Death Valley 2016

I thought you were coming with Ottoman? Let me know if you want to ride with me.
Anyway, there are a few changes to the schedule:

Due to limited time, and interest, I will postpone the bikepacking overnighter for another time. Maybe after this trip we can line up a back country overnighter.

I will be heading out either Wed. night or O-dark-thirty on Thurs morning. I usually cannot sleep before a big trip so I might as well drive! I will use this time to check out some riding I have not done yet along the eastern Panamints overlooking DV. All are welcome.
I will be setting up camp at Texas Spring Thurs. afternoon. It is a no reservation campground so its first come-first served.

Friday we can ride Echo Cyn or Trail Cyn from the campground.
Saturday is the famous Titus Canyon shuttle.
Sunday is open for now...sometimes we hike, or there is always more to ride. Always something to see. Might be a good time to be at Zabriske point for the sunrise!!!!

Wildflowers are going off already so expect some color out there.

Best way to get there right now is via the 190 from Olancha. The road from Shoshone is washed out. South route from Baker requires 45 miles of dirt roads. Make sure you top off with gas before you get to the park. Its expensive there-$5/gallon sometimes more...

So far it looks like me, Berni, DDD, mike(?), and ???? We also have several others joining us from OTB-Ottoman/Deano, Big Air Ed, Mikie McG, BBB(?) and...you?

 

For the DV enthusiast, I stumbled across this article a couple years back... Be warned, it's a time hole and you will lose a couple hours of your life if you read it.

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

and a newspaper article published about the mystery:

http://www.thelocal.de/20091114/23273

 

Yeah. I have read the story. Unprepared, uninformed, and ill advised is not the way to visit DV.
Especially in the warmer months, things can get crazy real quick.

 

I'm gonna save my DV gas money for bikepacking, rossage. I will be in for that trip for sure. Sorry to miss the fabulous guided weekend...


Yea, MCB, I already lost some hours over that one. Damn near a case study in how to do everything wrong. And pay with your whole family's life. Guy fancied himself somewhat an adventurer, but in reality he was just a plain fool. The kids' remains have still never been found AFAIK; at this point, never will. Brutal, sad, and avoidable.

 

So far we got about 8 people confirmed but not too much action from this site. All are welcome. The weather is predicted to be great, 70s during the day, 40s at night.
Mikies big breakfast is happening but bring your own lunch and dinner.
Firewood would be nice.
Wildflowers are already going off-we'll be looking for the elusive desert 5 spot...
Hoping to find some petroglyphs in Echo Cyn-I finally got some good intel about where they are.
Join us in Olancha, at the Chevron, at 7am Thursday, January 28 if you want to ride early (Trail Cyn) or at Texas Springs CG later in the day.
If it is your first time driving out to DV then plan a couple of extra hours on the way for photo ops and gawking stops.

 

I'm down to drive or ride along. As you know @rossage, I tend to haul all my camping gear and the kitchen sink to these escapades. Perhaps we can plan to consolidate camp gear. I do not know the roster or logistics, so let me know what you recommend. Also, the bike I'm bringing has tires with little knobbies. If the Death Valley roads are rocky like Main Divide in Cleveland National Forest, I may swap to real MTB tires. Please advise.

 

We have tried to consolidate the gear before and everyone just brings what they want anyway. People spend a lot on their camping gear so might as well use it.
I would say meet up in Olancha early if you want to ride, or at Texas Springs, Thursday afternoon.
I have ridden Specialized Renegades with success out there. The small knobs show their deficiencies in the corners, but the big volume is nice on the long rocky roads. Big volume small knob tires should be fine....tubeless!

 

The roster so far:

Mikie Mcguire
Ottoman
Deano
Berni
Big Air Ed
BBB
Hans
Alex
DangerDirtyD
Rossage

Couple of those are maybes/last minute so we'll see who shows up.

 

Been poking around here and didn't realize what I have been missing out on, just bad timing for me on many fronts, one being health. That freeking resort looks sweet. I'm interested in the RV acomidations, man I hope there is another opportunity next year! Always seem to forget DV is there.

 

The way to experience DV is to sleep on the ground....but if you must bring your house they have trailer slums at the bottom of the hill. Fall asleep to the drone of generators and the blue TV light in your aluminum prison cell. Yippee Kai yay!

Group is smaller already, 5 or 6 is better than 10.
Meeting at the 118 and the 5 about 4:30am Thursday. PM for more details

 

Who wants to share a tiny tent with DangerDirty!!?

 

^^^I wouldn't either^^^

Getting stoked!

 

Ha ha! See you in the desert!

 

Getting Mcg up Thank you.

 

I'm gonna take an hour nap and then try not to drive into a transmission tower along the 395.

 

Sweet dreams.....Wolfie!

 

This sounds totally cool! I'm stoked for you guys. Have a blast and take some pics of rocks jockeying for position on "Racetrack"!

...and the burrows, get pics of the burrows. But NOT pics of Triple D "with", the burrows. Nobody should document or witness that carnality!

 

I suspect the boys will look like this on their return:

.....

 

Alive & Representing in Death Valley,, The Breakfest crew.. Have fun DV Crew,, hugs Robin Mcg

 

Update the wolfie in DV