The posting from the weekend’s rides continues

I got more pics from Sunday’s ride than from Saturday’s and did a few more miles, too   Sunday was a bit more of an adventure due to the route I took.  I’m perfectly fine on surface streets and two lane highways, but I’m not really that experienced or used to the bigger roads like I-15.  Well, if I want to go touring I’m going to have to hit the “super slab” as some riders call it so I figured what the heck and headed out

My route took me north on Durango, east on the 215 Beltway, and then north a ways on the I-15.  Once at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza I turned east and headed to Valley of Fire State Park.  After transiting the park with a bit of a detour, it was south along Lake Mead until I reached Henderson where I took a few surface streets to get to Highway 160 for the final part of the trip through Red Rock Canyon.  For those of you who’d like to see something fairly close to my route, I’ve prepared a Google Map with a close approximation of where I went – click here

This was not an easy ride all the way by my standards.  First there was the traffic on the interstate to deal with, then the heat, wind, and general hostility of the desert in the summer.  Add to that a good long stretch of twisty road in the middle of nowhere with many corners not endowed with guardrails… You get the idea.  It’s mentally stressing at times and physically stressing at others.  Anyone who tells you it’s easy to do trips like this because you just sit on a bike is full of Bravo Sierra.

But that’s all good stuff.  I figure there’s no better way to prepare for longer trips than to work up to them.  Sunday was 190 or so miles which isn’t too far, but the heat and all the rest above made it a good training run for some of the trips I have planned like Utah, Arizona, California, and possibly much further

Enough blathering about all the stresses and trials of the ride (even as fun as they were) – let’s get to the pics

 As I said, the blast up the I-15 raceway was necessary to get me up to Valley of Fire State Park.  Sure, there was some training value in it, but I probably wouldn’t have done it except to get to this place.

 You didn’t think I’d go somewhere like this without a gratuitous bike pic now did ya ?

 I’ve been to Atlatl Rock before, but I didn’t have any really good pics.  I figured I’d take this opportunity to remedy that

 Those stairs may not look like much, but they seem longer and more difficult after continued exposure to high temperatures 

 Petroglyphs and pictographs are all over the rocks in Valley of Fire, but this is one of the most easily accessible panels.  I think this is a cool panel though because of the atlatl which is one of the only tools or man made objects I’ve seen in any of these glyphs

 There was other thing to share from the platform at Atlatl Rock – the view in the other direction

 Back down at ground level, I took the chance to get into drink a quart of Powerade Zero, get into some shade, and douse myself with water.  There were a few of these little critters who came out to drink from the pool that collected on the concrete under a water spigot

 I learned something else about my V-Star on this ride.  It will do gravel and dirt, but not exactly well   This pic was taken at Rainbow Vista and the rocks really are rather colorful, but the lighting just wouldn’t cooperate.  I wasn’t going to complain about shadows at this point with the sun and the heat being what they were   And yes, I do plan on going back sometime when it’s cooler for more pics

This section of road goes off the main thoroughfare through the park a ways and I’ve always liked the rock for its color and visual texture   There’s a point of interest a short distance from this place called Mouse’s Tank that’s pretty interesting.  From the park’s website:

Mouse’s Tank: Named for a renegade Indian who used the area as a hideout in the 1890′s. Mouse’s Tank is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after rainfalls, sometimes remaining for months. A half-mile round trip trail leads to Mouse’s Tank from the trail head parking area, passing numerous examples of prehistoric Indian petroglyphs.

Again, I’ll go back for more pics when it’s not over 110° in the shade

I’m going to call it a night as it’s getting rather late, but I hope you’ve enjoyed the pics!  Have a great day everyone