This weekend I was invited to join a colleague's motorcycle group camp out / poker run to support the EOD Warrior Foundation. Thought it would be interesting to see how another group rides and hangs out.
Friday afternoon, rode south to meet up with the local riders in Tonopah. There was three waiting for me, Dan and Tami, JW, and Christof. We continued south towards Beatty where we met up with the riders coming up from Vegas and elsewhere. I can't remember everyone's names, so "bunch of Harleys" should sum it up. After dinner and more socializing in Beatty, we continued on south into Death Valley and Furnace Creek for the night. Yay, motorcycle camping!
Saturday morning, woke up early to head to the cafe for some breakfast. Then onto Badwater for the start of the poker run. I just donated my entry fee and spent the day riding around the area on my own. Rode Artist Drive solo, then headed out towards Mesquite Dunes. Part of the main group passed me while I was admiring the sand, so I continued on east out of the main part of the Park and up and over to Panamint Springs. Caught up with the group at Panamint Springs Resort and filled up for a few laps of the pass. Managed to ride the twisty part of the mountain road four times before the group passed me, so made one more run up, hung out at Father Crowley look out for a bit, then continued on out of the Park towards Lone Pine. Caught up with the group again at the Interagency Visitor building outside Lone Pine where they headed north while I ran inside. Rode up to the meet up point at the top of Whitney Portal Road whee I would have gotten more pictures, but it was raining / snowing. Everyone high tailed it back to the valley and dinner where the score cards from the poker run were calculated and the winner determined. Then we all left to head to Lake Diaz to set up camp. Unfortunately for me, a cold wind picked up and a heavy rain started coming down, so I retreated into my tent and remained there for the rest of the night.
Sunday morning found us all shaking out the soaked gear. I managed to get my tent staked down solidly and only had the rain fly get wet, while others had rain get into their tents. Went off to breakfast and I bid farewell and thanks for the weekend. Did manage to help some by using my air compressor to fill up the trailer tire. I headed up to the Alabama Hills, where many films and commercials and tv shows were filmed. Really enjoyed the ride through there seeing all the folks out off roading. Back into town, then north to Hwy 120 for some roller coaster fun, back to 395 for twisting up out of the Mono Lake area, then onto Bridgeport Canyon, before coming on into Carson City.
Dawn at Furnace Creek
The most expensive gas ever!
Badwater
Artist Drive
Mesquite Dunes
Father Crowley point
Lake Diaz visitors
Alabama Hills with Mt Whitney in the clouds
More Alabama Hills
Sierra Nevada
