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Photos, videos, HDT to and from Death Valley, my latest Ural trip


mr. cob

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Howdy All,

 

I just recently returned for a three week stay in Death Valley, click this link to be taken to the photo gallery,

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/

 

Click these links to be taken to videos that show going down the steep grades to get to Death Valley and then climbing them to get back out. BEWARE the last link is LONG but its a very cool video pulling the grade on Hwy 190 out of Pediment Springs it took some serious driving to keep all 68 feet of my truck-trailer on my side of the road the video does a good job of showing how NARROW and winding this road is.

 

Going down the grade to Mono Lake in California.

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/i-Jm98Qzs

 

Short video, mountains on west end of Mono Lake.

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/i-WWZFSKv

 

Leaving from Death Valley, from below sea level to the start of the grade on Town Pass.

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/i-JKkb9p9

 

Climbing and then going down Town Pass, 9% grades both up and down. This is a fairly long video, 9 miles of jake brake work on the way down into Pediment valley.

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/i-GtsQWr6

 

Climbing the grade on Hwy 190 out of Pediment Springs, very narrow and winding road, this is a long video.

http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/Death-Valley-2015-with-the-Ura/i-dGS335F

 

There are many other videos in the photo gallery that show some incredible panoramic vies of Death Valley and the surrounding areas, also some videos of the Ural's at play and the old long abandoned mines we rode up to. Be sure to click the little icon on the lower right of the video screen so you can watch the videos in full screen.

 

I have driven these roads many times with the Dodge at first hauling the bigfoot camper in the box and towing the tandem axle trailer loaded with two Urals, later using the Dodge to tow the 38 foot toy hauler. To climb and descend these grades the Dodge was working very hard I had to be very careful to WATCH the pyro gage on the way up and even with the pac-brake had to be very slow on the way down, the Freightliner just goes up and then comes down, no drama just FUN. Hope this has brightened your day.

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

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Dave;

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Just my luck I will pass you on 405 going to/from work as you go in/out of home base!

 

My day to wander will come eventually.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Curt

2001 Freightliner Century, 500hp Series 60, Gen 2 autoshift, 3.42 singled rear locker.

2004 Keystone Sprinter 299RLS (TT)

2 & 4 Wheelers!

2013 Polaris Ranger 800 midsize LE

Our motto "4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul!"

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Dave:

 

How about a little wire up of where you camped and where you rode your sidecar. Maybe next winter I will check out death valley and do a little riding on my rhino.

 

Jim

Howdy Jim,

 

I am assuming you meant write up, I am dangerous with wires. :unsure:

 

I am working on a ride report that I'll post over on ADV-Rider, when its done I'll post a link to that report in this thread. I doubt you'll be able to drive your Rhino in Death Valley, all vehicles have to be street legal and there is NO riding off road. That said you have to have a very good imagination to view some of the "roads" in Death Valley as roads.

 

We camped for 10 days at the NPS camp ground in Stove Pipe Wells, this is dry camping, no hookups but they do have potable water and a dump station. We then camped for another 10 days at the NPS camp ground called Sunset, which is across from the main camp ground at Furnace Creek, again no hookups just potable water and a dump station.

 

As to riding we did most anything that is doable on a Ural and thats 90% of all the legal roads in the Death Valley park area and some that are outside of the park. I have been Ural-a-ling in Death Valley for 10 years and know the area very well.

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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Dave;

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Just my luck I will pass you on 405 going to/from work as you go in/out of home base!

 

My day to wander will come eventually.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Curt

Howdy Curt,

 

One of these days we are going to have to do lunch or something, we have never met, we only live about 30 miles from each other and we both drive real trucks Freightliner's, ;) so this is a situation that has to be rectified. :D

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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Dave;

 

Here here!

 

Curt

2001 Freightliner Century, 500hp Series 60, Gen 2 autoshift, 3.42 singled rear locker.

2004 Keystone Sprinter 299RLS (TT)

2 & 4 Wheelers!

2013 Polaris Ranger 800 midsize LE

Our motto "4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul!"

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mr cob,

looks like you had a blast.

 

looking forward to meeting you at the West coast rally.

Howdy Lou,

 

Yes Sir, we did. At this stage of life my goal is to consume as much diesel fuel, gasoline and tires as I can before moving on to the next level if there is one. :D

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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Mr Cob,

 

Bravo!!

 

Great images! Urals are funky-neat machines and Death Valley is the perfect setting for a outback-attack...

 

For several years we had summer properties in the Pac NW and a winter home in the mtns outside Tucson so we flew the company aircraft or our private aircraft between the two places several times a year and the routing took us over Death Valley most trips.

Even flying over Death Valley it is a BIG area for sure. Often we would peer down in wonder at the Valley and mountains and were amazed how many "back-roads" (pig-trails) are in the valley area. From the air some portions of the valley are restricted due to the China Lake Naval Weapons range so we were only able to gaze long range at the SW corner of the valley.

 

While Death Valley is a awesome view from the air, it is very enjoyable to view your ground level images since we would comment often would it be fun to ride the valley on the ground as well. Until we try the ground route ourselves, your images will be great fun to view....thanks a ton.....keep riding.

 

Best regards,

Dollytrolley

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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Mr Cob,

 

Bravo!!

 

Great images! Urals are funky-neat machines and Death Valley is the perfect setting for a outback-attack...

 

For several years we had summer properties in the Pac NW and a winter home in the mtns outside Tucson so we flew the company aircraft or our private aircraft between the two places several times a year and the routing took us over Death Valley most trips.

Even flying over Death Valley it is a BIG area for sure. Often we would peer down in wonder at the Valley and mountains and were amazed how many "back-roads" (pig-trails) are in the valley area. From the air some portions of the valley are restricted due to the China Lake Naval Weapons range so we were only able to gaze long range at the SW corner of the valley.

 

While Death Valley is a awesome view from the air, it is very enjoyable to view your ground level images since we would comment often would it be fun to ride the valley on the ground as well. Until we try the ground route ourselves, your images will be great fun to view....thanks a ton.....keep riding.

 

Best regards,

Dollytrolley

Howdy DollyTrolley,

 

I am pleased that you enjoyed the photos, I have been riding in Death Valley for many years and it never ceases to amaze me as it can change dramatically from day to day depending on weather conditions which can change the roads from nearly imposable to impassable. I have over the years posted many ride reports over on the ADV-Rider, web site detailing my many rides all over the country and especially in and around Death valley. If your really bored click the link in my signature which will take you to my photo home page, there you will find over 10,000 photos of my travels around the USA, Canada and in the last few years to the UK, Belgium and Australia, someday I hope to ride a Ural in Russia.

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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Was that you at the campground in Beatty last Friday? I'm always on the lookout for the Big Rigs pulling campers. Nice pics

1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail

1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes,

2007 Ragen Toyhauler

 

4a8a58ec-58d7-48af-b0d7-9dd42cf5b43a_zps

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Was that you at the campground in Beatty last Friday? I'm always on the lookout for the Big Rigs pulling campers. Nice pics

Howdy jtr,

 

No, wasn't me, I have been home since 3-22-15. Getting tired of the rain and gloom here in the Nor-Wet, thinking of heading out again, sure wish I could talk my wife into becoming a snow bird.

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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I noticed you had a water leak in one of your pics. What happened?

 

Regarding the Nor-west. My wife and I are looking to move that way. We are tired of the extreme heat and looking to get into some trees. Going south for vacations is more appealing than going north. Our work opportunity is in the Hoquiam, Moclips, Pacific Beach area - much different climate that Reno.

1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail

1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes,

2007 Ragen Toyhauler

 

4a8a58ec-58d7-48af-b0d7-9dd42cf5b43a_zps

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I noticed you had a water leak in one of your pics. What happened?

 

Regarding the Nor-west. My wife and I are looking to move that way. We are tired of the extreme heat and looking to get into some trees. Going south for vacations is more appealing than going north. Our work opportunity is in the Hoquiam, Moclips, Pacific Beach area - much different climate that Reno.

Howdy jtr,

 

Ah yes the water leak, a fitting going between the two fresh water tanks had loosened up, got it taken care of under warranty on the way home. I am going to "assume" you have spent some time in the areas your thinking of moving to at different times of year, if not I would strongly advise you to do so, the climate is radically different then that of what you are used to and may be more of a change then you'll be happy with. MANY move to the Nor-Wet and within a year their putting the house up for sale as they simply can't take the weather especially the GLOOM.

 

I have lived here the last 30 years and have reached a point where I can't take the wet and gloomy winters anymore, for the last 15 years I have kept what sanity I still have by escaping for anywhere for a couple of weeks to a month or more to places like Death Valley or other southwestern areas to see the sun and to dry out. In the summer I can't think of a better place to live or visit then the Nor-Wet, from late September-early October to late May-early June I honestly don't want to be here. My wife is a school teacher who loves her job, she is a native to this area so really doesn't know any different and so puts up with the wet and the gloom, her Mom lives in an assisted living home a few miles from us so the chances of getting her to become a snow bird are at the present time are nonexistent, and so I escape every now and then. Seriously, spend considerable time in the area your thinking of moving to BEFORE you commit to it.

 

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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Howdy jtr,

 

Ah yes the water leak, a fitting going between the two fresh water tanks had loosened up, got it taken care of under warranty on the way home. I am going to "assume" you have spent some time in the areas your thinking of moving to at different times of year, if not I would strongly advise you to do so, the climate is radically different then that of what you are used to and may be more of a change then you'll be happy with. MANY move to the Nor-Wet and within a year their putting the house up for sale as they simply can't take the weather especially the GLOOM.

 

I have lived here the last 30 years and have reached a point where I can't take the wet and gloomy winters anymore, for the last 15 years I have kept what sanity I still have by escaping for anywhere for a couple of weeks to a month or more to places like Death Valley or other southwestern areas to see the sun and to dry out. In the summer I can't think of a better place to live or visit then the Nor-Wet, from late September-early October to late May-early June I honestly don't want to be here. My wife is a school teacher who loves her job, she is a native to this area so really doesn't know any different and so puts up with the wet and the gloom, her Mom lives in an assisted living home a few miles from us so the chances of getting her to become a snow bird are at the present time are nonexistent, and so I escape every now and then. Seriously, spend considerable time in the area your thinking of moving to BEFORE you commit to it.

 

Dave

 

Thanks sir,

We have not spent much time there. I was born and raised in Northwest Montana so I understand the GLOOM. Just like every place, there are pros and cons. If someone were looking to move to Northern Nevada my explanation would be much like yours. March and April are great but can be windy - June, July, August, and September are crazy hot, consistently 100+ - October is AWESOME, and the winters are cold without precip. Not a bad place.

1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail

1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes,

2007 Ragen Toyhauler

 

4a8a58ec-58d7-48af-b0d7-9dd42cf5b43a_zps

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