Sometimes I know exactly where I am going. In that case it’s easy, pick a route and go.
More often I have an idea where I’d like to end up, and generally speaking a direction to go.
Once in a while I just follow the front wheel and see where it takes me.
There is a bit of a 'back story' to this trip. It was completely unintentional. This is the first trip with Connie and I thought she was a little cold.
I bought the bike on EBay. 4000 miles and a great price. I had my brother check it out and bought it. A week later I flew up to pick it up. The day of purchase was 'shirt sleeve' weather. Beautiful. The next day it was cold (early morning frost) and didn't warm up much. I had planned to come home via Colorado and the great riding that is available there, but it stayed cold. I got snowed on hard in E. Oregon. I cut over through Nevada and had snow and ice on my bike when I got up in Henderson. I hadn't even warmed up the tires in the first 1000 miles and had no chance to test the bike.
So I went to where it's always warm, Death Valley. Of course I did.
Scotty's Castle
I came in from Highway 95, the East portal through Beatty, NV. First real place in the park is Scotty's Castle. It's an incredibly funky and beautiful place built by an eccentric and funky man named Scotty. I had taken the tour of the place several times, so this trip I just lounged around the grounds a bit. By the by, the tour is way worth the money, but I had a brand new motorcycle, with nice warm roads, and time was everything.
The grounds are really nice, and it will turn out to be the last bit of shade for quite a while.
Scotty's Castle Grounds
Little did I know that I was going to end up with quite a few frames of desert flowers. Turns out I had hit the park at precisely the right time to see the floral display.
Desert Lilly
I took this very near Scotty's Castle, before I even got there. I had to pee, so parked the bike and took care of business. I saw this interesting flower right there and took a picture. Turns out, that's a relatively rare item. Called the Desert Lilly it grows and blooms for a very short period of time. I always said I'd rather be lucky than good.
The geology of Death Valley is incredible. Always something different at every different stop. One constant on this trip. Almost every stop gave me a new flower to photograph.
I'll be back with more from Death Valley tomorrow. Thanks for riding along.
All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse
You want some real motorcycle travel? Check out Velimir. That’s some kind of motorcycle writing.
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The bike looks great
Don't tell me you gave your bike a name..... Connie?
Connie is what the model is named. I historically do not name my motorcycles. The title is a mostly rip off from Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck. I read it in High School and it affected my life.
Great pictures.
Visiting from die hard steemit channel.
I really like that place. Thanks for stopping in!!
I see something is still alive in Death Valley. Nice pictures :)
Sometimes, life is hard to find there. But it's always there.
Cool.
But, the Scotty's Castle Grounds looks so unreal.
It is completely unreal. The setting is just beyond belief. A little water and a huge construction budget is the answer. He loved Death Valley, and just stayed.
Wow... really cool bike and a great view you have there. I wish I can also ride and see the place in my own eyes. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward for your next trip. Have a safe ride.