Wilsons Sandbox

Speaking off the cuff.... Have you been to Death Valley before?...because if not you may wish the scope of your ride to be an 'overall', if its a first time. Personally, this is what I wish I'd done because so many peoples thinking about what's cool....and what's do-able ......and terrain types is sooooooo different. I might explore the Western half for a day and then the Eastern half. With lotsa looksee stops, or if there's a delay, half the length of the Place is comfortable in a day... My hunch is...the really cool stuff lies just outside the parks edges....throughout the perimeter.......but to see this 'right' would take a week....though it would be all offroad. I hope to hit those 'quadrants' in detail during future exlporations. Because Death Valley is a Nat'l Monument there's alot of pavement, restrictions, etc....but this isn't necessarily all bad.....its picturesque..... As concerned as we were about gas....we never came close to having to worry about it really.....although it was discussed extensively........we were KLR flush..... AAA has the best map I've seen of the area, and it includes dirt roads.......what isn't flat and easy gets really rocky n' sandy n' loose real quick........so I'd recommend one party carry emergency gas..... and pack as lite as possible in anticipation of the rugged stuff the locals claim to be 'like a freeway'. Stove Pipe wells, Furnace Creek for sure have gas on the NE side.....Trona on the SW side does also. Check with NPS for others to be sure...... probably Lone Pine in the NW quarter..... and....I dunno in the SE...... Enjoy the: wind, dust, cold?, and ride my friend. Slide Bryan Loehr wrote:

> KLR listers, > > Some friends and I are heading for Death Valley the first week in January. > We'll tow the bikes down from Santa Cruz and stay the first night in > Ridgecrest. Then we plan to ride the south end of the Valley. Each of the > next two nights we'll stay in motels some where, returning to the point of > origin to then head home. > > Questions: > > Good websites that have detailed maps of Death Valley and vicinity dirt > roads? > > Suggested rides, explorations in the south end of the Valley? > > We usually ride with all necessary rain gear, etc.--no camping--and we each > carry extra gas. Our intent when we get there is to ride as much dirt as > we can, knowing that intermittent pavement will occasionally occur. > > Bryan Loehr > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

Tom, I used to spend 2 weeks a year out in DV. This time of year should be very nice, and the flowers are going to be everywhere, wish I still lived in SoCal so I could make the trip. I'd try to check out Middle Park and South Park. There in the western side of the Valley at about 7000 feet. If you look at the map, there really outside of the park proper. However, even if the map looks like you can make it out of South Park, the road is washed out, or at least it was last time I went (15 or so years ago). IIRC, there was a massive landslide that took the road out. If you camp in Paniment Valley, you can get access to most of these areas. HtH, and have a safe trip, Denis A14

> > > > Will be able to ride in Death Valley in a couple of weeks, for a > couple of days. I'll be trucking the KLR out and camping. I want to > see the flowers, of course, but would like advice on which > roads/trails in the park would be the most fun for a novice with > Gripsters. I'm reading the NPS web stuff and all their links, will > stop at the library and AAA today, but any other information on the > area would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks, > Tom Skemp > La Crosse WI > > > > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > >

Get the DV map from the following link. It lists all the roads in the park, their difficulty and milage. Have fun and take pictures. --Jim A-15 http://www.tomharrisonmaps.com/locationmap.html

> Will be able to ride in Death Valley in a couple of weeks, for a > couple of days. I'll be trucking the KLR out and camping. I want to > see the flowers, of course, but would like advice on which > roads/trails in the park would be the most fun for a novice with > Gripsters. I'm reading the NPS web stuff and all their links, will > stop at the library and AAA today, but any other information on the > area would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks, > Tom Skemp > La Crosse WI

>> Will be able to ride in Death Valley in a couple of weeks, for a >> couple of days. I'll be trucking the KLR out and camping. I want to >> see the flowers, of course, but would like advice on which >> roads/trails in the park would be the most fun for a novice with >> Gripsters.

The locals might be able to offer some advice: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoCalDualSport/ RM

http://www.death-valley.us/maps.html --- rm@... wrote:

> > >> Will be able to ride in Death Valley in a couple > of weeks, for a > >> couple of days. I'll be trucking the KLR out and > camping. I want to > >> see the flowers, of course, but would like advice > on which > >> roads/trails in the park would be the most fun > for a novice with > >> Gripsters. > > The locals might be able to offer some advice: > > http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoCalDualSport/ > > RM > > > Archive Quicksearch at: >

http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html

> List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: > www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: > www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > DSN_KLR650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > >

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I just got back from a 4 day trip, and wow, I wish I had my KLR while there. All of the paved roads are pretty good. My recommended rides for a "novice with Gripsters" - All of these are unpaved but rideable on a KLR: 1) Titus Canyon Road: Currently closed due to washouts from flooding; not sure when it will reopen. One of the most scenic rides, and fairly easy on a KLR. A definite must ride it if it's open! Note: if steep drop offs spook you, skip this one! Otherwise, it's easy. 2) Greenwater Road / Furnace Creek Wash Road. Currently open and the only way to Dante's View right now. 3) Racetrack Valley Road: 26 miles to "The Racetrack". Fairly easy. For an interesting side trip, take Hunter Mountain Road (aka Hidden Valley) at Teakettle Junction. Turn back if necessary! You could encounter snow (It's impassable right now). 4) West Side Road. A pleasant 40 mile ride, with side trips (rougher) up into the Panamints, if you dare. Who'da thunk that a Pennsylvania boy would be recommending roads to take in Death Valley? Mike PA sometimes CA

----- Original Message ----- From: "thskemp" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 8:02 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Death Valley > Will be able to ride in Death Valley in a couple of weeks, for a > couple of days. I'll be trucking the KLR out and camping. I want to > see the flowers, of course, but would like advice on which > roads/trails in the park would be the most fun for a novice with > Gripsters. I'm reading the NPS web stuff and all their links, will > stop at the library and AAA today, but any other information on the > area would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks, > Tom Skemp > La Crosse WI > > > > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > >