So over the long weekend, Tom and I were anxious to get the RV out to explore new territory on our motos. Between some warranty repairs and winter weather, we hadn’t had a chance to really get out for a weekend in a while. So we packed up the motos, gear, food and dogs and headed south…to Ridgecrest. Our original plans to head to Death Valley changed at the last minute due to an unusual rain storm that saw all of the backcountry roads in Death Valley closed due to flooding/mud/washouts. A quick internet search and we found an alternative relatively the same driving time, with more freedom to explore and no ridiculous rules about dogs. Friday night saw us arrive after dark to an area where all camping is dispersed, meaning no formal campgrounds. We could see collections of lights where people were camped but weren’t sure how to get to those spots. We eventually settled in after a short drive down a hardpack, pot-holed road (the kind Tom swore we wouldn’t drive in the RV)…it wasn’t bad just an adventure after dark.
After sleeping in despite the sounds of motors starting and generators running to take the chill off the morning, we slowly got ready to head out and explore our home for the weekend, the Spangler Hills OHV area. We had camped in an area called Searles Station, for the railroad switching station nearby. This OHV area was a new concept to us as it is an “open area,” meaning you can literally ride wherever you want, whether a trail exists or not, and it’s 57000 acres provide some much room that despite a holiday weekend crowd and an event, we rarely came upon another rider except near camp. The terrain is quite different than the area around Bishop, very little rock and the desert plant life a little taller and more sparse. I’ve always loved the desert…whether because I’m a CA native or because my parents often took us camping in the desert growing up, there is a totally different kind of beauty and ruggedness in the desert. Now the hardcore environmentalists would faint if they spent much time around an OHV park/camp such as this. It’s loud, got dusty as the weekend wore on and certainly not the activity everyone likes. That being said, places like this need to exist…if they don’t people will ride where they aren’t supposed to. There are many families out, not only enjoying motorized toys but parents again passing down how different and fun the desert can be.
The riding itself took a little getting used to but once we did, it was amazing. Tom and I have always figured a preference for riding in dirt and trees more typical of where we live. Tighter singletracks trails where visibility may just be a few feet ahead as you curve through forests and tree canopy. The desert varies from hardpack with some rocks to thick, sandy washes (not my favorite) but the wide openness of it all it what sets the riding apart. You can see for miles, literally. The sand, when mixed with a little gravel or water is a blast for riding and provides a totally different feel than the tacky dirt of north. You’re typically riding alot faster in the desert as the terrain lends itself to more wide open speeds. That being said, you have to be more alert for the feature of the desert…washes. More than once over the weekend, we were hauling along at decent speeds only to come upon a small, deep wash with little time to figure out how to navigate it…
We had a blast and can’t wait to go back again in the coming weeks…
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- Tom in the wash
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- Tom railing the wash
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- Tom with the sun going down
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- The “big kid”
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- Michelle, fighting the sun on the way uphill
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- Snack break
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- Michelle playing in the wash…Tom can’t have all the fun!
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- The beauty of the open desert
