KMG_365 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 A big THANK YOU to everyone who made it out to DV and braved the unusual cold and wind as well as to Phil and the rest of the unorganizers for another WONDERFUL trip! So that you can save the date (I'm actaully having to sign up for vacation days right now! ), next year's Death Valley MLK Weekend Ride will be January 12-15th!! The location will be announced later--probably MUCH later! The location might change again depending on a number of different factors so stay tuned for reservation details, but at least you can block out the days if you'd like to make it! WooHoo!! Link to comment
graydude Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I predict this will be the longest thread in the history of the site! Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I'll contribute the first IN! I'd also like to request that more people bring cars and trailers next year. Link to comment
Bill_Walker Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I'll contribute the first IN! I'd also like to request that more people bring cars and trailers next year. Snort! I'd like to request that fewer people leave their maintenance until late at night just before the long ride. Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I'd like to request that fewer people leave their maintenance until late at night just before the long ride. Late at night before? I'd never do that! No... I did mine the morning I left. Link to comment
JB-BMW Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 In! Already on the Calendar! Link to comment
Gleno Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 in. ....with my bride. At the ranch again. Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Gosh, that'd be fun. Here's a maybe... Link to comment
MikesToy Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 What Gleno said The Ranch is great BTW..IN Link to comment
Bill_Walker Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 So that you can save the date (I'm actaully having to sign up for vacation days right now! ), next year's Death Valley MLK Weekend Ride will be January 12-15th!! Crikey! The next few years might be a little difficult for me to schedule. My daughter's birthday is the 11th and my wife's is the 12th! Link to comment
Tank Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Three hundred and seventy seven days till DVD.... but whos counting Link to comment
Tank Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Whoops Must be time for bed as i shoulda counted backwards ......Three hundred and fifty seven days...... Link to comment
JerryMather Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 IN, down at the Ranch Link to comment
pdegnan Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 IN! Although, I gotta tell ya, after having spend the last 4 days in Puerto Vallarta, I'm kinda thinkin' maybe we could find some place down here to stay in that Gleno would like........ Link to comment
2wheeler Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Please share a route or GPS file of your recent MLK DVD ride. I'll be there in April and would like to know what to see. Thanks. Link to comment
graydude Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Here is the GPS file from the "Smell the Roses" tour. 632283-DVD-06final.gdb Link to comment
GS_George Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Weather for DVD 2007. As far as I can tell, there should be increasing darkness towards evening on Friday and Saturday with possible sunshine in the mornings. Temp will be above or below 50 degrees. Link to comment
Whip Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Weather for DVD 2007. As far as I can tell, there should be increasing darkness towards evening on Friday and Saturday with possible sunshine in the mornings. Temp will be above or below 50 degrees. Now that we know the weather report....Mrs Whip feels a lot better....... Whip Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted January 26, 2006 Author Share Posted January 26, 2006 For those of you doing your own thing and arranging for lodging at the Furnace Creek Ranch, I'd suggest you get your reservations now as those $140.00 a night "deals" for the next MLK weekend aren't going to last long! We rode through Beatty again this last trip and the old Burro Inn is in the midst of being completely remodeled and will re-open soon as the "Death Valley Inn" (I thought it was going to be a Best Western franchise). We'll have to see what the food options are there in town by next January, but it sounds like a good excuse for another Recon Ride next Fall!! Link to comment
BeniciaRT_GT Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 I'll contribute the first IN! I'd also like to request that more people bring cars and trailers next year. And may I suggest you have help servicing the (then) current scooter before the trip! IN!!! (for both DVD and the help Greg Service Day) Link to comment
JB-BMW Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 If you need company on the recon ride let me know... Link to comment
norah Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 It looks like some pretty fun company is planning on going so, what the heck, I'm in........... Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 IN!!! (for both DVD and the help Greg Service Day) "Okay, Greg. The transmission oil goes in heeeere. And the final drive oil goes in theeeere. And, you moron, if the side of the final drive is stamped 310ml and you don't use about 1/3 of your quart bottle, you haven't put enough in, regardless of your lacking comprehension of the steps in the manual right in front of your face." Should be fun! Link to comment
arizona RT Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 I will be there as long as it is not at the Longstreet Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 The Longstreet was fine with me, I'd be happy to go back there, especially if you can have them turn the wind down a bit. Too early to make any commitments for next year. Link to comment
flyingreg Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 WOW, I go to work for a couple of days and return to three pages of the 2007 DVD thread. This will be a marathon thread for sure! !IN! wherever we end up! Too much fun to say otherwise! I'm already planning routes. Link to comment
Whip Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 WOW, I go to work for a couple of days and return to three pages of the 2007 DVD thread. This will be a marathon thread for sure! !IN! wherever we end up! Too much fun to say otherwise! I'm already planning routes. Planning routes is good...but first Louise is shopping for more electric gear....do they make heated helmets Larry and Louise Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted January 27, 2006 Author Share Posted January 27, 2006 Planning routes is good...but first Louise is shopping for more electric gear....do they make heated helmets Larry and Louise That cold front BLOWING through was the worst that I've ever experienced in four years of this January MLK trip. I don't see that kind of cold as a regular thing at all, but there are a few aftermarket manufacturers of heated seats you might check out . . . oh, wait--NEVERMIND!! Link to comment
GS_George Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 do they make heated helmets Yep, I believe San Quenten may have a few extras! Link to comment
Macamoose Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Working on an "in" for this, we'll see what Uncle Sammy says, but if I'm not home by this I got bigger issues. I probably have to trailer out of good ole New England, and ride from a warmer climate. Who knows maybe we'll have a light winter and I can just ride. I'll have to pick up a Farmers Almanac and start my planning Thaddeus Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 Working on an "in" for this, we'll see what Uncle Sammy says, but if I'm not home by this I got bigger issues. I probably have to trailer out of good ole New England, and ride from a warmer climate. Who knows maybe we'll have a light winter and I can just ride. I'll have to pick up a Farmers Almanac and start my planning Thaddeus Hi Thad!! I sure hope you're back by then and be sure to check out the new "Trailering Forum" in case the weather gods don't smile on you! Link to comment
Beagler Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 I'm IN but wasn't too impressed with the Longstreet. Hopefully a better location will come along. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I'm IN but wasn't too impressed with the Longstreet. Hopefully a better location will come along. Yeah, we hear you! We noticed last year that the old Burro Inn in Beatty was being remodeled and had heard some scuttlebutt that it was going to be a Best Western franchise, but in calling BW, they haven't heard a thing about it and it should have been long completed by now. Personally I would much rather go back to Beatty for 2007, but if the Stagecoach is our only option then that pretty much kills that idea. Still don't know what the latest state of the old Exchange Club is either. I've got a local contact there in Beatty from previous recon missions that I can call soon and get some better "scoop". But it looks like a Pre-run is still in order for sometime after the "Fires of Hell" subside a bit. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I don't think I have any riding planned for November! Link to comment
chrisolson Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I'm IN but wasn't too impressed with the Longstreet. Hopefully a better location will come along. Yeah, we hear you! I guess I just don't get it... the quality/size of the rooms, overall cleanliness and the large bar area allowing lots of folks to get together plus the camping/RV area of the Longstreet was by far better than the Exchange Club. Its main drawback is that its the only thing within miles. And as for the food - well, the little cafe at the Exchange club wasn't haute cuisine either but there were other choices in town - although I don't think any of them would be featured on the food network either. We should obviously explore all options, but let's get real when comparing them. Link to comment
Dinkee Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hmmm.. Do you think this is DVD-proof? If so, maybe Team Schnauzer will plan on attending. Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I guess I just don't get it... the quality/size of the rooms, overall cleanliness and the large bar area allowing lots of folks to get together plus the camping/RV area of the Longstreet was by far better than the Exchange Club.I agree completely, I enjoyed the Exchange Club but it's gone, the Longstreet was just fine. Link to comment
Shaman97 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 ... the Longstreet was just fine. I agree...except for the 'reception food' quality and selection, and the availability of petrol. Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 except for the 'reception food' quality and selection, and the availability of petrol. I'd forgotten about the reception food, it did suck, don't see that we really need a reception at the Longstreet though since we are all together anyway. Gas was only a few miles up the road though. Link to comment
BeniciaRT_GT Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 The BMWers fuel was the issue!!! No Guiness, No Arrogant Bastard, No decent beer AT ALL That was the deal killer!!! Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 The BMWers fuel was the issue!!!Ooh, that hurts! No Guiness, No Arrogant Bastard, No decent beer AT ALL Oh crap, you're right, we can't go back there, the place sucks. (Actually I drank all the Guinnes before you arrived ) Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Yeah. It had pretty much everything I needed: a parking lot, a phone in the room, a table and chair right in front of the entrance, and a guy camping in the back with the truck and trailer. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 The BMWers fuel was the issue!!!Ooh, that hurts! No Guiness, No Arrogant Bastard, No decent beer AT ALL Oh crap, you're right, we can't go back there, the place sucks. (Actually I drank all the Guinnes before you arrived ) Yeah, we actually turned him on to an AB distributor in Pahrump, but he didn't want to have to buy their minimum quantity as he didn't think he could sell any of it the rest of the year. He told me he only had those few Guinness left over from his normal summer stock that he keeps on hand for the crazy German tourists who don't realize it's too damn hot to go to Death valley in the summer season! This was kind of indicative of his whole approach to being a GM and probably why I hear that "he has problems getting along with people" and "he moves around a lot". Who knows, maybe they'll have someone else there by January. The Longstreet was by no means out of the question. I'll have to call the Red Sky BBQ place in Pahrump and see if they've managed to rent out the old restaurant upstairs and open up another franchise at the Longstreet! I was very disappointed with the "MLK Weekend Longstreet Experience" vs. what the recon crew experienced in our pre-run. When we checked it out earlier it seemed much nicer, of course the weather was perfect and the view of the setting sun from the back patio was stunning. I didn't check out the gas station to see that they only carried regular gas. They were out at the time due to the gas crunch that ocurred right after the hurricanes hit so we just assumed wrongly about that. The owner was another disappointment and a great contrast to the previous owner of the Exchange Club in Beatty (before Ringle bought them out). "Joe" at the Longstreet seemed like he didn't even really want us there but the Exchange Club seemed to have gone to great trouble to make us feel welcome. I also liked the fact that we had the EC hotel and bar area all to ourselves and didn't have to worry about disturbing the bus loads of folks there at the Longstreet to work the slot machines. While I don't think the host hotel should feel like they "have" to put on a reception for us, I think perhaps Phil made some assumptions based on the trouble that the EC had gone to (they had obviously gone to Vegas to get some really high quality selections!) but what we got at the Longstreet was consistent with the general sleazy "feel" of the place. True, the campground was clean and convenient, the patio area nice, and the views stunning, but also the unfortunate turn in the weather was just a roll of the dice and could've happened anywhere in the high desert in January. It is clear to me why the IBMWR folks moved their ride off of the MLK weekend as the Valley proper is sold out a year in advance and horribly overpriced. If it weren't for Ringle's monopoly on lodging in Beatty and his total lack of concern for quality of any sort I still think Beatty has just enough amenities and location to be the perfect base of operations. I just got off the phone with one of my sources in Beatty and the old Burro Inn is STILL not completed. The plan is still on it opening as a Best Western franchise, but it looks like things have stalled indefinitely. The Exchange Club is still closed and it looks like Ringle is trying to find someone to buy it (I hear it's for sale). Perhaps he spread himself too thin or is feeling the pinch from California's recent "readjustment" in property values and interest rates. I also talked with a nice lady at the desk at the El Portal (she used to work for Jim at the Exchange Club and had served us at the nice reception there in January of 2005). Rick, the third generation owner of the El Portal, is a VERY nice guy and some of us stayed there previously in '05, but he has only 34 rooms and with no restaurant on site (and now no Exchange Club restaurant nearby) that place also has its logistic challenges. They have a nice pool, wireless internet in all the rooms and "some" rooms have direct TV (others just have the local channels) so if you're a TV junkie you'd have to ask in advance. The rooms are not fancy but generally well kept and I was quoted $35.00 a night (possibly less if we filled the place). They get most of their business during the week from the military guys working at "Area 51" (no kidding! ) so they're usually not very busy weekends and they would love to host our group. The lady further said the food at the Ensenada Grill is very good (Mexican and now American fare as well and non-smoking! ) but not sure how many people they could seat. I've still never eaten there so I'd have to go check it out. The Sourdough Saloon in town is doing Pizza and offering more food now since the Exchange Club is no longer an option, but it's basically a small, dark saloon--big on local color and atmosphere, but I think not what most of us are looking for (and it's too small). She also said her sister caters in town so we could possibly arrange it more like an UnRally if we could just find a nice and convenient place for all of us to be seated together. And then there's still the problem of breakfasts. As much as I like the MLK weekend, I suppose we could also look into a different week and try our luck back down in the valley for $130.00 a night. Stay tuned for a Pre-run announcement for sometime in November and keep the suggestions coming! Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I give, I give, the place sucked, the people that took us there should be taken out and shot They get most of their business during the week from the military guys working at "Area 51" (no kidding!) I stayed a couple of nights at the Motel 6 in Beatty after MLK this year, I had to switch rooms between nights because my specific room was booked to the air force and they would not allow room changes on their reservations, suspicious lot but I can't figure out what it achieved anyway. Link to comment
KMG_365 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Yes, then there's always the Motel 6!! Link to comment
Marty Hill Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 What is the name of the really nice place we stayed at 2 years ago? Seemed to have everything but a low price. Wasn't that bad when we room shared. Link to comment
mrduck Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 yeah we're in again for this one. the longstreet worked just fine last year- kinda in the middle of DV- so top off before you get there. now that they know we're not a bunch of heathens they might do a little more to accomadate us as i believe we sold the place out last year,didn't trash the place and hopefully left a good impression. as for the weather well i live out in this dez and thats winter for ya.when recon ride time comes around would love to join you as any excuse to do DV is fine with me. Link to comment
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