Death Valley Bike Camping Report

[BusyWeb]

Hello, there.
Here is the my first bike-camping report.
Destination: Death Valley
Total Distance: 580 miles
Night Temp: about 50 degree I guess, I didn't feel any chilling with my 50 degree sleeping bag.
Park Enterance Fee: $10 for motorcycle
Camping Fee: $12
** both fees paid to the machine >> not a ragers there at late afternoon. ha ha ha

I choosed the Death Valley,
because I missed a lot of mother nature's sceneric landscaping at the last riding.
Last time with GZ250 >>>>> riding at night >>> it was a misery for me.
I wanted always to back, Yes I did this weekend.
It's a beatiful place...
I left some good scenic points for the next riding... ha ha ha.
A really good place for the bikers.
Good road conditions, good weather conditions for it..

First of all, I like to mention what I have learned with this weekend's riding...

1. Check your Tire Pressure.
If you have cheap tire pressure guage, throw it away and buy good one.
I have a tire pressure guage which comes with my tire repari kit.
And re-aired my tires with it >>>> it's big big mistake.
Saturday and sunday at the desert, there were really windy conditions.
So, I had to stop to prevent bike-down by wind couple of hours to rest.
I thought that wind speed is too fast.. so I could not control bike well.......>>> WRONG
Today, the way back home, I got a some windy condition too.
And it was really hard to keep bike straight.
However, many of the bikes are passing me and it seems that they don't have problems with wind?????
So, I exit out at the San Bernadino, and checked the tire pressure.
With my bad guage, it seems O.K. ????
However, I made my mind to release some air for the better tire tracking.
Yes, it get's much better afterward, and no sliding at those wind... um....
And seems tire pressure is still some high on it.
After back home, I washed my bike and checked the tire condition >>>> bad
The tire seems wearing out very narrow width and bad shape.
I'm going to check tomorrow at the body shop.....

2. With camping lesson....
a. make packing as simple as possible >>> Mr. Softie told me.
>>> I tried it, but still too much. >>> listen to the experienced oldies....ha ha ha
b. if you are going to camping popular season, do reserve a camp site before
>>> I barely got a spare spot when I was there.
c. do not pack some heavy food or water at home before leaving.
>>> I think that I could buy at the stores close to the camp site.
>>> Just my opinion, so that less packing and less bike total weight.
...
..
.

This first bike-camping was successful for me, no difficulties at all.
Not very exciting experiences, but it was a really happy hours.

I'm going to go more bike-campings whenever weather condtions permits me. ha ha ha
I met a nice guy named Steve at the camping site just next to my tent and had just little bit chat.
You can see at the photos.


At night, got bored.. and played with my head-mount-lentern.
Photos will show some... ha ha ha.

Look at the sky at night, you may see the real world of us...

I can handle better bike camping next time... hopely...

Here are the photos to share with you.

Picasa Album Link
http://picasaweb.google.com/busyweb/Dea ... #slideshow

Picasa Slide Show
[picasa=busyweb:2hth0r1o]5329197868004173921[/picasa:2hth0r1o]

Thanks

[Water Warrior 2]

Looks like a great trip. Glad the camping worked out so well for you. Thanks for sharing.

[Moedad]

Great report, Busy! Wow, your bike was really stacked with gear, wasn't it? Do you think the high profile was one of the reasons you had trouble with the wind? I can see how incorrect tire pressures and extra gear on your bike would really multiply the effects of the wind. But you survived and learned new things! I especially enjoyed the pictures where you were highlighting different parts of your bike with your light. Well done! I look forward to more camping reports.

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Looks like a great trip. Glad the camping worked out so well for you. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Moedad

Great report, Busy! Wow, your bike was really stacked with gear, wasn't it? Do you think the high profile was one of the reasons you had trouble with the wind? I can see how incorrect tire pressures and extra gear on your bike would really multiply the effects of the wind. But you survived and learned new things! I especially enjoyed the pictures where you were highlighting different parts of your bike with your light. Well done! I look forward to more camping reports.

Thanks for the comments, Mr..

Hi, Mr. WW, are you in Canada?
At the Stove Pipe Wall(Well?), I saw a gang of Canadian Bikers (about 10 members).
First time, I glanced them as American Riders.
But with License Plate >> it read as Quebek?? something like that.
Wow, they are from the nothern part of America...and long long distance riding...
I remembered that one of GZ members is from Canada... it was you then
Am I right?

Hi, Mr. Modead.
Yes, this time's loading was got little higher than appropriate.
And, I don't know why I changed the loading locations, I put heavier gears to the rear back and back-pack rest. ha ha ha
And ligher ones to the saddle bag >> tent, sleeping bag, and some extra-clothings including rain-gears. >> it was easier for me to put those in saddle bags... ha ha ha
You are right; I thought so too; the higher, blocked, and havier gears might had given wind-sailing effect on bikes.
And greatly multiplies with side wind....
Yesterday afternoon at home, I aired/released my tires with bike-air pump and tried to measure air pressure with bad guage.
I put about 10 psi LESS than the guage reading.
And today afternoon after work, I checked with a guage at the auto-body-shop who kindly permitts me to use air guage with pump.
No suprise, it is almost correct reading that bike's recommanded air pressure.
I was riding my bike with over ~6 psi tire pressure, almost 2 months?? (or 1 to 2 mo.)....
It was a good life saving lesson for me... :roll:

Thanks...
And waiting for the next good weahtered weekend.... ha ha ha

[Water Warrior 2]

Riders from Quebec would be a fair ways from home. Quebec is in Eastern Canada while we are right on the West coast of Canada.
Running your tire pressures 2 or 3 lbs higher should not affect handling much if any. The one benefit will be longer lasting tires. Your bike probably has a higher pressure for 2 up riding on the rear tire and might be to your advantage if you are hauling all your gear on weekends. As for the handling in the wind you might have had a few different factors working against you. The sail effect goes without saying on most bikes. If you had some heavier gear behind the rear axle it will make a difference and the higher the gear is loaded the more noticable.

[BusyWeb]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

As for the handling in the wind you might have had a few different factors working against you. The sail effect goes without saying on most bikes. If you had some heavier gear behind the rear axle it will make a difference and the higher the gear is loaded the more noticable.

Hi, Mr. WW.
Yes, I think that I made some gear loading error on this trip.
Thanks for the tips, and will be careful when I have to load havier stuffs on the bike.
Distribute evenly and loading lower the havier stuffs ....

By the way, I was wonder that how the my bike's tire can handle mileages, and searched the internet.
Mine is the kind of Sports Bike Tire; or bit of Sports Touring class.
And most bikers change these tires at 6000 - 9000 mileage riding, even though the tire has some thread left.
These tire would loose some gripping power after then...
Mine shows some similar behavior, it looses good(tight) feeling when riding high speed on the highway.
But on the cornering, it still has nice gripping power like new tire has...
(I didn't have many chance on twisties with this new bike... ha ha ha)
I bought it at 2000 miles, and now over 8000 miles on meter....
I might have to find some good Touring Tires instead of Sports class tires, after couple of touring,
so that I could enjoy long distance touring without having worries on tire....
Touring Tire spec. shows that it can handle more end-milage than sprots tires.
Speed rate is W or Z ?? don't remember but those can handle 150 mph >> good enough for my bike. (current tire can handle about 170 mph)

Thanks again for the tips...