Day 1 Photos -- Rhyolite, NV to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park

It was a great start for a great trip.  Weather and roads were good.  Traffic was light and courteous.

Sign indicates this was a casino in its last life.  Possibly a train depot originally.  Rhyolite, NV

The road out of Rhyolite, NV

The only locals left in Rhyolite

The sand dunes seen in Star Wars

Day 2 Photos -- Ubehebe Crater to Stovepipe Wells Loop

Yoga at sunrise

Sunset at Stovepipe Wells

The end of another perfect day

Day 3 Photos -- Stovepipe Wells to Furnace Creek

Day 3 started with a hike, saw our first borax marshes, kept us at sea level or below and overnight for two nights in Furnace Creek.

Borax marsh

Borax marsh

Day 4 Photos -- Furnace Creek to Badwater Loop

Named in 1934, "only the devil could play on the surface" from the large halite salt formations.  Quite a surprise!

Salt flats at Badwater.

Bobcat sighting on Furnace Creek golf course.  No sighting by the bikers.

Sunset at Artist's Palette, an incredible biking route!

Final Day -- It's Really Not Fair!

What a challenge!  Probably the hardest day of the trip.  The day started with a 19 mile climb of 6% grade to an elevation of 3,000 ft.  The day finished with a 10 mile descent to an oasis in the desert, the Amargosa Cafe.

The weather continued to be beautiful, but temperatures were noticeably different as we started up.  By 3,000 ft, arm warmers, vests or jackets were in order.

Zabriskie Point was at 1,000 ft, 6 miles from the start.  Such interesting terrain and desert beauty, much different than what we'd seen all week.  Gone is the flat terrain of sand and rock.

After time at Zabriskie Point, it was back on the road  to continue the trek up.  Doing the work, makes the payoff so sweet.

At the end of the route we enjoyed lunch at the Amargasso Cafe in Death Valley Junction, the first civilization we've seen this week.  What an eclectic place in the middle of the desert, and the sandwiches were amazing!  Biking makes every meal so much better.  This group of bikers highly recommends the cafe!

Death Valley Junction also includes the Armagasso Opera House and the Armagasso Hotel.  The opera house was established by Marta Becket and her husband almost 50 years ago, a performer herself she wanted to do her own thing and found the theater by chance as she and her husband were driving through the area.  They rented the space initially.  He eventually moved on but she stayed and continued to perform until 2012.  Such a unique community attraction.  

Following lunch, it was time to load bikes and shuttle back to Las Vegas and the end of our adventure.

This was a very good group with a variety of skills and touring experience.  One guest had done this trip 8 times previous to this tour, several others had not toured at all.  This was an exceptional trip, not sure about repeating.  Roads were incredible, and the weather couldn't have been much better.

The tour company delivered my bike to the area bike shop in Las Vegas for shipping back to Iowa.  It will likely be in Dubuque by the end of the week.  Of course, the sun hasn't been out since I've been back and temps have barely been above freezing.  Forecasts now include discussions of wind chill, so I'm in no special hurry for the bike to get here quickly.

I was able to see friends John and Judy Venenga and have dinner with them at the end of the ride before leaving on Saturday.  Return travel was very smooth, kudos to to the airline for arriving early at both stops.

Day 4 -- Badwater Loop

On paper it looks so easy.  Turn right out of the resort.  Turn right 1 mile down the road.  Ride 17.6 miles to Badwater. Turnaround and ride back.

The terrain was long, rolling hills.  Nothing too serious in the cool of the morning at 8:00 but the return trip was a bit more strenuous with just a bit of head wind and full sun.  Everyone made it back, including those that took on the added 6 mile 12% challenge of Artist Drive.

Some vanned out to Artist Drive at sunset to view Artist Palette, and the buildup was all worth it.  The sides of the mountains there are composed of various minerals and the colors change as the sun sets.  Stunning.

There are so many hiking options here.  I've noticed though that hikers tends to go out early.  So it must not be just our imaginations telling us that the sun is quite intense.

Badwater is only a pullout on the road.  You can walk down to and through the salt flats there.  You are 282 feet below sea level at that point.  

Tomorrow we ride back up out of the valley and return to Las Vegas.  The ride out will include 3,000 ft of climb in the first 19 miles, so one final challenge.  John and Judy Venenga are coming in from Kingman to meet for supper tomorrow evening, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with them. 

Day 3 -- Beautiful Ride to Furnace Creek

As planned the day began with breakfast at Stovepipe Wells.  It's hard to know what to call "it."  There's a motel, camping and appears to also have live in accommodations.  This is a concessionaire run property for the National Park Service.  And, the property includes a restaurant, bar and gift shop.  Staff was good, although as usual when traveling in a group meals were a challenge.

Anyway, after breakfast there was a hike into Mosaic Canyon.  Really spectacular and highly recommended for those that hike.  The portion we hiked had a few challenges for the novices in the group, but was very doable with the help with more experience.  Good time, but it helped make the decision as to whether it would be the long route or short route for today.  The legs were feeling a little bit of lag from yesterday's 46 miles in the "heat."  Short route.

I came to realize today (not because of any trouble), that you are really out here alone.  I haven't had cell service for 3 days.  I was the first one out this morning and never saw another rider nor a support vehicle.  If there had been a problem, well you improvise and figure it out.

Traffic is really light on these roads, which is nice.  Road surfaces are really great.  And while it's odd to think about, the surface is also really clean, i.e. no radial tire wires, no blown tires, no broken glass and no animals.  It's almost like the road surface is just like the day it was layed.  How can that be with temperatures reaching 120+ regularly?  Surely the surface explodes at times.  But, not even a patch. Anywhere!

We've also learned that nothing decomposes here because of the heat and lack of moisture.  I think I need to go back to 7th grade Earth Science to understand that one.

With the shorter route there was plenty of time before rooms were ready for some of us to take in the National Park Service Visitor Center and learn more about the park (but  nothing about decomposition....hmmm).  

We then stopped at the 19th Hole for lunch, an outdoor lunch stand at the Furnace Creek golf course.  Now here they've got something truly special -- a drive up lane for golf carts.  It was impressive!  The cart drives up (level with the bar).  The bartender takes the order.  The kitchen prepares the food or the bartender provides the refreshment, and off the cart goes to start or finish the round.  It was quite cool.

There is major renovation at Furnace Creek, another park service property.  Consequently, services are pretty limited, and unfortunately this is the "only game in town."  Meals will be a bit challenging for new reasons.  We'll be here two nights.  The property includes the golf course, the 19th Hole, another restaurant, a post office, a small store, the resort, a trading post, a fire department, a borax museum (which we also viewed), and permanent homes.  So, it's quite well developed.

Tomorrow we do a loop out to Badwater.  There's an optional add to the route that includes Artist's Drive.  The views are supposed to be spectacular.  (When there's a 3 mile 12% climb, there'd better be a huge reward!)

Please stay tuned for pictures.