I wake up at Tecopa Hot Springs in California before traveling across Death Valley National Park. It’s early summer and the temperatures are already on fire. With a little luck I might make it to the higher elevation of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Riding Solo | AZ to BC | Episode 5
Details
- Distance: 183 miles
- Location: California
- Start: Tecopa, California
- End: Lone Pine, California
- Roads: CA-127, CA-90, US-395
- Conditions: pavement
- Cities: Shoshone, Furnace Creek, Panamint Springs, Lone Pine
- Camping: Alabama Hills
Tecopa Hot Springs
Delight’s Hot Springs Resort is a place that I return to again and again when I pass through this area. It’s in the middle of nowhere which is of course it’s appeal to me. They have a good collection of hot springs, each one inside of its own little enclosure which is nice. You can sit in the geothermal water and soak all of your cares away.
Death Valley Heat
My primary care today is riding across Death Valley in the summer heat. I know that these extreme temperatures are not a joke, and learned that a tourist recently died inside of the park when he abandoned his broken vehicle and tried to walk out. I’m not going into any remote sections of the park and so I don’t have to worry about being stranded far from help, but I do know that I need to drink plenty of water and have more available in case I need it.
Scenic Riding through Death Valley
The roads that I am taking on my ride through the park are mostly paved and offer scenic desert views in all directions. There are various mountain ranges off in the distance, and as the afternoon riding progresses, I’ll be able to ride into some of the mountains on supremely enjoyable, twisty tarmac.
Amargosa Opera House
The Amargosa Opera House is an unexpected historic attraction out here in the vast emptiness of Death Valley. I spend an hour or so casually looking around and relaxing under the shade of the large porch. The history of the facility’s renovation and restoration by Marta Becket is interesting and I encourage you to look into the details of the story further.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
By late afternoon I’m heading up into the mountains on the west side of the park, past Panamint Springs on my way to Lone Pine. As I drop out of the mountains onto a vast, flat plane I can see the Sierra Nevada mountain range ahead of me. It’s a spectacular sight with the lighting on the mountains being just what I look for as a filmmaker.
Alabama Hills
I stop in Lone Pine for fuel, food and whatever I need for camping tonight and make my way just outside of town to the Alabama Hills. A whole new landscape of rock formations opens before me in the afternoon light and I’m able to record many good shots with my DJI drone. The Alabama Hills are truly magnificent to ride through on the various dirt roads that bisect the rock formations. Finding a place to camp is easy enough and I choose a spot with a commanding view of the Sierras to the west.
My Motorcycle Campsite
I set my camp up quickly as I have been through the routine many times before. I have my clothes line set up so that I can air out my Unbound Merino wool clothing.
Sunset in the Alabama Hills
The sunset tonight reminds me of a Maxfield Parrish painting with the various hues or pink and purple in the sky, and the orange colored rocks all around me. It doesn’t get much better than this.