Here is my blog of the awesome, six-day bike tour with Lizard Head that I did in and near Death Valley in March 2022. Among the adventurous group of 14 guests and 2 guides were my son Gordon, brother Jay, and nephew Brian Cornwell, as well as friends Barb Schreiber and Mike Smolin with whom Mary and I biked in 2007!
I biked EFI (every fricking inch) of the offered rides, and the following itinerary reflects that.
Day 1 (Sunday, March 13): Red Rock Canyon -> Blue Diamond + Old Spanish Trail -> Shoshone (49 mi & 2,600 ft of climbing)
Day 2 (Monday, March 14): Shoshone -> Furnace Creek (77 mi & 3,900 ft)
Day 3 (Tuesday, March 15): Furnace Creek <-> Dante’s View + Furnace Creek <-> Beatty Junction (63 mi & 4,200 ft)
Day 4 (Wednesday, March 16): Mile 12 -> Ubehebe Crater -> Stovepipe Wells (74 mi & 4,300 ft)
Day 5 (Thursday, March 17): Stovepipe Wells <-> Emigrant Pass (46 mi & 5,400 ft) + 4-mi hike in Mosaic Canyon
Day 6 (Friday, March 18): Stovepipe Wells -> Rhyolite (41 mi & 5,300 ft)
This was a very well-photographed tour by me and others, so my blog is longer than usual. Also, check out Annette’s poem at the end.
Enjoy!
Day 1: Sunday, March 13. After a short shuttle from Las Vegas, Gordon, Wayne, Jay, and Brian are ready to start riding at the entrance to Red Rock Canyon. 
A long line of bikers heads for the beautiful canyon with the horizontal red stripe. 
The Fab 4 take a break at a scenic overlook near the mouth of the canyon. 
We bike to Blue Diamond, have lunch, and then shuttle into California to ride along the Old Spanish Trail. Here our guide Wylie prepares to unload bikes for the afternoon ride while Rebecca and Annette take pictures. 
After biking over the first of the tour’s two Emigrant Passes (a small unmarked bump of elevation 2,848 ft according to my GPS), we cruise downhill to the Amargosa River. This sign seems a stretch, since there is no water to be seen. 
But after a few miles we see some water. Could this be the wild and scenic river? 
Our day’s ride ends in Shoshone, which has one motel, one restaurant, one store, and one gas station. 
We share some stories in the courtyard of the Shoshone Inn. Clockwise from guide Peter in bright blue are Wylie, Brian (who is wiped out), myself (who can’t seem to stop talking), and patient listeners Gordon, Mike, and Barb. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.) 
On our way to dinner, Barb remembers that she needs to make a call. I don’t think it went through 🙂
Day 2: Monday, March 14. The Fab 4 are all smiles after breakfast is served outdoors by our guides. The phone booth behind me looks less functional than the one Barb tried the evening before. 
Gordon, myself, and Jay start the tour’s longest ride in Shoshone and soon reach the entrance to Death Valley National Park. Without his bike, Gordon will have a tough time keeping up. (Thanks to Annette for the pic.) 
Jay powers up the deserted road to Salsbury Pass. 
After Gordon recovers his bike, we all make it to the top of Salsbury Pass (aka Salsberry Pass on the map), the high point of the day. 
After a seat-rattling descent on a very rough road, we reach the floor of Death Valley. Jay seems well attired for the ride ahead. Telescope Peak has little snow on top because of the drought. 
Eventually we rejoin Brian, who shuttled ahead, and get to Badwater. 
There is actually some water here but not to drink. 
After lunch we hike up a short, narrow canyon, from which there is a striking view of Badwater. (Thanks to Gordon for the cool pic!) 
Gordon and I (as well as Chuck, Mike, and Lou) ride the full 77 miles from Shoshone to Furnace Creek to finish the day at The Ranch at Death Valley, our home for two nights. This is a very large resort with lots of greenery, including a golf course. There must be a lot of water underground.
Day 3: Tuesday, March 15. Two rides are offered today, and Gordon and I opt for the more challenging climb to Dante’s View. We are joined by Lee, who, along with her husband Richard, is only on the tour for two days. Wylie shuttles us up the first 11 miles and 2,300 ft of the climb so we can get back to Furnace Creek in time for lunch. 
That still leaves 13 miles and 3,400 ft of climbing to the top, with a 15% kicker at the end. 
We look for tortoises but don’t see any. 
Gordon manages a smile despite the grinding climb. 
The spectacular view at the top proves worth the effort! 
Here is the view without us. Relevant elevations are 5,463 ft at Dante’s View, -282 ft at Badwater, and 11,049 ft at the top of Telescope Peak. 
After lunch at Furnace Creek, I do a solo 24-mile ride to Beatty Junction and back. Along the way I see a few wildflowers but no superbloom. 
Later I check out the 20-mule team wagons and other machinery at the outdoor Borax Museum on the grounds of the resort.
Day 4: Wednesday, March 16. After breakfast we shuttle a couple of miles to the site of the Harmony Borax Works, which is described on this plaque. 
The entire team of 14 guests and 2 guides, except for Richard and photographer Chuck, gathers for a group photo. We then hike to the ruins and wagons behind us. 
Here are wagons for hauling processed borax and drinking water. 
Wylie retrieves Annette’s bike so she can ride a shortcut from here to Stovepipe Wells. The rest of us shuttle to Mile 12 on Scotty’s Castle Rd. 
Once we arrive at Mile 12, we are greeted with a ferocious headwind that awaits those who will get on their bikes. Gordon takes this amazing video of Wylie playing a tune on a rubber band in that wind. That persuades almost everyone to shuttle 13 miles further. (See video with sound below.) 
Chuck, Mike, and I get on our bikes and take turns breaking wind for 13 brutal, uphill miles until we get to the first rest stop. Chuck decides he has had enough and gets in the van for a bump, but Mike and I soldier on. Thankfully the wind and grade ease up, and we are fine. Here Mike leads me as we approach the turnaround at Ubehebe Crater. 
Mike stands on the rim of Ubehebe Crater, which was created by a volcanic steam explosion in the recent geologic past, estimated at hundreds to thousands of years ago. 
Eventually we regroup in the shade at the Grapevine Ranger Station while waiting for lunch. (Thanks to Chuck for the pic.) 
After lunch we reverse the morning’s route and are treated to a terrific tailwind while going downhill as well 🙂 The wind spawns lots of dust devils, such as the one ahead near the sand dunes. 
Most guests end the ride at the last rest stop, but a few of us, including Gordon here, continue on our bikes to Stovepipe Wells. 
Along the way we pass the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. 
Finally, we arrive at Stovepipe Wells, our home for the next two nights. Mike and I bike 74 miles this day. Gordon bikes all but the first 13 miles. 
We enthusiastically gather for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant and place our orders only to discover that there is only one cook this evening! Nearly two hours later (after some of our bedtimes 🙂 ) our food finally arrives. (Thanks to Annette for the cheery pic.)
Day 5: Thursday, March 17. Mike and I, and eventually Chuck, begin a long out and back ride from Stovepipe Wells to the second and much higher Emigrant Pass of the tour. It is 9 miles to the turn to the pass and 14 more miles to the top. 
Mike and I get to the turn just before the van arrives with most of the guests who have taken a bump to start the day. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.) 
I ride the last few miles to the pass with Patti. By the time we get there the temperature has dropped to the mid 50s! (Thanks to Chuck for the nice pic.) 
Soon Gordon joins me at the pass, but there is not much to see besides this sign. I started the day at 10 ft above sea level and so have climbed more than 5,300 ft. The return to Stovepipe Wells is the most incredible downhill of the tour! 
After lunch we go for a 4-mile hike in Mosaic Canyon. I hiked here as a graduate student in 1966! 
Soon the canyon narrows. 
Jay climbs up a dry waterfall over water-polished rock. 
When the canyon is blocked by a much taller dry waterfall, the way around is obvious. 
Brian and Gordon are dwarfed by their surroundings at the top of that dry waterfall. 
We end the day with a stargazing outing at the nearby sand dunes and see the International Space Station fly over. (Thanks to Jay for the cool pic!)
Day 6: Friday, March 18. To avoid a shuttle, I start the last day’s bike ride from Stovepipe Wells and leave before anyone else. 
I scream around the turn at Beatty Junction to meet the van, which caught and passed me earlier. (Thanks to Jay for the nice pic.) 
Chuck, Mike, and Lou catch me at the van’s first rest stop, and we get ready to resume our ride. Some bikes are still up top for guests who are taking a second bump. (Thanks to Jay for the pic.) 
I approach the second rest stop and leave Death Valley behind. (Thanks to Gordon for the pic.) 
While I grind up the road on my bike, Jay hikes to this vantage point to take a picture of the van at the second rest stop. It is called Hells Gate because of the sere canyon ahead. 
Mike, Gordon, and I celebrate our arrival at Daylight Pass, the high point for the day. 
After one last downhill, we cross into Nevada and reach Rhyolite, where our biking ends. 
The oft-photographed Cook Bank building is a shadow of its former self. 
Here is what it looked like in better times. 
The train depot still looks good, but the railroad was profitable only during its first year in 1908. 
You can read its sad story here. 
This is the intrepid team of 12 bikers who started and finished the tour together: Jay, Brian, Wayne, Rebecca, Barb, Mike, Chuck, Annette, Steven, Patti, Lou, and Gordon.
Multi-talented Annette wrote the following poem to commemorate the tour.
A fond memory by Annette Orella
I’m here to tell you all a quick rhyme
Of a trip by fourteen once upon a time
To Death Valley they rode
Bicycling their mode
To partake of all possible sweat and grime
Of great import were the guests on the trip
Not just anyone can take on this ***blip****
It takes true guts
Or perhaps be a little nuts
To ride through the desert at a clip
From Oregon came Mike with Barb by his side
Three cross country trips a source of Mike’s pride
But she’s got a new plan
E-biking to catch up to her man
So up the hills her legs won’t be fried
From San Diego hailed Rebecca and sweet Lou
Up and down the dunes they both flew
Not a pool did they miss
And with push ups found bliss
Through the trip their broad smiles and good karmas grew
From Kansas and San Diego came the clan
Bikers all through and through to a man
Wayne a true EFI
Gordon sturdy and spry
Jay and Brian never opting for the van (at least that’s the way I’m choosing to remember it!)
Next from New York came Patti and Steve
Whose laughter was truly a reprieve
She cranked up each hill
Pulling others by pure will
And keeping all entertained by your leave
Partway through we were joined by Richard and Lee
Sadly only one biker would they be
But Lee carried the flame
Riding hard all the same
While Dear Richard patiently did a look-see
And last but not least Chuck – none too slow
Whose love for cycling continues to grow
As Annette tries to catch him
His sights never dim
As he continues to go go go go (go go go go go)
Now this story could not be complete
Without the people who enabled this feat
Our guides were the best
Keeping bellies full, minds at rest
Peter and Wylie thanks so much – what a week!
You might ask about our intrepid guide Wylie
Of whose praises we sing very highly
On each road he would dash
With tattoos and a stash
Providing care and encouragement kindly
This poem’s not complete without mention of Peter
Jersey born, a man of skills hard to beat(er)
Soft hearted and kind
Helping us out of many a bind
Having him guide was really a treat(er)
Now before we all say goodbye
And return home with a bit of a sigh
We’ll pack up one last time
Jump on bikes, turn on a dime
And drink in the desert landscape and sky.
Wayne Pfeiffer 