[Red Rider]

Heading out tomorrow for Death Valley. Weather looks to be fine, not even too hot down there. Going to tour DV on Saturday, then mosey on back here. This is a big group (for me) of riders that I'll be with, about 40, and so it'll be different. If it ain't fun in a pack I'll blast ahead or straggle behind. Probably straggle.....

Going to pass through Goldfield and check out that haunted hotel that is so famous there. Been through there before, but before I heard about the hotel being so infamous. Doubt we'll get an up-close look, but we'll give it a shot.

I'll try to keep the shiny side up this run....and even try to get pics.

[Tomflhrci98]

hey Red,

Take some pics. I haven't seen or heard of this hotel either.

[ironhorse]

yes please, between the ditches rubber side down

[SK]

Been busy with a friend from Colorado out visiting me in Las Vegas this week (he just took off this morning to head back on his bike).

He and I rode a circle through Death Valley on Wednesday..what a great ride. It'd been 104º out there on Mon and Tues, so picked a good day Wed as it was only low 90ºs there. Then there were 50+ mph winds out there Thur. It's supposed to be just over 100º today for Red..not bad considering the humidity it probably about 2-3%.

Any way..hope ya have a great ride today Red..it's sure a beautiful place. Badwater is the lowest place in North America at about -280' below sea level.

[cowboy]

That Hotle is kinda cool , seen it on TV along with some other places , but the Hotel was the best part of the show

[GreyBear]

Hey, RR hope the trip was a good one. I just got back from a day trip yesterday to Toms River New Jersey. Me and my partner Zeke headed out about 0 light thirty yesterday and got back to MD around 22:00. His arse was dragging since he doesnt make a lot of long rides now. But aside from his bitching today he is already talking a Florida trip.....Went over to see a friend whose in the hospital and managed to stay ahead of a storm coming back. Woooooeeeee it turned nippy though.
Except for a foray up into New York and PA I will be here til after Rolling Thunder. Anybody heading up for that? If so perhaps we can grab a beer and BS a bit.
Ride Free.......

[Red Rider]

So I rode down to Death Valley with about 50 other bikes (pictures on the gallery as soon as I get around to it). Or at least 50 other bikes were going where I was going. I guess I ain't a pack rider....

Started out with about 50 bikes at the rendezvous point, Neal's Garage outside Fallon, NV. Plan was for folks to assemble at 9 AM and head out at 10. Well, I got there at 9 but the fever to ride was on me bad - so I just headed south on NV State HWY 95 at 9:15. There were 6 other bikes that did the same, so I wasn't completely misanthropic....but then I lost them after 70 miles.

Stopped in Hawthorne for a top-off and then Mina for a burger from Socorro's road side stand...mmmmmmmmmmm. Weather was cool but not cold. Another 70 miles to Tonapah and another top-off, then 30 or so miles to Goldfield. Parked in front of the Goldfield Hotel and walked around what is rumored to be one othe the most haunted places in the USA. Goldfield Hotel - Google Search

Then it was on to Beatty, NV. I was somewhat depressed to see about half of the cathouses between Goldfield and Beatty were closed. Not that I partake, mind you, but they are a unique feature of our Nevada landscape.
But some were open, such as this one: Shady Lady Ranch - a Nevada Brothel . Didn't stop, though, as it was getting warm and I didn't want a beer - I wanted at least 6 beers! So I rolled on in to Beatty, pulled up to the Stagecoach Casino & Motel, checked in, then walked down to the Sourdough Saloon for refreshments, etc. I have to admit I was already about 3 sheets to the wind when the bulk of the group I was "allegedly" riding with showed up. The rest of the night was just good-timing with old and new friends.

Next morning was s'posed to be the group ride tour of Death Valley. Of 50 bikes, only 16 of us decided to ride out together at 9 AM. Others did get going a bit later. We toured Rhyolite - Nevada Ghost Town
Caught a nice 2 ft Mojave Rattlesnake there - he'd been nicked by either a car or a bike earlier. Thought he was dead until I grabbed him - then he twisted to strike...bit of a surprise but I have always thought to treat a rattler like a gun - assume they are loaded and not on "safe". So no problem. After a relatively gentle mercy-killing (he was likely not gonna make it) I stuck him in my saddle bag - and he'll make an appearance later in Part 2 of this story.

Rhyolite's got some weird features. Worth a look, but I don't know if it's worth more than one....so off we rode to the actual Death Valley...and that will be in Part 2 of this TNT-TRISA episode.....later

[chucktx]

great story and links.......cant wait for part 2!!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Rider]

Descended into Death Valley and felt the temperature change quick. Was in the low 90's when we hit the Furnace Creek info station. This is where I get onery....ya see, when I'm out for a ride, I want to ride. But everyone wanted to see the exhibits and mosey around. The thing, though, about Furnace Creek is it is filled with trees (mostly date palms and tamarisks - non-native crap) and so being (A) from Nevada (not a tree-lover paradise, for certain) and (B) wanting to ride, I was stewing inside . But I sucked it up....that is, until everyone was ready and headed to the Furnace Creek Ranch - all of a quarter-mile ride away! It was too much, so I headed down the road for about 10 minutes until I realized I didn't know where I was or where I was going. So I went back to the ranch and it turned out for the best, as a rider had way too little oil in his primary and I happened to be the only one with a handy set of torx wrenches. At least good for him - I still wanted to ride. But I had a cigar instead, and mellowed a bit in the palm shade.

After getting him squared away, we headed out for Dante's View. It is a spot that overlooks Death Valley - about a mile high near-vertical cliff, too. Being me, I took Ol' Red right up on to the sidewalk at the edge (see gallery -its posted now) and gathered in the view. Impressive, it is - the photos just can't do it justice. Other than my group (now down to 6 riders, as the others were lagging) the place had tourists from just about every country but the USA. Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Germans were immediately apparent. Some politely asked in very broken English if they could take a picture of me and Red on the edge, and I had no problem with that, as long as they leave a bunch of Euros behind in the greatest country on Earth. Got to chatting with the Germans and they went bonkers with delight when I pulled out my fresh-dead rattler . Though he was beginning to get a little ripe.....

But we expected that the other ten riders, as well as more from our original 50-plus, would meet us on the peak. An hour passed, and as it was a good bit cooler on the mountaintop we decided the heck with it, we'll go down to Badwater (the lowest unsubmerged point in the U.S.) and catch 'em later. At about 2 miles down the mountain I saw a rescue helicopter and feared for the worst. A few miles later and we came upon the wreckage of a head-on between a Yamaha bagger and our pal Chuck's Dyna - Chuck was already on the way to Vegas in the chopper. So we spent most of the remainder of the afternoon providing quiet comfort to his wife while the CHP and Park Ranger investigated and got the bikes towed out. Last word we had was Chuck was gonna be OK, he has one badly broken foot. Should be home today.

Needless to say, the fun-factor had dwindled. Just brought back too many bad memories from my Fire & Rescue days. Everyone else wanted to stop back at Furnace Creek Ranch to rest & recuperate, but for myself I needed saddle time that ended with being able to drink more than ice tea or a single beer. So back alone I went to Beatty, at a peaceful speed-limit pace while some 2-up crotch rockets blazed by me. I kept expecting them to be crumpled up ahead of me, as they had passed me on a blind double-line curve and didn't look too bright - but I guess the Valley was kind to them then.

Back in Beatty I quickly got a lot to drink, and then a lot to eat. Our crew gathered in the dusk and drank more and had more cigars, especially merry after we got the word that Chuck would be a lot better off than we'd feared. Called it an early night, though, and woke up early the next day ready for the ride home.

One cup of coffee and we headed out. This time, it was me and two other riders (my neighbors) and no complications. We'd all decided - even before talking to each other - that we'd not eat there in Beatty but breakfast in Tonapah. As warm as it was in Beatty, we knew that 100 miles and 3000ft higher in elevation would be different. It was - by the time we stopped in Tonapah that hot coffee and breakfast was needed. Friggin' cold. Back out to the bikes and on with the chaps! Good thing, too, as by Hawthorne we were in rain. A warm rain, by NV May standards, but still cold and wet. The thick, black clouds had no lightning I saw, but the wind was insane. About 30 miles from home we hit a humoungus whirlwind, filled with tumbleweeds, and it was white-knuckle time. But no damage, and then we were home.

Left a lot still to see down there, but then I'll enjoy going back that much more. Ya get a chance, it is worth a look. Just know that it is usually damn hot in that valley!

[SK]

Great story Red and great ride. You got down here to see DV just before it really starts to heat up. Glad I rode out there last Wednesday. Probably won't ride out there again until around November (it's usually my Thanksgiving Day ride..300 mile round trip, a little over half of it a big circle out of Pahrump).

Been threatening to rain here in Las Vegas today, but alas..it just doesn't ever seem to. I'd rather ride in the rain any day over gusty winds.

[chucktx]

great story!!!!!!!! thanks for sharing it withus!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chucktx]

one other thing............what happened to the snake????? eat it or tan it??

[Red Rider]

I just skinned it out today - tanning it!

p.s. - but it sure STUNK!

[cowboy]

real good story I like the dead snake part , hope chuck 's foot is ok , It's been way to many years for me riding out there , being from NM I used to ride all over NM & AZ , but only got to NV once a very long time ago

[FLHTbiker]

Good story Red thanks, Chucktx beat to the question about the snake.
I've always wanted to ride in Death Valley, some day I'll have to do that. Going to make a hat band with the snake skin?

[Red Rider]

Well, as I just measured the snake and found that it is closer to 3 ft than 2 (its 33 inches), I guess it is big enough for a good hat band.

[chucktx]

can ya post progress pics on the tanning????? sounds interesting.......

[Red Rider]

Well, I could take a bunch of photos and stuff, but these sites here tell it in better detail - especially since I'm already in the final phase:

For skinning a snake (which is as easy - or easier- than cleaning a fish)
Snake Skinning Illustrated

For tanning a snake:
The Tannery, Inc. - How to Tan a Snakeskin
or
Tanning snake skins

I'll post a pic of mine when I have it finished. Been years since I did one, so I have to admit my final product may be lacking. I figured I'd take this road-kill one to renew my skills without wasting a snake on practice, and he did have a little more damage to his skin near his head than I'd wanted. I now wish I'd taken his pic when I first got him, but I was a kinda bit distracted when the "dead" snake tried to bite me...you can probably understand that, I'm thinking.

I actually like the venomness buggers too much to kill one just for practice tanning...at least they warn ya that they are poisonous - better than my ex-wife did for me!

Hope ya'll find this useful..........