Mikey777 44 Posted November 26, 2015 With a light week at work, it was the perfect time to take off for a roadie with the GF. We loaded up the 990 Baja and left San Diego on Sunday 11/22 around 11:30 a.m. The slab ride out was uneventful. We hit Baker with about an hour of sunlight and turned up the 127 taking in the spectacular views along the way to Death Valley Junction. We arrived in DV in the dark, grabbed some beers, dinner and planned out the next day. We got a late start on Monday... toured the south part of the park- Dantes' View, Sabriske, Artists Palette, Bad Water, the Natural Bridge, and the Devil's Golf Course. I was hoping to do 20 Mule Team Canyon as part of the GF two-up dirt indoctrination, but it was closed due to the recent flash flooding. Headed back to the Ranch, beers, dinner...lubed the chassis, changed the fluids...good to go for the next day. On Tuesday, we headed northeast to Rhyolite, snapped some pics and then headed back to Titus Canyon. Wow! Epic views and a fantastic ride. The dirt road was open and in great shape from recent grading/repairs. We finished Titus and were debating the Race Track but decided to pass since we didn't want to run out of sunlight on the dirt. We opted for the Charcoal Kilns and blasted down to Stovepipe Wells and up Emigrant Road. That's when things got interesting. The wind started picking up and by the time we got to Emigrant Pass the wind was so strong I was getting blown all over the road. We turned back out of an abundance of caution thinking we had seen the worst of the wind. We hadn't. As we rode back down into the valley and passed Stovepipe Wells, the wind got even stronger. And that's when the sand storm started. We were just between the 374/190 intersection and Beatty Junction when the vehicles 1/4 mile in front of us disappeared into a cloud of sand. I told the GF to hold on and we rode into the Apocalypse on the White Horse. It was unreal. The sand was swirling across the road and wind was trying to rip our helmets off. We got blown all over the road and had to lean into the wind to keep in our lane. I was looking for a kiosk or something to hide out in when came out of the cloud just after Beatty Junction. We headed back into the Ranch with some light to spare, but the riding conditions were kaput. Beers, dinner...lubed the chassis, changed the fluids...good to go for the next day. Slabbed it home today. Grabbed breakfast at the Mad Greek, fought the wind through the desert and rode back safe into San Diego. A few pics... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reximus 10 Posted November 26, 2015 The biggest question DID SHE HAVE FUN!? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey777 44 Posted November 26, 2015 She had a great time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bp619 104 Posted November 26, 2015 Awesome looks like a fun time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danrider 5 Posted November 26, 2015 Glad you had a great time, I have not done death valley yet and I will talk with you about it on our trip. As for the GF, keep her if she enjoys riding with you, who cares if she can cook or not, she enjoys doing what you like Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MacDuncan 131 Posted November 26, 2015 Nice info and good for you for doing a bunch of that valley two-up. Bummer about the wind and sand as it is always fun to open it up a bit out there, but not with gusty winds. Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan Diego 40 Posted November 26, 2015 Well written, Mikey! Cool photos, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wierdrider 187 Posted November 26, 2015 Good thing you were on a white horse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vacman 0 Posted November 26, 2015 Looks like a great trip! Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwood 11 Posted November 26, 2015 Nice write up Mikey. What tires are you running on the 990? That design looks good. I need to re-shoe the Tiger soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey777 44 Posted November 26, 2015 I am running Pirelli Scorpion MT-90's. They are a 70% road tire and handle awesome on the street. They handle okay on a nicely groomed dirt road. They are horrible in anything loose. Go with knobbies unless you are really planning on a ton of road work. I wish I had knobbies on our last SDAR camping ride we did. http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/motorcycle/sheet/scorpion_mt_90_a-t.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted November 27, 2015 So nice she is willing to do that trip. My wife has a very limited 2 up endurance. Got to see some stuff, had an adventure, still smilin'. Good deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reximus 10 Posted November 28, 2015 Glad you had a great time, I have not done death valley yet and I will talk with you about it on our trip. As for the GF, keep her if she enjoys riding with you, who cares if she can cook or not, she enjoys doing what you like Agree Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oracle 195 Posted November 29, 2015 Let me get this straight.... You lube your chassis everyday or is that a metaphor for...? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted November 30, 2015 See, the classy people just glossed right over that........ Big dumb softball, just hangin' out there in mid-air. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey777 44 Posted November 30, 2015 Lubing the chassis and changing the fluids every day... good preventative maintenance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oracle 195 Posted November 30, 2015 See, the classy people just glossed right over that........ Big dumb softball, just hangin' out there in mid-air. He didn't bite. I'm disappointed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
