Death Valley Road Run

[Ol' Ron]

Really nice read. I like the stories of the building of the railroads, the fact that there were two surprised me.
Take care

[Old Henry]

Why Death Valley, for heck sakes!

My daughter in Virginia just read my story and emailed me with the question:

"I couldn't figure out why you were going to Death Valley since my only memory of it was that it was hotter than....well, you know."

My response was:

"I don't know if you know the standard answer that mountain climbers give when asked why they climb mountains: "Because it's there" is their only reply indicating that they merely do it to see if they can do it. I got that from my law partner a lot who was always climbing mountains, including Everest. Reaching the top of the mountain was a secondary goal to pushing himself to his limit just to discover exactly what he had in him which he could only know by pushing to the limit.

After driving to the top of the world on Pike's Peak last year we just had to drive to the bottom in Death Valley this year. Although I think everyone should experience the heat of Death Valley in the middle of the summer, I had already experienced that so we went when the average daytime temperature was 72 degrees. On the day we were there it was probably more like 75. Very pleasant and comfortable for our quest."

What's next now that we've done Pike's Peak, Route 66, and Death Valley?
Any suggestions? (Like to keep it within 500 miles from Provo, UT.)

[TonyM]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

ADDENDUM: Have just calculated some interesting things:

Furthest distance between available gas stations: 169 miles between Ely and Tonopah, Nevada with nothing in between. Gas gauge got pretty scarry at the end. I was coasting every chance I got. As a result we got 13 mpg on that stretch or we wouldn't have made it. (This was late at night and I told everyone to prepare to bed down on the side of the road for the night. There wasn't even cell phone service to call AAA for some gas.)

Glad you made it.

Back in 1999 I had my own gas scare on the Tonopah to Ely trip. There used to be a gas station in between. When the EPA standards for buried fuel tanks changed, the service station at the stop in between Tonopah and Ely was no longer selling gas. We did not know that this time around. So we carried on and set a course for Ely.

About 50 or so miles out of Ely, a semi truck and trailer was trying to make a u-turn out on that two lane in the middle of nowhere and got stuck in the ditch on the side of the road--the drive wheels were off of the ground. The truck and trailer were blocking both lanes of traffic. We were the first eastbound car to happen on the scene. We were low on gas and it was hotter than he!!. We could not idle there forever and wait or we would never make it to town.

As my wife sat in the car I walked into the desert. I found two spots where my low profile Pontiac could make it without hanging up. I got back in and turned around, drove to the spot of desert where I could get off of the road and drove into the desert about 50 yards. I then passed up the semi incident and drove east to the patch of desert where I could get back on the road east bound. Got on the road and high tailed it to Ely where I told the sheriff who just happened to be at the gas station.

Remainder of the trip to Salt Lake City was uneventful.

TM.

[Old Henry]

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[Old Henry]

Larry, aka AlDeBear just emailed me this story printed in April 2012 Hemmings motor news about a 10 day round trip from LA to Death Valley by three model T's in 1926. I enjoyed it so much I'm posting it here for you to enjoy as well.





Here is the link at the end of the article to the 76 actual photographs and their captions. Great stuff! (Scroll down about half way for the links to photos) http://cdn.calisphere.org/data/13030...tf367nb34j.pdf

[2935ford]

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OH....hats off.
What a great trip with great pics. Not afraid to get 'em dirty.
Love it!
To me...that's what this hobby is all about......get them out there on the roads.

[richard crow]

Prof.henry you are amazing

[john mullen]

Wow what a great adventure. I am in awe from reading about your adventures. Well done as I felt like I was there when looking at the photos. Thanks ever so much for sharing your adventure.... John