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I rode a dirt road north out of Death Valley National Park. I
appreciate taking the dirt road because it's useful, not just for fun -
I would have had to back track 80 miles or so if I didn't take it. The
ranger at the visitor center said yesterday that the road was pretty
bad, but it was a breeze compared to the unpaved roads in Mexico. I was
going 40-50mph for much of the way. I think that people (both in the
U.S. and Mexico) always say that the dirt roads are ``really rough'' and
``get much worse from here'' just to dissuade the weak-willed. I'm glad
that I always stuck it out and didn't give up.
 dirt in DVNP - mountains dirt in DVNP - mountains dirt in DVNP - quarry dirt in DVNP - snow-tipped mountains dirt in DVNP - mountainsAfter leaving Death Valley National Park, I rode through the Inyo and Toyiabe National Forests. The view was beautiful - coming down out of the high desert (warm but snowy) into the valley, looking across to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
 Inyo N.F. - snow in desert Inyo N.F. - snow in desert Inyo N.F. - snowy peaks Inyo N.F. - snowy peaks and road down to valley Inyo N.F. - snowy peaksLittle did I realize I had to pass over those mountains to get home. It being winter, most of the roads over the mountain were closed, so I had to keep going north to get to the first open road, Route 88. After going from melting in the desert to freezing in the mountains, I was glad to stop for the night at a motel in Minden, Nevada, not far from Reno.
 Inyo N.F. - Smokey Bear Flat elev. 7600 |