Hi everyone - It’s now April and I am just getting around to sending out the story of the Death Valley Ride last October. I have also updated the web site for this year’s ride on October 8-10, 2005. 

The 11^th Annual Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley took place this year on October 9-11, 2004. Once again, a good time was had by almost all (with the possible exception of the two who crashed; more about that later). Here is my take on the ride this year.

The question I am most frequently asked is "How many bikes were on the ride?" And my answer is, I really don’t know. That said, I can give a very rough estimate. 30+ bikes left San Francisco and picked up another 20 in Manteca for a total of 50+ bikes at the gas stop in Manteca. I would estimate that at least another 25 showed up in Bishop, CA. Most of those bikers were from Southern California, but some were from the Bay Area, the Central Valley and other distant places (Bill from Steamboat Springs, CO showed up once again this year).

My guess is that between 80-100 bikers took part in the ride, although the number could be considerably higher. This is such a loosely structured event that there is no way to know. But this is clear. The ride is getting more popular each year. I am told it has become an October institution with bikers looking forward to it all summer.

Perhaps half the riders are also part of a group of gay sportbikers who often ride together on weekends and other long rides.

In August, 2004, Death Valley had a rainstorm. This happens once or twice a year. This time, however, 1/3 of an inch of rain fell. While that might not sound like a lot to most people, given the conditions in Death Valley, that 1/3 of an inch caused tremendous damage. The ground is so dry and hard that the rain drops did not get absorbed into the earth where it fell. Because of gravity, the raindrops tried to find the lowest possible place for it to rest, along with all the other raindrops that fell. That caused massive flash floods in the lowest regions between the hills and mountains. As a result, several roads (parts of Routes 190 and 178) became rivers and were basically destroyed. Also destroyed was the parking lot at Zabriskie Point.

This has several huge impacts on the ride. We could not get to Zabriskie Point, as the road was closed just east of Furness Creek. And, the Desert Brotherhood, bikers from the Las Vegas who join us at Zabriskie Point each year could not get there due to the road closures.

So, there was no gathering this year at Zabriskie Point. A number of bikers congregated at the parking lot at Furness Creek, but it was not the same. Here is to hoping that the roads get repaired soon so we can get to Zabriskie Point next year.

There were a couple of serious accidents this year, but as of my last report, no one was seriously hurt and both riders have by now pretty much recovered. To put these accidents in context; if up to 100 riders ride about 1000 miles that weekend, that means each Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley represents 100,000 miles of bike riding. A couple of accidents at that mileage is not an unusual occurrence. While I hope this doesn’t repeat any time soon, accidents, and speeding tickets, do happen.

The first accident happens going over Sonora Pass. After leaving the gas stop in Manteca, the group rides east on Route 120. In the foothills of the Sierra, the road branches into two roads. Route 120 goes through Yosemite and over Tioga Pass and then down to Mono Lake. But at one point it is possible to take Route 108 over Sonora Pass and then go south on Route 305 and meet up with the rest of the group at the gas stop at Mono Lake. Route 108 is longer but you don’t have to pay the fee to get into Yosemite (you also don’t get to see the high country of Yosemite, one of the most beautiful places in the world).

So the group splits into two at that point. I continue with Route 120. A number of others went on Route 108, including this one rider on a beautiful Goldwing that was towing a trailer. That rider sent me an e mail as to what happened. Here is his account:

"The First 176 miles were fantastic! Just enough to let me know I'd like to see what the other 824 miles were like. Maybe next year, if I have a new Bike by then. We'll see.........

Well, so you can get it from the Horses mouth, in short, got cut off by somebody over the center line on a curve, weaved to avoid hitting him, and caught the edge of the road which was Sand, started digging in and couldn't power out of it. When I heard the crash bars and pipes hitting the ground I knew I was going down, so at the last second I pushed off, I think the Trailer ran over my foot and that's how I broke my Ankle, but not sure. It's a simple break, so should mend OK (My first broken bone). On the other hand the Bike which actually came to rest on the side of the road, and then when the Bike started down the mountain, the Trailer snapped off and only went part of the way down, and the Bike tumbled down the Mountain until it came to rest upside-down up against a tree. (But the Radio was still playing)

On the way to Sonora the Tow truck driver suggested putting the Bike and Trailer into a U-Haul, so I drove back to SF and then went to the Hospital. Long story short I should be in the walking cast for approximately 6-8 weeks with hopefully no complications. And I'm shopping for a new Bike to accessorize.

So looking forward to next year, with a much different kind of excitement. "

As of today I understand his cast has been removed and he is walking and looking for another bike.

The second accident took place on Route 190 as it was approaching the Panamint Valley. A rider on an Aprilla Tuono was riding down a long, flat, straight road when the rider in back of him (who is a scientist and use to describing what he has seen) said the Apprilla’s front wheel first began to shake. Then the front end dived and the rear wheel went up in the air, and then the rider and bike went flying.

The rider landed on the road, the bike landed off the road. The bike was perfectly balanced on it’s handle bars and seat, with the tires pointed straight up. This gives new meaning to the old cliche, "Keep the runner side down"

It appears that there was some kind of equipment failure that resulted in the front wheel locking. After inspection of the bike, the likely culprit was rim failure. The front brake and tire was intact, so they probably did not cause the accident. The rim was destroyed.

Fortunately, the rider was well dressed for this. His full face helmet was destroyed, which is suppose to be what happens to a helmet in a crash. (The helmet gets destroyed, and not your head.) That main damage to his body appears to be a broken wrist (pins needed), a hairline fracture of the hip, and that's it. He was airlifted to Reno for a CAT scan to see if there was any bleeding in his brain, which was negative. The hairline fracture of his hip kept him in Reno for a week but he is now back in San Francisco and recovering, to the best of my knowledge.

Yes, we have pictures. The following sites have pictures of this years, and in the case of the first site, last year’s ride plus other biking pictures. John, who maintains the first site has uploaded my images to his site in addition to the images he took.

http://www.johnmcgourty.com/gallery/

aspafford.net/QBIDV2004/thumb.php

http://tinyurl.com/5s83m

Eating and partying together has always been a part of the bonding experience on the Death Valley Ride. We do not get a chance to talk with each other while riding, so the meals, hot creek and the get together at Zabriskie Point have been times to hang out with each other and enjoy the company.

In Bishop, CA, we turned La Casita Mexican rest and restaurant bar into the hottest queer biker bar for 200 miles in any direction (and the only one for 200 miles in any direction).

It would be nice to do the same in Bakersfield, but someone has to take the initiative to organize this. One suggestion was Mimi’s Café

11^th year that I’ve done this on the same bike, my 1992 Harley FXR. I had my friend Ron, from Scotland, on the back for the 4^th time. Ron schedules his vacation to be in California for the Death Valley ride. A number of others do the same. Ron is a rider in Scotland but has to resign himself to being a passenger here. I’ve tried to persuade him to have another bike here just for the month’s vacation each year to no avail. Something about not being able to afford it.

I find as I get I get more tired from a day’s riding. This year I skipped going to the hot creek and went on to the mote in Bishop for a rest before partying.

I’m looking forward to seeing all of you on next year’s ride. Have fun until then.

Michael Psycle.

E mail: mcpsycle@well.com