Friday–Monday, 17–20 Apr 2009
Saturday
Science Experiment
I’ll let Dan explain the what, where, and when behind this image. It has to do with the number of BTUs available from a bit of Cheeto. I can tell you the background came from a message to the SMBC mailing list. Now back to the trip report.
I met Carl, Dan, and Fred and Furnace Creek for breakfast. The theme of the breakfast was bacon. Lots of bacon. Bacon side orders; bacon with pancakes; bacon with bacon. I think three of us had our fill of bacon. Carl, the health nut, passed the unwanted bacon that came with his pancake order to us for consumption.
After breakfast I did about a 200 mile loop taking in part of the Old Spanish Trail and the dirt Mesquite Valley Rd. Pics follow. The loop didn’t go entirely as planned as I took the dirt road into to China Ranch expecting to find another dirt road leading out. Nope. I circled the parking area at the end of the road and didn’t see anything that looked like another road. I instead went back up to the Furnace Creek Rd, taking it back toward Shoshone where I picked up the road to Badwater.
Leaving DV Junction
Tecopa Hot Springs
Mesquite Valley
Furnace Creek Rd
Opera fans
DV Brothers
While I was doing that Fred, Dan, and Carl took in the opera house at Death Valley Junction and Zabriskie Point. They ran out of time to do anthing else as they planned on meeting other SMBC members for lunch at Furnace Creek.
Ashford Mill Ruins
GS, Death Valley
Badwater Basin
I stopped by the Ashford Mill ruins on my way back to Furnace Creek. I can now check off another Death Valley point-of-interest from my list of things to visit. The it was back to Furnace Creek to meet the other SMBC folks. I had no interest in lunch, so sat in the shade by the bikes with a large bottle of tonic water until folks finished their lunch.
After Lunch/Furnace Creek
Carl took this group shot after lunch. I don’t remember if it was before or after Dan took Derick’s Versys for a test ride. He likes. Not pictured but rumored to be somewhere in or around the valley were Rich, Ginny, Paul, and Glenn. Ginny saw Derick’s bike and now wants a Versys, too.
Marc in camp
Sunset
Polaris, the north star
After lunch I went back to my campsite, got out of my riding gear, and sat around taking it easy, listening to tunes, and watching the goings on in the campground. About 6:45 I walked over to the cafe, a 10 minute walk, for dinner. Back in camp after dinner I waited for the sun to set with the idea of taking some night images. Most are junk. I lucked out with the image focused on the north star. There was just enough elapsed time to show movement of the surrounding stars as the earth rotates.
I was in my tent and asleep, early.
