 |
Bill Bikes My bicycling expeditions and jaunts |
 |
Saline Valley Road, part 1
6 May 2021
Given that 2020 was the plague year (and I trust it won't be necessary to refer to 2020 as "one of the plague years" or "the first plague year") I didn't get out and about for as many bicycling expeditions as usual in mydecliningretirement years. One of my few destinations last year was the Saline Valley in Death Valley National Park. Along with my ace support crew, I drove to the hot springs there by following rough, unpaved Saline Valley Road over South Pass.While doing so, I made a mental note to try that route by bike when the opportunity arose.
Bingo, the time was finally right. Even though I turned 70 in December, I'm not quite ready to hang it up.
Although my ace support crew was unable to accompany me on this expedition, I drove to Lone Pine and set up base camp there. That enabled me to conduct several day rides with starting points within at most an hour or so of drive time.
For today's ride I drove out Route 136 and Route 190 toward Death Valley and turned up Saline Valley Road. It's a lovely thoroughfare if you enjoy dirt, sand, rocks, gravel, potholes, and constant washboard.
Flashback: The southern end of Saline Valley Road, November 2020.
It looked the same today, but no ace support crew.
I parked the Forester at a convenient spot along Saline Valley Road, pulled out the Ogre, and started pedaling through the forest of joshua trees, heading for South Pass.
No businesses, homes, buildings, or habitation of any kind.
It didn't take long before the road stared climbing.
Joshua tree.
As Saline Valley Road climbed, the joshua trees thinned out.
Higher up, I encountered this old water tank and dismounted to take a photo.
Shortly afterwards, I realized my rear tire had flattened. My first flat tire since I found myself stuck outside of Reno and had to hitchhike more than two years ago.
Hitchhiking definitely would NOT be an option here! From the time I left the car until the time I returned, I didn't see another vehicle, another bike, or another person.
I rolled the deflated Ogre up the road until I spotted a decent spot to deal with the flat tire. It's a sad sight, upside down, with water bottles, tools, and other gear spread all over the place.
In the distance, a view down into the Panamint Valley.
Fortunately, no trouble with the flat. I discovered a shard of glass embedded deep in the tire. Probably been there for days before pushing far enough into the rubber to pierce the tube.
I replaced the tube, got everything back together, and resumed climbing, now at a higher elevation where the joshua trees gave way to pinyon pines.
You can just barely see the white bit of road climbing in the distance.
At this point the road begins snaking between sheer cliffs—one up and one down—on each side.
There are a few dips along the way, so it's difficult to be certain, but I think this is the top of South Pass at roughly 6000 feet. I neglected to take a photo of the altimeter hooked to my trunk bag.
Looking down into the Panamint Valley from South Pass.
Kind of hazy, but far off in the distance can be seen Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range.
Another view of the far northern end of the Panamint Valley as seen from South Pass.
While I was standing there, two jet fighters came shrieking up from the left, passed barely over my head, plunged downward, and screamed toward the south end of the valley. Much, much too fast for me to react and grab the camera.
I wasn't moving as fast as the jets, so I managed to snap a photo of myself at the top of the pass.
Now I need to get safely down the road and back to the car.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I'd like to hear from you.
~ 199 ~
| bstone@sonic.net | ::: Bill Books ::: Bill Bikes ::: Bill Games ::: | Copyright © 1983-2021 Bill Stone |