(1) Low fog near Hollister [map]

Low fog near Hollister
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/200s 7.3 mm

Another spring, another spring ride to Death Valley and Paso Robles. This ride started for me early Friday morning in mid 30 temperatures. I rode, alone (of course!), to Hollister for breakfast at the Cozy Cup. It was light as I left the house about 6 AM, but the sun wouldn't rise above the hills in the east for another 30 minutes. The 1/2 moon in the southern sky was bright orange. It looked to be a good day.

(2) Ca 25 [map]

Ca 25
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/500s 7.3 mm

(3) Warming up [map]

Warming up
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/200s 7.3 mm

(4) Green hills [map]

Green hills
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/800s 7.3 mm

After breakfast I rode down Ca 25 to Ca 198 with a stop in Coalinga for gas. No traffic. No critters. The temperature rose with the sun.

(5) Ca 33 [map]

Ca 33
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1250s 7.3 mm

(6) I'm having more fun [map]

I'm having more fun
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1250s 7.3 mm

(7) Vineyards everywhere [map]

Vineyards everywhere
ISO 50 f/4.0 1/1250s 7.3 mm

The next leg was down 33 and over 46 to the 46/99 interchange. I rode with the iPod providing tunes to help while away the time. Bet I was having more fun than the guy with the KTM on the back of his RV.

(17) That turn [map]

That turn
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/800s 28.0 mm

(17) Loose stuff [map]

Loose stuff
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/800s 17.0 mm

I hit this 20 MPH turn not much more than 20 MPH. Well, I was in third gear, but still... The black near the center line is not skid marks as I'd assumed. It looked like loose bits of ground up asphalt when viewed up close. The rear end of the bike went out from under me, doing a 180 and leaving me facing the wrong way on the ground in the blind portion of the turn. Ooops!

(17) Went down here [map]

Went down here
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/1000s 17.0 mm

(17) close-up of loose stuff [map]

close-up of loose stuff
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/800s 75.0 mm

I wanted to get the bike out of the way before someone came around the turn and damaged it (and me!) Luckily, the first car that came around was able to swing wide. They parked and directed traffic around the turn as I lifted the pig (now I know why the GS is often called that) and got it off the roadway.

Right hip

Right hip
ISO 200 f/5.0 1/25s 35.0 mm

Right side lower knee

Right side lower knee
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/25s 85.0 mm

Jacket, right hip

Jacket, right hip
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/50s 85.0 mm

No damage to me. Minor damage to my riding gear. The damage to the right hip area of the jacket was due to carrying a small flashlight at that location. The fabric was stuck between flashlight and road. The knee armor protected my legs.

(14) Crash bars work [map]

Crash bars work
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/640s 56.0 mm

(14) Pannier damage minimal [map]

Pannier damage minimal
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/500s 85.0 mm

The damage to the bike was also minimal. A scrape on the crash bars and another scrape on my right pannier. My hand guard and right mirror were slightly twisted. Didn't need any tools to put them back the way they belonged.

(13) Approaching Trona [map]

Approaching Trona
ISO 50 f/4.5 1/1250s 7.3 mm

(14) GS at Trona [map]

GS at Trona
ISO 200 f/5.6 1/1600s 33.0 mm

I thanked the folks that stopped to help then got back on the road. My next stop was at the Trona rest area. As I was taking pictures of the damage to the bike and talking with another rider Dave, Jerry, and Helmut passed. I guess Helmet joined them at Ridgecrest as I'd seen their bikes parked outside of the Ferris diner as I rode through.

(15) Riders ahead [map]

Riders ahead
ISO 50 f/4.5 1/1250s 7.3 mm

(16) Home for 2 nights [map]

Home for 2 nights
ISO 200 f/8.0 1/80s 17.0 mm

I got back on the road and caught up with them, riding through the Panamint Valley. They turned toward Panamint springs and I headed straight, taking Wildrose into Death Valley. I rode to the Furnace Creek campground and eventually found a place to pitch my tent. The walk-in and tent-only sites were full. I picked one of the RV sites that looked fairly tent friendly The folks in the next site over had done the same thing.

Dan and Fred/Stovepipe Wells

Dan and Fred/Stovepipe Wells
ISO 100 f/2.8 1/240s 8.0 mm

Dan and Fred, again

Dan and Fred, again
ISO 200 f/3.2 1/240s 10.4 mm

After getting camp set I rode back to Stovepipe Wells where I had dinner with Carl, Dan, and Fred. Before dinner Carl volunteered a bottle of Fred's beer. Dan bought dinner. Life doesn't get much better than free food and drink.

I rode back to the campground where my camp neighbors invited me over to sit next to their fire, swap lies, and help drink their wine. I finally got into my sleeping bag around midnight. Maybe two hours later I awoke to the noise of my shade tarp blowing in the wind. One corner was staked to the ground but the ground was too soft to hold the stake against the breeze that came up. I took the tarp down and stuffed it out of the way then went back to sleep.