Death Valley National Park (one day ride for 584 miles)

[BusyWeb]

Hi, everybody.
I got my record of 584 miles ride on one day....
It wasn't planned ride, but situdations forced me to ride.
Couldn't take many photos this time, as half of ride was under the dark (cold).
I really appreciate (thanks to) to the people whoever built those road signs and reflective pods on the road.
Without them, I couldn't even try to ride on the night........
Those are really helpful, as I coulnd't see anything else but road lines, signs and reflective pods.
About 12 hours riding, 7 hours under the dark... :cry:
GZ250 high beam is really helpful, it is really do jobs.........
I want to go this route at the next summer, I miseed most of the Death Valley beauties.
With today's ride, I confirm that we people creatures are so tiny compare to the nature.
However, I also admire we human being's abilities and possibilities.
Yes, people created and decorated the amaizing roads over the nature's skin,
so I could do pass and enjoy the natures beauties.

ONE the most amaizing experience that I have on this ride is.......
I saw "The Stars on the Sky", not just Stars but Filled On the Sky.
Never saw that many stars on my entire life.
I attached a contrast adjusted photo which I tried to take without shaking (8 seconds exposure).
You won't believe how many stars are on the sky, those are filled in the sky.
I felt that I could touch them if I wanted with my hands.

Google Earth Link (GPS Track with photos)
http://maps.google.com//maps/ms?hl=en&i ... &output=nl (http://maps.google.com//maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113200691904411669472.00045c65773684132449c&output=nl)

Google Map Link (GPS Track with photos)
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie ... 515625&z=8 (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113200691904411669472.00045c65773684132449c&ll=35.764343,-117.119751&spn=2.206239,3.515625&z=8)

Picasa Web Album
http://picasaweb.google.com/busyweb/DeathValley#
[picasa=busyweb:3msh8zml]5272028264635116577[/picasa:3msh8zml]

Hewww,,,, it was the long hour riding, and it was cold.
I started to like the "Smells of the Desert" and "Colors of Stars".....

[music man]

Talk about an Iron-Butt ride, GEEZ!!! :bow:

[alanmcorcoran]

That's a biggie. At this rate, you are going to catch up to Badbob's odometer.

[BusyWeb]

Talk about an Iron-Butt ride, GEEZ!!! :bow:
My Butt was O.K., may be previous owner's Seat Modification helped.
But my back hurts.........really, I had to stop about each 60 miles to streatch...

[alanmcorcoran]

Any trouble finding gas every 180 or so out in the boonies?

[BusyWeb]

Any trouble finding gas every 180 or so out in the boonies?
Yes, that was one of the worried concerns.
So, I did gas fill whenever I saw gas stations.
At the Death Valley Park, there are few gas stations (every small towns) and was O.K.
But at the start point (Mojave Desert) of Hwy 14 to Death Valley, little over 200 miles,
if I didn't started with fill-up, I might had big problem.

[alanmcorcoran]

You headed off, hoping to make 200 miles on one tank? That, sir, takes balls!

[Moedad]

Busy -----> :ride: Moedad -----> :bow:

Busy, how the heck did a situation FORCE you to make an unplanned ride to Death Valley?

[Water Warrior 2]

Looks like a wonderful ride. The daytime must have been a real pleasure. Hopefully next time you can take more time and enjoy the evening stars with your slippers on and a cold one.

[trykemike]

Hey Busy interesting story.
What speeds do you cruise at ?

Hey Water warrior what about that summer trip you and the missus took across canada ? Avg cruising speed pics ?

[Water Warrior 2]

Hey Busy interesting story.
What speeds do you cruise at ?

Hey Water warrior what about that summer trip you and the missus took across canada ? Avg cruising speed pics ?

Average cruising speed was 100-105 kph(62-65 mph). The GZ was happy at that speed on the prairies. A little slower in the mountains but lots more fun. Lynda seems to have a real talent for mountain roads and the GZ thrives in the curves. Lynda keeps a much better line than I do in the curves on the VStrom. All in all the GZ is an ideal small bike for travelling. The trunk-backrest is just perfect for Lynda so it no longer realy fits me very well. A bike tailored to the rider goes a long way toward comfort and satisfaction.

[BusyWeb]

Busy -----> :ride: Moedad -----> :bow:

Busy, how the heck did a situation FORCE you to make an unplanned ride to Death Valley?
Hi, Mr. Moedad.
I should used better wording than "Situation", seems not appropriate for it.
Actually, in the morning, I felt having another short weekend riding closer to home but not this par to Death Valley.
And opened "Motocycle Handbook", there is a map for the Death Valley.
I thought that I could do as map figure seems smaller than actual distances.
Ha, ha ha, I found problem with MAP when I got at the "Death Valley" junction....
I should have checked the actual distances not hand drawn map figures.....
Do I have to back to home?
Or, go to Death Valley..........>>> I choose this....

That was My Situation....
And it was a good experience, do not believe "Hand Drawn Map", never never again.
Check with actual good Maps, at least with internet web sites....
I even didn't checked with my handheld GPS, I just set to start Data Log... um....

[BusyWeb]

Looks like a wonderful ride. The daytime must have been a real pleasure. Hopefully next time you can take more time and enjoy the evening stars with your slippers on and a cold one.
Hi, Mr. Water Warrior.
Yes, if it were a nice summer night. I might have stopped and enjoyed the environments around there.
I missed all the small towns where lodgings were availble at there.
Lesson for me, if go a long riding, must check and prepare any possible situations(?) would met.
Like gas, logding, map, CLOTHING and Gears, Cash or else,........hew.....
Anyway, I had a lot of lessons with this riding....

At the next summer, I will prepare more than this time....

[BusyWeb]

Hey Busy interesting story.
What speeds do you cruise at ?

Hey Water warrior what about that summer trip you and the missus took across canada ? Avg cruising speed pics ?
Hi, Mr. Trykemike.
At the Death Valley...um. speed limit were 65 mph for the most of parts.
Day time avg. speed was ,,, about 50 - 65 miles, it depends on the roads conditions.
Conditions like altitude and degrees of the steep, uphill or down-hill..
Even though Death Valley is bellow the Sea Level and most of them are plain,
there are roads with uphills/downhills which are very slight degree but with long distances.
>>>> this made GZ slowdown something bellow 60.

Night Time Riding: don't ask me..ha ha ha
I didn't see the speedo meter, I had to concentrate on the roads... :blush:
But seems that about 45 - 60 mph mostly..
Road signs were very helpful along with GZ high beam (I like GZ250 High Beam, really strong)

Night time Freeway, highway speed were about 5-10 mph bellow the day time freeway speed (60-80).
GZ is very good and happy at 60-75, according to my experiences.

[Moedad]

Do I have to back to home?
Or, go to Death Valley..........>>> I choose this...

That's a heck of a ride, Busy. If you go in the summer next time, it'll be really hot, like 110-115 or more during the day. I wouldn't bother telling someone this in most cases, but I'd hate to read about you breaking down in the heat at Badwater in August and getting cooked just because nobody said "BUSY! It gets REALLY hot there!!" They call it DEATH Valley for a reason.

[BusyWeb]

Do I have to back to home?
Or, go to Death Valley..........>>> I choose this...

That's a heck of a ride, Busy. If you go in the summer next time, it'll be really hot, like 110-115 or more during the day. I wouldn't bother telling someone this in most cases, but I'd hate to read about you breaking down in the heat at Badwater in August and getting cooked just because nobody said "BUSY! It gets REALLY hot there!!" They call it DEATH Valley for a reason.
Hello, Mr. Moedad.
Thanks for the information.
Um,,, it scares me.
um.. One plan for "Not Cooked"...
Ride at early morning and late afternoon, isn't it good idea?
Then, what do I do at high noon?????

[Moedad]

Hello, Mr. Moedad.
Thanks for the information.
Um,,, it scares me.
um.. One plan for "Not Cooked"...
Ride at early morning and late afternoon, isn't it good idea?
Then, what do I do at high noon?????

Early morning temps (just before sunrise) are "coolest." In July and August it gets down into the upper 80s in that early morning "cool" time. Late afternoon is only a few degrees cooler than mid-day. It stays above 100 until well after dark, even after midnight at times. You may get lucky and get a "cold" snap and have temps in the low 100s during the day.

Best times of the year to visit Death Valley are November through April.

[BusyWeb]

Early morning temps (just before sunrise) are "coolest." In July and August it gets down into the upper 80s in that early morning "cool" time. Late afternoon is only a few degrees cooler than mid-day. It stays above 100 until well after dark, even after midnight at times. You may get lucky and get a "cold" snap and have temps in the low 100s during the day.

Best times of the year to visit Death Valley are November through April.
Wow..
That's extream.
I may handle those temperatures, but I don't think that GZ250 can for the long run with that extream temperatures.
In the Death Valley Park, I didn't see any shades. Only desert and roads.
There might be some places to hide GZ over the sun lights that I had not noticed,
because when I passed the park it was pitch black. ??? however I'm feeling that I doubt it....
I might need some research before the trip, Thanks for the tips.

Anyway, "Happy thanksgiving day........"

[alanmcorcoran]

Busy,

The bike will probably handle the temperatures better than your body. When it is that hot in summer and you are riding the bike, your body will try desperately to sweat (all the more so if you are ATGATT). If you stop, you'll notice you are covered in a whitish salty dirt, which is the dried perspiration. The wind is hot itself and everything is super dry, so sweating doesn't offer much in the way of evaporation cooling. Heat stroke, racing pulse and, well, death, are all possible under those circumstances. It's doable, but you have to take it easy during peak heat, drink plenty of fluids, mix in some power drinks, and so on.

Another danger is the lack of people and services out there. Did your cell work everywhere? A flat could kill you.

There's a bicycle double century (200 miles, no engine) that goes through Death Valley, and many people do it, and few, if any, ever die, but they have regular water stops, do it during the "winter" and do a lot of it at night. Like you did by accident.