Death Valley Apr 25-28

[fudgypup 4]

Why would anyone ever want to go to a place called Death Valley, you ask? That's what I thought before my first visit. This is probably the most beautiful and big-bike desert riding you'll ever see. You could stay there for a month and never ride all its trails. The colors, landscapes, stars, wildlife are all just amazing and other-worldly. It's also a great opportunity for those who prefer pavement to come along as there's hundreds of miles of great paved roads to explore if that's your thing. Probably the last chance you'll get to see Death Valley before it gets too hot.

Titus Canyon, Chloride Cliffs, Goler Wash, Mengel Pass, Hunter Mountain, The Racetrack, Ubehebe Crater, etc...

Check out this video called Death Valley Dream Lapse:

Some videos from previous rides:

coasting through Titus Canyon

Cerro Gordo

Fish Canyon, Goler Wash

DV n00bs 2012

Saline Valley Rd Nov '11

We will camp at Panamint Springs Resort. Please reserve your site online at panamintsprings.com Sites 24-27 are my favorite and fit about 3 tents per site (5 people/site). I've already reserved site 27. PSR has hot showers, running water, a restaurant, gas station, general store, etc... They do have some hotel rooms and tent cabins too if you prefer that.

If someone's driving/trailering and can bring firewood, that would be awesome. We'll take up a collection for that. If there are any good camp cooks out there, let us know and we'll gladly either pay you or bring some items to contribute. The breakfast at the resort is pretty good and not too expensive but lunch and dinner there are a bit pricey. They do have an amazing beer selection too.

[stoke 2]

Pint glass gin and tonic in hand after a long days work, I just watched 100% of your videos. Honestly, what a great introduction to Death Valley on two wheels, and fun to watch as well. Thanks for posting those up.

Going to Death Valley on a motorcycle has always been something I've wanted to do. I'm disgusted with myself for not having done it yet-having said that, I just got my first "real" motorcycle in July 2012.

Most of those rides you filmed looked like they would get your attention on a big bike. What sort of off road skill level would you recommend for folks considering this trip?

[dsfox 0]

Several of us take a trip every february up there..

Nice thing about Death valley is, it has a great variety of rides......plenty of smooth dirt road rides, hundreds of miles worth, suitable for any big bike...even a beginner

But then again some really fun destinations involve some boulder obstacles, and/or deep sand, and/or long stretches of river bed type rocks (golf to softball size) one stretch up to steel pass is 20 miles worth of that....Pretty easy on a small bike, but can be tiring...(though you guys are way stronger than I am :blush:/> so maybe not so tiring for you )

It's important to know where to go if you want to avoid some of those that could be tough on a big bike. (though tons of guys ride them on big bikes all the time...)

it's hard to guage roads and trails.... one persons "easy" :king:/> is another persons Hell :torch:/>

I'd suggest before you go, get good maps, good tracks, and have good talks with others who have been....

[stoke 2]

Several of us take a trip every february up there..

Nice thing about Death valley is, it has a great variety of rides......plenty of smooth dirt road rides, hundreds of miles worth, suitable for any big bike...even a beginner

But then again some really fun destinations involve some boulder obstacles, and/or deep sand, and/or long stretches of river bed type rocks (golf to softball size) one stretch up to steel pass is 20 miles worth of that....Pretty easy on a small bike, but can be tiring...(though you guys are way stronger than I am :blush:/>/> so maybe not so tiring for you )

It's important to know where to go if you want to avoid some of those that could be tough on a big bike. (though tons of guys ride them on big bikes all the time...)

it's hard to guage roads and trails.... one persons "easy" :king:/>/> is another persons Hell :torch:/>/>

I'd suggest before you go, get good maps, good tracks, and have good talks with others who have been....

Thanks for the reply. This area definitely looks like a dual sport playground for a huge variety of bikes/riders. I feel really lucky to live in an area where you can surf and then go off on your motorcycle and explore desert areas with not a lot of people out.

[fudgypup 4]

Pint glass gin and tonic in hand after a long days work, I just watched 100% of your videos. Honestly, what a great introduction to Death Valley on two wheels, and fun to watch as well. Thanks for posting those up.

Going to Death Valley on a motorcycle has always been something I've wanted to do. I'm disgusted with myself for not having done it yet-having said that, I just got my first "real" motorcycle in July 2012.

Most of those rides you filmed looked like they would get your attention on a big bike. What sort of off road skill level would you recommend for folks considering this trip?

Thanks for the compliments

DSFox is right, DV has a lot to offer a variety of bikes and abilities. Right now there's just two of us, so what we ride really is going to depend on who's coming. That said, DV has miles and miles of really good pavement as well. My first trip ever on the GSA was DV in April of '11 and after I wigged out on West Side road, I bailed and just did pavement and still had a blast. I did Artist's Pallete drive near dusk (a must), 20 Mule Team trail (may as well be paved), Dante's Peak, Scotty's Castle, Ubehebe Crater, etc...

I was thinking one day we could do Hunter Mountain, Teakettle, Racetrack, Ubehebe Crater and then maybe the next would be Chloride Cliffs, Beatty, Rhyolite and Titus Canyon. Those are both considered "n00b" rides and are done frequently each year with Joel's (NSFW on advrider) DV n00b event.

[Steve S. 0]

I was thinking one day we could do Hunter Mountain, Teakettle, Racetrack, Ubehebe Crater and then maybe the next would be Chloride Cliffs, Beatty, Rhyolite and Titus Canyon. Those are both considered "n00b" rides and are done frequently each year with Joel's (NSFW on advrider) DV n00b event.

The sandy section between Hunter and Tea Kettle is a bit deeper now (rode it on the 30th as part of the advrider event) than it was two months ago (rode it on

February 5th as part of DV Days). That is really the only challenging part of that route if you aren't comfortable with sand. Be sure to take the side trail

over to Hunter Cabin. Titus is easy -- less fine sand at the bottom narrow sections now than there was back in February -- easy noob riding there. We did have

a few noobs drop bikes on the way to Chloride Cliffs in one or two sections that were a little challenging.

I need to post up a ride report from the advrider event on the 30th...

I might be in for this, possibly with my son. Have to wait a bit for schedules to firm up... If we go we would trailer the bikes and could bring

firewood.

[paulmbowers 236]

Titus is easy --

Unless it's snowing, with 20-30 ft visibility, freezing cold and ice sheeting off your visor, fingers feeling like they've been hit with hammers.

[stoke 2]

I'd love to see a ride report, or even just a few photos. My only concern would be I'm running the OEM spec tires on my Vstrom as I do the battle commute from Solana Beach to La Jolla everyday and use my bike for work (appts all over the city-no traffic or parking woes!). If we're talking fire roads, I can always air down to 22lbs and roam around. Some of the gnarlier stuff with a 5.8 gallon tank up high and those tires makes things...interesting. Just looks like a great place to stay with everything you need and good group of folks to ride with. I'm really thinking about this.

[unhuskyman 0]

I'm hoping to join. Just depends on the work, school schedule at that time. I will be riding a V-strom on Anakees. I really don't feel that knobbies are essential for this stuff/ i dont have knobbies so I'm biased. I have been out to the race track before on street pressure (35psi?) and no problems. So to the guy above, go for it! Whats the worst that happens?

[stoke 2]

I'm hoping to join. Just depends on the work, school schedule at that time. I will be riding a V-strom on Anakees. I really don't feel that knobbies are essential for this stuff/ i dont have knobbies so I'm biased. I have been out to the race track before on street pressure (35psi?) and no problems. So to the guy above, go for it! Whats the worst that happens?

Ha, probably not too much now that I have some barkbusters (great for lanesplitting so the mirrors don't hit your front brake) and good gear for myself. I just checked out those tires. They look pretty sweet. Once mine wear out, I might have to upgrade to those.

[fudgypup 4]

Bump

Got three GSA's and a 650 Dakar going so far.

[stoke 2]

Unfortunately, I have to miss this one. Bummed. I own my own business and there's too much work this friday/over the weekend for me to be off somewhere. On another note, I did sign up for a Motoventures big bike training day on may 5th, so by the time I finally do make it out to Death Valley, I'll be equipped with some better skills. Riding out there with someone from this forum actually, so that should be pretty fun.

[fudgypup 4]

Unfortunately, I have to miss this one. Bummed. I own my own business and there's too much work this friday/over the weekend for me to be off somewhere. On another note, I did sign up for a Motoventures big bike training day on may 5th, so by the time I finally do make it out to Death Valley, I'll be equipped with some better skills. Riding out there with someone from this forum actually, so that should be pretty fun.

Sounds like a great idea. Training is the most valuable farkle you'll ever purchase.

[stoke 2]

Unfortunately, I have to miss this one. Bummed. I own my own business and there's too much work this friday/over the weekend for me to be off somewhere. On another note, I did sign up for a Motoventures big bike training day on may 5th, so by the time I finally do make it out to Death Valley, I'll be equipped with some better skills. Riding out there with someone from this forum actually, so that should be pretty fun.

Sounds like a great idea. Training is the most valuable farkle you'll ever purchase.

Yeah, I can't wait. I'm going to do their small bike and possibly trials bike trainings too over the next several months. Riding in dirt helps so much with street riding, especially in hairy situations, that I can't not do this when it's so close by.