Death Valley Daze

[George]

Anyone from here going to attend Death Valley Daze, Jan 23/24/25. It's a non-event, no real planning, just show up and pitch yur tent. Reservations at Furnace Creek may be at a premium but I'm not gonna bother. Just arrive and find a site to pitch the tent.

If everything is full, I'll stealth camp somewhere close.

27 pages of discussion at ADVRIDER.com

[Trailace]

Wish I could but can't.:(

[Black and Blue]

Anyone from here going to attend Death Valley Daze, Jan 23/24/25. It's a non-event, no real planning, just show up and pitch yur tent. Reservations at Furnace Creek may be at a premium but I'm not gonna bother. Just arrive and find a site to pitch the tent.

If everything is full, I'll stealth camp somewhere close.

27 pages of discussion at ADVRIDER.com

We're like you George. We are planning to ride down there and see things. No big plans. We will go on our Urals if nothing comes up.:)

[George]

We're like you George. We are planning to ride down there and see things. No big plans. We will go on our Urals if nothing comes up.:)

I'll look for ya Friday/Saturday. I'll be on my 95 Yam with black big tank and black/white side covers and blue seat. Not cosmetically great, but serves me well. :D

[bigTom]

Quote by George
I'll be on my 95 Yam with black big tank and black/white side covers and blue seat.

And Flames! Don't forget the flames, George. :)

I don't think I can wait, George. I think Bob and I are going out this weekend! I may have to try the penny stove, I don't have parts for my Coleman, yet.

[Black and Blue]

I'll look for ya Friday/Saturday. I'll be on my 95 Yam with black big tank and black/white side covers and blue seat. Not cosmetically great, but serves me well. :D

One of us will be on a Forest Green Ural with a big Aussie and the other will be on a white Ural with a red Doxie. But you'll probably won't see her as she will be in her hole.:) Hope to see and meet you.:)

[Blues Traveler]

Im suppose to go out Friday but looks as if work is going to get in the way this year.:( BIG JOB just came in and might take priority over DVD. Told they will let me know at he last minute. Have'nt missed one on years. If they don't work Saturday I might head out really early and try to get there before noon.

Black and Blue, There's always a good turnout of Ural's at DVD.

[Black and Blue]

Im suppose to go out Friday but looks as if work is going to get in the way this year.:( BIG JOB just came in and might take priority over DVD. Told they will let me know at he last minute. Have'nt missed one on years. If they don't work Saturday I might head out really early and try to get there before noon.

Black and Blue, There's always a good turnout of Ural's at DVD.

You were the one that told us you about the Urals.:) We have decided to stay at least two nights and will be at Furnace Creek Campground, site 85.

[Black and Blue]

Well we left Bishop and headed out to Death Valley, CA. on Thursdays, 01-22-09. Must have hit the biggest rain storm since Oct. 2008 on SR 190. Rained pretty hard, but found out that our Tour Masters Transition 2 Jackets and Tour Masters pants worked very well in the Rain. Our heavy Tour Masters gloves were soaked. Our boots did well also. Our loaded down Urals performed very well in the heavy rain. No problems, but Kirby's , our Aussie, head got wet. Not his body since Colleen put his rain jacket on. Audrey, our little Doxie, kept dry since I had her in a cage tucked into the nose of the sidecar. She didn't like it, but she stayed dried. Took a break outside the west entrance to Death Valley on SR 190 east of the Saline Valley Road. pics below. The ramp on the second pic is Kirby's ramp so he can get in the sidecar with no problem.

[Black and Blue]

Spent three nights at the Furnace Creek Campground. There we wait for George to show up. Met other Ural owners, including the infamous "Mr. Cob", who tried to show us the rough side of Echo Canyon:p We went up a ways and decided we wanted to keep our Urals a little bit longer.:D Later, we found out that Mr. Cob rolled his Ural in Titus Canyon. He was not too hurt, except maybe his ego. Our campground was in the tent only section.

We met some very nice folks from a club called the "South East Arizona Touring Riders" Club. They rode in on all different types of bikes. From Dual Sports to sport touring bikes. They meet in Death Vally once a year. They were also a BMW Club out there.

We waited for George, but must have missed him.:( Sorry George.

We loaded down the Urals to the max. Colleen wanted to look like Blues Traveler, but I don't think she did it. Pics next section

[Black and Blue]

We did manage to load up with more stuff after we got to Death Valley. Went to the ammo can dealer in Beatty, NV and bought four cans and then I bought some new tires to test them for Alaska. It seems the Russian tires are very soft rubber and don't last as long as their counterparts' tires. I'll see if they wear any better.

[Black and Blue]

We had a good time. It was nice since we could take our kids with us. This was a nice motocamping trip. It rain some, but not enough to kill the fun.

Hey, Joe. This still classifies as a MotoCamping Trip, even with three wheels right?:confused:

After we left today, Sunday. We hit a wild high wind storm from the top of Towns Pass on SR 190 north of Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley and all the way home, but not before we met up with the crazy ski traffic going to and coming from Mammoth Lakes, CA. on US 395.:mad: The head and cross wind played havoc on our speed. Hope this report helps those who couldn't ride today.:)

[Blues Traveler]

Thanks for the ride report Black & Blue, GREAT pictures too.

I was unable to make it out there this year. Bike was packed and ready to go. Was told at work they would let me go by 10:00 am. Saturday. Well that didn't happen. Would have been 1:00 pm. before I would have been able to hit the road. As tempting as it was ( only 280 miles ) I didn't feel like getting there when it was dark then turning around and coming home the following morning.

Talking with my friend Mark who I was to camp with said there was a couple with of pair a Ural's camped just across from our spot. Must have been the two of you. Was hoping to meet and talk a bit with both of you. Oh well maybe next time. Owens River Valley later this year?

Im glad a few of us got a chance to go out to DVD this year, I hear the weather at Furnace Creek was GREAT! Watching the weather from home I could see that it was still 71° at 6:30 in the evening on Saturday.

Wish I could have been there.

[Black and Blue]

Thanks for the ride report Black & Blue, GREAT pictures too.

I was unable to make it out there this year. Bike was packed and ready to go. Was told at work they would let me go by 10:00 am. Saturday. Well that didn't happen. Would have been 1:00 pm. before I would have been able to hit the road. As tempting as it was ( only 280 miles ) I didn't feel like getting there when it was dark then turning around and coming home the following morning.

Talking with my friend Mark who I was to camp with said there was a couple with of pair a Ural's camped just across from our spot. Must have been the two of you. Was hoping to meet and talk a bit with both of you. Oh well maybe next time. Owens River Valley later this year?

Im glad a few of us got a chance to go out to DVD this year, I hear the weather at Furnace Creek was GREAT! Watching the weather from home I could see that it was still 71° at 6:30 in the evening on Saturday.

Wish I could have been there.

We were camped at site 85, Tent Only section. It might have been us since we did not see any other Urals in that section. Sorry you had to work. Colleen and I were hoping to meet other MotoCampers there. She was hoping to impress you with her loaded up Ural.:D
Maybe we'll meet up later. Hope so.:)

[Ironheadziggy76]

Great trip report Black and Blue! I see you all pack like I do! :D

[Black and Blue]

Thanks, Ziggy!
I took one look at all that "stuff", unloaded it, and cut it down by at least a third. I'm sure I will continue my inventory reduction. I'm pretty brutal in clutter control in my housekeeping and I can't stand chaos. Hubby always told the kid to clean up his toys or mom would throw them out. My mom says my house looks like a doctors waiting room with no nick-nacks. If it doesn't serve a purpose, or I have to dust it...it's going out.
A few more shake-down camping trips to see what works and what doesn't, and we will be ready to meet you two in Alaska!

[bigTom]

Great report, thanks!

It's gotta be hard to 'cut down' with all that space to fill...especially on the doxie side:)

Since my buddy is putting a hack on his 'old' (1200) bandit has me thinking of a hack/camping vehicle. Gotta find a cheap car first....

[uptoblackwood]

Fun report...thanks for the images!

Forest

[Black and Blue]

We're glad some of you folks enjoyed the report.

bigTom, the pico chairs were great to sit on at camp, but we're not sure they will go. They took up a lot of room in Ernie's sidecar and heavy. We think the Doxie can now spell Pico since she was looking at them the whole way to and from DV.:D We are going on another shake down trip and test these new tires we bought. Suppose to be a lot better, since they are a 6 ply tire compare to a 2 ply tire like the Russians'.

Anyway, hope your trip was nice.:)

[Trailace]

Been a little busy at work and just got around to reading your report. Looks like you had a great time and I'm sure having the kids with ya made it that much better. I wonder how a cat would do on a motorcycle. :eek:

Thanks for sharing.

[Mellow]

Great Pics.. thanks!

[bigTom]

Quote by Trailace
I wonder how a cat would do on a motorcycle.

I suppose that would depend whether you let it ride or tied it to something so it had to run along:)

[George]

Sorry I missed youse guys. Larry (MC Larry) and Larry (VFR Larry) and i camped Friday and Saturday at spot 42 in the tents only area. We must'a
been close.

I heard there were at least 15 Urals on site. Good turn out.

VFR Larry hooked up with those SEAT on the way down. Sounds like a good group.

I'm headed to Barrego Springs, CA for the coming weekend to do some more dirt. Hope to hook up with youse guys again in the future.

Geo

I rode alone on Saturday, up Trail Canyon and the full length of West Road. Not the most inspiring dirt but enuff for me.Spent three nights at the Furnace Creek Campground. There we wait for George to show up. Met other Ural owners, including the infamous "Mr. Cob", who tried to show us the rough side of Echo Canyon:p We went up a ways and decided we wanted to keep our Urals a little bit longer.:D Later, we found out that Mr. Cob rolled his Ural in Titus Canyon. He was not too hurt, except maybe his ego. Our campground was in the tent only section.

We met some very nice folks from a club called the "South East Arizona Touring Riders" Club. They rode in on all different types of bikes. From Dual Sports to sport touring bikes. They meet in Death Vally once a year. They were also a BMW Club out there.

We waited for George, but must have missed him.:( Sorry George.

We loaded down the Urals to the max. Colleen wanted to look like Blues Traveler, but I don't think she did it. Pics next section

[Mr. Guy]

Looks like it was a helluva trip. Bikes are looking good too.

Guy

[les1234]

Looks like a nice trip, but kind of a long ride from Missouri in January. Might consider flying in to Vegas and rent a bike? Wonder how that would work out?