January 2006 Death Valley Ride "Excited Chatter" and route planning thread

[Bill_Walker]

We usually leave the SDSU area by 07:00 , meet up with the North County contingent for breakfast in Santa Ysabel around 08:00

 

IN. I'll see you for breakfast at 8:00 in SY.

[bmweerman]

How can we change that missing in action status...we are planning on going

 

Thanks

 

Cameron and Patti

[Steve_Reinig]

I left California to move to Washington 32 years ago so need some help remembering what type of weather to expect in the following areas:

 

Crossing Walker Pass

Owens Valley

Death Valley itself

And the town where the hotel is

 

It will be so nice to leave the drippy gray for a few days!!

[BobsST]

I did Walker Pass, Owens Valley and Death Valley in May and even then alot of the passes from 395 to Tahoe were still closed.

 

Walker Pass is at least 8000' and Bridgeport and Bishop I believe are around 4000'. If you're thinking I-5 over to Susanville and then down through Reno on 395 I would guess you have a pretty good chance of snow from I-5 to Bishop.

[BobsST]

Sorry - I had the wrong pass - Totally disregard the BS above.

[stanf]

...meet up with the North County contingent for breakfast in Santa Ysabel around 08:00

 

IN. I'll see you for breakfast at 8:00 in SY.

 

Ditto...see y'all there.

[KMG_365]

All right, Stan. Since you were so nice about it, I took you off the the MIA list (out of the country . . . yeah, riiiight! )

 

Everybody: I finished uploading the pics from the PreRun trip!

 

You can check them out here. Sorry, no captions or Ride Tale yet, but I'll try to get on them ASAP. Looking at the pics brings back great memories of an even better trip--January is going to be a blast!

[Motor Po-Po]

I just wanted to put in my definite 'maybe'

 

I have to do some work schedule day-trading and once it's done, I'll start looking for a room!

[GS_George]

Tim, bring your work bike. That way you can lead the pack!

[Motor Po-Po]

I can't pack all my goodies on the work bike (except the shotgun).

[KMG_365]

I can't pack all my goodies on the work bike (except the shotgun).

 

I suppose that might come in handy in a Nevada Gaming Hall . . .

 

". . . you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' . . . well, do ya, punk?"

 

Hey Tim, when you're off the fence, please post your total number in the Official Planning thread here and give us the total in your party so Phil and I can work on food for Friday night!

[KMG_365]

Okay, THIS is just too good!!!

 

So guys, be sure to purty yourselves up for the job-interview and best leave your wimmen-folk at home!! Why, "The Cherry Patch" is only a few miles away from The Longstreet!

 

And THIS is just TOO wierd!!

 

It looks like the west is still "wild" in Nevada!

[Whip]

I was going to let my wife read this thread before we met everyone......now maybe not......

 

Larry

[1st Shirt]

Now I don't have to worry about a job after I retire from the military

[gottago]

Okay, THIS is just too good!!!

 

So guys, be sure to purty yourselves up for the job-interview and best leave your wimmen-folk at home!! Why, "The Cherry Patch" is only a few miles away from The Longstreet!

 

Wimmen-folk just got big grins on their faces ....

"...i've shaved my legs, i've paid my money"

 

 

And THIS is just TOO wierd!!

 

It looks like the west is still "wild" in Nevada!

[KMG_365]

Wimmen-folk just got big grins on their faces ....

"...i've shaved my legs, i've paid my money"

 

You know, THERE"S an angle I hadn't considered. For all those guys who would like to share the fun of our gathering with their non-riding SO's, this gives their wimmen-folk something to do while they're out riding all day!

[GS_George]

Joan and I will probably spend Saturday at the mall in Pahrump. Donna has to work

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Great,

 

That would be just what I need: MORE women throwing themselves at me!!!

 

It is hard enough just walking down a city street in day light now.

 

[flyingreg]

Great,

 

That would be just what I need: MORE women throwing themselves at me!!!

 

It is hard enough just walking down a city street in day light now.

 

Glad to know you haven't changed and you're still the modest guy I met last January at DVD. I can see now that Jack Reeves is going to have some competition at the Longstreet if he graces us with his carooning voice. Maybe the Friday karoake will loosen up your modest upbringings. Look forward to seeing you there!

[KMG_365]

For those of you who missed "1st Shirt" and Sun-joo's Most Excellent Ride Tale of their 2004 DeathValleyDaze trip, here's a blast from the past that will get your juices flowing!!!

[Laney]

Okay, THIS is just too good!!!

 

So guys, be sure to purty yourselves up for the job-interview and best leave your wimmen-folk at home!! Why, "The Cherry Patch" is only a few miles away from The Longstreet!

 

I'm a little confused on what kind of clients the "Cherry Patch" will be targeting?

 

And a little concerned that Jamie knows where all these web sites are located!

 

I think one way or another, them wimmen folk oughta come along... This certainly "bares" watching!

[bmweerman]

Now THAT's funny..!!!

 

Only fair though right?!

[Laney]

Great,

 

That would be just what I need: MORE women throwing themselves at me!!!

 

It is hard enough just walking down a city street in day light now.

 

 

Watch out if you get near that "Cherry Patch" 'cause it may not be wimmen that are throwing themselves at you.

 

 

By the way, if I bring along the ever-popular Sock Monkey, will all of you please let me in even if I'm on a Japanese bike???

[bmweerman]

Got our reservations last week but just barely...

 

Dang this working for a living has got to stop!

 

Haven't had much time for anything and sure am looking forward to meeting y'all....That goes for Patti too.

 

Take Care

 

Cameron and Patti

[Marty Hill]

Sounds like I'm missing a good one. Have fun all.

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Great,

 

That would be just what I need: MORE women throwing themselves at me!!!

 

It is hard enough just walking down a city street in day light now.

 

 

Watch out if you get near that "Cherry Patch" 'cause it may not be wimmen that are throwing themselves at you.

 

 

By the way, if I bring along the ever-popular Sock Monkey, will all of you please let me in even if I'm on a Japanese bike???

 

I don't think that will be happening. I know Sock Monkey won't get on that VFR!!!

 

As for the other comment:

 

I'm used to it either way! When you are this damn cute AND Good Lookin', you get it from all directions. I just hope the farm animals are all behind fences so the parking lot at the hotel doesn't get too filled up with "strangers."

[KMG_365]

Part Two of the Death Valley MLK Recon Ride Tale is now finished and posted: here!

 

If you happened to miss Part One, you can find it: here!

 

 

Here is the Official Planning thread for this January's ride!

 

Phil, Leslie and I--as well as the rest of the recon-riders hope you can join us in Amargosa Valley as we "Take the Longstreet to Death Valley" over Martin Luther King Weekend this coming January 13-16th, 2006!

[Tank]

Lets see, things to do till MLKs b-day, uh, ok tires ordered, 54,000 mile service parts ordered... ride 2000 miles till Christmas, service bike and mount tires day after Christmas and there's still afew weeks to go....Did i forget something??????

[KMG_365]

I found some more interesting info on the owner of the Longstreet (as well as a few other properties in rural Nevada) here.

 

For those of you subscribing to this thread, "George_LT" took some AWESOME pics of the grade past Panamint here.

[MikesToy]

Thanks for the article on Jim. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. If we are lucky, he will be at the Longstreet during our weekend there. Jim knows more about the history of rural Nevada than most people and can give you GS guys lots of advice on places to explore. I have ridden a good part of Central Nevada on dirt bikes over the last 20 plus years, but Jim's knowledge of the area puts mine to shame.

[flyingreg]

ATTENTION! All California riders North and South! A few of us, SNC 1923, bmweerman, Tank, myself, and possibly a few others will be departing from Bakersfield on Friday the 13TH for the Longstreet. I would like to invite any of you that may be thinking of travelling the same route below to join us for the ride over.

 

Departure time has not been set, dependent on the arrival times of a few out of towners, but will be early enough to keep us in the light of day.

 

The route will consist of Hwy 178 through Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Trona, and Stove Pipe Wells. We will then follow Hwy 190/178 to Furnace Creek, then out of Death Valley on 190 to the junction of Hwy 127. 127 North will take us directly to the Longstreet, about 7 miles down the road. Total miles from Bakersfield is 290 miles. These are all good roads and very excellent riding with almost no traffic! I rode this same route when "we" did our recon ride a short while back and the trip was most excellent.

 

Of course, the weather will play its role as it always does this time of year. So far, the weather has been mild, nothing like last year. I will be monitoring road and weather conditions very closely and will keep all of you posted that join in.

 

So, if you would like to join some good riders and have a great day riding with new friends and old, come join us!

 

Please PM me a message as well as posting here if you want to join this group. I don't want to miss a post and miss you somehow.

[Shaman97]

Hey Greg,

 

Include me in! My wife will be following in the car. I've corresponded with Joe G - I believe he's planning on meeting up in B'field.

 

Timewise, I plan on leaving Sac area at O'Dark thirty. Only thing in the way would be heavy rain or...FOG

 

Should be about 4 hours or so to your area, if that helps in the planning at all.

 

Bob

[KMG_365]

I don't know if these have been posted recently again or not, but I just stumbled across Tom "SNC1923's" SmugMug Gallery from the January 2005 DeathValley/MLK in Beatty, NV! I tried to pick out a few highlights to insert here, but there were just too many.

 

 

Hey Tom and Greg: What ever happened to David Adair? AFAIK, he's still missing in action on this year's planning.

[flyingreg]

Hey Tom and Greg: What ever happened to David Adair? AFAIK, he's still missing in action on this year's planning.

I was thinking about David yesterday, so I need to contact him. He is definitely MIA at this point. I shot him a PM just now and hope to hear from him soon.

 

Sir Shaman97 (Bob), I am looking forward to the ride, more every day. I will have a breakfast spot lined up for us by the time we are ready to hit the road.

[JerryMather]

The route will consist of Hwy 178 through Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Trona, and Stove Pipe Wells. We will then follow Hwy 190/178 to Furnace Creek, then out of Death Valley on 190 to the junction of Hwy 127. 127 North will take us directly to the Longstreet, about 7 miles down the road. Total miles from Bakersfield is 290 miles. These are all good roads and very excellent riding with almost no traffic! I rode this same route when "we" did our recon ride a short while back and the trip was most excellent.

 

For those of us in the So Ca. I'lL be doing almost the same route but coming out of Mojave after breakfast and then up Hwy 14 into Randsburg and then over to Trona. After that it'll be the same ride as above.

 

If any of you want to meet me in Mojave for a bite to eat be there at 9AM and we can leave there around 10 AM, which gives us plenty of time to make it.

[SNC 1923]

I don't know if these have been posted recently again or not, but I just stumbled across Tom "SNC1923's" SmugMug Gallery from the January 2005 DeathValley/MLK in Beatty, NV! I tried to pick out a few highlights to insert here, but there were just too many.

 

 

Hey Tom and Greg: What ever happened to David Adair? AFAIK, he's still missing in action on this year's planning.

 

I've been in contact with David, but it's been months. He'll have a lot of snow to truck through to join us this year, although I hope he does. Great guy.

 

Thanks for plugging my pictures. Just got a new "bike" camera and am looking forward to putting it through it's paces in January. Inspired by your own past picture posting (say that 3X fast), I posted a few favorites on page 2 of this very thread. They're here. Ironically, two of them are pix of MIA David.

[SNC 1923]

P.S. I mined my Outlook and found an old email from David and wrote to him. If I hear back, I'll post it here. Jamie: PM me if you want his address.

[Dennis Andress]

If any of you want to meet me in Mojave for a bite to eat be there at 9AM and we can leave there around 10 AM, which gives us plenty of time to make it.

 

Well.... Yea! A jaunt through the Panamint Valley sounds like a great idea .

[SNC 1923]

[snip]Hey Tom and Greg: What ever happened to David Adair? AFAIK, he's still missing in action on this year's planning. [/snip]

 

Got an email from David today. Alive and well, he's sequestered in Alabama helping folks in Mississippi rebuild their homes (following Katrina, presumablly). He said that he'll be a no-show for sure this year, but that he will be with us in spirit and intends to join us next time.

 

I assured him that I, and all interested parties, would tip an AB on his behalf.

 

Here's a shot of this hard working man flanked by our own flyingreg:

 

 

We'll miss you, David!

[KMG_365]

Thanks, Tom! I also just heard from him and he's bummed he can't make it. We'll miss him too.

 

----------------------

 

On an unrelated note, Larry "Whip" posted a link to a great blog by a guy taking a M/C trip around the country here.

 

Be sure to check out the awesome pics of Death Valley!

 

I'm also thinking of checking out Sidewinder Canyon, as I've never been there before. Although he appears to be a bit of a hiker and might've gone on foot for awhile to get there, he rides an RT (pulling a trailer! ), so it should otherwise be accessible by bike!

 

So many things to do and only three days a year!

[Whip]

Jamie

 

Britton tells me we can get to the Sidewinder Canyon by parking near the gravel pit....hike 200-300 yards south and you cannot miss it. The topo map from the ranger center is free and has the Canyon marked.

 

Larry

[SNC 1923]

I'm ready--let's go! I installed a new front tire last week, a Z6. Yesterday I spent 7 hours with a buddy working over the bike. Changed the oil, checked the valves (no adjustment necessary), balanced the injectors, fixed some stuff on the rear body work, basically the whole ball of wax.

 

Tomorrow, my bride and I head out for Colorado (in the cage, of course) to celebrate Christmas with the in-laws. When I get back, I'll be ready to ride, ride, ride.

 

Let's GO!

[Tank]

Its just POURing huge amounts of rain here on the oregon southern coast and i'm pineing to RIDE the dry desert hiiiiiiiways. pineing to ride, yea, to ride, to ride the hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiways,

Kinda like Muddy Waters blues.... only differant

[KMG_365]

Tank, I LOVE your spirit and you crack me up!

 

I hope the rest of you enjoyed and/or are STILL enjoying the holiday season! I'm SO looking forward to getting back out on the open road and riding/hanging with you folks, I CAN HARDLY STAND IT!!!!

 

Unfortunately, I just heard that the band is already contracted for both Friday and Saturday night, so NO KARAOKE!! You all have NO idea how much you lucked out! You'll have to wait a bit longer to get to hear "Jamie and the Jets" rock the house!!

 

 

If your lodging situation is still in flux, there is a new thread for rooms/roomies here! Please use it for lodging/room related stuff only and leave this and the main thread for the Chatter and Official stuff respectively!

 

Are neither "Fernando Belair" (official countdown timer for Torrey) nor "Paul Mihalka" (official countdown timer for the UnRally) coming?? Dang it!! Who'll be in charge of the "official countdown for Death Valley MLK", then??!! Any volunteers??

[Tank]

Uh..... 17 and 1/4 daze till " We get to meet again"

[Tank]

I hope that everyone is as excided as I am about this MLK Birthday ride to Death Valley in 15 days. I NEEEEEEEEEED this ride so i can dry out. Its been raining here everyday since, since, since....seems forever.

[Dennis Andress]

Yea, I'm ready... My parents have been here all week. All the weeds have been pulled, the flower pots rearranged, most of the avocados picked, a couple of trees have been removed, my pantry has been organized, twice, everything in the kitchen cabinets has been moved, three times. my refrigerator doors have been reveresed, every shelf in the frig has been through the dishwasher. That's just the stuff I know about.

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Yea, I'm ready... My parents have been here all week. All the weeds have been pulled, the flower pots rearranged, most of the avocados picked, a couple of trees have been removed, my pantry has been organized, twice, everything in the kitchen cabinets has been moved, three times. my refrigerator doors have been reveresed, every shelf in the frig has been through the dishwasher. That's just the stuff I know about.

 

Dennis,

 

Could you send them up my way when you have had enough of them?

[Gregori]

Dang it, Richard - I was going to ask him the same thing!

 

G.

[KMG_365]

Hey Dennis! How're your parents at PAINTING??!!

 

Tank, don't look now, but . . . MORE'S ON THE WAY!!

 

A little rain right before we get there will be nice to clean everything off for us and will keep the dust down on the dirt roads for the GS'ers!

 

It's probably too little-too late to get an amazing "false Spring" like we had last year, but hopefully we're through thundershower season so we won't get any more flash floods washing out roads again!