Celebrating Life In Death Valley: My 50th Birthday Ride

50 years old.

Fifty...1/2 a century...the Big 5-0...

I'd been really looking forward to turning 50 for the last few years. I don't know why, it's not necessarily something to be proud of, I just thought it sounded good. My 49th year was pretty rockin', I'm happier and healthier than I've been in years, and I was really looking forward to getting a jump start on the 2nd half of this awesome life of mine. I wanted to do something special to celebrate the occasion. Call me boring or unimaginative but the thing I wanted to do most was to immerse myself in the things I love the most: riding, camping, soaking and the company of good friends and the man I love. So that's exactly what I did!

Eric and I loaded up the 610's and left town after work on Wednesday March 6th. Conditions were ever-changing in the snow-stormy Sierra re: chain controls so we sort of winged it on the way. We ended up going over 50 with no chains and connecting to 395 via 89 and 88. It was a little dicey and slidey in some spots but in the end we pulled into the cute little county park in Walker safe and sound and spent the night there.

The next morning was my actual birthday and I began the day in style...


I opened up presents and cards from my 4 sisters while breaking my fast on caffeine and sugar. I miss my sisters and this card made me cry...



We headed south on 395, watching the swirling and dancing snow almost the whole way to Mammoth...



Stopped in Mammoth for a real breakfast and watched a very healthy coyote saunter across the parking lot. He'd disappeared between the buildings by the time I grabbed my camera.


Ahh...let the birthday celebration begin!







We soaked for an hour or so then headed east to our campsite. I was really curious as to what it was going to look like...I was hoping it was a good one. My reaction when I saw it? "YAY!!!"



We unloaded the bikes, set up camp, and went to cut firewood...



We'd entertained the thought of going out for a quick ride before anyone got there but decided to make the most of the solitude and privacy...



Well, we weren't exactly alone. This little guy kept us company...



We pretty much soaked and sipped the day away while waiting for our friends to arrive. It turned into a beautiful day and the sun and silence and hot mineral water were absolutely perfect.

The first to arrive were Dan, Steve and Stevie...



Dan would be manning the SuperTenere. I've known Dan for almost 20 years. We met on a snowy sport bike ride/camp through Death Valley that saw us leaving the Bay Area in driving rain, riding over Carson Pass in the snow, riding our sport bikes off road, getting tickets, and eating "rotisserie" chicken cooked over a fire on a cordless drill. Needless to say we've been friends ever since

Steve would be riding his Husky TE610. Steve started showing up at the enduros about 11 or 12 years ago and we became friends despite him being a soccer-loving Englishman and talking all funny and stuff. Steve was on my minute 10 years ago (before he quit sandbagging and moved up a class) for the most memorable enduro any of us has ever done.

Stevie Jean would be riding her sweet plated KTM 400. She's Steve's daughter and she talks just as funny as he does. She's a rock solid rider just like her dad, though, and I'd ride with her anywhere...



The English contingent broke out the bottles of scotch (yes, plural) and soaked the night away with us until Glen showed up. We ran into Glen...quite literally...on a trail down at Kennedy Meadows about 12 years ago. Dan sort of punted Glen off the trail with flesh wound and bike retrieval drama ensuing. A few months later Glen showed up at an enduro at Middle Creek and, well, here we are! We like him even though he's a redheaded Republican that never fails to get us back to camp long after dark. Follow him at your own risk. Glen would be trying to keep up with the big dogs on his very sweet Husaberg 450.

Paul showed up even later, having had to chain up several times in order to get him and his Husky TE630 over the big hill. I've not known Paul as long as the others but he's got the spark, for sure. He's an airline pilot, he knows how to get it done on his TE630 (easier than that GS1200 of yours, eh, Paul?) and he is an absolute riot to be around. His child-like wonder and endless enthusiasm for everything was a good addition to the old guard, for sure.

In my fairly inebriated state I thought Glen was setting his motorhome on fire. Turns out he was just being nice...



CAKE!!!


You can't see it through the hellacious conflagration but there's a motorcycle on that cake! Thanks, Glen and Cheri!


The rest of the evening was somewhat of a blur for some reason, but I'd have to say that my 50th birthday was one of the best ever...and we hadn't even gone for a ride yet!


More later!

The next morning brought a frigid surprise...



The SuperTenere is a cool bike and all, but this is a little too cool...



Paul's Mystery Husky...


Oof...these were new bottles less than 12 hours before...



Dan doing his best to soak it off...



Can't take those English folks anywhere...



Glen made killer breakfast for us all and then we headed out for a ride...



Glen on his Husaberg, Paul on his TE630 and Eric on his TE610...


Steve on his TE610...


Dan on his Super Tenere and Stevie on her KTM 400...



Paul leading the way up the hill...



Glen...



Stellar day in the mountains...



Steve bustin' the singletrack...





Dan showing off the Super Tenere's surprising grace on the luscious singletrack...


Paul's turn...



Dan making it look easy...



Eric joyously airing out his skid plate...



Quality Father/Daughter time in the eastern Sierra...



More tomorrow!

ray_ray wrote:

We're working on it One of these days I'd like to just tour the west and hit up all the hot springs I haven't seen yet. We'll get there!

--

I feel younger now than I have in the last 15 years or so

Hah! A sure sign you're getting old is not remembering how old you are
--

Oh, yeah. I've got some Laphroaig that tastes like liquid peat smoke. Eric doesn't care for it but I think it's delicious.

--

Uh, no...it was not my artwork. Promise

Woo Hoo!!! Happy birthday!

(and like Ray, I cannot remember how old I am )

I would say that any bike that needs 4 straps to hold it on the trailer would be considered a 'big' bike (SuperTenere), and as you can see in this screen shot, my spell checker thinks it is a big bike too


All kidding aside - you look like you had the perfect birthday.

Happy belated birthday Tami.
Rock it, roll it and shake it
But don't break it
Parts for the older classics are getting hard to come by.

Ha-hah! Can't wait to show that to Dan and David Super Tanker, indeed!
Those things are heavy...especially when picking them up off the ground

Thanks, Rick! That wine is to die for! My current favorite, it was a special bottle for a special occasion

Yeah, no kidding! I'm hoping I'm old enough and mature enough (Hey! Don't laugh! It could happen!) to keep all those broken parts behind me.

Now you tell me...



Thanks, glangston!

Hard to tell, but this is a fairly steep climb. At least, for a Super Tenere...



Eric making it look flat...



Paul opts to follow Dan back down the hill...



Stevie is digging the rocks...



And I'm digging my 610...



Trio of Huskys...



Someone forgot to tell Dan that his Super Tenere is not a dirt bike...





Wow...a rarity...Eric and I captured in the same photo!






I love my slidey motorcycle...



I like how it puts the power to the ground...



Not exactly what I had in mind



Probably not what Stevie had in mind, either, when invited to the desert...







Steve, Glen and Stevie decided to take trails back towards camp. Eric, Dan, Paul and I headed west towards 395 in search of cell service. We had one more rider joining us for the weekend and were curious as to how his trip was progressing. David was planning on riding his Super Tenere out from Oakland, but in order to avoid the snow, chain controls and whatnot he was planning on riding south and coming past Lake Isabella, over Walker Pass, and then up 395. It had been raining in the Bay Area and snowing throughout the day over the Sierra and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tad concerned for his safety. David's a tough guy, though, and he always gets it done. He's also a very talented rider with a lifetime of riding experience. I've known David for almost 30 years. He was my boyfriend's best friend and I met him when they were both road racing. He raced with Eric, too, before we started seeing each other. He's super fun to be around and he and Eric always feed off each other when riding together. They're still very competitive racers at heart and it's fun to watch them go at it, whether on dirt or pavement.

Anyway, we got word that David would be arriving by about 7pm at the latest so we headed back to camp. It was getting late and it was getting cold. It was snowing on us for the last 8-10 miles or so, and we were collectively thinking about one thing only...hot springs!! It cleared up nicely by the time we got back to camp...


Within minutes of our arrival we were in the water. We were so cold the hot water was stinging! We didn't care, though...



We all soaked, sat by the fire, and waited for David to show up. And we waited. And waited. He was not on schedule and I tried not to think of him in a snowy ditch somewhere. He finally showed up later in the evening, and all that worrying was for naught. He had ridden to his place in Pioneer, loaded his Super Tenere on a trailer and hitched it to his ancient Jeep. It was slow going but at least he wasn't riding in the snow! I fed him some dinner and we all soaked some more before hitting the sack fairly early. Key time for the Death Valley ride the next morning was 7am and it was going to be a long day.


Death Valley on the way...

I really like these 2 picture a lot. All smiles.

Hi, Jim! Nice to see you here! Thanks for the birthday wishes! And yes, I'd really like for us to have another ride together sometime before my 60th birthday, hopefully

I didn't get any photos of David's Jeep but I stole this photo from his trip over Carson Pass the day before...

We were up before the sun as we wanted to soak before the long day ahead of us. I told you David was a tough guy. He slept on top of his tent, with my down comforter on top of his sleeping bag, and the rain fly on top of that. Rise and shine, David!

Paul confirmed what I already knew...perfect!

Paul, Dan, David, Eric and I managed to make it out of the gate at 7am, headed to a breakfast rendezvous in Bishop via dirt. Steve trucked down with his 610, Glen's 450 and Stevie's 400. We were looking at about 300 miles today and they didn't want to run the smaller bikes on the high speed stuff down to Big Pine. It was c-c-c-cold!

The big adventure twins...


The Road Racers. Steve was a road racer, too, back in England...

Paul's gloves were no match for the cold temperatures...

We all hooked up at Jack's in Bishop for breakfast...

This is all you really need to know about Paul...

Dan's not buying it, is he?


We bombed down 395 to Big Pine and hooked up with the others in the truck.

Husky Love...

Headed east on 168, where the views were sort of ok...


Look, Ma! No brake pads!

Steve's brake pad was gone. The actual backing plate had broken in half.
Eric attempted to fix it...

Damn. No wonder his tool pack is so heavy...

How many riders does it take...

More later!

Oof! Didn't know you broke your wrist Sounds like you're healing up incredibly fast! I broke my wrist a few years back and was out for a year! My doctor was a young hack fresh out of Doctors Without Borders and he couldn't wait to use all the shiny new tools and hardware at his disposal. I was off the bike for a year thanks to this lovely contraption...

Well, Steve had brakes until right before we pulled off the road so I don't know. The bike's been sitting for awhile. He hardly ever rides it but when he does he loves it and decides to keep it. And Eric is totally smitten with his 610. He got 17's for it and took all the fancy SM stuff off his LC4 and he is loving it! I could keep up with him on the street with my SM brakes when he was on the dirt wheels/brakes but now he's just gone...dammit!