!!

[ArizonaAl]

AZAL is all confirmed in " The Bat Cave"

See you all in January

[KMG_365]

Just to second the restaurant across the street is very excited to host us and should be a great place to congregate during idle hours.

Yes indeed.

 

Between running into folks at the bikes in the central parking lot right in front of the rooms, the variety of food at the Ensenada Grill and the warmth of the Sourdough Saloon (now the only bar for 120 miles in any direction) we should have it covered!

 

I just got off the phone with Randy the manager at the Sourdough Saloon and he's really going out of his way to work with us!

 

Here's the scoop: We're free to use the back room for free to congregate, but unless we book/reserve it ($50.00 a night or $100 for all three nights Fri/Sat/Sun) we'd have to share it with any locals who wanted to come back and play pool or sit at the tables. They normally stock the typical beers: Bud family, Coors family, MGD, Sam Adams, Heineken, Guinness Stout, Killian's, Amber Bock, Corona and Tecate--BUT--they are MORE than happy to order any sort of beverage we want to have on hand as long as we give them 2-3 weeks notice. They didn't even give me a minimum order, but their one vendor only comes around every two weeks and they'd need time to stock up.

 

In addition to pizza available all the time, they also do chili dogs on Monday nights and tacos on Wednesdays, and once every month or two, they do a Rib Eye steak night BBQ'd on the grill out back and charge $14.00-$20.00 a head. He offered to do this for our group if we could book/confirm a solid number. We should do a poll here later on about interest in a group dinner, booking the room for our exclusive use and any other drinks we may want.

 

He assures me that their 14oz Rib Eye steak is a better cut and a better deal than you'll find at the Stagecoach or even in Las Vegas (which offer only 12oz cuts). They special order the beef, cut the steaks from the whole side, spice up and cook them over the big BBQ. The chef they hire used to work for the Burro Inn Restaurant before Ed closed them down and they used to have the best food in Beatty. The full dinner includes a huge baked potato with all the fixin's, corn on the cob (in season, I suppose), salad and dinner roll. If we wanted to do that for our group's Saturday night's dinner, we could rent the room for $50.00 (adds a buck a piece for 50 folks) and close it off for our group only for the whole evening. They can move the two pool tables out and easily fit ten tables of eight (I doubt we'd get more than 80 folks). He also said he'd give us the $13.95 per person price for our group (plus the room rental if we wanted to have exclusive use of the room) and for the non-red meat eaters pizza is still available as well. I don't know for sure, but they might even be willing to throw something else on the BBQ in lieu of the Rib Eye for those who'd prefer something else if we were doing the private party thing.

 

It was a very pleasant conversation and he seemed happy to work out whatever details we needed to ensure that we had a good time and came back every year. He also said they were blown away when they found that we had bussed our own tables and moved all the furniture back--I assured him that we were not your "typical" rowdy biker sorts!

 

I had an equally pleasant experience talking with Pat at the front desk at the Exchange Club and Ramòn at the Ensenada Grill. It does make a difference when folks make you feel welcome!

[Heck]

Heck & the Missus Confirmed IN...

Gotta go find the bolt off my fender.....

C-ya all in January!!

[Tank]

Lisa at the front desk asked if I was happy with the room I had last September when I stayed with them,Yep, says I, So I got that room for Fri, Sat, Sun

Cana i getta Amen...... IN

[texasaggie97]

I am looking to make a move but will know more in December but if I am here in California I am in for sure. Jamie great write up and I have to say I had a great time and I can not wait to see the real thing. Al can I share the bat cave again. I will let you know as soon as I hear if I got the job back in Texas.

[Tony_K]

Lori and Tony IN! Second floor room. Friday in, Monday out. Let's Moto!

[glockster]

I will let you know as soon as I hear if I got the job back in Texas.

 

Aren't you the one working at Pepperdine? How could you possibly leave that campus for Texas?

 

I'm working on the days off for this one. Hopefully I'll be in. Us elevator guys don't get MLK day off.

[GS_George]

George and Joan IN! I will be riding the GS, Joan will be driving the Toyota FJ Cruiser. If anyone in the Phoenix area needs extra gear ferried to Beatty, or a significant other wants to attend but not ride, give a shout.

 

Reservations made!

 

PS As of 11/20/07, there are 33 rooms left, 11 of which are smoking rooms.

[Signman]

Sue & I are IN

The Pre-Run we just had was way too much fun, and I felt it would be hard to beat in January, BUT I know when all the usual suspects show up and we take over the Exchange Club, the Ensenada Grill and the one and only bar in town, it will be even better.

This is gonna be a fun trip!

[AdventurePoser]

... there are 33 rooms left, 11 of which are smoking rooms...

 

I've never stayed in a smoking room. Isn't it better to stay close to the floor, and evacuate the building?

 

Steve in So Cal

[OlGeezer]

In!

 

I got the last non-smoking room on the first floor. If you want to share it, it will cost you $80.

 

Yeah, you're right. I don't like sharing.

 

[mrduck]

IN!!

 

Same room,same deal

These folks sound like they really want us back

 

See ya there!

[BrianT]

IN

 

Booked for Fri/Sat nights.

[Stan Walker]

OK

 

I'm in. 3 nights.

 

I'll wait until the last minute to decide which bike or bikes to bring.

 

I think returning to Beatty is a good choice.

 

Stan

[Ken H.]

Hummmmm... Wonder if I'll have the bike back together by then... Wonder if I can get in and out of the mid-west in the middle of January.... Hummmmm...

[SageRider]

Hummmmm... Wonder if I'll have the bike back together by then... Wonder if I can get in and out of the mid-west in the middle of January.... Hummmmm...

Hmmmm...... wonder how fast a desert tortoise is....

 

Hope you can make it!

[texasaggie97]

I know Texas is not a pretty but that is where the whole family is and I miss the people there. Cali has been fun but people here are to worries about money and how their going to pay that huge mortgage even if it mean to stage an accident o get a few buck. I also miss good football, good fat food, and women that are not looking at your wallet to see if you are a nice guy. I will admit that this place is beautiful and the rides are great. I have enjoyed the people I have met here and will miss them if I get this job but home is still home. Thanks for asking and I hope I can make the ride also.

[AdventurePoser]

... even if it mean to stage an accident o get a few buck...

 

You been following me around???

 

Steve

[KMG_365]

Hmmmm...... wonder how fast a desert tortoise is....

Not fast enough!

 

 

And they're BIG too!

 

 

( . . . not to mention endangered . . . hmmmmm, now maybe I know why! )

 

 

(From a previous DVD Pre-Run trip through Joshua Tree National Park! )

 

Hope you can make it!

Ditto!!

[Tony_K]

Jamie's photo of the Desert Tortoise shows a good example of a female probably within breeding age (20) though it's hard to tell from a photo. She has clearly been attacked by a forager on her rearmost carapace over the left leg.

 

If one does encounter our beautiful Desert Tortoises please just admire with photos and without handling. Though in January they will all be held up in burrows 6 to 10 feet in!

 

Tony .. and yes I am a member in good standing of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club.

[flyingreg]

"IN" Oh yeah!

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Jamie's photo of the Desert Tortoise shows a good example of a female probably within breeding age (20) though it's hard to tell from a photo. She has clearly been attacked by a forager on her rearmost carapace over the left leg.

 

If one does encounter our beautiful Desert Tortoises please just admire with photos and without handling. Though in January they will all be held up in burrows 6 to 10 feet in!

 

Tony .. and yes I am a member in good standing of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club.

 

Unlike KEN, I'm sure you have this sticker on the back of your vehicles!!!

 

(Yes Ken, I've been looking for that little picture and the oppurtunity to use it )

 

 

In x 2, at least until Sunday, if not Monday morning. but just saw the thread so I'll make the reservations tomorrow, since today is Turkey Day I'm sure the newest/lowest on the totem pole help is at the front desk. Besides, some old Geezer got the last downstairs non-smoking room so what's the hurry!?!?!?

 

I'm off the weekend, but supposed to be back Sunday night, we'll just have to see how that works out for the corporation...

[Effjay]

Count me in too! This will be my 1st with you guys - it sounds like a lot of fun! I'll likely be solo, but just now reserved a NS double upstairs.

 

Jeff

[Beagler]

I'm in! Have a reservation for Friday and Saturday night. Plan on leaving Sacramento area either Thursday or early Friday depending on the weather and if I can get more time off work. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year.

[Spartan]

I'm in. Looking forward to the ride and meeting some new friends.

[Tank]

Welcome JDallas, glad you can make it and I look forward to meeting you.

[Whip]

Welcome JDallas, glad you can make it and I look forward to meeting you.

 

 

 

Whip

[KMG_365]

Hey COOL--look at all the newbies coming out of the woodwork!

 

You guys be sure to just jump in and introduce yourselves around. As you've seen, it's a very friendly group and everybody's always welcome--newbies especially so!!

[OlGeezer]

I'm in! Have a reservation for Friday and Saturday night. Plan on leaving Sacramento area either Thursday or early Friday depending on the weather and if I can get more time off work. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year.

 

I have an idea.

 

Try to leave without checking the weather but pack as if it doesn't matter.

[OlGeezer]

 

You guys be sure to just jump in and introduce yourselves around.

 

Hi. My name is Bill. I'm a mileage addict.

 

(Hi, Bill)

 

It's been two weeks since I've been on a rediculously long motorcycle ride.

 

I signed up for DVD because Beatty sounds like a nice place to ride to for breakfast.

 

[Beagler]

I'm in! Have a reservation for Friday and Saturday night. Plan on leaving Sacramento area either Thursday or early Friday depending on the weather and if I can get more time off work. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year.

 

I have an idea.

 

Try to leave without checking the weather but pack as if it doesn't matter.

 

Good idea, I always pack "as if it didn't matter". Reason the weather matters is because from Sacramento if it snows the passes are all closed to motorcycles which means, like last year, I will have to go all the way to Highway 15 to get there. That's a long days ride in cold weather. And before you go there, I've done a few 1000 mile days...

[OlGeezer]

I'm in! Have a reservation for Friday and Saturday night. Plan on leaving Sacramento area either Thursday or early Friday depending on the weather and if I can get more time off work. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year.

 

I have an idea.

 

Try to leave without checking the weather but pack as if it doesn't matter.

 

Good idea, I always pack "as if it didn't matter". Reason the weather matters is because from Sacramento if it snows the passes are all closed to motorcycles which means, like last year, I will have to go all the way to Highway 15 to get there. That's a long days ride in cold weather. And before you go there, I've done a few 1000 mile days...

 

That would fall under the category of "checking road conditions" which makes sense. This was not the original reason you cited.

[stubble!]

Reservations made, I'm IN friday-monday. Had such a blast (or should that be blast-freeze?) last year there's no way I'd miss it. Looking forward to seeing/meeting everyone.

 

Jamie, if you talk to Randy again, ask him to keep plenty of Negra Modelo available at the pub...

 

 

MMMMMMMMMM

[Crazy_Canuck]

Im in. coming down with Flyingreg!

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Im in. coming down with Flyingreg!

 

Great...

[AdventurePoser]

I have an idea.

 

Try to leave without checking the weather but pack as if it doesn't matter.

 

I've got a better idea. Leave without checking the weather, but pack as if it'll be colder than Hell Frozen Over.

 

Colder than Hell Frozen Over will still be warmer than Pahrump last year.

 

Steve in So Cal

[azkaisr]

I have an idea.

 

Try to leave without checking the weather but pack as if it doesn't matter.

 

I've got a better idea. Leave without checking the weather, but pack as if it'll be colder than Hell Frozen Over.

 

Colder than Hell Frozen Over will still be warmer than Pahrump last year.

 

Steve in So Cal

 

It wasn't that cold!!!

[Heck]

It wasn't that cold!!!

 

 

Yes, it was.

Even if you were in shorts..

[OlGeezer]

I've got a better idea. Leave without checking the weather, but pack as if it'll be colder than Hell Frozen Over.

 

Colder than Hell Frozen Over will still be warmer than Pahrump last year.

 

Steve in So Cal

 

Soooo...I guess it would be futile to suggest a camping alternative, right?

[ghaverkamp]

Soooo...I guess it would be futile to suggest a camping alternative, right?

 

Didn't someone say it was warmer in the park? Why don't we move the event there?

[hindsight]

Soooo...I guess it would be futile to suggest a camping alternative, right?

 

Didn't someone say it was warmer in the park? Why don't we move the event there?

 

If Greg would only use an emoticon every once in a while I could tell if he was joking here or not. If not, oh boy, here we go again.

[KMG_365]

Soooo...I guess it would be futile to suggest a camping alternative, right?

 

Didn't someone say it was warmer in the park? Why don't we move the event there?

That's one, buddy!

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Soooo...I guess it would be futile to suggest a camping alternative, right?

 

Didn't someone say it was warmer in the park? Why don't we move the event there?

That's one, buddy!

 

He does have a point, since it is called Death Valley Daze, why not have in Death Valley?

 

I'm ducking and running for cover now...

[Tony_K]

SCREW IT!

 

New event. The Beatty Bunch.

 

There's even a theme song

[Heck]

He does have a point, since it is called Death Valley Daze, why not have in Death Valley?

No Premium gas......

 

 

Damm.....late on the trigger...again.