I was planning on carrying all that on my bike! Ok, maybe not to that extent, but atleast 2 tubes, air source, tool kit, first aid kit and probably a gallon of water and 2 msr fuel bottles.
Definitely a lot of concern for not riding over your head in this thread, what is the major concern? The terrain doesn't seem too technically challenging, is the concern someone will get out there and think they are Johnny Campbell blasting across the desert at triple digit speeds? I'm not down playing that safety is not important or a concern, but I would assume the terrain isn't wicked single track hanging off a cliffside in Colorado or Utah where if you mess up it is a nice 500 ft plummet to your death. I would think it would go without saying that everyone attending this ride knows their experience and risk comfort level and will ride accordingly.
https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=142227&st=0&p=916294&hl=+death%20+valley&fromsearch=1entry916294 Unfortunately SaharaJp99, both FJR Forum and AZ Beemers sadly have a track record of offroad crashes in Death Valley! Pictures and words from our Doug - Bugnatr.
FJR Forum Bugnatr - Doug is a very and careful conscientious off road ride leader; I am exactly the same way! However, I have been riding Death Valley off road for many years with AZ Beemers and for some unknown reasons we always have a man go down in a crash. None as severe as poor Steve photographed below, Steve sustained 13 broken ribs; he was really busted up very badly!
A number of years ago AZ Beemers contracted Pancho Villa Moto Tours, now Moto-Discovery, for an off road expedition to Real de Catorce in South Central Mexico. It was a dozen riders, half from AZB and half from people who heard about the trek and joined up.
Sure enough, we had a rider (not an AZB!) go down at speed and was severely injured. Without the Support Truck he could have died. This near death encounter still weighs on my mind! Call me your "Irish Mother" if you want, but if I'm involved in leading a ride: I'm always going to be looking out for the "last man"! I once was an Army Platoon Sergeant and cannot break my old GI habits!
"It was about then that Steve decided we didn't have enough drama in our lives and spiced it up a bit.
No way to end a ride.
OK this is bad- real bad. We are 25 miles from pavement but to my amazement we had cell signal at this remote location. I would have never believed it as there is no where else in the park where cell phones work. Our guys had already called for help and we were told an ambulance was on the way.
We kept Steve alert while waiting, at this point Rob and Rich left for Beatty to get 4 wheels to haul out Steve's KTM.
Soon we hear this beauty coming over the Mts. from the east. I don't think I've ever heard a better sound. We found out later Steve had 13 broken ribs and a punctured lung. I'm sure a ride out of 25 miles with a major washboard road would have caused more damage to to Steve's broken body.
The KTM gets a ride out from nicest park employee you could ever meet."
