On to the next adventure ... in the air

Hobbs, my personal airline reservations coordinator, had listed me on the same flight to Atlanta that Jaz was on (Tuesday, March 11).  Of course, I fly standby so there’s no telling if you’ll get on a flight.  But it was looking good as he said the flights were open.

Jaz dropped me and all of our luggage at the curb by the Delta check in and she returned the vehicle.  A Delta employee said he could do curbside check in for me, so I took advantage of that.  Worked well. 

I waited for a few minutes, and Jaz got there, we got her luggage checked in and off we went headed for security.  Easy, peasy.

Then it was just waiting.  I was given a seat assignment before they even started boarding the regular folks.  Yay.  I was on.  Jaz and I weren’t seated together but that was okay as I did some blog work trying to get caught up.

We had a bite to eat at the Atlanta airport, but then it was time for Jaz to go to one concourse, and me to another.  But we’d be meeting again soon for the third part of our adventure … motorcycle riding.

Verlie came to get me at the airport and off we went.  It was a very special day because I was going to meet her and Joe’s new Yorkie, Jazzy.  The first meeting did not go well.  She barked and growled at me.

Jazzy and I are friends now.

By later that evening she wasn’t growling, but she still didn’t want to come near me … not even an ounce of that 3-1/2-pound Yorkie dog.

Wednesday Verlie had to go to work.  Guess who Jazzy had for the day … me.  Needless to say we became friends because I was all she had to dole out the treats and take her out in the yard to run and play.  Ha!!  We managed quite well.

On Thursday (March 13) I took the bike to Arrowhead Harley to get an oil change and have them look at my tires to be sure I’d be good for a week of riding.  Looked that way.  In the meantime Joe had gotten in so he hopped on his bike and came over to meet and ride home with me.  Later it was Ver, Joe and me … together and riding … a grand day.

Friday was hookup day.  I took off in the morning heading to Barstow to meet Jaz.  We meet up at a Rodeaway Inn there.  The folks that run it are very, very nice, and the rooms are always clean and it’s a good halfway point.  I rode in combat traffic all day … 101-202-10-215-15.  Ugh!!!  But I got there and she had just arrived.  Impeccable timing as usual.  422 miles for me, 408 for her.  That’s about as close to halfway as you can get.

A Harley shop right across the street from where I gassed up called my name.  The dealer pin even as some wind generators on it.  That's a first.  There's a huge wind farm ... lots of big ones and little ones, and more being built.

Saturday (March 15) we decided to go to Death Valley.  I’ve never been there, and have wanted to go.  We headed out, with jackets and gloves.  It was cold, not even 70 degrees yet.  We’ve been used to warmer weather.



Just to show I was here.



Near Furnace Creek ... at sea level.  Wow.

That's too hot for me.

And this is what the thermometer said for today.  Still a little hot.  And it's only March.

 

It was a beautiful ride once we got off I-15 and onto a smaller road.  We got into the park and just took our time.  We stopped to take a few photos, including sea level signs, and then wandered into Furnace Creek.  There we had some lunch.

 

Old  Dinah, an 1894 steam tractor.

I thought this piece of equipment was quite cool.  The tractor replaced the mule teams used to haul borax.

The bed of the steam tractor.

These wheels looked like they could crush the rocks they rolled over when hauling.

 

These three photos were taken of a wagon used to haul borax from Death Valley to Mojave, 165 miles away.  It took the 20-mule teams 10 days to make the journey. 

Couldn't resist trying to shoot some in black and white.  These wheels lend themselves to that.

The wagon with wheels.

We then headed back a short ways to go into Badwater.  There’s a salt road in there, and that location is 282 feet BELOW sea level.

 

Look at the later photo and you'll see the sea level sign, way up in the rocks.

Jaz walking on the salt road at Badwater.

Salt granules in the dirt at Badwater.

Salt and water at Badwater.  Who'd think there was even any water since it hardly rains here.

Sea level ... 282 feet above where I was standing.

From there we rode around the Artist’s Palette.  That’s one beautiful ride, with colors popping out of the rocks in shades of oranges, reds, greens, turquoise and lavender.  Photos can’t reproduce what the naked eye is seeing and yet I kept trying to get something that would show nature’s gift out there in the desert. 

 

 

The Artist's Palette Loops is truly a ride for the artist.

The scenery and the texture of the rocks was incredible.

There was every color on the artist's palette.

I just liked this rock.  It seemed like a face, two eyes, a nose, and an upside down smile in white lipstick.

 

Not only that, the road was one-way and there were twisties and dips that is a motorcyclist’s dream.  And then, it was over, and we were back on the main road to the hotel where we’d spend the night … Stovepipe Wells.  There are a lot of things named wells.

 

This old dead tree is at the beginning when you start walking out on the dunes.  It's photographed often as everyone else was doing the same thing we were ... taking photos.

The dunes and the scenery beyond look like they were photoshopped one on top of the other.

Black and white makes a whole different look to dunes and the surrounding area.

It doesn't even look real.  But I was there.  And saw it.

 

On the way we passed the Mesquite Dunes … the shadows as the sun was getting lower were incredible.  We hurried to get checked in and drop our luggage and head back.  We hot footed it out into the desert to get photos of the shadows, the sun going down and the moon rising.  We shot some black and white that makes you think of moon landscape.  Then it was time to find our way back to the parking lot and the bikes.  I’d taken along a small flashlight just in case.  But we made it.

 

More photos at the dead tree.

The moon was rising and we were racing time to get back to the parking lot.

The deepening dusk brings out far more color than you see during the day.

And then night was upon us.

 

Back to the room, in for some supper, and then a little bit of blogging although we didn’t have good Internet in the rooms.  So, for me … text and photo sorting.  The blog will get posted sometime.