Death valley, Badwater, 200 feet below sea level 128°. One dead biker, one transported to a hospital in Vegas. This is no place to play with.
Louis Lamour said it well. “ the desert is the final test and the buzzards grade the papers!
I’ve travelled Death Valley for over 30 years and it is exquisite , scenic beyond belief , and awe inspiring. But it must be respected . Ive ridden in snow storms , dust storms ,every challenge Mother Nature can throw at you, and it still draws me back every year,.
Anyway, do your riding before nine in the morning hide out during the heat of the day at a bar or restaurant. Spend the middle of the day at one of the high altitude spots in the park.Dantes view or Aguaberry point come to mind. There are more.
It’s an absolutely fantastic place , visit and enjoy it, but respect it because it will bite you in the *** .

 

Hence the name, otherwise they'd have to call it something else.

 

Death valley is a fantastic ride around early OCT, but going there in the middle of summer is insanity.
Though 128 deg is not a record , the last time I was there in the mid 80's, at Furnace Creek they showed a chart of the highest recorded temp and if I remember correct was back in the 1930's it hit 136 deg.

 

Just riding around here in the summer heat is bad enough. I cant imagine what its like out there.

 

I read that the deceased rider was riding with other motorcyclists. I wonder if they were just casual riders who blundered into deadly conditions or if they were prepared and were still overcome by the heat. I wonder if someone was riding in a tee shirt, which will dehydrate you in a hurry.
I have ridden in 112-degree temps in AZ; that was hot enough for me.

 

Very sad for sure . . . Heat and Cold should never be underestimated.

 

Sad what happen. Don't play with mother nature.

 

Don't wear proper clothing and carry lots of water and 'Ol Sol will cook you quicker than a ham steak. I live in Las Vegas. Today will be over 115 degrees. I've seen lots of riders wearing sleeveless shirts while riding. A good percentage of them were in the hospital burn ward. I wear a wet vest, ride at night, carry water, and stop frequently. I'm 79 and have been riding since I was 15. Must be doin' somthin' right!

 

I can't imagine intentionally putting myself or the bike through 128 degrees.

I'm in Central Texas and this time of year I start out early and try to be at my next stopping point by 11:00 am, or when the temperature starts to exceed 90. At 95 degrees or higher, it's just hot no matter what. The more dehydrated you are, the longer it takes to rehydrate.

There are too many deer on the roads at night so I avoid as much of that as I can, so I'm somewhat limited until the fall through spiring.

Paul

 

If you are considering being outside without air conditioing in Death Valley in the summer…remember this, a sous vide cooks beef to rare at 130 degrees in 2 hours.