Tour of Nothing

[Bounce]

Thanks. i love riding in that area.

 

[Murph]

Cool! Thanks for sharing. It's just too bad you ended up seeing something.

 

[Old Michael]

Bravo, Spud!!!!

 

[Spud]

OK, time to finish up this report...

So, a little more on the Hotel Nevada. Built in 1929, it was the tallest building in the state of Nevada for 10 years. They claim to be "motorcycle friendly" and really are. You get a 10% discount if you are a rider. Room rate: $39.00/night. A cool little casino on the first floor, reserved parking for bikes out front, and good, cheap food in the restaurants. All in all a great place to stay!

The casino...

They called this "1971 Honda Chopper"

A mural...

The next morning, headed out of Ely and took a side jaunt to Great Basin National Park. A couple of really fun passes along the way...

Coming up to Wheeler Peak, Nevada's highest mountain, at 13,065 feet. Some claim Boundary Peak is Nevada's highest peak, but Boundary is just a California Mountain pretending to be a Nevadan....

Cruising along Nevada HWY 6, east of Ely, nearing Utah...

Over Sacramento Pass...

Made it to Great Basin National Park. Headed up Wheeler Peak Scenic Loop Road... Spectacular views of the valley below!

I KNEW I should have thrown in a set of bolt-cutters. And I was having so much fun!

Wheeler Peak pushing up into the sky...

Too Tall Tony was killed on this road by a drunk driver...

Seriously kids, don't drink and drive...

Headed South through the vast desert...

Lunch in Pioche, NV... darn good burger in that cafe, made from scratch!!

Cathedral Gorge State Park, along HWY 93...

An old train station in Caliente, NV

Nevada 375, the ET HIGHWAY! My southernmost goal...

Not a whole lot going on out there. Actually there is (Area 51), but if I told you what I REALLY SAW, they'd have to kill you..

Made it back to Ely beat as hell... Saw a fellow road-weary rider that also made it to town. Someday, I hope I can ride a "Road King" :lol:

Heading home to IDAHO the next day..

Highway 30 from Oasis, NV to Snowville, UT. Another VERY lonely road...

The Bonneville Salt Flats...

Gassed up in Wendover...

The Nevada/Utah Border on Highway 30. They don't even have sign, but do tell you there's no gas for a long ways..

Heading across the valley...

Back to my home state. This is not Idaho's largest port of entry

Coming through Power County, ID on ID HWY 37, I realized we have something Nevada doesn't: a little bit of water...

Back home and into the garage. I wanted to do a 1500 mile trip. Checked TRIP 2, set at zero when I left, and (no kidding), the mileage is showing 1501.1!

So it all worked out just great. Bike was flawless, as expected. Thanks all for the positive comments. It's great to have a place to share our rides!

Spud.

 

[dustyrains]

Really great ride report. Man, those are some lonesome roads out there. Must have very tempting to open the throttle.

 

[fhaze]

Wait a min!!!! Trip Odometers on GenII bikes don't reset at 999? I've always wanted that feature...be handy for tires and or oil.

 

[cruppelt]

Great pics, and I agree, it sure looks like you rode some nice and lonely high speed roads!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Slab Pig]

Spud,

Dude! It's Slab Pig. You are too cool!!

You and other members are really giving me something to work toward, as I've ridden about 70k miles since getting back on bikes in '07 and have about three pictures to show for it. I REALLY have to start smelling the roses.

I'm really into the roads you picked and the places you stopped at, especially the Hotel Nevada. I've got to get there one day. I love riding Nevada and letting it loose. I've been across that state four times and I don't remember seeing a cop outside of a town on any occasion. I love the elbow room in the West.

Just as a side note, I lived in Mt Home for a year while my dad was in Nam. He wanted to find a place to put his family where he wouldn't have to worry about them while he was over there (during the Tet Offensive no less) and he decided on Idaho...Mt Home to be exact. What a hoot.

Gives you an idea of my age...no jokes about that you young wipper-snappers.

Anyway, lunch is over and I have to go now. Next time you scoot thru NV, send me a note and I'll buy you a beer in one of those 10 horse towns.

Later,

 

[beemerdons]

Very nice, Spud; Thank You!

 

[user 213]

Great ride report Spud. Thanks for sharing. Lots of good memories in that area for me.

 

[BwanaDik]

Outstanding Spud! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

My buddy and I did a similar route in NV one September but got caught in Ely in a snowstorm :angry: . Ended up drinking gin&tonics for the day and then staggering back to our motel. Power was out all over town but ours (the Best Western) which allowed us to continue drinking. Rode otu the next day in 4" of snow. Sorry to see what we missed in Great Basin

Thanks for the pictures, I sure love riding out there. The scenery more than makes up for lack of twisties

 

[Bugnatr]

Very nice report Spud.

Did you see my girlfriend on the way into Wheeler Peak?

Next time be sure to include a visit to the Lehman caves-good stuff.

Here's Wheeler Peak last August a bit closer without the snow.

 

[Happy Rider]

Thanks Spud for the exceptional report. I've been through NV so many times either going somewhere or going home. You've inspired me to slow down a bit and spend some time in the state in search of the obscure stuff.

BTW I like the Harley on the trailer. :rofl:

 

[dcarver]

Does this look like someone grafted a 70' Bultaco Pursang bodywork onto a CB750?

Or Rickmann Metisse?

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great report! :clapping:

Part of the country I've never been. Thanks for the tour.

 

[RenoJohn]

How'd the DVD player work out on those long lonesome stretches, and what movies did you bring along?

LOL Bwahahaha ...now that is funny. But only to those who remember that infamous prior post. Good one skibum

One cool thing about riding in Nevada. When it is time for a bathroom stop, you can pull over and walk out to the middle of the road and pee, with no one to see or object. Of course I also did that in downtown Reno once. Didn't go over too well with the gf. I love Nevada. You never know when you will come across a "bunny ranch". The little half dead towns out there have something. Character, or something. Anyway, I have always enjoyed riding in Nevada. Enjoyed your report much. Thanks.

Double FUNNY ....You are one of the ones that "gets it". Not everyone appreciates the Battle Born state, it truly is the best corner of planet earth. let me know next time you're out dusty ...I'll show you some shit that'll blow your mind ....few could handle it, but no doubt you could.

++++SPUD...

NICE JOB on having some fun in Nevada and seeing some great sites ....for a maiden voyage you did much better than those who've come and loitered multiple times. Many locals haven't even been to Cathedral Gorge. Next time you come down, I'll give you some top-secret POI's that you'll appreciate.

..and!! two night's in Ely. Oh my! LOL, a great place if one knows how to maneuver in it ....and no one plans two nights there so something tells me you were in the brothels and just had too much fun and couldn't get out of town.

Many of us will be in Ely for a very special event in July ....I for one can't wait.

GREAT job on the report and thanks for sharing your great enthusiasm for moto-bike fun.

 

[user 213]

let me know next time you're out dusty ...I'll show you some shit that'll blow your mind ....few could handle it, but no doubt you could.

NOOOoooooo! Don't do it Dusty! He'll tempt you with tales of college age hotties and then.... then... (the horror!), you'll meet Nasty Nadia. uke: uke: uke:

 

[Spud]

Thanks everyone for the comments. To answer a few questions, yea I watched a few DVD's through some of the more open spaces. I got through Godfather I and II, but started falling asleep during III w/ the cruise engaged at 89mph, and decided to shut it off since I don't have frame sliders yet...

Two nights in Ely: now that's a little town where you want to mind your P's and Q's. Was nice leaving the second day as I left half my stuff in the hotel room, and made for an easy escape that morning. In talking to people, most locals work at mines or a nearby prison. This is not Sun Valley, Vail or Jackson. Which is exactly what I liked about it. The 2 Harley riders playing blackjack.. these were definitely not the ones you make fun of They were the real deal for sure...

Cop report: I think I saw a total of 4 in Nevada. Two cruising main st. in small towns, 1 running radar (gulp!) about 20 miles out of Ely. And another that could have really ruined my day-- I tend to back it off when I get near towns, as that's where they usu. are...

However, in the absolute middle of nowhere, I was reeling in a work pickup w/racks like it was standing still (which I could see for miles ahead of me), and as I got closer, I decided I'd better just creep up on him before I pass. So I backed it off, finally came up on him, and the back of the truck says "GAME WARDEN", and he was set up w/ the full law enforcement rig.... I just followed until he finally pulled off on a dirt road.

Just proves my theory (again) that cops drive everything these days...

 

[Jer]

Great report Spud. I have ridden almost every south to north highway in Nevada and your report brought back memories. I was raised in Boise and moved to Oregon in 1963. After retirement we purchased a home in the Palm Springs area of California for a place to spend the winters. I used to truck my Harley down to Palm Springs in the fall and after bringing the wife back to Salem for the summer I would fly back down and ride the Harley back to Oregon via Boise in order to visit my mother and brothers. I always tried to take a different route. Your report makes me want to ride the highways I missed. By the way when I first moved to Oregon the guys at work called me "Spud."