The 3rd Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley

by Michael Psycle Bettinger, HD, FXR

The 3rd Annual Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley is now history. At high noon, on October 13, 1996 at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley, 46 motorcycles with some fifty odd (and some very odd) people came together for The 3rd Annual Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley. This is a ride like few other modern motorcycle rides in that the emphasis was on riding a motorcycle. Many bikers would consider that a queer idea indeed.

This ride was not about attitude, registration, fees, tee shirts, patches, pins, country western or rock and roll bands, getting drunk, trailering a motorcycle and riding it around town, vendors, getting tattooed, wet tee shirt or jock strap contests, the brand of motorcycle one is riding, poker runs, raffles, fund raising, riding in formation, starting and stopping together, fast racing, slow racing, hill climbs, overly organized events or being a spectator.

This ride was about riding motorcycles, being friendly, being queer, being gay, being lesbian, being bisexual, being straight, being crooked, being curvy, being bent, riding motorcycles, being a great disorganized mass, finding each other along the route, starting and stopping together and separately, spectacular scenery, straight, curvy, twisted, flat and inclined roads, mountains, deserts, canyons, farmlands and rolling hills, riding motorcycles, eating, talking, more spectacular scenery, getting naked in a hot creek, meeting new people, riding slow, riding fast, riding, riding, riding. It was about enjoying oneself by oneself and together. It was about being there.

BMW's were over represented. Serious sport touring riders seem to like German machinery. The other makes represented were Harley, Honda, Ducati, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. No Triumphs. Rat bikes rode with full dressers. Three old 750 cc Hondas from the early 1970's made the trip. And they all seemed to know how to ride well and fast. Another rat bike had only one canvas saddle bag because the other had been burned by the exhaust. On that bike a bedroom pillow was used to cushion the rider's rear end was held in place by a net bungee. Racing leathers, touring leathers, Aerostitch suits, new and worn out jeans, along with army surplus attired the riders.

Twenty six motorcycles began at 8 a.m. on October 12, 1996, in San Francisco and headed east over the Bay Bridge. Immediately we seemed to attract the attention of every cop we passed. Maybe they wanted to join us.

The route for those who want to duplicate it is a simple 1000 mile loop that can be done in three not so easy days. Start at the Bay Bridge and go East on I580, I205, 120 through Yosemite and over Tioga Pass, south on 395 to Lone Pine (spend the night about here), south on 136, east on 190 to Death Valley. Reverse by going west on 190, west on 178 through Ridgecrest, past Lake Isabella to Bakersfield (night two here), north on 99, east on 46, north on 33 to Coalinga, east on 198, north on 25 to Gilroy, and finally 101 back to San Francisco. A nice three day trip.

For those of you with only a two day weekend and lots of guts, do in the reverse direction by leaving work early on a Friday and take the superslab (I5) to Bakersfield, get there late and stay the night. Then follow the route in the reverse direction the next two days. Have a breath taking weekend where you hit the heights (Tioga Pass) and the depths (Death Valley).

This trip is best done in October or early November. Route 120 closes sometime in November when it begins to snow and doesn't reopen until June. By then, Death Valley is too hot. By October, is has cooled and the mountain passes are still free of snow.

At the first gas stop in Manteca, CA, three additional biker from the East Bay joined up. In Big Oak Flat, CA, another three bikers from Southern California joined the moving mass after having spent the night in Fresno. At Ohlstead Point in the high country of Yosemite, with Half Dome in the background, a participant of the last two Death Valley rides caught up after sleeping late. He said he knew where to find us and felt no need to join us at the beginning of the ride. Such was a hallmark of this ride.

In the town of Lee Vining, CA, next to Mono Lake, we lost our first rider when the electrical system on her 500cc Kawasaki failed. When word reached the mass that we had lost a biker, a rat biker with tools and knowledge went back and repaired the electrical problem, but the new rider felt her one year of riding experience was too little for such a big ride on such curvy roads and she turned back to San Francisco.

Heading south on 395, near Mammoth Lakes, is a sign saying Hatchery Road, Hot Creek. Turn there! Go three miles and you will see a parking lot. What you have there is a natural outdoor hot tub. Deep under the ground is a volcano waiting to emerge. While it is waiting, it sends up boiling water to the surface. Some of this water emerges in the middle of a creek that is created by the snow melting from the Sierra glaciers. The result is a place in the creek where the freezing snow melt meets the boiling water, et voila, a hot tub large enough to fit a hundred or so of your closest and most intimate friends. After riding all day, little else is finer.

In Bishop, CA we lost another woman on a Harley when the CHP stopped her for loud pipes and found she had a revoked license and impounded her bike for thirty days. A major embarrassment for her and a great loss of her presence to the rest of us. Another Harley rider on a custom Shovelhead disappeared in Big Pine, CA, the same town where we picked up seven or eight riders from Southern California. Another nine bikers, mostly women riders, showed up at Zabriskie Point.

Many of the participants said they had never taken part in any kind of motorcycle event before but appreciated the way this was organized and disorganized. The disorganizer of this event, recognizing that most bikers are an independent lot, made it possible for people to join in without having to commit themselves beyond the moment. As a result, most of the riders felt comfortable being part of the mass. It was a ride for independent people who wanted to get together but didn't want to lose their independence.

Riders rode fast and slow. Top speed claimed was a solo Honda doing 155 mph. A Suzuki Katana claimed hitting 145 two up and stopped while the bike was still accelerating. A BMW R80 with over 50,000 miles on the odo always left early because he liked to ride slower then the others. He did though claim to have hit 105 at one point. The disorganizer of the event did his usual 100 before settling back to more moderate speeds. 75 mph seemed to be where most liked to ride but since speed thrills it always seemed to creep up a bit.

At the intersection of Route 190 and Route 178 in Death Valley, several members of the group stopped to take photos of the rest of the bikers turning at that point. Several minutes after many of the bikers turned onto Route 178, traveling about 75 mph in a 55 zone, a cop blasted by doing at least 90 mph. About ten minutes later he returned, going much slower. We obviously had too much of a lead for the cop to catch us. Whoopee. Score one for the Queer Bikers.

Plans are being formulated for a spring kickoff ride, April 11-18, 1997 to Bryce, Zion and Monument Valley National Parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona. The 4th Annual Queer Biker Invasion of Death Valley will occur on October 11-13, 1997. Call 415 563-6100 for details or e mail to mcpsycle@well.com. Be there and be queer!


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