Death Valley Noobs Rally
March 2022
March 2022
The Death Valley Noobs Rally is fun gathering of like-minded offroad motorcyclists (both noobs and experienced riders) to explore and ride in Death Valley. One of the goals is for the experienced riders to help beginning riders and those new to Death Valley explore the amazing adventure of Death Valley. This would be my first year to bring the 2017 LTM 450 to the rally.
I trucked out to Panamint Springs on a Wednesday, with the 450 loaded in the back. On Thursday, I took a solo ride out to a few of the Panamint Valley cabins, and stopped by Ballarat on the way back.
I trucked out to Panamint Springs on a Wednesday, with the 450 loaded in the back. On Thursday, I took a solo ride out to a few of the Panamint Valley cabins, and stopped by Ballarat on the way back.
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On Friday, I led a ride to go to Chloride Cliffs and Titus Canyon. My friends, Tim and Geoff, would assist as sweep riders. Unfortunately, we had a few mishaps on the way. One rider fell shortly after we hit the dirt, and a rock made a small hole in her side case. Tim had some quiksteel (a patching compound) with him, and was able to patch the case; but she didn't want to continue on the ride. Tim rode with her and her friend out to the pavement so that they could continue on to our planned lunch stop in Beatty.
The next mishap occurred when a rider on a BMW F700 lost his clutch on a tricky, uphill turn. The clutch was fried. We waited about 1/2 hour for the clutch to cool, turned the adjuster all the way in, and the rider had just enough clutch action to return downhill to the pavement. Geoff followed him out to the pavement, and then helped to tow him into Beatty. Two others followed to the pavement, and returned to Panamint Springs in order to bring a truck out to Beatty to pick up the F700.
The rest of us continued on the road to Chloride Cliffs, but instead of taking the last uphill to the cliffs, we continued on dirt towards Beatty (as we had lost a lot of time). We had a great ride, and made it to Beatty. We filled up with gas, and everyone had a great lunch at the Happy Burro (except the two retrieving the truck for the BMW F700).
After lunch, a smaller group continued on to Rhyolite, an old ghost town just outside of Beatty. A few left us there to head back to Panamint Springs, and finally it was a group of 5 of us that continued to the great ride up to Red Pass and down into Titus Canyon. Geoff (on a large Yamaha Tenere 1200) had a soft shell Yeti bag with him, so we stopped for beers at the top of Red Pass. Another group of riders that we had passed on the way up, caught us at the top while we enjoyed our beers, and both groups headed down Titus.
The next mishap occurred when a rider on a BMW F700 lost his clutch on a tricky, uphill turn. The clutch was fried. We waited about 1/2 hour for the clutch to cool, turned the adjuster all the way in, and the rider had just enough clutch action to return downhill to the pavement. Geoff followed him out to the pavement, and then helped to tow him into Beatty. Two others followed to the pavement, and returned to Panamint Springs in order to bring a truck out to Beatty to pick up the F700.
The rest of us continued on the road to Chloride Cliffs, but instead of taking the last uphill to the cliffs, we continued on dirt towards Beatty (as we had lost a lot of time). We had a great ride, and made it to Beatty. We filled up with gas, and everyone had a great lunch at the Happy Burro (except the two retrieving the truck for the BMW F700).
After lunch, a smaller group continued on to Rhyolite, an old ghost town just outside of Beatty. A few left us there to head back to Panamint Springs, and finally it was a group of 5 of us that continued to the great ride up to Red Pass and down into Titus Canyon. Geoff (on a large Yamaha Tenere 1200) had a soft shell Yeti bag with him, so we stopped for beers at the top of Red Pass. Another group of riders that we had passed on the way up, caught us at the top while we enjoyed our beers, and both groups headed down Titus.
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It's always an adventure in Death Valley! The ride through Titus Canyon was just beautiful...
On Saturday, I left with some friends to the beginning of Goler Wash. We had passed what appeared to be a large tour group riding through Ballarat, and I was concerned that the coming back from the Geologist Cabin (the plan terminus for the day), that we would have to pass this bunch that sould still be heading up the canyon. My friends continued up Goler, over Mengal Pass and made to to the Geologist Cabin and returned to Panamint. I headed west instead, and ended up on what is known as the Escape Route (a fairly difficult route) between the Slate Range and Trona.
On Saturday, I left with some friends to the beginning of Goler Wash. We had passed what appeared to be a large tour group riding through Ballarat, and I was concerned that the coming back from the Geologist Cabin (the plan terminus for the day), that we would have to pass this bunch that sould still be heading up the canyon. My friends continued up Goler, over Mengal Pass and made to to the Geologist Cabin and returned to Panamint. I headed west instead, and ended up on what is known as the Escape Route (a fairly difficult route) between the Slate Range and Trona.
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As part of the rally, my friend Geoff sets up a radio repeater so that we can maintain radio contact through much of the area (it's an amazingly vast area). On Sunday, I rode up to Hunter Mountain to help Geoff pick up the repeater, and took just a few pics along the way.
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