bigleftitrips2021

Usually when we make our usual Presidents Day ride to Death Valley, our rides in the Valley are so spirited that we really never get to see too much of the scenery. However, this year there was an absence of testosterone supplements so  a vote was taken and I was asked to lead the first days ride. Actually, no vote was taken and after some begging and yelling me me me me, pick me, they let me lead. My good friend Sherm had gifted me a signed copy of Roger Naylor's Death Valley that showed so much of what the park had to offer. I told the guys about the coke ovens and off we went. The first 52 miles of riding was a great little road with pretty smooth pavement, but two miles short of the ovens and it all turned to loose gravel. Four of the group turned around and said they would wait for us at Stovepipe Wells. Dale and I continued on and arrived at the ovens very dusty, but otherwise no problems. Dale rides a BMW R1200GS dual sport made just for this sort of riding. I on the other h...

It's Friday and the only reason I know is................................ An older motel in Needles, but clean and neat and I can park in front of my room. The WiFi was great here The gas prices Not so Much because they were so MUCH! It was ominous looking in my direction of travel But it looked nice the other way. I didn't take that turn, I had plans  Just for a moment I thought I actually saw the POG My plans took me through the Mojave Preserve It was okay, but I may never travel this route again As rocky as this place is, my mind kept telling me to be thankful I wasn't the one that dug the holes for those telephone poles! Looks the the govt is keeping an eye on you even out here. Originally the poles were supposed to go here. Everything was dry even though it was raining I liked this old train station. Now a museum but closed due to covid. No longer a boom town so it is closed Of course train stations need train tracks Train tracks need trains It's also nice if they ...