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How about a trip to the lowest part of the planet?  This will be a supported camping trip where we carry your gear and introduce you to some of the wildest and most isolated country you have ever seen.  We'll start in the little burg of Bishop, head south down the Owens Valley, and then enter Death Valley via the Panamint Valley.  After our exploration of the valley, we'll head north with a quick stop at Scotty's Castle before passing by the ancient Bristlecone Pines and ending with a dynamic descent back to the Owens Valley and Bishop.  In addition to the attractions of Death Valley, we'll visit little known mining towns such as Darwin, Gold Point, Lida, and Palmetta. Consider this the perfect first tour of your cycling year.

"Details"

Physical & Skill Level Requirements:   Even though the mileage on this tour is relatively low, you will find that there are some substantial climbs that if tackled without some proper prior training you might find just a bit daunting.  For you folks who are coming from The Far North where unrelenting rain and harsh winter snows have kept you from training, you can probably be forgiven ….. But you will pay the price.  Check out the daily itinerary further in this web page and you will see what we mean.  If by some chance, you are not quite ready for this grueling affair ….. We do have a support vehicle to help you out when necessary.

Camping Options:  The campgrounds we will be staying at have quite a range of facilities ranging from luxury resorts complete with Jacuzzis and swimming pools to our last site which is simply a spot off the side of the highway.  We will have showers for the first 6 nights with the last 2 being dry.  Bring your swimming suit as your campsite fee will entitle you to pool privileges.  Those first 6 nights will also give you the option of renting a motel room as lodging is available close to these campsites.

Equipment:  Well, obviously, you need a good road bike in sound mechanical condition with new tires.  The whole route except for an optional side road is all paved.  There are no bicycle shops along the route and our supply of replacement parts and tools is limited. Have some pretty low gears as 3 of the days will provide you with some grueling climbs.  Have the usual camping gear.  We should not encounter rain ….but one never knows.  You should have clothing & sleeping bags to cover a wide range of temperatures.  The thermometer  in Death Valley in March below sea level should be in a pleasant warm range whereas the temperatures in the passes close to 8,000' going out of the valley can be quite cold this time of year.  Don't be surprised if we encounter temperatures below freezing at our last camp site at 7,000'.  We will have restaurants at our first 6 campsites and Sue and I will cook for you on the last 2 days so you don't need any cooking equipment. 

Food: You have a couple of options here.

• Restaurants: Restaurants are available the first 6 days and we cook for you the last two so you really don't have to bring anything in the way of food or cooking gear. You can buy your lunches for each days ride at the stores located at or near the campgrounds.  Prices at the restaurants in Death Valley are a bit more than in the outside world.
  
• Cook Your Own: If you want to save money or if you have special dietary needs , then prepare your own meals.  We will provide you with a bin to hold your kitchenware and food.  We supply cooking stoves.  Again, you can buy your food along the route at or near the campgrounds. We don't supply a refrigerator so keep your perishables to a minimum.
  

Maps:  We will supply you with two maps for the ride.  One will be of Death Valley National Park and the other will be for all territory outside of the park.

Web Sites:  The following web sites can provide you with gobs of additional information for planning your trips with us.

• Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory:  www.towd.com   This is a site that links you up to all sorts of tourist offices al over the world.  It has countless links to lead you in many directions.
  
• Death Valley National Park Service:  www.nps.gov/deva  This is the official web site of the National Park Service for Death Valley
  
• Darwin, California:  www.darwin.com  A really interesting web site that you must take the time to thoroughly explore.  Be sure to check out "The World's Hottest Phone Booth."
  
• Gold Point, Nevada:  www.goldpoint.com  Another interesting web site depicting the life and times of another Nevada ghost town.
  

Luggage:  Please limit your luggage to one large bag or backpack as we have limited storage place for excess gear.  Please have a name tag on your bag.  If we see a persons name on more than one bag, then we assume we have your permission to trash one of the bags.  If you simply must have more than one bag, please let us know.

Travel and Medical Insurance:  These are two items that some folks consider a necessity, others and unnecessary expense.  If you cannot afford to have a change in your travel plans or cannot afford medical expenses outside of where you live, you might consider checking into both options.  Diseases exist everywhere and accidents can happen at anytime.

Vehicle Support (Sag) :  This is what your support vehicle looks like.  It is in reality a home made RV and is where Sue and I live about 4 months out of the year.  In spite of the ugliness of this vehicle, it has proven to be a reliable work horse that can travel almost any road with the possible exception of a hard 4 wheel track.  It is a 1999 Isuzu NPR with a  4 Cylinder Diesel Engine.

Our Charges and Your Other Expenses: 

• Our Charges:  The charge of $200 pays for planning and organizing this trip, web-site maintenance, telephone, and email/mailing expenses. We also pay for campsites, provide a sag vehicle,  and give you maps.  We provide breakfast and dinner for you the last couple of days.  We also act as guides …although this is of a somewhat dubious value.  If you have mechanical difficulty we try to help … although with my limited mechanical background, we generally find the other riders to be more helpful.
  
• Your Other Expenses:  You pay for everything else such as - transportation to and from Bishop, books, food,  etc.   
  

Roster:  We'll send out a list of participants as soon as we have a pretty firm idea of who is going.  Sometimes, knowing who is on the roster lets you share equipment, flight bargains, etc. The roster is usually sent out 2 to 4 weeks before the trip.

Sign-Up Limit:  The maximum number of hikers we can have for this trip is 20 which includes Sue and myself.  When you sign up, indicate if you want to be placed on a stand-by list if the trip is full.  For those of you who have never been on one of our trips, we would like to talk to you on the phone somewhere along the line before you are officially accepted.

"Daily Itinerary"

• Mar. 23 (Sat.)- [0  Mi.]  Bishop Assembly.  Brown's Town Campground, Phone: 760-873-8522  at 4 to 6 p.m..  This is a full service campground located 1 mile south of Bishop on Hwy. 395.  We'll discuss the trip and make any last minute adjustments.  We will also show you where you can park your vehicle during the trip.  There will be a parking charge of somewhere between $10-20. I'll try to get us a group discount.
  
• Mar. 24 (Sun.) - [72 Miles-1,500' Elev. Gain]  Lone Pine & Boulder Creek RV Park. Phone: 800-648-8965 or 760-876-4243.760.  After parking our cars early in the morning in Bishop, we'll cycle south on Hwy. 395 taking side roads whenever possible. After arriving in Lone Pine, we'll take an amble through the Alabama Hills, gawk at Mt. Whitney and pull into our most luxurious campsite of the trip … complete with Jacuzzi, pool, social room, kitchen, and internet access.
  
• Mar. 25 (Mon.) - [63 Miles-2,000' Elev. Gain]  Panamint Springs Campground.    Phone: 775-482-7680.  After a quick run into Lone Pine for breakfast and last minute supplies, we'll head for Death Valley.  On the way we'll  take a side trip to the old mining town of Darwin to visit the "world's hottest phone booth."  Afterwards we'll make a wild and beautiful descent down to our campsite.   
  
• Mar. 26 (Tues.) - [71 Miles-6,000' Elev. Gain]  Stovepipe Wells  Phone: 760-786-2387. This folks, is a tough day.  We'll head up to lunch at the kilns in Wildrose Canyon followed by a climb up and over Emigrant Pass and a blazing fast decent to our campsite.  Our camp has all the luxuries of life including store, restaurant, pool, etc.
  
• Mar. 27 (Wed.) - [50 Miles-1500' Elev. Gain]  Furnace Creek Campground   Phone: 760-786-2345. This will begin the easiest day of the trip unless you take tomorrow off.  We'll continue our descent down to the bottom of the valley and pull into our campsite for lunch.  After lunch you'll do a loop ride out to "Artists Drive" for a short and scenic but brutal diversion.  We will be at Furnace Creek for two nights.  Furnace Creek is the population center of Death Valley.
  
• Mar. 28 (Thurs.) - [0/ 50 Miles - 0/6,000' Elev. Gain] Optional Rest Day or Ride to Dantes View.  Today, you can lounge around camp, visit the park headquarters and information center, take a guided tour, or if you are a little bit brain unstable ….ride up to Dantes View for your day off.
  
• Mar. 29 ( Fri. ) - [59 Miles-3,500' Elev. Gain] Mesquite Springs Camp & Scotty's Castle.  A fair bit of elevation today …but spread easily through many miles.  We'll stop by Scotty's Castle for a gander at splendor in the wilderness.  Entry fee is somewhere between $5-10.  Our campsite has no store, restaurants, or showers but does have running water.  Sue and I will provide you  a dinner and breakfast consisting of the lizards, snakes, spiders, and whatever "road kill" we have scrounged up for the day. (No …. Just kidding …. It will be good.)
  
• Mar. 30 (Sat. ) - [75 Miles-3,000' Elev. Gain] Palmetto Campsite with Gold Point Option.  Today we have a couple more interesting diversions to entertain you.  The first, is a lunch stop at The Cottontail Ranch.  This famous non-agricultural pit stop offers beer and refreshments as well as its normal more profitable offerings.  I know you might think it a bit odd to be stopping at a Nevada brothel, but this is the only place to obtain beverages for two days. Not a gas station, store, café, etc. for 2 solid days.   Our other point of interest is a diversion to Gold Point Ghost Town. There is a bar and café in Gold Point, but I sure wouldn't bet on it being open.  Our camp for the night at around 7,000' is a flat spot off the side of the highway. No water, toilets, café, or showers.  Again …. Sue and I will provide you with dinner and breakfast. 
  
• Mar. 31 (Sun.) - [70 Mile -3,500' Elev. Gain]   Back to Bishop.  By now, you should have had your fill of a "Wilderness Experience" and be itching to get back to your cars. But first a little bit of climbing before a wild and spectacular descent down to the Owens Valley.  You'll get an impressive gander of the high snow clad Eastern Sierra. Matter of fact, cuz we are close to 8,000' feet we might get a closer look at snow than we really want.  Have your warm clothing handy. After pulling into Bishop …. We'll disperse.  Sue and I have to get back to Chelan so Sue can start her garden. 
  

Home

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