Death Valley is starkly beautiful. The road into and out of the Panamint Valley twists and turns through two high passes with phenomenal geology on display. I spent a lot of time in 2nd and 3rd gear just so I could see.
Death Valley is a vast basin that just sinks lower and lower. I marvel at the tenacity and strength of the people who have lived and worked there, or simply passed through before the advent of the modern motor vehicles.
I spent the night at Mesquite Springs. The Park Service guy at Furnace Creek told me there were 41 campsites, and I would be able to take my pick of 39. He was wrong. I got there first, the two later arrivals had less to choose from.
The first to arrive was a fellow named Scott riding a KLR 650. He was outfor three days of off-road riding in Death Valley. A former Marine, he is a part time instructor at Front Sight.
I left fairly late yesterday morning, and rode to Scotty's Castle, which will get a posting later. Beautiful buildings in a wilderness.
I planned on getting fuel at Scotty's Junction. closed. Goldfield? Closed. I had put my 1 gallon spare in at Scotty's Junction. The headwinds and side winds were really strong, but I finally made it to Tonopah and refueled there. It was about noon, there was a McDonald's, so I had my usual
After Tonopah there were miles and miles of straight road, the Extraterrestrial Highway, and wind. But the solitude was wonderful. There would be times when I wouldn't see another car for quite awhile, then a cluster would pass me headed in the opposite direction. I stopped at the Little Ale'Inn in Rachel to get a soda. Hilarious place.
The road runs straight through wide, shallow valleys, then lifts and turns through small mountain ranges. The old Western writers like Zane Grey wrote beautiful and accurate descriptions of this country. Sweeping vistas that are limitless and your eye is ever drawn onwards. I imagine the Arctic plains are similar.
I finally turned onto 93, the wind ever at my side. (The wind blew all day yesterday, and it was never at my back). I took the 168 cutoff to get me to Loganville, Overton, and Lake Mead (to honor my friend Bryan and the many misspent days of his youth in this area). It took longer than I expected. But I found a camp site, set camp, and slept 9 hours.
Today I am off to Hoover Dam and Kingman AZ, the beginning of my Mother Road adventure.
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