Death Valley Ride,,,,,,,,,,

[Big Al of Tennessee]

Big Don "POPCORN" and Larry Lawson of the Ball Play Tennessee Lawsons is onto present the ride to end all rides.

Death Valley. Well it sounds ominous...

Leaving Beautiful East Tennessee,, on Monday May 11th, the day after Mother's Day.

Continuing to  GRAND CANYON,,,,,,,,,then on to  Vegas and  wait for it, Death Valley.

Hook ups are plentiful as we will be riding one way,,,get this 2,200 miles to Badwater,,,,California.

One way, cause the return trip will be a different route.  

Riding not trailering,,,,,,,,,,,,,

This trip planned before Memorial Day,,,,and will be home when you plan to, as it is a Nation Wide Ride.

Lowest of the low places in North America.  You will then be able to say you have friends in LOW Places.











This video is for scenery purposes only. All rights reserved to Wyatt and Billy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlhncFCtWw8

BADWATER ,,,,PS Don't walk on the Salt Flats when it is blistering hot. No kidding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavmo2RgLlg

[Big Al of Tennessee]

I was told to name this ride,,,,,,Death Valley Ride.

As Death Ride sounded too risqué, but I thought.

Busted Spline Ride would be a bit tacky. As Don Busted one on his Interstate and had to

haul it home. In a Huge U-Haul..It was a Holiday weekend and no one was open to help-.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I would be interested in riding a bit with you guys  . BTW it's good to see you posting again.

[Big Al of Tennessee]

I would be interested in riding a bit with you guys  . BTW it's good to see you posting again.

Lake Havasu,,,,,,,I have been researching the OLD Route 66,,,,the Mother Road.

66 is a must ride, per Big Don who has been there and done that.

I believe you have a piece of it near/at your door step.

Do hook up,,,,,,pm for my cell phone number. Unless I am dead or dying. I am going on this date.

Thanks Meat Head

[art]

Grand canyon is good but Death Valley is better. I've done both several times. There a few places to go at the S. rim and can be done in a day if not into hiking down but Death Valley has more to see by bike. Make sure you go before the heat sets in. I had my honeymoon at Scottys castle in 1965 in my new 64 1/2 mustang. That will be a wonderful trip,good luck and ride safe.

[Big Al of Tennessee]

Grand canyon is good but Death Valley is better. I've done both several times. There a few places to go at the S. rim and can be done in a day if not into hiking down but Death Valley has more to see by bike. Make sure you go before the heat sets in. I had my honeymoon at Scottys castle in 1965 in my new 64 1/2 mustang. That will be a wonderful trip,good luck and ride safe.

Yep the Canyon is there,,,,,,,,,,,but Death Valley has the scenery. Thanks for the input. Scotty's is a real cool story as well.

[Oss]

the wind should have died down by memorial day   

It does get a bit warm out there in the desert but its a dry heat   

Next time I cross country (and not 2015, thats just a quick trip to SD)
I will take 2 as much as possible so I can hit Glacier and ride across the Cascades and up to Banff and Calgary area

[Rams]

Sounds like a great trip, all but that Death Valley ride.    Spent way more time out in that desert when I was in the Army than I care to remember, I have no desire to ever see it again.   But, here's a bump for your thread and best wishes for a fun and safe ride.

[Big Al of Tennessee]

the wind should have died down by memorial day   

It does get a bit warm out there in the desert but its a dry heat   

Next time I cross country (and not 2015, thats just a quick trip to SD)
I will take 2 as much as possible so I can hit Glacier and ride across the Cascades and up to Banff and Calgary area

Trick to the wind riding,,,,,,,,,is well, it's all wind.

Leaning on the Promises of God and go for it.

[BigChris99]

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I live not too far away from Death Valley. About 3hrs. You may want to see what the temps will be in May in Death Valley. I know it's spring on the calendar, but Death Valley can be brutally hot by May. May is almost June and June is summer. Death Valley is best visited from November through February. Those months it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth. After that, it gets scary hot. Do your research and be careful.

[Skinhead]

Was out that way a couple years ago on a work trip with new GM Pickups/SUV's to do some hot weather testing, It was June if I remember correctly.  We were making a few runs up Baker grade before heading into the Valley and a guy on a valk standard pulls into the gas station we were at.  I go over to talk to him, and he said he was on a cross country trip from NY, and he would never make the trip across the desert at that time of year if he had known what he knew now.  The temps in Baker are usually lower than in the valley.  Take plenty of water and keep the skin covered.

[..]

Water, water, water. For you and if needed for the bikes.

[Kunkies]

Extra fuel, fuel, fuel needed.  If you have a standard/tourer you may want to consider upgrading your tank to a Interstate tank.  Also, there is a gas can with shaped angled edges that fits nicely into the back of our hard bags.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31HU2nSYzIL.jpg

[Slvrvalk1]

I am headed to Death Valley next weekend.  I am from California, so I want to reiterate some of the warnings that you have been given about the heat in Death Valley in May.  Be very careful and not only drink plenty of water, but make sure to include some electrolytes.  Drink Gatorade or something else in addition to the water.  I usually put a Camelbak bladder in my tank bag so that I can drink while riding.  Since the humidity is so low, you do not realize how much water you are loosing because you do not sweat.  The water evaporates directly from your skin.

Be very careful.  Death Valley is a fabulous place to visit, but it has its name for a reason.

Dave

[art]

Everybody's right about the hot weather. I've been there about ten times always in November. Do be careful.

[..]

Al when I've gone on long trips in heat I make sure I eat a bananna and a LARGE tomato every day to make sure my pottasium level doesn't fall.

I also carry a few packs of this

http://pedialyte.com/products/powder-packs

Put in water bottle, shake and drink. Much better than the blech tasting Gator/Power ade.

I'm sure you know but for others it's adviseable to drink little and often rather than gulping down a lot of water and then nothing for the next few hours. Caffeinated / sugary drinks are not your friend when doing long distance in heat.

[Bighead]

Did a ride to there in the summer of 13 and it was awesome

[Big Al of Tennessee]

As Skin Head said,,,,,,,keep your skin covered. Sun Screen won't help if you are dehydrated.

Dehydration occurs when too much skin is exposed and you are losing more water than you take in,

and don't really know it is happening.

As Britman said,,,,,,,Hydrate the Day before and small doses are much better. Soft Drinks take at  

least 4 times as long for the body to absorb, than a equal amount of water..

I have two large bottles in my tank guard bags. At each stop going to Key West, those were empty,

and refilled for the next run to gas stop.

Lastly,,,,,,make sure your riding buddies are hydrated. Not much good to take care of yourself, if

you are stuck in the Valley of Death,,,,,with a sick riding buddy.

The Israelis watch their soldiers pee when on maneuvers,,,to make sure they don't croak from

being too dehydrated. Any Volunteers for this duty.

[Big Al of Tennessee]

Did a ride to there in the summer of 13 and it was awesome

Spring of 15 may be pretty good........Fingers Crossed.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

Be sure to hit Dante's View since you're coming from Vegas direction to Death Valley.

You should ride from Kingman to Needles via Oatman on old RT66. See Laughlin then north to Vegas.

[Skinhead]

+ 1 on Dante's view.  Also 190, the road out of the valley to the west thru stove pipe and then up through Panamint Springs is pretty awesome. 

[BigChris99]

Be aware that there are only two gas stations in Death Valley. A Chevron in Furnace Creek, which is usually well over 5 dollars a gallon, and a Shell at Paniment Springs, which is more expensive.

Maybe Slvrvalk1 can post a picture or two of the gas signs at the Chevron and the Shell when he takes his trip this month.

[Big Al of Tennessee]

Be aware that there are only two gas stations in Death Valley. A Chevron in Furnace Creek, which is usually well over 5 dollars a gallon, and a Shell at Paniment Springs, which is more expensive.

Maybe Slvrvalk1 can post a picture or two of the gas signs at the Chevron and the Shell when he takes his trip this month.

When Honda puts a 6th Gear on a Valk,,,

[Slvrvalk1]

I am staying in Beatty, Nevada overnight with the group that I am joining.  It is on the East side of the Park.  I will try to remember to get pictures of the gas prices in the area.

Dave

[Slvrvalk1]

I should add that California has probably the highest gas prices in the Western U.S.  I do not know about the gas prices in places like New York.  Right now, the price at Costco for regular is around $2.40 per gallon.  It is higher in my area along the coast than it is inland.  If you are planning to travel the Pacific coast highway and stop at a place like Ragged Point for gas, be prepared to spend around $4 per gallon.

Dave

[Big Al of Tennessee]

Feels Like 76 Degrees,,,,,,,,,,,,in Death Valley right now.

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/l/USCA0286:1:US

[Slvrvalk1]

If you go to the Death Valley National Park web site, they have the average high temperatures by month.  The average high for May is 100F.  Remember it is hotter in the lower parts of the park.  But of course it is a dry heat, something like the inside of an oven.  

Here is the site:   http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/weather.htm

[Big Al of Tennessee]

If you go to the Death Valley National Park web site, they have the average high temperatures by month.  The average high for May is 100F.  Remember it is hotter in the lower parts of the park.  But of course it is a dry heat, something like the inside of an oven.  

Here is the site:   http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/weather.htm

May has been at a low of 42. High of 122 Degrees F.

Highest recorded temp on the earth was seen there as well.

We may have to drink our own pee to survive. But Drink we will. Maybe not pee though.

Record Temperatures

The hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley (Furnace Creek) was 134°F (57°C) on July 10, 1913. During the heat wave that peaked with that record, five consecutive days reached 129° F (54°C) or above. Death Valley holds the record for the hottest place on earth.Oddly enough, 1913 was also the year that saw Death Valley's coldest temperature. On January 8, the temperature dropped to 15°F (-10°C) at Furnace Creek.

[Skinhead]

I've seen 132 @ Badwater.  All I can say is I was glad I was in a vehicle with AC and not on the bike.

THAT'S F-ING HOT!!

[rajuur]

Guess I WON'T be going to Death Valley in June ! Just saw the thread & read. Am planning on going down from Colorado Springs to  Phoenix to SF. Fortunately lots of other options on that part of trip.