2009-04-12 Death Valley MCML

Morning broke early, right about sun up. Funny how that happens.
The Clamper gang was heading back home, MCML (Joseph) and I had a spare day.

Joseph had had enough of Beatty and the StageCoach, was looking for something 'different'.
"How about we stay at Furnace Creek tonight" said he.
Said I "It's expensive, I'm on a budget, I'm so tight I squeek. I'm good for 50 or 60 per night, that's it."

Undaunted, Joseph searched the Internets and found there are actually two lodges in Furnace Creek (FC)..one starts at (ack) 300 USD the other at a measly
180 or so.

Evidently, Joseph really wanted to be elsewhere as he volunteered to pay anything over my 60 USD allotment. So off we go, bikes loaded with ATGATT,
riders with bellies full of pancakes and swine flu hog meat, into the depths of Death Valley.

Not knowing if there was room at the inn or not, as the Internets wanted a hefty 10% fee for the 'privilege', and my roomie being cheap and all
didn't want to spend the dough, we finally arrive at the reservation center with high hopes!

Lucky enough, they had rooms, so we unloaded the pack mules and headed out exploring. I guess by now these are typical Death Valley pictures,
and you've seen them all by now, and mine suck as compared to others (Old Michael for example) but since you're still reading the thread, WTFO?

Joseph, being patient while I wonder where I left my camera? Having one of those senior moments..

At Badwater. I played Bad Company for tunes on this section.

This pix for my hero, TurboDave... if you ever need to see a hot chick, go to Bad Water..

Typical touristie fotos...

This foto actually has meaning..

I am easily confused. Directionally challenged. The only mountain with snow was Telescope Peak. Even I could sight that
sucker, and it made navigating DV so much easier.

Off to some artsy-fartsy thing..

Easy Tyler, easy..

I often wonder about humans. Find some rocks in the middle of nowhere that show some color receptive by the human-ape eye and everyone goes google, er
gaga and takes too pany picutures..

Joseph has and Easter Egg. After all, ain't it appropriate?

After Badwater, the the plan was to hit Scotties Castle, then the big hole in the ground, then head back to the hotel for a siesta,
then head up to Dantes Point to watch the full moon rise. Got it?

Ok then, off to Scotties..
The underground tour was booked, but the castle tour was open, and Joseph was really wanting to be ready. Here he preps his camera.

And the tour starts. The guide was cute..

I like guns.

Joseph examines the scatter shield while yielding the Timmie Salute.. (hadn't noticed that until just now, )

To be continued...

Morning broke early, right about sun up. Funny how that happens.
The Clamper gang was heading back home, MCML (Joseph) and I had a spare day.

Joseph had had enough of Beatty and the StageCoach, was looking for something 'different'.
"How about we stay at Furnace Creek tonight" said he.
Said I "It's expensive, I'm on a budget, I'm so tight I squeek. I'm good for 50 or 60 per night, that's it."

Undaunted, Joseph searched the Internets and found there are actually two lodges in Furnace Creek (FC)..one starts at (ack) 300 USD the other at a measly
180 or so.

Evidently, Joseph really wanted to be elsewhere as he volunteered to pay anything over my 60 USD allotment. So off we go, bikes loaded with ATGATT,
riders with bellies full of pancakes and swine flu hog meat, into the depths of Death Valley.

Not knowing if there was room at the inn or not, as the Internets wanted a hefty 10% fee for the 'privilege', and my roomie being cheap and all
didn't want to spend the dough, we finally arrive at the reservation center with high hopes!

Lucky enough, they had rooms, so we unloaded the pack mules and headed out exploring. I guess by now these are typical Death Valley pictures,
and you've seen them all by now, and mine suck as compared to others (Old Michael for example) but since you're still reading the thread, WTFO?

Joseph, being patient while I wonder where I left my camera? Having one of those senior moments..

At Badwater. I played Bad Company for tunes on this section.

This pix for my hero, TurboDave... if you ever need to see a hot chick, go to Bad Water..

Typical touristie fotos...

This foto actually has meaning..

I am easily confused. Directionally challenged. The only mountain with snow was Telescope Peak. Even I could sight that
sucker, and it made navigating DV so much easier.

Off to some artsy-fartsy thing..

Easy Tyler, easy..

I often wonder about humans. Find some rocks in the middle of nowhere that show some color receptive by the human-ape eye and everyone goes google, er
gaga and takes too pany picutures..

Joseph has and Easter Egg. After all, ain't it appropriate?

After Badwater, the the plan was to hit Scotties Castle, then the big hole in the ground, then head back to the hotel for a siesta,
then head up to Dantes Point to watch the full moon rise. Got it?

Ok then, off to Scotties..
The underground tour was booked, but the castle tour was open, and Joseph was really wanting to be ready. Here he preps his camera.

And the tour starts. The guide was cute..

I like guns.

Joseph examines the scatter shield while yielding the Timmie Salute.. (hadn't noticed that until just now, )

To be continued...

In the Castle..
Who says I ain't autistic, err.. artistic? After all,I can see the light!

And this poor lass... looking for Turbo, just one foto.. The paparazii...

The Castle... truly magnificent.. much like the Hondarosa, if you get my drift..

Leaving Scotties, we traversed the parking lot. It wasn't all that hot, for DAV temps, yet when we entered earlier, I noticed how 'squishy'
the tar snakes were; very soft.
HOW SOFT WERE THEY?
Fer Odot's sake, I thought you'd never ask...
My foot print

The Big Joe's footprint..

And then we were off to see the Ubehebee hole in the ground thing, then back to the hotel for a break then off for the El Grande Moon
Riseeoo over Dante's Peak.

I like this pix of MCML at Ubehebee, he looks like he's having fun and being young. And isn't that what it's all really about?

OK then, thanks for hanging in on this thread. Waiting to post 2 or so weeks later is much more challenging, as details are
forgotten and...

So then... my big brained idea was to ride DV at night. 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or soooo days ago, it was a full moon. After Scottie's, we
headed back to the fabulously appointed inn and took a breather before heading out for the night ride.

Problem was, we stayed too long looking at the golf course, talking, and enjoying a soft comfortable chair. Then again, the night was singing
with a siren song and I wanted to get along.

So off we go into the too-fast approaching sunset, heading for Dante's view...

Truly, dusk/night at Dante's is special

We met some folks in rented motor home who had decided to camp overnight at Dante's. They were originally from Russia, 5 years
into the USA, with lots of great tales to tell. Joseph and he talked at higher levels than I could since Joseph has traveled
extensively and knows the territory. I was trying to eyeball the wife to see how hot she was, but it was like way to dark... LOL.

Joseph was so pissed off, he gave the TWN salute... LOL, and I really like this pix.

This foto for Tim, his brother Chris, and all Coin Holders..

So, we sat on that peak for 30 minutes. No moon.
Talked with the guy from Russia for 30 minutes.
No moon.
Walked around, took too many pix with minimum exposure, no moon.

Suddenly, Old Joe sez "LOOK - a glow from the East!"

And sure enough, the sky WAS brighter.

1 hour later, the glow was the same..

....then
.....we realized
............the glow of lights was from
.......................Las Vegas!

to be continued.

So, all good things must come to an end..
so off we go, leaving DV and heading home..

Arriving at Panamint Springs, with empty tummies and ready to eat..

The road goes on forever, and the party never ends... (Jon Ely, listen it up)

Finally, it was time to say 'So long, mi amigo, until we meet again'.
Some of you will truly get this..

And now for some of my favorites..

I love this guy - he is kind, caring, strong, won't take bullshit, and loves to ride...

and they even named street after him!

And, of course, sooner or later, like dust in the wind, we will all be nothing more than a splatter upon someone's windshield...
Really, our lives are so inconsequential, so why the phook not live FULLY and enjoy EVERY DAY?

Good night John-Boy...