2011-03-12 Death Valley

...should I stay or should I go?

Kinda wanted to go, but couldn't swing anytime off.

Ride would be 400 miles up on Sat, party Sat night, ride home 400+ Sunday.

What the hell, I ain't getting any younger, and maybe I could swing by to see the Cali City property too.

Let's Ride!

Got a late start - it was foggy.

Then my favorite pair of Rx sunglasses blew a hinge.

Things got better just west of California Valley - no fog. There would be lots of straight roads on this ride, a good thing as my front tire was marginal on the sides.
"The road goes on forever and the party never ends..."

Must be something wrong with my FJR. It only gets 28 mpg.

I've been watching this old building deteriorate for 25 years now. First time I saw it was riding a 79 Kz1300 in 1980.

Climbing eastward on the Tremblor mountain range, hiway 58.

Had breakfast here in McKitrick, Ca. Quite the little human drama was unfolding - the owners, Mike and Annnie, had celebrated a 50th anniversary the night before and the staff was hung over and what not. The cook was pissed at the waitress, the waitress was pissed at her kid for sleeping in and not showing up for work at the restaurant, the place was packed. Oh, the cook and waitress ain't got many teeth, either.

Climbing eastward on the Tremblor mountain range, hiway 58.

Approaching Tehachapi.

North to Randsburg.

Getting closer!

DV west entrance, from Lone Pine side.

We partied. BorkerFork received a drinking edumacation from RenoJohn.

Sunday, breakfast and we gone.
Decided to stay outta DV park, continue on whatever the hiway is from the Long Street Saloon to 95, then west to Beatty, drop back into the park, take Wildrose road to Searles, to Ca City, to home.

Gotta love the Battle Born State -

View from across the street.
Entering Beatty from the east.

Entering DV from the east.

Not sure where this is.

Westbound and down.

For TurboDave. He's a Clamper. This pix to show the markers are still OK!

E Clampus Vitus!

The only wildflowers I saw on the ride.

Tehachapi - this used to be a long ride, now it's almost home.

Almond trees in bloom along the central kali valley.

Westbound on 58, Tremblor mountain range again.

Summary
The odo is short 300 miles - accidentally blew it away at first fill up.