Vegas Baby Vegas...or...Ducs in the desert.

[jgrant]

A month or so ago one of our members on our local Desmo Owners Board posted up for a ride to Vegas to see the Supercross. Well, I was the sole taker and here is our story!

 

We left San Diego at 7am sharp and headed up through Julian and up to Idyllwild. Call me a wimp but it was cold up there. Here is my sole pic from up there as we stopped

 

for coffee.

 

 

We headed down the mountain to Banning for gas. There we saw the only pay toilet I have seen in a long time. Not sure why it was pay though...not like the spent a lot of time cleaning it. But, it was free with a fill up! Did I mention it was windy? Because it was!

From there it was time to hit the desert! We ended up in 29 Palms. Anyone who is a present or former Marine will probably remember that name! I spent a couple of months there

 

and have to say that just riding through there brought up some memories! Here is our stop there:

 

 

 

From there we went to Vegas via Amboy, Baker, Searchlight, then up to Vegas. I was not sure I was going to make Baker as I was really low on fuel. Here is the

 

combination: high rates of speed + fuel guage that does not work + middle of the desert = a lot of worry. But, I managed to make it to Baker with just under half a gallon left.

 

I did find that I get a little of 41mpg moving at an average speed of about 100mph. Which is not that bad considering that I am pretty much a giant air-brake for my bike.

 

Gary went to check out James, Ricky, and Chad battle it out and went to the strip to hang out and get a meal. Well, everytime I go to Vegas I remember why I don't like it. Next time I go up there I am going to go riding around Red Rock though.

 

The next day we left at 8am and took the 15 to Cima Rd and headed through the Mojave Preserve. I have to admit that I was pleasently surprised at how pretty it was riding through there. There were a LOT of Joshua Trees. In one area there were cattle grazing amongst them which looked like something from an old west movie. Here are a few pics of the Mojave:

 

 

 

From the Mojave we headed to Amboy. When we had ridded through on the previous day we had thought that the town was deserted but it really was not. We met the new owner of this historical landmark: Roy's

 

 

No, the gas pump was not working. Larry (our friend the owner...but don't bother dropping his name to get out of tickets he told us!) was hoping to have them up and running in a few months.

 

We took Amboy Road all the way down to 29 Palms. Some of you might remember this:

 

 

We had lunch at Denny's in town (the only sure bet!) which was surprisingly busy! We went into Joshua Tree National Park and I was amazed at how pretty it was. I am not much of a desert person but I really found the park to have a certain charm about it. Here are some random pics. Please note the smog in the one pic of the valley. I am amazed at how polluted SoCal really is. This is really, really evident in that pic.

 

 

 

From J-Tree we took Box Canyon Rd to Mecca. Mecca is not really an appropriate name for this place but some call it home! Box Canyon was a little bit treacherous as there was a lot of work being done to the road and a lot of loose asphalt was around.

 

From Mecca we took the 86 for a short while to the Borrego Salton Seaway which took us to Borrego Springs. We caught Yaqui Pass Road down to 78. I had never been down that way before and it was a nice change of pace. From there it was a short ride home!

 

Overall it was a really fun ride. A nice mix of some twisties, some highspeed straights, and a lot of scenery! I think we are lucky to be riding. As a whole I think riding allows you to see more of the countryside you are passing through. Not just see but feel and smell. Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is not so pleasant (I have no idea what was in that truck we passed outside of Julian but it did not smell alive!). It is also especially satisfying riding all day and knowing that most people would not have done that. I feel very lucky to have a supporting wife who lets me do that!

 

I plan on making another of these rides to Vegas in the fall. I would go again sooner but it got really hot on Sunday and it is only going to get hotter!

 

Thanks to Gary for inviting me along!

james

[Francois_Dumas]

Wonderful report, thanks for taking US along. Does look HOT though (yes the Ducs too ).

 

Francois

[Mike O]

Thanks for sharing. So, do they sell Ducs in a color other than red?

 

Mike O

[SageRider]

Thanks for sharing!

 

Amboy... The garden spot of all California!

[jgrant]

Wonderful report, thanks for taking US along. Does look HOT though (yes the Ducs too ).

 

Francois

 

Yeah, thought it was fitting that the bikes were red ...

 

I expected it to be hotter than it was but it was not too bad. I think in a couple of months it will just be way too hot to ride out there though.

[jgrant]

Thanks for sharing. So, do they sell Ducs in a color other than red?

 

Mike O

 

I have heard rumors that they do but cannot confirm it!

[Carnadero]

From there we went to Vegas via Amboy, Baker, Searchlight, then up to Vegas. I was not sure I was going to make Baker as I was really low on fuel.

Note for possible future trip you may make out that way in the event that no gas station is established in Amboy by then: gas is available 30 mi west at Ludlow or 50 mi east at Fenner, both via Nat'l Trails (old US 66).

 

Being aware of the locations of gas stations when in a desolate area such as the Mojave is essential.

[jgrant]

From there we went to Vegas via Amboy, Baker, Searchlight, then up to Vegas. I was not sure I was going to make Baker as I was really low on fuel.

Note for possible future trip you may make out that way in the event that no gas station is established in Amboy by then: gas is available 30 mi west at Ludlow or 50 mi east at Fenner, both via Nat'l Trails (old US 66).

 

Being aware of the locations of gas stations when in a desolate area such as the Mojave is essential.

 

Cool! Thanks for the info!